SIGN HERE - Claudia Lux


 There's a corporate structure to working in Hell, and Peyote Trip knows this better than most.  He is a dealmaker, currently working on the fifth level where the basic utilities don't work and haven't for centuries and the only thing to drink is Jägermeister. Another dealmaker is Cal. They share some of their work and frustrations, but since they both want to move up they keeps their tips and tricks to themselves. Fortunately, Peyote sees a way to move up the corporate ladder and there couldn't be a better time for that chance.

Peyote needs one more member of the Harrison family to sell their soul, which should have been easier than it's been. But with their heading off to their lake house, with Ruth, the best friend of the daughter Mickey, going along, the family dysfunction will be at its peak - a great time for making a deal with the devil!

All is not fair on earth or in hell and things are not always as they seem on the surface.

This is such a promising story.  The concept gets an A+. But the execution leaves much to be desired.

Peyote seems to be the focus of the book but his story is slightly less interesting than that of the Harrison's. Slightly. Neither is particularly engaging.  And this is the biggest problem with the book.

The story of Peyote and that of the Harrison's would appear to be tightly linked but the reader really has to force this connection throughout the reading. We alternate back and forth and we know there's supposed to be a connection - this is what the book is leading us to. But it takes much too long to get us there and in the meantime we're spending more and more time for setup that doesn't pay off.

Peyote tries too hard to come off as the suave, sassy underworld hipster. He wants to be Mr. Applegate from Damn Yankees, or Crowley from Good Omens but he's not. And without that charisma or appeal he really is just a low level hell worker.

I really wanted to like this but at its best this just incredibly average.

Looking for a good book? Sign Here by Claudia Lux is dark fantasy masquerading as a comedy that doesn't quite work.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

* * * * * *

Sign Here

author: Claudia Lux

publisher: Berkley

ISNB: 9780593545768

hardcover, 416 pages

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