I am delighted to share my review today for IQ by Joe Ide, I have had this book for ages and wanted to read it which is why I chose it for the #20booksofsummer reading challenge, and yes I am still playing catch-up with the reviews for this challenge, but I am almost there 🙂

Let me show you more about IQ…

A resident of one of LA’s toughest neighborhoods uses his blistering intellect to solve the crimes the LAPD ignores. 

East Long Beach. The LAPD is barely keeping up with the neighborhood’s high crime rate. Murders go unsolved, lost children unrecovered. But someone from the neighborhood has taken it upon himself to help solve the cases the police can’t or won’t touch. 

They call him IQ. He’s a loner and a high school dropout, his unassuming nature disguising a relentless determination and a fierce intelligence. He charges his clients whatever they can afford, which might be a set of tires or a homemade casserole. To get by, he’s forced to take on clients that can pay. 
This time, it’s a rap mogul whose life is in danger. As Isaiah investigates, he encounters a vengeful ex-wife, a crew of notorious cutthroats, a monstrous attack dog, and a hit man who even other hit men say is a lunatic. The deeper Isaiah digs, the more far reaching and dangerous the case becomes.

You can check out the Author’s Amazon Page HERE to buy this and more by Joe Ide

Synopsis…

When I saw the tag line on the cover referring to this book as being like Arthur Conan Doyle with a twist of Martin Scorcese I was interested. I had also seen some good reviews from trusted book bloggers that I follow.

So, who is IQ? He is Isiah Quintabe, he didn’t finish school, he has not always been innocent, he is trying to make amends for his past and he has an intellectual mind. He is similar in style to Holmes in the way he thinks. He quietly watches, observes reactions and body language and notices the small details. He is a character who I really like and I cannot wait to see where the author takes him next.

IQ has built himself a reputation for solving things. People come to him when they want things or people finding. They pay what he can afford and this is not always in money. Money, however, is what he needs so it means working with someone from his past.

The case is one of a rapper who is has been attacked and will now no longer leave his house. His management needs him in the studio but he will not leave. This is a case that is a mystery. Who has the most to gain by the rapper’s demise, who is the attacker and who else is involved? The rapper himself is not someone who I immediately took to but I did feel for him as he starts to spiral.

IQ has a style of his own, he is methodical, cautious and will not be pushed into making or making decisions that are not right. He does have a moral compass that keeps him on the straight and narrow, though this has not always been the case.

The author has created a story with quite a lot that goes on in it. There are details from IQ’s past as well as what is going on with the current case as well as details about the rapper and what makes him tick. The story has a steady pace, I didn’t feel it was too fast or rushed but it also had a slightly slower more methodical feel about it, and for me, this really suited the style of story.

IQ is a crime mystery book and is the first in the series. I found it very addictive with some great characters and a wonderfully described setting. I would definitely recommend this to readers who like a more sleuthing style of mystery read.

Many thanks for reading my post a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx