Book Review: Johnny Lycan & The Anubis Disk

Johnny Lycan & The Anubis Disk. Wayne Turmel. Black Rose Writing, November 19, 2020, Trade Paperback and E-book, 228 pages.

Reviewed by Jose Nateras.

In Wayne Turmel’s fourth novel, Johnny Lycan & The Anubis Disk, Turmel explores a cross-section of different genres to create an exciting narrative. This story's main character is Johnny Lupul, a private detective who just so happens to be a werewolf. As his reputation as a P.I. grows, Johnny draws the attention of the sort of clientele that sends him on a hunt for stolen magical relics, putting him squarely in the path of dangers of all kinds.

Turmel manages to thoroughly explore the detective, mystery, supernatural, and horror genre conventions. With some thrilling gore and satisfying werewolf violence, Turmel imbues his storytelling with a sense of humor and edge. 

Thoroughly leaning into his noir influences, the voice of Johnny is a throwback to the sort of terse, macho private detectives instantly recognizable yet still distinctly unique. Furthermore, Turmel paints a vivid picture of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. In his descriptions of Johnny’s garden unit apartment and the floor plan of his upstairs neighbor-best-friend-manager, BIll, Turmel effectively paints the picture of a Chicago three-flat, grounding his fantastical narrative in a real and recognizable setting.

While the detective noir genre is a bit old school, Turmel was able to do something new and interesting with it, partly due to the infusion of the magic and horror of werewolves, Egyptian mysticism, Romani traditions, and more. The ways in which these disparate elements work together keep the narrative from being formulaic or overly predictable. 

Overall, Johnny Lycan & The Anubis Disk manages to take a bunch of old school elements and creates a refreshing fusion of genres with a sharp sense of humor. Fans of werewolves, detective fiction, and the city of Chicago are sure to get a thrill out of Turmel’s latest. One of the more exciting aspects of the book is that it seems like it might be just the beginning. With Acre’s Bastard: Part I and Acre’s Orphans: Part 2 of the Lucca Le Pou Stories, Turmel has proven he’s capable of producing a series, and Johnny Lycan & The Anubis Disk seems particularly well suited to be the first installment in a series of its own.