Review of Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford

Aztec culture, the roaring 20s, Tommy guns, methamphetamine, Native Americans, the KKK, bowler hats, and Model Ts. What a mongrel, you might say. But Francis Spufford's 2023 Cahokia Jazz brings this dog to barking life through the titular city, and with it the richest, most audacious, most adventurous alternate history mystery you've read—or at least that I've read.

Cahokia Jazz is set in an alternate 1920s-ish America in which Aztec culture still survives and Manifest Destiny didn't quite capture all the land it intended. Cahokia city is set dead smack in the middle of the country, and as a result forms a meeting grounds of cultures and religions—European, indigenous, and beyond. These peoples playing nice until they don't, the book opens on a classic murder mystery scene: a dead body has been found on the roof of one of Cahokia's buildings, the man's heart torn from his chest.

Enter scene right our two fearless detectives. First is Joe Barrow. Of mixed blood, he does not speak the local dialect, and depends on his razor-tongued partner, Phineas Drummond, to interview the locals. And interview they do, the duo's investigation taking them to the Aztec slums of Cahokia, the cafes serving German entrepreneurs, and steamy jazz clubs. The investigation does not go as planned. Left turn after left turn occurs as Cahokia gets turned upside down.

Cahokia Jazz bounces. Page after page of verve, from characters to plot to setting to dialogue. Surprisingly, music is not a major element of the story. Rather ,'Jazz' is intended to capture the lively, swinging nature of the tale and its telling. It moves and shifts. As a specimen of writing, it is perpetually readable. The book is a bit light on theme and substance, but the reader never has time to care as they look to get to the next page.

But it bounces with heart. Cahokia Jazz is not a shallow, throw away effort for teens. Rather, Spufford invests the reader by sticking tightly to plot, giving emotions, decisions, and behavior a solid sense of realism, and through setting. The 1920s noir mood permeates every aspect of the novel, as it has many novels prior, but Spufford ensures his has its own spin due to the unique/alternate nature of the people and the manner in which they play a role in the story.

Without spoilers, a note on the novel's ending. Earlier than the reader expects, Cahokia Jazz seems to start winding down. Don't be fooled, dear reader. Your spidey senses will be correct. It is premature. Spufford still has one trick up his sleeve that is played out in the last pages of the novel. Not entirely as satisfying as it could have been, it nevertheless makes sure to stick the Dashiel Hammet landing.

In the end, Cahokia Jazz is the perfect, relaxing summer read. It has a strong authorial voice, distinct characters, engaging and well-developed story, and a splash of something political in its theme, but nothing to get MAGA nuts or SJWs up in arms. How this book did not receive more attention in the States in 2023 is beyond me. It's a touch formulaic given the literal century+ of detective story which have come before, and there is not much below the surface when you scratch it. But if you've got a warm weekend or two remaining this summer, consider reading this one.