Hornytown Chutzpah by Andrew Hiller is a razor-sharp, darkly hilarious blend of speculative fiction and hard-boiled noir that grabs you from page one and refuses to let go.

Set in a shadowy, demon-infested corner of Washington D.C., Andrew Hiller’s fast-paced novella crackles with wicked energy, larger-than-life characters, and a style that feels equal parts Raymond Chandler, Terry Pratchett, and Talmudic fever dream.

The story follows a demon who finds himself improbably framed for murder in the Devil’s own backlot — a sleazy, surreal part of the capital known as Hornytown. Enter our unlikely hero, a gumshoe with more chutzpah than sense, determined to crack the case armed with grit, guilt, and a questionable bottle of Manischewitz. The result is part crime caper, part theological farce, and wholly original.

Hiller’s prose is cinematic, lyrical, and delightfully irreverent — every alleyway glistens with menace, every wisecrack lands with a wink and a wince. The world-building is compact but rich, suggesting a warped bureaucracy of Hell operating just beneath the surface of modern government. The dialogue snaps, the plot twists slyly, and despite the absurdity of the premise, there’s real heart beneath the horns and havoc.

At under 200 pages, Hornytown Chutzpah is a brisk, punchy read, but don’t mistake brevity for simplicity. This is a smart, visual, and viciously funny novella that rewards careful reading — a pitch-black satire with soul. If you’re a fan of speculative noir, Jewish humour, occult absurdity, or just like your crime stories with a dash of brimstone and a schmear of sarcasm, this one’s worth pre-ordering.

Bold, bizarre, and blisteringly clever, Hornytown Chutzpah proves that in D.C.’s demon district, justice might be blind, but she definitely keeps a spare shofar under the trench coat.

Thanks to NetGalley and AtThis Arts for the advanced copy.