Thank you to #NetGalley and Andrew Hiller for my audio arc of this book!

This was so much fun! This book was a rollercoaster of humour from start to finish, and definitely not a book where I have read something similar.

Not only was the story strong with how it followed a new dynamic between demons and humans, it was hilariously and expertly narrated by Hiller himself and his sister.

The story follows Sol as he helps a demon prove herself innocent of a murder she didn’t commit. There’s mystery, suspense, a whole lot of humour, and super soakers.

This is a strong 4/5 for me, not something I would normally pick up but I’m so glad I did!

I really enjoyed the ending too. No spoilers, but I do think we need more detectives working with demons.

Sol Weiss used to be a cop, but now he's just a dick (the private eye kind). When Urrie shows up at his office accused of murdering the mayor of Hornytown (the outskirts of hell where humans can indulge in all the sins they want, with all kinds of demons there to help them along), Sol is pulled back into the chaos and excitement of his former life, armed with a super soaker full of Manischewitz (Jews don't believe in holy water).

This book is weird in the best way. It's so over the top ridiculous, with just the right amount of Jewish tradition and humor. I gave this 5 stars not because it's the greatest piece of literature ever written, but because I just had so much fun listening to this story. The author and his sister are the narrators, and they do a vast range of different characters and voices. There were a lot of accents - some of which felt like it detracted from the story just because I wasn't always able to fully understand the words. But they truly brought each unique character to life. They truly immerse the reader in this absolute wild ride.

Thank you to netgalley and Atthis Arts for the advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review

Hornytown Chutzpah
by Andrew Hiller
Narrated by Andrew Hiller and Alicia Hiller

This novella here was quirky, immersive, and fun. I learned many words… an interesting satire!! I initially started listening and thought 💭 wait what.. but as I moved forward I was intrigued!! Needless to say the cover art was awesome while the title itself pulled me in…
In my opinion author Andrew Hiller put his heart in this and gave us meanings…priceless
….he gave us context to his mind and his thoughts!!!

The Wise Guy Yiddish… ”boychick”= boy

The narration by both Andrew Hiller and his sister Alicia Hiller gave it a personality!!!

I enjoyed this novella it was fun!!


Thank you @NetGalley @Atthis Arts

(Review copy courtesy of Atthis Arts, Andrew Hiller, and NetGalley.)

5⭐ (with chutzpah!)

I. Loved. This. Book. And it’s one I 100% recommend on audio. In fact, let’s do something a little unusual (for me!) and start there.

Audio-Specific 🎧: 4 hours, 19 minutes. Performed by brother-and-sister duo Andrew Hiller and Alicia Hiller—which is exactly why I picked it up. I’ve slowed down a bit on review copies, but I couldn’t pass this one up. The idea of a family-produced audiobook? Instantly charmed.

And the story absolutely benefits from having the author read it. The book seemed to be an urban fantasy satire (among other things), but I think a different narrator—or even reading it in print—might have made the tone feel too self-serious. Instead, Andrew Hiller plays it straight and slips in just enough of a wink to let you in on the joke. Perfection!

I will say… twelve hours later, I remember nothing about Alicia Hiller’s performance. That’s not at all meant as a slight. It means she did her job perfectly and blended seamlessly with Andrew. Nothing pulled focus away from the story.

All in all, an EXCELLENT audiobook experience.

NOW! Onto the rest of the review!

This book is hilarious. (Anti-vampire measures, but make them Jewish!) That Super Soaker full of chicken soup which itself was outlawed for being too powerful, too saturated with grandmotherly love? Incredible. The humor is sharp and charming, with some genuinely strong political commentary woven in as well.

I can’t overstate how different my experience was from what the cover led me to expect. I appreciate that the author created it (it’s wacky as hell!) but it reads as unpolished, which just isn’t true of the story itself.

When I say I wish the book were a little longer, I mean that I was enjoying the hell out of it and didn't want it to end, not that anything was lacking. It gets in, tells the story it wants to tell, delivers great side characters, and does it brilliantly. I just didn’t want to leave.

The world doesn’t feel explicitly set up for sequels, but it could absolutely support them. The worldbuilding is rich and inventive, and I’d love to spend more time in it. But even if Hiller never returns to this universe, I’ll be watching for whatever he does next.

Ps. This book gives Who Framed Roger Rabbit? vibes in the best way. No, I will not be elaborating.

📌 TL;DR: A wildly charming read best experienced on audio. So get ready to break out your headphones!