"So many Batman stories and graphic novels to choose from, but I think this ranks number one — with Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns” a close second. To civilians (non-comics fans), I describe this work as a great urban crime drama that just happens to have Batman in it. With a little Dostoyevsky mixed in — really."

"I’ve always been fascinated by the psychology of people and trying to understand what motivates ordinary people to do the things they do, as well as the guilt and the redemption of these people afterwards. I cannot think of another book which took me into a character's brain before, during, and after, a crime quite like this one."

"The late Baroness Rendell wasn’t only the author of numerous superb crime novels, she was one of the greatest writers, period, of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This is her last book, and in typical Rendell fashion, it weaves in and out of dark alleys and takes you to some astonishing places. Well worth the time spent."