I've read a few books 'set in hell'over the past forty years but this one really stands out. I was disappointed by Clive Barker's recent Scarlet Gospels but, in Simon Kurt Unsworth and Thomas Fool, we may have found new fantasy-horror heroes. 
 The sense of nihilism poisoned by hope, the uneasy relationship between the hero, Fool, and his many masters, the slowly developing sense of self that Fool undergoes, the awe-inspiring banality of hell. All expertly handled. 
 As a what-dunnit, all the clues are there if you look for them. Which is easy to say in retrospect - I have to admit to not guessing the outcome - the last page is very dark and hopeless. And yet... 
 The quality of the writing is tip-top with a well-developed sense of pacing, character and story. All in all, a good story well told. 
 I've just checked Mr U's Goodreads page and it looks like I have a few more treats lined up, many with even better ratings than this one. If they really are better, I'm off to Amazon now. 
 The second book in the series, The Devil's Evidence, is due out next week - I'm first in the queue.