The City Screams was my introduction to the Ordshaw world and after finishing it I want more. Tova is deaf since childhood. We meet her in Tokyo where she’s just about to undergo revolutionary ear surgery that will allow her to get her hearing back. In theory, surgeons succeeded. Except, instead of hearing people, Tova hears things she shouldn’t. Are those voices from another dimension? Or is the city screaming?


Willis does a good job of telling this twisting tale with excellent pace. The set-up has so much going for it that the plot could definitely have been stretched out into a much more sizable book, but the author opted for making it a fast, high-impact read. With less than 50 000 words, it’s probably the shortest book in the contest. Despite my lack of knowledge of the Ordshaw series, I never felt lost or confused.


The story has plenty of action mixed with horror elements and the final twist is brilliant and hilarious. Just wait and see what was the goal of agents of elsewhere :) We can debate if it doesn’t change the tone of the book, but I loved it.


Tova is a relatable lead character, one that could definitely carry future novels, so hopefully, there is more in store for this compelling protagonist.