Consider the matter of an antique violin, one of a number constructed by a man called Erich Zan, and made of human bone taken from multiple live donors. Violins which are solely intended to produce music capable of murdering demons. The problem is that a demented soul lives within this particular violin and it thrives on eating the souls of others, and it’s not fussy.
Dominique O’Brien (her friends call her Mo), is the keeper of this demonic instrument. It invades her dreams and wants the soul of her colleagues and that of her husband, Bob Howard, who’s been forced to move out lest someone dies. And despite Mo’s skill as a world class violinist, the possessed violin will not be controlled.
Ahhh but there’s a lot more to this story than merely that interesting morsel. The Annihilation Score, the latest entry in Charlie Stross’ ongoing series The Laundry Files, details the fight by a British secret agency (the Laundry) against supernatural forces from beyond this Universe that intend to, well, destroy reality as we know it. Flesh eating unicorns, vampires, evil demon possessed felines — all are a result of these forces leaking into our Universe. Previous novels have featured Mo’s husband Bob Howard as the protagonist, but The Annihilation Files tells Mo’s story.
Mo has been fast-tracked by senior Laundry staff and is now in charge of a new unit to recruit super powered beings into that unit to assist the British government in duties ranging from handling riots to preventing much worse things from happening. Seconded to Mo’s unit, the Transhuman Policy Coordination Unit, are two, errr, not quite human women. One is a vampire, one is a deep sea dweller (complete with mermaid tail). Both are perfect for this unit and it takes Mo just a short while to realize that.
I usually don’t refer to other reviews of a work but the pure venom of some male reviewers towards Mo as the narrator is disturbing. The reviewers very obviously expected Bob to be the narrator and deeply resent Mo being in that role. Personally I thought that this was the best entry in the series in some time. I’ve barely touched upon the story here which moves between Mo’s private life, her interactions with the cursed violin and the politics within both The Laundry and the Met (Metropolitan Police) which is fascinating.
Oh and wait until you reach the part that describes their unique fast response vehicle.
You needn’t have read the previous five novels to read and enjoy this spectacular novel, but I suggest that you read the previous works, novels and novellas alike, as you’ll really like them.
(Ace Books, 2015)
[Editor’s Note: Do check out GMR’s reviews of Stross’s previous Laundry Files entries The Atrocity Archives, The Jennifer Morgue, The Fuller Memorandum, The Apocalypse Codex, The Rhesus Chart (a review of the audiobook) and Equoid. Charles Stross has a website and on it he includes a helpful list of his Laundry Files fiction (scroll down to the appropriate section).]
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