I adored the first book in this series featuring Isaiah Quintabe (IQ) by Joe Ide, named after its lead character.  I was a little disappointed by the second, Righteous but enjoyed the third, Wrecked, Which brings us to Ide’s latest release and the fourth instalment, Hi Five.

Interestingly I think what I struggled with in the second novel was the increased involvement of IQ’s childhood friend (and kinda loveable rogue) Juanell Dodson. Dodson plays a larger role in this book again but I’m finding myself becoming accustomed to the fact he jousts well with IQ, even if it means the latter no longer seems to be quite the scary-smart and savvy character I initially fell in love with.

Hi Five
by Joe Ide
Series: IQ #4
Published by Mulholland Books
on 28/01/2020
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Crime Fiction
ISBN: 0316509531
Pages: 352

Goodreads

Cristiana is the daughter of the biggest arms dealers on the West Coast, Angus Byrne. She's also the sole witness and number one suspect in the murder of her boyfriend, found dead in her Newport Beach boutique.

Isaiah Quintabe is coerced into taking the case to prove her innocence. If he can't, Angus will harm the brilliant PI's new girlfriend, ending her career.

The catch: Christiana has multiple personalities. Five radically different ones. Among them, a naïve, beautiful shopkeeper, an obnoxious drummer in a rock band, and a wanton seductress.

Isaiah's dilemma: no one personality saw the entire incident. To find out what really happened the night of the murder, Isaiah must piece together clues from each of the personalities - before the cops catch up.

I often struggle with the multiple storylines in this series but here the plots are pretty much linked from the beginning so my focus was less scattered.

The case of the one person / many personalities as witnesses was actually quite different to anything I’d read before. Christiana is an obvious suspect but it’s likely it might have been one of her personalities and she doesn’t know.

Of course her father’s reputation and the victim’s role in his organisation means there are a myriad of other possible killers however and the mystery itself is actually quite complex.

I like some complexity but, although we aren’t offered disparate cases, Ide has – in some ways – convoluted things more than needed. An early gang-related killing is lost a little in the investigation of the main case and the introduction of dysfunctional hired killers was interesting, but again diluted a little by other events.

I should mention that IQ is still smart and very intuitive. He notices stuff others might not. Like Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock. And of course we have Dodson who keeps IQ pointed in the right direction.

I recall IQ’s love interest appearing in the last book of the series but there’s a bit of an about turn here which confused me a little.

I really like IQ and think the series and his character have a lot of potential but have the feeling Ide isn’t sure where he’s taking them. There’s sometimes a lack of consistency in IQ’s actions and those around him; and the plot tends to take some sharp turns – less like twists and more like changes of direction.

Hi Five by Joe Ide will be published by Mulholland Books and available in January 2020.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.