Review: Infernal Affairs by Declan Finn

The third installment of the Saint Tommy NYPD series brings the heavy firepower

Infernal Affairs is permanently $0.99.

Warning: Spoilers for Death Cult follow.

The Story

Death Cult ended with a massive suburban fire fight against a Moloch-worshipping cult. With Detective Thomas Nolan having thrown a wrench into their using baby parts for rituals, the book ended with one hell of a twist. Despite being thrown into a raging fire pit, the smooth-voiced nemesis Bokor Baracus was not only alive but dutifully employed with a cozy spot in City Hall.

Infernal Affairs picks up months later, with Nolan enjoying a stretch of pleasant home life. Having settled into his new house, his son is getting along with new friends and he and his wife are enjoying their newfound free time together.

The idyllic times are short-lived, of course. One night after a dream of a gigantic angelic figure demands he rise up and act as Judge and Executioner against the forces of Satan, he rouses from his sleep just in time to engage a team of heavily armored gunmen.  

After one of Finn’s most brutally described firefights to date, he’s shocked to discover his attackers were corrupt members of SWAT. Then the really bad news arrives: there’s a ten million dollar bounty on his head; “They don’t even want you alive. It’s dead all the way down.”

The Characters

This novel, closing the arc of Nolan’s fight against  the various and sundry forces of evil at the top of the city’s political ladder, focuses its finale on Mayor Richardo Hoynes and his right hand man Bokor Baracus. The ride up until there also welcomes back MS-13 gang member Rene Ormeno from the first book, newly released from a mental asylum and souped up on diabolical strength.

Nolan’s loyal partner Alex Parker is by his side until the very end, and his grenade lobbing arm is a lot more limber this time. No new characters are introduced from outside the previous two books; a suitable choice for wrapping up the long and protracted battle that had been waged so far. It’s for this reason, I think, that the dialogue is probably at its best here, as familiar personalities all make their appearances re-entering the ring against Tommy and Alex. I especially found the banter between those two to be especially good this time around.

The World

Finn’s New York City of the previous books returns. The biggest difference in this entry are the sheer number and brazenness of the supernatural elements that come roaring out of the gate as the pitch of the battle picks up. The bounty on Nolan’s head has gunmen scrying to find his location, fire-breathing wyverns sprout from traffic drones and hellhounds whose paws singe whatever they touch bound across rooftops to chase him down.

It’s eventually discovered a powerful warlock is the one behind the bounty. It turns out the heat rising on the intensity and frequency of the attempts on Nolan’s life are tied to something deeper as well; the warlock requires an increasing amount of blood sacrifices be made to keep the dark forces bestowing his powers happy. This leads to broad daylight attacks by mythical creatures along major highways, open gunfights with literal truckloads of enemies, and collateral damage being cranked up to fifty as the attacks become more desperate.

The Politics

The particular politics of Hell Spawn and Death Cult falls off the radar in Infernal Affairs. As this novel is a stuffed to the gills with action, the plot focus is on the far more primal goal of survival rather than any nuanced issues.

However, as the mayor’s agenda becomes increasingly radical—or more mainstream, if you like—we see a series of new policies and attitudes playing out. Of course the city is toying with the idea of harassing the Catholic church for its bigoted stances on gay marriage and abortion, and a few details that were no doubt written to seem over the top in 2018 (like sex education for first graders taught exclusively by trans teachers) impress from their sheer prescience in 2022.

Perhaps this was my only significant criticism for the book; I’m all for a good political dragging, especially by anyone with wit to really pull it off. I can laugh at those on my side of the aisle and Lord knows I enjoy roasting progressives extra crispy. There are times though, when if feels like Finn does visit this well a bit too often, especially towards the end. The final conflict is an adrenaline bomb so chaotic and firey I’m convinced it could never be put to film, but delivers on its promised thrills and ends satisfyingly. The villain monologuing sprinkled in and some of the closing scene dialogue did begin to border on grating a bit however, but stops short of ruining anything.

Who’s it for?

If you’re on Infernal Affairs, you, like me, are likely a Tommy Nolan fan; it’s definitely for those invested in the story and have already read the first two books of the series; a LOT of the impact of the plot and character appearances will be lost on you if you haven’t read Hell Spawn and Death Cult, which you absolutely should. You can check out my reviews for those particular titles here and here.

Why read it?

It’s a huge, two-fisted culmination of the escalating battles between the forces of good and evil that’s been brewing for two books. Despite my above criticism, it does tie a satisfying bow on this leg of Tommy Nolan’s enlistment on the side of good before starting an intriguing new leg of his journey in the next novel, City of Shadows.