B.C. Johnson: "Djinn & Tonic" (ARC Review)

Title: Djinn & Tonic [on Amazon | on Goodreads]
Series: None
Author: B.C. Johnson [Site | Goodreads]
Genres: Thriller or Mystery, Supernatural
Year: 2025
Age: 18+
Stars: 4/5
Pros: Original, funny, twisty, cinematic.
Cons: A tad chaotic and a bit heavy on the snarkiness. The sex scenes (see below) may not sit well with everyone.
WARNING! Blood and gore, violence (not of the sexual kind), torture, guns, burns, drowning. Contains two graphic sex scenes (F/M and F/F).
Will appeal to: Those who enjoy a mixture of thriller and urban fantasy with plenty of action. Those who can get behind a kickass but dysfunctional heroine.

Blurb: Welcome to Remmy's life: crap work for ungrateful wishers. Her only reward? More wishes, more work. She and her djinn friends have been stuck in 20-something human bodies since Biblical times and - other than a few neat parlor tricks - they can't snap their fingers and make your wish come true. What they do have is a few thousand years of experience making the impossible possible. When Remmy's newest lamp-rubber turns out to be the loathsome owner of a Fortune 500 company with dirty dealings, Remmy finds herself unwillingly descending into a murder mystery that crosses borders, oceans, and every line of human decency. (Amazon excerpt)

Review: First off...DISCLAIMER: I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. I've been a fan of Mr. Johnson since I started his Deadgirl series in 2013, and I've proof/beta-read some of his books. I swear, though, that I'm going to be as honest about this book as I usually strive to be in my reviews. I wouldn't be of any service neither to the author nor to you potential readers if I didn't. Here goes....

DJINN-IUS IDEA

After bringing the wonderful and epic Deadgirl series to completion, B.C. Johnson swings towards adult lit, but doesn't betray his signature penchant for supernatural mayhem and snarkiness. First thing first - Djinn & Tonic is one of the most original stories I've ever read. Think hard-boiled detective novel without the actual detective and with a band of used-up genies instead. They only retain a small fraction of their original power (that they have to conserve as best as they can, because in human form, they don't have access to its source anymore), but are bound to make their summoners' wishes happen, so they have to resort to unconventional methods (well, unconventional for a bunch of genies, that is...though, now that I think of it...unconventional at any rate). There's also a backstory - albeit small - of how they found themselves in this predicament, and it left me wanting more. D&T is a treasure trove of comic moments and funny banter/inner monologue, plus it has an eldritch, unhinged heroine full of very human flaws and with a more tender core than you might expect, all things considered (but shh, don't tell her 😉). "What would you do if you were an ancient being shoved into a human body since before Christian era and your powers were dwindling, but you were forced to act as if you still had them, or pay a steep price" wasn't on my bingo card for sure, but that's B.C. Johnson for you - and as usual, the result is a rich, engaging story you haven't read the like before. [...]

ROUGH SPOTS

Now, I mentioned the author's inclination toward snarky dialogue/inner monologue above, and I have to say that in this case, it's dialed up to ten (well, maybe eight or nine, with a few spikes). Part of it, I suspect, comes with one of the genres he's referencing (hard-boiled thriller) - part is probably an attempt to convey a lack of humanness from the characters (though, as I mentioned above, the protagonist is ultimately more human than you - or Remmy herself - might give her credit for). Either way, something to consider if you - like me - prefer a less abrasive/snide approach. (For the record: "abrasive" doesn't mean "offensive" of course - just "edgy"). Also...well, the story sports not one, but two graphic sex scenes...one of them F/F, too - and if I have to be honest, not only I'm allergic to intercourse in books, but I'm uncomfortable with male authors writing lesbian sex (or, well, sex from the female POV in general). I have to say that those scenes ARE integral to the story, in the sense that they help us understand how an originally incorporeal, agender entity deals with spending an eternity into a 20-something female body...but still. (Actually, one of them serves another purpose as well, but I can't divulge). Again, something to consider. That aside, though, if you decide to give D&T a chance, you're in for a treat. Creative premise, plenty of action, complex relationships (between djinns, humans, djinns and humans) and B.C. Johnson's trademark brand of humour make his first foray into adult fiction a fun, engaging read with a serious/sad undercurrent and a whole lot of (begrudging) heart, and if outrageous heists and near-depleted but ass-kicking supernatural underdogs are your jam, you should look no further.

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