Private investigator Mick Oberon knows he shouldn't take this job but he needs the money. Anything that gets him involved with the Outfit is bad news, particularly in Chicago in the 1930s. Worse yet, Mick is hired specifically because he is an elf and therefore can help the mobster's wife determine who switched her baby at birth, leaving her with a changeling. Mick will have to investigate in both the human and the Fae world if he is to solve this mystery!

HOT LEAD, COLD IRON is the first book in Ari Marmell's Mick Oberon series and boy does it get off to a running start. We are plunged headlong into the worlds of the Outfit and the Fae, where familial ties can be more than deadly. I love how Ari Marmell shows the Fae world mimicking the human world in so many ways, as it adds an otherworldly air to the tale.

Mick is an intriguing hero. I'm still not completely sure if I like him although he shows some flashes of compassion. His use of slang takes a bit to get used to although it adds authenticity to the storyline. Ari Marmell helpfully provides the reader with a brief note at the beginning about the language. Also included is a short blurb about the various historical figures referenced in the book, which is particularly helpful for readers who aren't familiar with the various mobsters of 1930s Chicago.

HOT LEAD, COLD IRON is a promising start to a new series. I am curious to see how Ari Marmell will continue to develop both his world and his characters in future books. Hopefully future books will also give us more time with the various locations and secondary characters so that Ari Marmell can flesh them out a bit more. HOT LEAD, COLD IRON is well worth reading and has the potential to develop into a fascinating new series.