Title: Wrecked.
Series: IQ #3.
Writer(s): Joe Ide.
Publisher: Mulholland Books.
Format: Paperback – Advance Review Copy.
Release Date: October 9th 2018.
Pages: 352.
Genre(s): Mystery.
ISBN13: 9780316509510.
My Overall Rating: ★★★★☆.
Previously on IQ:
IQ by Joe Ide.
Righteous by Joe Ide.
What happens when you share a cup of tea with a person at more than one occasion? You gain knowledge, knowledge on who they are and how they are with you. Through repetition you notice the little things that make them special, whether it is in a good light or not. It’s this process of getting to know the person that becomes valuable as you change in your way of behaving around that person and start to have a better idea of what you can or can’t expect of someone. That’s how I now feel about the protagonist of Joe Ide’s IQ detective series. Meeting Isaiah Quintabe, also known as IQ, was simply magical as his mannerism and understanding of people and the world reminds you of the world’s greatest detective Sherlock Holmes, but with a touch of singularity as he lives in East Long Beach and solves local crime without asking much in return. With a partner who hustles for a living, Dodson serves as his Watson and together they make an unforgettable and hilarious duo.
In this third adventure, Isaiah Quintabe finds himself facing the most dangerous threat yet and that is an understatement. Now that his services are known by just about everyone and their grandmother, his trusted sidekick looks to turn it all into an official private investigation business where Christmas sweaters and favours aren’t the main currency and reward for their crime-solving skills. As they kick things off quickly, IQ is also reached out by a young painter who wishes to track down her missing mother. While she has been an interest for IQ to fill the relationship gap that has been plaguing his life, it also so happens that her mother is linked to a paramilitary organization who have been involved in one of the most controversial event in history that took place in the Abu Ghraib prison. As the mess gets worse by the hour, Dodson is also tossed into an impending disaster as the past comes hunting him regarding a buried murder incident.
This felt like a return to form for IQ. While the first book was a wonderful hit, the second one vainly tried to dig itself out of a hole. But this third book quickly found a wonderful pace and delivered everything else, from character development to plot resolution, just as swiftly. What I liked is how much darker things got in this story as torture, both mental and physical, takes on a living form and becomes a lurking creature throughout the whole mystery. The fact that the stakes where much bigger and the situation much more dangerous for our local heroes made things so much more intriguing, and actually challenged IQ into being the problem-solver that I knew him to be. His deduction skills don’t only showcase his brain power, but also modulates according to his emotions. In fact, romance was such a huge deal in the previous book but it was never executed properly, but in Wrecked, the love interest is intriguing and the connection between the characters are far more authentic and natural.
The use of multiple point of views has been a rocky literary decision for Joe Ide, but it was slightly better done here and I believe it all came down to who’s point of view it was. In fact, the reason why it was such a struggle in the past is because some characters were simply less interesting than others and whenever those characters were given the spotlight, it simply disrupted the reading flow. In Wrecked, the multiple point of views is much more refined and gives us a better understanding of so many characters through past or current events. On top of that, the banter between a lot of these characters are a lot more enjoyable this time around, especially with Dodson and his ex-girlfriend Deronda who just have some of the best repartee in the game.
Wrecked has everything that explains why I enjoy my time with IQ. Clear and vivid story-telling, unique and lively characters, and clever resolutions. With the latest installment delivering a great story, I just can’t wait to see what else Joe Ide is able to deliver with IQ.
Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me a copy for review!
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Roars and Echoes 
Do you have any idea if this is going to be an open ended series or if it is going somewhere? You’re reviews are making me curious but since I don’t start unfinished series anymore (or extremely rarely anyway), I’m wondering if it will be years, or decades for things to wrap up 🙂
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For the time being, it feels a lot like it’s open-ended and will go on to infinity and beyond, unless the author decides to put an end to it soon. In fact, based on what I’ve seen somewhere at some point, I think he signed on to write a book 3 (this one) and a book 4. So… There’s at least one more book, and if there will be more, no one knows.
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Ok, so no master plan/idea. Good to know. I think I’ll have to hold off on this for quite some time then…
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Yep… I find it rare that there’s any detective stories that has a “master plan” to it and is scheduled to be a trilogy. In fact, I think the author is a fan of Michael Connelly, and if you know the author, then you know how long his series are and how interconnected his different series are too… If that’s any indicator of what Joe Ide plans to ever do, then I think it’s a bit hopeless for you to ever check this out hahahaah
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Yeah, Bosch. That just isn’t happening, so if IQ is looking like it’ll take that path, then it’s not for me 🙂
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I am so excited to read this after hearing your thoughts on it. I read the first when it came out and the second over the summer, so I’m read for Wrecked. Great review!!
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Sort of went through the same process myself! 😀 Hope you enjoy Wrecked when you get around to it, sir! Thank you so much for reading!
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Having now read all three of your reviews (well, no idea if there are any more volumes that will follow these), I’m so far incredibly intrigued by this series. This volume sounds by far the most interesting to me, because the story takes a turn for the dark so to speak. I have alwyas been fascinated by the more darker stories (yeah…I know that sounds scary 😂😂), but it is what it is. But overall so far this series really sounds wonderful. I might check this out when I can find it at my local comics store. Great review as always! 😊
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Based on what I’ve read somewhere, there’s going to be a 4th book, but I couldn’t tell you if it’ll be end the end of this series or not. And yes, I totally understand hahah I love my stories to have a darker touch to them, it’s just so much more interesting in every way possible. 😀 Is your local comic book shops the only place where you can get your hands on novels? Cause this series isn’t a comic book series hahah Wouldn’t want you to be disappointed to be not find it in those shops hahah 😀 Thanks for reading, Michel!
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Okay, I feel like a perfect idiot here: Looking at the covers for these I had always assumed these were graphic novels 😅
Well…luckily I have a huge bookstore in Utrecht where I buy most of my novels. So, I’m definitely going to keep these in mind next time I visit there😊
Well..if there is going to be 4th book, I look forward to seeing your review for it 😊😊
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Hahaahah no worries! If it’s any clue, all my comic book/graphic novel/manga reviews will have pictures of the artwork as a slideshow at the end. 😉 Otherwise, it’s straight-up a good ol’ book with lines of words! 😛
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I have not started this series yet, but I want to! Great review!
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I would definitely be curious to hear your thoughts on these, or at least the first book, if you ever get the chance to try it out. 😀 Thanks for reading, Stephanie!
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Love the tea sharing analogy 🙂
I’m glad Book 3 helped to redeem book 2. A detective story with a clever resolution must be a winner!
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Hahah! Thank you, Nina! And yes, I too am pretty happy that the quality is exactly what you’d have wanted after what you got in the first book. Fun stuff! Thank you for reading!! 😀
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Great review! 😄 All these books sound really good! Is there another one or the third is the last one? 😊
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Thanks, Caroline! I believe they plan to turn this series into a TV show at some point too. Maybe you’ll end up adding it to your ginormous watch list because, why not? And after all.. Bigger is better? 😀 😀 And yes, I believe the author signed on to write a 4th book. I can’t say if that one will be the last one though, but if it’s a hit, the publisher will probably want more out of him, unless he wants to end IQ’s story there. 😮
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Ooh that sounds great! 😄 Hahah and thank you for making sure I’ll always have something to watch 😝
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That analogy with the tea thing was spot on 🙂
I have this series on my list for such a long time now… i really need to get organized with all this stuff 😀
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Hahah thanks Norrie! 😀 It’s definitely one of the more fun detective stories out there. It might be a nice break from the darker and more twisted ones you love picking up. 😉
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While it might be a bit of a challenge, I’d love it if you could link back to related series reviews you’ve posted. This is my first time hearing of IQ, though I’m certain you’ve reviewed the other books in this series in the past. After that introduction, I’m all about hearing your own growth and development with IQ over the last few books. 🙂
I’ll have to keep an eye out for this series in the future. This sounds dark, and sometimes violent, it seems worth it. Character development is the key to my heart, after all. 😉 Great review!!!
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Not a challenge at all since I already do that. It’s in the “Details” section, at the end. I always link back to all the previous volumes. 😉
I’m glad it piqued your interest. I do wonder what you’d think of the character, the writing and these stories! I haven’t seen anyone’s review for this series so far, as odd as that may seem hahah Thanks for reading, Jackie! 🙂
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I went to the library yesterday and I.Q. was sitting on the “Too Good To Miss” shelf. I don’t have time in my month to read it now, but I cannot wait to pick it up in early 2019. I am trying to stretch my reading a bit. Stop being scared of the unknown and all that. Here’s hoping I love it!
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Hahah that’s pretty cool! 😛 I do hope that the first book turns out to be fun if you ever decide to give it a shot. 😀
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You raise a good point with multiple views. I find too that there is usually a character you just feel like skipping reading about. In my case, it’s because I might get attached to the more interesting character and want to continue reading from that character’s viewpoint.
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Yep. Making everyone interesting is sometimes hard, and sometimes you just want to stick around with one particular character just because they go through the more fun stuff. The balance is key to success!
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Interesting… it looks like after book #2, things went back to better again 🙂 and that’s delightful! I actually just finished binging on the BBC Sherlock Holmes series on Netflix and to see you pull a SH reference, due to my current series-hangover – has given me a bit of a push and more interest in this series of books! 🙂 Wonderful review 🙂
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Oh man, I always died a little every time I finished the latest episodes of BBC’s Sherlock Holmes whenever they came out. So very few every year! But the quality fo each episode is soooo outstanding! I never get enough of Sherlock Holmes. 😀 😀 Glad to spark some interest in this series. I’m sure you have your hands full with Sherlock Holmes-inspired stories though hahah We’ll never not have enough of those out there. 😀 Thanks for reading, Liz!
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And Benedict Cumberbatch with Martin Freeman is like THE combination.. damn… I have been feeling like going back to the start of the series and watch them all again 😀 addictive!
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