I could not finish enough of this book to be able to leave a comprehensive review, but I hope it finds its audience and I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Morris Baker is back, and I'm psyched! I really loved the predecessor to this volume, BEAT THE DEVILS, and its witty noir story-telling as well as its ominous alternate history American setting. SUNSET EMPIRE capitalizes on this with another engaging mystery involving some of history's most illustrious-- and notorious-- figures.

Sunset Empire is a unique blend of private eye fiction and alternate history, akin to a collaboration between Raymond Chandler and Philip Roth. Morris Baker embodies the classic PI trope - a boozy, hapless romantic, but with an unwavering sense of justice.

The novel is set in 1959, during the ongoing Korean War (which actually ended in 1953), and depicts the Korean population as being treated similarly to how Japanese-Americans were treated during WWII - with suspicion and cruelty. The story opens with Ann Kissinger, the wife of Henry Kissinger, reporting his disappearance. Both Koreans and Jews are disappearing, and McCarthy's fascist America serves as a grim reminder of what could have been.

Although the book can be read as a standalone, starting with the first book would provide a clearer picture of Morris Baker's world. While Baker can be somewhat unlikable, with a tendency towards self-pity, Weiss effectively portrays an America that is both familiar and alien.

Sunset Empire is recommended for fans of crime fiction and history buffs. The alternate history aspect is particularly enjoyable, providing an opportunity to explore how easily America could have gone down a different path.

Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the early copy of the book.

This is the second follow-up book in the series, and while I loved the first one this was not for me. I am not sure what was not working. I liked the plot and idea behind it, once again alternative America gave me chills. The story felt a little repetitive, the way the main character was described was within the same words/phrases and I think I needed more diversity in his actions.

Overall, these books are definitely a more narrow genre and they will make your mind spiral because of the similarities with the current American political scene. I would definitely read more by this author, but I would hope for a new character and a stand-alone novel.

I tried, I honestly did but he lost me. This is speculative fiction (or is it alternate history-or does it matter) set in the 1950s. Morris Baker has been hired to find Henry Kissinger but that's only a small part of what's going on. This is filled with snappy and snarky dialogue as well as Yiddish. It's filled with enthusiasm for itself. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Wasn't for me (I DNF) but I know there's an audience for this.

This novel has a striking premise, but I had to give up about 30% in. The speculative fiction is creative and sharp, but it's the main character, Morris Baker, who knocks the book off the rails. He's drunk, stoned, angry, traumatized to the soul and so unpleasant it's hard to stick with him or care about what he discovers.

This was an opportunity missed with this one. Readers of Josh Weiss's earlier book may get with this one. I will keep an eye out for what he comes up with next.

This one definitely did not go the way I thought it would and has the potential to do really well with Book Clubs and other discussion groups.

It’s 1959 in Hollywood - a detective is on the hunt for Kissinger - it’s a wild reimagining or Hollywood - a couple directors produce porn - a wild ride - if you like speculative fiction

Sunset Empire blends private eye fiction and alternate history. Like if Raymond Chandler and Philip Roth wrote a book together. Morris Baker epitomizes the PI of yore -- a drinker, bad with women, but with a tireless sense of justice.

In this book, the Korean War is still raging on as of 1959 (when in truth, the US was done with the Korean War in 1953), and Koreans are being treated the same way the US gov't treated Japanese-Americans in WWII -- with suspicion and cruelty. In the opening scene, Ann Kissinger (Henry Kissinger's first wife) reports that her husband has gone missing (crazy that Kissinger is still alive -- he's 99). Both Koreans and Jews are being disappeared. McCarthy's fascist America is a reminder of what the US could've turned into.

Readers can easily jump into the series, like I did, but I imagine starting with the first book would make Morris Baker's world more clear. At times, Baker isn't the most likeable. He's like Philip Marlowe but with more self-pity. What Weiss does well is portray an America that can oddly feel both alien and familiar at the same time.

I would recommend this book for history buffs and crime fiction aficionados. For those into history, it's fun to dissect this alternate history, and see how easy it was for America to veer off course.