“West Kensington Paranormal Detective Agency. Doctor Ravinder Shah speaking. No case too weird, no problem too bizarre. Strangeness a speciality. How can I help you?”

London Social Worker Rav Shah moonlights as a paranormal detective, aided by one of his clients and a Border Collie he rents by the hour. It was supposed to be a bit of fun: a search for truths out there; a quest for a life more interesting than the one that fate, destiny, and personal apathy had granted him.

But then a case involving a Yorkshire farmer and a herd of flying pigs leads him into a world darker and more dangerous than he’d ever dreamed.

The truth is indeed out there.

And it’s got Rav square in its sights.

Whew, what a title!

When a book opens with the line “The mist clung to the moorland like a blanket staple-gunned to a bed.” then you know you are in for an enjoyable read. And that is just what If Pigs Could Fly gives us.

It’s kind of difficult to accurately describe If Pigs Could Fly, but I think the best way would be to say it’s part X-Files part What We Do In The Shadows. In that, I mean that there are some parts of the book that a bit more serious while there are other passages that are just plain ridiculous. This doesn’t mean that those passages are bad – far from it in fact. They are just so silly and over the top that the comparison must be made.

The characters in If Pigs Could Fly are an eclectic bunch. I dare say that any reader would be hard pressed to find someone that they cannot relate to in some way. Also, not every character is likable. The only exception to this would be the Professor and the dog, Jess. Those two are incredibly lovable.

One reviewer on Goodreads compared the book to “a packet of high quality biscuits” – cookies for my American readers – and I must agree. Once you start reading and getting in to the story, it is very easy to binge and read the entire book in one sitting. But like with a delicious treat, one tries to control the urge and dole out small servings, the better to savor and enjoy it.

The ONLY drawback I can find is that this is the only book in the series. While If Pigs Could Fly is subtitled as the first book of the series, sadly there is no second book. This makes me very sad because when one comes across an author who at times channels the great Douglas Adams, one invariably wants to read more. And while I will be reading and reviewing more of Jonny Nexus’ novels in the future, I will have to bide my time and wait for another tale from the West Kensington Paranormal Detective Agency.