Do we need another hero? Absolutely. Thirty years ago the Kingfisher haunted Chicago’s streets, defending citizens from criminal mayhem. Everyone knows stories about the man that some called a hero, others, a vigilante. Retired journalist Marcus Waters, who literally wrote the book on the Kingfisher, knows the legends better than anyone else. But what if everything he thought he knew was wrong?

Someone certainly thinks so. A masked agitator has taken hostages at gunpoint, claiming the Kingfisher’s death - and all the documentary evidence - was faked. If the police don’t release proof of the cover-up, the hostages will die.

With the clock ticking, Marcus must look at his life’s work with a fresh eye and untangle fact from fiction before anyone dies. This high-stakes dilemma is the centerpiece of T.J. Martinson’s debut novel, “The Reign of the Kingfisher.” 

Mr. Martinson nails the crime thriller tone and style from the get-go, opening with a dramatic flashback that sets up the main plot. The pacing is slow and suspenseful, making readers feel as if danger lurks around every corner, and the characters talk in short sentences that would look right at home in comic book dialogue balloons. The descriptive passages, in contrast, are so detailed that they’re easily visualized.

It’s the perfect recipe for a good comics homage, but. Mr. Martinson has given readers much more than that: in his skillful hands, the Kingfisher’s story becomes an elegant deconstruction of superhero mythology and a deep examination of 21st-century heroism. Alan Moore and Joseph Campbell would most likely approve.

It’s a simple leap, for example, from “kingfisher” to “fisher king,” and Mr. Martinson drops many hints that his tortured vigilante might be both man and myth. If you know what to look for, you’ll see elements of legend scattered throughout the story, from the Wasteland to the mysterious Miss May.

Worth a novel of her own, Miss May glides in and out of sight like the Holy Grail. She just might have the answers Marcus is looking for. Whether or not he can ask the right questions is another matter entirely.

You can’t have a superhero story without villains, and Mr. Martinson offers several. The most interesting of these is Detective Gregory Stetson, whose single-minded pursuit of the American dream leads him to make a series of questionable choices. His story arc is a chilling reminder that the line between hero and villain can be both fine and blurry.

Other characters are easily recognized as types: the gifted young hacker, for example, or the wisecracking detective. It’s not accurate to call them secondary, though: from the beat cop on leave to the amateur photographer, each character receives a rich backstory and a tragic flaw. The point of view rotates through the ensemble cast, allowing Mr. Martinson to build a complete picture of the Kingfisher’s reign.

When the Kingfisher’s identity is finally revealed, it’s ultimately less important who he is than who others need him to be. The true heroes of Mr. Martinson’s tale are those characters who can put aside their fears, rise to the occasion, and do whatever needs to be done. Because they’re mortal, they will often fail. Ultimately, however, the best place to look for a hero turns out to be the mirror.

Debut novels can be hit or miss; “The Reign of the Kingfisher” hits a grand slam for its intended audience. It might even convince skeptics that superhero stories can make good literature. Take it at face value, then plunge into its depths: both experiences are guaranteed to please.

Leigh Anne Focareta is a freelance writer and friendly neighborhood librarian.

First Published: March 8, 2019, 3:00 p.m.