Throne of the Peacock Angel is a gritty, surreal, and sharply written novel that blends supernatural mystery, urban grit, and political intrigue in a New Orleans setting that’s as alive as any of its characters. The story centers around Adam Worthy Deen, a man with a haunted past, supernatural baggage, and a life that keeps pulling him into secrets far deeper than he wants. He’s got a scarab attached to his heart—literally—which grants him enhanced strength and long life, but also a dangerous hunger for human energy. As ghosts from the past, shadowy organizations, and foreign aristocrats begin converging, Worthy finds himself drawn back into a world he’s been trying to leave behind.

The writing is snappy. Khalid has an ear for dialogue and a knack for making his characters sound real—especially the banter between Donny and Eva, which had me smirking more than once. It’s got that smooth, jazzy rhythm that suits New Orleans perfectly. It’s those moments—where the book lets its characters just be—that give it such strong personality.

The mix of genres here is bold. You’ve got noir-ish crime elements, a secret society feel, hints of espionage, and supernatural dreamscapes with a giant dung beetle made of crystal feeding at a lake of blood​. Honestly, that dream scene threw me in the best way. It reminded me of old-school horror-fantasy with just enough weirdness to keep it unpredictable. Worthy’s struggle with the scarab feels symbolic and raw—he wants to live a normal life, but that talisman keeps pulling him toward darkness. It’s the push-pull of destiny vs. desire that gives the book a pulse.

There are a lot of moving parts—government agencies, aristocratic secret missions, shady families like the Bacons, and street-level drama with Donny’s hilarious misadventures. Sometimes, I had to stop and remind myself who was who and why certain plot threads mattered. But it works, mostly because the characters are vibrant. Eva, for instance, steals the show at times. She’s fierce, sarcastic, and has this unspoken loyalty to Worthy that feels earned.

By the end of the opening chapters, I was hooked. Khalid’s world has weight, and Worthy is one of those characters that sticks with you—a reluctant hero who carries pain like a shadow. This book would be great for fans of supernatural thrillers, noir with a twist, or folks who just like their fiction weird but grounded. If you like John Constantine, True Detective, or anything with secret histories and mystical scars, you’ll find a lot to love here.

Pages: 422 | ISBN : ‎ 978-1665543224