I have very little tolerance for the corniness of “noir”-style writing — and this work of historical fiction really wallowed in it — but the backdrop of 1906 San Francisco made it an entertaining read. The Big One doesn’t happen until maybe 3/4 through, so it ends up being a lot more about the politics and corruption of the time, but there are plenty of mentions of real political figures and local landmarks. Even Emperor Norton makes an appearance. If you’ve read a lot of local history, this fictionalized portrayal gives a nice bit of color to the mix.