Reviews for Boxer, Beetle:

“If Franz Kafka had a sense of humor, perhaps he would have written a book like this one: quirky, comical, brilliant.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Kevin “Fishy” Broom collects Nazi memorabilia and doesn’t go out much; he has a rare genetic disorder that causes him to smell like rotting seafood. But he runs an errand for an important Naziana collector, discovers a murdered man, and realizes that the murder must involve a priceless Nazi relic. Soon, he’s menaced by a remarkably well-mannered Welsh assassin bearing a tattoo honoring a nineteenth-century German secret society whose Aryan mythologies helped inspire the Nazis. That said, most of the book takes place in mid-1930s England. Philip Erskine, a repressed-gay, upper-class twit who fancies himself a eugenicist, is drawn to a diminutive but brutish Jewish boxer known as Sinner Roach. WWII looms, British fascists are on the march in London’s East End, and Erskine’s titled father is hosting a “conference” on fascism while attempting to drum up support for his invented language. First-novelist Beauman, who is just 26 years old, has concocted a bizarre and funny mystery that is filled with eccentric scholarship. His characters are all essentially repulsive, but Beauman’s style and humor render them bearable and even memorable. Boxer, Beetle may be too great a stretch for crime fans who lean toward the conventional, but those seeking something completely different will be amply rewarded."—Booklist, Starred Review

"His [Beauman's] novel is irreverent, profane, and very funny. Best of all, he writes prose that, like Chabon's, has the power to startle, no small feat in a debut."—Publishers Weekly, prebub starred review

"Kevin “Fishy” Broom, so nicknamed because he smells like rotting fish, deals online in Nazi memorabilia. He finds his job a bit more dangerous than he’d anticipated when he’s kidnapped to help find the remains of a World War II–era Jewish, homosexual, nine-toed boxer. In the process, he uncovers a treasure trove of history and its artifacts and personages, including entomologist Philip Erskine, who hopes to breed a superbeetle in tribute to Reich Chancellor Hitler. Erskine, who has a darker interest in eugenics, became interested in the hapless boxer. First novelist Beauman has created a romp across the decades, with quirky characters and a complex, darkly humorous story. The one drawback: explicit sex scenes that seem gratuitous, not contributing much to moving the story to its conclusion. VERDICT Shortlisted for both the 2010 Guardian First Book Award and the 2011 Desmond Elliott Prize, this book will appeal to readers of offbeat fiction, especially those with an interest in the World War II era."—Library Journal