The Amulet is a very peculiar book, in which several different elements meet and mix an a very original way. At first you find yourself immersed in a typical "Marlowe" atmosphere, and you think you are reading a classic mystery. Even when you realize the artifact the main character is looking for is not simply a very old, and therefore valuable, object, you aren't prepared for the sudden twist in the story, with the blending of the practical, everyday investigation with a sudden trip in the world of magic and even nightmare, with that good dollop of horror that gives a much different taste to the story, but is artfully added one drop at a time, until the nightmare explodes to its fullest.Another thing to fully enjoy are the artful descriptions of Glasgow, of its rainy streets and pubs and life.And, of course, the writing style of the author himself, clean, essential and yet powerful where it needs to be.