Secret Identity by Alex Segura

"The title of this novel is apt on several levels but hopefully you will discover them as you read it. The setting is NYC in the mid 70's and the comic book industry is at the forefront of the novel. The author has also written many comic books and has a strong grasp of the industry and especially the discrimination and sexism of the time and that impacts the main female character.
Carmen Valdez is the female lead, and she wants to create comic books but accepts a job as an assistant to the publisher of Triumph Comics just to get a foothold in the industry. A co-worker is killed and Carmen tries to figure out what happened while continuing her dream of creating a female comic superhero.
A gritty noirish mystery which encapsulates the time period quite well while also being a nicely paced and entertaining read. I enjoy an occasional graphic novel but would not consider myself a comic book fan. I learned a lot about the industry, but the book works on many different levels."
-Marc B