Set in a near-future Chicago, QUEEN MAB COURTESY is part adventure, part mystery, part science, and all fun. Tito, the main character, is a "Denver Dwarf"--victim of a birth defect caused by a biological terrorist attack while he was in the womb. It certainly didn't affect his mind or his spirit, though. He meets up with Charlie Sleazer, a hot chestnut vendor who quotes Shakespeare and has a few interesting sidelines (like helping people out of jams). They are trying to unravel what happened to Tito's father, who disappeared years ago. The C.O.P.S.--huge mechanical machines with biological 'chips' in control of their actions--seem to be engaged in a huge cover-up, adding to their already repressive nature as they try to protect people from everything including themselves. Queen Mab Courtesy is a fast-paced novel that's fun and easy to read, yet it makes the reader think about lots of things, not least of which is the value of being true to oneself and one's family.