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REVIEW: Hexhunter by Jordan L. Hawk
Hexworld: Hexhunter – Jordan L. Hawk
Detective Bill Quigley fell in love with the familiar Isaac the night they met. But after more than two years, it’s time to admit to himself that Isaac doesn’t return his feelings.
Isaac knows he’s too broken by his experiences for anyone to fall in love with. Especially someone like Bill, who deserves a partner unplagued by Isaac’s nightmares and doubts.
When children go missing from an orphanage, Bill and Isaac must work together to find them. And as years of yearning threaten to ignite into passion, they must decide once and for all whether to take a chance on love.
Hexworld is a brilliant Jordan L. Hawk creation set in alternate New York run by hexes and magic is channeled through a combination of witches and familiars. Any witch and familiar may bond but the strongest magic comes from the bonding of a fated familiar and witch pair. There are three books and some novellas released so far, each couple bringing their own unique dynamics. I loved all the stories!
Hexhunter stood out for having a witch and familiar pair not fated to each other. In this world, familiars have the raw end of the deal, forced to bond with a witch or not even considered human. In book one, Hexbreaker, we learned Isaac was treated horribly by his fated witch and he was forced to quit the Metropolitan Witch Police. He was later forced bonded with another, kept imprisoned in his mastiff form and drained of magic. He was rescued by Tom and Cicero with the help of Bill Quigley, who quickly fell in love with Isaac.
Isaac and Bill slow-burned their way through several books and every Hexworld fan has been waiting for their moment. After several books, the plot has gotten a bit predictable but I don’t really mind. I’ve been rooting for these two.
The familiar has PTSD and the book dealt with Isaac’s journey to recovery. Because of past abuses, he is slow to trust and thinks he is tainted because his magic is drawn to bad men. He constantly puts himself down and considers himself unworthy. Bless Bill and his big heart! He was exactly what Isaac needs. With infinite patience and a lot of TLCs, he showed Isaac his true worth. Theirs was the softest romance of them all. Those years finally paid off!
Isaac ran his hand lightly over Bill’s chest. “Worth the wait?”
“Aye.” Bill kissed Isaac’s hair. “ Worth everything.”
The abuse of familiars and the desire to control them has been the main conflict in the series. This book once again tackled this threat. The big bad villain who remained unseen and only spoken in secret, masterminded a plot of manipulating familiar forms with hexes. Children from the orphanage were kidnapped and thought to be subjected to this inhumane treatment. As with other JLH books (e.g. Whyborne & Griffin), long lost relatives were not to be trusted and some parental units are just not worth it.
The world-building is top-notched as usual and skillfully interwoven with actual historical events and mythological stories, that of the 1900s archaeological excavations in Knossos and the story of the Minotaur. I love how this part was put into good use in the climax. Bill blindly running around in the dark, creepy noises, monsters lurking, all classic edge of your seat fun.
A big hoorah for all the appearances of the rest of the gang, Tom and Cicero, Owen and Mal (my favorite couple), Nick and Jamie, and Dominic and Rook. Of course, Cicero and his big mouth stole the show in every scene he is in. He got Isaac in trouble once again, this time causing friction between Isaac and Sionn, an owl familiar and Isaac’s officemate, who was also interested in Bill. Sionn’s a good guy so I hope he gets his own book and *fingers crossed* it’s him and Valentine, the journalist.
All too often, Hexworld magic is blind and connects a familiar and witch seemingly at random. Unlike the other books where it plays a pivotal role in the pairing, Hexhunter is about healing and making a choice. Because sometimes, it’s better to choose a good witch than the right witch.
Magic ain’t everything .
P.S.
Hexworld books here.
Jordan L. Hawk books here.Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Euphoria, Take My Hand
Artist: Glasvegas
Album: Euphoric Heartbreak -
REVIEW: Shiver by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliot
Unbreakable Bonds: Shiver – Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
Lucas Vallois is always in control. He’s building an empire in the glittering city of Cincinnati and created his own family from his three close friends. The self-made millionaire has everything he wants within his tight grasp. But his world starts to crumble after he’s jumped by a trio of thugs late one night after leaving a club. The warning is clear—give up his new property venture or end up dead.
Caving to the demands of his friends, Lucas accepts the help of bodyguard, Andrei Hadeon, as as he hunts for the source of this new threat. But as Lucas gets closer to uncovering the danger, he realizes the sexy Romanian bodyguard poses an even bigger risk to his carefully constructed world. Trapped by a need he never expected, Lucas must find a way to deny the shiver of longing he cannot control.
His brother. His warrior. His heart. Four friends. Unbreakable bonds.
Unbreakable Bonds is centered around four men who have deep connections with each other. Lucas Vallois, the alpha and the center who holds everything together. Ashton ‘Snow’ Frost, dark and brooding, is a trauma surgeon and the one Lucas considers his brother. Rowan ‘Rowe’ Ward, laid back and goofy, they met him during basic military training. He is their warrior. Their heart is Ian Pierce, a talented chef. He’s adorable, the type you want to put in your pocket to keep safe. Well, I want to put them all in my pocket really. I love these guys! ♡
Shiver is Lucas’ story.
Lucas, a born protector, suddenly found himself in need of protection. Because of his new business venture, he received threats to his life which landed him in the hospital. Rowe, a security specialist, insisted he had a bodyguard and brought in his best employee, Andrei Hadeon, a former MMA fighter. Lucas, who was bi, found himself instantly attracted to the bodyguard but he has a rule of not sleeping with straight men and Andrei screams straight. Meanwhile, Andrei, who was not 100% sure he’s straight, was unexpectedly drawn to Lucas who made it hard for him to do his job.
The story is first a romance, the rest comes in second. There’s some insta-love in play which I’m not really into. They came together in a matter of days. Still, the authors made it work. The chemistry between Lucas and Andrei was obvious from the start and it was fantastic!
Lucas had a thing for Andrei’s hair and couldn’t resist touching it every chance he gets. One time, it was singed so he had his best hairstylist work on it and refused to let him cut it short. Meanwhile, Andrei tried to figure things out.
“It’s that I’m attracted to Lucas. He’s…”
“Beautiful,” Ian supplied and Andrei glared at him. That word went without saying. “But I think you mean that Lucas is one hundred percent pure alpha. He’s controlling and dictatorial. He’s dominant and there’s no way around that. It’s his comfort zone and I have a feeling it’s the only way he knows how to be.”
“Yes.”
He even went so far as to test it, kissing other guys to see if he liked it. Which made Lucas possessive and growly. ♡〜٩(^▿^)۶
With the “am I gay” question, I was hoping the authors would go with something like Andrei liking Lucas as a person and not worry about the gay thing. I mean, you like who you like, unless you’re a pedo.
The mystery was moderately interesting and, IMO, a bit thin. The men needed to find out who’s behind these threats. It could have been solved sooner. It felt like it was just there to provide some action and conflict. Andrei’s MMA background proved useful when he needed to infiltrate the gang running illegal fights to identify the boss behind the threats. When the bodyguard’s life was in danger, Lucas was all but ready to rain fire on the city. Rowe and Snow rallied around him and the three ex-soldiers immediately got their soldier mode on. It was a suspenseful moment but I already had an inkling who was behind the threats and the guy turned out to be laughably weak in the end. Meh.
Now, if I didn’t know Hollis Banner was being set-up for Ian, I would have said the guy was up to no good. He kept showing up, accomplishing what exactly? Spreading his germs? Why was he out and about with that flu? And why was he alone? Don’t detectives normally work in pairs? I wished he had a more compelling reason to be around and a more useful role but I guess it’s still not his moment.
Shiver is best read for it’s sizzling romance and lovable characters. Lucas, Snow, Rowe and Ian are fast becoming my favorite found family. What they had was something special. The authors did a great job portraying their awesome group dynamics. I loved how Andrei won his place in this tightly-knit group and I’ll be sticking around to see where he and Lucas would take their ‘monogamous no-strings attached‘ arrangement.
P.S.
Snow is up next. YES!!! We all know the dark, brooding ones are always the favorite.
Other Jocelynn Drake books here.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Shiver
Artist: The Gazette
Album: Shiver -
REVIEW: The Left Hand Of Calvus by Ann Gallagher
Former gladiator Saevius is certain Fortune’s smiling on him when a Pompeiian politician buys him to be his bodyguard. That is until his new master, Laurea Calvus, orders Saevius to discover the gladiator with whom his wife is having a sordid affair. In order to do that, Saevius must return to the arena, training alongside the very men on whom he’s spying. Worse, he’s now under the command of Drusus, a notoriously cruel—and yet strangely intriguing—lanista.
But Saevius’s ruse is the least of his worries. There’s more to the affair than a wife humiliating her prominent husband, and now Saevius is part of a dangerous game between dangerous men. He isn’t the only gladiator out to expose the Lady Verina’s transgressions, and her husband wants more than just the guilty man’s name.
When Saevius learns the truth about the affair, he’s left with no choice but to betray a master: one he’s come to fear, one he’s come to respect, and either of whom could have him killed without repercussion.
For the first time in his life, the most dangerous place for this gladiator isn’t the arena.
This novel has been previously published under the pseudonym L.A. Witt, and has been lightly revised.
INTENSE!
The Left Hand of Calvus is an extremely well-written and tightly woven story of a gladiator involved in “a dangerous game between dangerous men” against his will. Authored by Ann Gallagher, also known as L.A. Witt, it oozes USTs without the MC, Saevius, fully understanding what was happening and with nary a sex scene in sight. People might complain about the lack of steam but I am the type who can happily live off USTs alone so this novel is totally my jam.
And it’s not just tension of the sexual kind that is tight. There is constant threat to life and limb and Saevius was perpetually walking on razor’s edge. As a gladiator and essentially a slave, he had no choice but do anything his masters tell him to do. He was told to spy on his fellow gladiators both by Calvus and Drusus, albeit for different reasons. A slight misstep could get him killed by either masters and/or his fellow gladiators and he had to survive on fighting skills and wits. As a veteran fighter, Saevius was nothing if not a survivor and I enjoyed seeing him outwit and outlast hostile elements from his first person perspective.
The author did a great job with the historical aspect giving many interesting details about gladiator life in and out of the arena, one of which was that it’s okay for rich married women to bed these fighters but it’s a big no no for them to sleep with a citizen or free man. This fact was cleverly utilized in the story. I also liked how 78 AD Pompeii came alive without overwhelming the reader with tons of info.
The mystery sounds simple but executed with enough suspense and surprises to keep me glued to the book. Calvus suspects his wife was sleeping with somebody from Drusus’ ludus (house), who might or might not be a gladiator, and wants to put an end to the affair to save his reputation. Drusus, on the other hand, wants to find out who might potentially be another Spartacus. With both masters demanding complete loyalty, it was Saevius’ strange attraction to Drusus that tipped the scales.
Seen through the eyes of the gladiator, Drusus was, for the most part, a mystery but damn was he intriguing! He’s cold, cruel, calculating and something else. I totally get why Saevius was drawn to him without actually knowing much about the person. And while the book is not really about romance, the romance kind of sneaks up on you in that delightful slow burn way. Then BAM! came that big twist which I never saw coming. The best part of it all was that Saevius was super cool about the whole thing. What a sweetheart! The only problem with twists like this is that the hashtag is a spoiler so I’m not putting a tag on it.
I haven’t read that many gladiator stories but I think The Left Hand of Calvus is one of the best ones out there. The story is short, gripping and fast-paced. It just grabs you from the start and keeps you enthralled. If you like twisty historical stories about battle-scarred warriors grappling with impossible situations, this one’s for you.
P.S.
Other L.A. Witt books here
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Escape
Artist: 30 Seconds To Mars
Album: This Is War -
REVIEW: Shadow’s Edge by S.C. Wynne
Psychic Detective Mysteries: Shadow’s Edge by S.C. Wynne
Liam Baker can see things. Dead people like to visit him and tell them how they were wronged. Some might call it a gift, other’s a curse. But either way this ability makes him useful to Los Angeles homicide detective Kimball Thompson.
Some madman is slitting the throats of young male prostitutes and then dumping their bodies in the desert with vague clues of pink feathers and the number five. Usually Liam can talk to the spirits of the dead. But someone is blocking him. Someone is taunting him.
The case is rapidly deteriorating into a violent, psychic pissing contest and Liam can’t see far enough ahead to figure out who wins or who dies.
I seem to be building a collection of psychic detectives as I yet again start on a series featuring another consulting medium+ police detective combo. Someday, I going to create a ranking list featuring these ghost talkers. Unfortunately, Liam Baker might not make it to the top 5 as this book is pretty average.
First, the romance between Liam and Thompson was a big plus. It worked quite well with the mystery as the backdrop. Liam is prickly and grief-stricken over William, who was also Thompson’s partner. Thompson is a tough-looking, workaholic homicide detective who have always cared about Liam and had taken him under his wing when William died. He has deeply hidden feeling’s for his late partner’s boyfriend. This and the work-related pressures added extra tension to what was an already fragile relationship. Then Thompson started dating somebody else and Liam slowly realized that he was attracted to Thompson. And that he needed to get over William’s passing. All of which brought out Liam’s thorny side and he was being quite an ass. At this point, Thompson had given up on having his feelings requited, Liam being clueless and such and that should have been the end of it. But there were feels ready to be felt and USTs that irresistibly needed to be resolved and hash it out they did. While not exactly sqee-tastic, the chemistry sparked, the dynamics was enjoyable and their transition from work partners to romantic partners was convincingly executed.
However, for me, the mystery should stand out as well and while it was one of the main threads, it wasn’t as strongly delivered as I hope it would. It was as generic as they come. I didn’t feel the suspense or the chill and some of the clues’ significance were not so clear during the big confrontation with the killer. Even the killer’s motive seemed weak. I was looking forward to this ‘psychic pissing contest‘ but I’m disappointed that the antagonist was too one-dimensional.
The world-building also needed to be fleshed out. Are psychics common in their world? Everybody seemed okay with the police working with a consulting medium so maybe we can assume it is so. Since Samhain was mentioned, do other paranormal entities exist in their world too? Given the length of the book, it might not be surprising that we only get the bare-bones details but it would have been more effective to give the reader a little more meat to chew on as this would make mystery more compelling. Maybe in the second book then.
Because I liked Liam and Thompson enough to read the second book. Also, I like Kale Williams’ narration a lot. Hopefully, book two’s much better than this.
So, if you, like me, prefer your police procedural romance to be heavy on the mystery and police work, this might not be the book for you. But if you like your romance served with a side of mystery and paranormal, Shadow’s Edge by S.C. Wynne might do it for you.
P.S.
If you are interested on other books featuring psychics, check out:
Psycop by Jordan Castillo Price (review here)
Tyack & Frayne by Harper Fox (review here)
Badlands by Morgan Brice (review here)
The Community by Santino Hassel (review here)
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal (review here)Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Wake Up
Artist: Arcade Fire
Album: Funeral -
REVIEW: In Other Words…Murder by Josh Lanyon
Holmes & Moriarity: In Other Words…Murder -Josh Lanyon
Death reveals all secrets.
Mystery author Christopher Holmes, now comfortably married to sometimes rival, sometimes nemesis J.X. Moriarity, is starting a new career as a true crime writer when threatening anonymous notes start arriving.
Even worse, Christopher’s ex also arrives–asking for help locating the man he left Christopher for!
It’s life–and death–as usual at Chez Holmes. In other words… Murder.
Well, this answered The Question:
“I love you, Kit. I just do.”
I muttered, “Well, you don’t have to sound like it’s against your will.”Compared to the other books in the series, In Other Words…Murder has the most slice-of-life feel to it, the mysteries more or less secondary, even tertiary, to Kit getting a huge deal from publishers, him and JX discussing honeymoon trips, and Jerry being on the loose again. A day in the life of Christopher Holmes certainly doesn’t lack for excitement as he goes from enduring Gage’s presence, sorting through unfinished manuscripts to fending off attacks by a psycho clown, getting JX a happy ever after cake, meeting the ex, feeling guilty about not connecting with old peers as much as he was suppose to, becoming a murder suspect and antagonizing the detectives by being his usual charming self.
Gad I hate Jerry! The creep just gets into my nerves. Dear System, do you job and please put Jerry away for good.
Felt sorry for JX. One of these days he might actually get a heart attack from all the life-threatening situations Kit gets into. But JX is rock solid (and healthy). Love him!
Kit, at long last, realizing Julian Xavier Moriarity is it.
My gaze wandered to J.X., who was listening to all this with an
exasperated expression. As I studied his face, realization struck me. I’d stand by you. Whatever happens, I’ll be there for you.
It was kind of shocking. Because it was true.Love the fact that he wasn’t in the least bit tempted by the ex’s advances. Good riddance to that loser!
Kit put the past firmly behind. He has been inching his way forward with a nudge or two since the beginning but this time he wasn’t wavering. Also, he did something nice and romantic! Without being prodded! And he started writing again!
This is the best Kit yet!
P.S.
review of Holmes and Moriarity books here
review of Josh Lanyon books hereRating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: I’ll Be Your Man
Artist: The Black Keys
Album: The Big Come Up -
REVIEW: The Boy With The Painful Tattoo by Josh Lanyon
Holmes & Moriarity: The Boy With The Painful Tattoo – Josh Lanyon
It’s moving day at Chez Holmes. Somehow, against Kit’s better instincts, he and J.X. are setting up house together. But while J.X. is off at a writing conference, Kit unpacks a crate that should contain either old books or new china. It doesn’t. Within the mounds of green Styrofoam popcorn is a dead body. A very dead body.
There goes the neighborhood.
Poor Kit! Forced to interact with JX’s ex-wife and her kid. I’d have my hackles up if I were in his shoes.
Kit, who for some mysterious reason is adored by the wonderful JX Moriarity and we’ll just have to take Josh Lanyon‘s word for it, putters around the new house, discovers a dead body inside his crate and does exactly the opposite of what JX, an ex-cop, tells him to do. Typical.
Also while his boyfriend is still away at some writer’s conference, Kit meets his biggest fan and gains a stalker who shows up at his doorstep bearing gifts and forces him to endure unwanted visits. Was again given dire warning by said boyfriend not to let the creep in. It, of course, went unheeded. Ugh, I totally don’t want to deal with Jerry.
We all know that Kit could be unlikable but he has redeeming values which at his worst sometimes barely redeems him at all. I don’t expect him to completely pull his head out of his ass but I have faith he’ll get better, eventually. I keep hoping really, for JX’s sake.
In all fairness to Kit, he’s really trying.
Also complaining about him is like me grousing about my demon imp cat, Spook, who gives everyone the evil eye and avoids people like they’re diseased. She still gets a hug anyway.
Lanyon takes a risk by having an MC with a difficult personality which makes for an interesting experience. I agree with one reviewer who said that an unlikable character doesn’t mean bad writing and Kit as a narrator was certainly very entertaining. The Holmes & Moriarity series took some of that cozy mystery elements as found in the Miss Butterwith books and made it gay and snarky. The mystery, this time, was much better executed and more enjoyable than the last although the tattoo in the title had no significance whatsoever.
That Adrien English cameo!
Also, Rachel is the best secondary character in the entire series! I love her bloodthirsty drive to put Christopher Holmes back on top of the bestsellers list. Her attempts to reinvent Kit were the funniest scenes in the series.
Relationshipwise, the couple took major steps forward and since I’m assured they’ll get there (because it says so on the blurb of the fourth book) I enjoyed their journey more and how they grow as a couple without worrying that JL might decide to throw a curveball and send them their separate ways. But who knows, she just might.
The Boy With The Painful Tattoo is Lanyon‘s take on those grim Scandinavian mysteries minus the snow. Despite his aches and pains, Kit put his “brilliant criminal mind” to use and with JX’s help, solved the mystery, put his house in order, fend off a stalker and survive a day at the zoo. Still not writing those books, tho.
P.S.
review of Holmes and Moriarity books here
review of Josh Lanyon books hereRating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Meet Me Halfway
Artist: The Futureheads
Album: -
REVIEW: All She Wrote by Josh Lanyon
Holmes & Moriarity: All She Wrote – Josh Lanyon
Giving screwball mystery a whole deadly new meaning.
A murderous fall down icy stairs is nearly the death of Anna Hitchcock, the much-beloved American Agatha Christie and Christopher Holmes’s former mentor. Anna’s plea for him to host her annual winter writing retreat touches all Kit’s sore spots: traveling, teaching writing classes, and separation from his new lover, J.X. Moriarity.
For J.X., Kit’s cancellation of yet another romantic weekend is the death knell of a relationship that has been limping along for months. But that s just as well, right? Kit isn’t ready for anything serious and besides, Kit owes Anna far too much to refuse.
Faster than you can say Miss Marple wears boxer shorts, Kit is snooping around Anna’s elegant, snowbound mansion in the Berkshires for clues as to who’s trying to kill her. A tough task with six amateur sleuths underfoot, six budding writers with a tangled web of dark undercurrents running among them.
Slowly, Kit gets the uneasy feeling that the secret may lie between the pages of someone’s fictional past. Unfortunately, a clever killer is one step ahead. And it may be too late for J.X. to ride to the rescue.
Warning: Contains one irascible, forty-year-old mystery writer who desperately needs to get laid, one exasperated thirty-something ex-cop only too happy to oblige, an isolated country manor that needs the thermostat cranked up, various assorted aspiring and perspiring authors, and a merciless killer who may have read one too many mystery novels.
All She Wrote is the second book of the Holmes & Moriarity series. I’m guessing the title is a riff on Murder She Wrote, a whodunit tv series from days of yore a.k.a days when cable didn’t exist and satellite television was cutting edge.
By the end of book 1, Somebody Killed His Editor, I was warming up to Kit and JX. At the beginning of this installment, Kit took a step backwards with his whining, commitment phobia and comments that were less witty, more bitchy than usual. He described himself as a curmudgeon and I do understand that he was burned before. His husband cheated on him with no less than his PA who was younger hence his tendency to blow his super minor 5-year age difference with JX out of proportion and “carry on like a 70-year old”. Meanwhile, JX completely won me over with his understanding of Kit’s issues and his trademark blunt but constructive commentary.
J.X. said calmly, “You know what, Kit? I’m a big boy. I can look after myself. I know that right now the idea of a relationship paralyzes you. But I think you do care for me, or you wouldn’t have had the hospital contact me when you were hurt, and I’m willing to hang in here for a while longer. You’re worth it.”
My heart was hammering as though I was having a panic attack. “What if I hadn’t called you?”
“I don’t know. I can’t do this on my own, obviously. I wanted you to try and
meet me halfway. Or as close to halfway as you could handle. That’s what this feels like.” He shrugged.Yay, JX!
There were major character and relationship developments here. Kit didn’t let me down after all. He bucked up and met JX halfway. He even discovered a side to himself he didn’t know exist. Attaboy, Kit!
There is also a running joke in the series where everybody can’t seem to take the Miss Butterwith books seriously, throwing shade now and then. Except JX who believes Kit is talented but is hiding behind his cozy mystery books. I also want Kit to get out of his comfort zone. I hope Josh Lanyon resolves this thread.
There was a going nowhere feel on the mystery part but at the same time, I was riveted to the audiobook because Lanyon knows her business and Kevin R. Free is a great narrator. Kit and JX had no concrete evidence, mostly conjectures by the former. They were running around in circles and hitting brick walls. There were a bunch of supposedly eccentric characters, none of whom were interesting or likable. The deaths were not particularly gory, just emotionally painful. The motive was so goddamn vindictive and, IMO, petty, you will hate the already unlikable villain even more. As usual, I couldn’t guess who the killer was but on hindsight, one of the character’s less than forthcoming attitude should have tipped me off. Damn! I was also bracing myself for a hanging thread because that how she rolls but Lanyon kindly gave her readers closure on a key plot point so the book ended with me feeling contented.
So while the mystery was not as fun as the last, I liked where Kit and JX are heading. Here’s hoping they get there.
P.S.
Comments on Somebody Killed His Editor here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Oxford Comma
Artist: Vampire Weekend
Album: Vampire Weekend(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9502791-all-she-wrote)
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Mystery is something that appeals to most everybody.
Angela Lansbury -
Holmes and Moriarity: Somebody Killed His Editor – Josh Lanyon
For sixteen years reclusive mystery writer Christopher (Kit) Holmes enjoyed a very successful career, thanks to the popularity of elderly spinster sleuth, Miss Butterwith, and her ingenious cat, Mr. Pinkerton. But sales are down in everything but chick lit, and Christopher’s new editor doesn’t like geriatric gumshoes. It’s a pink, pink world for Mr. Holmes.
At the urging of his agent, Christopher reluctantly agrees to attend a mystery writers’ conference at a remote Northern California winery. But no sooner does he arrive than he discovers the pajama-clad body of a woman in the woods. If nearly two decades of mystery-writing are anything to go by, the woman doesn’t appear to have died a natural death.
With a storm in full force and a washed-out bridge making it impossible for law enforcement to come to the rescue, it’s practically like all those classic murder mysteries in isolated country manors that Christopher has been penning for sixteen years! If only Miss Butterwith was on hand. Or even Mr. Pinkerton…
So I got sucked in another Josh Lanyon book. The thing with her is that her characters, in this case both MCs, takes getting used to or bluntly put, hard to like but happily, in the end, they always pull through.
Christopher “Kit” Holmes is an incorrigible drama queen who can’t shut up and just had to make those inappropriate jokes but when he seriously puts his mind to work, he’s actually smarter than his verbal diarrhea made him seem. I don’t like the way Kit keeps complaining about his “old age”. Seriously dude, you are only 39, that’s not old. Kit had a “5-minute thing” with another mystery writer, JX, ten years ago and they meet again at the writers’ conference. JX Moriarity comes across as asshole-ish but he always made sure Kit is safe and that’s a big plus. JX is an ex-cop, so he took charge of the situation but that also puts him in a good place to hide evidence. He is 5 years younger than Kit, and is now more successful than him. He is the only one who calls Christopher “Kit” which I find really cute.
As par for course, the mystery takes center stage. I love the trapped in a big house mystery trope and the shout out to (and possible shade on) The Cat Who series because it’s one of my favorite mystery series. I think smarter readers would have figured out the killer but me, I placed my bets on the wrong horses. I was even halfway convince that JX was the killer if it wasn’t for the fact that he was the love interest. Hell, I’m no Sherlock, sad to say.
The romance was not fluffy. The old flames still burned and it was fun watching them deal with the past and present chemistry. But it’s also full of miscommunications because one talks too much and the other hardly explains himself. But somehow, it worked! When they talk properly that is.
Holmes & Moriarity is another murder mystery series I’m committing myself to. Lanyon has a way with mysteries that just grabs you and keeps you riveted. This duo is typical of the author but also different enough to keep things interesting. I really liked the mystery writers solving actual mysteries premise and I want to see where Kit and JX take their relationship. Also if Kit comes up with fresh ideas for his new book or if he’s stuck with the regency/mystery/paranormal/erotica thing Rachel, his agent, is pushing for. Let’s face it Kit, it’s time to put a new spin on things but safe to say, I don’t think Rachel’s going to make you attend any writers’ conference anytime soon.
P.S.
Reviews of Josh Lanyon’s books here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Jenny was a Friend of Mine
Artist: The Killers
Album: Hot Fuss(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31363985-somebody-killed-his-editor)
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The Art of Murder: The Mermaid Murders – Josh Lanyon
Special Agent Jason West is seconded from the FBI Art Crime Team to temporarily partner with disgraced, legendary “manhunter” Sam Kennedy when it appears that Kennedy’s most famous case, the capture and conviction of a serial killer known as The Huntsman, may actually have been a disastrous failure.
For The Huntsman is still out there… and the killing has begun again.
Let it be known that the cover bears no relation to the story other than at some point Special Agent Jason West got wet. Also, not to spoil the story but I felt sorry for the perp. His life was ruined because of some mouthy spoiled rich brat. It could have gone another way for him.
People have complained about the lack of romance but I like the fact that it’s not romance-heavy given that these agents have known each other for less than a week and didn’t even like each other at the start. I would even go so far as to say the romance was unnecessary but since this is MM, romance and sex are almost always a given. If this was a murder mystery story with FBI agents who happened to be gay and do not necessarily fall in love with each other, it would still be as enjoyable.
I am not much a fan of the partners-to-lovers trope because the agents tend to bungle up because of some stupid emotion towards their partner (see Agents Irish and Whiskey) but here, both agents kept their heads and most of their professionalism intact. And unlike Agents Irish and Whiskey, this series needs no suspension of disbelief. Both agents were competent and solved the mystery in a timely manner.
As with the other Josh Lanyon story I have read, The Mermaid Murders focused mostly on the mystery. West and Special Agent Sam Kennedy are tasked to solve the supposed copycat killings in rural Kingsfield. Kennedy had captured the Huntsman ten years ago and now there was a possibility that he either got the wrong man or the serial killer had a disciple.
Kennedy, whom almost nobody liked, was good at hunting killers. At first, he and West didn’t get along so well. Kennedy was being an asshole but West proved himself despite serial killings not being his specialty and Kennedy couldn’t help but like him. True to form, he tried to push West away. All West is asking is a date, stupid Kennedy!
I like West’s specialization. He has a Masters in Art History which he used in the Art Crime Team. I liked how he compares the things he sees to paintings. Kennedy has a past (of course he has) which he didn’t want to talk about but we’ll see on the succeeding books.
At the start, I was listening with only half my brain engaged but the story drew me in. I couldn’t exactly pinpoint which part started getting my full attention but halfway through, I was fully invested in the story. It was a good mystery. I was in the dark with who was the real killer until the last part. Then there was the creepy but intriguing doctor who hightailed it when he was being questioned. I had a feeling we will see him in the succeeding books. And the suspense! I almost couldn’t bear the tension when West was down there at the basement. I was anticipating all sorts of bad things happening to him. All I can say is, you got me there, Lanyon!
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Kinder Murder
Artist: Elvis Costello
Album: Brutal Youth(source: https://www.goodreads.com/series/169224-the-art-of-murder)
