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Bad Behavior: Suspicious Behavior – L.A. Witt & Cari Z
Detective Darren Corliss is hanging by a thread. In between recovering from a near-fatal wound and returning to work at a hostile precinct, he’s struggling to help care for his ailing brother. His partner and boyfriend, Detective Andreas Ruffner, wants to help, but doesn’t know how. And with his own family crises brewing, Andreas is spread almost as thin as Darren.
For cops, though, life takes a backseat to the job. When a stack of unsolved homicides drops into their laps, Andreas and Darren think they’re unrelated cold cases. But when a connection surfaces, they find themselves on the tail of a prolific serial killer who’s about to strike again.
Except they’ve got nothing. No leads. No suspects. Just a pile of circumstantial evidence and a whole lot of hunches. Time is running out to stop the next murder—and to pull themselves back from their breaking points.
Phew! Our boys can’t catch a break. What with the hostility from their peers, Asher’s rapidly worsening Alzheimer’s, Andreas’ family trouble and a serial killer on the loose.
Narrator Michael Ferraiuolo continued to impressed me with his delivery. He was not only reading, he was really acting. I love the small but effective touches he added, like the sniffling, the coughing, the little laughs. It gives an extra something to the narration. Really awesome!
This is another addicting case to follow and I liked L.A. Witt & Cari Z’s take on the serial killer trope. Usually, it takes the entire book to uncover who the serial killer is. In this case, they know who the killer is, they just had a devil of a time proving it. Their evidence were all circumstantial.
The case proved to be a very frustrating one. They were sure their main suspect was it but life threw them curve balls and red herrings which nearly broke Darren’s confidence. Ironically, it was Andreas who remained optimistic. Their strategy was out of the box and as was their way, involved bending the rules slightly. It was great to see Andreas and Darrin evolve into a power couple, both personally and as working partners. They have developed a sort of telepathic connection where each of them instinctively knew what the other was thinking. This kind of bond usually takes years to form but Andreas and Darrin just synced really well.
The climax was full of suspense and fraught with great danger that was compounded by the fact that the other detectives continued to hold grudges with Andreas and Darrin. Detective Paula Morris, Andreas’ loyal friend and one of the best characters of the series, played a crucial role.
Although the story was still written in dual POV, I think this was a slightly Darren-centric story. He had to deal with brother’s condition and the possibility that he too might have the gene. He was also the one making major conclusions on who the serial killer is. In addition, we get to know more of Andreas’ background and family life and witness Darren squeeing at Andreas interacting with his four year old daughter, Emily.
Suspicious Behavior, the second book of the Bad Behavior series, moved Andreas and Darren’s relationship forward, dealt with the repercussions of their first case and showed that they can handle cases outside narcotics.The workaholic pair were tenacious in their pursuit of case and weren’t afraid to get creative with the rules. It was only when they broke their bones were they forced to have that much needed break. Overall, the plot was gripping with cleverly written twists and turns and major arc and character developments all around.
Love it!
P.S.
Review of book 1, Bad Behavior series, Risky Behavior here.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away
Soundtrack: Deep Red Bells
Artist: Neko Case
Album: Black Listed(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34998102-suspicious-behavior)
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Are You Loathsome Tonight? – Poppy Z. Brite
Tales of “fearlessly offbeat” horror from the author of Lost Soulsand Exquisite Corpse (Locus).
Poppy Z. Brite, an acclaimed horror fan favorite, is known for going to the edge and back—and this collection of stories, many set against the backdrop of the author’s native New Orleans, explores the outermost regions of murder, sex, death, and religion.
Featuring titles such as “In Vermis Veritas,” “Entertaining Mr. Orton,” and “Mussolini and the Axeman’s Jazz,” as well as collaborations with Christa Faust and David Ferguson, this volume also offers notes on each story by the author, an introduction by #1 NewYork Times–bestselling author Peter Straub, and an afterword by Caitlín R. Kiernan. Are You Loathsome Tonight? is an edgy, gruesome tour of “the darkness at the heart of things [with] a number of superb stories, powerful in style and characters” (Locus)
Happy Halloween!!!
It’s time to bust out Poppy Z. Brite.
Poppy and Clive Barker were my go-to authors back when I was still in my horror phase. This collection of shorts with the lovely title of Are You Loathsome Tonight? is a potent brew of gay, gore, sex and violence with a ghost or two coming back for more.
I had fun and a bit of nostalgic pleasure creeping myself out with the kind of stories I used to read. Blood and violent deaths I could deal but the thing that made me tsk in disapproval is Poppy’s tendency to objectify Thai ladyboys and Asian twinks, treating them as nothing more than exotic pieces of meat to be fucked and eviscerated by serial killing white boys. Let’s put this sad trope to rest, shall we?
In Vermis Veritas: In which a maggot contemplates his existence and rejoices in being a maggot. Well, enjoy your meal.
Arise: Washed up British pop star faked his own death and is now hiding in Gabon. Receives a missive from former band mate to come to North Carolina where he found new inspiration thus giving new meaning to the phrase making a comeback.
Saved: Billy who get off at guns and violence hires an Asian submissive to do his bidding. Asian sub complies, sex play ensues and Billy’s trigger finger twitches. Gratuitous.
King of Cats: A shifter version of The Poor Miller’s Apprentice and the Cat in which Nick, the apprentice, preferred the company of cats to the humdrum life of a miller. Can’t blame you, Nick.
Self-Made Man: Yet another Asian gay boy falls prey to blonde, blue-eyed Justin, a lonely cannibal who just wants a living boy to call his own. That twist in the climax was unexpected but at least they got their revenge.
Pin Money: A stab at historical featuring French-Chinese Perique and his complicated relationship with his father. Interesting characters and setting. I would love to read this as a full length novel.
America: Two-man band on the road share tall tales. This is really more of a sketch than a story and possibly, a shout-out to Lovecraft.
Entertaining Mr. Orton: Featuring two sets of couples, one, old queens in a relationship that has long since expired and the other, young men still very much in love. Goes from sad, bitter and tired to fresh, cute and sweet.
Monday’s Special: Another sketch where Mr. Brite becomes Dr. Brite as Poppy indulges in a fantasy where he took a different career path. Stick to you day job, Poppy.
Vine of the Soul: Adorable couple, Trevor and Zach from Drawing Blood, celebrates the coming of the new millennium in Amsterdam with a new concoction of chemicals. Powder sniffing aside, this is the fluffiest story of the collection.
Mussolini and the Axeman’s Jazz: Putting a twist on the historical events of the WWI era where the ghost of Francis Ferdinand goes on a hunt for the author of his assassination. I like the usual standard fare of serial killings interwoven with actual historical tidbits but the execution lack oomph.
Are You Loathsome Tonight?: The title piece paints a sordid picture of Elvis’ decline and demise for our morbid pleasure. TMI on Elvis’ bowel movement and hygiene practices. I’m more of a Beatles fan.
Rating:
In Vermis Veritas – 4 Stars
Arise – 4 Stars
Saved – 4 Stars
King of Cats – 3.5 Stars
Self-Made Man – 3.5 Stars
Pin Money – 4 Stars
America – 3 Stars
Entertaining Mr. Orton – 4 Stars
Monday’s Special – 3 Stars
Vine of the Soul – 4.5 Stars
Mussolini and the Axeman’s Jazz – 2.5 Stars
Are You Loathsome Tonight? – 3.5 StarsOverall:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Said the Spider to the Fly
Artist: The Paper Chase
Album: God Bless Your Black Heart(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22797096-are-you-loathsome-tonight)
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Seven of Spades: Kill Game – Cordelia Kingsbridge
Homicide detective Levi Abrams is barely holding his life together. He’s reeling from the fallout of a fatal shooting, and his relationship with his boyfriend is crumbling. The last thing he’s prepared for is a serial killer stalking the streets of Las Vegas. Or how he keeps getting thrown into the path of annoyingly charming bounty hunter Dominic Russo.
Dominic likes his life free of complications. That means no tangling with cops—especially prickly, uptight detectives. But when he stumbles across one of the Seven of Spades’s horrifying crime scenes, he can’t let go, despite Levi’s warnings to stay away.
The Seven of Spades is ruthless and always two moves ahead. Worst of all, they’ve taken a dangerously personal interest in Levi and Dominic. Forced to trust each other, the two men race to discover the killer’s identity, revealing hidden truths along the way and sparking a bond neither man expected. But that may not be enough to protect them.
This killer likes to play games, and the deck is not stacked in Levi and Dominic’s favor.
Pity that the narration did not do justice to how good the story is but Kill Game is a great start to the Seven of Spades series. This is a plot-driven murder mystery and a hunt for the Seven of Spades, a serial killer known for their vigilante motives.
I love the twist and turns and while I already have my suspect, Cordelia Kingsbridge did a great job keeping me guessing. There were some subtle hints and that equal opportunity comment by Levi but whether or not I’m on the money remains to be seen because at the latest count, there are already 4 books released and another one about to come out. This hunt is going to take a while and I’m here to see it through to the end.
I liked that the setting is in Las Vegas but instead of casinos and gambling which is kind of cliche, the book is mostly about the streets, the ordinary people and of course, the police. There were also strong, well-written female characters, like Martine and Natasha. Dom’s friends, Jasmine and Carlos were also very likable people and let’s not forget Rebel, Dom’s dog and loyal protector.
The romantic subplot, well…I wasn’t so gung-ho about it at first. Levi was already in a relationship and Stanton seemed like a nice guy. At least for me, he had good intentions. Levi apparently did not like how Stanton talks about Levi to his parents and makes decisions for him. Dominic has been crushing on Levi for some time now but keeps it professional. Dom won me over for being a real nice person because instead of taking advantage of Levi’s moments of weakness, he made it clear he had no intentions of being the rebound guy. He’s a gentleman through and through and he’s serious about Levi. So yeah, I’m in their corner now.
Cordelia Kingsbridge is a new-to-me author and she didn’t disappoint. Kill Game has a great cast, very well-executed mystery and nicely developed romance. The red herrings were conclusive and the resolution felt satisfying but Dom and Levi were not convinced. The cards are reshuffled and the game is still on.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Arcarsenal
Artist: At the Drive-In
Album: Relationship of Command(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35138461-kill-game)
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Consulting Royalty: Matters of the Heart – Alli Reshi
Demitri is a consultant to an Earth-based task force that solves extraterrestrial crimes. But even his extensive knowledge and non-Earth perspective are strained by the hunt for a serial killer. The situation is further complicated when his childhood friend Devin, a notorious criminal, comes under his care while recovering from a coma. Between hunting a killer, convincing his team to trust Devin, and trying to help Devin recover, Demitri is pulled in too many directions, and he’s not sure he’ll manage to accomplish any of his goals.
Being secretly in love with Devin isn’t helping matters.
It’s like I stumbled into an episode of a crime investigation drama mid-season, something like CSI: Extraterrestrials, episode 6. It started with a recap of the previous episode’s cliffhanger where Devin threatened to kill the POTUS and Demitri tried to stop him. The writing assumes you are already familiar with the characters and how the world is set-up. Putting together everything is no hardship and things do come together okay, although a bit of world-building would do a lot of good. I find the world of multi-specie entities interesting and I hope Alli Reshi might add more details to what is potentially a rich universe to mine with stories.
Demitri and Devin are childhood friends from a faraway planet who were exiled because Devin was deemed insane and Demitri was involved in illegal research in an effort to help his friend. They are also both sitting on a love confession to each other for centuries. Out with it, boys! I am a sucker for a friends-to-lovers trope done well so I was rooting for Demitri and Devin (said rooting involves sitting them together and smacking their heads). Devin is still tagged as a criminal and I am curious about his fate so next book, please.
There were hardly any details about them but the rest of the team, Benn, Isaac, Gabrielle, Amy, and Sally were likable people. I want to get to know them so some background info would be nice. They all knew Demitri was in love with Devin, heck, maybe assume they were boyfriends already. They were all egging on the Demitri to just get it on already but the poor man had to keep it all bottled up inside.
The case was a minor subplot, minor as in easy to solve. It was simply a matter of identifying the right specie then wait for it to appear. On the upside, it was another way to introduce an interesting new alien to the story. I’m hoping the next case would be more challenging and the investigation be more rigorous. It’s partly what I signed up for after all.
So, major points on the interesting premise, the characters and the romance, hopefully better world building and harder cases to solve next time. This series shows good promise so I want to see where the author takes it.
P.S.
I received a copy of Matters of the Heart from Less Than Three Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked it
Soundtrack: My Best Friend
Artist: Weezer
Album: Make Believe(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40107347-matters-of-the-heart)
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The Art of Murder: The Magician Murders – Josh Lanyon
Nothing up his sleeves. Nothing but murder…
Jason West, hot shot special agent with the FBI’s Art Crime Team, is recuperating from a recent hit-and-run accident at the Wyoming home of BAU Chief Sam Kennedy when he’s asked to aid in the investigation of a suspicious death in a National Forest.
When the dead man is found to be the Kosher Conjuror, a much-hated part-time magician accused of revealing the highly guarded secrets of professional illusionists, it seems clear this must be a simple revenge killing—until Jason realizes an earlier suspicious death at the trendy magic club Top Hat White Rabbit might be part of the same, much larger and more sinister, pattern.
Who knew Kennedy could be a caring and patient nurse and is capable of shedding tears?! Must be the Jason West effect This is the book where Sam Kennedy melted, not completely but just enough to show he got blood and not ice running in his veins.
However, how long is that specter of Ethan going to be a third wheel in their relationship. That question regarding Ethan’s effect on your relationship has been hashed and rehashed already so let it go, Jason. It’s natural you are curious, so go ahead and ask but nobody’s going to like it.
Special Agent Abigail Dreyfus was the rookie agent partnered with West and whom he hilariously mistaken as a serial killer. I use the word hilarious here but actually I was gullible as fuck and believed it for a second. Anyway, I think Dreyfus is a great addition to Lanyon’s collection of FBI agents. It’s not everyday we get somebody still green enough to bungle up the basics but gets to fight another day. Plus she “had guts and grit”.
This is the best book of The Art of Murder series so far. Extra points for focusing on magicians and for that trivia on Val Valentine. Now I know who the Masked Magician is. I think Lanyon was dangling some teasers on how magic tricks works, I wished she went ahead and revealed some secrets.
The Magician Murders is well-written as usual but one major reason I enjoyed the book and the series as a whole is narrator, Kale Williams. I don’t know how to describe his style exactly but he could read his grocery list and I would still be listening.
Holy hell…THAT.CLIFF.HANGER. People are going to lose sleep over that.
Actually, I was vaguely entertaining an FBI agent slash psycho psychiatrist angle since The Mermaid Murders but the author already gave Jeremy Kyser unattractive features and that usually means a no-go on the romance department. Too bad. It seemed more interesting really.
P.S.
Both Adam Darling’s former partners, JJ Russell and Jonnie were present here. I hope we get an update on Adam and Rob soon.
Rating
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away
Soundtrack: In the Morning of the Magicians
Artist: Flaming Lips
Album: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36546086-the-magician-murders)
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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)
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Bureau: Clay White – Kim Fielding
Someone—or something—is murdering young men in San Francisco. Clay White has been fired from the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs, but he’s determined to track down the killer. When he comes across a vampire named Marek, Clay assumes he’s caught the perp. But the encounter with Marek turns out to be more complicated than Clay expected, and it forces him to deal with his own troubled past and murky psyche. As Clay discovers, sometimes the truth doesn’t come easy—and the monsters are not who we expect.
I’m happy that Tenrael and Charles made appearances and it was great how everybody was working together.
For this installment, we get vampires. I haven’t read a vampire story in quite a while and Clay White, the story did just fine. It’s a hunt for a serial killer who left desiccated corpses so bloodsuckers were the obvious suspects. Clay White, the titular character was approached by a vampire, Marek, who offered to help him find the killer. They did find the killer or rather the killer found Clay. The rescue scene kind of just happened really fast (was all a blur to Clay) so I think the focus is really on Clay, what he is about and his transformation. The attraction between Clay and Marek was a given and there was nothing really new but Kim Fielding still managed to hold my interest. So far, this series is looking really good. Can’t wait for book three.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love
Soundtrack: Funtime
Artist: Iggy Pop
Album: The Idiot(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36316189-clay-white)
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REVIEW: Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
Exquisite Corpse – Poppy Z. Brite
A terrifying novel of love and slaughter set in London and New Orleans.
To serial killer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. After feigning his own death to escape from a life sentence in prison, he makes his way to America with the intention of bringing his art to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, he inadvertently joins forced with Jay, a dissolute playboy. They set their sights on a young Vietnamese-American runaway, whom they deem to be the perfect victim. Moving from the grimy streets of London’s Piccadilly Circus to the decadences of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Poppy Z. Brite dissects the landscape of torture and invites us into the mind of a serial killer in this riveting, unforgettable masterpiece of horror.
This for me is an absolute gem of a book. It has one of the best love stories I ever read, a love story between two male serial killers. So achingly beautiful, so damn gory. It is indeed a masterpiece.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfect(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6015241-exquisite-corpse)
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