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derhindemith's review
I wish there were a better option for books you didn’t finish. I realized at 6% that this book is too white for me to be able to read. Not only is it a book that has only white characters, it speaks to a level of _mayonnaise_ that is so particularly white that I can’t resonate with it. The spiciest part of this (at 6%) is that the main character likes bad boys-trade. Which is so vanilla in its trying to be edgy that I absolutely cannot.
Oh, and if bland isn’t enough of a reason to not read it, narrative convenience abounds in the 6% of the book I read. A mysterious phone call informing him that a not very close friend is dead. The caller never identifies themselves or why he is contacted or how his contact information was obtained and he never asks. On his trip into Provincetown, he conveniently is on a ferry with a drag performer who happens to recognize him and knows that he’s there because of his dead friend but has to communicate all of this surreptitiously. Oh. And he works as a spy of some sort. Conveniently. And I didn’t get that far, but if the case that his employer wants him to work on and the private case don’t overlap, I’ve never read a murder mystery.
Oh, and if bland isn’t enough of a reason to not read it, narrative convenience abounds in the 6% of the book I read. A mysterious phone call informing him that a not very close friend is dead. The caller never identifies themselves or why he is contacted or how his contact information was obtained and he never asks. On his trip into Provincetown, he conveniently is on a ferry with a drag performer who happens to recognize him and knows that he’s there because of his dead friend but has to communicate all of this surreptitiously. Oh. And he works as a spy of some sort. Conveniently. And I didn’t get that far, but if the case that his employer wants him to work on and the private case don’t overlap, I’ve never read a murder mystery.
phxkevin's review
3.0
I liked this book a lot. Even from the beginning the author always dangles the potential of a great book in front of the reader, and eventually delivers. The reader is forced to wade through some distractions including a lot of angst, but in the end they are well worth the effort. Not a perfect book, but a book that ends up in the “that was fun, I’m glad I read it” pile
What did the author do right? I like his descriptions of his secret agency, and his “boss”. I love the love story between Brad and Zach and to a lesser degree the background story between Brad and Ross. I like the way he brings in some great odd characters and some oddities about P-Town. I love the Buddhist angle.
It is a murder mystery at its heart and to me the author is trying to mimic some of the other great murder mystery writers, and his voice is somewhat lost. Alternatively, the author is writing for two different audiences – a straight one where he feels he must explain gay nuance, and a gay one that he feels he needs to address. Whatever the original intent, the author finally finds his groove about half-way to 2/3 through and the last part of the book is fantastic. To be more specific about the problems with the book it’s the editing. A good book does not describe irrelevant things in detail. Sadly this book adds far more background about things than is needed.
Triggers: As a murder mystery, it has to have murders, one is “on camera”. Plus several attempted murders. Recreational drug use including a murder by recreational drugs. Violence including a male on male rape. A heroic drag queen. Some consensual M/M sex, but this is not an erotic book (sadly).
Short version: fun, gets better, and a great ending.
What did the author do right? I like his descriptions of his secret agency, and his “boss”. I love the love story between Brad and Zach and to a lesser degree the background story between Brad and Ross. I like the way he brings in some great odd characters and some oddities about P-Town. I love the Buddhist angle.
It is a murder mystery at its heart and to me the author is trying to mimic some of the other great murder mystery writers, and his voice is somewhat lost. Alternatively, the author is writing for two different audiences – a straight one where he feels he must explain gay nuance, and a gay one that he feels he needs to address. Whatever the original intent, the author finally finds his groove about half-way to 2/3 through and the last part of the book is fantastic. To be more specific about the problems with the book it’s the editing. A good book does not describe irrelevant things in detail. Sadly this book adds far more background about things than is needed.
Triggers: As a murder mystery, it has to have murders, one is “on camera”. Plus several attempted murders. Recreational drug use including a murder by recreational drugs. Violence including a male on male rape. A heroic drag queen. Some consensual M/M sex, but this is not an erotic book (sadly).
Short version: fun, gets better, and a great ending.
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