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katieinca's review against another edition
5.0
Solid mystery/lawyer-procedural, even if the whodunit isn't solved until practically the prologue. I love Nava's writing, and he continues to excel at sense of place. The longer this series goes on, the less they feel like gritty '30s noir, but that feels in sync with Henry quitting drinking, growing as a person, and being less of a '30s noir detective plopped in the 1990s. I also loved the afterword in the 2019 edition I read, where Nava writes about a letter that "reminded me that I wasn't writing these novels to sell books, make money or become famous, but to bear witness." He does an excellent job at that. I was an oblivious teenager in a midsize midwestern town in the mid-'90s, and I really appreciate his chronicling a piece of what the AIDS epidemic was like for members of the gay community at that time in LA.
lx2's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
another perfect strike!! heart wrenching, beautiful and deep. one of the best contemporary series out there!!
toastlover1's review against another edition
3.0
Writing was decent and book moved nicely. Plot and characters were acceptable, not much depth to either. Was refreshing to read a book with predominantly gay main characters that was story focused and not erotica. However, more than one element of the book was a downer. The author painted a pretty bleak picture of the protagonist's daily surroundings. I was a little shocked this book was written in the mid-90's and not earlier in the century. The setting was an unfriendly world to any gay man, even in Los Angeles and regardless of how respectable he might be. HIV is portrayed as a short term death sentence as opposed to a condition that can be managed long term with medication. The main character seems overall to be well adjusted and accepting of who he is and yet throughout the book there seems hints that he is not happy or comfortable with his sexuality but more so that he is like a victim of circumstance who is making the best of it. Maybe this is reflective of the time the book was written or even the author's personal views of life but even though I may read other books in the series, it let me a little melancholy.
jordanskills134's review against another edition
5.0
Probably one of the most heartfelt conclusions of any Nava novel. Well done.
This one deserves a gold star, rather, a platinum star.
This one deserves a gold star, rather, a platinum star.
lilyrooke's review
3.0
As his former partner enters the final stages of his terminal diagnosis, Henry Rios takes on the defence of a young man accused of murdering his boyfriend, the dead man being an old friend from Henry's past.
Something I'm coming to realise more and more is that Henry is like the adult role model I want to aspire to emulate, with his firm boundaries, unruffled demeanour, and absolute commitment to seeing justice done. Henry feels like a lighthouse when you're lost at sea.
While there was less emphasis on Josh's subplot than I had hoped, I really enjoyed meeting Zach in this book, and more and more I feel like the setting of LA is seeping into my bones while reading. Like the author says in his endnote, these novels very much bear witness to the tsunami of grief and loss, tracking the AIDS crisis from its origin to the heights of its devastation. Those themes lend incredible depth to the police procedural storylines, with Henry in the centre as a gradually aging man surviving the everyday war raging on every street.
absolutely nothing *~*researchy*~* to see here; an ongoing reading list
1. A Study in Scarlet 2.5/5
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles 5/5
3. The Adventure of the Final Problem 4/5
4. Bath Haus 4.5/5
5. The Forest of Stolen Girls 4/5
6. The Red Palace 2/5
7. The Silence of Bones 1/5
8. Lay Your Sleeping Head 4/5
9. Carved in Bone 5/5
10. Lies with Man 3/5
11. Howtown 2/5
12. The Hidden Law 2/5
13. The Death of Friends 3/5
Something I'm coming to realise more and more is that Henry is like the adult role model I want to aspire to emulate, with his firm boundaries, unruffled demeanour, and absolute commitment to seeing justice done. Henry feels like a lighthouse when you're lost at sea.
While there was less emphasis on Josh's subplot than I had hoped, I really enjoyed meeting Zach in this book, and more and more I feel like the setting of LA is seeping into my bones while reading. Like the author says in his endnote, these novels very much bear witness to the tsunami of grief and loss, tracking the AIDS crisis from its origin to the heights of its devastation. Those themes lend incredible depth to the police procedural storylines, with Henry in the centre as a gradually aging man surviving the everyday war raging on every street.
absolutely nothing *~*researchy*~* to see here; an ongoing reading list
1. A Study in Scarlet 2.5/5
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles 5/5
3. The Adventure of the Final Problem 4/5
4. Bath Haus 4.5/5
5. The Forest of Stolen Girls 4/5
6. The Red Palace 2/5
7. The Silence of Bones 1/5
8. Lay Your Sleeping Head 4/5
9. Carved in Bone 5/5
10. Lies with Man 3/5
11. Howtown 2/5
12. The Hidden Law 2/5
13. The Death of Friends 3/5
claudia_is_reading's review
5.0
A deeply melancholic book, a reflection in the way our decisions affect our lives and the ones of those close to us, and the consequences of deceptions.
An old friend and lover is dead, Josh is dying and a young man, the one accused of his old friend death, comes looking for his help. It's haunting how always the theme of fathers and sons is present in this series. Lies, betrayals and death, all mixed with an almost desperate search of love and a sense of belonging.
As always, the way in which the court procedures is presented is fascinating, Henry's search for the truth his main drive, even when the truth might be threatening to the son of the victim.
As Henry reflections at the end:
Bleak? No doubt. But also real.
Thom Rivera does an excellent job narrating this story.
An old friend and lover is dead, Josh is dying and a young man, the one accused of his old friend death, comes looking for his help. It's haunting how always the theme of fathers and sons is present in this series. Lies, betrayals and death, all mixed with an almost desperate search of love and a sense of belonging.
As always, the way in which the court procedures is presented is fascinating, Henry's search for the truth his main drive, even when the truth might be threatening to the son of the victim.
As Henry reflections at the end:
In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says, “If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” I’d run across that text when I was an undergraduate, still struggling with my own sexual nature, and it had spoken so chillingly and directly to me that I’d written it down on a scrap of paper and carried it in my wallet. The paper was long gone, but the words were imprinted in my memory and they came to me now, as I sat in the living room after Bay had gone, thinking about Chris Chandler, who had waited too long to bring forth that which was within him. When he did, he’d left a trail of destruction in his wake that would continue long after his murder at the hands of the sociopath. I was all wrong about Chris Chandler. He hadn’t come out of the closet in a surge of midlife decisiveness. He’d been driven out by guilt over what he’d done to Bay and his inability to tell her. Chris had simply moved from one room of his closet to another until nothing could reach him, not even love, and his closet had become his coffin.
Bleak? No doubt. But also real.
Thom Rivera does an excellent job narrating this story.
shile87's review
5.0
5+++++++ stars
Henry Rios will finish me! Nick is getting replaced.
GAAAAAAAAAAH!
I can't talk about it! Raw! Raw!
I will just leave this
Henry Rios will finish me! Nick is getting replaced.
GAAAAAAAAAAH!
I can't talk about it! Raw! Raw!
I will just leave this
tangleroot_eli's review
4.0
OK, weird. I hadn't marked this one as previously read, but it was familiar to me. Not whodunnit, but some of the twists and turns felt like I'd twisted and turned them before. Or maybe it's just that the Rios novels have a certain rhythm that felt familiar?
Regardless of whether I've read this one before, The Death of Friends is a prime example of why I love this series. Sure, the mystery's gripping, holding several twists I hadn't anticipated and making excellent use of the setting. But more importantly, we continue to see more into Henry's life and world. The book contains several emotional gut-punches that are no less effecting for having been somewhat expected.
I've bailed on several mystery series because I can't care about a mystery if I don't care about the character who's solving it. I keep on caring about these books, even on a reread ten-ish years later, because I keep on caring about Henry Rios.
Regardless of whether I've read this one before, The Death of Friends is a prime example of why I love this series. Sure, the mystery's gripping, holding several twists I hadn't anticipated and making excellent use of the setting. But more importantly, we continue to see more into Henry's life and world. The book contains several emotional gut-punches that are no less effecting for having been somewhat expected.
I've bailed on several mystery series because I can't care about a mystery if I don't care about the character who's solving it. I keep on caring about these books, even on a reread ten-ish years later, because I keep on caring about Henry Rios.
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