PsyCop 1: Among the Living by Jordan Castillo Price

Genre: Fantasy; M/M Romance; Mystery; Paranormal; Romance; Urban Fantasy

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Goodreads Blurb: Victor Bayne, the psychic half a PsyCop team, is a gay medium who’s more concerned with flying under the radar than in making waves.

He hooks up with handsome Jacob Marks, a non-psychic (or “Stiff”) from an adjacent precinct at his ex-partner’s retirement party and it seems like his dubious luck has taken a turn for the better. But then a serial killer surfaces who can change his appearance to match any witness’ idea of the world’s hottest guy.

Solving murders is a snap when you can ask the victims whodunit, but this killer’s not leaving any spirits behind.

My Review: When psycop Vic Bayne isn't popping pills to keep the dead from haunting him, he's using his abilities as a medium to solve homicides, or trying to figure out what the hell he did to attract a guy like Jacob Marks. It's not Vic's sense of style--plaid shirts--or his sterling conversation. After all, he spends the first chapter of this book trying not to sound like a creep. But it may be his unusual talents: Jacob has a thing for psychics, no question. But Jacob also appreciates Vic's wry sense of humor and, better yet, seems uniquely equipped to handle Vic's insecurities.

The romance between Vic and Jacob is only half the story. The rest is about Vic, Jake and their respective  partners in the psycop division tracking down a killer who leaves no ghosts for Vic to talk to. I almost wish the murder mystery of this first book had been a bit more mundane--but it's tough to complain when we're given an excellent cast of supporting characters and solid world building. If you haven't read this book, grab your Kindle and download it now! Just be prepared to buy each additional installment as soon as you finish the last one. This whole series is as addictive as those pills Vic keeps popping . . .

Available on Kindle: Yes. You can find it on Amazon here.

Fun Extra: Check out the Psycop website.

Revelation by C.J. Sansom

Genre: historical fiction; historical mystery; mystery

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Series: Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Spring, 1543. King Henry VIII is wooing Lady Catherine Parr, whom he wants for his sixth wife. But this time the object of his affections is resisting. Archbishop Cranmer and the embattled Protestant faction at court are watching keenly, for Lady Catherine is known to have reformist sympathies.

Matthew Shardlake, meanwhile, is working on the case of a teenage boy, a religious maniac locked in the Bedlam hospital for the insane. Should he be released to his parents, when his terrifying actions could lead to him being burned as a heretic?

When an old friend is horrifically murdered Shardlake promises his widow, for whom he has long had complicated feelings, to bring the killer to justice. His search leads him to both Cranmer and Catherine Parr - and with the dark prophecies of the Book of Revelation. As London's Bishop Bonner prepares a purge of Protestants Shardlake, together with his assistant, Jack Barak, and his friend, Guy Malton, follow the trail of a series of horrific murders that shake them to the core, and which are already bringing frenzied talk of witchcraft and a demonic possession - for what else would the Tudor mind make of a serial killer . . .

My Review: Matthew Shardlake may have sworn off politics, but the murder of a close friend forces him to work for Bishop Cramner once more. Catholic leaning traditionalists now have Henry VIII's ear, and Cramner is attempting to keep the spirit of Reform alive and preserve his own skin. Matthew, meanwhile, remains a cynical skeptic--but he is determined to bring his friend's killer to justice.

Matthew's assistant, Jack Barak--my favorite character in the series--is front and center but busy wrecking his marriage to Tamasin. Matthew cringes at Jack's carousing and infidelities, but can't find a way to talk some sense into his friend. (Personally, I was ready to smack Jack upside the head.)

Guy, the former monk and current physician, plays a large part here too. He shows considerable insight when he tries to delve into the mind of the mentally ill--but not an ounce of wisdom when it comes to his personal life, much to Matthew's frustration.

The best part of this book--and what keeps me addicted to this series--is the characters and their interactions; in that respect, Sansom is in top form here. A close second is his portrayal of Tudor London and the deadly mixture of religion, politics and persecution that was so characteristic of Henry VIII's reign. The mystery itself is a distant third. It held my interest and kept me guessing, but a couple of points had me furrowing my brow, and another improbable escape had me rolling my eyes.

Still, this is an excellent continuation of the series, and as soon as my budget permits, I'll be buying the next one!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it on Amazon here.

Snowball in Hell by Josh Lanyon

Genre: Historical Mystery; Historical Romance; M/M Romance; Mystery; Noir; Romance

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: It's 1943 and the world is at war. Journalist Nathan Doyle has just returned home from North Africa--still recovering from wounds received in the Western Desert Campaign--when he's asked to cover the murder of a society blackmailer.

Lt. Matthew Spain of the LAPD homicide squad hates the holidays since the death of his beloved wife a few months earlier, and this year isn-t looking much cheerier what with the threat of attack by the Japanese and a high-profile homicide investigation. Matt likes Nathan; maybe too much.

If only he didn't suspect that Nathan had every reason to commit murder.

My Review: The mystery is front and center in this story, but it never overshadows the romance: Matthew Spain’s attraction to Nathan Doyle is immediate and palpable—and it doesn’t abate, even when realizes he has to add Nathan to his lists of suspects for the murder of Phil Arlen. Nathan, meanwhile, is dangerously depressed, dangerously contemptuous of his own homosexuality, and dangerously determined to ferret out the real killer.

I am not a fan of noir films, so I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the noir feel of this book. But my doubts vanished in the first few pages. I was hooked! The mystery kept my interest and my heart bled for Nathan, who can’t bear to live like a monk and yet can’t help despising his sexual appetite. Matthew, meanwhile, seems to be living his life on a more even keel—but Nathan manages to upset his balance!

The setting—WWII California—seems solid and I didn’t notice any anachronisms in the characters’ attitudes or vocabulary. The ending left me satisfied, but curious; fortunately Josh Lanyon is planning a sequel. (See this thread in Josh's Q & A Group on Goodreads.) All in all an excellent read!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it on Amazon here.

Special Note: Find a discussion of the book here on Goodreads.

Other Reviews:
The Romanceaholic
Jessewave (Reviewed as part of Collected Novellas, Volume 1)

The Dark Tide by Josh Lanyon

Genre: M/M Romance; Mystery; Romance

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Series: Fatal Shadows; A Dangerous Thing; The Hell You Say; Death of a Pirate King; The Dark Tide

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: As if recovering from heart surgery beneath the gaze of his over-protective family wasn’t exasperating enough, someone keeps trying to break into Adrien English’s bookstore. What is this determined midnight intruder searching for?

When a half-century old skeleton tumbles out of the wall in the midst of the renovation of Cloak and Dagger Bookstore renovation, Adrien turns to hot and handsome ex-lover Jake Riordan -- now out-of-the closet and working as a private detective.

Jake is only too happy to have reason to stay in close contact with Adrien, but there are more surprises in Adrien’s past than either one of them expects -- and one of them may prove hazardous to Jake’s own heart.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, male/male sexual practices.

My Review: This is the most satisfying series finale I've ever read. Adrien and Jake have both grown up, and they're ready (if not entirely willing) to confront their past and maybe the possibility of a shared future.

Adrien is on an emotional roller-coaster after his heart surgery; he's stunned that he might live a normal lifespan after all, and he's not sure what he wants at this point. Jake is dealing with the fallout from coming out of the closet, his failed marriage, and his abrupt resignation from the force.

Jake has become a private investigator, and that works for Adrien, who has entangled himself in yet another murder investigation. The noir-esque mystery--which is my favorite of the series--makes the two men partners in solving crime again. And despite all their romantic issues, it's clear they still make an excellent team.

Meanwhile, Adrien's family is helping him despite his best efforts to thwart them, and both Mel and Guy make significant appearances. All in all a brilliant read--but don't pick this up as a stand alone. You'll want the whole series under your belt before relishing the finale.

On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

Other Reviews: 
Graceful Hippo
Rainbow Reviews

Book Discussion: Once you finished this finale, head over to Josh's Q & A Group on Goodreads and discuss the whole Adrien English series.

Death of a Pirate King by Josh Lanyon

Genre: M/M Romance; Mystery; Romance;

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Series: Fatal Shadows; A Dangerous Thing; The Hell You Say; Death of a Pirate King; The Dark Tide

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Gay bookseller and reluctant amateur sleuth Adrien English's writing career is suddenly taking off. His first novel, Murder Will Out, has been optioned by notorious Hollywood actor Paul Kane.But when murder makes an appearance at a dinner party, who should be called in but Adrien's former lover, handsome closeted detective Jake Riordan, now a Lieutenant with LAPD. And that may just drive Adrien's current boyfriend, sexy UCLA professor Guy Snowden, to commit a murder of his own!

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual situations, strong violence.

My Review: Adrien English finds himself smack in the middle of another murder mystery--only this time LAPD Lt. Jake Riordan is encouraging him to do some amateur sleuthing instead of threatening to throw his ass in jail for interfering. So Adrien has his hands full with his informal investigation, his new step sisters, his faltering relationship with Guy . . . and his lingering feelings for the still-closeted (and now married) Jake. Adrien and his sharp tongue are in top form here; don't plan on putting this book down once you start it!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

Genre: Mystery; Suspense

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; The Girl Who Played with Fire; The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.


Book Blurb: A familiar evil lies in wait for Lisbeth Salander, but this time, she must do more than confront the miscreants of her past; she must destroy them. Much to her chagrin, survival requires her to place a great deal of faith in journalist Mikael Blomkvist and trust his judgment when the stakes are highest.

To reveal more of the plot would be criminal, as Larsson's mastery of the unexpected is why millions have fallen hard for his work. But rest assured that the odds are again stacked, the challenges personal, and the action fraught with neck-snapping revelations in this snarling conclusion to a thrilling triad. This closing chapter to The Girl's pursuit of justice is guaranteed to leave readers both satisfied and saddened once the final page has been turned.

My Review: Blomkvist, Salander and team have quite a problem on their hands now that they've uncovered a major conspiracy within Sapo, the Swedish security police. This conspiracy has bedeviled Salander her entire life--and it's on the brink of shutting her up by shutting her back in a mental hospital with a sadistic doctor to watch over her.

But my gut assured me that our redoubtable heroes would out this conspiracy and bring them to justice. The fun was in watching how it played out.

This is not a stand-alone book; you need to read first two installments to make sense of it. But it works as a finale. There's a lot that seems improbable in the story and sections that seem overlong, but it's still a fun ride and a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.

On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

The Hell You Say by Josh Lanyon

Genre: M/M Romance; Mystery; Romance

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Series: Fatal Shadows; A Dangerous Thing; The Hell You Say; Death of a Pirate King; The Dark Tide

How I acquired this book:  I purchased it.


Book Blurb: Adrien English isn't really a detective, he's a bookseller and mystery writer who has a knack for attracting real life mischief and mayhem -- much to the displeasure of his sexy, sometimes-boyfriend, closeted homicide detective Jake Riordan.When bookstore assistant Angus falls afoul of a Satanic cult, Adrien falls afoul of Jake -- but despite the fact that his amateur sleuthing is playing hell with his love life, Adrien can't help but delving into this case of kooks, cults, devil worship, and human sacrifice.

Publisher's Note: This book is a re-edited, revised version of the work previously released under the same title and.contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual practices, violence.

My Review: All of Adrien and Jake's issues come to a head here, so at times this is a gut-wrenching read. That's almost a relief--whatever the outcome for these two, I didn't want their problems as a couple to keep festering. And fortunately, Adrien's snarky sense of humor remains in place throughout his troubles with Jake, the absorbing mystery he lands in, and some hilarious changes in his family situation. No wonder I couldn't put this down!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

Special Note: To add to your enjoyment of this series, when you're finished this book, check out this character interview between Jake Riordan and his maker, and then this follow up character interview between Josh and Adrien.

More Reviews: 
Elisa Role's Review
Graceful Hippo's Review

Sovereign by C.J. Sansom

Genre: Historical Fiction; Historical Mystery; Mystery

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Series: Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: C. J . Sansom has garnered a wider audience and increased critical praise with each new novel published. His first book in the Matthew Shardlake series, Dissolution, was selected by P. D. James in The Wall Street Journal as one of her top-five all-time favorite books. Now in Sovereign, Shardlake and his loyal assistant, Jack Barak, find themselves embroiled in royal intrigue when a plot against King Henry VIII is uncovered in York and a dangerous conspirator they-ve been charged with transporting to London is connected to the death of a local glazer.

My Review: Matthew Shardlake and his roguish assistant, Jack Barak, are back in action in this third installment of the Matthew Shardlake series--this time on a mission from Archbishop Cranmer. Matthew must join King Henry VIII's Progress to the North, and then accompany a political prisoner back to London. His duty is to keep the prisoner alive and healthy so that the man can be effectively tortured in the Tower.

Matthew hates the thought of protecting a man just so he can be racked, but Cranmer forces him to take the job. But that's only one of Matthew's worries. There's murder, mayhem, religious tension and political conspiracies up North--naturally Matthew and Jack have to untangle the mess while trying not to learn too much about dangerous secrets.

Since much of the story takes place in York, I was wondering if Jack--who has a sentimental attachment to his Jewish heritage--would find out what happened to the Jews of York a few hundred years earlier. He does, in a brief but chilling scene that illustrates just how cruel one character is.

But Jack has other things on his mind, including a dalliance with a pretty servant from the Queen's household. Tammy keeps Jack on his toes while she complicates matters for both him and his master.

If you know your Tudor history, some shocking revelations in the story won't come as a surprise to you. I already knew what those revelations would be, but the other mystery kept me guessing. Overall, the book kept my glued to my Kindle and left me hungry for more of Matthew and Jack!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it here.

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Genre: Mystey; Suspense


My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


Series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; The Girl Who Played with Fire; The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest


How I acquired this book: I purchased it.


Book Blurb: Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazineMillennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government. 

But he has no idea just how explosive the story will be until, on the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered. And even more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander—the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker who came to his aid in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and who now becomes the focus and fierce heart of The Girl Who Played with Fire. 

As Blomkvist, alone in his belief in Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation of the slayings, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all.

My Review: Another addictive story, even if Blomkvist is still entangling himself in too many love affairs. I like his longstanding, poly relationship, but the rest in these first two books seem over the top. (Yeah, I'm betting Larsson identified with this evidently irresistible journalist!) Still, I couldn't stop turning the pages as Blomkvist and his magazine declared war against the sex trade and human trafficking--and as Salander came crashing back into his life. 

One warning: this middle book doesn't quite stand on its own. It has an ending, but you'll want to have the last book standing by.


On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom

Genre: Historical Fiction; Historical Mystery; Mystery

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Series: Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: It is 1540 and the hottest summer of the sixteenth century. Matthew Shardlake, believing himself out of favour with Thomas Cromwell, is busy trying to maintain his legal practice and keep a low profile. But his involvement with a murder case, defending a girl accused of brutally murdering her young cousin, brings him once again into contact with the king-s chief minister - and a new assignment . . .

The secret of Greek Fire, the legendary substance with which the Byzantines destroyed the Arab navies, has been lost for centuries. Now an official of the Court of Augmentations has discovered the formula in the library of a dissolved London monastery. When Shardlake is sent to recover it, he finds the official and his alchemist brother brutally murdered - the formula has disappeared.

Now Shardlake must follow the trail of Greek Fire across Tudor London, while trying at the same time to prove his young client's innocence. But very soon he discovers nothing is as it seems . .

My Review: Dark Fire is even more enjoyable than Dissolution, the first Matthew Shardlake mystery. That's thanks to Jack Barak, an uncouth rogue who becomes Shardlake's new assistant by Cromwell's order.

Jack's a patralineal descendant of converso Jews. Unlike Matthew, who's in the midst of an existential crisis, he doesn't worry his head with questions about the nature of the Divine or the problems of Reform. And unlike Guy, the Moorish ex-monk, he's not a man of strong faith. In fact, Jack seems to care little about Christianity (his titular religion) and knows next to nothing about Judaism. He even calls the empty mezuzah his father passed down to him a 'mezza' until Guy corrects him! Yet he's fiercely attached to his Jewish heritage. More power to him, especially as he's not fool enough to advertise that attachment in Tudor England.

There are two mysteries to untangle here; both are more interesting for the interactions between Matthew, Jack and Guy than for the mysteries themselves. Meanwhile, Sansom's recreation of Tudor England and historic characters like Thomas Cromwell continues to dazzle. And there's plenty of tension where Cromwell's concerned--even if the reader is familiar with the man's fate.

I wasn't crazy about some of the action scenes and improbable escapes, but that's a minor complaint. I'm going to keep devouring this series, cheesy escapes and all!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Genre: Mystery; Suspense

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; The Girl Who Played with Fire; The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest 

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue. It's about the disappearance forty years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden . . . and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.

It's about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet's disappearance . . . and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age--and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it--who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism--and an unexpected connection between themselves.

It's a contagiously exciting, stunningly intelligent novel about society at its most hidden, and about the intimate lives of a brilliantly realized cast of characters, all of them forced to face the darker aspects of their world and of their own lives.

My Review: I've had the feeling for a while now that everyone else in the world has read this book but me. And now I know why--I couldn't put the damned thing down! I stayed up the whole night to finish it.

It's not for the faint of heart; it's a mystery that deals with serial killings, financial shenanigans and sexual abuse. There are also some complicated romantic relationships and disturbing issues dealing with legal guardianship.

Sounds like a lot for one novel, huh? But Larsson is a deft storyteller; you don't even notice how much is going on until you're done!

Ok. Since everyone else in the world really has read this book, I know you have an opinion. Let me hear it . . .
On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

Fatal Shadows & A Dangerous Thing by Josh Lanyon

Genre: Mystery, Romance, M/M Romance, Contemporary Romance, LGBT

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Series: Fatal Shadows; A Dangerous Thing; The Hell You Say; Death of a Pirate King; The Dark Tide

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Relationships can be murder. Bookseller and mystery author Adrien English is looking for love in all the wrong places -- and, according to hot and handsome LAPD detective Jake Riordan, it's liable to get him killed.

Fatal Shadows: A serial killer is stalking gay men, and a tawny-eyed LAPD detective wants bookseller Adrien English in handcuffs -- for all the wrong reasons!

A Dangerous Thing: When his romance goes south, Adrien heads north to the California Motherlode country. Can murder -- and Adrien's favorite LAPD detective -- be far behind?


Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic situations, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: homoerotic sex, violence.


My Review: Adrien English is a wry, funny, endearing narrator with a weak heart, a stubborn streak and an unhealthy dose of curiosity. He gets himself into such a dangerous, disturbing situation toward the end of the first book that I almost had to close my eyes.  Jake Riordan, meanwhile, is a smart, tough, ambitious cop who won't acknowledge himself as gay--but can't stop himself from pursuing Adrien. (Ok, sometimes it's because Adrien is a suspect, but still.) Add two creepy, puzzling mysteries and you have the first two books of a series that's impossible to put down!


On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.


Special Note: If you're just starting the Adrien English series, purchase this two-for-one edition for your Kindle. Let me know what you think . . .


More Reviews: 
Graceful Hippo's Review

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

Genre: Mystery; Historical Fiction

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars


Series: Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Exciting and elegantly written, Dissolution is an utterly compelling first novel and a riveting portrayal of Tudor England. The year is 1537, and the country is divided between those faithful to the Catholic Church and those loyal to the king and the newly established Church of England. When a royal commissioner is brutally murdered in a monastery on the south coast of England, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's feared vicar general, summons fellow reformer Matthew Shardlake to lead the inquiry. Shardlake and his young protege uncover evidence of sexual misconduct, embezzlement, and treason, and when two other murders are revealed, they must move quickly to prevent the killer from striking again.

My Review: Matthew Shardlake is an ardent reformer, conscientious lawyer and determined detective who is all too conscious of his hunched back. He is also strangely naïve when it comes to the character of his master, Thomas Cromwell--but watching him struggle to adjust his views is one of the many pleasures of this book. This is an excellent period mystery that will keep you turning pages even if you untangle the murders before Shardlake does!

Thomas Cromwell

This is the first of the Matthew Shardlake Mysteries. Have you read any of them? What do you think?

On Kindle: Yes. Find it on Amazon here.