Reviews (4)

Great concept, mixed execution
Robert and Michael head from New York to Palm Springs, California, to attend the gay party of the year. According to its organizer and sometime boyfriend to Michael, Rex, the Red Party will be big--even bigger than the annual White Party which has been the class act of gay America up until then. Of course, throwing such a party creates waves--and these include extortion notes. As Michael and Robert hang out with Rex, the threats become terribly real and Rex is nearly killed. Calling on his lesbian friend Monette, Robert decides to investigate. Michael would investigate too, except he is too caught up in the need to find frequent and kinky sex. Camp, Queens, and Murder - just don't read it on a train!
I read this on a single train-ride between Ottawa and Toronto. I would like to apologize to the other passengers for the constant smirks, chuckles, guffaws and choked laughs I'm sure I shot out in all directions throughout the trip.I got many dark looks for my audible enjoyment of this mystery.Still, it was worth it. Warming to his characters
David Stukas is at it again in his "Wearing Black to the White Party."He has transplanted his Manhattan trio -- Robert, Monette & Michael -- to Palm Springs, ostensibly to attend a gay circuit party.There are gay quips aplenty and the reader can become mentally exhausted with such strained, rapid-fire attempts at wittiness.The "mystery" is thin, without enough details for the reader to really follow along and draw our own conclusions.Instead, we must trust Monette and Robert (the featured sleuths this go-round; Michael is left out of much of the action of the novel as he satisfies his sexual needs)when they TELL us who and why the murders were committed.It also seems Robert has found love in Palm Springs but as he's leaving for Manhattan, will love survive the geographical distance?Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Gay    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Crime & mystery    8. Literature of special Gay interest   

Reviews (5)

definitely recommended
ah, stoner... and gwen! it's good to see that so many people loved this book. i love it too. actually, i own it - aha! i've only read two stoner mctavish mysteries (this one and bad company), and boy ar they great. most of all they're fun, and you just feel great reading them, like hanging out with people you feel safe with, and relaxed (i'm referring to stoner and also gwen here, and the extras like marylou). the characters are totally believable, the dialogue very funny, on the whole it is a very pleasant read, and the only reason why i haven't given the series five stars is because the suspense is not that incredible. the plot is not necessarilly predictable, but the bad guys are, and that's a bit of a shame, but it adds to the relaxing experience as well (no tension wondering who might have done it - the people you trust are reliable, and those you don't happen to be - well, the bad guys) Another winner!
This is the first in the Stoner McTavish mystery series and is one of my favorite. The dialogue is quirky, the supporting characters are wonderful, and the plot always holds my attention. In this book Stoner travels to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming on assignment to make sure that the man Gwen just married won't put her or her trust fund in danger. Although officially on assignment Stoner soon has a very difficult time putting aside her sexual attraction to Gwen and her utter hatred for Byran. Will Stoner be able to save Gwen from the hands of Bryan or will Stoner blow her cover? Entertainment Plus
Stoner McTavish is a reluctant sleuth who'd prefer to be at home in her travel agency with her best friend MaryLou and her unconventional aunt. However, in this, the first of the series, she finds herself in the rugged ranges of America's West, checking on the newly-married granddaughter of an acquaintance. Stoner is a realistic character, at ease with herself and her sexuality, and only mildly self-deprecating and neurotic (a nice change for a lesbian detective). Unlike some of the super-heroines created by other authors, Stoner has human failings, and is thus an engaging and appealing character. The romance in this novel is a little cliched (lust at first sight) but the descriptive writing and fast-paced dialogue make this a highly enjoyable read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Lesbians    5. McTavish, Stoner (Fictitious c    6. McTavish, Stoner (Fictitious character)    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    9. Mystery/Suspense    10. United States    11. Women detectives   

Reviews (15)

A Literary Treat
The academic world at the State University of Michigan is going out of control. As one crisis after another occurs English professor Nick Hoffman and his partner, Stefan, decide it's time to get out of there for a little break. A week at a Caribbean Club Med sounds like just the thing. But the island of Serenity is anything but serene as they find themselves face to face with murder.
Tropic of Murder
The witty and literate Lev Raphael always seems to break the old Yiddish proviso: "You shouldn't 'mix in!' " Anyone who has been to college, on either side of the lecture podium, will remember the ambience and hierarchy so archly portrayed in his Nick Hoffman Mystery series, and will empathize with the intellectual curiosity of the "inquiring mind."
Hilarious and Smart
There's nobody out there who writes academic satire as pointed as Lev Raphael, and this book carries the bizarre doings at State University of Michigan to new heights and new lows.
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Subjects:  1. Americans    2. Caribbean Area    3. College teachers    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - General    6. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    7. Gay    8. General    9. Hoffman, Nick (Fictitious char    10. Hoffman, Nick (Fictitious character)    11. Mystery & Detective - Series   

Reviews (1)

Historical Mystery with Strong Heroines
I enjoyed this book on many levels.First of all, I found it to be a great read in terms of the mystery -- much like a Sherlock Holmes mystery where you sense the danger before it is actually acknowledged by the characters.Surprisingly, I did not find this frustrating.Partially because the novel is so well written, and partially because of the intense relationship between the main characters.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction / Lesbian    2. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths    3. Fiction    4. Historical fiction    5. Lesbian    6. Mystery fiction    7. Paris (France)   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious char    4. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious character)    5. Lesbian    6. Minneapolis    7. Minnesota    8. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    9. Mystery/Suspense    10. Restaurateurs    11. Women detectives    12. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Reviews (5)

Review of "When Evil Changes Face" by Cheri
The fourth Brett Higgins' Motor City Thriller by Therese Szymanski, "When Evil Changes Face," is both gripping and sexy; Szymanski fans will be delighted to join Brett and Allie on yet another adventure. This time they are going back to high school. . .as students. The interwoven elements of the plot, a writing style that Szymanski is known for, keep the reader guessing, and glued to the pages. The main theme is evident, but there is much more to discover under the surface in this fast-paced, action-packed, high school sting.
Complicated thriller!
I liked everything about this book, so much more than the previous ones in the series. Brett is a hard woman trying not to get hurt in a world that has knocked her around. She wants to play the field but has fallen in love. More than the mystery I like Brett's dilemma and how realistically she is pulled between her overt butch sexuality and her love for one woman. I can't wait to find out how Brett continues to walk that line.

Best in series
I wasn't all that fond of the first 3 Brett Higgins mysteries. [...] seemed to be included just for shock value, and the mysteries themselves were forced. The love relationship between Brett and Allie didn't ring true. They seemed all physical and no emotion.Read more

Subjects:  1. Detroit    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. High school students    5. Lesbian    6. Lesbians    7. Michigan    8. Mystery & Detective - General   

Editorial Review

There are so many red herrings in the fifth Mark Manning mystery that you want to look around for some lemon and some thinly sliced red onion. There's hardly a resident of little Dumont, Wisconsin, who doesn't stand to benefit from the death of the handsome Jason Thrush, a high school athlete and amateur actor whose debut as the lead in a local play was spoiled by his mysterious death that very afternoon. His father's failing business would also have gotten a boost from the ten million dollar life insurance settlement, and even his creepy sister had taken out a policy, betting on Jason's early demise. When suspicion settles on his theatrical rival, Thad Quatrain, journalist Mark Manning's ward, Mark and his buff boyfriend Neil must find out who the real killer is before Thad is condemned by public opinion, and before Jason's grieving football buddies can exact their own form of justice. Despite its satisfying plot twists and its surprising conclusion, Read more

Reviews (36)

Swinging both ways
I find myself ambivalent about this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed the multiple red herrings and the overall arc of the murder mystery -- it certainly kept me guessing up to the end. Craft populates his small town in WI (I live in one too) with many colorful characters (way more than I know here!) who have enough backstory and history with each other to make them rich fodder for this book and many others. I especially appreciated his description of how quickly poor Thad became the 'bad guy' in the eyes of other teens.
Keeps Getting Better
After reading this book, mushrooms are now at the bottom of my Preferred list. Craft has produced a clever interweaving of adolescent emotions and superior sleuthing that reveals his own maturing as a mystery writer. One of the best characteristics of this series is the aging of the principals and the strengthening of the relationship between Mark and Neil.

Dancing Mushrooms
BOY TOY, the fifth novel by Michael Craft in the Mark Manning Mystery series, starts out rather slowly but gathers momentum to become a suspenseful thriller, something that indicates a story certainly worth reading.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery/Suspense   

Reviews (4)

Gritty dialogue and high-strung suspense
Cry Havoc by Baxter Clare is a gritty Detective Franco mystery, and follows LAPD's 93rd Homicide Squad's Lieutenant L. A. Franco as he tracks down Mother Love-Jones -- a psychic, drug dealer, and Santeria priestess who is utterly ruthless in her motives and methods. Battling her minions while coming ever closer to her deadly ambush, Cry Havoc offers the reader gritty dialogue and high-strung suspense laced throughout this tautly written and highly recommended novel.

Stupid
I really enjoyed the previous L.A. Franco mysteries and was excited to find this one. I was so disappointed with it, though. The book deals more with the occult and less with the case. The idea of Frank and Mother fighting lifetime after lifetime is about as cheesy as it gets. (I will defend myself by saying that I enjoy science fiction and fantasy books. Just not in the middle of a mystery.) A Very Enjoyable Story
I really liked the mix of police procedures with the occult in this story.Granted, in this particular book, they suspected strongly who committed the murder right from the start, so then it was following up leads and leaning on the suspect to get the desired result.In her first book they figured out who was the killer and then had a hard time getting the evidence.I suspect alot of police work is like that; they have a strong possible perpetrator then they have to prove it.Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Franco, L. A. (Fictitious character)    5. Lesbian    6. Lesbians    7. Los Angeles    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled    10. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    11. Policewomen    12. Adventure / thriller    13. Crime & mystery    14. Literature of special Lesbian interest   

Reviews (7)

Well written - Non-stop action

Enough words -Just the heads up!
So much has been said here about this book. I'll add one thing, and that's how excellent a book it is.
Review of "When the Dancing Stops" by Cheri
Therese Szymanski's "When the Dancing Stops," is the first installment in her popular Brett Higgins Mystery series. With a fast-paced gripping plot, memorable characters, both good and evil, action that doesn't stop, and scenes and dialogue that ring true for the underworld society of the porn industry, the story captures the reader from the very first page until the last.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Lesbians    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Adventure / thriller    9. Crime & mystery   

Reviews (5)

Fun Read for the Gay Man
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Richard Stevenson's A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM: A DONALD STRACHEY MYSTERY.The mystery kept my interest and the wide range of "possible" villians kept me guessing to the end.I especially enjoyed reading a novel clearly written by a gay male.This is not a sex novel but the interactions between Strachey and his life partner were funny, sexy and real life.The only reason that it did not receive five stars was the price for a relatively short read.

One of the Best Mystery Writers Today!
If you've read one of Stevenson's "Donald Strachey" mysteries, you will want to read the whole series, and then you will be eagerly waiting for his next mystery to be published.Stevenson's mysteries are addictive, mainly because the characters are so believable, there are more twists and turns to keep you constantly guessing, and they are not boringly serious, they can be quite funny at times. Well Done
Very good read.Stevenson is second only to Michael Nava. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Albany    2. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Gay    6. Gay men    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. New York (State)    10. Private investigators    11. Strachey, Donald (Fictitious character)   

Reviews (4)

A must read book
This Micky Knight mystery/romance is just sooo good you wont be able to put it down. I kept telling myself that one more page wont hurt and ended up reading till 4 am. Both romance and mystery kept my mind occupied.

Up to the standard expected
Another terrific Mickey Knight adventure. I enjoyed the plot of "Jocasta" a bit better, but this was still a full, satisfying read. That is what makes the books so good - they have a meaty plot andsubstance. Too many 'tec stories rely a bit much on coincidence and thinplots.

A great read!Move over Scarpetta, Knight is on duty!~
J. M. Redmann pulls you right in with her intensity.She handles difficult subjects, with grace, and sometimes painful honesty. I'm waiting not so patiently for the next Mickey Knight mystery!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Lesbians    5. Louisiana    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery fiction    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. New Orleans    10. Women private investigators   

Reviews (1)

One big run
Lieutenant Marosi of the border patrol recognizes the body of his friend Eva who was shot while trying to cross the border from Hungary to Austria in 1959. In order to understand what drove his friend to her death, he follows the trail of her life, and finds Livia, who's in a hospital after being shot by her husband. He finds out that Eva was strong in her beliefs in a dangerous time, and that Eva was having an affair with Livia. Galg�czi's amazing novel is full of Hungarian politics, as well as character studies of people struggling with low expectations and betrayals. The book is also the basis of the movie "Another Way", but the book is much more clear about Eva's motivations for trying to leave the country. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1930-    2. Communism    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Galgoczi, Erzsebet,    6. Lesbians    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Women journalists   

Reviews (2)

A Solid Novel
I have no idea where Amazon got the sub-title "Selected Writings".This is a terrific, solid novel as are all in the Jane Lawless series.It is not Ellen Hart's selected writings.

Love at first read!
This is the first book I happened to read in the Jane Lawless series; I found it at a local bookstore earlier this year and bought it because, much to my delighted surprise, the protagonist was a lesbian. My delightcontinued as I read the book. Jane is wonderful and believable; the mysteryis believable and well-plotted. Read more

Subjects:  1. Bed and breakfast accommodatio    2. Bed and breakfast accommodations    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious char    6. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious character)    7. Lesbian    8. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    9. Mystery/Suspense    10. Restaurateurs    11. Women detectives    12. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths   

Editorial Review

Brady Coyne is a Boston lawyer who'd rather be fishing than trying acase. Most of his clients are also his friends, so when Jake and Sharon Gold's15-year-old son and his girlfriend are killed in a car accident, Brady tries tolighten their load by handling the details of the police investigation and thefuneral arrangements. But Brian's body hasn't been recovered yet, despite theefforts of police divers at the accident scene. There are other signs that thiswas more than a typical scenario of teenage drivers taking a curve too fast, butthe authorities don't seem interested in looking into them. Brady soon realizesthat someone's applying political pressure to keep the lid on a secret everyonebut Brady and the Golds seems to know about: a pornography ring in which abeloved community leader and the best and brightest local high school studentsare deeply involved. This is Coyne's 17th outing, as reliable a harbinger offall as the first bonfire of the season. No big surprises here, but WilliamTapply's popular series continues to win fans charmed by his thoughtful hero,his solid plotting, and his smooth pacing. Read more

Reviews (9)

A Happy Discovery
I may be the last dedicated mystery reader on the planet to discover Brady Coyne, but what a happy discovery it was!I understand this is Outing #17, so I predict many enjoyable hours for myself. Scar Tissue
William G. Tapply is one of the finest mystery writers working today.In "Scar Tissue", Brady Coyne receives a phone call from Jake Gold telling Brady that his son, Brian had been in a fatal auto accident.Brian's girlfriend, Jenny, has been killed, but Brian's body hasn't been found.Brady feels there is little he can do, but when he finds Ed Sprague, chief of police in Reddington, murdered in a motel room and when Jake Gold disappears, Brady begins to investigate.Brady uncovers a child pornography ring and blackmail, as well as murder.This is an excellent addition to a top-notch mystery series.

Tight Lines and Rebel Yell
Not being adept at writing book reviews, two things come to mind as I set-out to write about this excellent mystery novel: first, to give an opinion about the book, and secondly not to give away the conclusion to the mystery. So as not to spoil the ending, I will avoid the latter concern and say a few words about the former. Here's my opinion: Simply stated, Scar Tissue by William G. Tapply is a gripping mystery in the Brady Coyne series. This was my introduction to Tapply's mystery writing, and I am eager to seek out other editions. I found Scar Tissue to be a fast-paced, intriguing story with some likable and not so likable characters. Tapply develops his characters with depth and sensitivity, Brady Coyne being the most magnetic. Coyne never misses a beat, even as he winds his way through the plot in a human and down to earth manner. For the reader who is looking for an engrossing mystery with a twisting, turning plot and unlikely outcome, this book is for you. I look forward to Brady Coyne's next adventure. Now, back to my fly-tying bench. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Boston (Mass.)    3. Coyne, Brady (Fictitious chara    4. Coyne, Brady (Fictitious character)    5. Fiction    6. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    7. Legal    8. Lesbian    9. Mystery & Detective - General    10. Mystery & Detective - Series    11. Mystery fiction    12. Mystery/Suspense    13. Traffic accident investigation    14. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Editorial Review

In another of her popular Jane Lawless mysteries,

Reviews (1)

Mystery has its moments
One could say that Belle Dumont's family skeletons were buried so deep in the proverbial closet that one might see a bony hand slip underneath the door and drag Belle inside, lest any dark secrets concerning the Dumont's genealogical line and questionable acquisition of wealth be revealed. Unfortunately, on the day Belle called her three grown children to finally discuss the matter, that bony hand did appear in the form of a murderer who silenced Belle with a quick shove on a steep cliff, shocking an entire town who refused to believe that anyone would willfully kill a woman who appeared to have no enemies.Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Conflict of generations    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious char    6. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious character)    7. Lesbian    8. Minnesota    9. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    10. Women detectives    11. Adventure / thriller    12. Crime & mystery   

Reviews (1)

Set in a fictional city that mirrors San Francisco
Originally published in 1961, The Gay Detective by Lou Rand is a highly recommended "pulp fiction" gem that combines the "hard-boiled" detective genre with a brightly flaming twist. Set in a fictional city that mirrors San Francisco, and set among a scene populated by handsome thugs, vituperous drag queens, remorseless businessmen and cops and politicians on the take, The Gay Detective paints a sometimes shocking, sometimes flamboyant, often over-the-top, but consistently engaging and entertaining noir picture which is certain to be relished by hard-boiled mystery fans for its irony, camp, and deftly written plot turns. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. California    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Gay    6. Gay men    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Private investigators    9. Crime & mystery    10. General & Literary Fiction    11. Literature of special Gay interest   

Reviews (1)

Lillian Byrd, Crime Solver
Lillian would approve that title, just as she would like to be like her hero Calico Jones, but Lillian is grounded in reality, at least sometimes.And if you have to be grounded, then reality is the better place to be stuck, right?
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Subjects:  1. Byrd, Lillian (Fictitious character)    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Lesbian    5. Lesbians    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Women journalists    8. Fiction / Lesbian    9. Literature of special Lesbian interest    10. Modern fiction   

Reviews (2)

This is one of the truly rare mysteries...
where every paragraph leaves a distinct impression. Ellen Hart writes with a deft sense of place and time which mysteries often lack. A truly original mystery ... with a great protagonist
I don't know who I liked more, the lesbian sleuth Jane Lawless or her slightly overweight (yeah!) buddy Cordelia! More than just a "whodunnit," this book is part character study, part Minnesotatravelogue, and very much a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious char    5. Lawless, Jane (Fictitious character)    6. Lesbian    7. Minneapolis    8. Minnesota    9. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    10. Mystery/Suspense    11. Restaurateurs    12. Women detectives    13. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths   

Subjects:  1. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    2. Gay    3. Mystery & Detective - General    4. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    5. Fiction-Gay