Why I read it: I've seen this one recommended by a number of trusted reviewers to I took the plunge. I'm glad I did - it was certainly worth my time and it was a bargain at $2.99 on the Kindle.
What it's about: (from Goodreads) A male
prostitute, a mangy cat, a murder and a maniacal mix-up that threatens
his career, his impending marriage and his life. Nothing is going as
planned for Austin Glass.
Austin seems to have it all. At least on the surface. A loving fiancee. A future with the FBI and a healthy sized trust fund. He also has a grin and a wisecrack for every situation. But the smile he presents to everyone hides a painful past he’s buried too deeply to remember. And his quips mask bitterness and insecurity. Austin has himself and most of the whole world fooled. Until he meets someone who immediately sees him better than he sees himself. As events unfold and Austin’s world unravels, he finds himself pushed into making quick life-changing decisions. But can he trust Peter or what’s happening between them when each meeting seems to be just a series of volatile reactions?
What worked for me (and what didn't): This quirky m/m romance come detective novel comes with bags of humour, an engaging, if very large, cast of characters and angsty goodness to top it all off. Told in Austin's 1st person POV (except for a brief flashback scene in Peter's POV), the writing style is light and funny, with Austin delivering cracking one-liners, mainly at his own expense. His characterisation is very consistent and his arc is believable. Events shortly before the commencement of the book have left him ripe for an implosion and, when he meets bunny-slipper wearing Peter at a diner when he's waiting for an informant, his heretofore buried homosexuality makes itself known - along with all the baggage he's been hiding as well. Austin's life - his job, his relationship with fiancee Angelica, his relationship with his co-workers and his plans to join the FBI are all threatened by his burgeoning feelings for Peter. But, can he be trusted? It seems that almost every word coming out of Peter's mouth is a lie. There is enough there however, for Austin to keep coming back.
