Archive for category GLBT Fiction
Review: CAESAR’S FALL by Dorien Gray
Posted by Amanda in Crime, GLBT Fiction, Paranormal on January 7th, 2011
Caesar’s Fall
Dorien Grey
Zumaya Publications
ISBN: 978-1-936144-08-2
234 pages
Paperback $14.99; ebook $6.99
Reviewed by Amanda Capper
A long-dead collaborator helps solve the murder of a newly-dead millionaire in Dorien Grey’s third Elliott Smith and John mystery, Caesar’s Fall. I enjoyed it, so now I have to look up the first two in the series, His Name is John and Aaron’s Wait. If I keep reviewing books, I’m going to have to add on to the house. Or finally give in and buy an e-reader.
Elliott Smith takes neglected, dilapidated historical Chicago buildings and turns them into handsome, stylish apartment buildings. Bruno Caesar wins the lottery and moves out of his old, neglected historical building and into the same condominium as Elliott. Shortly after they meet, and Bruno sets Elliott up to restore his previous residence, Bruno falls from his 40th floor balcony leaving Elliott to wonder how Bruno, a man so scared of heights he never ventured onto any of his three balconies, could fall off one. John is a friend of Elliott’s who apparently dies in the first book of this series, and now visits when Elliott is sleeping, acting as a link between Elliott and limbo. In this capacity John acts as a go-between for Elliott and Bruno to help solve who pushed Bruno.
This touch of paranormal is deftly handled by the author, as is the romance between Elliott and his partner, Steve. Not an easy feat even for experienced authors but Mr. Grey manipulates the scenes between Elliott and John with a light-hearted finesse that helps the reader accept it may be quite possible to communicate with the dead. The romance between Elliott and Steve is sweet, humourous and keeps you hoping throughout the book that all works out well for the lovers.
Caesar’s Fall is Mr. Grey’s seventeenth published work, an easy and enjoyable read well-suited for beaches and bathtubs. On my lengthy list of what-to-read-next, I’m going to track down something from his Dick Hardesty series. Stay tuned.
Copyright @ 2010 Amanda Capper
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION
I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review.
Review: AARON’S WAIT by Dorien Grey
Posted by Gray in Cozy mystery, GLBT Fiction, Paranormal on October 6th, 2009
Aaron’s Wait
by Dorien Grey
Zumaya Boundless
Trade Paperback, 240 pages
$14.99
ISBN 978-1-934841-40-2
Booklovers who enjoy mysteries and the supernatural are going to love this fun novel that combines both. The book can also be categorized as “gay genre.” That said, I think mystery lovers of any sexual orientation will enjoy this read.
The protagonist, Elliott Smith, comes from a wealthy family, which allows him to work at leisure in a field he loves; he buys and restores historic homes in Chicago. When I read, I like enough historical information and description to picture the setting, understand the back story and make the book “come alive” without being bogged down in page after page of “fluff” information. The author is adept at satisfying me with just the right amount of detail.
When Elliott purchases his next renovation project, he discovers the reason the current owners were so eager to unload the old Victorian. There is an uninvited tenant on the second floor, Aaron. And Elliott won’t be able to sell the building or get rid of Aaron until he helps the man solve a mystery. Why did Aaron’s partner, Bill, disappear four years ago? Bill left the apartment one day and never returned, leaving all his earthly possessions behind. Problems are, Elliott is a reluctant P.I., and Aaron is not a very good communicator. Oh, and he’s dead. Is Bill dead, too, and if so, who killed him? The search for Bill evolves into a who-done-it that keeps the reader guessing and turning the page.
Of course, Elliott wouldn’t be able to solve this case without some help. Enter the homicide detective brother-in-law, the intuitive boyfriend (and artist) Steve, and friend John. John is especially helpful in trying to communicate with the dead. Because John’s dead, too. Elliott mostly comes to John in dreams, but Elliott can also feel John’s presence in the waking world. Aaron’s Wait is the second in a series, and I “can’t wait” to buy the first book and find out exactly how Elliott met John and how the relationship grew.
You know how you get to the end of some books and feel kind of sad that it’s over? How you miss the characters and wish you knew more about this or that angle? The author piques the interest of the readers in just such a manner. How will Steve and Elliott’s relationship develop? Will Steve’s own intuitiveness develop into something more? Why hasn’t John moved on into the next life? These questions and others will have me rushing out to buy the first book in the Elliott Smith mystery series.
The book cover instantly lets you know this is a dark mystery. The title is easy to read, the white pops against the blue-grays, and the lone figure backlit in the window is creepy. The cover begs a reader to pluck it from the shelf for further investigation. My only cover complaint is that the picture is of attached townhouses, and the book takes place in a detached Victorian. Of course, no one would know that until they started reading the book… Oh, picky, picky me.
I love the premise for Grey’s series—the unlikely team of the living and the dead working together to solve mysteries—and greatly look forward to the next book.
Copyright ©2009 Gray Bridges
Review: CALICO by Dorien Grey
Posted by Crystal Guess in GLBT Fiction, Romance, Western, Classic on July 24th, 2009
Calico by Dorien Grey
Cover of CALICO
ISBN 10: 1-934135-33-X
Zumaya Publications, LLC
Paperback, 184 pages
Reviewed by Crystal Guess
Calico Ramsay is a cowboy the likes of which I have never before encountered in any of the books I’ve read or the movies I’ve seen. He is a genuinely good man with a desire to live his life with as few difficulties as possible, and mismatched eyes that gave him his name. His life is one similar to so many others living in the harsh wilderness of the Old West, but he responds to it in a way that few other Western characters do. Instead of picking up a vindictive gun or brusque personality, he accepts his rugged existence, white-knuckles his way through the day, and does the best he can with what he is given.
At twelve years old, Calico came under the unofficial and accidental guardianship of a man named Dan Overholt, who Calico refers to as “Uncle Dan”. The orphan and the man who had no family he much cared for, become just as close, if not closer, than blood kin. Even after Calico comes of age, he remains with Dan as a ranch-hand and never thinks of a different sort of life for himself. He is pretty content right where he is.
We readers saddle up and join the ride when Dan informs Calico that Dan’s brother died and left the guardianship of his grandchildren to him. Dan admits that he has no idea how to raise kids, but decides to try anyways despite a brisk letter from his niece concerning the matter. With the decision made, Dan makes the arrangements to leave his ranch near the little town of Grady and set out to retrieve Joshua and Sarah Howard, his great-niece and -nephew, and bring them back to live with him until their majority.
The plans change upon the tragic death of the closest thing Calico has to family. With his final breath, Dan instructs Calico to pick up the twins and escort them to their Aunt Rebecca. It seems like a simple enough task and Calico sets off to take care of that particular bit of business so he can return to the ranch and try to smooth down the ruffled feathers of his life. However, there are two things that make the trip to Rebecca’s the hardest that Calico’s ever set out on; his attraction to his temporary ward, Joshua, and the people out to kill them all. The simplicity of life that Calico prefers all but disappears after many murder attempts and the reanimation of Calico’s own long-repressed emotions.
From the beginning, I was enchanted with Calico. He is reserved, keen-witted, and a bit socially awkward, especially with girls that show interest in him. What I enjoyed most was his interactions with Joshua Howard, one of the twins he has to escort safely to their aunt’s ranch. Josh’s blatant attraction to the rugged cowboy and said cowboy’s attempts to deflect and discourage it, even though he enjoys it, brought a smile to my face many a time. It is an innocent romance through the course of the book, though there are hints that it could become otherwise further along.
Aside from the story itself, I was very impressed with the author’s writing. The details paint a perfect picture without being long-winded, and the form of speech used by most of the characters is true to life, yet still very comprehensible. To me it flowed as well as anything one would see on the Western channel.
Calico by Dorien Grey is heartwarming and one-of-a-kind. Anyone who loves the Old West, action, mystery, or romance will definitely want to ride off into the sunset with this tale.
Copyright ©2009 Crystal Guess
Review: HIS NAME IS JOHN by Dorien Grey
Posted by Marlene in Crime, GLBT Fiction, Paranormal on July 9th, 2009
His Name Is John
Dorien Grey
ISBN 978-1-934841-04-4
Published by Zumaya Boundless 2008
Paperback, 212 pages
$13.99
Reviewed by Marlene Pyle
If you’ve never read an Elliott Smith mystery before, as I hadn’t, you’re missing out. I should tell you, in case it matters, that the character of Elliot is gay, but there are no graphic sex scenes. Elliott dates quite a bit and he is a little promiscuous—he has a habit of cruising the bars in a Chicago neighborhood called “Boy’s Town” which may or may not really exist. I’ve been to Chicago, but if there is a real “Boy’s Town” I’ve never heard of it. Then again, I’m a married, middle-aged mom, so what do I know?
Elliott is an interesting character. He is independently wealthy thanks to family money, but he spends his time buying and refurbishing elegant old apartment buildings, which he then sells or rents. He is close to his sister and her kids and has plenty of friends. Elliott is a contented, happy man with a fulfilling life.
At the beginning of this novel, he is in the emergency room being treated for a minor head injury after an accident. While Elliott is a patient, another man dies in the ER, the victim of a gunshot. The man has no identification and no one has reported someone of his description as being missing. His spirit appears to Elliott and speaks to him, often in dreams while Elliott is asleep.
This is all a little much for Elliott. He thinks he has either lost his mind or was seriously hurt in his accident, but he soon comes to realize that the recently deceased is communicating with him for an important reason. He has no memory of what happened to him or why, and no knowledge of his life on Earth. He doesn’t know who he is, and desperately wants Elliott’s help to learn his identity. Elliott, being a decent guy, feels compelled to do what he can, even though his search introduces him to some unsavory Chicagoans and causes problems in his own life.
The writing is clear and fast-paced and the characters (especially Elliott) are well-defined. Elliott seems like an old pal, and you will look forward to meeting up with him again.
Copyright ©2009 Marlene Pyle
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