The Dirt Peddler

A Dick Hardesty Mystery #7

by Dorien Grey

Number 7 in the Dick Hardesty gay mystery series. Two previous books of the series were Lambda Literary Award finalists. This series was just awarded the Word Weaving Award for Series Excellence. It is exclusive with GLB Publishers.

Genres: M M Romance, Mystery, LGBT, Suspense

234 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

If it is possible to have a split personality without being schizophrenic, Dorien Grey qualifies. When long-time book and magazine editor Roger Margason chose the pseudonym “Dorien Grey” for his first book, it set off a chain of circumstances which has led to the comfortable division of labor and responsibility. Roger has charge of day-to-day existence, freeing Dorien—with the help of Roger’s fingers—to write. It has reached the point where Roger merely sits back and reads the stories Dorien brings forth on the computer screen.

It’s not as though Roger has not had an uninteresting life of his own. Two years into college, he left to join the Naval Aviation Cadet program. Washing out after a year, he spent the rest of his brief military career on an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean at the height of the cold war. The journal he kept of his time in the military, in the form of letters home, honed his writing skills and provided him with a wealth of experiences to draw from in his future writing. These letters will be appearing in book form shortly.

Returning to Northern Illinois University after service, he graduated with a B.A. in English, and embarked on a series of jobs which worked him into the editing field. While working for a Los Angeles publishing house, he was instrumental in establishing a division exclusively for the publication of gay paperbacks and magazines, of which he became editor. He moved on to edit a leading L.A. based international gay men's magazine.

Tiring of earthquakes, brush fires, mud slides, and riots, he returned to the Midwest, where Dorien emerged, full-blown, like Venus from the sea. They’ve been inseparable (and interchangeable) ever since.

He . . . and Dorien of course…moved back to Chicago in 2006, where they now devote full time to writing. After having published fourteen books in the popular Dick Hardesty Mystery series, four books in the Elliott Smith (paranormal) Mystery series, and the stand-alone western/romance/adventure novel, Calico, he is busily at work on yet another Dick Hardesty mystery.

But for a greater insight into the "real person" behind Dorien Grey, the curious are invited to check out his website (http://www.doriengrey.com), where you can read the first chapter of any or all of his books for free, and his various blogs: Dorien Grey and Me (http://www.doriengreyandme.com) and A Life in Photos (http://www.doriengreyphotolife.blogsp...) among them.

Dorien passed away on November 1, 2015.

Reviews

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'm glad I decided not to give up on this series, even if the mysteries could be better. Once again, it took Dick longer than I thought it should to put the pieces together, figure out the real motive and come up with the whodunit, though I admit that I did completely forget about the blackmail plot that started up the book. I even for awhile thought that it was Randy who was blackmailing Tunderew, but once it became clear that wasn't the case, I completely put it out of my head. Probably because I couldn't think of a better guy to be a victim of blackmail. I was just disappointed the blackmailer never got their cash out. This one had an interesting cast of possible suspects though, but I do wish Grey wouldn't have relied so much on the seven-degrees-of-separation theorem when it comes to Dick's cases. Oh, so this completely random guy who Jared's hooking up with just so happens to work where Dick's suspects live? How convenient! Oh, so this completely random hustler who helped out Jonathan once upon a time in those two months Jonathan was hustling just so happens to have a very convenient connection to the case too? Wow! What a coincidink! Oh, so this random temp worker just so happens... you get the idea.

But the bright spot was once again seeing Dick and Jonathan making their way as a couple and being adorable as hell while doing it. Jonathan's enthusiasm knows no bounds, but he knows when to be serious and has always had a strong backbone and moral center, so he's a good pairing for Dick. He keeps Dick from being too jaded and Dick silently provides support and love so Jonathan can make something of himself and live his dreams. 😍

[Writerlibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another strong entry in this mystery series set in LA sometimes in the late 80's early 90's. The plot is fast pace and tight. Show don't tell is well used here. The relationship between Dick and Jonathan is interesting not a page filler and makes a strong plot B tied to plot A. There's even a twist and a few red herrings.

Hardesty gets an despicable client who being blackmailed but ends up dead (along with an acquaintance of Hardesty) shortly after firing the private detective. This author of tell all scandal books disguised as fiction has a lot of enemies and blackmail was the least of his problems.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgot to review this book before and had to go back and re-read it (it is such a good read that it warrants more than a single read). Dorien Grey has to be one of my favourite authors and it is so sad to realise that he passed in November 2015. Excellent mystery, well written with believable characters. Nothing more to say.
5 stars

[Eric L Aust · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put book down

I did figure out the killer early but it did keep my interest and while the killer I thought I knew how it happened I had no idea.
He is a good author glad I found his books