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Robert Wilsop and Friends Mystery #1
Someone Killed His Boyfriend
It's tough being fabulously wealthy Michael Stark's closest pal� particularly when you're an underpaid copywriter for feminine hygiene products, with a lousy apartment and no lover of your own. But Robert can't resist Michael, even though the man's motto is Money Can Buy Happiness. And reformed megaslut Michael can't resist strapping southerner Max Crawford, who has agreed to marry him in a wedding that promises to be New York's ultimate gay event.
While Michael busies himself booking the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Homosexual �and ordering enough exotic flowers to strip a tropical rainforest, Robert commiserates with Monette, who shares his envy of Michael, his affinity for practical jokes, and his inability to find a lasting same-sex love. Little do they know that what lies in store for Michael is far from wedded bliss.
The big day finds Michael, Robert, and Monette mingling with hundreds of Michael's closest friends, plus a crowd of drag queens in rustling taffeta. Curiously, the groom's husband-to-be is nowhere to be found... and neither is Michael's priceless Matisse painting.
What's a jilted lover to do? Purchase the finest rifle money can buy and vow to kill the SOB, that's what. With a reluctant Robert in tow, Michael tracks Max all the way to Provincetown, where, amidst throngs of beautiful thong-clad boys, Max turns up dead before Michael can shoot him. Primary suspects Michael and Robert swiftly go into full Hardy Boys mode, accompanied by their own personal Nancy Drew, Monette. When the clues indicate that the culprit is a murderous Bette Davis impersonator, Robert must endure the ultimate test of friendship. Does he dare go undercover with Michael in a drag revue to smoke out the real killer? Does he dare not to? Before you can say, "accessory to murder," Robert and Michael have made their drag debut in heels, sequins, and enough makeup to make Joan Collins look pasty, determined to find the real killer before the killer� and the cops� find them!
249 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
David Stukas
7 books20 followersaka David James, Dave Stukas
Also writes as David James http://www.authordavidjames.blogspot....
Dave Stukas is the author of six published comedy mysteries from Kensington Books. In 2018, he published his long-awaited sci-fi comedy on Amazon Kindle ebooks: Excuse Me, Is This Planet Taken? He can be found on his personal blog, davestukas.com, and if he’s not there, you can usually find him cycling around the countryside, reading books or engaging in high-altitude hiking. Continuing to breathe is a top priority of his.
Also writes as David James http://www.authordavidjames.blogspot....
Dave Stukas is the author of six published comedy mysteries from Kensington Books. In 2018, he published his long-awaited sci-fi comedy on Amazon Kindle ebooks: Excuse Me, Is This Planet Taken? He can be found on his personal blog, davestukas.com, and if he’s not there, you can usually find him cycling around the countryside, reading books or engaging in high-altitude hiking. Continuing to breathe is a top priority of his.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 24, 2018
The Publisher Says: It's tough being fabulously wealthy Michael Stark's closest pal&emdash;particularly when you're an underpaid copywriter for feminine hygiene products, with a lousy apartment and no lover of your own. But Robert can't resist Michael, even though the man's motto is Money Can Buy Happiness. And reformed megaslut Michael can't resist strapping southerner Max Crawford, who has agreed to marry him in a wedding that promises to be New York's ultimate gay event.
While Michael busies himself booking the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Homosexual, and ordering enough exotic flowers to strip a tropical rainforest, Robert commiserates with Monette, who shares his envy of Michael, his affinity for practical jokes, and his inability to find a lasting same-sex love. Little do they know that what lies in store for Michael is far from wedded bliss.
The big day finds Michael, Robert, and Monette mingling with hundreds of Michael's closest friends, plus a crowd of drag queens in rustling taffeta. Curiously, the groom's husband-to-be is nowhere to be found... and neither is Michael's priceless Matisse painting.
What's a jilted lover to do? Purchase the finest rifle money can buy and vow to kill the SOB, that's what. With a reluctant Robert in tow, Michael tracks Max all the way to Provincetown, where, amidst throngs of beautiful thong-clad boys, Max turns up dead before Michael can shoot him. Primary suspects Michael and Robert swiftly go into full Hardy Boys mode, accompanied by their own personal Nancy Drew, Monette. When the clues indicate that the culprit is a murderous Bette Davis impersonator, Robert must endure the ultimate test of friendship. Does he dare go undercover with Michael in a drag revue to smoke out the real killer? Does he dare not to? Before you can say, "accessory to murder," Robert and Michael have made their drag debut in heels, sequins, and enough makeup to make Joan Collins look pasty, determined to find the real killer before the killer&emdash;and the cops find them!
My Review: Fluffy, funny, frothy Rock-and-Doris-style romp. Look at the cover illustration and try to tell me that your mind can't animate that into a Pink Panther-esque opening credits sequence!
Deathless literature? No. Dead-to-rights examination of gay culture? No. Excellent way to spend a couple reading nights chuckling one's heart out and keeping one's bedmate awake with regular elbow jabs and demands to listen to this one, honey? Yes.
If your romantic union can bear the weight of such demands, read this book. (Note to tyros: DON'T tell honey it's only the first of a series! They'll burn the book or make you sleep on the sofa while reading it!)
While Michael busies himself booking the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Homosexual, and ordering enough exotic flowers to strip a tropical rainforest, Robert commiserates with Monette, who shares his envy of Michael, his affinity for practical jokes, and his inability to find a lasting same-sex love. Little do they know that what lies in store for Michael is far from wedded bliss.
The big day finds Michael, Robert, and Monette mingling with hundreds of Michael's closest friends, plus a crowd of drag queens in rustling taffeta. Curiously, the groom's husband-to-be is nowhere to be found... and neither is Michael's priceless Matisse painting.
What's a jilted lover to do? Purchase the finest rifle money can buy and vow to kill the SOB, that's what. With a reluctant Robert in tow, Michael tracks Max all the way to Provincetown, where, amidst throngs of beautiful thong-clad boys, Max turns up dead before Michael can shoot him. Primary suspects Michael and Robert swiftly go into full Hardy Boys mode, accompanied by their own personal Nancy Drew, Monette. When the clues indicate that the culprit is a murderous Bette Davis impersonator, Robert must endure the ultimate test of friendship. Does he dare go undercover with Michael in a drag revue to smoke out the real killer? Does he dare not to? Before you can say, "accessory to murder," Robert and Michael have made their drag debut in heels, sequins, and enough makeup to make Joan Collins look pasty, determined to find the real killer before the killer&emdash;and the cops find them!
My Review: Fluffy, funny, frothy Rock-and-Doris-style romp. Look at the cover illustration and try to tell me that your mind can't animate that into a Pink Panther-esque opening credits sequence!
Deathless literature? No. Dead-to-rights examination of gay culture? No. Excellent way to spend a couple reading nights chuckling one's heart out and keeping one's bedmate awake with regular elbow jabs and demands to listen to this one, honey? Yes.
If your romantic union can bear the weight of such demands, read this book. (Note to tyros: DON'T tell honey it's only the first of a series! They'll burn the book or make you sleep on the sofa while reading it!)
February 14, 2015
This was really funny and good to read. It is a comedy mystery story with larger than life characters and I found it very entertaining.
Robert is your average gay man. He doesn't have a boyfriend although he would like one, he has an ok job, an ok apartment and an ok life. He also has friends, Monette - a lesbian in search of love, and Michael.
Michael is and has everything. He is astoundingly good looking, astoundingly wealthy and astoundingly oblivious to other people. He goes through men at the speed of light and shows no sign of slowing down until he meets Max.
Max is also astoundingly good looking and everything else, and is also everything Michael wants but is he?
Three weeks after meeting and to Robert's horror, Michael and Max declare undying love for each other and Michael plans the New York gay wedding of the century!!
Only to discover down the line that Max is a charlatan and a thief, and has run off to Province town with Michael's priceless painting.
That's where the adventure starts because Robert and Michael chase Max down to Province Town only to discover that Max has been murdered and the finger points at them.The two heroes and best buddies then decide that they must discover who dunnit and find Michael's painting, and enlisting the help of Monette they set out to solve the crime of the century.
And what they did and how they did it makes for a very amusing tale. The story has such an engaging style. I laughed out loud in so many places and promptly ordered the rest of the series. It is always great to find a good book and even better when that book is both enjoyable and funny.
This is a good one and another great series to work my way through.
Robert is your average gay man. He doesn't have a boyfriend although he would like one, he has an ok job, an ok apartment and an ok life. He also has friends, Monette - a lesbian in search of love, and Michael.
Michael is and has everything. He is astoundingly good looking, astoundingly wealthy and astoundingly oblivious to other people. He goes through men at the speed of light and shows no sign of slowing down until he meets Max.
Max is also astoundingly good looking and everything else, and is also everything Michael wants but is he?
Three weeks after meeting and to Robert's horror, Michael and Max declare undying love for each other and Michael plans the New York gay wedding of the century!!
Only to discover down the line that Max is a charlatan and a thief, and has run off to Province town with Michael's priceless painting.
That's where the adventure starts because Robert and Michael chase Max down to Province Town only to discover that Max has been murdered and the finger points at them.The two heroes and best buddies then decide that they must discover who dunnit and find Michael's painting, and enlisting the help of Monette they set out to solve the crime of the century.
And what they did and how they did it makes for a very amusing tale. The story has such an engaging style. I laughed out loud in so many places and promptly ordered the rest of the series. It is always great to find a good book and even better when that book is both enjoyable and funny.
This is a good one and another great series to work my way through.
June 18, 2009
Another of the whacky gay murder romps that I like so much. David Stukas delivered exactly what was promised. A clever bit of a mystery, interesting characters and catty queeny one-liners.
I enjoyed it immensely and it made my summer book pile.
I enjoyed it immensely and it made my summer book pile.
March 24, 2021
This was a fun beach read. Quick moving and just a fun book to read. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
September 12, 2008
This was sort of funny. Its a murder/mystery story. Its an easy read but mind you you must have an open mind. If you do not, then please don't read this book.
September 3, 2011
A really fun sub-genre mystery. Perfect for a vacation read. The humor is sharp, the plot is fluffy and the narrarator is clever and self-deprecating in equal measure.
January 23, 2021
Great book. Throughly enjoyed the back in the day Gay humor. Ready to read the next 3 books of this 4 book series.
November 26, 2019
My late friend found this book in a shop in Soho and gushed about it for weeks before handing me a copy and telling me to read it. I finished it over one weekend and was entertained from beginning to end. I haven't read this book in years, yet I can still visualise the three main characters, the story and ending. In a nutshell, it's a gay, black-comedy, murder mystery. Over the years, I have bought several copies and given them to friends as presents as I was so won over by the hilarity of this book and wanted to share the joy I felt when reading it. I was so pleased to see the author David Stukas continue with these characters for three more books (I've read them all) but then the books stopped. I would love to read more from this series.
April 3, 2021
I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this novel. I went on a gay book buying spree 15 years ago and decided to read it this year. Its a comedy mystery that is campy as HELL. Can a book be campy? You bet your ass it can. The main characters were bitchy and the drag queens exponentially moreso. Not by typical type of book but I finished it nonetheless. I think I'll skip this author in the future.
April 25, 2022
A flaming farce without a drop of "good queer representation", but sometimes that's just what you need.
July 8, 2022
Random pick off the library bookshelves and it did not disappoint. I laughed out loud several times and finished it off in a day. A fun summer romp.
May 19, 2023
Funny and cute plot twist
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March 29, 2025Camp
November 7, 2025
Cheesy, campy, a pleasant read for summer. References are all similar enough and old enough that they are current and funny!
July 17, 2009
A very kitschy, easy to read murder mystery involving gay characters. I though they were a bit stereotypical and two-dimensional, and though this seemed intentional on the author's part, I didn't think it really worked for me.
March 28, 2013
Fun, irreverent and full of mystery and an awesome black humor I've seldom seen so well accomplished!
One of the best things to read if you want something light, humorous, intriguing and, above anything, fun! Being full of delicious hunks never hurts any ^.~
One of the best things to read if you want something light, humorous, intriguing and, above anything, fun! Being full of delicious hunks never hurts any ^.~
November 3, 2009
First five or six chapters were slow, so you could tell it's a first book. But it was good once it got going and the end was good.
January 5, 2018
These books are so great that I have actually read all of them multiple times.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews