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Fox Mysteries #1
To Catch A Fox
Sex. Murder. Blackmail. Revenge. Life in the Big Easy can be a real bitch.
Meet Jon Fox, a sexy New Orleans private detective with more family secrets than even he knows about. But his latest case is about to bring more to the swampy surface than Fox himself could ever have guessed—
A polite old lady with a plot to murder a stranger;
A mother whose secret sent her insane;
An uncle with complete control over the family empire;
A father whose suicide might once again tear his family apart;
And a hot, handsome, clueless blond with a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Yes, meet Jon Fox. A New Orleans private detective whose complicated life...just got a little more complex.
Meet Jon Fox, a sexy New Orleans private detective with more family secrets than even he knows about. But his latest case is about to bring more to the swampy surface than Fox himself could ever have guessed—
A polite old lady with a plot to murder a stranger;
A mother whose secret sent her insane;
An uncle with complete control over the family empire;
A father whose suicide might once again tear his family apart;
And a hot, handsome, clueless blond with a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Yes, meet Jon Fox. A New Orleans private detective whose complicated life...just got a little more complex.
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2012
13 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Knight
75 books350 followersGeoffrey Knight is the author of more than 30 gay fiction novels, novellas and short stories, ranging in genre from gay adventure, gay romance, gay suspense and gay comedies.
The heroes of Geoffrey's books love to spend their time jumping off the page, seeking lost treasures, unraveling mysteries or falling in love.
Geoffrey is the recipient of two Rainbow Awards including Best Mystery Winner and Best Overall Gay Fiction Runner-up. His work has been featured in several anthologies including Best Gay Erotica 2013, and he appeared as Guest of Honor at the inaugural Rainbow Con in Florida, 2014.
Geoffrey has worked in advertising, politics, journalism and event management, but nothing is as fun as telling stories. He lives with his partner, their young daughter and their small furry family in a rambling old house in North Queensland, Australia, where the paint is fraying and life is good.
You can find everything you need to know about Geoffrey and his books at— https://linktr.ee/authorgeoffreyknight
The heroes of Geoffrey's books love to spend their time jumping off the page, seeking lost treasures, unraveling mysteries or falling in love.
Geoffrey is the recipient of two Rainbow Awards including Best Mystery Winner and Best Overall Gay Fiction Runner-up. His work has been featured in several anthologies including Best Gay Erotica 2013, and he appeared as Guest of Honor at the inaugural Rainbow Con in Florida, 2014.
Geoffrey has worked in advertising, politics, journalism and event management, but nothing is as fun as telling stories. He lives with his partner, their young daughter and their small furry family in a rambling old house in North Queensland, Australia, where the paint is fraying and life is good.
You can find everything you need to know about Geoffrey and his books at— https://linktr.ee/authorgeoffreyknight
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 26, 2014
3.5--Exhausting--Stars!!
This is one of those cases where Goodreads REALLY REALLY needs half stars! This was a 3.5 star read for me. There were things I loved, and things I didn't! I am simply rounding down for that effing ending.
I really had no idea what to expect going in to this one. And I definitely wasn't expecting the funny banter between all of the characters. So for that...
And speaking of the characters....holy shit, there were just way too damn many. This wasn't he said-she said or he said-he said...it was EVERYONE said! Everyone got a POV! I couldn't keep up!
The first half of the book was awesome...I loved it. The mystery element was just developing. There some real nail biter moments. But then the more characters I met, and the more the mystery grew....make it stop, my brain cannot handle all of this.
I loved the chemistry between Fox and Tucker but it seemed to get lost in everything else that was going on. There were really only a few steamy scenes, which were great don't get me wrong. I just wanted more of Tucker and Fox and their relationship.
By the time I got to the end of the book I was freakin' exhausted.
Finally, I make it to the end. All of the truths have been revealed. The mystery has been solved...I think! Halle-freaking-lujah! Now Tucker and Fox can lieve happily ever after in the swamp lands. Um NO!
Relationship cliffy -
Suspense/Mystery cliffy -
And honestly, I don't know how I feel about the direction the ending went with the whole Sister Sacrifice!
There were things that I really liked about this one...but I'm kind of undecided if I will read the next book. If we ever get a next book. Two years to have to wait for a sequel...thank the lawd I didn't read this one when it first came out!
This is one of those cases where Goodreads REALLY REALLY needs half stars! This was a 3.5 star read for me. There were things I loved, and things I didn't! I am simply rounding down for that effing ending.
I really had no idea what to expect going in to this one. And I definitely wasn't expecting the funny banter between all of the characters. So for that...
And speaking of the characters....holy shit, there were just way too damn many. This wasn't he said-she said or he said-he said...it was EVERYONE said! Everyone got a POV! I couldn't keep up!
The first half of the book was awesome...I loved it. The mystery element was just developing. There some real nail biter moments. But then the more characters I met, and the more the mystery grew....make it stop, my brain cannot handle all of this.
I loved the chemistry between Fox and Tucker but it seemed to get lost in everything else that was going on. There were really only a few steamy scenes, which were great don't get me wrong. I just wanted more of Tucker and Fox and their relationship.
By the time I got to the end of the book I was freakin' exhausted.
Finally, I make it to the end. All of the truths have been revealed. The mystery has been solved...I think! Halle-freaking-lujah! Now Tucker and Fox can lieve happily ever after in the swamp lands. Um NO!
Relationship cliffy -
Suspense/Mystery cliffy -
And honestly, I don't know how I feel about the direction the ending went with the whole Sister Sacrifice!
There were things that I really liked about this one...but I'm kind of undecided if I will read the next book. If we ever get a next book. Two years to have to wait for a sequel...thank the lawd I didn't read this one when it first came out!
October 14, 2012
I bought this book the day it came out, and read it over a few days (it took me longer than usual because I had to keep putting it down to save my tooth enamel). I dithered about writing a review, because I really enjoyed Ethan Day's other books. I've bought and read everything he has published with the exception of one book on my to-read list, and rated them all with 4 or 5 stars. I look forward to buying future books of his. As long as he is listed as the sole author, that is!
Because Ethan Day is a known quantity, I did not bother to read an excerpt from the book, something I always do with unknown authors. After all, my book allowance is limited, and I do very much judge a book by the quality of the writing. Had I read the excerpt, I would have realized that Mr. Day could not have possibly been responsible for much of the writing in this book, and would not have bothered with it.
Because people's mileage may vary when it comes to perception of characters, triteness of plotlines, etc., I will stick mostly to an evaluation of the writing itself, which was generally abysmal by any objective standard. Here is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a friend today on the subject of poor writing, using this as my example:
---
I just read a novel co-authored by an author I quite like. I think he must have written about two scenes in the whole book. The punctuation, grammar, spelling -- the worst I've ever seen in a published novel. And that is saying something. I want to write a scathing review, but I am too soft-hearted. Also, the book was so bad on every front that I am ashamed to admit I actually spent time and money on it. In the e-book, I started highlighting agreement errors, run-on sentences, misspellings, incorrect word choices, and -- ack! -- apostrophe errors galore. Misuse and abuse of hyphens, dashes, spacing and -- oh-my-lord -- commas also abounded. After my markup, a large percentage of the book was yellow.
Rather than just rant on, let me share a few bits and pieces -- only the merest sampling, mind -- from the pages of this novel.
"He felt more attune (sic) to the grandfather he had never known than to his more refined and gentile (sic) pillar-of-the-community parents."
"Her arms gently plucking it (sic) the low-hanging twines." (And yes, that was the complete sentence.)
Set in the South, our MC ate the following delicacies: crawfish e'touffee, café o'lait, and Po Boys. (As opposed to crawfish étouffée, café au lait, and poboys. )
"Cache" used for "cachet" and "chauffer for "chauffeur." Repeatedly.
One of the peripheral characters had a "heroine addiction." (Amusing mental images there.)
A comparison to a "film noir movie." Really? Redundant much? Not to mention the "subsequent fallout."
The police were referred to as the poe-poe. (The correct urban slang is po-po.) I had images of ravens substituting for K9 units.
Fabric was snuggly wrapped. I don't think the author intended images of diapers in that particular scene.
And yes, accidental typos abound these days. But not to this extent! The errors listed above are only a handful of the more amusing. The sentence structure was so horrific at times that I couldn't even figure out what the author meant to say. Mostly, though, it was just wincingly poor writing. Just a few examples from the first two chapters:
"Originally, it had been quite an impressive edifice, stretching out over the swamp on pylons, similar to a pier and included a small dock--built half on land and half over the water."
"The detest she held for him in the tenor of her voice said it all."
"Betty's face was still full, though certainly marked by time, yet even her conservatively-styled clothes were outshined by the crisp blue clarity of her eyes. Fox was struck by the fact that she came off quite youthful when their gazes met." Ouch, ouch, ouch. The clarity of eyes outshined -- not outshone, mind -- the conservative clothes? What? And she came off as youthful only at the exact instant their gazes met?
"Somehow, he could almost hear her saying it, thinking she was apparently not playing with an entirely full deck." Huh? So, what the author means to say is that the MC could imagine the woman saying something crazy, because he (the MC) did not believe she was playing with a full deck. But how awkward can one be? Very, apparently.
"It had a tendency to cut their focus, their brain occupied with such tedium." (Oh, so true.)
"That being said, Fox had already discovered that his real name was Tucker Delacroix, that he was the nephew of one Millie Delacroix, who had raised him after being deserted by his own parents." Good thing Millie is a girl's name, or we'd really be confused.
Then we get to chapter 3, which is almost completely free of my markup. I think that this is where the author I actually enjoy picks up the narrative. Alas, all too briefly!
Oh, oh -- how about this -- "The man also known as [...] and several other miscellaneous alias's had spent a few years in prison, for crying out loud. Nothing about this place screamed lair, aside from maybe the camera's which came off as more paranoid than criminally insane." Two egregious abuses of the poor apostrophe in two consecutive sentences.
What I can't understand is why the author I like, all of whose books I've rated highly for enjoyment value and competent writing would 1) put his name on this? and 2) would let it be published in this state? Did he not read it, maybe? How would that work? If one looks beyond the poor writing and abysmal proofreading, we find a trite and boringly predictable cookie-cutter plot, with stock characters and very few scenes of redeeming value. Well, none, actually -- two mildly amusing scenes don't even begin to redeem this book for me.
Oh, well -- sorry for the rant. Nero Wolfe (my favorite grammatical stickler) would not only have thrown this book against the wall after the first few sentences, he might even have stirred himself to heave his bulk out of his armchair and trodden upon the excrescence. Ahem. Not that he would have picked up a book like this in the first place. :-) Nero and Archie were just good friends, after all!
Because Ethan Day is a known quantity, I did not bother to read an excerpt from the book, something I always do with unknown authors. After all, my book allowance is limited, and I do very much judge a book by the quality of the writing. Had I read the excerpt, I would have realized that Mr. Day could not have possibly been responsible for much of the writing in this book, and would not have bothered with it.
Because people's mileage may vary when it comes to perception of characters, triteness of plotlines, etc., I will stick mostly to an evaluation of the writing itself, which was generally abysmal by any objective standard. Here is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a friend today on the subject of poor writing, using this as my example:
---
I just read a novel co-authored by an author I quite like. I think he must have written about two scenes in the whole book. The punctuation, grammar, spelling -- the worst I've ever seen in a published novel. And that is saying something. I want to write a scathing review, but I am too soft-hearted. Also, the book was so bad on every front that I am ashamed to admit I actually spent time and money on it. In the e-book, I started highlighting agreement errors, run-on sentences, misspellings, incorrect word choices, and -- ack! -- apostrophe errors galore. Misuse and abuse of hyphens, dashes, spacing and -- oh-my-lord -- commas also abounded. After my markup, a large percentage of the book was yellow.
Rather than just rant on, let me share a few bits and pieces -- only the merest sampling, mind -- from the pages of this novel.
"He felt more attune (sic) to the grandfather he had never known than to his more refined and gentile (sic) pillar-of-the-community parents."
"Her arms gently plucking it (sic) the low-hanging twines." (And yes, that was the complete sentence.)
Set in the South, our MC ate the following delicacies: crawfish e'touffee, café o'lait, and Po Boys. (As opposed to crawfish étouffée, café au lait, and poboys. )
"Cache" used for "cachet" and "chauffer for "chauffeur." Repeatedly.
One of the peripheral characters had a "heroine addiction." (Amusing mental images there.)
A comparison to a "film noir movie." Really? Redundant much? Not to mention the "subsequent fallout."
The police were referred to as the poe-poe. (The correct urban slang is po-po.) I had images of ravens substituting for K9 units.
Fabric was snuggly wrapped. I don't think the author intended images of diapers in that particular scene.
And yes, accidental typos abound these days. But not to this extent! The errors listed above are only a handful of the more amusing. The sentence structure was so horrific at times that I couldn't even figure out what the author meant to say. Mostly, though, it was just wincingly poor writing. Just a few examples from the first two chapters:
"Originally, it had been quite an impressive edifice, stretching out over the swamp on pylons, similar to a pier and included a small dock--built half on land and half over the water."
"The detest she held for him in the tenor of her voice said it all."
"Betty's face was still full, though certainly marked by time, yet even her conservatively-styled clothes were outshined by the crisp blue clarity of her eyes. Fox was struck by the fact that she came off quite youthful when their gazes met." Ouch, ouch, ouch. The clarity of eyes outshined -- not outshone, mind -- the conservative clothes? What? And she came off as youthful only at the exact instant their gazes met?
"Somehow, he could almost hear her saying it, thinking she was apparently not playing with an entirely full deck." Huh? So, what the author means to say is that the MC could imagine the woman saying something crazy, because he (the MC) did not believe she was playing with a full deck. But how awkward can one be? Very, apparently.
"It had a tendency to cut their focus, their brain occupied with such tedium." (Oh, so true.)
"That being said, Fox had already discovered that his real name was Tucker Delacroix, that he was the nephew of one Millie Delacroix, who had raised him after being deserted by his own parents." Good thing Millie is a girl's name, or we'd really be confused.
Then we get to chapter 3, which is almost completely free of my markup. I think that this is where the author I actually enjoy picks up the narrative. Alas, all too briefly!
Oh, oh -- how about this -- "The man also known as [...] and several other miscellaneous alias's had spent a few years in prison, for crying out loud. Nothing about this place screamed lair, aside from maybe the camera's which came off as more paranoid than criminally insane." Two egregious abuses of the poor apostrophe in two consecutive sentences.
What I can't understand is why the author I like, all of whose books I've rated highly for enjoyment value and competent writing would 1) put his name on this? and 2) would let it be published in this state? Did he not read it, maybe? How would that work? If one looks beyond the poor writing and abysmal proofreading, we find a trite and boringly predictable cookie-cutter plot, with stock characters and very few scenes of redeeming value. Well, none, actually -- two mildly amusing scenes don't even begin to redeem this book for me.
Oh, well -- sorry for the rant. Nero Wolfe (my favorite grammatical stickler) would not only have thrown this book against the wall after the first few sentences, he might even have stirred himself to heave his bulk out of his armchair and trodden upon the excrescence. Ahem. Not that he would have picked up a book like this in the first place. :-) Nero and Archie were just good friends, after all!
July 9, 2014
***** 5 Foxy stars *****
THAT was brilliant! Geoffrey Knight and Ethan Day does it again!
Another important aspect, you DON'T have to wait for the next book before reading To Catch A Fox in my humble opinion, of course.
Why? Because you get a great story which leaves you blissfully content! Like you feel after finishing a great dinner with friends having enjoyed good food and drinks. You feel "full", content. You're floating on a high from all the delicious ingredients. It was a great time, but all good things comes to an end. It's a bit sad to leave the festivities, but you're leaving highly anticipating the nextdinner party book!
Yey!
Thanks to Marco for inviting me to this awesome dinner party!
THAT was brilliant! Geoffrey Knight and Ethan Day does it again!
Another important aspect, you DON'T have to wait for the next book before reading To Catch A Fox in my humble opinion, of course.
Why? Because you get a great story which leaves you blissfully content! Like you feel after finishing a great dinner with friends having enjoyed good food and drinks. You feel "full", content. You're floating on a high from all the delicious ingredients. It was a great time, but all good things comes to an end. It's a bit sad to leave the festivities, but you're leaving highly anticipating the next
Yey!
Thanks to Marco for inviting me to this awesome dinner party!
March 15, 2016
OMG that was awesome!! Loved it, there was actual nail biting people!! NAIL BITING!!! I do not bite my nails, it ruins my polish!!
This really had it all, fabulous characters (all of them, both good guys and bad guys), lots of drama, laugh out loud moments, heartbreaking moments, actual honest to goodness mystery and hot, hot, hot sex.
The Fox and Tucker chemistry was fabulous and I need to know what happens next. I demand that the next book be available as soon as I have finished this review. Who do I talk to?
For those of you who do not like cliffhangers I'm afraid that this is one. I'm not a fan of them myself but this was worth it.
This book (particularly the start) made me feel all nostalgic about my recent holiday in NOLA. The following are a few shots from that trip that have come to mind while reading this:
French Quarter.
In slightly better shape than De le Fontaine but in my mind this is what it could be.
Not white but the lovely Snowflake made me think of the gators!!
French Quarter in the middle of thunder storm!
*sigh*
This really had it all, fabulous characters (all of them, both good guys and bad guys), lots of drama, laugh out loud moments, heartbreaking moments, actual honest to goodness mystery and hot, hot, hot sex.
The Fox and Tucker chemistry was fabulous and I need to know what happens next. I demand that the next book be available as soon as I have finished this review. Who do I talk to?
For those of you who do not like cliffhangers I'm afraid that this is one. I'm not a fan of them myself but this was worth it.
This book (particularly the start) made me feel all nostalgic about my recent holiday in NOLA. The following are a few shots from that trip that have come to mind while reading this:
French Quarter.
In slightly better shape than De le Fontaine but in my mind this is what it could be.
Not white but the lovely Snowflake made me think of the gators!!
French Quarter in the middle of thunder storm!
*sigh*
April 19, 2015
I loved it! To Catch a Fox was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery novel. It had charm, grit, humour, secrets, surprises, betrayal, action, and panty-melting sexy times. I loved the rich New Orleans setting and the sexy but flawed MCs. All that was missing was a HEA or HFN (which made me want to RAAAAAAGE!).
I want the next book in the series NOW, dammit!
I want the next book in the series NOW, dammit!
March 28, 2015
I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that this book is fantastic! The bad news is that it makes you desperately want to read the second book which isn't available yet!
This book opens like a blockbuster action movie as our hero, Jon Fox, has to outsmart a crazy women with a gun, avoid alligators and survive explosions. It sets the pace for the rest of book which is filled with mystery and murder.
Fox was the heir to his family fortune but the loss of everyone close to him had driven him to despair. His life had spiraled out of control into one of parties, drink and trouble with only his Uncle Mason to rule over the family empire and clean up the messes left by Fox. That is, until Fox resorts to doing something that even he can't live with and changes his ways. He is now working as a Private Investigator and basically up to his eyeballs in a different kind of trouble.
I liked Jon. On the exterior he is not very friendly and he is definitely tough and rough. He trades sexual favours with a wide network of contacts who provide him with information (it sure is handy being friends with a cop who like taking it over his desk while in handcuffs!) . He is about the quick and the dirty. But underneath there is something quite appealing about him.
Fox is working on a case which leads to him meeting Tucker. There is an immediate physical attraction which neither man deny however they are kept pretty busy avoiding the bad guys, whether it is dodging bullets, escaping handcuffs, fist fights, the list goes on....There is a huge amount of action and an equal amount of humour. The banter between Fox and Tucker is what really makes the book.
Shortly following an explosion..
"Are you okay?"
"What?" Tucker shouted back, trying to wring out his ear with one finger.
"I said, are you okay? Fox shouted back.
"Of course I'm gay!" Tucker yelled. "For a detective you pick the strangest times to ask the most idiotic questions."
Along with action and some very sizzling sex, there is mystery. The case involves a mysterious old lady, a unknown man and links to both Tucker's and Fox's families. There are twists and turns and surprises which keep you guessing right to the end.
The ending...arghh! So frustrating but in a good way I think. Maybe, maybe not? The ending would be easier to deal with if the second book was available now! It is not a HEA and not really even a HFN, at least in the romance stakes. The mystery is largely solved and everyone is alive and safe, at least for now. What we really get at the end is the perfect set up for the next book. We know evil and trouble is on it's way and neither Jon Fox or Tucker Wilder are safe for much longer!
I contacted one of the authors to find out when A Fox in the Hole will be released. They had hoped for later this year but it will most likely be early 2014.
Finally thanks to Wilde City Press for providing a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
This book opens like a blockbuster action movie as our hero, Jon Fox, has to outsmart a crazy women with a gun, avoid alligators and survive explosions. It sets the pace for the rest of book which is filled with mystery and murder.
Fox was the heir to his family fortune but the loss of everyone close to him had driven him to despair. His life had spiraled out of control into one of parties, drink and trouble with only his Uncle Mason to rule over the family empire and clean up the messes left by Fox. That is, until Fox resorts to doing something that even he can't live with and changes his ways. He is now working as a Private Investigator and basically up to his eyeballs in a different kind of trouble.
I liked Jon. On the exterior he is not very friendly and he is definitely tough and rough. He trades sexual favours with a wide network of contacts who provide him with information (it sure is handy being friends with a cop who like taking it over his desk while in handcuffs!) . He is about the quick and the dirty. But underneath there is something quite appealing about him.
Fox is working on a case which leads to him meeting Tucker. There is an immediate physical attraction which neither man deny however they are kept pretty busy avoiding the bad guys, whether it is dodging bullets, escaping handcuffs, fist fights, the list goes on....There is a huge amount of action and an equal amount of humour. The banter between Fox and Tucker is what really makes the book.
Shortly following an explosion..
"Are you okay?"
"What?" Tucker shouted back, trying to wring out his ear with one finger.
"I said, are you okay? Fox shouted back.
"Of course I'm gay!" Tucker yelled. "For a detective you pick the strangest times to ask the most idiotic questions."
Along with action and some very sizzling sex, there is mystery. The case involves a mysterious old lady, a unknown man and links to both Tucker's and Fox's families. There are twists and turns and surprises which keep you guessing right to the end.
The ending...arghh! So frustrating but in a good way I think. Maybe, maybe not? The ending would be easier to deal with if the second book was available now! It is not a HEA and not really even a HFN, at least in the romance stakes. The mystery is largely solved and everyone is alive and safe, at least for now. What we really get at the end is the perfect set up for the next book. We know evil and trouble is on it's way and neither Jon Fox or Tucker Wilder are safe for much longer!
I contacted one of the authors to find out when A Fox in the Hole will be released. They had hoped for later this year but it will most likely be early 2014.
Finally thanks to Wilde City Press for providing a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
November 6, 2012
2.5-3 stars. I felt pretty meh about this mystery romance. The parts that I liked were the New Orleans setting with its heat and old houses and that soft southern accent.
The mystery was okay--there were a couple twists I didn’t see, but some I forecasted early on. I’m not a fan of suddenly jumping scenes to other character viewpoints, especially villains or side characters. It just seems a little lazy at times. Also, the style would switch from over-exposition/explaining to a sudden long flashback. Neither technique worked well for me, and I ended up skimming large portions of the text just to get to the end.
The chemistry between the MCs was all right. Some parts I liked--Tucker’s overall sunny/upbeat personality, Fox’s growing protectiveness and caring. Other times, the situations and dialogue between them made me feel like I fell into something too farcical, like an unfunny I Love Lucy episode.
Also the ending is more of a cliffhanger and leading into the next book, so no HEA or even HFN. So heads-up if you like things more tidy. You won’t get that here. Also would recommend another round of proofing since there's quite a few editing errors.
I’m not sure if I’m interested enough to go for book 2 when it eventually comes out. Maybe, but skimming through most of this left me frustrated. There’s something to be said when your fave parts of the romance book is the setting, the hot guy on the cover, and the alligator that lives in the swamp outside the MC’s house.
The mystery was okay--there were a couple twists I didn’t see, but some I forecasted early on. I’m not a fan of suddenly jumping scenes to other character viewpoints, especially villains or side characters. It just seems a little lazy at times. Also, the style would switch from over-exposition/explaining to a sudden long flashback. Neither technique worked well for me, and I ended up skimming large portions of the text just to get to the end.
The chemistry between the MCs was all right. Some parts I liked--Tucker’s overall sunny/upbeat personality, Fox’s growing protectiveness and caring. Other times, the situations and dialogue between them made me feel like I fell into something too farcical, like an unfunny I Love Lucy episode.
Also the ending is more of a cliffhanger and leading into the next book, so no HEA or even HFN. So heads-up if you like things more tidy. You won’t get that here. Also would recommend another round of proofing since there's quite a few editing errors.
I’m not sure if I’m interested enough to go for book 2 when it eventually comes out. Maybe, but skimming through most of this left me frustrated. There’s something to be said when your fave parts of the romance book is the setting, the hot guy on the cover, and the alligator that lives in the swamp outside the MC’s house.
dnf
October 29, 2014DNF at 20%
This didn’t work for me at all.
- Terrible writing. Waaaaaay to much tell and almost no show. It was like reading a grocery list. The first chapter went on and on. A short summery of the events would have sufficed for me. And what is with a flashback in the middle of a scene? Very confusing.
- I didn’t like Fox. I read 50 pages about the man and I knew nothing about his personality. And because I couldn’t connect with him I had to go with his actions. And they did not got me all on board with the Fox train.
He has just blinded a client set out to kill him, but instead of simply disarming her and getting the gun, he runs away? And the final straw was when he just made a date with Tucker, a page later he fucks another man over his desk. I had absolutely no respect for Fox after that.
Other people may have gotten past all of this, but I have to like my characters to enjoy a book. And with the terrible writing there was not a lot left to enjoy for me.
This didn’t work for me at all.
- Terrible writing. Waaaaaay to much tell and almost no show. It was like reading a grocery list. The first chapter went on and on. A short summery of the events would have sufficed for me. And what is with a flashback in the middle of a scene? Very confusing.
- I didn’t like Fox. I read 50 pages about the man and I knew nothing about his personality. And because I couldn’t connect with him I had to go with his actions. And they did not got me all on board with the Fox train.
He has just blinded a client set out to kill him, but instead of simply disarming her and getting the gun, he runs away? And the final straw was when he just made a date with Tucker, a page later he fucks another man over his desk. I had absolutely no respect for Fox after that.
Other people may have gotten past all of this, but I have to like my characters to enjoy a book. And with the terrible writing there was not a lot left to enjoy for me.
October 1, 2012
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
I really love each of these authors separately, so I've been waiting forever to see what their combined writing is like. We finally get that with this first book of a new mystery series, and more than any other author pair, each author has his distinct stamp on the book. It may be because I'm so familiar with their individual writing, but it is clear in the characters that remind me so much of Ethan's past romantic comedies, and in the campy tone and incredibly twisted plot reminiscent of the Fathom boys' own stories, always going just a couple steps further than you expect, just shy of the hilariously absurd. The combination of those forces was bound to be a sight to behold; before I even knew what the book was about, I could picture the hilarity the two had writing together. The outcome is almost exactly what I expected and described above, the most dominant traits of each carrying forward and marrying into a story that is at same time serious and off the wall.
Jon Fox is a playboy private investigator whose contacts around the quarter are synonymous with fuck buddies -- easy payment for their services rendered on the lookout -- because everyone wants a piece of Fox and they always beg for more. His reputation makes him well known, but not just for his prowess in bed (or you know… anywhere). An incredibly difficult childhood of lies, neglect and death left an enduring mark on the young Fox, who tore through New Orleans for years leaving destruction in his angry, alcoholic wake. His money and connections through the Fox name keep him out of serious trouble, but even now as he has settled into the straight and narrow he has a buried, finely honed edge of rage just waiting for relapse.
Fox is stuck in the middle of a rather unorthodox case, when a sweet older woman visits him with a very odd request. That case brings him to shadow a man seen being friendly with the woman at a local diner. Fox admits that he loves surveilling the beautiful Tucker a little more than he should, unsure if the man has any idea what he's involved in. Luckily the borderline stalking works to his favor when Tucker ends up needing his help after the man witnessed something he shouldn't while walking through the city at night. The two will have to find a way to work together to piece together the mystery of the men after Tucker, Fox's strange client, and some old and very buried family secrets.
This story is really quite a vast mystery and only the very first part of a much longer story. Though I assume the mysteries will change from book to book, the relationship arc covers them all. In that sense, this book is the setup for the rest of the story yet to come, though it is long and detailed enough, with enough focus on the relationship to make this a satisfying beginning to the relationship between Fox and Tucker. There is often a very fine line drawn between camp and serious character and plot development. it worked well for me. This is a story that benefits from campy humor and tone but isn't reliant on it, and the mystery behind it was pretty solid.
At times that mystery became a bit much for me. The second half is really when it picked up. I had a difficult time with the first half. Everything was written well in the beginning, especially the character and relationship development, but it felt a little slow to get off the ground and I wasn't quite sure how focused the story was. In retrospect (knowing how the mystery is resolved), I can see where most of the ground work in the beginning of the story had a place, but for most of the book I had a hard time reconciling the focus of the mystery in the beginning with the outcome. There are three major parts of the overall investigations that don't really seem to fit together into a whole, and there were some unanswered questions for me in the end about how one of them ultimately fit in (the mob). Perhaps I'm missing the connection, but a lot of that part of the investigation seemed arbitrary to me.
The characters are smartly written -- Tucker, a screenwriter, sees the world through a lens and I loved his overt movie references that always seemed to come out at the worst times. Fox has a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde thing going on that works really well when we finally find out more about him and the family secrets start to unravel. The mystery is pretty convoluted, with a large cast, a long history and a lot of different factions to consider. Like I said before, some of this didn't quite piece together for me, but this is also the first book of a series and it seems to me that there will be a continuation of much of this story, though perhaps not the particulars. The ending sets the direction of the next story, but doesn't end on a cliffhanger either. All in all, I think this duo has nowhere to go but up and I'll be excited to read the sequel. Hopefully it isn't too far away!
I really love each of these authors separately, so I've been waiting forever to see what their combined writing is like. We finally get that with this first book of a new mystery series, and more than any other author pair, each author has his distinct stamp on the book. It may be because I'm so familiar with their individual writing, but it is clear in the characters that remind me so much of Ethan's past romantic comedies, and in the campy tone and incredibly twisted plot reminiscent of the Fathom boys' own stories, always going just a couple steps further than you expect, just shy of the hilariously absurd. The combination of those forces was bound to be a sight to behold; before I even knew what the book was about, I could picture the hilarity the two had writing together. The outcome is almost exactly what I expected and described above, the most dominant traits of each carrying forward and marrying into a story that is at same time serious and off the wall.
Jon Fox is a playboy private investigator whose contacts around the quarter are synonymous with fuck buddies -- easy payment for their services rendered on the lookout -- because everyone wants a piece of Fox and they always beg for more. His reputation makes him well known, but not just for his prowess in bed (or you know… anywhere). An incredibly difficult childhood of lies, neglect and death left an enduring mark on the young Fox, who tore through New Orleans for years leaving destruction in his angry, alcoholic wake. His money and connections through the Fox name keep him out of serious trouble, but even now as he has settled into the straight and narrow he has a buried, finely honed edge of rage just waiting for relapse.
Fox is stuck in the middle of a rather unorthodox case, when a sweet older woman visits him with a very odd request. That case brings him to shadow a man seen being friendly with the woman at a local diner. Fox admits that he loves surveilling the beautiful Tucker a little more than he should, unsure if the man has any idea what he's involved in. Luckily the borderline stalking works to his favor when Tucker ends up needing his help after the man witnessed something he shouldn't while walking through the city at night. The two will have to find a way to work together to piece together the mystery of the men after Tucker, Fox's strange client, and some old and very buried family secrets.
This story is really quite a vast mystery and only the very first part of a much longer story. Though I assume the mysteries will change from book to book, the relationship arc covers them all. In that sense, this book is the setup for the rest of the story yet to come, though it is long and detailed enough, with enough focus on the relationship to make this a satisfying beginning to the relationship between Fox and Tucker. There is often a very fine line drawn between camp and serious character and plot development. it worked well for me. This is a story that benefits from campy humor and tone but isn't reliant on it, and the mystery behind it was pretty solid.
At times that mystery became a bit much for me. The second half is really when it picked up. I had a difficult time with the first half. Everything was written well in the beginning, especially the character and relationship development, but it felt a little slow to get off the ground and I wasn't quite sure how focused the story was. In retrospect (knowing how the mystery is resolved), I can see where most of the ground work in the beginning of the story had a place, but for most of the book I had a hard time reconciling the focus of the mystery in the beginning with the outcome. There are three major parts of the overall investigations that don't really seem to fit together into a whole, and there were some unanswered questions for me in the end about how one of them ultimately fit in (the mob). Perhaps I'm missing the connection, but a lot of that part of the investigation seemed arbitrary to me.
The characters are smartly written -- Tucker, a screenwriter, sees the world through a lens and I loved his overt movie references that always seemed to come out at the worst times. Fox has a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde thing going on that works really well when we finally find out more about him and the family secrets start to unravel. The mystery is pretty convoluted, with a large cast, a long history and a lot of different factions to consider. Like I said before, some of this didn't quite piece together for me, but this is also the first book of a series and it seems to me that there will be a continuation of much of this story, though perhaps not the particulars. The ending sets the direction of the next story, but doesn't end on a cliffhanger either. All in all, I think this duo has nowhere to go but up and I'll be excited to read the sequel. Hopefully it isn't too far away!
February 6, 2013
2.5 stars
The book was so full of clichés that I knew right away who the bad guy was just because that was another one. That apart, the zombie plot line was idiotic and the book was so full of typos that it started to annoy me really badly. "having been abandoned by a mother who preferred heroine to her own child *rolls eyes Love in La Terraza was bad enough but this one is even worse. I used to love Ethan Day's books but lately they've been very disappointing.
The book was so full of clichés that I knew right away who the bad guy was just because that was another one. That apart, the zombie plot line was idiotic and the book was so full of typos that it started to annoy me really badly. "having been abandoned by a mother who preferred heroine to her own child *rolls eyes Love in La Terraza was bad enough but this one is even worse. I used to love Ethan Day's books but lately they've been very disappointing.
October 7, 2012
A good bit of this book was deserving of a five star rating. The story was good, although the use of the "snappy" supporting character toward the end was predictable. Don't get me wrong, I was greatly anticipating it, but I could have told you it was coming. The MCs had great, steamy chemistry that could practically be felt through my Kindle. The supporting characters were excellent. I could definitely see Ethan Day's sense of humor coming through loud and clear.
Why then am I giving it a four star rating? The story was very slow to get started. It was exceptionally wordy with long descriptions that made me want to give up. Then, my pet peeves: tense changes in the middle of paragraphs, posessives and plurals used incorrectly, wrong homonyms (vice/vise), spelling errors, words completely missing or cut off.
Both Mr. Knight and Mr. Day (had to get that in here, it sounds so cool) are well published and very talented authors. There is no excuse for the publishing-virgin errors included in this novel.
I am really looking forward to the second book in the series. With some polishing and a much closer eye to editing, Knight & Day have the potential for Jon/Tucker to become another Adrian/Jake or Vic/Jacob. I can't wait to see if they are able to pull it off. I hope they do, because I really liked these guys and their crazy families.
Why then am I giving it a four star rating? The story was very slow to get started. It was exceptionally wordy with long descriptions that made me want to give up. Then, my pet peeves: tense changes in the middle of paragraphs, posessives and plurals used incorrectly, wrong homonyms (vice/vise), spelling errors, words completely missing or cut off.
Both Mr. Knight and Mr. Day (had to get that in here, it sounds so cool) are well published and very talented authors. There is no excuse for the publishing-virgin errors included in this novel.
I am really looking forward to the second book in the series. With some polishing and a much closer eye to editing, Knight & Day have the potential for Jon/Tucker to become another Adrian/Jake or Vic/Jacob. I can't wait to see if they are able to pull it off. I hope they do, because I really liked these guys and their crazy families.
September 30, 2012
I am exhausted!! That was a romp and a half! The action was nonstop.... Like reading a film script - such vivid action scenes! As with all Ethan's books (I am new to Geoff) the ensemble cast was excellent. I loved Millie, Leigh and Eva ; Savannah broke my heart - I was quite teary as she stood up to Mason. Poor, poor Beau :-( and I am left wondering if Eddie is maybe a redeemable character. I also soooooo want a Rick story. Virgil was also a wonderful character; but Snowflake almost stole the show lol Of course Tucker and Fox were sublime - not sure if Ethan and Geoff each had a particular MC as their own - however they split the writing, it worked really well !!!
My only quibble and it may just be my ignorance, but while I knew there was a second book in the offing I never knew this would be "to be continued...." I do prefer my books buttoned up at the end; or to know that the story line is so definitely an ongoing plot.... But that doesn't detract from my overall enjoyment; it just leaves me chomping at the bit for the next installment !
My only quibble and it may just be my ignorance, but while I knew there was a second book in the offing I never knew this would be "to be continued...." I do prefer my books buttoned up at the end; or to know that the story line is so definitely an ongoing plot.... But that doesn't detract from my overall enjoyment; it just leaves me chomping at the bit for the next installment !
October 1, 2012
Jonathan Fox is a private eye who is a total man slut and is loaded with enough emotional baggage to ground a plane. He has contacts all over town and when they come thru for him with info, he pays them back with sex. A win win situation for him but for those who want more, they are SOL. His heart is "closed for business." Tucker Wilder is a very attractive, sweet young man and aspiring screen writer who Jonathan has been surveying for two weeks in relation to a case he was hired on. He loves to dance naked in his apartment to club music. So adorable. And Jonathan thru his telescopic lens from the apartment across the street has a front row seat and he's in lust. It doesn't take long for Jon to make his move when he goes to the restaurant where Tucker works to ask him out. They have an instant chemistry. It doesn't take long for things to go south when Tucker witnesses a crime that has Jon coming to the rescue. And from there, hold on to your reading device because you are in for one heck of a ride.
This is very much a plot/mystery driven book with a strong m/m romance current running right thru it, instead of on the side like so many other mystery books I've read over time. Tucker and Fox are pretty much together throughout this story. It has very unique and interesting characters, such as Snowflake, the albino and scene stealing alligator and Mr. Graves and Sister Sacrifice who gives me the creeps and shivers.
The hints to what the mystery is are not given freely by the authors. It's a slow and sometimes excruciating reveal but so brilliantly and painstakingly done that I couldn't put this book down once I started it. I was up til late last night into early morning reading furiously until I finished it. Whew! I felt I was in the middle of a Bourne movie at times. The action sequences were intense and somewhat gruesome. Once the mystery about Fox's family was revealed, I was shocked. Well played! There is just no way I could have figured it out which left me impressed. The climax ending had me on the edge of my seat and emotionally spent afterward. Fox is one aggravating man. At times I was rooting for him (please open your heart) and other times, I wanted to strangle him (for being a total closed off douche.) Poor Tucker. You can't help who you fall for. They both left me emotionally spent.
Warning though, there will be a sequel to this book, "A Fox In The Hole" as this story does not end with a HFN or HEA. And if you are one that needs either, you will not like the ending. But please don't let that keep you from reading this book because you will be missing out on one heck of a fun ride. Personally, I love cliff-hangers/open-ended books (as long as I know there will be a follow-up.) And speaking of follow-ups, the last chapter hints to what is to come and I CAN'T wait for it!!
This is very much a plot/mystery driven book with a strong m/m romance current running right thru it, instead of on the side like so many other mystery books I've read over time. Tucker and Fox are pretty much together throughout this story. It has very unique and interesting characters, such as Snowflake, the albino and scene stealing alligator and Mr. Graves and Sister Sacrifice who gives me the creeps and shivers.
The hints to what the mystery is are not given freely by the authors. It's a slow and sometimes excruciating reveal but so brilliantly and painstakingly done that I couldn't put this book down once I started it. I was up til late last night into early morning reading furiously until I finished it. Whew! I felt I was in the middle of a Bourne movie at times. The action sequences were intense and somewhat gruesome. Once the mystery about Fox's family was revealed, I was shocked. Well played! There is just no way I could have figured it out which left me impressed. The climax ending had me on the edge of my seat and emotionally spent afterward. Fox is one aggravating man. At times I was rooting for him (please open your heart) and other times, I wanted to strangle him (for being a total closed off douche.) Poor Tucker. You can't help who you fall for. They both left me emotionally spent.
Warning though, there will be a sequel to this book, "A Fox In The Hole" as this story does not end with a HFN or HEA. And if you are one that needs either, you will not like the ending. But please don't let that keep you from reading this book because you will be missing out on one heck of a fun ride. Personally, I love cliff-hangers/open-ended books (as long as I know there will be a follow-up.) And speaking of follow-ups, the last chapter hints to what is to come and I CAN'T wait for it!!
July 11, 2013
I don't know what I was expecting when I started this, but I got a whole lot more than I bargained for. First of all, when the backdrop is the "Big Easy", I am half way there on the "like" meter.
Jon Fox is a PI who has a family background that would kill a normal human being. Suicide, insanity, deep dark secrets, that have ruled his world since he was young. In walks Tucker,a snarky, sometimes clueless, playwright, that has come back to his roots in NOLA. The events of the story were set long in the past, but explode in the future when Tucker witnesses a murder. Their relationship starts to blossom amid a thrill ride as Fox tries to protect Tucker. Unfortunately, the baggage they carry continually trips them up.
The plot is complex, the action sequences are amazing. I had to step back and say "wow" several times. If all that isn't enough, a little Voodoo, is thrown into the mix. The two authors stirred their pot, but at the same time knew where they were going. I'm so glad I got to ride shotgun.
The ending was not what I expected, and I admit to selfishly wishing it had ended differently. But then, there is suppose to be a sequel. Maybe, I'll get what I want in that one. So if you don't mind it not being "easy", this is for you.
I give it a bayou full of stars.
Jon Fox is a PI who has a family background that would kill a normal human being. Suicide, insanity, deep dark secrets, that have ruled his world since he was young. In walks Tucker,a snarky, sometimes clueless, playwright, that has come back to his roots in NOLA. The events of the story were set long in the past, but explode in the future when Tucker witnesses a murder. Their relationship starts to blossom amid a thrill ride as Fox tries to protect Tucker. Unfortunately, the baggage they carry continually trips them up.
The plot is complex, the action sequences are amazing. I had to step back and say "wow" several times. If all that isn't enough, a little Voodoo, is thrown into the mix. The two authors stirred their pot, but at the same time knew where they were going. I'm so glad I got to ride shotgun.
The ending was not what I expected, and I admit to selfishly wishing it had ended differently. But then, there is suppose to be a sequel. Maybe, I'll get what I want in that one. So if you don't mind it not being "easy", this is for you.
I give it a bayou full of stars.
October 22, 2014
BR, October 18th with Julie!!
I am really impressed with this book!!! Most often I’m not really interested in the mystery/crime part of a book. I usually skip that part and go straight to the fun parts. However the mystery/crime in this book had me on my toes…
While reading this book I could see it already been made as a movie!!!
The visuals that I was getting;
Jon “Fox”
Tucker Wilder
The big Tara House - ”De La Fontaine”
After years being absent, Fox returns home to take care of his mother, Miss Savannah. After the death of his father, his mother is suffering from dementia. She is considered “crazy” by people…
Miss Savannah
Jon Fox, the private-investigator meets Tucker when he accepts a new assignment from Mrs. Betty. She wants Fox to find a man so she can kill him. One night Fox saves Tucker from being killed while Tucker tries to escape from the murderers because he witnessed the actual murder.
Fox takes him in hiding but Tucker keeps being in the wrong place at the wrong times!!
There was some hot chemistry between these guys, a lot of kissing and of course some really off the chart sex-scenes.
Mrs. Betty
And at the End, the voodoo-woman “Sister Sacrifice”, I keep picturing this image..
I want to end with a quote of Tucker when he realized he was in love with Fox..
As frightened as he’d been trapped underwater while struggling with all his might to hold his breath, this was more terrifying, like being left just on the brink of drowning with no idea how long it might last.
There was no antidote for love.
Only ache.
Only need.
They found that there was no way back to each other because of what happened… Everything Tucker had offered in that moment hadn’t been enough.
- the ice-cold tone in Jon’s voice as he told Tucker to ‘shut your eyes’
The only disappointment was that there was
I’m not happy with that… So, I most urgently ask the authors Geoffrey Knight and Ethan Day to hurry up with this sequel.
review Julie
EXTRA - interview with Geoffrey Knight and Ethan Day
May 21, 2013
I found this book so melodramatic, and it seemed so long. Yes, it had humour, it had a mystery or three, it had action. But I didn't particularly like Jon Fox. I definitely didn't feel the chemistry between him and Tucker Wilder.
It was okay for me. It had moments that I really liked, some nice writing at times but they were topped by moments I didn't like and characters that didn't grab me, primary or secondary. So it was a mixed bag resulting in 3 stars. Review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...
It was okay for me. It had moments that I really liked, some nice writing at times but they were topped by moments I didn't like and characters that didn't grab me, primary or secondary. So it was a mixed bag resulting in 3 stars. Review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...
dnf
November 19, 2012DNF.
I've come to the conclusion that co-authored books simply don't click with me. My issues with TCAF are similar to the ones I had with Cut & Run - the plot and the dialogue are so disjointed that I had to reread parts several times to make sense of it. After a few instances of not being able to figure out a scene no matter how many times I read through it, I gave up and shelved the book.
Other people LOVE this book, and Cut & Run is also hugely popular. Maybe it's just me. (?) I'll give Ethan and Geoff the benefit of the doubt - No rating for this one.
I've come to the conclusion that co-authored books simply don't click with me. My issues with TCAF are similar to the ones I had with Cut & Run - the plot and the dialogue are so disjointed that I had to reread parts several times to make sense of it. After a few instances of not being able to figure out a scene no matter how many times I read through it, I gave up and shelved the book.
Other people LOVE this book, and Cut & Run is also hugely popular. Maybe it's just me. (?) I'll give Ethan and Geoff the benefit of the doubt - No rating for this one.
September 24, 2013
I CANNOT wait for this book! I have gotten to know them thru PM's & adore them both! I can only imagine what they have come up with!!!!!!
HURRY HURRY HURRY!
123< to U both!
HURRY HURRY HURRY!
123< to U both!
February 17, 2014
Alas, no HEA or HFN but I still really enjoyed it and am very anxious to continue. NOLA is my FAVORITE setting for a book and this one really brought it. Full review to follow.
April 25, 2013
This story was a fast-paced, fascinating and complex mystery as well as a sweet and sexy romance. Principal characters Jon Fox and Tucker Wilder are drawn into a murder mystery when Tucker witnesses a shooting in an alley near his apartment. Jon was nearby and rescued Tucker as he fled from the scene.
Jon Fox is a private investigator, hired by a sweet little old lady, Betty Black, to find someone from her past for the bizarre reason that she wanted to be able to kill him. While trying to discourage her, he stumbles upon her meetings with a young man named Tucker Wilder. Initially he’s not sure if Tucker might be involved in something sinister or not, but he’s patiently staking him out to learn whatever he can about him. This is why he happened to be in the area when Tucker witnessed the murder.
Multiple adventures and escapes from near death ensue over the next few days as Tucker and Fox become closer and Jon realizes that Tucker is not involved in anything sinister, he’s merely doing research for a screenplay he plans to write. He does however seem to have an uncanny knack for drawing trouble his way.
Fox takes Tucker out to his family’s plantation in the suburbs of New Orleans, a plantation with a mansion and outbuildings sorely in need of repair and currently housing Jon’s mother, Samantha, who is suffering from dementia, and an old family friend, Virgil, who is cantankerous but loyal to the Fox family.
As Fox and Tucker are hiding out from the gang responsible for the murder Tucker witnessed, they begin to investigate the Fox family’s past. They find scores of memorabilia in the attic, including a packet of love letters that ultimately leads to Fox finding out about his mother’s past affair with a man named Clay Shaw and his father’s suicide. In the midst of all of this, Betty Black becomes another mystery to be solved. It looks like the man she wanted to find is none other than Clay Shaw.
Mix in voodoo, gang assassins, finding Clay Shaw, getting nearly killed again, and the inimitable writing styles of Geoffrey Knight and Ethan Day, and you have one long and crazy mystery adventure. This story has more plot twists and turns than a mountain goat path! I really enjoyed the writing in this one and found several scenes so funny I had to stop and wipe the tears from my eyes. It’s not a comedy, but the wonderfully humorous descriptions of people, places and things kept the story from being heavy.
I loved the secondary characters – on the whole they were well-developed and all important to the storyline. There were some disconnects for me with Jon’s mother, however. Through most of the story she was totally vague and displayed typical signs of dementia, then in the climactic life and death scenes she was presented as being highly lucid. On two separate occasions she clearly understood everything going on and was instrumental in helping others. Virgil was quite an interesting character and we finally got to see the events in his early life that had shaped his continued involvement with the Fox family. Jon’s secretary, Eva, Tucker’s aunt and cousin, and the family “patriarch” Miles, were all very realistically depicted and quite memorable. It’s not often that such a full cast of secondary characters remains with me long after I put the book down.
What I didn’t like was how the story ended. I was disappointed that the book ended without a HEA or HFN for Fox and Tucker. There’s hope for one in the future though, as there’s going to be a second part to the story. I’m really looking forward to reading it since not all of the “bad” guys were captured and there’s more evil ahead. I really want to see this couple again - they were terrific together.
I highly recommend this book to those who love an intriguing and challenging mystery and/or action/adventure/thriller accompanied by m/m romance. I gave it 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. It deserves the 5 more than the 4.
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
Jon Fox is a private investigator, hired by a sweet little old lady, Betty Black, to find someone from her past for the bizarre reason that she wanted to be able to kill him. While trying to discourage her, he stumbles upon her meetings with a young man named Tucker Wilder. Initially he’s not sure if Tucker might be involved in something sinister or not, but he’s patiently staking him out to learn whatever he can about him. This is why he happened to be in the area when Tucker witnessed the murder.
Multiple adventures and escapes from near death ensue over the next few days as Tucker and Fox become closer and Jon realizes that Tucker is not involved in anything sinister, he’s merely doing research for a screenplay he plans to write. He does however seem to have an uncanny knack for drawing trouble his way.
Fox takes Tucker out to his family’s plantation in the suburbs of New Orleans, a plantation with a mansion and outbuildings sorely in need of repair and currently housing Jon’s mother, Samantha, who is suffering from dementia, and an old family friend, Virgil, who is cantankerous but loyal to the Fox family.
As Fox and Tucker are hiding out from the gang responsible for the murder Tucker witnessed, they begin to investigate the Fox family’s past. They find scores of memorabilia in the attic, including a packet of love letters that ultimately leads to Fox finding out about his mother’s past affair with a man named Clay Shaw and his father’s suicide. In the midst of all of this, Betty Black becomes another mystery to be solved. It looks like the man she wanted to find is none other than Clay Shaw.
Mix in voodoo, gang assassins, finding Clay Shaw, getting nearly killed again, and the inimitable writing styles of Geoffrey Knight and Ethan Day, and you have one long and crazy mystery adventure. This story has more plot twists and turns than a mountain goat path! I really enjoyed the writing in this one and found several scenes so funny I had to stop and wipe the tears from my eyes. It’s not a comedy, but the wonderfully humorous descriptions of people, places and things kept the story from being heavy.
I loved the secondary characters – on the whole they were well-developed and all important to the storyline. There were some disconnects for me with Jon’s mother, however. Through most of the story she was totally vague and displayed typical signs of dementia, then in the climactic life and death scenes she was presented as being highly lucid. On two separate occasions she clearly understood everything going on and was instrumental in helping others. Virgil was quite an interesting character and we finally got to see the events in his early life that had shaped his continued involvement with the Fox family. Jon’s secretary, Eva, Tucker’s aunt and cousin, and the family “patriarch” Miles, were all very realistically depicted and quite memorable. It’s not often that such a full cast of secondary characters remains with me long after I put the book down.
What I didn’t like was how the story ended. I was disappointed that the book ended without a HEA or HFN for Fox and Tucker. There’s hope for one in the future though, as there’s going to be a second part to the story. I’m really looking forward to reading it since not all of the “bad” guys were captured and there’s more evil ahead. I really want to see this couple again - they were terrific together.
I highly recommend this book to those who love an intriguing and challenging mystery and/or action/adventure/thriller accompanied by m/m romance. I gave it 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. It deserves the 5 more than the 4.
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
March 21, 2013
4 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Jon Fox is a private detective who has a checkered past, his family’s history has left its make on him and it’s about to take a second bite. Fox is approached to find a man by a nice old lady who wishes revenge on the mystery man, it leads him to Tucker Wilder, a screenwriter who is hoping to write a story of lost love. They are thrown together in a mystery where secrets and lies are revealed… about their own families.
Wow, mystery, thrills, danger, albino alligators, murder, brutal fights and an unwelcome love or is it? Fox lands right in the middle of family drama and hidden secrets without even trying, trying to get to the bottom of an old lady’s request leads him to Tucker, with leads to danger and murder. Tucker just wants to write a hit screenplay when he inadvertently stumbles across a mob hit, being rescued by Fox is a blessing until they both stumble across hidden secrets from the past and a confrontation that might rip them apart.
Well, I never saw half of that coming and the story twists are exciting and some are unexpected. Jon is a playboy character who wins you over with his devil may care attitude, the only people he really cares about are his family, when he meets Tucker it throws him for a loop. Tucker is a much more frivolous character, he has his eye on one thing and that’s returning to L.A. with a hit screenplay under his belt, he over-reacts in dangerous situations and I dare say is a bit of a drama queen. Together they have an explosive time with hardly a minute safe from danger, people coming out of the woodwork and becoming involved in the mystery and new questions arising. Each character brings something new to the story adding more mystery and questions to the mix, leaving you reeling as more twists come into play.
The opening scene in the book has you hooked and it’s a rollercoaster ride that you don’t want to get off. Although I loved the storyline and the twists, I do have to admit that at times Tucker got right up my nose with his dramatic outpourings, Fox I really liked and his unmitigated anger was easy to relate to. Although there was one major arc throughout the book there are also two others that have left me with questions, one of them will hopefully be the main storyline for the next book, but the last one I can’t help wonder if it will be left unanswered. We don’t get a happily ever after in this story, but it is left wide open for a reconnecting romance.
I have to recommend this to those who love mysteries, danger, brutal fights, swampy danger, secrets unfolded, hot sex, a complex love story and an ending that leaves you panting for more.
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Jon Fox is a private detective who has a checkered past, his family’s history has left its make on him and it’s about to take a second bite. Fox is approached to find a man by a nice old lady who wishes revenge on the mystery man, it leads him to Tucker Wilder, a screenwriter who is hoping to write a story of lost love. They are thrown together in a mystery where secrets and lies are revealed… about their own families.
Wow, mystery, thrills, danger, albino alligators, murder, brutal fights and an unwelcome love or is it? Fox lands right in the middle of family drama and hidden secrets without even trying, trying to get to the bottom of an old lady’s request leads him to Tucker, with leads to danger and murder. Tucker just wants to write a hit screenplay when he inadvertently stumbles across a mob hit, being rescued by Fox is a blessing until they both stumble across hidden secrets from the past and a confrontation that might rip them apart.
Well, I never saw half of that coming and the story twists are exciting and some are unexpected. Jon is a playboy character who wins you over with his devil may care attitude, the only people he really cares about are his family, when he meets Tucker it throws him for a loop. Tucker is a much more frivolous character, he has his eye on one thing and that’s returning to L.A. with a hit screenplay under his belt, he over-reacts in dangerous situations and I dare say is a bit of a drama queen. Together they have an explosive time with hardly a minute safe from danger, people coming out of the woodwork and becoming involved in the mystery and new questions arising. Each character brings something new to the story adding more mystery and questions to the mix, leaving you reeling as more twists come into play.
The opening scene in the book has you hooked and it’s a rollercoaster ride that you don’t want to get off. Although I loved the storyline and the twists, I do have to admit that at times Tucker got right up my nose with his dramatic outpourings, Fox I really liked and his unmitigated anger was easy to relate to. Although there was one major arc throughout the book there are also two others that have left me with questions, one of them will hopefully be the main storyline for the next book, but the last one I can’t help wonder if it will be left unanswered. We don’t get a happily ever after in this story, but it is left wide open for a reconnecting romance.
I have to recommend this to those who love mysteries, danger, brutal fights, swampy danger, secrets unfolded, hot sex, a complex love story and an ending that leaves you panting for more.
March 14, 2016
Holy cliff hanger, Swamp Thing! This is one sticky situation. Just when it looks like things are going to start to work out in walks the next villain and this one is quite possibly the evilest one of all, so far. This book was filled with an abundance of laughs, an unlikely romance, thrills, chills and plot twist galore and yes don't forget Snowflake! I can't wait for the next book in this series to be released. Fox and Tucker make a very unlikely couple but still I find myself rooting for them, when I'm not busy trying to make Fox understand that he's being a total jerk...yet still he has his moments and I do believe I like him...sort of...kind of...almost...maybe? Fox is one complicated situation. He's a man who needs to break free from his past in order to find his future and that is going to take some doing. Since the past keeps trying to hunt him down.
December 1, 2016
This was a unique read for me, as I don't normally read murder mystery type books. But it was a good story with characters I really enjoyed getting to know. Although I prefer a HEA, I can only hope book two delivers.
This is my first time reading this author. Some parts did seem to drag for me, but I did enjoy the journey through the swamp and the story that introduced Fox to love.
This is my first time reading this author. Some parts did seem to drag for me, but I did enjoy the journey through the swamp and the story that introduced Fox to love.
February 14, 2020
Why the heck was there never a book 2.
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January 3, 2015
Suddenly Tucker’s mouth opened even wider as he watched, in disbelief, a huge white alligator lumber across the lawn in Jon’s direction. Tucker panicked. “Jon, look out! There’s a gator after you.”I’ve never been much for mystery, and I’ve never liked thrillers so the combination is often off-putting. However, I can see why this has gotten so many of the good reviews it has and I’m happy I put in the time to take a chance with it. Something about the way these types of stories are written, with everything so fast-paced and action-heavy, I’m actually surprised I didn’t put it down halfway through for another book as I am wont to do and come back to it later. I’ve gotta say, much as I liked the characters, primarily Fox and Tucker (and to a lesser extent Fox’s mother and also Eva, since both are secondary characters, who each managed to give the story some much needed – in my opinion – light-hearted moments away from all the hustle and bustle of the ‘thrill’:
Fox turned, not appearing the least bit alarmed. “No worries; that’s just Snowy.”
Tucker blinked, more shocked than ever. “Snowy?” he whispered. “Who in the hell are these people?”
Eva sat up, eyes wide as saucers while Tucker’s shaking hand came to rest on Fox’s shoulder. “Still worried about your fucking shoes?” Fox asked, irritated with all her nonsense now that they’d all nearly been killed.), the sex is what really kept my interest and gave me that extra boost of a reason to stick with the story. It may also be a primary factor for why I sped through the story so quickly – I started this last night and got through the first chapter before I had to finally call it a night and managed to get through the rest of this over the course of the day, so I’d call that very quick for me considering its length and my habit of putting books off for a while
“Yes,” Eva said in a breathy whisper, “but I’ll go nevertheless.”
I’m especially surprised I got through the story with all the editing errors it has strewn about. Little things like mistaking ‘expensive’ for the correct ‘expense’ might seem a minor inconvenience and like tiny drawbacks, but for me they are glaring imperfections that capture my focus and take away from the story. And yet, even though the book had plenty of such errors, and more besides, thankfully the writing was still very well done. Any more on the side of mediocre and I know I’d never have finished the book no matter how much I may have wanted to.
While I did finish the book, I completely skipped the chapter about the past and family truth because, frankly, it’s just not something that interested me and wasn’t something I cared about; again, mystery is not my genre and while I can get through some mystery and even enjoy it, this particular combination of history and mystery didn’t hold my attention at all. My only other problem with the book is that I wasn’t surprised by any of the unfolding mysteries except for a small portion of the very end.
All in all To Catch a Fox was well-written, sexy, interesting, and an enjoyable enough read for a day. A part of me could almost do without the sequel, but the very end of the book promises the eventual sequel will be worth reading. So all in all I’m looking forward to book 2: A Fox in the Hole.
October 26, 2012
5+ Stars from Reviews by Jessewave
"A rollicking adventure that blew everything away in grand fashion."
http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/201...
5 Stars for To Catch a Fox from Literary Nymphs Reviews!
"a gripping saga full of heart-stopping incidents"
http://literarynymphsreviewsonly.blog...
4 Stars from the Armchair Reader
"I really love each of these authors separately, and more than any other author pair, each has his distinct stamp on the book."
http://coleriann.com/2012/10/01/to-ca...
"A rollicking adventure that blew everything away in grand fashion."
http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/201...
5 Stars for To Catch a Fox from Literary Nymphs Reviews!
"a gripping saga full of heart-stopping incidents"
http://literarynymphsreviewsonly.blog...
4 Stars from the Armchair Reader
"I really love each of these authors separately, and more than any other author pair, each has his distinct stamp on the book."
http://coleriann.com/2012/10/01/to-ca...
October 3, 2012
An edge of your seat roller coaster ride, this book rocks.
Barbs review said it was like a film script and I agree.
When will we see A Fox in the Hole?
Day, Ethan; Knight, Geoffrey (2012-09-26). To Catch A Fox (The Fox Mysteries) (Kindle Location 7001). The Empire Press. Kindle Edition.
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-Fox-The-M...
Barbs review said it was like a film script and I agree.
When will we see A Fox in the Hole?
Day, Ethan; Knight, Geoffrey (2012-09-26). To Catch A Fox (The Fox Mysteries) (Kindle Location 7001). The Empire Press. Kindle Edition.
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-Fox-The-M...
November 24, 2012
I wanted to love this book, I really did. The humour I associate with Ethan wasn't there which I found disappointing. I did find the first half a struggle, but as the story progressed I enjoyed it more. For me I have mixed feelings about this story. I will read the next in the series to see if I can be hooked. This book has left me with a luke warm feeling I'm afraid.
February 22, 2013
I don't like cliffhanger endings so -1
August 1, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, although I wanted to smack Fox a few times, however, his pet Alligator made up for a lot :
FYI, it does end with a bit of a cliffy. Off to read Book 2 :D
FYI, it does end with a bit of a cliffy. Off to read Book 2 :D
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