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Stan Kraychik Mystery #1
A Body to Dye For
Hot water is nothing new for Stan Kraychik, a smart-mouthed Boston hairdresser who gave up a career in psychology to "shrink 'em at the sink" instead. When a vacationing National Park ranger turns up dead in Boston, Stan is implicated in the murder, and must find the killer to clear his own name. With an eye for detail and a mettlesome spirit, Stan finds plenty of clues, but he also confronts the police lieutenant assigned to the case, a man with little tolerance for the world of fashion and style, or for Stan's cheeky attitude.
With a sharp tongue as his best defense, a most unlikely detective uses even more unlikely techniques to close the loop and get the killer.
With a sharp tongue as his best defense, a most unlikely detective uses even more unlikely techniques to close the loop and get the killer.
241 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
34 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Grant Michaels
19 books15 followersGrant Michaels is the pen name of Michael Mesrobian (born 1947, died 2009), an American writer of mystery novels. He published six novels with St. Martin's Press in the 1990s centering on Stan Kraychik, a gay hairdresser turned amateur detective.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 14, 2019
A Body to Dye For, as re-released by ReQueered, begins with a foreword by Carl Mesrobian, the author's younger brother. The foreword offers a brief account of the author's life, including a grim vignette from the end of Grant Michaels's life. For me, this was a reminder that A BODY TO DYE FOR should be read as a text from another time, and appreciated as such.
What I mean is this: for a book originally published in 1990, it shows a remarkably deft handling of what it means to be gay at the very threshold of when gay identity was beginning to move into the mainstream. It indulges in recognizable stereotypes (the hairdresser, for example), but it doesn't do this just out of laziness or for fun. The stereotypes are there to be challenged. Stan might be a hairdresser, but he's got a background in psychology.
These moments of subversion and resistance are what make A BODY TO DYE FOR better than another dated cozy mystery. For example, Stan might find Detective Branco attractive, but he's not going to sacrifice his self-respect. When Branco abrasively asks, "Isn't that the way your kind likes it?" Stan's response avoids what would have been an easy option: some sort of snippy, bitchy sarcasm that has for too long been seen as a gay hallmark. Instead: "I answered quietly, 'When you want to know about my personal life, ask me.'"
In fact, the whole point of Stan seems to show the range of possibility that can exist within a stereotyped gay identity. Stan's alter-ego seems to be the ultra gay stereotype: the effeminate Ms. Leona, a gay aesthete who is also a hairdresser. When another character links the two by their profession, Stan insists, "I'm one of the new breed," which seems to be a comment about both hairdressers and gay men. Later, a character asks Stan if he's a pansy. Stan's answer, again, is telling: "Does it matter?" To which the other character responds: "Guess not."
Even San Francisco comes in for some of the subversion, with Stan pointing out the contrast between his romantic expectations and the reality (bad weather, an over-sexual cab driver, and more).
Beyond all of these culturally important moments, though, the book is just dang fun. Michaels does a great job of introducing and sustaining funny running gags. Stan attributes almost everything to his Slavic heritage. He's a stickler for grammar. And, no matter how bad he is at it, he insists on learning how to smoke.
The book isn't perfect, but no book is. It's still a lot of fun, and it's a great opportunity to see an early instance of a gay author using gay stereotypes to subvert gay stereotypes.
What I mean is this: for a book originally published in 1990, it shows a remarkably deft handling of what it means to be gay at the very threshold of when gay identity was beginning to move into the mainstream. It indulges in recognizable stereotypes (the hairdresser, for example), but it doesn't do this just out of laziness or for fun. The stereotypes are there to be challenged. Stan might be a hairdresser, but he's got a background in psychology.
These moments of subversion and resistance are what make A BODY TO DYE FOR better than another dated cozy mystery. For example, Stan might find Detective Branco attractive, but he's not going to sacrifice his self-respect. When Branco abrasively asks, "Isn't that the way your kind likes it?" Stan's response avoids what would have been an easy option: some sort of snippy, bitchy sarcasm that has for too long been seen as a gay hallmark. Instead: "I answered quietly, 'When you want to know about my personal life, ask me.'"
In fact, the whole point of Stan seems to show the range of possibility that can exist within a stereotyped gay identity. Stan's alter-ego seems to be the ultra gay stereotype: the effeminate Ms. Leona, a gay aesthete who is also a hairdresser. When another character links the two by their profession, Stan insists, "I'm one of the new breed," which seems to be a comment about both hairdressers and gay men. Later, a character asks Stan if he's a pansy. Stan's answer, again, is telling: "Does it matter?" To which the other character responds: "Guess not."
Even San Francisco comes in for some of the subversion, with Stan pointing out the contrast between his romantic expectations and the reality (bad weather, an over-sexual cab driver, and more).
Beyond all of these culturally important moments, though, the book is just dang fun. Michaels does a great job of introducing and sustaining funny running gags. Stan attributes almost everything to his Slavic heritage. He's a stickler for grammar. And, no matter how bad he is at it, he insists on learning how to smoke.
The book isn't perfect, but no book is. It's still a lot of fun, and it's a great opportunity to see an early instance of a gay author using gay stereotypes to subvert gay stereotypes.
August 6, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
The mystery was good and kept me guessing, with no obvious suspects, and it had a very satisfying end.
Stan is a busy hairdresser pandering to the whims of his clients on a daily basis but he is good at what he does. He likes hairdressing so much that he is able to bear with the most obnoxious of clients. Calvin is one obnoxious client who manages to pick up one of the most attractive men Stan has ever met, a national park ranger called Roger.
Roger is on holiday and visiting Boston from Yosemite, and he goes to the hair salon to meet Calvin but takes a shine to Stan. And all should work out and they should have a wonderful romance but that doesn't happen because a few hours later Roger is found dead in Calvin's apartment, naked except for two bow ties.
Stan finds that he and Calvin are suspects. Convinced that Calvin is guilty and tired of his scheming ways Stan decided to solve the mystery himself even though the handsome lead detective questions Stan as if he is a suspect.
And so Stan starts his own investigation, keen to get to the bottom of this and find evidence that would prove Calvin's guilt. But is Calvin really guilty?
This is a great mystery written in an engaging style and with lots of humour. Stan is a funny character who enjoys his hairdressing even if he feels that he is a bit of a gay stereotype. He loves his work and he likes his clients (most of them). He also wishes he had a boyfriend and of course he is dismayed when his potential boyfriend is murdered. With the help of his friend and boss Natalie he manages to track down the murderer unwittingly stumbling into something that is bigger than he could have suspected.
The characters in this story are great. Stan has such a great dialogue, with quips and jokes and is able to laugh at himself. Stan (Stanislav Kraychik) reminds me of Stan in the Deadly Series by Victor Banis, but this Stan is far more confident in his sleuthing abilities even though he isn't a trained police detective unlike the Stan in the Deadly series.
Also in this book Stan has no sleuthing partner although the detective does seem to be a potential partner. Any one who likes the deadly series will definitely enjoy this series and this is definitely a series I intend to read to the end.
The mystery was good and kept me guessing, with no obvious suspects, and it had a very satisfying end.
Stan is a busy hairdresser pandering to the whims of his clients on a daily basis but he is good at what he does. He likes hairdressing so much that he is able to bear with the most obnoxious of clients. Calvin is one obnoxious client who manages to pick up one of the most attractive men Stan has ever met, a national park ranger called Roger.
Roger is on holiday and visiting Boston from Yosemite, and he goes to the hair salon to meet Calvin but takes a shine to Stan. And all should work out and they should have a wonderful romance but that doesn't happen because a few hours later Roger is found dead in Calvin's apartment, naked except for two bow ties.
Stan finds that he and Calvin are suspects. Convinced that Calvin is guilty and tired of his scheming ways Stan decided to solve the mystery himself even though the handsome lead detective questions Stan as if he is a suspect.
And so Stan starts his own investigation, keen to get to the bottom of this and find evidence that would prove Calvin's guilt. But is Calvin really guilty?
This is a great mystery written in an engaging style and with lots of humour. Stan is a funny character who enjoys his hairdressing even if he feels that he is a bit of a gay stereotype. He loves his work and he likes his clients (most of them). He also wishes he had a boyfriend and of course he is dismayed when his potential boyfriend is murdered. With the help of his friend and boss Natalie he manages to track down the murderer unwittingly stumbling into something that is bigger than he could have suspected.
The characters in this story are great. Stan has such a great dialogue, with quips and jokes and is able to laugh at himself. Stan (Stanislav Kraychik) reminds me of Stan in the Deadly Series by Victor Banis, but this Stan is far more confident in his sleuthing abilities even though he isn't a trained police detective unlike the Stan in the Deadly series.
Also in this book Stan has no sleuthing partner although the detective does seem to be a potential partner. Any one who likes the deadly series will definitely enjoy this series and this is definitely a series I intend to read to the end.
July 3, 2019
DNF @ 41%.
I found that this was a book that I desperately wanted to like, but that I ending up just slogging through each and every page. I love cozy mysteries. I love amateur sleuths.
But what I found was that both the story and the characters lack something. And I think that it's just that there is no charm here.
I want to like Stan, but I don't. Roger hints that there is more than meets the eye with Stan, but he seems pretty shallow to me. And his desire to solve the case doesnt seem to stem from being nosy or curious. It doesn't stem from a strong sense of justice. It does partially stem from wanting to clear his name, but I think even more so it's from a strong feeling of vindictiveness towards Calvin... not charming at all
After struggling with this for a day and then not touching it for days, I think it's time to move on.
I found that this was a book that I desperately wanted to like, but that I ending up just slogging through each and every page. I love cozy mysteries. I love amateur sleuths.
But what I found was that both the story and the characters lack something. And I think that it's just that there is no charm here.
I want to like Stan, but I don't. Roger hints that there is more than meets the eye with Stan, but he seems pretty shallow to me. And his desire to solve the case doesnt seem to stem from being nosy or curious. It doesn't stem from a strong sense of justice. It does partially stem from wanting to clear his name, but I think even more so it's from a strong feeling of vindictiveness towards Calvin... not charming at all
After struggling with this for a day and then not touching it for days, I think it's time to move on.
September 5, 2019
A Body to Dye For (Stan Kraychik Mystery1)
By Grant Michaels
Originally published 1990, Published by ReQueered Tales, 2019
Five stars
“People have been killed for a lot less than telling the truth.”
I am honored to have been asked to read and review some of the ongoing series of ReQueered publications. I am really happy to have discovered Grant Michaels’s inimitable Stan Kraychik, the red-headed Czech-American hairdresser-cum-sleuth. Michaels’s writing is sharper and funnier than I expected, and Stan’s character is both endearing and aggravating – which was rather the point, I suspect.
In 1990, when Grant Michaels published the first of his Stan Kraychik mysteries, I had just turned 35, and my relationship was about to turn fifteen. I was an avid reader of gay authors, who were not, in a pre-Internet age, all that easy to find. I was an early subscriber to “Christopher Street” magazine – which was a literary publication – and got leads to books there; but I also was a regular at the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookstore in Greenwich Village (back when it was “our” part of town, even for those of us from New Jersey). In spite of this, lots of good writers eluded me.
Stan Kraychik is a marvelous character. He is an archetype, a gay hairdresser, but there is no apology here. He’s really good at what he does, he’s successful, and he’s close friends with the retired model, Nicole, who owns the fashionable Boston salon where he plies his trade. Self-deprecating about his looks, Stan is clearly more attractive than he leads us to believe, giving a voice to all of us who were never gym bunnies (as we called them) and never looked like fashion models. He is also educated and worldly, demonstrated by a deep (and sometimes irritating) knowledge of grammar and other highbrow things. He is kind of a ginger hairburner Hercule Poirot, but with none of that Belgian’s effete coyness. He is out and proud and loves to make straight people uncomfortable if it suits his mood.
He also has a strong sense of justice. This is, after all, 1990, and the world wasn’t anywhere near as gay-friendly as it is now. When an innocent (another archetype, but no spoilers) turns up dead, and the police seem less than enthused at the idea of hunting down the killer of just another gay man (I won’t use the f word, as people do in this book, because my review will get rejected online if I do) Stan gets mad. His outrage, once piqued, leads him down a dangerous path, on which he not only begins to neglect other important things in his life, but also forgets his own well-being. He has the selflessness of a real hero.
Vain, semi-closeted and narcissistic gay men are as much Stan’s targets as homophobic cops and other straight folks. This is the power of his character – a stereotype who prevails because people underestimate him, as a man, and as a fighter. Stan uses camp as a weapon, to disarm and distract. He uses other people’s expectations to woo his clients and also to dig for evidence. He is fearless – sometimes to the point of stupidity – and that’s why I loved him. He has no shame, in the best possible meaning of that expression.
Now, admittedly, the plot of this mystery adventure gets a little far-fetched (I won’t go into it, because it’s just too fun to experience with no forewarning), but the author manages to make everything seem plausible and authentic. I learned things reading this book, not the least of which is the proper use of “who” and “whom.”
The author also really made me hungry for the next installment in this series. Maybe all of them. We’ll see.
By Grant Michaels
Originally published 1990, Published by ReQueered Tales, 2019
Five stars
“People have been killed for a lot less than telling the truth.”
I am honored to have been asked to read and review some of the ongoing series of ReQueered publications. I am really happy to have discovered Grant Michaels’s inimitable Stan Kraychik, the red-headed Czech-American hairdresser-cum-sleuth. Michaels’s writing is sharper and funnier than I expected, and Stan’s character is both endearing and aggravating – which was rather the point, I suspect.
In 1990, when Grant Michaels published the first of his Stan Kraychik mysteries, I had just turned 35, and my relationship was about to turn fifteen. I was an avid reader of gay authors, who were not, in a pre-Internet age, all that easy to find. I was an early subscriber to “Christopher Street” magazine – which was a literary publication – and got leads to books there; but I also was a regular at the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookstore in Greenwich Village (back when it was “our” part of town, even for those of us from New Jersey). In spite of this, lots of good writers eluded me.
Stan Kraychik is a marvelous character. He is an archetype, a gay hairdresser, but there is no apology here. He’s really good at what he does, he’s successful, and he’s close friends with the retired model, Nicole, who owns the fashionable Boston salon where he plies his trade. Self-deprecating about his looks, Stan is clearly more attractive than he leads us to believe, giving a voice to all of us who were never gym bunnies (as we called them) and never looked like fashion models. He is also educated and worldly, demonstrated by a deep (and sometimes irritating) knowledge of grammar and other highbrow things. He is kind of a ginger hairburner Hercule Poirot, but with none of that Belgian’s effete coyness. He is out and proud and loves to make straight people uncomfortable if it suits his mood.
He also has a strong sense of justice. This is, after all, 1990, and the world wasn’t anywhere near as gay-friendly as it is now. When an innocent (another archetype, but no spoilers) turns up dead, and the police seem less than enthused at the idea of hunting down the killer of just another gay man (I won’t use the f word, as people do in this book, because my review will get rejected online if I do) Stan gets mad. His outrage, once piqued, leads him down a dangerous path, on which he not only begins to neglect other important things in his life, but also forgets his own well-being. He has the selflessness of a real hero.
Vain, semi-closeted and narcissistic gay men are as much Stan’s targets as homophobic cops and other straight folks. This is the power of his character – a stereotype who prevails because people underestimate him, as a man, and as a fighter. Stan uses camp as a weapon, to disarm and distract. He uses other people’s expectations to woo his clients and also to dig for evidence. He is fearless – sometimes to the point of stupidity – and that’s why I loved him. He has no shame, in the best possible meaning of that expression.
Now, admittedly, the plot of this mystery adventure gets a little far-fetched (I won’t go into it, because it’s just too fun to experience with no forewarning), but the author manages to make everything seem plausible and authentic. I learned things reading this book, not the least of which is the proper use of “who” and “whom.”
The author also really made me hungry for the next installment in this series. Maybe all of them. We’ll see.
October 29, 2019
Great cozy gay male murder mystery rediscovered and reprinted from ReQueered Tales. Hairdresser Stan Kraychik stumbles into a murder and stops at nothing to help the police find the murderer. Great retro early 90’s Boston vibe to this light and breezy book. A publisher to watch out for, I’ve already marked a few more ReQueered Tales for future reading.
October 10, 2021
Really enjoyed this. Little to no romance but the mystery made up for it.
Will certainly be continuing with the series.
Will certainly be continuing with the series.
May 20, 2013
Just realized I don't even have a category for murder mysteries. I read so few of them, that I forget how much the plot depends on fantasy, which can interfere with the realistic plot I prefer.
The fantasy here also extends to our intrepid hairdresser/detective Stan, who everyone seems to find attractive. In real life, when does that happen?
I guess as a murder mystery it is a fun read. Surprising how dated it felt in some of the details (such as smoking on airplanes).
The fantasy here also extends to our intrepid hairdresser/detective Stan, who everyone seems to find attractive. In real life, when does that happen?
I guess as a murder mystery it is a fun read. Surprising how dated it felt in some of the details (such as smoking on airplanes).
Read
June 22, 2010Even though the story was a little dated, I still thought it was a very enjoyable read. I've bought the rest of the series and will be reading them over the summer. Stay tuned!
November 3, 2021
I think it is great that Requeered are making these books available to new readers. Both for their storyline and historical value.
Yes, this book has murder and mayhem but it also has humour and captured the attitudes of the day perfectly.
Maybe Stan should stick to hairdressing but his desire to do the right thing takes us on an interesting ride. I got one will follow up with book two to see where this takes him.
Yes, this book has murder and mayhem but it also has humour and captured the attitudes of the day perfectly.
Maybe Stan should stick to hairdressing but his desire to do the right thing takes us on an interesting ride. I got one will follow up with book two to see where this takes him.
October 12, 2019
Author: Grant Michaels
Time: 1991
MC(s): Gay
Sub-Genre: Not A Romance; Amateur Sleuth
Themes: Finding the truth; Murder; Doggedness; Curiosity
Summary: A seemingly simple hairdresser finds himself suspected of the murder of the very man he was hoping to have an affair with.
What I Think: First, this is not a romance and as such, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it being in my current romance addiction phase. But it was sent to me courtesy of ReQueered Tales and I just had to try it.
So, Vannos is stubborn and deliciously petty in a very healthy way that I not only totally endorse, but intend to start practicing at once! He seems flighty but there are little things he says and does that show hints of the man underneath.
I already dislike Calvin and him being a cheap tipper just makes it worse. What’s the evil idiot doing to darling Roger also? The theme of death is dark while the things Vannos accuses Calvin of are darker still. Yet, the author ensures that we do not have the time to dwell on this as Vannos starts his search for the truth. In spite of all that’s thrown his way, including the sexy as fuck oh-so-straight detective and the fears his bestie, Nicki, has over his actions, the indomitable Vannos lands on his feet again and again until I’m certain he’s got as many lives as the cat he loves so much.
I love almost everything vintage and there’s something about this author’s style that’s pure vintage, in wording and description. I really want to get me some of this innate Slavic perversity, especially if it comes with the natural intelligence and awareness Vannos has of the world around him but he’s also stubborn and so curious that I have to stifle the urge to clamp leg irons on him from time to time.
Verdict? An enticing intro to this series. Side effects include Slavic perversity and insane levels of curiosity!
Time: 1991
MC(s): Gay
Sub-Genre: Not A Romance; Amateur Sleuth
Themes: Finding the truth; Murder; Doggedness; Curiosity
Summary: A seemingly simple hairdresser finds himself suspected of the murder of the very man he was hoping to have an affair with.
What I Think: First, this is not a romance and as such, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it being in my current romance addiction phase. But it was sent to me courtesy of ReQueered Tales and I just had to try it.
So, Vannos is stubborn and deliciously petty in a very healthy way that I not only totally endorse, but intend to start practicing at once! He seems flighty but there are little things he says and does that show hints of the man underneath.
I already dislike Calvin and him being a cheap tipper just makes it worse. What’s the evil idiot doing to darling Roger also? The theme of death is dark while the things Vannos accuses Calvin of are darker still. Yet, the author ensures that we do not have the time to dwell on this as Vannos starts his search for the truth. In spite of all that’s thrown his way, including the sexy as fuck oh-so-straight detective and the fears his bestie, Nicki, has over his actions, the indomitable Vannos lands on his feet again and again until I’m certain he’s got as many lives as the cat he loves so much.
I love almost everything vintage and there’s something about this author’s style that’s pure vintage, in wording and description. I really want to get me some of this innate Slavic perversity, especially if it comes with the natural intelligence and awareness Vannos has of the world around him but he’s also stubborn and so curious that I have to stifle the urge to clamp leg irons on him from time to time.
Verdict? An enticing intro to this series. Side effects include Slavic perversity and insane levels of curiosity!
November 11, 2014
I rather enjoyed this book. Amateur sleuth Stan Kraychik, known as Vannos to his salon clientele, is a quirky character who offers free therapy and solves crimes while lusting after one of law enforcement's finest. This is the first book in the series and is well worth the read.
April 14, 2013
A very fun mystery with a very likable detective.
June 25, 2019
More accurately 4.7 stars.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been originally posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Hey, this was fun! For me, this is the second time ReQueered Tales makes me discover a gay classic, and I truly hope they’ll keep them coming. This time, we get a nicely wrapped murder mystery starring a slightly stubborn amateur sleuth, Stan Kraychik aka Vannos, who’s a Bostonian hairdresser when he’s not stumbling over dead bodies. At the beginning of the story, he’s working on Calvin, one of his least appreciated male clients, a real arrogant prick but, alas, one of those who seem to have it all: looks, hot body, wealth, and success with The Hunks. That much is obvious when Stan gets to meet Calvin’s latest hook-up, Roger, a hot Californian dude who’s staying at Calvin’s place. That tanned, muscled lad would be right up Stan’s alley. He can’t believe his luck when said Roger invites him to come have a drink with him and his host, ghastly Calvin (much to the latter’s dismay). But when Stan enters Calvin’s richly furnished flat that evening, he finds Calvin hysterical, whereas Roger is lying in Calvin’s bed, very naked, and very… dead. Strangled.
And Stan’s problems begin. Because Calvin tells the police a bunch of lies implying Stan has killed the young dude from the Golden West. The (hunky) officer leading the investigation, Lieutenant Branco, doesn’t believe in Stan’s guilt, but his homophobe superior does. Therefore, Stan seems to have no choice: if he doesn’t want to end up in jail for a crime he hasn’t committed (and of which he supposes hateful Calvin to be the culprit), he needs to find out why Calvin would have murdered the poor Californian, and why Roger has come East in the first place. That involves several funny and dangerous situations, and even a trip out West… And the future (there are five more novels in this series) might or might not hold encounters of the steamy kind in store for Stan and therefore the reader.
Granted, some developments in this fast-paced murder mystery feel slightly far-fetched (mainly, Stan’s decision to go looking for answers in California). But the amateur sleuth-trope is always walking the line between likely and implausible, anyway, and if you like this kind of fiction, you’re not going to look too closely at how probable it is that an amateur would want to do a cop’s job (or why they would believe they could do it better than a cop). Stan is an extremely likeable character telling his story in well-crafted sentences that make up this first-person narrative. He’s sweet, somewhat self-conscious, stubborn, often referring to his Czech heritage, bold, and clever. The secondary characters are nicely depicted as well (kudos for inventing the character of Stan’s boss, eccentric Nicole), the dialogues made me chuckle more than once, the descriptions were lively and to-the-point. I really loved this book with its cleverly invented plot, and I was more than happy to discover that Grant Michaels (who passed away in 2009, alas) wrote five more Stan Kraychik-novels. Hopefully, ReQueered Tales will re-publish them as well in ebook-version, because I really dig this kind of fun-read with its pinch of suspense.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been originally posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Hey, this was fun! For me, this is the second time ReQueered Tales makes me discover a gay classic, and I truly hope they’ll keep them coming. This time, we get a nicely wrapped murder mystery starring a slightly stubborn amateur sleuth, Stan Kraychik aka Vannos, who’s a Bostonian hairdresser when he’s not stumbling over dead bodies. At the beginning of the story, he’s working on Calvin, one of his least appreciated male clients, a real arrogant prick but, alas, one of those who seem to have it all: looks, hot body, wealth, and success with The Hunks. That much is obvious when Stan gets to meet Calvin’s latest hook-up, Roger, a hot Californian dude who’s staying at Calvin’s place. That tanned, muscled lad would be right up Stan’s alley. He can’t believe his luck when said Roger invites him to come have a drink with him and his host, ghastly Calvin (much to the latter’s dismay). But when Stan enters Calvin’s richly furnished flat that evening, he finds Calvin hysterical, whereas Roger is lying in Calvin’s bed, very naked, and very… dead. Strangled.
And Stan’s problems begin. Because Calvin tells the police a bunch of lies implying Stan has killed the young dude from the Golden West. The (hunky) officer leading the investigation, Lieutenant Branco, doesn’t believe in Stan’s guilt, but his homophobe superior does. Therefore, Stan seems to have no choice: if he doesn’t want to end up in jail for a crime he hasn’t committed (and of which he supposes hateful Calvin to be the culprit), he needs to find out why Calvin would have murdered the poor Californian, and why Roger has come East in the first place. That involves several funny and dangerous situations, and even a trip out West… And the future (there are five more novels in this series) might or might not hold encounters of the steamy kind in store for Stan and therefore the reader.
Granted, some developments in this fast-paced murder mystery feel slightly far-fetched (mainly, Stan’s decision to go looking for answers in California). But the amateur sleuth-trope is always walking the line between likely and implausible, anyway, and if you like this kind of fiction, you’re not going to look too closely at how probable it is that an amateur would want to do a cop’s job (or why they would believe they could do it better than a cop). Stan is an extremely likeable character telling his story in well-crafted sentences that make up this first-person narrative. He’s sweet, somewhat self-conscious, stubborn, often referring to his Czech heritage, bold, and clever. The secondary characters are nicely depicted as well (kudos for inventing the character of Stan’s boss, eccentric Nicole), the dialogues made me chuckle more than once, the descriptions were lively and to-the-point. I really loved this book with its cleverly invented plot, and I was more than happy to discover that Grant Michaels (who passed away in 2009, alas) wrote five more Stan Kraychik-novels. Hopefully, ReQueered Tales will re-publish them as well in ebook-version, because I really dig this kind of fun-read with its pinch of suspense.
January 9, 2025
Herbst in Boston, Ende der achtziger Jahre, einschließlich eines Ausflugs in den Yosemite-Nationalpark in Kalifornien; Genre: Whodunit-Krimi.
Ich habe mich mäßig unterhalten gefühlt. Grant Michaels, der eigentlich Michael Mesrobian hieß und in den neunziger Jahren, er lebte von 1947 bis 2009, sechs Krimis mit dem Amateurdetektiv Stan Kraychik veröffentlichte, gehörte, dieser ersten Folge nach zu urteilen, der Richtung des „Tucken-Krimis“ unter den schwulen Autoren der USA an. Namen wie George Baxt und Nathan Aldyne fallen mir ein. Die Plots scheinen immer ein bisschen an den Haaren herbeigezogen zu sein, quellen von schwulen Typen nur so über, wollen bitte „nicht so bierernst genommen“ werden, führen vor allem andauernd Anspielungen auf die Möglichkeit schnellen Sexes im Mund, der dann aber nie eintritt. Man ist erstens im puritanischen Amerika und möchte zweitens auch von vielen heterosexuellen Frauen gekauft werden. Mögen sie auch irgendwie bieder und viel weniger reich an Esprit anmuten, sind mir die, sagen wir „männlicheren“ Schreiber, die im x-ten Buch noch brav die Kniffe nachspielen, die sie bei Philip Marlowe oder Kommissar Maigret gelernt haben, Leute wie Joseph Hansen oder Richard Stevenson, einfach lieber. Da muss man nach persönlichem Geschmack wählen. Auf Auszeichnungen und Kritiken der schwulen Presse ist kein Verlass. Sämtliche Romane von Michaels haben eine Nominierung zum Lambda Literary Award in der Sparte Gay Mystery erhalten. Die allermeisten von John Morgan Wilson auch, der zwar eher dem Flügel von Hansen und Stevenson zuzurechnen wäre, aber doch farbloser, redundanter und unrealistischer als diese arbeitet.
Kraychik ist ein Meister seines ehrenwerten schwulen Berufs, ein Friseur, vornehmlich für Damen, und er profitiert immer wieder von seiner Freundschaft mit der Chefin, Nicole, die ihren Besitzerstatus den Kunden allerdings verheimlicht und als „unsere Kosmetikerin“ in Erscheinung tritt. Immerhin kann sie ihren Meister-Coiffeur, der dazu neigt, Termine zu verpassen, zu kommen und zu gehen, wie er es gerade braucht, mit der Drohung, sie könnte einen anderen Mitarbeiter auf Position 1 lassen, einigermaßen in Schach halten. Kraychik ist rothaarig, nicht mehr ganz jung, leider, wenigstens seinem eigenen Empfinden nach, ständig ein bisschen zu dick, trägt einen Bart und betätigt sich beim Sex als Versatile. Seine Mitbewohnerin ist eine Katze. Da wir uns im, von mir so genannten, „Tucken-Krimi“ aufhalten, gehört Stan zu den Schwulen, die, besonders wenn sie gestresst werden, sämtlichen Männern, die sie verspotten oder aufhalten möchten, Kussmündchen, zwinkernde Lider und Kiekser à la „Oh Darling!“ zuwerfen.
Ermordet wird ein gewisser Calvin, der für einen Architekten arbeitet und den Stan und Nicole schon Jahre kennen; er ist einer ihrer besten Kunden, den sie aber eigentlich noch nie mochten. Dennoch, eine von viele Unglaublichkeiten im Buch, wird Stan von Calvin zu einer Privatparty gebeten, weil der tückische Angeber eben erst den Naturpark-Ranger Roger aus Kalifornien aufgerissen hat, eine Art filmreifer Naturbursch mit Muskeln und blauen Augen. Als Stan bei Calvin ankommt, lernt er erst mal dessen Nachbarn kennen, ebenfalls schwul, ziemlich gut über Calvins Intimleben im Bild, am Abenteuer sofort interessiert. Dann sieht er den schönen Roger noch mal, nackt, offenbar kürzlich beschlafen, aber leider stranguliert, in Calvins Bett. Kurz danach taucht Calvin auf und von nun an beschuldigen sich die beiden Schwulen gegenseitig des Mords.
Vom Friseur zum Detektiv wird Stan also, um seine Unschuld zu beweisen. Was bald schon wieder unglaubwürdig erscheint, wie auch Nicole meint. Warum wirft der - ebenfalls zum Anbeißen aussehende - Italo-Bulle Vito Branco Calvin bloß ein Drogendelikt vor, setzt Kraychik aber wegen Mordverdacht fest, lässt ihn dann wieder frei, um ihm wenig später durch die Blume zu gestehen, seine Vorgesetzten wollten den Mörder nicht mehr fangen, weil es sich um eine schwule Sache handele. Er, Branco, lasse aber nicht locker, ermittele verdeckt weiter und brauche Stans Unterstützung als eine Art Laufbursche?
Bei Kraychik, der sich zwischendurch immer wieder auf die simplen Weisheiten seiner tschechischen Großmutter beruft, landet er damit beim Richtigen. Geschäftsinteressen vernachlässigend und Einschüchterungsversuche von unbekannter Seite stur ignorierend, rennt Stan viele Kapitel lang wie eine aufgeregte Tanzmaus hin und her und immer wieder zu denselben (die Menge der Verdächtigen hält sich doch sehr in Grenzen), von denen er kaum was erfährt, öfters sind sie auch nicht da. Es wird sehr viel geredet und sich gegenseitig genervt. Der Eindruck der ersten Kapitel, mein Gott, welche Masse eitlen Geschwätzes, besserte sich zum Glück nach einer Weile. Und wenn das abrupte Desinteresse für alle möglicherweise in Boston auffindbaren Spuren sowie der Entschluss, zwischendurch ein paar Tage im Wirkungsbereich des getöteten Naturmenschen, nämlich im Yosemite-Nationalpark, ganz weit im Westen, einzuschieben, noch eine nicht unbedingt glaubhafte Wendung ist, sah es ab da nach klassischem Detektivroman aus. Wobei die Tuntenscherze nicht aufhörten.
Kaum im Tal der gigantischen Felswände, begleiten wir Kraychik auf einer Tour mit Seil und Steigeisen an der Seite eines drogenfreundlichen Buddies des Toten, von dem sich dann herausstellt, dass sie es gewohnt waren, oben auf der Kanzel in den Abgrund hinaus zu wichsen. Die Künste des Hotelfriseurs werden als billig entlarvt. Und in der Hütte des Toten findet sich ein kleiner, kompakter Riesenbaum-Kletterer aus Bali, der behauptet, nicht aus Liebe hätte er mit Roger geschlafen, sondern „es war was rein Freundschaftliches zwischen uns“.
Hier darf man auch die letzten Zeilen eines Kriminalromans mal zuerst lesen. Sie lauten:
Ich habe mich mäßig unterhalten gefühlt. Grant Michaels, der eigentlich Michael Mesrobian hieß und in den neunziger Jahren, er lebte von 1947 bis 2009, sechs Krimis mit dem Amateurdetektiv Stan Kraychik veröffentlichte, gehörte, dieser ersten Folge nach zu urteilen, der Richtung des „Tucken-Krimis“ unter den schwulen Autoren der USA an. Namen wie George Baxt und Nathan Aldyne fallen mir ein. Die Plots scheinen immer ein bisschen an den Haaren herbeigezogen zu sein, quellen von schwulen Typen nur so über, wollen bitte „nicht so bierernst genommen“ werden, führen vor allem andauernd Anspielungen auf die Möglichkeit schnellen Sexes im Mund, der dann aber nie eintritt. Man ist erstens im puritanischen Amerika und möchte zweitens auch von vielen heterosexuellen Frauen gekauft werden. Mögen sie auch irgendwie bieder und viel weniger reich an Esprit anmuten, sind mir die, sagen wir „männlicheren“ Schreiber, die im x-ten Buch noch brav die Kniffe nachspielen, die sie bei Philip Marlowe oder Kommissar Maigret gelernt haben, Leute wie Joseph Hansen oder Richard Stevenson, einfach lieber. Da muss man nach persönlichem Geschmack wählen. Auf Auszeichnungen und Kritiken der schwulen Presse ist kein Verlass. Sämtliche Romane von Michaels haben eine Nominierung zum Lambda Literary Award in der Sparte Gay Mystery erhalten. Die allermeisten von John Morgan Wilson auch, der zwar eher dem Flügel von Hansen und Stevenson zuzurechnen wäre, aber doch farbloser, redundanter und unrealistischer als diese arbeitet.
Kraychik ist ein Meister seines ehrenwerten schwulen Berufs, ein Friseur, vornehmlich für Damen, und er profitiert immer wieder von seiner Freundschaft mit der Chefin, Nicole, die ihren Besitzerstatus den Kunden allerdings verheimlicht und als „unsere Kosmetikerin“ in Erscheinung tritt. Immerhin kann sie ihren Meister-Coiffeur, der dazu neigt, Termine zu verpassen, zu kommen und zu gehen, wie er es gerade braucht, mit der Drohung, sie könnte einen anderen Mitarbeiter auf Position 1 lassen, einigermaßen in Schach halten. Kraychik ist rothaarig, nicht mehr ganz jung, leider, wenigstens seinem eigenen Empfinden nach, ständig ein bisschen zu dick, trägt einen Bart und betätigt sich beim Sex als Versatile. Seine Mitbewohnerin ist eine Katze. Da wir uns im, von mir so genannten, „Tucken-Krimi“ aufhalten, gehört Stan zu den Schwulen, die, besonders wenn sie gestresst werden, sämtlichen Männern, die sie verspotten oder aufhalten möchten, Kussmündchen, zwinkernde Lider und Kiekser à la „Oh Darling!“ zuwerfen.
Ermordet wird ein gewisser Calvin, der für einen Architekten arbeitet und den Stan und Nicole schon Jahre kennen; er ist einer ihrer besten Kunden, den sie aber eigentlich noch nie mochten. Dennoch, eine von viele Unglaublichkeiten im Buch, wird Stan von Calvin zu einer Privatparty gebeten, weil der tückische Angeber eben erst den Naturpark-Ranger Roger aus Kalifornien aufgerissen hat, eine Art filmreifer Naturbursch mit Muskeln und blauen Augen. Als Stan bei Calvin ankommt, lernt er erst mal dessen Nachbarn kennen, ebenfalls schwul, ziemlich gut über Calvins Intimleben im Bild, am Abenteuer sofort interessiert. Dann sieht er den schönen Roger noch mal, nackt, offenbar kürzlich beschlafen, aber leider stranguliert, in Calvins Bett. Kurz danach taucht Calvin auf und von nun an beschuldigen sich die beiden Schwulen gegenseitig des Mords.
Vom Friseur zum Detektiv wird Stan also, um seine Unschuld zu beweisen. Was bald schon wieder unglaubwürdig erscheint, wie auch Nicole meint. Warum wirft der - ebenfalls zum Anbeißen aussehende - Italo-Bulle Vito Branco Calvin bloß ein Drogendelikt vor, setzt Kraychik aber wegen Mordverdacht fest, lässt ihn dann wieder frei, um ihm wenig später durch die Blume zu gestehen, seine Vorgesetzten wollten den Mörder nicht mehr fangen, weil es sich um eine schwule Sache handele. Er, Branco, lasse aber nicht locker, ermittele verdeckt weiter und brauche Stans Unterstützung als eine Art Laufbursche?
Bei Kraychik, der sich zwischendurch immer wieder auf die simplen Weisheiten seiner tschechischen Großmutter beruft, landet er damit beim Richtigen. Geschäftsinteressen vernachlässigend und Einschüchterungsversuche von unbekannter Seite stur ignorierend, rennt Stan viele Kapitel lang wie eine aufgeregte Tanzmaus hin und her und immer wieder zu denselben (die Menge der Verdächtigen hält sich doch sehr in Grenzen), von denen er kaum was erfährt, öfters sind sie auch nicht da. Es wird sehr viel geredet und sich gegenseitig genervt. Der Eindruck der ersten Kapitel, mein Gott, welche Masse eitlen Geschwätzes, besserte sich zum Glück nach einer Weile. Und wenn das abrupte Desinteresse für alle möglicherweise in Boston auffindbaren Spuren sowie der Entschluss, zwischendurch ein paar Tage im Wirkungsbereich des getöteten Naturmenschen, nämlich im Yosemite-Nationalpark, ganz weit im Westen, einzuschieben, noch eine nicht unbedingt glaubhafte Wendung ist, sah es ab da nach klassischem Detektivroman aus. Wobei die Tuntenscherze nicht aufhörten.
Kaum im Tal der gigantischen Felswände, begleiten wir Kraychik auf einer Tour mit Seil und Steigeisen an der Seite eines drogenfreundlichen Buddies des Toten, von dem sich dann herausstellt, dass sie es gewohnt waren, oben auf der Kanzel in den Abgrund hinaus zu wichsen. Die Künste des Hotelfriseurs werden als billig entlarvt. Und in der Hütte des Toten findet sich ein kleiner, kompakter Riesenbaum-Kletterer aus Bali, der behauptet, nicht aus Liebe hätte er mit Roger geschlafen, sondern „es war was rein Freundschaftliches zwischen uns“.
Hier darf man auch die letzten Zeilen eines Kriminalromans mal zuerst lesen. Sie lauten:
Er sprach leise zu mir, die besänftigenden Klänge der Lautenmusik aus dem Mittleren Osten nachahmend, die durch den dichten Stoff drangen. „Sei willkommen, o Pascha, in meinem Harem.“ Sanft ließ er die winzigen Messingzimbeln aneinanderschlagen, die an Daumen und Mittelfinger seiner beiden Hände befestigt waren. Ihr klarer hoher Klang jagte mir einen Freudenschauer über den Rücken. „Komm“, sagte er, „und ich erzähle dir eine lange, lange Geschichte.“ Ich ließ mich auf das Bett plumpsen und schmiegte meinen Kopf an seinen Hals. „Fang an, Scheherazade. Und zwar mit Kapitel eins.“
June 24, 2017
I really wanted to enjoy this book and it is enjoyable as a piece of fluff reading as long as you can completely suspend your sense of disbelief. Stan (aka Vannos, Stani, Stanley) is a hairdresser who is trained as a psychologist. One of his obnoxious customers is at the shop and a man comes to meet with him there. Stan falls head over heels right away for the man after interacting for just a few minutes with him and sets a coffee date for that evening. When he shows at his customer's home, he finds the hunky man he fell for dead in bed with two bow ties on (only one around his neck). He becomes a major suspect to the police and decides he has to prove who killed the man to save himself. His efforts including flying from Boston to California and rock climbing. The story does hang together although the connections from point A to point B to point C, etc, are very unbelievable. Still it is a decent first effort.
August 25, 2023
Had never heard of these books before seeing a comment on a recent release (Pinx Videos #6) suggesting a correlation between those characters and the MCs here, Stan and Detective Branco. I can see the comparison.
An enjoyable book with lots of zippy dialogue and funny moments. Set around Copley Plaza/Newbury Street in Boston, which, weirdly, is the only neighbourhood in any city in the US I know well enough to go "Oh, yeah, that place!" we follow Stan - who is sarcastic and wants to lose a few pounds - join the club, love - on his quest for justice.
The book is dated but only slightly - maybe the police still are that homophobic, who knows? Or maybe crime writers have achieved a little more nuance and subtlety with their depiction of them? - and the self-loathing of the gay men is evident.
Some parts of the plot are a wild ride but mostly it's a fun one.
A lot of formatting and grammar issues on the Kindle version, though, if that puts you off.
Also, maybe a bit too long? But charming enough that I didn't mind.
An enjoyable book with lots of zippy dialogue and funny moments. Set around Copley Plaza/Newbury Street in Boston, which, weirdly, is the only neighbourhood in any city in the US I know well enough to go "Oh, yeah, that place!" we follow Stan - who is sarcastic and wants to lose a few pounds - join the club, love - on his quest for justice.
The book is dated but only slightly - maybe the police still are that homophobic, who knows? Or maybe crime writers have achieved a little more nuance and subtlety with their depiction of them? - and the self-loathing of the gay men is evident.
Some parts of the plot are a wild ride but mostly it's a fun one.
A lot of formatting and grammar issues on the Kindle version, though, if that puts you off.
Also, maybe a bit too long? But charming enough that I didn't mind.
May 31, 2022
I read this because it was free on Kindle Unlimited. There isn't much to recommend about this book. The mystery was average at best. The characters were almost interesting. The selling point for this book is it is an early title in the gay murder mystery genre. Taking place in the early 1990s, it is accurate in how superficial and self-absorbed that time period was. As terrible as it is to write, I knew some of these superficial gay people in these years. I found them unattractive then and I find reading about them now just as unattractive. But, thinking the series will get better once the author has one book behind him, I did decide to read the next book in the series. It was also a free selection with Kindle Unlimited. I would never spend money to read these books.
put-aside
November 29, 2022I feel a bit badly about it, but I am going to stop reading this one; I'm nearly halfway done. I am just not buying any of it. The basic idea is that the hero is a gay hairdresser who gets involved in a murder and then decides to try to figure out whodunnit on his own and then--in the twist I believed least--is asked by a (possibly closeted?) cop to help him with the investigation. I know I should be suspending disbelief here, but I'm finding myself unable to do so.
A couple of other quibbles: I don't like the patronizing salon owner; and I don't like the sexlessness of the main character--yes, he's gay, and yes, he's lusting after pretty much anything in pants, but none of it feels particularly fulfilled. Ah well.
A couple of other quibbles: I don't like the patronizing salon owner; and I don't like the sexlessness of the main character--yes, he's gay, and yes, he's lusting after pretty much anything in pants, but none of it feels particularly fulfilled. Ah well.
October 8, 2023
I read the Requeered version of this book as an ebook. I highly recommend the book and am happy that Grant Michael's books are being republished for today's audience.
The main character Stan is a character who travels west to find a killer with some unusual characters along the way. He gets back to Boston to discover the plot was hatched and the murder was carried out right in Boston. Along the way, we meet a Detective who believes Stan is guilty, an owner of the hair salon where Stan works and the odd characters both from the west and local.
The boo is written in such a way as to be light reading until he gets to the final chapter which has some tense moments. It is the chipper way it is written that makes this book deserve the rating I have given to it.
The main character Stan is a character who travels west to find a killer with some unusual characters along the way. He gets back to Boston to discover the plot was hatched and the murder was carried out right in Boston. Along the way, we meet a Detective who believes Stan is guilty, an owner of the hair salon where Stan works and the odd characters both from the west and local.
The boo is written in such a way as to be light reading until he gets to the final chapter which has some tense moments. It is the chipper way it is written that makes this book deserve the rating I have given to it.
July 26, 2020
3.5*
A look back in time to the early 90’s, when life was a lot different to now so all the social aspects have to be looked at with that in mind. It was good to step back in time!
Stan was certainly dogged in his pursuit of the truth for someone he didn’t know and his rush to frame someone he did!
As all good cozy’s do, Stan our hero does tend to rush into danger, asking questions and getting in people’s faces.
Lots of twists and turns to figure out the connections between Yosemite and Boston.
A look back in time to the early 90’s, when life was a lot different to now so all the social aspects have to be looked at with that in mind. It was good to step back in time!
Stan was certainly dogged in his pursuit of the truth for someone he didn’t know and his rush to frame someone he did!
As all good cozy’s do, Stan our hero does tend to rush into danger, asking questions and getting in people’s faces.
Lots of twists and turns to figure out the connections between Yosemite and Boston.
February 19, 2021
Oh, I really liked this one!
The mystery is great; confusing in a good way, keeping me interested the whole time. It also got me involved and made me want to scream at Stan no! It wasn't Calvin! But in truth, until close to the end I wasn't sure who was after the whole thing.
I adore Stan. He is a wonderful character, his flighty exterior masking deeps that I hope will be more than a small glimpse in the next books. I also really like Nicole, I like how possessive of her is Stan, but also how protective of him is her :D
I'll be reading the rest of this series :D
The mystery is great; confusing in a good way, keeping me interested the whole time. It also got me involved and made me want to scream at Stan no! It wasn't Calvin! But in truth, until close to the end I wasn't sure who was after the whole thing.
I adore Stan. He is a wonderful character, his flighty exterior masking deeps that I hope will be more than a small glimpse in the next books. I also really like Nicole, I like how possessive of her is Stan, but also how protective of him is her :D
I'll be reading the rest of this series :D
January 12, 2020
This being my first exposure to Grant Michael's writing, the whodunnit drew me in fairly quickly, and MC Kraychik grew on me as well; his snarky voice and snappy banter proved amusing and drew forth a couple of chuckles. Solid cast of suspects and secondary characters (loved his boss lady!) and the windy trail to solving who killed the hunky out-of-town ranger was well paced and kept my attention. 3.5 stars.
October 3, 2022
I didn't find this book until I came across it at a used book store, and I honestly am so glad I found it. This book alone sent me into a gay murder mystery phase for a good 3 months. Considering when the books were published, I thought the writing was amazing and the topics that were spoken about are still relevant even today. I also have the following 2 books in the series that I am still waiting to read, however, based on how well this one was written I'm confident I'll love the others.
October 1, 2024
This is a fun, vintage gay mystery with an emphasis on the gay. A lot of the dialogue is arch and there are one or two characters who, in almost any other context, I would consider a hate crime. Still, it is fun and it feels almost revolutionary to have a gay mystery where the amateur sleuth doesn't end up in a relationship with a cop by the end. I will definitely continue on with the series.
November 17, 2019
I read about this series recently and found it utterly charming! Stan is just perfect. The mystery isn't the focus, it's all about Stan and his encounters with terrific characters. I read it slowly to stretch out my time with Stan. Sadly, only three books in the series exist due to authors passing.
Give this a read!
Give this a read!
October 20, 2022
I should give this book five stars, I know, just to honour the late author and the groundbreaking work his publishing company has done over the decades, bringing gay positive (non soft porn) literature to the world. But still..the writing is pretty good but the actions of the protagonist (a hairdresser, hence 'dye' in the title) requires just a tad too much suspension of disbelief.
June 22, 2019
A nice mystery, perhaps over long, engaging with lots of locations. I will read the next one in the series if it comes out on Kindle, don't think I like it enough to bother getting a hold of the out of print book version.
March 23, 2023
The investigation was unrealistic to the extent that I couldn't enjoy it. In a small village there could be such coincidental meetings but this was unhinged. Stan was very prudish. I couldn't get into the story
May 31, 2025
I love a good mystery! Stan is obsessed to finding out why Roger was killed. He’s so sure he knows who, but needs to prove it. Even though this is not a romance, I’m still hoping we see more of Lt. Branco in future books.
August 25, 2019
3.75 some lol moments along with a big chunk of suspension of disbelief and I quite enjoyed this one. Can't wait til book 2 is released as an ebook!
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