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A Pinx Video Mystery #7
Kapowie!
In the seventh book of the Lambda-Award winning Pinx Video Mystery series, Noah and his friends are on their way to a taping of the Kapowie! reunion show. As a teenager, Marc was a cast member. He’s convinced the producers to hire partner Louis to handle craft services for the all-night shoot. Noah and the new guy at the video store, Eldridge, tag along as helpers. Things go swimmingly, until movie star Finn Henderson takes a drug overdose and they all become trapped in the sound stage—possibly with a killer!
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2024
40 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Marshall Thornton
56 books629 followersThree-time Lambda Award-winning author, Marshall Thornton is best known for the Boystown and Pinx Video mystery series. Other novels include the erotic comedy The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood, Desert Run and Full Release. Marshall has an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he received the Carl David Memorial Fellowship and was recognized in the Samuel Goldwyn Writing awards.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 18, 2024
A good, but for me not great, installment in Thornton’s excellent Pinx cozy mystery series.
Thornton manages to pull off an isolation style mystery in the middle of 90s Los Angeles. (It’s in the blurb so I’m not going to consider that a spoiler.) When I realized this is what he was doing my first expectation was an And Then There Were None type scenario, with characters being picked off one by one, but Pinx is on the cozy end of the spectrum among Thornton’s various mystery series and so it’s not surprising we don’t get that. Instead the isolation provides an easy mechanism/excuse for Noah and the crew to investigate without police interference.
Maybe it’s just me, but I never quite connected with this one. Some of that may be due to an unconscious holding back on my part after one of the characters turns out to be a Tammy Faye Bakker style televangelist, which is just not something I want in my entertainment reading. Honestly, when I discovered that I thought about setting it aside and reading something else.
Noah felt more shy and traumatized than I remember from previous volumes, but it’s been quite a while and perhaps I’ve just forgotten. Louis and Marc are along, but not much Leon or mom in this outing. The solution did feel a little obvious, though Thornton did keep some other options convincingly on the table.
The highlight of this installment is probably Eldridge, though how you feel about him may depend on how you feel about Javier.
Hope we don’t have to wait as long for the next one as it felt like I waited for this one, though I’d be delighted with another Henry Milch, or Dom Reilly book, or maybe another fluffy romcom. I mean, I’m probably going to read his next book whatever it is.
Thornton manages to pull off an isolation style mystery in the middle of 90s Los Angeles. (It’s in the blurb so I’m not going to consider that a spoiler.) When I realized this is what he was doing my first expectation was an And Then There Were None type scenario, with characters being picked off one by one, but Pinx is on the cozy end of the spectrum among Thornton’s various mystery series and so it’s not surprising we don’t get that. Instead the isolation provides an easy mechanism/excuse for Noah and the crew to investigate without police interference.
Maybe it’s just me, but I never quite connected with this one. Some of that may be due to an unconscious holding back on my part after one of the characters turns out to be a Tammy Faye Bakker style televangelist, which is just not something I want in my entertainment reading. Honestly, when I discovered that I thought about setting it aside and reading something else.
Noah felt more shy and traumatized than I remember from previous volumes, but it’s been quite a while and perhaps I’ve just forgotten. Louis and Marc are along, but not much Leon or mom in this outing. The solution did feel a little obvious, though Thornton did keep some other options convincingly on the table.
The highlight of this installment is probably Eldridge, though how you feel about him may depend on how you feel about Javier.
Hope we don’t have to wait as long for the next one as it felt like I waited for this one, though I’d be delighted with another Henry Milch, or Dom Reilly book, or maybe another fluffy romcom. I mean, I’m probably going to read his next book whatever it is.
October 18, 2024
This series just gets better and better! I love Noah, Marc, and Louis so much. Oh, and Noah’s mom! And now there’s Eldridge. *heart eyes* Great mystery, tons of suspects, and a satisfying resolution.
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November 20, 2024Can't wait to read this seventh book in the series. Looks like the regulars are back - Noah, Louis and Marc - and here's hoping that Detective O'Shea makes an appearance. I really enjoy this series, set in the 1990's in LA.
October 29, 2024
This was not as good as the previous books in this series. I think too much time had passed between the last book and this one, I don’t even remember what transpired in the last book! This was just missing that sparkle the first books in this series had.
Noah is such a great character and he deserves some happiness and I feel like he’s so close! I loved Eldridge and I know many will miss Javier but I didn’t. I did miss the group getting together since this had only Noah, Louis and Marc. The way this group of men, along with Leon, interact was not there and so a huge piece felt like it was missing.
I don’t know how many books are planned for this series but because there is so much time in between releases I feel like the momentum has slowed to a crawl. This series just needs a shot of adrenaline and I know Thornton can provide this.
Noah is such a great character and he deserves some happiness and I feel like he’s so close! I loved Eldridge and I know many will miss Javier but I didn’t. I did miss the group getting together since this had only Noah, Louis and Marc. The way this group of men, along with Leon, interact was not there and so a huge piece felt like it was missing.
I don’t know how many books are planned for this series but because there is so much time in between releases I feel like the momentum has slowed to a crawl. This series just needs a shot of adrenaline and I know Thornton can provide this.
October 28, 2024
So, Pinx videos does a bottle episode.
I didn't like this as much as the previous edition in the series. I think I prefer Noah and Co. when they're full of angst and yearning and do or die rather than comedy. The two books where the drama has taken a back seat to the comedy gel less with me (this and the Vegas caper in book 5). That's not to say there's no drama here - Noah's PTSD seems to be coming along nicely and the memories dredged up of Jeffers's death were well-done. And the comedy wasn't all bad. There were a few zingers - but mostly I noticed some weak writing as we tried to get the scene set.
Also, too many writers in this genre can't think of plot devices to get their suspects from revealing everything too soon so they just make them unbelievably rude to the protagonist. I'm glad Noah is now considering not putting up with that any longer. It'd be refreshing.
All in all, I missed Javier and the drama, I missed the entire world of 90s LA rather than one night in a locked room, and too many cosy stereotypes (obsessing over food and that one 'excellent' cook). And...I think I want Noah to start progressing to the next state. Is his grief and post-diagnosis stasis now over? Does the author plan to have him embrace sleuthing? I think his character arc might now need more.
I didn't like this as much as the previous edition in the series. I think I prefer Noah and Co. when they're full of angst and yearning and do or die rather than comedy. The two books where the drama has taken a back seat to the comedy gel less with me (this and the Vegas caper in book 5). That's not to say there's no drama here - Noah's PTSD seems to be coming along nicely and the memories dredged up of Jeffers's death were well-done. And the comedy wasn't all bad. There were a few zingers - but mostly I noticed some weak writing as we tried to get the scene set.
Also, too many writers in this genre can't think of plot devices to get their suspects from revealing everything too soon so they just make them unbelievably rude to the protagonist. I'm glad Noah is now considering not putting up with that any longer. It'd be refreshing.
All in all, I missed Javier and the drama, I missed the entire world of 90s LA rather than one night in a locked room, and too many cosy stereotypes (obsessing over food and that one 'excellent' cook). And...I think I want Noah to start progressing to the next state. Is his grief and post-diagnosis stasis now over? Does the author plan to have him embrace sleuthing? I think his character arc might now need more.
January 13, 2025
Marc, Louis, Noah, and Noah's employee, Eldridge, are in for a night of nostalgia, drama, mystery, and murder, when the producers and former co-stars gather to remember the show Kapowie!.
This was a fun and engaging read.
This was a fun and engaging read.
October 27, 2024
This was my favorite Pinx Video Mystery in a while. This series doesn’t always manage to balance Noah’s personal life and the mystery of the week, and sometimes struggles to effectively make use of the large cast of side characters, but this book handles both elements well. Having Noah’s love interest present throughout the story definitely helped! And the setting and suspects for the mystery were an appropriate level of ridiculous for this series – grounded enough to create some stakes for Noah and company, but silly enough to match the characters’ humor and make Noah’s involvement plausible. (Also, I really hope this book signals a new direction for Noah’s romantic life because it’s been stagnant for the last few books and hasn’t been adding much to the series.)
October 27, 2024
This time, Noel gets roped into an all night production because his friend Marc was a child actor in a program calles Kapowie. The whole cast is there, and of course, the biggest star is murdered. You find out at the end who it was, but I'm not telling. Marshall, you have a gift,
October 5, 2025
I enjoy this series as it's always kind of a cozy read for me. They're always a fairly good mystery and I like our cast of characters. This time around it's a bit of a locked room mystery as Marc's childhood acting career has everyone on set for a reunion show. The catch being that they're shooting it as a night shoot and it's not long before they realize they're locked into the studio. And of course this is Noah, so there's going to be a dead body showing up.
For once we're not dealing with the police bungling or getting in the way of our cadre of friends' investigation. They're locked in the studio with no way to get word out, but one of them has to be the killer. Noah's friends have the utmost confidence in him to figure it out.
This was less stressful as there wasn't a ton of tension or threat to our friends. We get a bit more hints at some possible romance for Noah. I'm in on this option. A certain cop had his chance and it just never seemed to be going anywhere. I'm all for Noah gets some happiness in his life. He's had one to many dead bodies showing up. He deserves a little fun and sweetness heading his way.
For once we're not dealing with the police bungling or getting in the way of our cadre of friends' investigation. They're locked in the studio with no way to get word out, but one of them has to be the killer. Noah's friends have the utmost confidence in him to figure it out.
This was less stressful as there wasn't a ton of tension or threat to our friends. We get a bit more hints at some possible romance for Noah. I'm in on this option. A certain cop had his chance and it just never seemed to be going anywhere. I'm all for Noah gets some happiness in his life. He's had one to many dead bodies showing up. He deserves a little fun and sweetness heading his way.
October 17, 2024
This will be the last in the Pinx Video Mystery series that I read. I started the Pinx series after reading Thorton’s Boystown stories featuring detective Nick Nowak. The Boystown books were a much more entertaining, gritty and interesting mix of mystery, characters, action driven plots, with some hot sex thrown in, than anything the Pinx books manage to provide. I read the Boystown books cover to cover while skimming through a lot of the Pinx series which are a bit like a so so Hallmark version of gay life in 90’s LA. Fortunately all are available free on Kindle Unlimited. Check them out and see what you think.
November 25, 2024
I've never been overly convinced that the Pinx Video Mysteries series was particularly good, but they were quick distractions that were enjoyable enough. Kapowie! is potentially the loosest and sloppiest of the lot, with the least respect for legal process and human nature.
A locked room murder where almost no one at all cares that one of their number has been murdered, Thornton describes one incredibly long night in the production of a reunion special for a poorly described variety show/morality play for children.
It's not great but it's also not so poor that I won't read the next one if its release coincides with another free Kindle Unlimited trial period.
A locked room murder where almost no one at all cares that one of their number has been murdered, Thornton describes one incredibly long night in the production of a reunion special for a poorly described variety show/morality play for children.
It's not great but it's also not so poor that I won't read the next one if its release coincides with another free Kindle Unlimited trial period.
October 13, 2024
Noah is back and this time he is helping Louis with 'catering' the reunion of Kapowie, the TV show that Marc starred on as a teenager.
There isn't alot of Noah and his friends sitting around solving the mysteries as this one takes place on a locked sound stage.
One of the teenage stars who went on to become a movie star is poisoned and Noah and Louis are left to try to discover who the murderer is.
No Javier in this book but it looks as if Noah might get a romantic love interest.
Hopefully there will be a book 8.
There isn't alot of Noah and his friends sitting around solving the mysteries as this one takes place on a locked sound stage.
One of the teenage stars who went on to become a movie star is poisoned and Noah and Louis are left to try to discover who the murderer is.
No Javier in this book but it looks as if Noah might get a romantic love interest.
Hopefully there will be a book 8.
October 14, 2024
New love interest!
This book had a different vibe from the previous one in my opinion: less serious I guess. I liked it, but it felt a little off to get a new love interest after getting invested into the previous one (I mean he kind of got the whole book lol).
Anyway, with this author I try to ignore any romance bits (unless I want to get burnt hahah) and focus on the mystery (which is always on point).
As always, love Noah, he is very very cute and he totally deserves some romance whether it's with the character I wanted or not hahah
This book had a different vibe from the previous one in my opinion: less serious I guess. I liked it, but it felt a little off to get a new love interest after getting invested into the previous one (I mean he kind of got the whole book lol).
Anyway, with this author I try to ignore any romance bits (unless I want to get burnt hahah) and focus on the mystery (which is always on point).
As always, love Noah, he is very very cute and he totally deserves some romance whether it's with the character I wanted or not hahah
October 22, 2024
Cosy mystery as all the people involved are locked in a hollywood sound stage
Lots of interesting characters - along with Louis Marcus Noah and Eldridge, who is flirting non stop with Noah
Interesting that things that are taken for granted now - mobile phones, email, internet - were treated with much scepticism.
Noah is put under the spotlight by Louis to deleiver the denouement Christie style, though he only gets his light bulb moment right at the end.
And is there romance or maybe a romantic entanglement at least for Noah
Lots of interesting characters - along with Louis Marcus Noah and Eldridge, who is flirting non stop with Noah
Interesting that things that are taken for granted now - mobile phones, email, internet - were treated with much scepticism.
Noah is put under the spotlight by Louis to deleiver the denouement Christie style, though he only gets his light bulb moment right at the end.
And is there romance or maybe a romantic entanglement at least for Noah
October 24, 2024
Can't believe author Marshall Thornton is already up to book 7! in the Pinx Video series. I love Noah Valentine and with each book, we get invited in a little closer to his life in 1990's Los Angeles with his Scooby gang. This is one of my favorite cozy mysteries. Kapowie! reads as a nod to classic locked room mysteries. My only wish is for Marshall to bring back Noah's Mom or better spin her off into her own series. They could go on a cruise together - Noah, Eldridge, Mom, and the gang. Just saying. 4 out of 5 for this gem of an addition to the series.
March 7, 2025
This murder mystery farce with some MM romance is funny but a bit tragic. It also has recipes for shortbread and juice as a bonus.
Noah and friends. plus a "not a date" employee, are locked in a TV studio with no working phones, where poisonings and a death occur. There are also revelations about past affairs, an adoption, and an imposter. Noah is called upon to solve the crimes.
My one minor complaint is that there are a bit too many characters for me to easily keep track of. Some of them seem irrelevant to me, and I think the story would have worked just fine without them.
Noah and friends. plus a "not a date" employee, are locked in a TV studio with no working phones, where poisonings and a death occur. There are also revelations about past affairs, an adoption, and an imposter. Noah is called upon to solve the crimes.
My one minor complaint is that there are a bit too many characters for me to easily keep track of. Some of them seem irrelevant to me, and I think the story would have worked just fine without them.
October 13, 2024
Noah Valentine remains one of my favourite characters. While this mystery wasn’t as heart pumping (or maybe it was too heart pumping if you asked Finn) as some of the others, but I still enjoyed it and it still had me guessing right up to the end.
I like the new LI with Eldridge. Javier is fine and all, but we all know that’s complicated and until it becomes uncomplicated, it's nice to see Noah have a LI that doesn’t get murdered.
I like the new LI with Eldridge. Javier is fine and all, but we all know that’s complicated and until it becomes uncomplicated, it's nice to see Noah have a LI that doesn’t get murdered.
January 7, 2025
Lightweight who-done-it, but fans of the series will enjoy it. Noah, his potential new boyfriend, and Louis are catering the filming of a reunion special for Marx's old teen variety show, Kapowie!. The dysfunctional cast of suspects is entertaining, but paint-by-the-numbers. The entertainment comes from Noah's oversensitive, hesitant, but dogged pursuit of the truth, with Marc and Louis' snarky assistance. The dynamic of Noah and Det. Javier O'Shea is missed.
May 10, 2025
I got into Marshall Thornton’s Pinx serene’s late on but enjoyed it so much that I read all the back catalogue and made sure to catch the latest as soon as it came out.
Set in the nineties, which only seems like a couple of years ago to me, the blurb says as much as I could without giving spoilers. However I can say that it just as much fun (even if it is a murder mystery) as the previous ones in the series.
Set in the nineties, which only seems like a couple of years ago to me, the blurb says as much as I could without giving spoilers. However I can say that it just as much fun (even if it is a murder mystery) as the previous ones in the series.
October 17, 2024
That’s more like it! Fun closed room mystery combined with all the usual suspects, yummy sounding snacks (but not the smoothies ………!) and a sweet new love interest. Pins Video is Back on track - enjoyed it.
November 25, 2024
A delightful entry in the series and one of the better mysteries. It’s very contained, with most of the book occurring over one night and in one location, but still contains some wonderful character work and world building. Possibly one of my favorites in the series.
January 8, 2025
It was a good read but not as great as the other books in this series. Still a solid 4 stars
October 26, 2025
A good read but not not as enjoyable as the other entries. The past murders and kidnappings Noah has dealt with in the past seem to be catching up with him a bit, as he did appear a bit traumatized.
December 20, 2025
Good instalment of the series, and a little bit of a happier ending than Noah has had for awhile
August 30, 2025
This was probably my least favourite of the series. It had all the usual ingrediants but seemed "undercooked". It was a little 'silly' and felt like it had been written by someone copying MT's style. I did like the ending tho - that was heartening, altho I'd have kinda liked to hear what was going on with a certain detective. All in all a fab series
March 28, 2025
Noah has a new love interest! Well, no Javier this time. Noah volunteers to help Louis cater a reunion TV show which Marc was a teenager in. So the whole gang is there, well not Leon. From the beginning of this filming things are fishy. And the weirdness abounds as the night progresses to the killing of the main star. And as usual, there are many twists to the plot. Great read, though I was disappointed no Javier appearance.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews