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Mark Julian, Vampire P.I. Mystery #1
The Case of the Choirboy Killer
Mark Julian is New York’s only private eye for the supernatural. He has a job to do, one that includes not getting romantically involved with humans. Until a feeding frenzy on gay men crosses his path with irresistible Detective Vincent Pasquale of the NYPD. The paranormal world is about to collide with the human world, in more ways than one…
The city is being hit by a wave of killings where the victims share two things in common: 1) they are gay and, 2) they have been drained of blood. The press is having a field day using a witness’ description to label him as “the choirboy killer” and the gay community is up in arms. Worse the local vampire council is convinced the killer one of their own who has gone rogue and is intentionally committing these activities as an affront the entire undead community. “I mean we just don’t act this way here,” sniffed the head of the council, “I mean this is New York City after all!”
The council goes to the only person from their community who they think can find the killer and end his reign. Mark Julian, a vampire like themselves and New York’s only private eye for the supernatural world. With the help of his secretary Jaime, an incubus-succubus changeling sex demon he begins the hunt. His only major problem is that one of New York’s finest is also on the trail of the fiend who is dispatching the city’s citizens. When hunky detective Vincent Pasquale and Julian cross paths the gay detective finds the well-built handsome law officer is not only impeding his quiet search but also, for the first time in centuries, getting him heated up as well. Will they join forces or will one of them fall victim to the sensational choirboy killer?
Bonus Feature: The Curious Case of the Runaway Incubus
The city is being hit by a wave of killings where the victims share two things in common: 1) they are gay and, 2) they have been drained of blood. The press is having a field day using a witness’ description to label him as “the choirboy killer” and the gay community is up in arms. Worse the local vampire council is convinced the killer one of their own who has gone rogue and is intentionally committing these activities as an affront the entire undead community. “I mean we just don’t act this way here,” sniffed the head of the council, “I mean this is New York City after all!”
The council goes to the only person from their community who they think can find the killer and end his reign. Mark Julian, a vampire like themselves and New York’s only private eye for the supernatural world. With the help of his secretary Jaime, an incubus-succubus changeling sex demon he begins the hunt. His only major problem is that one of New York’s finest is also on the trail of the fiend who is dispatching the city’s citizens. When hunky detective Vincent Pasquale and Julian cross paths the gay detective finds the well-built handsome law officer is not only impeding his quiet search but also, for the first time in centuries, getting him heated up as well. Will they join forces or will one of them fall victim to the sensational choirboy killer?
Bonus Feature: The Curious Case of the Runaway Incubus
- GenresMysteryParanormal
105 pages, ebook
First published June 23, 2014
8 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
L.G. Fabbo-Gonnella
38 books4 followersL.G.Fabbo-Gonnella is a resident of NYC. He has often said Manhattan is the underlying unspoken character in many of his books. "I guess its a love affair that I have with her," he once said. "I could live here forever and yet still find magical things about her that I never knew existed.
When not seeking out interesting new locales for his books he can be found dinning with friends and enjoying all the city he adores has to offer.
Though he has not yet met the supernatural denizens of NYC, he does hope too one day. And yes, there is a "letter Lounge" albeit under a different name.:)
He can be reached at L.G.Fabbo.Gonnella@gmail.com
When not seeking out interesting new locales for his books he can be found dinning with friends and enjoying all the city he adores has to offer.
Though he has not yet met the supernatural denizens of NYC, he does hope too one day. And yes, there is a "letter Lounge" albeit under a different name.:)
He can be reached at L.G.Fabbo.Gonnella@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 29, 2016
2.5 Stars ~ This was an okay story and I will keep going in the series
A rogue vampire is ravaging the city and vampire detective Mark Julian has been tasked with saving NYC so the first story in a series sorta gets a bad time because it not only has to be the set up for the entire series, set up the back story of the characters and introduce a plot that keeps you engaged...but it has to do it all well enough to keep the readers coming back for more. This story had a lot of errors, grammar and text however I was still able to appreciate and enjoy the story for what the author was trying to do. I like the two MC Mark and Vinnie, and I will be back to check them out in book two. I also love Jamie the sex demon and think that the author is creative with the supernatural realm in the creation of the characters and their abilities.
Overall 2.5 stars
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
A rogue vampire is ravaging the city and vampire detective Mark Julian has been tasked with saving NYC so the first story in a series sorta gets a bad time because it not only has to be the set up for the entire series, set up the back story of the characters and introduce a plot that keeps you engaged...but it has to do it all well enough to keep the readers coming back for more. This story had a lot of errors, grammar and text however I was still able to appreciate and enjoy the story for what the author was trying to do. I like the two MC Mark and Vinnie, and I will be back to check them out in book two. I also love Jamie the sex demon and think that the author is creative with the supernatural realm in the creation of the characters and their abilities.
Overall 2.5 stars
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
December 14, 2018
A good start to the series, characters are interesting.
May 7, 2016
3.5 stars
This was an interesting introduction into a fascinating world for me. I’m not normally a huge mystery fan, but something about this one just grabbed my attention. I will definitely keep reading the series from here on out, if only just to see how Mark and Vinnie’s relationship grows. I loved seeing these two interact with each other; the tension building between them was fun to see and left me feeling a sense of FINALLY! when they got together. Their banter with each other was great, and I liked seeing how they solved the mystery and got the job done.
As for background characters, this book has a wealth of secondary, tertiary, and other characters. I love Jaime, he/she cracks me up and is the perfect sidekick for both Mark and Vinnie. I can’t wait to see what happens with Jaime in future books, because he/she is a character that deserves to be explored. I also really liked Tortego, who seems like he could grow to become a very interesting character.
The story telling was interesting to say the least and worth talking about here since it could potentially turn some readers off of the story. For one, there are a lot of narrative flashes to the future, reminiscent of the description sometimes given at the end of a movie about what happened to the characters after the movie’s end. And some of the flash forwards were on tangents that are then never mentioned again For example, after the death of one of the victims, we get a flash to his family placing missing person posters and ends with “His mother would grow old and die waiting on that dream to come true.” I didn’t really find these distracting, more an interesting story telling device showing the author’s writing style.
Another interesting style choice was that there are also lots of internal dialogues, which I didn’t mind since I like knowing what’s going on in a character’s head. However, I did have an issue at times with how needlessly violent the book could get. One of the flash forwards in particular was just very odd in that it ended with a surviving victim murdering his boyfriend because he did something that reminded him of the killer, and then just jumps right back into the story like nothing happened. It was odd and jarring how events like this happened, especially since they were not relevant to the plot. So I’m not sure if the author included these to purposefully try and jar the reader or develop a certain tone, but it didn’t always work for me.
I did enjoy the chapter titles though, as they provided hints at what was to come and I thought they were a nice little touch that added to the story. However, I was not a fan of how the victims were portrayed. Normally in a mystery, I don’t mind following a victim’s final moments, especially when they’re interacting with the killer because it can provide clues about the killer and where the story is going. However, most of the victims followed here were creepy and disturbing, so it was hard to feel any sympathy for them (except for poor Jordy). For example, why was it important to know that several of the victims were okay with hurting and even raping their partners in such detail? I understand explaining how the victims and the murderer met, but beyond that, I don’t know. Yes, it was a bit of poetic justice where you had these total asses who had the tables turned on them, but I thought it was a bit of an odd choice for the story, especially since Mark and Vinnie never learned about what asses the victims were. I kept thinking this would somehow come into play, maybe in the murderer’s justification behind why he killed them, but it never did. It just seemed like superfluous information that wasn’t necessary and brought the story down in my mind, mostly because at the end I was left thinking WTF?
All in all, I had a bit of a mixed reaction to some of the story telling elements and plot twists, but overall, this was a very intriguing series introduction. The author definitely has his own writing style, which I admire, even if I’m not always such a fan of it. I will definitely continue reading this series as I can’t wait to see how the characters grow over time.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This was an interesting introduction into a fascinating world for me. I’m not normally a huge mystery fan, but something about this one just grabbed my attention. I will definitely keep reading the series from here on out, if only just to see how Mark and Vinnie’s relationship grows. I loved seeing these two interact with each other; the tension building between them was fun to see and left me feeling a sense of FINALLY! when they got together. Their banter with each other was great, and I liked seeing how they solved the mystery and got the job done.
As for background characters, this book has a wealth of secondary, tertiary, and other characters. I love Jaime, he/she cracks me up and is the perfect sidekick for both Mark and Vinnie. I can’t wait to see what happens with Jaime in future books, because he/she is a character that deserves to be explored. I also really liked Tortego, who seems like he could grow to become a very interesting character.
The story telling was interesting to say the least and worth talking about here since it could potentially turn some readers off of the story. For one, there are a lot of narrative flashes to the future, reminiscent of the description sometimes given at the end of a movie about what happened to the characters after the movie’s end. And some of the flash forwards were on tangents that are then never mentioned again For example, after the death of one of the victims, we get a flash to his family placing missing person posters and ends with “His mother would grow old and die waiting on that dream to come true.” I didn’t really find these distracting, more an interesting story telling device showing the author’s writing style.
Another interesting style choice was that there are also lots of internal dialogues, which I didn’t mind since I like knowing what’s going on in a character’s head. However, I did have an issue at times with how needlessly violent the book could get. One of the flash forwards in particular was just very odd in that it ended with a surviving victim murdering his boyfriend because he did something that reminded him of the killer, and then just jumps right back into the story like nothing happened. It was odd and jarring how events like this happened, especially since they were not relevant to the plot. So I’m not sure if the author included these to purposefully try and jar the reader or develop a certain tone, but it didn’t always work for me.
I did enjoy the chapter titles though, as they provided hints at what was to come and I thought they were a nice little touch that added to the story. However, I was not a fan of how the victims were portrayed. Normally in a mystery, I don’t mind following a victim’s final moments, especially when they’re interacting with the killer because it can provide clues about the killer and where the story is going. However, most of the victims followed here were creepy and disturbing, so it was hard to feel any sympathy for them (except for poor Jordy). For example, why was it important to know that several of the victims were okay with hurting and even raping their partners in such detail? I understand explaining how the victims and the murderer met, but beyond that, I don’t know. Yes, it was a bit of poetic justice where you had these total asses who had the tables turned on them, but I thought it was a bit of an odd choice for the story, especially since Mark and Vinnie never learned about what asses the victims were. I kept thinking this would somehow come into play, maybe in the murderer’s justification behind why he killed them, but it never did. It just seemed like superfluous information that wasn’t necessary and brought the story down in my mind, mostly because at the end I was left thinking WTF?
All in all, I had a bit of a mixed reaction to some of the story telling elements and plot twists, but overall, this was a very intriguing series introduction. The author definitely has his own writing style, which I admire, even if I’m not always such a fan of it. I will definitely continue reading this series as I can’t wait to see how the characters grow over time.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*
December 19, 2014
I loves this story and how the murder mystery linked ancient Rome and Egypt into the plot. The budding relationship between Mark and Vincent was really fun to watch, though my favorite character is Jamie, he/she is a pleasure to read.
The book started out as if it were going to pose some moral questions - the killer was first going after predators and it might not have been very black and white, but that quickly changed. I think that line where good and evil blurred would have been more interesting to follow.
I also had a personal issue with how the dungeon was described. The sleazy, cold-hearted, deviant air with no regard for safety, I found that far from reality and not really helpful for those with a kink who already have to deal with a lot of prejudice.
Other than that though, the story was a great read, I loved the idea of a supernatural private eye and I have a big soft spot for ancient Rome and the empire's leaders. The book is thrilling and it will keep you reading till the culprit is stopped.
The book started out as if it were going to pose some moral questions - the killer was first going after predators and it might not have been very black and white, but that quickly changed. I think that line where good and evil blurred would have been more interesting to follow.
I also had a personal issue with how the dungeon was described. The sleazy, cold-hearted, deviant air with no regard for safety, I found that far from reality and not really helpful for those with a kink who already have to deal with a lot of prejudice.
Other than that though, the story was a great read, I loved the idea of a supernatural private eye and I have a big soft spot for ancient Rome and the empire's leaders. The book is thrilling and it will keep you reading till the culprit is stopped.
March 30, 2016
Ancient Serial killer
I like mysteries and if they have a paranormal bent that's even better. I did like how the victims viewpoints were told along with the main characters. The historical characters was also interesting.
I liked how there was a buildup of their relationship and they didn't fall instantly in lust/bed. There wasn't pages of detailed sex I would get bored with and start skipping over. Slightly amusing and at an appropriate time.
So why only three stars? Editing. It wasn't the worst I've seen, but it's a pet peeve I take a star for.
I like mysteries and if they have a paranormal bent that's even better. I did like how the victims viewpoints were told along with the main characters. The historical characters was also interesting.
I liked how there was a buildup of their relationship and they didn't fall instantly in lust/bed. There wasn't pages of detailed sex I would get bored with and start skipping over. Slightly amusing and at an appropriate time.
So why only three stars? Editing. It wasn't the worst I've seen, but it's a pet peeve I take a star for.
April 14, 2016
Great, great premise of a roman vampire living in NY who is a supernatural detective.
He gets caught up in a case with a human police detective
But way, way too much information given, diluting any real feeling for the characters, and no sense of who they are.
It's a shame, because the ideas are good, it needed someone to say - calm down and pare down
Onto Book 2
He gets caught up in a case with a human police detective
But way, way too much information given, diluting any real feeling for the characters, and no sense of who they are.
It's a shame, because the ideas are good, it needed someone to say - calm down and pare down
Onto Book 2
Read
July 20, 2014Nope.
May 27, 2016
KU
1.5
Great premise, poor execution. All tell, no show.
1.5
Great premise, poor execution. All tell, no show.
Read
March 30, 20173.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews