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The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks #1
Il fantasma dai calzini gialli
Dopo un disastroso weekend romantico, il timido pittore ventenne Perry Foster scopre che le cose possono sempre andar peggio quando, di ritorno da San Francisco, trova il cadavere di un uomo nella sua vasca da bagno.
Un cadavere con addosso un giubbotto sportivo alquanto brutto… e dei calzini abbinati.
Perry non ha idea di chi sia il defunto, ma la cosa non gli è di gran conforto.
Come ha fatto un uomo morto mai visto prima a finire nel suo appartamento chiuso a chiave presso l’isolato Alston Estate, nelle selvagge profondità del Vermont? Perry chiederà aiuto all’alto, ombroso e ostile ex Navy SEAL Nick Reno… Ma Reno è davvero ciò che sembra?
Un cadavere con addosso un giubbotto sportivo alquanto brutto… e dei calzini abbinati.
Perry non ha idea di chi sia il defunto, ma la cosa non gli è di gran conforto.
Come ha fatto un uomo morto mai visto prima a finire nel suo appartamento chiuso a chiave presso l’isolato Alston Estate, nelle selvagge profondità del Vermont? Perry chiederà aiuto all’alto, ombroso e ostile ex Navy SEAL Nick Reno… Ma Reno è davvero ciò che sembra?
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2008
66 people are currently reading
1663 people want to read
About the author
Josh Lanyon
223 books5,416 followersAuthor of 100+ titles of Gay Mystery and M/M Romance, Josh Lanyon has built her literary legacy on twisty mystery, kickass adventure, and unapologetic man-on-man romance.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 563 reviews
March 25, 2015
A spooky house
+
A ghost/dead body
+
Yellow socks
+
Two guys solving the mystery
=
Awesome book with awesome writing and awesome mystery!
The writing... I really loved it, especially the mystery part because this guy can WRITE!
It's witty and clever, funny and so intriguing, I couldn't wait to find out who the bad guy is :)
The romance part... Hmm it is the reason I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars :(
The chemistry is GREAT between them, really is, and that part I liked, but then when they hooked up... For one it was so sudden, I was like this:
I guess I didn't expect it and for some reason it felt awkward to me :((
Honestly I'd like it better if it was only with the chemistry :D
I guess I am weird :DD
Overall... I totally enjoyed this one, I couldn't put it down for a second and I am definitely recommending it to every mystery fan out there :)
October 26, 2021
3.5 stars
This was fun. A good mystery plot and likable characters. Especially Perry, I loved him.
The audiobook was enjoyable. I liked the narrator's voice overall and I liked that he gave each character a distinct voice. The only thing I didn't enjoy that much was the voice he gave Nick's character.
This was fun. A good mystery plot and likable characters. Especially Perry, I loved him.
The audiobook was enjoyable. I liked the narrator's voice overall and I liked that he gave each character a distinct voice. The only thing I didn't enjoy that much was the voice he gave Nick's character.
April 10, 2019
Audiobook: ***3 Cough-drops-anyone? Stars***
Story: ***3.5 Solid-Agatha-Christie-umm-Josh-Lanyon-mystery-plot-with-a-sweet-romance Stars***
Story: ***3.5 Solid-Agatha-Christie-umm-Josh-Lanyon-mystery-plot-with-a-sweet-romance Stars***
August 8, 2016
Written February 10, 2015
3.8 Stars - A wittily well made romantic mystery tale
I just finished an 6:40 hrs audiobook pleasantly narrated by Max Miller and written by a favorite author, Josh Lanyon.
A "whodunit" mystery, an old (ghost) house and a bunch of strange neighbors. I liked it. As an old-time classic murder mystery with a cozy small added part of romance.
***********************************************
When Perry Foster is back from a from a sad romantic weekend, is there a dead body in his bathtub. A dead body in yellow socks. How did a corpse end up in Perry's locked flat at the isolated Alton Estate in the wilds of the 'Northeast Kingdom' of Vermont? Who is the dead man?
A competent rescue, and maybe more, is the neighbor Nick Reno. A very handsome but not that friendly former navy SEAL.
This murder-mystery thickens when the dead body from the bathtub disappears unexpectedly. More or less all of Perry's strange neighbors feels like suspicious weirdos. Or perhaps not at all suspected old folks!?! ~ Is there a ghost in the house?
After a few days is it all becoming increasingly complicated. Even up there in Nick's cozy rooms, where Perry spends more and more time. ~ More deaths and more intense and sweet emotions for evey day that passes.
**********************************************
Thanks for this excellent audiobook entertainment. Mr. Lanyon delivers as always. - Yet another two lovely characters to remember.
I LIKE - creepy haunted house feelings sometimes
*****
A very short epilogue coda: http://joshlanyon.blogspot.se/2012/12....
3.8 Stars - A wittily well made romantic mystery tale
I just finished an 6:40 hrs audiobook pleasantly narrated by Max Miller and written by a favorite author, Josh Lanyon.
A "whodunit" mystery, an old (ghost) house and a bunch of strange neighbors. I liked it. As an old-time classic murder mystery with a cozy small added part of romance.
***********************************************
When Perry Foster is back from a from a sad romantic weekend, is there a dead body in his bathtub. A dead body in yellow socks. How did a corpse end up in Perry's locked flat at the isolated Alton Estate in the wilds of the 'Northeast Kingdom' of Vermont? Who is the dead man?
A competent rescue, and maybe more, is the neighbor Nick Reno. A very handsome but not that friendly former navy SEAL.
This murder-mystery thickens when the dead body from the bathtub disappears unexpectedly. More or less all of Perry's strange neighbors feels like suspicious weirdos. Or perhaps not at all suspected old folks!?! ~ Is there a ghost in the house?
After a few days is it all becoming increasingly complicated. Even up there in Nick's cozy rooms, where Perry spends more and more time. ~ More deaths and more intense and sweet emotions for evey day that passes.
‘Perry tasted like hot chocolate and something warm and young and male. It was unexpectedly erotic. He responded sweetly, opening right up, and Nick’s heart turned over in his chest.’
**********************************************
Thanks for this excellent audiobook entertainment. Mr. Lanyon delivers as always. - Yet another two lovely characters to remember.
I LIKE - creepy haunted house feelings sometimes
*****
A very short epilogue coda: http://joshlanyon.blogspot.se/2012/12....
July 29, 2016
3.5 “...not right in the head.” stars.
Foster gulped out more vehemently, “There’s a dead man in my bathtub!”
Dead silence. Another burst of televised laughter. Someone tittered nervously.
Perry Foster comes home early from his holiday and finds a dead body in his bathtub, wearing yellow - goldenrod - coloured socks. He freaks out and finds a mysterious figure entering the lobby...
Nick can't wait to leave Vermont, applying for a private investigating job. But when a dead body is found in Perry's bathtub, he finds it hard to leave the mystery... and more importantly, Perry.
The narrator used different tones, so it was fairly easy to tell whether one of the MCs were talking or the side characters. Although the two MC POVs were hard to distinguish between each other. This is because almost the same tone was used for each.
The crime is committed fairly early on in the story, and we also meet Nick very near the beginning too...
Nick looked about thirty. He had smooth olive skin and short, dark hair. And those navy blue eyes. He was very good-looking in a stern no trespassing way. About the same height as Perry, but built for action. Key word: muscles.
And when Perry and Nick finally got together it was cute- although I'm not sure what secret it was that Nick had... maybe that he's gay? But that's kinda a given. Isn't it?
I wasn't actually expecting a murder mystery, I thought there was going to be a paranormal aspect and was really excited when this happened
“Ghosts! I’ve heard that from him too. I think he gets it from David. Mr. Center. You know he -- Mr. Center -- claims he only moved here because the place is haunted.”
(I should start reading the blurbs, to find out whether they are paranormal, mystery, romance etc, but they always contain spoilers! It's easier to go off of recommendations and average rating from friends, and just hope for the best.)
It was surprisingly funny also, which I wasn't expecting because I thought it would just be about the case. There aren't too many secondary characters, and the ones that are there are incredibly interesting...
“I’ll split the cost with you,” Jane jumped in. “We’ll make it a threesome.” She gave Nick a sly smile.
The mystery was also quite interesting, but what happened to the jewels? There weren't too many characters overall (cops, other residents etc) to keep track of, although I did forget the odd one.
There were only four things that I felt were wrong with the story, where the chapters seem to skip quickly from one point to another with no clear ending.
Another is that the person they were looking for was really obvious, and could have only been them from Nick's description that they had to be , and when Perry has a run in with the assailant he says that they are and who could that be, really?
My third dislike is that there wasn't much romance, it happened near the end and didn't last long, maybe 20 minutes.
And another, a small one... there were no intense kissing scenes, and they're my favourite!
It was written well and was interesting if not predictable. And may convince me to seek out more murder mysteries...
April 12, 2014
I wanted to love this book...
It is, Josh Lanyon, after all. And the reviews have been so glowing and I’ve kinda been saving it for a day when I needed a good read.
Unfortunately, it only just sorta-kinda worked for me. I did love Perry Foster, the sweet, asthmatic, but strong-willed young MC. He is one of those endearing characters that you want to hug and take care of and just…to be happy.
The problem is…the rest of the book.
For the first 2/3 of the book Nick Reno, former Navy SEAL, grouchy, bristly even, and Perry’s eventual love interest, was such a jerk. And portrayed as a homophobe of sorts. And really difficult to warm to.
And then there was the mystery plot that was kind of all over the place.
And then there were the inconsistencies of the story (especially Nick…and his sudden “yup, I’m gay” reveal).
And then the fact that by the end, I really didn’t care…even though I got my HEA of sorts…because it didn’t all fit.
And so it goes…decent enough read...not my favorite but entertaining nonetheless.
August 8, 2016
Another Lanyon to make my weekend perfect!
This book has everything I expect from a m/m mystery book:
A haunted mansion constantly surrounded by thunderstorms…
A dark and scary November wood called ‘Witch Hollow’…
A beautiful whodunnit plot worthy of an Agatha Christie classic…
And two insanely charismatic and likeable MCs…
Perry is a 23 year old painter who just returns to his apartment in Alston Mansion after a hopefully romantic trip to San Francisco goes sadly wrong and Perry finds himself alone in the dark mansion once more.
Entering his drafty apartment, he switches on the lights in the bathroom and finds… a dead body in his bathtub. Blinking several times, he switches the light off and on again. The body is still there. It’s no dream. Panicking, he runs out of his apartment and down the stairs of the mansion, alerting the other inhabitants in the house with his commotion. Feeling an asthma attack coming on, he stumbles into a hooded figure that just enters the front door and freezes. It’s just his neighbor Nick.
Nick, the 33 year old ex-Navy SEAL is trying to get his life back on track after his divorce and an unexpected period of unemployment and a string of job interviews gone wrong. The fragile kid trembling and wheezing in his arms is the last thing he needs right now. The kid says something about a dead body lying in his apartment, so the least Nick can do is check out the guy’s apartment. When he enters the bathroom, the bathtub is empty – just as it should be. Is the kid totally nuts or what?
Still there’s something off, which sparks his curiosity.
Nick hates being responsible for the young guy, but seeing as he is scared of staying by himself in his apartment, he lets him stay at his apartment in the old house until things get resolved.
Little does he know that this was just the prelude to a series of dead bodies appearing (and disappearing) in the scary mansion. Can it be true what the weird neighbor and self-proclaimed clairvoyant Mr Center says: It’s a ghost haunting these very walls.
Nick is not convinced and follows Perry on a journey to uncover the dark secrets of the remote mansion and the people living there – a journey that might or might not soften his heart enough to let the sensitive painter become dearer to him than he wants to admit.
5 stars and on my list of favorites. A true Lanyon masterpiece!
This book has everything I expect from a m/m mystery book:
A haunted mansion constantly surrounded by thunderstorms…
A dark and scary November wood called ‘Witch Hollow’…
A beautiful whodunnit plot worthy of an Agatha Christie classic…
And two insanely charismatic and likeable MCs…
Perry is a 23 year old painter who just returns to his apartment in Alston Mansion after a hopefully romantic trip to San Francisco goes sadly wrong and Perry finds himself alone in the dark mansion once more.
Entering his drafty apartment, he switches on the lights in the bathroom and finds… a dead body in his bathtub. Blinking several times, he switches the light off and on again. The body is still there. It’s no dream. Panicking, he runs out of his apartment and down the stairs of the mansion, alerting the other inhabitants in the house with his commotion. Feeling an asthma attack coming on, he stumbles into a hooded figure that just enters the front door and freezes. It’s just his neighbor Nick.
Nick, the 33 year old ex-Navy SEAL is trying to get his life back on track after his divorce and an unexpected period of unemployment and a string of job interviews gone wrong. The fragile kid trembling and wheezing in his arms is the last thing he needs right now. The kid says something about a dead body lying in his apartment, so the least Nick can do is check out the guy’s apartment. When he enters the bathroom, the bathtub is empty – just as it should be. Is the kid totally nuts or what?
Still there’s something off, which sparks his curiosity.
Nick hates being responsible for the young guy, but seeing as he is scared of staying by himself in his apartment, he lets him stay at his apartment in the old house until things get resolved.
Little does he know that this was just the prelude to a series of dead bodies appearing (and disappearing) in the scary mansion. Can it be true what the weird neighbor and self-proclaimed clairvoyant Mr Center says: It’s a ghost haunting these very walls.
Nick is not convinced and follows Perry on a journey to uncover the dark secrets of the remote mansion and the people living there – a journey that might or might not soften his heart enough to let the sensitive painter become dearer to him than he wants to admit.
5 stars and on my list of favorites. A true Lanyon masterpiece!
December 23, 2025
Reread- I was reminded of this series(Actually, two tiny-winy novellas) after reading the holiday coda and unlike before this time I read both novellas together. The atmospheric details was lovely but I was struck by Nick. How could I have forgotten him?? In the beginning he too felt like another gruff and I didn't expect him to turn into a gentle giant...but as he said only for you kiddo!!!...And, Perry deserves all that sweetness.
March 16, 2025
This was perfectly fine if not somewhat unremarkable 3.5 star read.
Lanyon is clearly a very capable author of cozy murder mysteries and that skill is on display with this (somewhat) locked room, murder mystery of a disappearing corpse in a large, remote house full of unconventional roomates all with their own secrets.
I had no complaints about the romantic chemistry between the surley ex-marine Nick and Perry, the young painter. I mean, it leant on the age gap more than I really care for (32 vs 23) and I don't know if the cradle snatcher comments were really necessary for a 9 year age gap when the other person is 23. There was also more emphasis on Perry's innocence and inexperience than is normally to my taste, but different strokes for different folks and all that and it wasn't especially egregious.
However, special mention to the butterflies that were produced when, prior to their getting together, Nick put a protective hand on Perry's lower back. Those sorts of little moments make me weak.
A fun time if you want an easy, low investment MM murder mystery with Agatha Christie vibes (and I didn't even guess the ending lol)
Lanyon is clearly a very capable author of cozy murder mysteries and that skill is on display with this (somewhat) locked room, murder mystery of a disappearing corpse in a large, remote house full of unconventional roomates all with their own secrets.
I had no complaints about the romantic chemistry between the surley ex-marine Nick and Perry, the young painter. I mean, it leant on the age gap more than I really care for (32 vs 23) and I don't know if the cradle snatcher comments were really necessary for a 9 year age gap when the other person is 23. There was also more emphasis on Perry's innocence and inexperience than is normally to my taste, but different strokes for different folks and all that and it wasn't especially egregious.
However, special mention to the butterflies that were produced when, prior to their getting together, Nick put a protective hand on Perry's lower back. Those sorts of little moments make me weak.
A fun time if you want an easy, low investment MM murder mystery with Agatha Christie vibes (and I didn't even guess the ending lol)
June 8, 2014
Well Lanyon is a Lanyon, is a Lanyon, nothing more to say on that score.
This was an easy flowing read. I wish that such easy was not so difficult to come across.
I liked the 'old haunted manor' atmosphere pervading the whole book, almost expected Scooby Doo and Shaggy to pop out of the rain.
Loved the reluctant, cynical Nick, his observations were stringent, to the point and often cutting. He seemed to be always so sure in his opinions and the path he was going to follow. It warmed my heart to see this challenged time and again. And Perry, seemingly so fragile but I saw strength there. We can't be strong in everything we do, most of the time we are a mixture strength and weakness and these characters showed this well.
I think this is going to turn out to be one of my favorite Lanyon's
May 24, 2012
This is the cutest story I've ever read. This book has a real cinematic quality, for me reading it was like being in a theater and watching the movie.
At the beginning of the story we meet Perry at his worst: he's coming back from an unfortunate romantic trip, he's exhausted and the discovery of the corpse in his tub brings him an asthma attack. Enters Nick, the ex Navy Seal, who just can't help remarking how delicate and helpless (and queer) Perry is. Exits the corpse. Was it Perry's imagination? Was it a ghost? Nick seems the only one who wants to believe that what Perry saw was real.
I couldn't help wondering how the author would bring Nick and Perry together, but it's done by grades and it's extremely exciting: it begins with Nick noticing Perry's Bambi look and it progresses to Nick noticing Perry's tight ass. For the reader it's incredibly entertaining.
Perry and Nick seem to live in a nut-house and everybody looks guilty or like they're hiding something. There is always something happening and although the mystery is light, you feel involved in what's happening and the ties of it to the past.
Perry is a damsel-in-distress, but he's not really helpless. He is sunny, cheerful, respectful, a good boy, but above all he's a bit unlucky. It's easy to understand how Nick ends being attracted to him. He treats Perry as if he was a little kid, but he can't help admiring his art, his courage and the fact that life seems to try to knock him out but he always stands back up.
I'd recommend this book to everyone, it's impossible to put it down. Nick and Perry are both great characters, but Perry is really irresistible!
At the beginning of the story we meet Perry at his worst: he's coming back from an unfortunate romantic trip, he's exhausted and the discovery of the corpse in his tub brings him an asthma attack. Enters Nick, the ex Navy Seal, who just can't help remarking how delicate and helpless (and queer) Perry is. Exits the corpse. Was it Perry's imagination? Was it a ghost? Nick seems the only one who wants to believe that what Perry saw was real.
I couldn't help wondering how the author would bring Nick and Perry together, but it's done by grades and it's extremely exciting: it begins with Nick noticing Perry's Bambi look and it progresses to Nick noticing Perry's tight ass. For the reader it's incredibly entertaining.
Perry and Nick seem to live in a nut-house and everybody looks guilty or like they're hiding something. There is always something happening and although the mystery is light, you feel involved in what's happening and the ties of it to the past.
Perry is a damsel-in-distress, but he's not really helpless. He is sunny, cheerful, respectful, a good boy, but above all he's a bit unlucky. It's easy to understand how Nick ends being attracted to him. He treats Perry as if he was a little kid, but he can't help admiring his art, his courage and the fact that life seems to try to knock him out but he always stands back up.
I'd recommend this book to everyone, it's impossible to put it down. Nick and Perry are both great characters, but Perry is really irresistible!
April 13, 2017
3.5 Stars
Ok - lets just say that this was classic Lanyon.
It's got dead bodies and multiple possible whodunits.
One main character is at the center of this mystery, while the other is of no surprise a PI in training.
The romance isn't overt (is it ever?) but then it comes out of nowhere and packs a punch.
In hindsight I needn't have worried. And I continue to fall for it every time - thinking I'll get a protracted ending - and then I don't. Obviously it has yet to stop me from reading more!
Ok - lets just say that this was classic Lanyon.
It's got dead bodies and multiple possible whodunits.
One main character is at the center of this mystery, while the other is of no surprise a PI in training.
The romance isn't overt (is it ever?) but then it comes out of nowhere and packs a punch.
In hindsight I needn't have worried. And I continue to fall for it every time - thinking I'll get a protracted ending - and then I don't. Obviously it has yet to stop me from reading more!
October 14, 2012
Some men charm with flowers, chocolates, and a smile, but Josh Lanyon knows the way to disarm, court, and steal my heart is with murder. Once again Mr. Lanyon’s words pulled me into a world filled with mystery, mayhem, romance, humor, and yes—dead bodies! :D
The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks has readers delving into a dead-man-in-the-bathtub old school mystery chock full of surprises, spooks, twists, turns, and Scooby Doo style chaos and fun. We are introduced to an apartment building of loonies, but the action revolves around young, Bambi-eyed, artist Perry Foster and ex-SEAL Nick Reno. As the mystery and dangers escalate, Nick and Perry realize every door, tenant, creak, and crack has a story to tell and secret to hide. A maze and puzzle that will keep readers guessing until the end. Can neighbors and newly minted sleuths, Perry and Nick crack the case of the disappearing dead man with the yellow socks?
I would follow Nick and Perry anywhere! Their chemistry, humor, and b.b.b.b.building-ready-to-pop attraction captivated my head and heart from the start. Not only did they dazzle with adorableness and sexual tension, these guys worked perfectly together by listening and trusting each other and their instincts. I loved listening to them bounce theories and suspects off each other while trying to weed through the craziness with humor and intelligence. Having the right person beside you in murder, romance, and life can make all the difference in the world! Now back to that sweet, fun, and hot sexual tension…
”Perry tasted like hot chocolate and something warm and young and male. It was unexpectedly erotic. He responded sweetly, opening right up, and Nick’s heart turned over in his chest.”
But my favorite character could be the big, old, isolated, Vermont mansion that hosted all the fun. With power and personality, Lanyon creates locations and atmosphere so strong they become major parts and pieces to the puzzle and story—like the old school museum in Mummy Dearest or Adrien’s bookstore in the English Mysteries. I see and feel these places in my heart. Hell, I miss these places! Same can be said for the huge, aging, cobwebbed, lights flickering, drafty mansion that houses one zany cast of characters! The whole small town, covered bridges, out in the middle of nowhere Vermont charm added warmth and comfort one minute and chills and loneliness the next. Scenes and descriptions I could feel in my bones. The perfect setting for murder.
By the way, Mr. Lanyon included one of my favorite places on earth—small, independent, one-screen movie houses with balconies and bargain prices make me so happy! The stories these screens and places could tell. Plus sitting, almost touching, and stealing glances in the dark over a tub of popcorn is one of my favorite ways to flirt. Pass the popcorn please! :D
I had so much fun here! This story has it all—suspense, history, heists, bootleggers, romance, and all kinds of crazy! So come on in, see if you can solve the puzzle and survive a night in this mansion of mishaps, murder, mayhem, and ghosts!
Btw…Once again this story seemed to come to life in my head in glorious black and white. Well with a splash of yellow. ;)
Favorite Lanyon word in these pages: diddly
December 20, 2017
I couldn't resists a re-read (or in my case, I re-listen to) in anticipation of The Ghost Had an Early Check-Out!
Truly, one of my favorite JL stand-alones yet. I loved the main characters and the way their romance went was just perfection. Great mystery with a really fun group of secondary characters.
As far as the audio version went - 3 stars for the narrator, Max Miller, his narration was way too slow so I went up to 1.25 on the speed which helped a bit. The variety in his characters was good, but just too flat over-all.
Truly, one of my favorite JL stand-alones yet. I loved the main characters and the way their romance went was just perfection. Great mystery with a really fun group of secondary characters.
As far as the audio version went - 3 stars for the narrator, Max Miller, his narration was way too slow so I went up to 1.25 on the speed which helped a bit. The variety in his characters was good, but just too flat over-all.
March 7, 2014
That my friends is what we call a SLOW BURN...so freaking worth it. Yes, I am a sucker for a ghost story, an old house and of course the geek and the strong. My love for Josh Lanyon just keeps growing. A great whodunnit and a sweet, slow...romance.
March 17, 2017
3, 5 stars
I feel a relief and great happiness when I look at my Josh Lanyon's to-read list! I am not at the end of it, thanks God! Still I have to use these precious resources very sparingly. And not to forget, I can always start to re-read his books.
His prose is like a glass of fine wine in a nice company after a long work day.
Always good, sometimes excellent, sometimes pleasant, sometimes WOW, but ALWAYS good, always a RECOMMENDED READ.
I like his writing and I knew that I'm not alone here.
The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks is an entertaining mystery in Josh Lanyon's style. With some surprisingly new nuances. It has a very charming humour and lightness that I didn't meet all too often by him.
Well, I hope I could arouse your curiosity!
If you wonder, why I did not give a full stars rating - there were some issues like
A thrilling mystery with a right dose of a sweet romance.
I feel a relief and great happiness when I look at my Josh Lanyon's to-read list! I am not at the end of it, thanks God! Still I have to use these precious resources very sparingly. And not to forget, I can always start to re-read his books.
His prose is like a glass of fine wine in a nice company after a long work day.
Always good, sometimes excellent, sometimes pleasant, sometimes WOW, but ALWAYS good, always a RECOMMENDED READ.
I like his writing and I knew that I'm not alone here.
The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks is an entertaining mystery in Josh Lanyon's style. With some surprisingly new nuances. It has a very charming humour and lightness that I didn't meet all too often by him.
What do we have here?
* Nick Reno - a strong, very male character, former navy SEAL.
* Perry Foster - a delicate sensitive amateur painter.
* The unknown corpse in a bathtub that disappeared without a trace.
* The odd residents of the isolated Alton Estate full of old mysterious secrets.
* The ghost that wore yellow socks. But was there a ghost at all?
Well, I hope I could arouse your curiosity!
If you wonder, why I did not give a full stars rating - there were some issues like
A thrilling mystery with a right dose of a sweet romance.
November 18, 2021
The sequel disappointed, but still love this.
-- --
An old rambling house, eccentric characters, a disappearing body and a slow romance - I'm happy.
A good old-fashioned gothic-styled cosy, nodding to too many well loved authors to name.
Our damsel in distress is the unfortunate Perry, having a bad day even before the corpse appears, with added asthma. Our hero ex-navy SEAL Nick, man of action. Perry shows his share of brains, argueably better suited to detecting than brawny Nick. The two get together fairly late into the story, there's a good balance between that and the plot.
Whodunnit is predictable, but there's enough going on to keep it interesting. My kind of book. A tangle of motives, quirkyness, humour, comfort, sweetness, daring-do. Reminds me of all my old favourites.
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An old rambling house, eccentric characters, a disappearing body and a slow romance - I'm happy.
A good old-fashioned gothic-styled cosy, nodding to too many well loved authors to name.
Our damsel in distress is the unfortunate Perry, having a bad day even before the corpse appears, with added asthma. Our hero ex-navy SEAL Nick, man of action. Perry shows his share of brains, argueably better suited to detecting than brawny Nick. The two get together fairly late into the story, there's a good balance between that and the plot.
Whodunnit is predictable, but there's enough going on to keep it interesting. My kind of book. A tangle of motives, quirkyness, humour, comfort, sweetness, daring-do. Reminds me of all my old favourites.
November 19, 2013
4.5 stars of awesome Lanyon verbiage. Delicious. I eat this shit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sometimes even snacks. And it's low in carbs and high in sugar. Yum yum. Part of your well balanced diet.
What am I even talking about?
How am I allowed to write reviews?
This book was awesome and I really loved it. Love me some ex-SEAL and some cutie Bambi twink. Lie-kit.
What am I even talking about?
How am I allowed to write reviews?
This book was awesome and I really loved it. Love me some ex-SEAL and some cutie Bambi twink. Lie-kit.
October 20, 2014
Perry, Perry Perry! My favorite Josh Lanyon character. This had been my favorite Josh Lanyon book but I recenlty read The Parting Glass and it moved to #1.
I still love you Perry!
I still love you Perry!
May 16, 2024
Story: 4 Stars
Audio: 3.5 Stars
Plot was good.. very Agatha-Christie-like with all suspects under a single roof and murders happening.. 😱 I also enjoyed the slow burn romance between the 2 MCs.. adored Perry.. liked Nick.. ❤️❤️ And although the narrator did a fairly good job of doing so many different voices for all the characters; his voice for Nick was very jarring and unappealing 🙄 But overall, it was a good book, recommend it!! ❤️
Audio: 3.5 Stars
Plot was good.. very Agatha-Christie-like with all suspects under a single roof and murders happening.. 😱 I also enjoyed the slow burn romance between the 2 MCs.. adored Perry.. liked Nick.. ❤️❤️ And although the narrator did a fairly good job of doing so many different voices for all the characters; his voice for Nick was very jarring and unappealing 🙄 But overall, it was a good book, recommend it!! ❤️
September 30, 2020
I really enjoyed this book.
The focus of this story is the mystery, and there is plenty of that going on. As well as the main mystery there are a few side ones going on too.
The cast is a rag tag of people all with there own little secrets.
Perry is a wonderful character. He is both sweet and innocent, yet strong and sure of himself.
Nick is strong and gruff, with a heart that’s soft as butter, but he hides it so well lol.
This is a very slow romance. Our hero’s don’t really get together until much later in the book, although the spark of attraction is there from the beginning. There is also minimal sex on page, ( a plus for me lol). But the build up between Perry and Nick, mixed in with the excitement of the mystery worked very well for me.
I did at times feel like I was reading a story set back in time. The apartments setting felt more like an old fashioned boarding house, and Perry could easily of fit in that time period. Nick on the other hand is a purely modern man lol.
A great book for those that looking for a story that happens to have gay leads, rather than a gay couple that has a slight story lol.
ETA Still as enjoyable as the first time around.
I only wish the sequel was out already, I need more of Nick and Perry
ETA Loved catching up with these two, I just wish Nick didn't sound like a homophobe at the beginning.
The focus of this story is the mystery, and there is plenty of that going on. As well as the main mystery there are a few side ones going on too.
The cast is a rag tag of people all with there own little secrets.
Perry is a wonderful character. He is both sweet and innocent, yet strong and sure of himself.
Nick is strong and gruff, with a heart that’s soft as butter, but he hides it so well lol.
This is a very slow romance. Our hero’s don’t really get together until much later in the book, although the spark of attraction is there from the beginning. There is also minimal sex on page, ( a plus for me lol). But the build up between Perry and Nick, mixed in with the excitement of the mystery worked very well for me.
I did at times feel like I was reading a story set back in time. The apartments setting felt more like an old fashioned boarding house, and Perry could easily of fit in that time period. Nick on the other hand is a purely modern man lol.
A great book for those that looking for a story that happens to have gay leads, rather than a gay couple that has a slight story lol.
ETA Still as enjoyable as the first time around.
I only wish the sequel was out already, I need more of Nick and Perry
ETA Loved catching up with these two, I just wish Nick didn't sound like a homophobe at the beginning.
January 3, 2015
Josh Lanyon is going down.
No, wait, that sounds bad.
In my eyes. He's going down in my eyes. Because I used to think he was a literary demigod descended upon the world of M/M to make it a brighter place, but nah.
This is not a bad book, don't get me wrong. I was my first JL, and there are reasons why I loved it.
Like the fact that the MC is an adorable fluffnugget. Okay, he's a little clingy, he's a little dramatic, and he has a natural inclination towards hero worship, but we're all flawed.
Oh, and the love interest, the hot SEAL. Who is hot. And an ex-SEAL. And astonishingly disrespectful towards mentally frail little old ladies, and quite judgmental of slim young painters, but as I said: we're all flawed.
Wait, why did I love it?
The mystery is uninspiring, the dialogue is stilted, and the secondary characters are colourful but barely sketched.
And tbh I don't feel like wasting my time on a more in-depth review, because here's the thing: I read it once, when I was young and inexperienced, and I loved it; I read it again - in a more worldly and traveled mindset, if you will - and I'm too emotionally attached to it to defile it properly. (Or give it the rating it deserves.)
So yes, the discrepancies and repetitions and general need of tightening up disappointed me, but dang it, I'm not going to think about it, because it was a good thing for me years ago, and I want it to (sorta kinda maybe) stay that way.
No, wait, that sounds bad.
In my eyes. He's going down in my eyes. Because I used to think he was a literary demigod descended upon the world of M/M to make it a brighter place, but nah.
This is not a bad book, don't get me wrong. I was my first JL, and there are reasons why I loved it.
Like the fact that the MC is an adorable fluffnugget. Okay, he's a little clingy, he's a little dramatic, and he has a natural inclination towards hero worship, but we're all flawed.
Oh, and the love interest, the hot SEAL. Who is hot. And an ex-SEAL. And astonishingly disrespectful towards mentally frail little old ladies, and quite judgmental of slim young painters, but as I said: we're all flawed.
Wait, why did I love it?
The mystery is uninspiring, the dialogue is stilted, and the secondary characters are colourful but barely sketched.
And tbh I don't feel like wasting my time on a more in-depth review, because here's the thing: I read it once, when I was young and inexperienced, and I loved it; I read it again - in a more worldly and traveled mindset, if you will - and I'm too emotionally attached to it to defile it properly. (Or give it the rating it deserves.)
So yes, the discrepancies and repetitions and general need of tightening up disappointed me, but dang it, I'm not going to think about it, because it was a good thing for me years ago, and I want it to (sorta kinda maybe) stay that way.
June 11, 2018
Overall book rating: 4
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 2
Yeah. I liked it. Another interesting murder/mystery and a hunky Seal to boot? What’s not to like?
I liked both MC’s. Perry with his asthma and his very “sheltered” upbringing. He’s young, and scared, but somehow innocent without being “pathetic”.
Nick. Yes!! He’s coming to terms with a few things in his own life. Decisions he made when he was young that didn’t turn out to have been the best. Chances he took that cost him his job.
Nick is looking to start fresh and Perry is not on his list of things to add. But he can’t seem to let the “kid” fend for himself.
I found the mystery interesting and something else. Not to heavy even though dead bodies do turn up.
Nice little read.
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 2
Yeah. I liked it. Another interesting murder/mystery and a hunky Seal to boot? What’s not to like?
I liked both MC’s. Perry with his asthma and his very “sheltered” upbringing. He’s young, and scared, but somehow innocent without being “pathetic”.
Nick. Yes!! He’s coming to terms with a few things in his own life. Decisions he made when he was young that didn’t turn out to have been the best. Chances he took that cost him his job.
Nick is looking to start fresh and Perry is not on his list of things to add. But he can’t seem to let the “kid” fend for himself.
I found the mystery interesting and something else. Not to heavy even though dead bodies do turn up.
Nice little read.
May 25, 2012
Moss really wanted me to try this author, but somehow I ended up adding each book she reviewed to my tbr, and it was Michelle's review of this that convinced me to actually read a Josh Lanyon. That and how much I liked the sample. The opening chapter really shows off what was best about this book. Perry's cuteness and sense of humor while dealing with murder and mayhem, the creepiness of the house and the wackiness of the neighbors.
Michelle raved about how cute Perry and Nick were, and they were. I really liked them both as a character, they were well-developed and nice people, and attraction between them built nicely. They just didn't make my heart flutter.
Maybe too much time went to the murder mystery instead of the romance (which is one of the main reason I don't like romantic-suspense novels; there's never enough time to convincingly create a relationship.), and it probably didn't help that I guessed right who the culprit was. There was a lot of weirdness with the neighbors, and I feel Lanyon overdid that aspect of th story. I did love the atmosphere though. It had this delicious film-noir flavor to it, with the creepy house, the Prohibition, the old missing mob loot. I adored that, and it's really what kept the suspense plot interesting to me.
So the suspense was ok, but that still didn't make me feel the romance. I could see and believe the attraction between them, but there was a certain amount of sizzle and feeling missing. Because that seemed to be missing, the happy ending felt a bit pasted on and unreal. Like there was a chapter missing.
I want emotion in my romance damn it!
So the end result of my fist Lanyon novel? Great, atmospheric writing and good character development. This particular story, cute, very cute, but could have been a bit more romance heavy.
Michelle raved about how cute Perry and Nick were, and they were. I really liked them both as a character, they were well-developed and nice people, and attraction between them built nicely. They just didn't make my heart flutter.
Maybe too much time went to the murder mystery instead of the romance (which is one of the main reason I don't like romantic-suspense novels; there's never enough time to convincingly create a relationship.), and it probably didn't help that I guessed right who the culprit was. There was a lot of weirdness with the neighbors, and I feel Lanyon overdid that aspect of th story. I did love the atmosphere though. It had this delicious film-noir flavor to it, with the creepy house, the Prohibition, the old missing mob loot. I adored that, and it's really what kept the suspense plot interesting to me.
So the suspense was ok, but that still didn't make me feel the romance. I could see and believe the attraction between them, but there was a certain amount of sizzle and feeling missing. Because that seemed to be missing, the happy ending felt a bit pasted on and unreal. Like there was a chapter missing.
I want emotion in my romance damn it!
So the end result of my fist Lanyon novel? Great, atmospheric writing and good character development. This particular story, cute, very cute, but could have been a bit more romance heavy.
December 8, 2020
Perry was surprising me left and right. I thought he is this innocent, naive kid. A damsel in distress. He did need saving a few times, but he is far from being helpless. And who could resist those bambi eyes. Not Nick :) I could so clearly imagine it. And there was plenty of spark between these two.
Liked it.
Liked it.
July 17, 2019
2019 review
I enjoyed this more this time around. Maybe because I know there is a sequel or maybe I am now able to appreciate real writing. Regardless, I really loved this. I am such a super fan of JL and am always excited to her books, no matter what it's about.
The mystery around the body in the tub, the mystery of the home and the original owners. Then the relationship between Perry and Nick. Sigh. So cute. If you didn't know they were going to get together, their beginning would not give you any hints. JL makes me guess will they or won't they make it, even though they always do. JL can make me question that in the best way. Tension and romance, such a dynamic mix! Highly recommend and I can't wait to read book 2. Bumping to 4.25 stars.
2016 review
It was cute. I see that there will be a sequel, and I am totally looking forward to that! This book ended just as the good stuff got started, the relationship! I hope the sequel gives more details. But this book is a great start. I am detecting a theme in Josh's writing (where half of the MM couple is gay and doesn't try to hide it, and the other half is not happy about the fact they are gay and was/is involved with a woman).
I enjoyed the mystery, the romance was sweet, and I can't wait to read some more.
I enjoyed this more this time around. Maybe because I know there is a sequel or maybe I am now able to appreciate real writing. Regardless, I really loved this. I am such a super fan of JL and am always excited to her books, no matter what it's about.
The mystery around the body in the tub, the mystery of the home and the original owners. Then the relationship between Perry and Nick. Sigh. So cute. If you didn't know they were going to get together, their beginning would not give you any hints. JL makes me guess will they or won't they make it, even though they always do. JL can make me question that in the best way. Tension and romance, such a dynamic mix! Highly recommend and I can't wait to read book 2. Bumping to 4.25 stars.
2016 review
It was cute. I see that there will be a sequel, and I am totally looking forward to that! This book ended just as the good stuff got started, the relationship! I hope the sequel gives more details. But this book is a great start. I am detecting a theme in Josh's writing (where half of the MM couple is gay and doesn't try to hide it, and the other half is not happy about the fact they are gay and was/is involved with a woman).
I enjoyed the mystery, the romance was sweet, and I can't wait to read some more.
July 17, 2014
Re-read this, as I am fan-girling on Josh Lanyon currently, and this book was one of my very first m/m-romances--read as a paperback, no less. If you enter the fray on such a fare it is no wonder that the sights get set high.
In hindsight I agree that Josh was still channelling a bit too much Chandler and not enough Lanyon with this, but I can't be bothered to give it any lesser rating. I might prefer the easy Lanyon prose of e.g. The Dark Farewell, but this one gets way over 5 stars already on it's so satisfying length alone.
I appreciated Lanyon writing a twink here, showing how a fellow gay man, a "real man" gets more or less strung up by his own devices and prejudices, and as ever his believable and clever rendering of male emotions and kindling of love. Lanyon so easily straddles this which eludes so many other m/m authors that it is a pure pleasure to read.
And as always: plot and mystery also are a pleasure to read, and I'm enough of a dofus that I most times, thus also here, don't guess the culprit in advance. A classical whodunnit with a fantastic opening.
In hindsight I agree that Josh was still channelling a bit too much Chandler and not enough Lanyon with this, but I can't be bothered to give it any lesser rating. I might prefer the easy Lanyon prose of e.g. The Dark Farewell, but this one gets way over 5 stars already on it's so satisfying length alone.
I appreciated Lanyon writing a twink here, showing how a fellow gay man, a "real man" gets more or less strung up by his own devices and prejudices, and as ever his believable and clever rendering of male emotions and kindling of love. Lanyon so easily straddles this which eludes so many other m/m authors that it is a pure pleasure to read.
And as always: plot and mystery also are a pleasure to read, and I'm enough of a dofus that I most times, thus also here, don't guess the culprit in advance. A classical whodunnit with a fantastic opening.
May 24, 2012
That was great, up there with Lanyon's "Adrien English Mysteries" and "Snowball in Hell". I love those closed-societies, who-dun-it mysteries. And this one was all that and more, with the old house and secret passages and peeping Toms and crazy old ladies... And I also loved Nick and Perry and the way they got together, that it was Perry who showed a real backbone in the end and didn't allow Nick to just walk away. Awesome!
August 27, 2018
I've read this one a few times. I love all the zany characters, and Perry may be naive, but he's smart and determined. Nick is a tough guy with a soft heart. A fun read and reread for sure.
May 24, 2012
Omg, let me just say that I love Perry. He's so cute with his asthma and his bambi eyes that I want to kidnap him and if Nick wants to come find Perry, that's cool because I want Nick, too!! Lol
Perry comes home after his trip to San Fran was cut short only to find a dead man in his bathtub. Racing downstairs, he runs straight into Nick, his neighbor and ex-Navy SEAL. When Nick goes to check out Perry's apartment, there's no dead body but some odd evidence. The evidence, however, is gone when the cops arrive and from then on weird things start happening to Perry that makes him the prime suspect in another murder. The cops aren't taking Perry seriously, though, so Perry and Nick take it upon themselves to find the killer and in the process find some very interesting things, murder related and intimately related.
Definitely a great book. The dynamic between Nick and Perry was very interesting. Nick's feelings for Perry but his reluctance to do anything with the younger man made me want to reach through my kindle screen and smack him a few times but he eventually comes to his senses. I had my suspicions on who the killer was from the beginning and I was right. Still, I couldn't put this book down and I hope someday there will be a sequel to Perry and Nick and whether or not their relationship strives a few months or years down the road. Two thumbs up!
Perry comes home after his trip to San Fran was cut short only to find a dead man in his bathtub. Racing downstairs, he runs straight into Nick, his neighbor and ex-Navy SEAL. When Nick goes to check out Perry's apartment, there's no dead body but some odd evidence. The evidence, however, is gone when the cops arrive and from then on weird things start happening to Perry that makes him the prime suspect in another murder. The cops aren't taking Perry seriously, though, so Perry and Nick take it upon themselves to find the killer and in the process find some very interesting things, murder related and intimately related.
Definitely a great book. The dynamic between Nick and Perry was very interesting. Nick's feelings for Perry but his reluctance to do anything with the younger man made me want to reach through my kindle screen and smack him a few times but he eventually comes to his senses. I had my suspicions on who the killer was from the beginning and I was right. Still, I couldn't put this book down and I hope someday there will be a sequel to Perry and Nick and whether or not their relationship strives a few months or years down the road. Two thumbs up!
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