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Theatre of Shadows #1
Drop Dead Gorgeous
A beautiful stripper. A hard-boiled cop. A killer who turns murder into art.
Ash Hunter is trouble wrapped in smoke and sin—a dancer with a shadowy past and a face to die for. When police find him beside his ex-lover’s mutilated corpse, he becomes the prime suspect in a string of murders haunting Calgrave’s rain-slick streets. What’s worse, he starts dreaming the crimes... through the killer’s eyes.
Detective Rick Slade has spent years keeping his distance—from people, from desire, from the wolf beneath his skin that rises with every full moon. But when the case leads him to Ash, every instinct bristles: the kid is reckless, gorgeous, impossible... and the only link Rick has to a killer who carves faces like art.
Bound by necessity and a pull neither wants to admit, Ash and Rick are drawn into a deadly game of obsession, secrets, and dangerous revelations. In a city where monsters wear human skin, learning to trust each other might be their only chance to survive—if something far worse doesn’t wake first.
Steeped in the noir grit of dark alleys and smoky nightclubs, Drop Dead Gorgeous is a steamy MM romantic thriller for fans of supernatural detectives, morally messy men, and slow-burn heat that ignites into wildfire. Book one in the Theatre of Shadows series, blending murder mystery, paranormal suspense, and a whisper of cosmic dread, for readers who crave plot-heavy romance with teeth.
Mature audiences only (18+).
Ash Hunter is trouble wrapped in smoke and sin—a dancer with a shadowy past and a face to die for. When police find him beside his ex-lover’s mutilated corpse, he becomes the prime suspect in a string of murders haunting Calgrave’s rain-slick streets. What’s worse, he starts dreaming the crimes... through the killer’s eyes.
Detective Rick Slade has spent years keeping his distance—from people, from desire, from the wolf beneath his skin that rises with every full moon. But when the case leads him to Ash, every instinct bristles: the kid is reckless, gorgeous, impossible... and the only link Rick has to a killer who carves faces like art.
Bound by necessity and a pull neither wants to admit, Ash and Rick are drawn into a deadly game of obsession, secrets, and dangerous revelations. In a city where monsters wear human skin, learning to trust each other might be their only chance to survive—if something far worse doesn’t wake first.
Steeped in the noir grit of dark alleys and smoky nightclubs, Drop Dead Gorgeous is a steamy MM romantic thriller for fans of supernatural detectives, morally messy men, and slow-burn heat that ignites into wildfire. Book one in the Theatre of Shadows series, blending murder mystery, paranormal suspense, and a whisper of cosmic dread, for readers who crave plot-heavy romance with teeth.
Mature audiences only (18+).
482 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 28, 2025
About the author
S.H. Azanon
13 books85 followersSebastian Hayden Azanon is a worst-selling author of thrilling, emotionally charged MM romances steeped in smoke, shadows, and moonlight. He likes his smut extra spicy, full of complex characters, dangerous desires, and choices that only make sense after midnight. When not immersed in worlds of seduction and intrigue, he can be found hiking, working up a sweat at the gym, or arguing with his cat about life, the universe, and everything.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
March 16, 2026
This book is atmospheric with a capital A. Every paragraph drips with mood. Smoky clubs, dim alleys, and that deliciously gritty noir tone that makes the whole story feel like a supernatural detective film.
After recently reading classic noir from Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon) and Raymond Chandler (The Long Goodbye), I felt more than ready to dive into this gritty, noir-inspired world.
There will be slight spoilers going forward:
The writing itself is gorgeous. The prose is lyrical, full of vivid similes and analogies that constantly deepen the atmosphere. It’s moody, introspective, and unapologetically noir, complete with a hard-boiled detective who is totally wearing suspenders and a fedora while stalking the city’s shadows.
Ash Hunter (25) is chaos wrapped up in beauty and danger. By about 30% in he’s already slept with 4 different people, which feels authentic for a character whose sexuality is deeply connected to his supernatural nature.
He let their stares crown him, let their need lick at his skin, their lust carve a halo from the sweat on his six-pack.
Detective Rick Slade (38) recently divorced, is the perfect balance to Ash. Older, controlled, and simmering with animal instincts. The age gap works beautifully, especially with the massive size difference and the way Rick’s protective instincts kick in around Ash. Their dynamic moves from distrust to something far more primal.
Rick pressed his forehead to Ash’s shoulder blade, sweat cooling too fast, heart still hammering its claim. “You drive me out of my skin,” he whispered.
“Then stay inside mine,” Ash said softly…
The elemental, animalistic heat between them practically set my reader on fire. The intimacy scenes are intensely detailed and incredibly erotic, but what really worked were the quiet moments, the snuggling, nuzzling, scenting, and all of that mine, mine, mine energy.
Tropes/themes:
Police detective noir
Gay/mm romance
Pnr crime thriller
Werewolf/incubus
Detective/exotic dancer
Age gap (25/38)
Dislike-to-lovers
Supernatural soulmate
Serial killer
Morally messy characters
Plot-heavy pnr worldbuilding
Gotham-like vibes
Size difference
Possessive/claiming energy
Smoking hot intimacies
Slow-burn emotional connection
HFN
The crime plot is gruesome, a serial killer is literally stealing faces. The entire city has this gritty, almost Gotham-like feeling. Add in a Harley-riding incubus dancer, a werewolf detective driving a vintage ’67 Eldorado, and a cat named Poe, and the vibe is perfection.
If I had one complaint, it’s that the story leaves some character details vague. I wanted to know more about Rick’s divorce (from a woman), and how he processes being drawn to a man for the first time. Or was Ash his first experience?
At its core, this is a pnr crime noir with teeth. I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
A phenomenal recommendation, Dan! I’m still laughing how we each read the same story and came up with different theories.
After recently reading classic noir from Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon) and Raymond Chandler (The Long Goodbye), I felt more than ready to dive into this gritty, noir-inspired world.
There will be slight spoilers going forward:
The writing itself is gorgeous. The prose is lyrical, full of vivid similes and analogies that constantly deepen the atmosphere. It’s moody, introspective, and unapologetically noir, complete with a hard-boiled detective who is totally wearing suspenders and a fedora while stalking the city’s shadows.
Ash Hunter (25) is chaos wrapped up in beauty and danger. By about 30% in he’s already slept with 4 different people, which feels authentic for a character whose sexuality is deeply connected to his supernatural nature.
He let their stares crown him, let their need lick at his skin, their lust carve a halo from the sweat on his six-pack.
Detective Rick Slade (38) recently divorced, is the perfect balance to Ash. Older, controlled, and simmering with animal instincts. The age gap works beautifully, especially with the massive size difference and the way Rick’s protective instincts kick in around Ash. Their dynamic moves from distrust to something far more primal.
Rick pressed his forehead to Ash’s shoulder blade, sweat cooling too fast, heart still hammering its claim. “You drive me out of my skin,” he whispered.
“Then stay inside mine,” Ash said softly…
The elemental, animalistic heat between them practically set my reader on fire. The intimacy scenes are intensely detailed and incredibly erotic, but what really worked were the quiet moments, the snuggling, nuzzling, scenting, and all of that mine, mine, mine energy.
Tropes/themes:
Police detective noir
Gay/mm romance
Pnr crime thriller
Werewolf/incubus
Detective/exotic dancer
Age gap (25/38)
Dislike-to-lovers
Supernatural soulmate
Serial killer
Morally messy characters
Plot-heavy pnr worldbuilding
Gotham-like vibes
Size difference
Possessive/claiming energy
Smoking hot intimacies
Slow-burn emotional connection
HFN
The crime plot is gruesome, a serial killer is literally stealing faces. The entire city has this gritty, almost Gotham-like feeling. Add in a Harley-riding incubus dancer, a werewolf detective driving a vintage ’67 Eldorado, and a cat named Poe, and the vibe is perfection.
If I had one complaint, it’s that the story leaves some character details vague. I wanted to know more about Rick’s divorce (from a woman), and how he processes being drawn to a man for the first time. Or was Ash his first experience?
At its core, this is a pnr crime noir with teeth. I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
A phenomenal recommendation, Dan! I’m still laughing how we each read the same story and came up with different theories.
May 13, 2026
Stunning!
Oh man, what a terrific story. I’ll admit I struggled a bit because it drags on—or at least feels that way—but that might just be me.
As many reviews have already pointed out, the atmosphere and writing style are simply incredible. If you've seen Sin City and/or Max Payne and liked them, then this book will be right up your alley...
I love this dark, gritty, depraved city, and the equally complex, shadowy characters within it, just like its two main protagonists.
It takes a while before Rick and Ash get together and everything starts to fall into place; it was super exhausting getting to that point, but you’re soooo richly rewarded.
And I don’t just mean the sex scenes, which were super, super hot. Every interaction between the two of them is so… so… oh, nerve-wracking, tension-filled… Romantic? No, not really—if you’re looking for something sweet and fluffy, look elsewhere.
The murder mystery... top-notch. Bloody, suspenseful. Yeah, I had my suspicions from the villain’s first appearance, but it really isn’t obvious. It could be anyone, and I doubted my own suspicions right up until the end. Really good.
So, there’s no cliffhanger—thank goodness—but this is just the first adventure for our two heroes, and I’m really excited to see what comes next.
Calgrave wasn’t just a city. It was a winding, sprawling cathedral of shadows, Frankenstein’s monster stitched together from steel bones and concrete skin, half-drowned in fumes and regret. 🖤
The wrought-iron gates creaked open, hinges shrieking under decades of rust. Beyond them stretched an uneven cobblestone path, half-sunken and slick with moss, winding through a grove of cadaverous trees bowed inward by wind and time. Tangled brambles clutched at the lane’s edge, and blackbirds scattered from the crooked fence posts like startled omens. 🖤
His beauty didn’t sit right with the world around it. It didn’t belong in this room, in this time, under this lamp. His melancholy lit a raw nerve in Rick’s chest; a need to shield him, guard him from hurt. 🫠
The top button of his white shirt gave way, his collar parting enough for Ash to catch a glimpse of fur crowning his broad, muscular chest, a thicket of masculinity that made Ash’s mouth go dry. A pair of black suspenders framed his torso, taut against the stretch of those bulging pecs, the clips gleaming under the sterile light. 🤤
It wasn’t a kiss. It was an earthquake. A car crash. A goddamn supernova. Ash moaned into it, half-lost already, lips parting for the brutal crush of Rick’s mouth as their tongues tangled, sloppy and ravenous. His knees nearly gave out from the sheer need of it. 😳😳😳
Oh man, what a terrific story. I’ll admit I struggled a bit because it drags on—or at least feels that way—but that might just be me.
As many reviews have already pointed out, the atmosphere and writing style are simply incredible. If you've seen Sin City and/or Max Payne and liked them, then this book will be right up your alley...
I love this dark, gritty, depraved city, and the equally complex, shadowy characters within it, just like its two main protagonists.
It takes a while before Rick and Ash get together and everything starts to fall into place; it was super exhausting getting to that point, but you’re soooo richly rewarded.
And I don’t just mean the sex scenes, which were super, super hot. Every interaction between the two of them is so… so… oh, nerve-wracking, tension-filled… Romantic? No, not really—if you’re looking for something sweet and fluffy, look elsewhere.
The murder mystery... top-notch. Bloody, suspenseful. Yeah, I had my suspicions from the villain’s first appearance, but it really isn’t obvious. It could be anyone, and I doubted my own suspicions right up until the end. Really good.
So, there’s no cliffhanger—thank goodness—but this is just the first adventure for our two heroes, and I’m really excited to see what comes next.
Calgrave wasn’t just a city. It was a winding, sprawling cathedral of shadows, Frankenstein’s monster stitched together from steel bones and concrete skin, half-drowned in fumes and regret. 🖤
The wrought-iron gates creaked open, hinges shrieking under decades of rust. Beyond them stretched an uneven cobblestone path, half-sunken and slick with moss, winding through a grove of cadaverous trees bowed inward by wind and time. Tangled brambles clutched at the lane’s edge, and blackbirds scattered from the crooked fence posts like startled omens. 🖤
His beauty didn’t sit right with the world around it. It didn’t belong in this room, in this time, under this lamp. His melancholy lit a raw nerve in Rick’s chest; a need to shield him, guard him from hurt. 🫠
The top button of his white shirt gave way, his collar parting enough for Ash to catch a glimpse of fur crowning his broad, muscular chest, a thicket of masculinity that made Ash’s mouth go dry. A pair of black suspenders framed his torso, taut against the stretch of those bulging pecs, the clips gleaming under the sterile light. 🤤
It wasn’t a kiss. It was an earthquake. A car crash. A goddamn supernova. Ash moaned into it, half-lost already, lips parting for the brutal crush of Rick’s mouth as their tongues tangled, sloppy and ravenous. His knees nearly gave out from the sheer need of it. 😳😳😳
May 13, 2026
Arc Review: Drop Dead Gorgeous, Theatre of Shadows #1 by S.H. Azanon
MC:Ash (25) &Rick (38)
5⭐
Tropes & tags
Age Gap
Noir / Urban Fantasy
Detective/Exotic Dancer
Werewolf/Demon
Murder Mystery
Slow-Burn
Morally Grey MCs
Series Opener
S.H. Azanon brings us Lovecraft, Sin City and Gotham vibes and aesthetics and then throws werewolves, vampires, and demons into the mix. The city of Calgrave is drenched in rain, sleazy neon, jazz bars, and violence — a place where monsters wear human skin. The core premise? Ash Hunter is a beautiful, hard-to-read, smoky dancer caught beside his ex’s mutilated corpse as the prime suspect in a string of ritualistic murders. Worse — he’s dreaming the crimes through the killer’s eyes. Enter Detective Rick Slade: a fedora-wearing cop with a wolf beneath his skin, the only link to the monster they can’t yet name. Learning to trust each other might be their only chance to survive — if something far worse doesn’t wake first.
I’m completely addicted to this author. I’ve read short stories from Azanon before, but this full novel? Wow — just wow.
The writing is superb. This was a perfect series opener — I loved it. The prose feels gritty, cinematic, and rich in texture; I highlighted the hell out of this book. It’s heavy on description, but that’s a positive — it helps you see the rain-slick streets, feel the smoke in the clubs, and picture the clothing, body language, and presence of every character.
There’s a perfect balance between thriller, tension, sexy, hot, suspense, and mystery — open-ended enough that you know this is just the beginning of something much larger. The relationship build-up between Ash and Rick is slow burn with snarling tension, awkward, unspoken “no turns into yes,” and genuine magnetic pull.
It’s got:
• Monsters lurking and bodies arranged like art (sinister and symbolic).
• Detective grit and paranormal stakes.
• Side characters with depth and attitude.
• A soundtrack of jazz, Harley Davidsons, and Lincoln Eldorados — ultra-mood.
Let’s talk about sex — because this is steamy. These guys investigate and they fornicate 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵 A werewolf and an incubus? That’s all you need to know. Claiming, marking, “mine,” pure pleasure haze — this book doesn’t skip the heat. And you know supernaturals have insane stamina, so there’s definitely that 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
The pacing is great, too — the tension of the mystery never lets up, and the way Ash and Rick are drawn together feels earned, not rushed.
The last chapter was pure adrenaline. I was breathless. It leaves you right at the edge of the cliff, pacing and hungry for the next chapter. It's open ended , with a promise to so much more
Both MCs are strong, independent, and messed up in exactly the right ways — and their connection is balanced; they lift each other while also dragging each other deeper into a world full of shadows. They kick ass — and also fall into temptation hard.
Final thoughts:
This is the kind of book that grabs you from the first rainy street scene and doesn’t let go until long after you close the back cover. Dark, sexy, mysterious — and absolutely addictive. It’s exactly the kind of paranormal noir romance that makes me impatient for book two.
I received a copy of this book from GRR, and this is my honest review.
⚠️Content Warnings
No official list provided by the author — based on my own reading:
Description of murder scenes with gory details
MC uses sex to feed
Violence on page
Mention of prostitution to survive
Mention of hunger and living in the streets
Suicide off page of a side character
Kidnapping/ torture
❣️Book Safety & Content
Cheating: No
Other Person Drama: Yes. before they are a thing, Ash hookups on page 2 times and mentions other hookups. He is a sex demon so there’s that need to fill. After they are first intimate the opportunity for another hookup presents itself but Ash says no.
Sharing: No
Third-Act Breakup: No
Role Dynamics: Strict roles
POV: 3rd person (dual)
Format: Series
Ending: Open-ended
Angst Level: Low
Spice Level: Medium
Communication: Some miscommunication
Pining: Mutual
MC:Ash (25) &Rick (38)
5⭐
It wasn’t a kiss. It was an earthquake. A car crash. A goddamn supernova.
Tropes & tags
Age Gap
Noir / Urban Fantasy
Detective/Exotic Dancer
Werewolf/Demon
Murder Mystery
Slow-Burn
Morally Grey MCs
Series Opener
S.H. Azanon brings us Lovecraft, Sin City and Gotham vibes and aesthetics and then throws werewolves, vampires, and demons into the mix. The city of Calgrave is drenched in rain, sleazy neon, jazz bars, and violence — a place where monsters wear human skin. The core premise? Ash Hunter is a beautiful, hard-to-read, smoky dancer caught beside his ex’s mutilated corpse as the prime suspect in a string of ritualistic murders. Worse — he’s dreaming the crimes through the killer’s eyes. Enter Detective Rick Slade: a fedora-wearing cop with a wolf beneath his skin, the only link to the monster they can’t yet name. Learning to trust each other might be their only chance to survive — if something far worse doesn’t wake first.
I’m completely addicted to this author. I’ve read short stories from Azanon before, but this full novel? Wow — just wow.
The city did not stir. Calgrave, mistress of fog and filth, carried on, her gutters full of ghosts, her veins choked with rot. Somewhere far off, a siren rose like a bird with a broken wing. Somewhere nearer, laughter—drunken, lewd, alive.
But here? Only silence.
And the body with no face.
And the one who took it, already melting into shadow.”
The writing is superb. This was a perfect series opener — I loved it. The prose feels gritty, cinematic, and rich in texture; I highlighted the hell out of this book. It’s heavy on description, but that’s a positive — it helps you see the rain-slick streets, feel the smoke in the clubs, and picture the clothing, body language, and presence of every character.
There’s a perfect balance between thriller, tension, sexy, hot, suspense, and mystery — open-ended enough that you know this is just the beginning of something much larger. The relationship build-up between Ash and Rick is slow burn with snarling tension, awkward, unspoken “no turns into yes,” and genuine magnetic pull.
Ash lingered in the silence, cigarette smoldering between his fingers. Outside, the sky had shifted to pewter. […] Rain would fall soon. He glanced at the window, the slender towers glowing in the distance. That warmth inside him—low, slow-burning—hadn’t faded. If anything, it had settled deeper, behind the ribs. A spark he didn’t want to name.
It’s got:
• Monsters lurking and bodies arranged like art (sinister and symbolic).
• Detective grit and paranormal stakes.
• Side characters with depth and attitude.
• A soundtrack of jazz, Harley Davidsons, and Lincoln Eldorados — ultra-mood.
Let’s talk about sex — because this is steamy. These guys investigate and they fornicate 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵 A werewolf and an incubus? That’s all you need to know. Claiming, marking, “mine,” pure pleasure haze — this book doesn’t skip the heat. And you know supernaturals have insane stamina, so there’s definitely that 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
Heat. Tight. The body under him—mate. Ash.
Salt. Musk. Ash. His.
Mate. Claim. Mark.
Seed. Fill. Breed.
Perfect. Treasure. Home.
His.
Nothing else. Only mate. Only Ash.
The pacing is great, too — the tension of the mystery never lets up, and the way Ash and Rick are drawn together feels earned, not rushed.
The last chapter was pure adrenaline. I was breathless. It leaves you right at the edge of the cliff, pacing and hungry for the next chapter. It's open ended , with a promise to so much more
Both MCs are strong, independent, and messed up in exactly the right ways — and their connection is balanced; they lift each other while also dragging each other deeper into a world full of shadows. They kick ass — and also fall into temptation hard.
Final thoughts:
This is the kind of book that grabs you from the first rainy street scene and doesn’t let go until long after you close the back cover. Dark, sexy, mysterious — and absolutely addictive. It’s exactly the kind of paranormal noir romance that makes me impatient for book two.
“He took his hat off and stepped into the warmth, the door closing behind them with a soft, irrevocable click—one world fading, another quietly opening”
I received a copy of this book from GRR, and this is my honest review.
⚠️Content Warnings
No official list provided by the author — based on my own reading:
Description of murder scenes with gory details
MC uses sex to feed
Violence on page
Mention of prostitution to survive
Mention of hunger and living in the streets
Suicide off page of a side character
Kidnapping/ torture
❣️Book Safety & Content
Cheating: No
Other Person Drama: Yes. before they are a thing, Ash hookups on page 2 times and mentions other hookups. He is a sex demon so there’s that need to fill. After they are first intimate the opportunity for another hookup presents itself but Ash says no.
Sharing: No
Third-Act Breakup: No
Role Dynamics: Strict roles
POV: 3rd person (dual)
Format: Series
Ending: Open-ended
Angst Level: Low
Spice Level: Medium
Communication: Some miscommunication
Pining: Mutual
June 19, 2026
2.5 stars ...
Unpopular opinion ...
this just didn't work for me. 🤷♂️
ver·bos·ity
the fact or quality of using more
words than needed; wordiness
First of all,
WAY too many words ...
almost 500 pages ...
so skim🥱, skim🥱, skim🥱, ... 😴
Second,
I was here for the serial killer murder mystery.
Unfortunately, that was the secondary plot...
really more of a backdrop.
The primary focus (based on number of words)
is the relationship and smut.
So, if that's your objective,
and you're okay with verbosity,
you'll be happy.
I had to do a LOT of digging through
all the words to find the mystery
and, FINALLY, get it resolved.
The mystery is the only reason
I actually finished this one.
Sorry (*not sorry*), this author isn't for me. 😒
Unpopular opinion ...
this just didn't work for me. 🤷♂️
ver·bos·ity
the fact or quality of using more
words than needed; wordiness
First of all,
WAY too many words ...
almost 500 pages ...
so skim🥱, skim🥱, skim🥱, ... 😴
Second,
I was here for the serial killer murder mystery.
Unfortunately, that was the secondary plot...
really more of a backdrop.
The primary focus (based on number of words)
is the relationship and smut.
So, if that's your objective,
and you're okay with verbosity,
you'll be happy.
I had to do a LOT of digging through
all the words to find the mystery
and, FINALLY, get it resolved.
The mystery is the only reason
I actually finished this one.
Sorry (*not sorry*), this author isn't for me. 😒
January 1, 2026
Well, this was a first. I decided to DNF this at 29% but I was so disappointed because I enjoyed the other books I’ve read from this author. I decided to keep going so I skipped a tiny bit ahead past some extra stuff and then I relaxed into the story and a lot of the purple prose I struggled with at first gave way to a really good story. I’m very glad I key going. Was this perfect? No. It’s probably more of a 3 1/2 star but I’m rounding it up to 4 because it was the book I couldn’t give up on.
I do hope the next book is less on the over descriptions of the city and more on the bare bones. The book didn’t need so many facts about how every single part of the city was described. It was way too much. There is a great story underneath all of those extras.
This is not a typical romance, the MC’s are very flawed and one MC does sleep with others before the two hook up. But then that’s it, and given what you find out about said MC it makes sense.
I’m intrigued on where this story goes. There are plenty of potholes and some of this reads like an old gum shoe novel but it did hook me and that’s all that matters.
ARC received for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own
I do hope the next book is less on the over descriptions of the city and more on the bare bones. The book didn’t need so many facts about how every single part of the city was described. It was way too much. There is a great story underneath all of those extras.
This is not a typical romance, the MC’s are very flawed and one MC does sleep with others before the two hook up. But then that’s it, and given what you find out about said MC it makes sense.
I’m intrigued on where this story goes. There are plenty of potholes and some of this reads like an old gum shoe novel but it did hook me and that’s all that matters.
ARC received for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own
Did Not Finish
March 21, 2026***no rating***
dropped @10%
well damn, I really wanted to like it but I’m rarely patient enough to enjoy this kind of atmospheric and overdescriptive, lyrical writing. So far it distracted me more from the story than draw a vivid picture in my mind.
Maybe another time.
dropped @10%
well damn, I really wanted to like it but I’m rarely patient enough to enjoy this kind of atmospheric and overdescriptive, lyrical writing. So far it distracted me more from the story than draw a vivid picture in my mind.
Maybe another time.
January 1, 2026
Feeling hedonistic? Inside this book, you’ll find it all. Lush, lyrical prose that draws you in and invites you to linger, to soak in the beautiful horror of the mystery that unfolds in the pages, that encourages roots to spread from your fingertips into the story leaving you forever connected. Which is to say, I was completely blown away by this book. It was my introduction to this author and man, what an introduction.
The story has the feel of a detective noir with all the grit and slang but is clearly more modern and with a paranormal bent. The descriptions used and the inclusion of religion and mentions of cults really does a lot of work to draw in the reader and keep them riveted.
This isn’t an action-packed page turner, but all the same, I couldn’t stop reading (and I assure you, the tension and the action are there, it’s just not every page and in your face). I needed to know how the mystery would resolve, how the two main characters would eventually connect more than I needed sleep or anything else.
If you want a story to sink into, character with depth, and prose that wriggles into your soul, this is the book for you.
The story has the feel of a detective noir with all the grit and slang but is clearly more modern and with a paranormal bent. The descriptions used and the inclusion of religion and mentions of cults really does a lot of work to draw in the reader and keep them riveted.
This isn’t an action-packed page turner, but all the same, I couldn’t stop reading (and I assure you, the tension and the action are there, it’s just not every page and in your face). I needed to know how the mystery would resolve, how the two main characters would eventually connect more than I needed sleep or anything else.
If you want a story to sink into, character with depth, and prose that wriggles into your soul, this is the book for you.
February 5, 2026
Drop Dead Gorgeous by S.H. Azanon
Drop Dead Gorgeous (Theatre of Shadows, #1) is a dark, gripping paranormal thriller with rich romantic undertones that blends detective noir with supernatural suspense. The story centers on Ash Hunter, a captivating stripper with a shadowy past who becomes the prime suspect in a series of gruesome murders haunting the rain‑slick streets of Calgrave. As Ash starts experiencing the crimes through the killer’s perspective, he must evade law enforcement while confronting brutal truths about his own psyche. Enter Detective Rick Slade, a seasoned investigator with a volatile inner struggle, whose professional pursuit becomes complicated by a raw, slow‑burn attraction to Ash. Together, they’re drawn into a perilous game of obsession, secrets, and forbidden allure in a world where monsters wear human faces and the city itself feels alive with witchery.
What hooked me was how vividly Azanon paints Ash and Rick’s chemistry against Calgrave’s noir‑tinged streets, where every gritty alley and smoky club scene feels elemental to the tension and mystery; the setting really does act as a third character. While the narrative can lean into atmospheric description, it ultimately serves the haunting worldbuilding and deep emotional pull between the protagonists that kept me immersed.
4 out of 5: a brooding, addictive paranormal thriller with real heart.
Drop Dead Gorgeous (Theatre of Shadows, #1) is a dark, gripping paranormal thriller with rich romantic undertones that blends detective noir with supernatural suspense. The story centers on Ash Hunter, a captivating stripper with a shadowy past who becomes the prime suspect in a series of gruesome murders haunting the rain‑slick streets of Calgrave. As Ash starts experiencing the crimes through the killer’s perspective, he must evade law enforcement while confronting brutal truths about his own psyche. Enter Detective Rick Slade, a seasoned investigator with a volatile inner struggle, whose professional pursuit becomes complicated by a raw, slow‑burn attraction to Ash. Together, they’re drawn into a perilous game of obsession, secrets, and forbidden allure in a world where monsters wear human faces and the city itself feels alive with witchery.
What hooked me was how vividly Azanon paints Ash and Rick’s chemistry against Calgrave’s noir‑tinged streets, where every gritty alley and smoky club scene feels elemental to the tension and mystery; the setting really does act as a third character. While the narrative can lean into atmospheric description, it ultimately serves the haunting worldbuilding and deep emotional pull between the protagonists that kept me immersed.
4 out of 5: a brooding, addictive paranormal thriller with real heart.
January 6, 2026
This was a tough read for me. And not because of a hard to read topic or trope or anything like that but because of the writing.
I had to force myself to keep going multiple times and often thought about DNFing throughout the first third. Don’t get me wrong, not because of typos or some big mistakes but the writing was just too descriptive and LOOONG without doing anything for the plot. There were endless descriptions of everything! I skipped whole paragraphs and skimmed pages without missing out on important things. This was my first book by this author, so I didn’t know if this was a one-off or just their style. But it was exhausting to read.
That said, it’s I good setting - very noir, Gotham city meets Arkham. The plot was interesting once I got into it (which took ages). I think without all the unnecessary over-describing and some more depth it would’ve been a much more enjoyable reading experience. It still was interesting and entertaining and I want to know what will happen in future books.
I had to force myself to keep going multiple times and often thought about DNFing throughout the first third. Don’t get me wrong, not because of typos or some big mistakes but the writing was just too descriptive and LOOONG without doing anything for the plot. There were endless descriptions of everything! I skipped whole paragraphs and skimmed pages without missing out on important things. This was my first book by this author, so I didn’t know if this was a one-off or just their style. But it was exhausting to read.
That said, it’s I good setting - very noir, Gotham city meets Arkham. The plot was interesting once I got into it (which took ages). I think without all the unnecessary over-describing and some more depth it would’ve been a much more enjoyable reading experience. It still was interesting and entertaining and I want to know what will happen in future books.
December 30, 2025
I received a copy of this book from GRR, and this is my honest review.
What do you mean this book has a stripper × detective pairing, a murder mystery, mates, werewolf × incubus, and so much more? I literally ran to grab it.
S. H. Azanon was a new author to me, and I completely fell in love with Drop Dead Gorgeous. The writing was captivating and had me hooked from start to finish. Ash and Rick meet under difficult circumstances, but as their relationship slowly develops, they grow closer while working together to catch a serial killer on the loose. I absolutely adored their dynamic.
I'm so ready for the second book!!
What do you mean this book has a stripper × detective pairing, a murder mystery, mates, werewolf × incubus, and so much more? I literally ran to grab it.
S. H. Azanon was a new author to me, and I completely fell in love with Drop Dead Gorgeous. The writing was captivating and had me hooked from start to finish. Ash and Rick meet under difficult circumstances, but as their relationship slowly develops, they grow closer while working together to catch a serial killer on the loose. I absolutely adored their dynamic.
I'm so ready for the second book!!
January 8, 2026
Wow, that was a hell of a ride! This book is a paranormal crime noir, written in the style of a Hollywood noir film, with dark nights and rain soaked pavements. It’s set in Calgrave, a modern city in an alternate universe which mixes golden-age history with modern tech, and the supernatural stalk the streets. The writing will not be for everyone - it’s lyrical and filled with metaphor, but if you’re in the mood for something dark and different, this will hit the spot!
It follows Detective Rick Slade as he hunts down ‘The Sculptor’, a serial killer who is cutting off beautiful young men’s faces. He suffers from Lycanthropy, a rare genetic mutation which makes him an excellent cop - his hearing and smell miles above others’. Which is how he is sure that the beautiful exotic dancer who he finds crouched over one of the corpses isn’t the killer.
Ash Hunter is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s always been different, powerful, but when he begins to dream about the murders sweeping the city he doesn’t know what to think. But he does want to help the gruff, surly detective who might be the answer to all the questions he’s been asking about himself.
I really loved the way that Ash’s character is presented to the reader - he knows he is ‘other’ but he learns along with the reader what manner of monster he truly is. The crime was gruesome and I loved the twists and turns (although I did clock who I thought was behind it early on!) and it kept me interested up to the end.
The reason it loses a star for me was because although I did enjoy the lyrical writing, at times it was just too much, too over the top, and just pulled me out of the story. I felt it really dragged at points; imho this book could have been 100-150 shorter and packed a far harder punch. That being said, the worldbuilding was impeccable and it was one of the more unique books and premises I have read in a long time!
Read Drop Dead Gorgeous for:
✨ Paranormal Crime Noir
✨ Lyrical prose
✨ Police detective x exotic dancer
✨ Paranormals in love
✨ Serial killer stealing faces
✨ Gruesome and twisted
✨ Lots of spice, dislike to love
✨ Age gap (25 & 38)
Thank you to GRR for an ARC of this book. It’s available now! ✨
It follows Detective Rick Slade as he hunts down ‘The Sculptor’, a serial killer who is cutting off beautiful young men’s faces. He suffers from Lycanthropy, a rare genetic mutation which makes him an excellent cop - his hearing and smell miles above others’. Which is how he is sure that the beautiful exotic dancer who he finds crouched over one of the corpses isn’t the killer.
Ash Hunter is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s always been different, powerful, but when he begins to dream about the murders sweeping the city he doesn’t know what to think. But he does want to help the gruff, surly detective who might be the answer to all the questions he’s been asking about himself.
I really loved the way that Ash’s character is presented to the reader - he knows he is ‘other’ but he learns along with the reader what manner of monster he truly is. The crime was gruesome and I loved the twists and turns (although I did clock who I thought was behind it early on!) and it kept me interested up to the end.
The reason it loses a star for me was because although I did enjoy the lyrical writing, at times it was just too much, too over the top, and just pulled me out of the story. I felt it really dragged at points; imho this book could have been 100-150 shorter and packed a far harder punch. That being said, the worldbuilding was impeccable and it was one of the more unique books and premises I have read in a long time!
Read Drop Dead Gorgeous for:
✨ Paranormal Crime Noir
✨ Lyrical prose
✨ Police detective x exotic dancer
✨ Paranormals in love
✨ Serial killer stealing faces
✨ Gruesome and twisted
✨ Lots of spice, dislike to love
✨ Age gap (25 & 38)
Thank you to GRR for an ARC of this book. It’s available now! ✨
April 9, 2026
3.5 stars. I had a complicated reading experience with this book. On the one hand, it was very entertaining and the smut was A++. But on the other hand, it was one of the most try-hard pieces of fiction I have ever read in my life.
So it's set in a fictional city somewhere on the East Coast of the US called Calgrave; and this city, although seemingly present in the modern age, is stylistically stuck in the like the 40s or 50s. Instead of re-interpreting noir for modern sensibilities, the author just did copy/paste but with modern technology. So we have lots of art deco, fedora hats, trench coats and indoor smoking, and calling people 'dollface', but also smart phones and CCTV. In order to enjoy this stylistic choice, I had to read it with a really campy lens, because if I took it as seriously as it took itself, I would really have struggled to finish. What I am trying to say is that the writing was so pretentious it was cringey at times and there's not much humour to soften it, at least until I shifted my perspective to make it camp. It was also really over-written descriptively. Everything was a metaphor, everything smelled like an abstract concept. I understand that the author wanted to paint a very vivid picture of this weird, creepy city, but I found it bogging down the story quite a lot.
The actual plot was cool though. Our MCs are Rick, a hard-nosed detective with a supernatural secret on the hunt for a serial killer offing beautiful young men in awful ways; and then Ash, a peternaturally beautiful young man who lands on the police's radar for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The plot spools out with them joining forces to find the killer. These two have excellent chemistry and it bears repeating that the smut is filthy and insane, no complaints from me there. It's a long book that spans the space of week, so things move pretty fast in real time, but quite a bit slower in book time, so their relationship makes sense in that way. There were also lots of supernatural elements that I wasn't expecting, but really enjoyed.
In the end, I had fun with this book. It was a ripping read with a rushed, but satisfying ending. As I was nearing the end and things were not being resolved, I started panicking about a cliffhanger. But actually we get closure, although it's very open-ended. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series, but I'll just have to remind myself to be patient with the writing.
So it's set in a fictional city somewhere on the East Coast of the US called Calgrave; and this city, although seemingly present in the modern age, is stylistically stuck in the like the 40s or 50s. Instead of re-interpreting noir for modern sensibilities, the author just did copy/paste but with modern technology. So we have lots of art deco, fedora hats, trench coats and indoor smoking, and calling people 'dollface', but also smart phones and CCTV. In order to enjoy this stylistic choice, I had to read it with a really campy lens, because if I took it as seriously as it took itself, I would really have struggled to finish. What I am trying to say is that the writing was so pretentious it was cringey at times and there's not much humour to soften it, at least until I shifted my perspective to make it camp. It was also really over-written descriptively. Everything was a metaphor, everything smelled like an abstract concept. I understand that the author wanted to paint a very vivid picture of this weird, creepy city, but I found it bogging down the story quite a lot.
The actual plot was cool though. Our MCs are Rick, a hard-nosed detective with a supernatural secret on the hunt for a serial killer offing beautiful young men in awful ways; and then Ash, a peternaturally beautiful young man who lands on the police's radar for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The plot spools out with them joining forces to find the killer. These two have excellent chemistry and it bears repeating that the smut is filthy and insane, no complaints from me there. It's a long book that spans the space of week, so things move pretty fast in real time, but quite a bit slower in book time, so their relationship makes sense in that way. There were also lots of supernatural elements that I wasn't expecting, but really enjoyed.
In the end, I had fun with this book. It was a ripping read with a rushed, but satisfying ending. As I was nearing the end and things were not being resolved, I started panicking about a cliffhanger. But actually we get closure, although it's very open-ended. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series, but I'll just have to remind myself to be patient with the writing.
January 6, 2026
Captivated from the first page. Another new author for me. Looking forward to reading more from them in the future.
I loved both the innocence and seductiveness of Ash.
The control and passion displayed by Rick.
A dark noir mystery novel with murder, secrets, lies, and keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. You will need to read to see the twists and turns.
Looking forward to the next book!
I loved both the innocence and seductiveness of Ash.
The control and passion displayed by Rick.
A dark noir mystery novel with murder, secrets, lies, and keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. You will need to read to see the twists and turns.
Looking forward to the next book!
April 25, 2026
Like Old Time Noirs.
Interesting alt world with a 40s/50s noir style of writing or the vibe and wording of B&W movies of the same era. I expected Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, or should I say Philip Marlowe and Vivian Rutledge, to pop up. It’s also dystopian, Ash sees the police as corrupt, so maybe Gothamesque. However, this is also PNR. Definitely made for an interesting mashup.
Blog review at-
Interesting alt world with a 40s/50s noir style of writing or the vibe and wording of B&W movies of the same era. I expected Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, or should I say Philip Marlowe and Vivian Rutledge, to pop up. It’s also dystopian, Ash sees the police as corrupt, so maybe Gothamesque. However, this is also PNR. Definitely made for an interesting mashup.
Blog review at-
March 22, 2026
Toots, you can't handle the noir, *sultry jazz playing, smoking in a darkened room
December 29, 2025
Ok this was a lot more than I was expecting, I really enjoyed this book, there is a lot packed in. Bit of historical romance, a serial killer and the supernatural- sign me up. As usual Azanon’s language is vivid and beautiful and the mystery was honestly a lot of fun. This is a slow burnish maybe I can’t decide but it’s hot, the tension is fantastic and building intimacy between the MCs is stellar. The book spectacularly dials up the pace towards the end , speeding through, thrills action and comeuppance all collide for a massively fantastic satisfying finale. Loved it highly recommend .
January 23, 2026
This is hard to rate. I intentionally read this book quickly because the prose is so wordy.
by the end I was skimming a lot ...
it wasn't bad! I was entertained and the book certainly moved. but really hard to read.
by the end I was skimming a lot ...
it wasn't bad! I was entertained and the book certainly moved. but really hard to read.
January 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
I was simply not expecting to love this book as much as i did. The world-building in this book was so in-depth and captivating that it felt like i was sucked into a gritty old-school detective flick, i mean the main character literally wears a fedora and suspenders; it is a cliche in a way that is entertaining and sucks you in and then you add in the paranormal aspect with vampires and werewolves and demons and everything works so well together. Ash and Rick were great characters; not only did i love them together but i also loved them as a couple. The plot and the crime aspect were also really good; i truly was invested and wanted to figure out what was happening and i will say that i was actually surprised by the outcome. Overall i will definitely be coming back to this series and this author.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
I was simply not expecting to love this book as much as i did. The world-building in this book was so in-depth and captivating that it felt like i was sucked into a gritty old-school detective flick, i mean the main character literally wears a fedora and suspenders; it is a cliche in a way that is entertaining and sucks you in and then you add in the paranormal aspect with vampires and werewolves and demons and everything works so well together. Ash and Rick were great characters; not only did i love them together but i also loved them as a couple. The plot and the crime aspect were also really good; i truly was invested and wanted to figure out what was happening and i will say that i was actually surprised by the outcome. Overall i will definitely be coming back to this series and this author.
January 7, 2026
Intriguing
The blurb hooked me but the writing kept me turning the pages.
This has amazing world building, great characters with sizzling chemistry and a tight mystery.
The writing style is reminiscent of old school noir films with Ash in the role of the secretive femme fatale and Rick the hard boiled, suspicious detective and a vibrant city teeming with seemingly innocuous characters and danger lurking around every corner.
The blurb hooked me but the writing kept me turning the pages.
This has amazing world building, great characters with sizzling chemistry and a tight mystery.
The writing style is reminiscent of old school noir films with Ash in the role of the secretive femme fatale and Rick the hard boiled, suspicious detective and a vibrant city teeming with seemingly innocuous characters and danger lurking around every corner.
January 11, 2026
Where has this author been?
I don’t know why I have never come across or been recommended to read a book by S.H. Azanon because I absolutely adored this book. Dancer Ash Hunter and detective Rick Slade clash as much as they are attracted to each other. It’s written as if it’s set in an old 1940’s hardboiled detective novel, but set in a fictional town of Calgrave in “modern” day. I love the way Azanon blithely mixes totally anachronistic elements like cell phones with people smoking. It’s like he just decided to pick and choose the elements that he wanted in his book and ignored reality. But isn’t that what you can do in fiction? I must admit that people lighting up made me wonder, but then I realized that he was taking the original genre and transplanting it.
The whole mystery is marvelous and the world building is hung around this in a terrific way. By this I mean that the world building doesn’t just happen as an explanation at the beginning, but is throughout the whole book with elements dropped in like teasers from beginning to end. I haven’t even gotten to the two main characters much and they are so well developed and so much fun to watch as they slowly develop a relationship. Definitely there is an immediate attraction, but they don’t even like each other to begin with and are on opposite sides of the law.
I want to keep gushing, but I don’t like long reviews so I will just encourage you to read this, but only if you like dark romance. I hope that this is just the beginning of a long long series.
I don’t know why I have never come across or been recommended to read a book by S.H. Azanon because I absolutely adored this book. Dancer Ash Hunter and detective Rick Slade clash as much as they are attracted to each other. It’s written as if it’s set in an old 1940’s hardboiled detective novel, but set in a fictional town of Calgrave in “modern” day. I love the way Azanon blithely mixes totally anachronistic elements like cell phones with people smoking. It’s like he just decided to pick and choose the elements that he wanted in his book and ignored reality. But isn’t that what you can do in fiction? I must admit that people lighting up made me wonder, but then I realized that he was taking the original genre and transplanting it.
The whole mystery is marvelous and the world building is hung around this in a terrific way. By this I mean that the world building doesn’t just happen as an explanation at the beginning, but is throughout the whole book with elements dropped in like teasers from beginning to end. I haven’t even gotten to the two main characters much and they are so well developed and so much fun to watch as they slowly develop a relationship. Definitely there is an immediate attraction, but they don’t even like each other to begin with and are on opposite sides of the law.
I want to keep gushing, but I don’t like long reviews so I will just encourage you to read this, but only if you like dark romance. I hope that this is just the beginning of a long long series.
Did Not Finish
April 24, 2026I really really wanted to keep reading but the overly lyrical writing and over use of descriptions just killed it for me
January 12, 2026
I'm so sorry this was not my thing. Although the main characters were interesting, and the plot was intriguing, the narrative style was not for me. Too verbose, never ending descriptions which made the pace soooooo slow... In ended skipping page after page in order to find something going on…
Too bad
Too bad
February 3, 2026
“The sound of a wound trying to remember how to bleed.”
It was going for Gotham vibes and dramatic and poetic writing but it was over the top. Everything that was described was “brooding.” You know how they say authors should show and not tell? This was all tell.
I didn’t even really like any of the characters, and I knew who it was immediately, so I wasn’t pulled in.
It was going for Gotham vibes and dramatic and poetic writing but it was over the top. Everything that was described was “brooding.” You know how they say authors should show and not tell? This was all tell.
I didn’t even really like any of the characters, and I knew who it was immediately, so I wasn’t pulled in.
January 14, 2026
had the potential to be an extremely good book but the pacing was off and the writing wasn't for me
January 10, 2026
Hearing that one of my favorite new authors was writing a paranormal M/M thriller sent my expectations straight into the stratosphere—but actually reading the book? It knocked me flat, carved me open, and stitched me back together into something new. This one doesn’t just deliver; it seduces, devastates, and leaves scorch marks.
“People talk about love like it’s salvation, but no one ever says how much of it is just two wounds pressed together, hoping not to bleed out alone.”
Drop Dead Gorgeous is lush, shadow-drenched, and unapologetically pulpy, steeped in the lineage of classic film noir and detective fiction. You can hear the echoes of Chandler’s cynicism, Lovecraft’s cosmic unease, Nabokov’s lyrical precision, and Harris’s controlled menace—but the voice is unmistakably Azanon’s. The prose is vivid and baroque in the best sense: opulent without tipping into purple, sensual without self-indulgence, slangy and razor-sharp when the blade needs to come out. Azanon’s language is richly tactile, sensory, and full of lavish, evocative metaphors, activating sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch with masterful skill. Every sentence feels deliberate, charged, and alive, carrying that rare, timeless magic that stays with you long after the final page.
The world-building is phenomenal. Calgrave isn’t just a setting—it’s a living, breathing organism that functions as a character in its own right: predatory, monumental, and impossible to escape. How can a poor demon or a werewolf hope to compete with its eternally damp streets, buzzing neon signs, looming Art Deco skyscrapers, and the rot that seeps through the glamour? The meticulously crafted districts feel steeped in history, corruption, and secrets older than the narrative itself. This is Gotham-like urban decay filtered through a modern, queer lens and rendered with astonishing texture. The city carries old sins in its bones, old violence in its architecture, old mysteries ground into the pavement. It watches. It hungers. It remembers.
“Calgrave wasn’t just a city. It was a winding, sprawling cathedral of shadows, Frankenstein’s monster stitched together from steel bones and concrete skin, half-drowned in fumes and regret. A metropolis in drag, wearing too many faces.”
And the characters… God. Ash is beautiful and damaged, “an Adonis with a broken heart,” all bravado and deflection, with a raw vulnerability that feels achingly personal. Rick, meanwhile, is everything I want in a hard-boiled detective: cynical, conflicted, quietly dangerous, and carrying more depth than he lets on, “all broad shoulders and storm-gray eyes, with a jaw you could break your morals on.” Their chemistry doesn’t just simmer—it smolders. The slow burn is exquisite, loaded with restraint, tension, and longing that hurts in all the right places. And when it finally ignites? Scorching. Hell, I needed a cigarette afterward, and I don’t even smoke.
The mystery unfolds with confidence and control, layering clues, dread, and revelation at a pitch-perfect pace. The red herrings were pretty effective; I wasn’t sure about the killer (though in hindsight, the hints were there the whole time). The paranormal elements are handled with intelligence and subtlety: familiar enough to anchor you, strange enough to unsettle. There’s a deeper mythology humming just out of reach, and the book is smart enough not to dump it all at once. This story trusts its reader. It lets silences speak. It allows desire, fear, and obsession to bleed into one another until the boundaries blur in ways that feel earned, intimate, and profoundly human.
“In Calgrave, he had seen too much: greed twisting men hollow, love curdling into spite, hunger driving knives into ribs. A town where good and evil weren’t absolutes, only lies in different suits. He remembered something he’d read once, words that had haunted him since: man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is. It rang true here. People wore masks, masks over masks, until they forgot which face was theirs. Strip them down, and what you found wasn’t truth—just another mask.”
For me, this story didn’t end—I stumbled out of it dazed, overheated, emotionally wrecked, and already desperate for the next hit. I want to live in this world. I want to follow these characters anywhere, no matter how dark it gets. I want answers I’m not sure I’m prepared to face. I’m obsessed, and I will be chasing the high of this book for a long, long time.
“People talk about love like it’s salvation, but no one ever says how much of it is just two wounds pressed together, hoping not to bleed out alone.”
Drop Dead Gorgeous is lush, shadow-drenched, and unapologetically pulpy, steeped in the lineage of classic film noir and detective fiction. You can hear the echoes of Chandler’s cynicism, Lovecraft’s cosmic unease, Nabokov’s lyrical precision, and Harris’s controlled menace—but the voice is unmistakably Azanon’s. The prose is vivid and baroque in the best sense: opulent without tipping into purple, sensual without self-indulgence, slangy and razor-sharp when the blade needs to come out. Azanon’s language is richly tactile, sensory, and full of lavish, evocative metaphors, activating sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch with masterful skill. Every sentence feels deliberate, charged, and alive, carrying that rare, timeless magic that stays with you long after the final page.
The world-building is phenomenal. Calgrave isn’t just a setting—it’s a living, breathing organism that functions as a character in its own right: predatory, monumental, and impossible to escape. How can a poor demon or a werewolf hope to compete with its eternally damp streets, buzzing neon signs, looming Art Deco skyscrapers, and the rot that seeps through the glamour? The meticulously crafted districts feel steeped in history, corruption, and secrets older than the narrative itself. This is Gotham-like urban decay filtered through a modern, queer lens and rendered with astonishing texture. The city carries old sins in its bones, old violence in its architecture, old mysteries ground into the pavement. It watches. It hungers. It remembers.
“Calgrave wasn’t just a city. It was a winding, sprawling cathedral of shadows, Frankenstein’s monster stitched together from steel bones and concrete skin, half-drowned in fumes and regret. A metropolis in drag, wearing too many faces.”
And the characters… God. Ash is beautiful and damaged, “an Adonis with a broken heart,” all bravado and deflection, with a raw vulnerability that feels achingly personal. Rick, meanwhile, is everything I want in a hard-boiled detective: cynical, conflicted, quietly dangerous, and carrying more depth than he lets on, “all broad shoulders and storm-gray eyes, with a jaw you could break your morals on.” Their chemistry doesn’t just simmer—it smolders. The slow burn is exquisite, loaded with restraint, tension, and longing that hurts in all the right places. And when it finally ignites? Scorching. Hell, I needed a cigarette afterward, and I don’t even smoke.
The mystery unfolds with confidence and control, layering clues, dread, and revelation at a pitch-perfect pace. The red herrings were pretty effective; I wasn’t sure about the killer (though in hindsight, the hints were there the whole time). The paranormal elements are handled with intelligence and subtlety: familiar enough to anchor you, strange enough to unsettle. There’s a deeper mythology humming just out of reach, and the book is smart enough not to dump it all at once. This story trusts its reader. It lets silences speak. It allows desire, fear, and obsession to bleed into one another until the boundaries blur in ways that feel earned, intimate, and profoundly human.
“In Calgrave, he had seen too much: greed twisting men hollow, love curdling into spite, hunger driving knives into ribs. A town where good and evil weren’t absolutes, only lies in different suits. He remembered something he’d read once, words that had haunted him since: man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is. It rang true here. People wore masks, masks over masks, until they forgot which face was theirs. Strip them down, and what you found wasn’t truth—just another mask.”
For me, this story didn’t end—I stumbled out of it dazed, overheated, emotionally wrecked, and already desperate for the next hit. I want to live in this world. I want to follow these characters anywhere, no matter how dark it gets. I want answers I’m not sure I’m prepared to face. I’m obsessed, and I will be chasing the high of this book for a long, long time.
May 24, 2026
"The quest that had started with determination now felt like a marathon through quicksand".
It was not quite my experience, but close enough.
If you enjoyed this book, you probably don't want to go further in this review.
In this book, there's a lot of rain(78) and puddles(22); it's wet(89). There's also fog(41) and thunder(28). It's a world of shadow(134), silence(127) and whisper(67). Things are thick(85) (the air specifically), made of steel(45), silver(46) or velvet(35). Things are covered with rust(38) and rot(34). Things, like smoke(129) and jazz(15), tend to curl(90). Light is gray(49) when it's natural, and tends to filter through blinds(19), unless it's artificial, then it has an amber(19) glow(64) or it's just neon(30). There's a lot of cigarette(123). It's a world where everything is precise(29). Etc.
The numbers are the occurrences of each word, according to my kindle. Add all the synonyms and it's no wonder one feels like reading always the same pages again and again.
But there's worse, because the sentences are often built the same way. There are just too many verbless sentences, but also many constructions with parallelism between tangible things and concepts, like : "He caught the scent of espresso, hairspray, and decadence..." or "... through a haze of perfume and possibility" or "The house smelled of Pine-Sol and grief.". Etc.
Ideas also appear several times, like the dental hygiene obsession : "[Rick] pulled the battered toothbrush he kept for mornings like this." p. 85 and then p. 136 "[Ash] found the toothbrush he always carried for occasions like this."
The fabric of clothes also "whisper" 6 times when they slide on the skin. (p. 115, p. 135, p. 150, p. 229, p. 248, p. 435).
There are also quite a number of alliterations and assonances. Some of them are elegant, but some of them not quite: "glaring with those stormy eyes that glistened in the gloom." They became distracting.
And finally, I had to question the sense of some sentences.
For example, "Ash tasted of smoke and fruit and midnight", or "A hush of sorrow veiled behind those iridescent eyes, vast and arid as a desert at dusk." (at dusk?) or "... his coffee. It was as bitter as boot polish." or "She was so beautiful (...) with eyes like rivers after the storm." (muddy?) or "with a carnal precision". Etc.
That's why my attention was constantly taken away from the story. It was more like walking in circle in molasses than quicksand. I understand why some people think this is written with AI, because it is repetitive like algorithms.
If I add some personal tastes, like the fact that I didn't connect with the MCs, or that I wasn't convinced by their dialogues, or that I didn't like the dirty talk, or the unbalanced rythm, that explains why I wanted to DNF many times.
So, why did I keep reading? The characters were still interesting, especially thanks to the paranormal side, and some sentences were still quite nice to read. It also became a bit easier after 45 % when they get together.
But I don't want to read more of this. Editing means more than fixing orthography.
It was not quite my experience, but close enough.
If you enjoyed this book, you probably don't want to go further in this review.
In this book, there's a lot of rain(78) and puddles(22); it's wet(89). There's also fog(41) and thunder(28). It's a world of shadow(134), silence(127) and whisper(67). Things are thick(85) (the air specifically), made of steel(45), silver(46) or velvet(35). Things are covered with rust(38) and rot(34). Things, like smoke(129) and jazz(15), tend to curl(90). Light is gray(49) when it's natural, and tends to filter through blinds(19), unless it's artificial, then it has an amber(19) glow(64) or it's just neon(30). There's a lot of cigarette(123). It's a world where everything is precise(29). Etc.
The numbers are the occurrences of each word, according to my kindle. Add all the synonyms and it's no wonder one feels like reading always the same pages again and again.
But there's worse, because the sentences are often built the same way. There are just too many verbless sentences, but also many constructions with parallelism between tangible things and concepts, like : "He caught the scent of espresso, hairspray, and decadence..." or "... through a haze of perfume and possibility" or "The house smelled of Pine-Sol and grief.". Etc.
Ideas also appear several times, like the dental hygiene obsession : "[Rick] pulled the battered toothbrush he kept for mornings like this." p. 85 and then p. 136 "[Ash] found the toothbrush he always carried for occasions like this."
The fabric of clothes also "whisper" 6 times when they slide on the skin. (p. 115, p. 135, p. 150, p. 229, p. 248, p. 435).
There are also quite a number of alliterations and assonances. Some of them are elegant, but some of them not quite: "glaring with those stormy eyes that glistened in the gloom." They became distracting.
And finally, I had to question the sense of some sentences.
For example, "Ash tasted of smoke and fruit and midnight", or "A hush of sorrow veiled behind those iridescent eyes, vast and arid as a desert at dusk." (at dusk?) or "... his coffee. It was as bitter as boot polish." or "She was so beautiful (...) with eyes like rivers after the storm." (muddy?) or "with a carnal precision". Etc.
That's why my attention was constantly taken away from the story. It was more like walking in circle in molasses than quicksand. I understand why some people think this is written with AI, because it is repetitive like algorithms.
If I add some personal tastes, like the fact that I didn't connect with the MCs, or that I wasn't convinced by their dialogues, or that I didn't like the dirty talk, or the unbalanced rythm, that explains why I wanted to DNF many times.
So, why did I keep reading? The characters were still interesting, especially thanks to the paranormal side, and some sentences were still quite nice to read. It also became a bit easier after 45 % when they get together.
But I don't want to read more of this. Editing means more than fixing orthography.
January 9, 2026
3.75⭐️
I really enjoyed this. Rick and Ash are interesting characters for the archetypes they represent. Rick has the lycanthropy gene, and for him, it’s a curse. He has to be the cool, controlled detective bc passion and destruction run in his veins and can do immeasurable damage unchecked. Ash is the ultimate homme fatale. His beauty and pull are mesmerizing but can be deadly, and his past is littered with tragedy. He’s learned the hard way that emotional connection isn’t worth it and that his beauty could have been a curse had he not weaponized it.
Ash and Rick’s sexually-charged animosity sizzles, and when consummated, it’s explosive. It can be a little eye-rolling when MCs can’t refrain from shagging during a high-stakes time crunch. Here, Azanon sells it so well, I thought they deserved medals when they got to work. I almost felt bad for them when they had to come up for air. The secondary characters are also memorable; almost all are distinct even if only to fill their role. . . which is why the killer is painfully obvious.
The killer is so standard for the beauties being murdered sub-sub genre that when they appear, my first thought was “here you are.” I hoped it was subversion but the red-herring was signposted as well. So collision? *fingers crossed* But nope. Thus, I had no investment in the mystery I was looking forward to. However, I did enjoy the working the case aspect. I will say that the paranormal bent to the killer’s typical motivation is interesting and props to them for being smart and well-prepared.
The writing is good, but I almost tapped out in the beginning. I love a good metaphor and play on words, but the purple prose veers into the violet part of the spectrum. Since Ash is the dark seductress, the majority of the molasses verbosity is in his chapters so Rick’s are palate cleansers—the literary devices more measured. Thankfully, it eventually calms down. I know the gritty, grimy atmosphere is being established, but it’s screaming “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” at me so loud I had a hard time focusing.
Creating the noir aesthetic is also a bit of a hodgepodge. Occasionally, there’s a few old-timey words like “gumshoe” and “toots” tossed in, but everything else is so contemporary it feels like aesthetic embellishments. The paranormal element is also more aesthetics at this point. Frankly, the story is any basic noir mystery. The paranormal world is hidden so the setting and case are deeply human. The MCs’ paranormal natures allow for the intense/forbidden attraction in noir to hit the apex of the trope and make it unique. Unfortunately, it also highlights how flat the rest is. Overall, the book is entertaining, and since it saved all its paranormal steam for the end, I’m very interested in what happens next.
I really enjoyed this. Rick and Ash are interesting characters for the archetypes they represent. Rick has the lycanthropy gene, and for him, it’s a curse. He has to be the cool, controlled detective bc passion and destruction run in his veins and can do immeasurable damage unchecked. Ash is the ultimate homme fatale. His beauty and pull are mesmerizing but can be deadly, and his past is littered with tragedy. He’s learned the hard way that emotional connection isn’t worth it and that his beauty could have been a curse had he not weaponized it.
Ash and Rick’s sexually-charged animosity sizzles, and when consummated, it’s explosive. It can be a little eye-rolling when MCs can’t refrain from shagging during a high-stakes time crunch. Here, Azanon sells it so well, I thought they deserved medals when they got to work. I almost felt bad for them when they had to come up for air. The secondary characters are also memorable; almost all are distinct even if only to fill their role. . . which is why the killer is painfully obvious.
The killer is so standard for the beauties being murdered sub-sub genre that when they appear, my first thought was “here you are.” I hoped it was subversion but the red-herring was signposted as well. So collision? *fingers crossed* But nope. Thus, I had no investment in the mystery I was looking forward to. However, I did enjoy the working the case aspect. I will say that the paranormal bent to the killer’s typical motivation is interesting and props to them for being smart and well-prepared.
The writing is good, but I almost tapped out in the beginning. I love a good metaphor and play on words, but the purple prose veers into the violet part of the spectrum. Since Ash is the dark seductress, the majority of the molasses verbosity is in his chapters so Rick’s are palate cleansers—the literary devices more measured. Thankfully, it eventually calms down. I know the gritty, grimy atmosphere is being established, but it’s screaming “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” at me so loud I had a hard time focusing.
Creating the noir aesthetic is also a bit of a hodgepodge. Occasionally, there’s a few old-timey words like “gumshoe” and “toots” tossed in, but everything else is so contemporary it feels like aesthetic embellishments. The paranormal element is also more aesthetics at this point. Frankly, the story is any basic noir mystery. The paranormal world is hidden so the setting and case are deeply human. The MCs’ paranormal natures allow for the intense/forbidden attraction in noir to hit the apex of the trope and make it unique. Unfortunately, it also highlights how flat the rest is. Overall, the book is entertaining, and since it saved all its paranormal steam for the end, I’m very interested in what happens next.
January 7, 2026
**I received an electronic ARC through Gay Romanxe Reviews.**
SH Azanon turns his attention to modern paranormal noir with Drop Dead Gorgeous, the first book in the proposed Theatre of Shadows series. Readers follow homicide detective Rick Slade who would be your typical grumpy, chain-smoking gumshoe if he weren't also hiding his lycanthropy. When beautiful young men start showing up dead and missing their faces, Rick is assigned the case tracking down the ritualistic serial killer known as the Sculptor. When a stunning exotic dancer is found kneeling by the body at the most recent scene, he is obviously the prime suspect. Ashton Hunter can't help that people want him or that people want to do what he asks. But he didn't kill anyone. As much as he hates cops, he knew the most recent victim. And there's something inexplicable pulling Rick and Ash together. Ash is willing to help, but he doesn't know why he's getting dreams of the murders.
At first I hesitated to call this a noir story, but I'm calling it like I see it. Gritty, dark, and murky this story has layers of mess upon mess mixed with an inherent sultry flair. There are threads of light woven through which add a nice balance and the story seems to only be touching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the paranormal components. This could easily become a serial- type storyline following Detective Rick Slade on his various cases. Based on this book, I'm here for it. I always love crime and detective stories in theory, but Azanon delivers. These characters are incredibly flawed, absolutely fail at communication, and you cannot help but root for them every step of the way.
I would recommend this story more readily to fans of paranormal romance than to true mystery fans since the content leans a bit sexier rather than strictly investigative. I'm looking forward to where this series goes and am now curious to explore Azanon's backlist.
SH Azanon turns his attention to modern paranormal noir with Drop Dead Gorgeous, the first book in the proposed Theatre of Shadows series. Readers follow homicide detective Rick Slade who would be your typical grumpy, chain-smoking gumshoe if he weren't also hiding his lycanthropy. When beautiful young men start showing up dead and missing their faces, Rick is assigned the case tracking down the ritualistic serial killer known as the Sculptor. When a stunning exotic dancer is found kneeling by the body at the most recent scene, he is obviously the prime suspect. Ashton Hunter can't help that people want him or that people want to do what he asks. But he didn't kill anyone. As much as he hates cops, he knew the most recent victim. And there's something inexplicable pulling Rick and Ash together. Ash is willing to help, but he doesn't know why he's getting dreams of the murders.
At first I hesitated to call this a noir story, but I'm calling it like I see it. Gritty, dark, and murky this story has layers of mess upon mess mixed with an inherent sultry flair. There are threads of light woven through which add a nice balance and the story seems to only be touching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the paranormal components. This could easily become a serial- type storyline following Detective Rick Slade on his various cases. Based on this book, I'm here for it. I always love crime and detective stories in theory, but Azanon delivers. These characters are incredibly flawed, absolutely fail at communication, and you cannot help but root for them every step of the way.
I would recommend this story more readily to fans of paranormal romance than to true mystery fans since the content leans a bit sexier rather than strictly investigative. I'm looking forward to where this series goes and am now curious to explore Azanon's backlist.
January 12, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
“It began as all sorrows do, in the hush between heartbeats—that silent, sucking pause before a scream is born.” This is the opening line of Drop Dead Gorgeous and it can give you just a slight taste of the style of writing within the book. It’s a noir style story where it is always raining, and the detective wears a fedora and drives a Cadillac Eldorado. It starts with a gruesome murder. It’s not the first murder of its kind the detectives have seen and they are desperate to catch the killer before panic ensues if word of a serial killer gets out.
The book takes a journey through the lives of both Rick and Ash with POVs from both of them. The more I read, the more fascinated I became with the characters and the story and the more I got sucked into the atmosphere. The writing was a little much for me at the start where every point of view was seen through the noir lens.
The more I read, though, the more the writing settled and I was racing through the pages right along with the characters to get to the end. I am already intrigued for the next book.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
“It began as all sorrows do, in the hush between heartbeats—that silent, sucking pause before a scream is born.” This is the opening line of Drop Dead Gorgeous and it can give you just a slight taste of the style of writing within the book. It’s a noir style story where it is always raining, and the detective wears a fedora and drives a Cadillac Eldorado. It starts with a gruesome murder. It’s not the first murder of its kind the detectives have seen and they are desperate to catch the killer before panic ensues if word of a serial killer gets out.
The book takes a journey through the lives of both Rick and Ash with POVs from both of them. The more I read, the more fascinated I became with the characters and the story and the more I got sucked into the atmosphere. The writing was a little much for me at the start where every point of view was seen through the noir lens.
The more I read, though, the more the writing settled and I was racing through the pages right along with the characters to get to the end. I am already intrigued for the next book.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
December 31, 2025
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Part of me wishes I'd waited till the new year to read this, because Drop Dead Gorgeous was scorching, and sultry, and murdered the "me" I was before this book.
I would be speechless if I didn't want to shout about how amazing this was at the top of my lungs!
Who
Is
S.H. Azanon
AND WHY AM I ONLY DISCOVERING HIS SEXY DANGER NOW?!?!?
My guy had me weeping over his narrative style and tone,
and I Would for sure be dead if I lived in his PNR Noir world, which was like Sin City with eye-melting beast mode sex.
But I'd go hard for a taste of the life just to say I made it there stg. Calgrave was fanged and feral and I was living for the bite.
I Hope this Theatre of Shadows series will be 27364576 books strong, because I'm fighting for my life staving off a monster craving to reread Drop Dead Gorgeous ten thousand times over. So I can only imagine how Ash and Rick will ruin future me with their hungry love.
This was
Stunning!
I gorged on every dripping sentence.
And
Absolutely YES
I want this world's fever to burn forever wild behind my eyes
Because this girl's gone for Azanon's supernatural shadow game 100%.
Part of me wishes I'd waited till the new year to read this, because Drop Dead Gorgeous was scorching, and sultry, and murdered the "me" I was before this book.
I would be speechless if I didn't want to shout about how amazing this was at the top of my lungs!
Who
Is
S.H. Azanon
AND WHY AM I ONLY DISCOVERING HIS SEXY DANGER NOW?!?!?
My guy had me weeping over his narrative style and tone,
and I Would for sure be dead if I lived in his PNR Noir world, which was like Sin City with eye-melting beast mode sex.
But I'd go hard for a taste of the life just to say I made it there stg. Calgrave was fanged and feral and I was living for the bite.
I Hope this Theatre of Shadows series will be 27364576 books strong, because I'm fighting for my life staving off a monster craving to reread Drop Dead Gorgeous ten thousand times over. So I can only imagine how Ash and Rick will ruin future me with their hungry love.
This was
Stunning!
I gorged on every dripping sentence.
And
Absolutely YES
I want this world's fever to burn forever wild behind my eyes
Because this girl's gone for Azanon's supernatural shadow game 100%.
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