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Half Double Murder
It’s about making a sweater. A warm, cozy, crocheted sweater
When a troubled teen named Brown and a senior citizen named Chester meet at an LGBTQ fiber arts group, they both want to crochet sweaters. But yarn, hooks and needles are set aside when the director of The Center is accused of murdering the owner of a neighboring hair salon who posted transphobic attacks on social media. Brown, Chester and the rest of the fiber arts group set out to prove their friend’s innocence. He is innocent — right?
This new mystery by three-time Lambda award-winner Marshall Thornton is set in the familiar universe of Wyandot County, Northern Lower Michigan, but Half Double Murder jumps ahead to the year 2016 with a mix of new and old characters.
When a troubled teen named Brown and a senior citizen named Chester meet at an LGBTQ fiber arts group, they both want to crochet sweaters. But yarn, hooks and needles are set aside when the director of The Center is accused of murdering the owner of a neighboring hair salon who posted transphobic attacks on social media. Brown, Chester and the rest of the fiber arts group set out to prove their friend’s innocence. He is innocent — right?
This new mystery by three-time Lambda award-winner Marshall Thornton is set in the familiar universe of Wyandot County, Northern Lower Michigan, but Half Double Murder jumps ahead to the year 2016 with a mix of new and old characters.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 28, 2026
About the author
Marshall Thornton
58 books641 followersThree-time Lambda Award-winning author, Marshall Thornton is best known for the Boystown and Pinx Video mystery series. Other novels include the erotic comedy The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood, Desert Run and Full Release. Marshall has an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he received the Carl David Memorial Fellowship and was recognized in the Samuel Goldwyn Writing awards.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 28, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
This book is delightful. Told in two parts, it’s equal parts murder mystery and family drama, with small town politics and small town bigots. For all that Chess is clearly one of the heroes, not every member of The Center is convinced Vaughn is innocent; why else would he be arrested? But Chess is an unflagging optimist. He’s stubborn, friendly, kind while being nice, and smart enough to go to his lawyer when he needs legal help. He’s not above being manipulative, but he’s also brash, wealthy enough, and white enough — and a bit entitled — to be able to do what he wants when he wants it, unlike other members of his community (especially trans members) who are afraid for their own safety.
There’s no romance in this book, not really, though it’s clear Brown has a small crush on Rochelle. The focus is mostly on how a community can protect its members, and how it can fail them. It’s also about how one person can make a change in the lives of others simply by … well, by being there for them. To offer support, advice … or even yarn.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
This book is delightful. Told in two parts, it’s equal parts murder mystery and family drama, with small town politics and small town bigots. For all that Chess is clearly one of the heroes, not every member of The Center is convinced Vaughn is innocent; why else would he be arrested? But Chess is an unflagging optimist. He’s stubborn, friendly, kind while being nice, and smart enough to go to his lawyer when he needs legal help. He’s not above being manipulative, but he’s also brash, wealthy enough, and white enough — and a bit entitled — to be able to do what he wants when he wants it, unlike other members of his community (especially trans members) who are afraid for their own safety.
There’s no romance in this book, not really, though it’s clear Brown has a small crush on Rochelle. The focus is mostly on how a community can protect its members, and how it can fail them. It’s also about how one person can make a change in the lives of others simply by … well, by being there for them. To offer support, advice … or even yarn.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It's an interesting setup. While on the one hand you have your usual cheerful, brash, bold, and blithe senior citizen trying to solve a murder (in the least elegant way possible), you also have chapters told from Brown's point of view who honestly couldn't be bothered. All Brown wants is to make a sweater, but ends up getting caught up in the mystery solving simply by dint of being in Chess's orbit.
To be fair to Chess he's a good person. He is trying to help a friend -- by getting him a laywer -- and trying to help the homeless teenager living in a jeep by offering his own driveway and bathroom, and forcing food on them. He's attentive, never pushing Brown beyond their comfort level, and yet blatantly trying to guilt trip them into joining him for ice cream and a movie, offering a spare bed when and if they need it, and speaking to his lawyer about what he can do to help Brown.
He's also walking up to random people and accusing them of murder.
The writing is light and quick and the book reads like a nice cold can of soda. It's buzzy, sweet, and done before you know it. The book plays fair with the mystery, and doesn't end up with everyone being instant best friends. Instead, they're simply closer than they were before, and ... I'd really like a sequel or two. Or six.
To be fair to Chess he's a good person. He is trying to help a friend -- by getting him a laywer -- and trying to help the homeless teenager living in a jeep by offering his own driveway and bathroom, and forcing food on them. He's attentive, never pushing Brown beyond their comfort level, and yet blatantly trying to guilt trip them into joining him for ice cream and a movie, offering a spare bed when and if they need it, and speaking to his lawyer about what he can do to help Brown.
He's also walking up to random people and accusing them of murder.
The writing is light and quick and the book reads like a nice cold can of soda. It's buzzy, sweet, and done before you know it. The book plays fair with the mystery, and doesn't end up with everyone being instant best friends. Instead, they're simply closer than they were before, and ... I'd really like a sequel or two. Or six.
July 29, 2026
I'm so upset!
This time jump with new characters is so disrespectful to the existing character in Wyandot county series. The main series isn't even done yet and this author has the audacity to kill them off and have new people move in. A murder happens and Henry's friends don't even mention him once? Wtf, I guess they weren't that close after all?! And He made Opal a boring sapphic?! She was such a bad ass when her friend die in the frist book. I guess time has dulled her. So disappointing... The author bread and butter is writing older characters and time periods so I appreciate that this take place in more modern times. I really enjoyed the original series. And if the author is reading this, I'm still waiting on the audiobook! I'm going to have to treat this book as "what if" Henry died from and overdose or moved back to California after the first book. I don't wanna believe that Henry wouldn't kept the houses after all he had been through. He was really putting down roots... So sad... Other then that the book is well written and if you like the author work ur going to enjoy this for the most part. The author relys on the killer being an idiot too much but that's common for cozy mysteries. Idk if will continue this specific series, he is lucky there isnt many gay male mystery authors!
This time jump with new characters is so disrespectful to the existing character in Wyandot county series. The main series isn't even done yet and this author has the audacity to kill them off and have new people move in. A murder happens and Henry's friends don't even mention him once? Wtf, I guess they weren't that close after all?! And He made Opal a boring sapphic?! She was such a bad ass when her friend die in the frist book. I guess time has dulled her. So disappointing... The author bread and butter is writing older characters and time periods so I appreciate that this take place in more modern times. I really enjoyed the original series. And if the author is reading this, I'm still waiting on the audiobook! I'm going to have to treat this book as "what if" Henry died from and overdose or moved back to California after the first book. I don't wanna believe that Henry wouldn't kept the houses after all he had been through. He was really putting down roots... So sad... Other then that the book is well written and if you like the author work ur going to enjoy this for the most part. The author relys on the killer being an idiot too much but that's common for cozy mysteries. Idk if will continue this specific series, he is lucky there isnt many gay male mystery authors!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2026
Great read when you are down
Marshall Thornton did it again: wrote a great book, funny, thoughtful and encouraging. The plot is about an unexpected connection between seemingly two different people separated by generations and, yet, they find connection through … crocheting:) Add a couple of murders in the mix and enjoy the read as I did.
Marshall Thornton did it again: wrote a great book, funny, thoughtful and encouraging. The plot is about an unexpected connection between seemingly two different people separated by generations and, yet, they find connection through … crocheting:) Add a couple of murders in the mix and enjoy the read as I did.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews