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Whitton & Black Mystery #2
In Too Deep
Not yet published
Expected 23 Oct 26Digging deeper might mean falling too far.
DI Harrison Black knows getting involved with Jake Whitton is complicated.
Jake is an ex-con who doesn’t trust the police. Harrison is the detective reopening the case of his missing sister. They should have kept their distance.
They didn’t.
Now the attraction they fought so hard has become something neither of them can walk away from—and Harrison is beginning to realise he has far more to lose than his career.
Then a woman’s body is pulled from the river.
After thirteen years without answers, Jake has imagined every possible ending to his sister’s disappearance. Now one of them may be lying in a mortuary, and Harrison could be the man who has to give him the truth.
But first they need to know who she is.
And while Harrison has an unidentified woman, a suspicious death and an investigation demanding his full attention, Jake has thirteen years of unanswered questions and absolutely no intention of sitting quietly while the police look for answers.
Jake has waited too long to stay out of it.
Harrison cares about him far too much to let him get hurt.
And neither man is particularly good at doing what he’s told.
With every step closer to the truth, the line between Harrison’s investigation and Jake’s need for answers becomes harder to hold. Because whatever they find in Hartswick, one thing is already becoming dangerously clear: keeping their distance from each other is no longer an option.
For Harrison, falling too far could cost him everything he’s rebuilt. For Jake, digging too deep could put him in more danger than he realises. And this time, getting too close might be the most dangerous thing either of them can do.
In Too Deep is Book Two of the Whitton & Black trilogy, a gritty MM romantic suspense featuring a widowed detective × hot-headed ex-con, cop × cop-hater, age gap, forbidden romance, hurt/comfort, protective lovers, forced proximity, small-town secrets and a relationship that gets hotter—and more dangerous—the deeper they fall.
DI Harrison Black knows getting involved with Jake Whitton is complicated.
Jake is an ex-con who doesn’t trust the police. Harrison is the detective reopening the case of his missing sister. They should have kept their distance.
They didn’t.
Now the attraction they fought so hard has become something neither of them can walk away from—and Harrison is beginning to realise he has far more to lose than his career.
Then a woman’s body is pulled from the river.
After thirteen years without answers, Jake has imagined every possible ending to his sister’s disappearance. Now one of them may be lying in a mortuary, and Harrison could be the man who has to give him the truth.
But first they need to know who she is.
And while Harrison has an unidentified woman, a suspicious death and an investigation demanding his full attention, Jake has thirteen years of unanswered questions and absolutely no intention of sitting quietly while the police look for answers.
Jake has waited too long to stay out of it.
Harrison cares about him far too much to let him get hurt.
And neither man is particularly good at doing what he’s told.
With every step closer to the truth, the line between Harrison’s investigation and Jake’s need for answers becomes harder to hold. Because whatever they find in Hartswick, one thing is already becoming dangerously clear: keeping their distance from each other is no longer an option.
For Harrison, falling too far could cost him everything he’s rebuilt. For Jake, digging too deep could put him in more danger than he realises. And this time, getting too close might be the most dangerous thing either of them can do.
In Too Deep is Book Two of the Whitton & Black trilogy, a gritty MM romantic suspense featuring a widowed detective × hot-headed ex-con, cop × cop-hater, age gap, forbidden romance, hurt/comfort, protective lovers, forced proximity, small-town secrets and a relationship that gets hotter—and more dangerous—the deeper they fall.
- GenresQueer
466 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 23, 2026
About the author
C.F. White
42 books287 followersBrought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy
I am so hooked on this series and these men. Love them, and have been in the mood for this kind of small-town, everybody’s hiding something but is also up in everybody’s biznez romantic suspense.
DI Harrison Black is back on the job, and the job this time is murder. Mystery body found in the river. About the right age that there is the slimmest possibility it’s…
Jake Whitton is still missing the sister who disappeared 13 years ago. And now he’s finally possibly falling for a man and wanting more than hookups…and the man is all wrong. Because his job requires him to keep things from Jake. Things that might involve Jake’s missing sister. And Jake takes that very, very personally.
Honestly, I wanted to kick Jake for taking Harrison’s trust and decimating it immediately. He made such a terrible decision, and worse, it never backfires on them the way it could and should have with the setup. I felt like the author deliberately didn’t deal with it, and didn’t deal enough with just how much it showed that Harrison can’t talk with Jake in any detail about his work, because of the conflict of interest, and because Jake has no self-control at all when it comes to his sister, and enabling his parents not to adult-the-F-up. He is a work in progress, but, authentic and sympathetic. But his deliberate immediate betrayal of Harrison's confidence, plus lack of consequences for them both, did bring the book down for me.
I love these two together, the chemistry, the unique yet equal hurts, the way they tentatively approach intimacy with respect and STEAM HEAT that grows and grows until they get feral…the conflict just makes it all the more intense. Even though Jake was deeply in the wrong and could have compromised an entire murder investigation. And then he did it AGAIN.
We learn more about Harrison’s tragic backstory, details behind his late husband’s death and a potential upcoming plot around that. We see Jake growing into more of an adult, ready for something deeper, going back to writing/composing and being an incredible drummer and possibly song writer. I wanted lyrics, though I respect that, if the author isn’t confident in writing them, not including badly written lines. Good call. I still wanted more info on the song though!
Seeing Jake open his humble life to Harrison, seeing Harrison start to reach for Jake…gah. So enjoyable and rewarding. I love where they get to in this book.
There’s a rhythm metaphor/image system that Jake starts that carries through beautifully, so strong and well-done. It elevated the read further. Felt very right for them.
The former OM from Jake’s backstory is around creating tension, and I actually like that he’s a character I love to hate, because he has a reason for being there. He puts pressure on the romance and is involved in the suspense realistically. I want to know more. This is how you do OM drama and make it necessary. It strengthened the plot, stakes, and tension.
Jake muses a little too much and too often about allll the sex he used to have. He really should stop navel-gazing about it.
The plot actually pulled off what might have been a contrived setup for the finale/confrontation/resolution, because of the small town. And now I want/need to know how a certain suspicious, pathetic character from book 1 and the past might truly be part of it all.
Secondary characters continue to add flavor and layers. Particular shout out to Harrison’s colleague Murray, a woman who knows her stuff and is strong as well as compassionate. And Jake’s nephew Teddy added good tension and believable teen drama to the story.
I feel for Jake’s bandmate Deacon’s girlfriend. Run, Ivy, run! You know not what you are in for.
There are a few embarrassing typos, such as the misuse of subtly in place of of subtlety. Could use an extra proofread. Oh well. The story delivered for me and I can’t wait for book 3.
HFN. Age-gap (31 to 44). Detective and construction worker/rock drummer with major conflict of interest. No OM action at all, safe for me. OM drama from Jake’s past, used wisely (just STFU about all the hooking up in the past, please! Cut the refs in at least half!). Highly recommended.
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
DI Harrison Black is back on the job, and the job this time is murder. Mystery body found in the river. About the right age that there is the slimmest possibility it’s…
Jake Whitton is still missing the sister who disappeared 13 years ago. And now he’s finally possibly falling for a man and wanting more than hookups…and the man is all wrong. Because his job requires him to keep things from Jake. Things that might involve Jake’s missing sister. And Jake takes that very, very personally.
Honestly, I wanted to kick Jake for taking Harrison’s trust and decimating it immediately. He made such a terrible decision, and worse, it never backfires on them the way it could and should have with the setup. I felt like the author deliberately didn’t deal with it, and didn’t deal enough with just how much it showed that Harrison can’t talk with Jake in any detail about his work, because of the conflict of interest, and because Jake has no self-control at all when it comes to his sister, and enabling his parents not to adult-the-F-up. He is a work in progress, but, authentic and sympathetic. But his deliberate immediate betrayal of Harrison's confidence, plus lack of consequences for them both, did bring the book down for me.
I love these two together, the chemistry, the unique yet equal hurts, the way they tentatively approach intimacy with respect and STEAM HEAT that grows and grows until they get feral…the conflict just makes it all the more intense. Even though Jake was deeply in the wrong and could have compromised an entire murder investigation. And then he did it AGAIN.
We learn more about Harrison’s tragic backstory, details behind his late husband’s death and a potential upcoming plot around that. We see Jake growing into more of an adult, ready for something deeper, going back to writing/composing and being an incredible drummer and possibly song writer. I wanted lyrics, though I respect that, if the author isn’t confident in writing them, not including badly written lines. Good call. I still wanted more info on the song though!
Seeing Jake open his humble life to Harrison, seeing Harrison start to reach for Jake…gah. So enjoyable and rewarding. I love where they get to in this book.
There’s a rhythm metaphor/image system that Jake starts that carries through beautifully, so strong and well-done. It elevated the read further. Felt very right for them.
The former OM from Jake’s backstory is around creating tension, and I actually like that he’s a character I love to hate, because he has a reason for being there. He puts pressure on the romance and is involved in the suspense realistically. I want to know more. This is how you do OM drama and make it necessary. It strengthened the plot, stakes, and tension.
Jake muses a little too much and too often about allll the sex he used to have. He really should stop navel-gazing about it.
The plot actually pulled off what might have been a contrived setup for the finale/confrontation/resolution, because of the small town. And now I want/need to know how a certain suspicious, pathetic character from book 1 and the past might truly be part of it all.
Secondary characters continue to add flavor and layers. Particular shout out to Harrison’s colleague Murray, a woman who knows her stuff and is strong as well as compassionate. And Jake’s nephew Teddy added good tension and believable teen drama to the story.
I feel for Jake’s bandmate Deacon’s girlfriend. Run, Ivy, run! You know not what you are in for.
There are a few embarrassing typos, such as the misuse of subtly in place of of subtlety. Could use an extra proofread. Oh well. The story delivered for me and I can’t wait for book 3.
HFN. Age-gap (31 to 44). Detective and construction worker/rock drummer with major conflict of interest. No OM action at all, safe for me. OM drama from Jake’s past, used wisely (just STFU about all the hooking up in the past, please! Cut the refs in at least half!). Highly recommended.
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
Review of advance copy
I received an ARC from the author via BookSirens & this review only contains my honest thoughts and feelings about this book.💐
This is so much more complicated than I first thought, and I'm here for it!!
I loved the characters, I loved the situations they were put in and most important of all I loved the mystery of it all, even though I did think some things were obvious and Jake and Harry were being stupid.
At this point, I honestly don't know if Robyn being alive would be a curse or a blessing. Of course, if she's still alive it means she'll get to reunite with her family and everyone will be happy. But it also means that she went through HELL to stay alive and maybe even she was involved with the whole situation?
I literally cannot wait for book three to see what the author will do with the characters and the mystery of it all!
This is so much more complicated than I first thought, and I'm here for it!!
I loved the characters, I loved the situations they were put in and most important of all I loved the mystery of it all, even though I did think some things were obvious and Jake and Harry were being stupid.
At this point, I honestly don't know if Robyn being alive would be a curse or a blessing. Of course, if she's still alive it means she'll get to reunite with her family and everyone will be happy. But it also means that she went through HELL to stay alive and maybe even she was involved with the whole situation?
I literally cannot wait for book three to see what the author will do with the characters and the mystery of it all!
Review of advance copy received from Author
OMG – this story had me on the edge of my seat for most of it. It’s filled with nail-biting suspense, a dead body, a mystery that Jake can’t seem to keep his nose out of and sexy time between Jake and DI Harrison. I don’t know what else to say other than read the blurb, read book one first and then appreciate the devious mind that CF White must have to write such intricate murder mystery stories filled with two men falling in love. I can hardly wait for book three!
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
Review of advance copy
The second instalment of Whitton & Black Mystery is here and I am excited! The first book was a great read and left me wanting even more of this duo and the Yorkshire scenery.
This book picks up a few weeks after the first and we are introduced to another murder which DI Harrison must solve while also dealing with falling deeper into his relation with one Jake Whitton, who just cannot seem to keep out of trouble.
The dynamic between Harrison and Jake is great, and I find Harrisons struggles with being a widower vs falling for someone new to be realistic and heartfelt. Their relationship progresses naturally and we see more intimacy between the two. But its not smooth sailing, especially when the new case might once again be related to Jakes missing sister.
Jake and Teddy's relationship is also sweet, though I am struggling to understand why you'd leave a 13 year old in that home. But people arent perfect and the author is really good at making the characters feel human.
This book is a very obvious 2 book (which isnt a bad thing), and its very obvious that its meant to be a building block to the big reveal.
Now over to the reasons I rated it 3.75:
Whereas I found Jack's rash decisions in book one to be reasonable, I find them to be a little more annoying this time around. I can actually accept his irrational behaviour, but its frustrating having him not talking to Harrison about the tattoo, or the fact that he went to Hull.
And once again, the resolve around the actual case left me a little unsatisfied. I didnt really understand how or why the murderer got into this whole secret network. I also found the scene where he confesses to Jake a little Scooby-Doo-y where the villain reveals their evil plans. I understand that this series is about robyns disappearance and that it will all tie together, but i kind of end up feeling like the author therefore rushes the resolve of these cases? If that makes sense?
All in all its a good book and I read it all in one sitting. Its most definitely a trilogy id recommend to anyone who enjoys a thriller with a dash of romance in it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book picks up a few weeks after the first and we are introduced to another murder which DI Harrison must solve while also dealing with falling deeper into his relation with one Jake Whitton, who just cannot seem to keep out of trouble.
The dynamic between Harrison and Jake is great, and I find Harrisons struggles with being a widower vs falling for someone new to be realistic and heartfelt. Their relationship progresses naturally and we see more intimacy between the two. But its not smooth sailing, especially when the new case might once again be related to Jakes missing sister.
Jake and Teddy's relationship is also sweet, though I am struggling to understand why you'd leave a 13 year old in that home. But people arent perfect and the author is really good at making the characters feel human.
This book is a very obvious 2 book (which isnt a bad thing), and its very obvious that its meant to be a building block to the big reveal.
Now over to the reasons I rated it 3.75:
Whereas I found Jack's rash decisions in book one to be reasonable, I find them to be a little more annoying this time around. I can actually accept his irrational behaviour, but its frustrating having him not talking to Harrison about the tattoo, or the fact that he went to Hull.
And once again, the resolve around the actual case left me a little unsatisfied. I didnt really understand how or why the murderer got into this whole secret network. I also found the scene where he confesses to Jake a little Scooby-Doo-y where the villain reveals their evil plans. I understand that this series is about robyns disappearance and that it will all tie together, but i kind of end up feeling like the author therefore rushes the resolve of these cases? If that makes sense?
All in all its a good book and I read it all in one sitting. Its most definitely a trilogy id recommend to anyone who enjoys a thriller with a dash of romance in it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is book two of the trilogy and I am loving it!
Heartache from loss is still prevalent for both Jake and Harrison, and it creates intense feelings as they are trying to figure out just what they are to one another.
The relationship between them is moving along with both of them feeling a deeper connection growing between them. Just as they are figuring out their rhythym (a term Jake used poetically and I love), Jake messes up and causes a rift. But, this rift makes each of them realize just how much the other has come to mean to them, and helps move them closer.
All while they are progressing romantically, there is still the situation with Jake's missing sister Robyn to work on, and now the murder of a woman has them scrambling to solve it.
Jake finds himself in a predicament where he gets a confession, threats, and violence that will have readers holding their breath and feeling heart pounding tension!! So well written and I really loved the reason Harrison was able to find Jake.
There is a sweet, peaceful end to this book, a beautiful moment.
But, while the horrific death is resolved and the culprit found, the townspeople are unsettled because it's learning there is and has been for some time, malevolent forces at work behind the scenes in their small town, and wondering just how long this unknown group has been there and who and how many are involved... what an enticing cliffhanger to end this book on.
Overall, this book was amazing, it had a great balance between romance and danger, it was fast paced, kept my attention throughout, and left me eager for more!!
I would highly recommend this book - just remember this is a trilogy where the main couple's story progresses through all three books and must be read in order.
I received an ARC, this review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
Heartache from loss is still prevalent for both Jake and Harrison, and it creates intense feelings as they are trying to figure out just what they are to one another.
The relationship between them is moving along with both of them feeling a deeper connection growing between them. Just as they are figuring out their rhythym (a term Jake used poetically and I love), Jake messes up and causes a rift. But, this rift makes each of them realize just how much the other has come to mean to them, and helps move them closer.
All while they are progressing romantically, there is still the situation with Jake's missing sister Robyn to work on, and now the murder of a woman has them scrambling to solve it.
Jake finds himself in a predicament where he gets a confession, threats, and violence that will have readers holding their breath and feeling heart pounding tension!! So well written and I really loved the reason Harrison was able to find Jake.
There is a sweet, peaceful end to this book, a beautiful moment.
But, while the horrific death is resolved and the culprit found, the townspeople are unsettled because it's learning there is and has been for some time, malevolent forces at work behind the scenes in their small town, and wondering just how long this unknown group has been there and who and how many are involved... what an enticing cliffhanger to end this book on.
Overall, this book was amazing, it had a great balance between romance and danger, it was fast paced, kept my attention throughout, and left me eager for more!!
I would highly recommend this book - just remember this is a trilogy where the main couple's story progresses through all three books and must be read in order.
I received an ARC, this review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
Want to Read
October 3, 2026
Part of the gritty MM romantic suspense trilogy, Whitton & Black Mystery and must be read in order:
Review of advance copy received from Author
As usual this book was stunning. It's been a while since I have had to read something through the sheen of tears but there is something about the relationship between these two main characters that is really touching. I love the way C.F. White continues to create characters that become "my favourites" ... they're well rounded and detailed and it's quite easy to think of them as real people that exist out there somewhere in the world.
The connection between Jake and Harrison is very moving. They are different and yet drawn to one another. At different places in their lives, they are finding that they have in common grief, lack of hope and feeling cut loose. The exploration of Harrison's grief captures the complexity of loss and the emotions that are tangled up in it.
The connection between Jake and Harrison is very moving. They are different and yet drawn to one another. At different places in their lives, they are finding that they have in common grief, lack of hope and feeling cut loose. The exploration of Harrison's grief captures the complexity of loss and the emotions that are tangled up in it.
Review of advance copy
***ARC ***
Another fabulous book by C.F White!!! Book 2 in the trilogy and it's a good one! Jake and Harrison have moved their relationship forward (yeah!) More feeling come out between them as Harrison is trying to solve another missing girl's case. Of course Jake is right there, trying to help. Its such an exciting series it's hard to put down. Cant wait for the final book to come out! Great job by this author!!!
Another fabulous book by C.F White!!! Book 2 in the trilogy and it's a good one! Jake and Harrison have moved their relationship forward (yeah!) More feeling come out between them as Harrison is trying to solve another missing girl's case. Of course Jake is right there, trying to help. Its such an exciting series it's hard to put down. Cant wait for the final book to come out! Great job by this author!!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews