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Covert Investigations #1
Lines of Sight
He'll wear the suit and name the government told him to. But only because he has no choice. Russ Callahan may not be Seattle’s worst private investigator, but he’s likely its poorest. Since he blew the whistle on his last employer, the former military contractor has had to keep a low profile, living under an assumed identity. When a big case lands on his doorstep, he can’t refuse—unless he wants his next meal at a soup kitchen.
Accelera Pharmaceutical Labs suspects some tech is leaking clinical trial data to the competition. The case sounds simple enough: tail the geek, catch him in the act, and collect a much-needed paycheck.
A reclusive psychic faces the truth: people will die unless he finally uses his powers for good. Daniel Langston is far more than he appears. For starters, he’s not really a geneticist. Second, he can read minds. Things at Accelera aren’t as they seem, but how is a psychic supposed to prove it? Daniel needs Russ Callahan on his side to document the evidence. But he’s got to be careful.
He knows the truth about Accelera's clinical trial, but no one can know how he knows.
Once they join forces, the violence starts. Dan and Russ form a shaky alliance, only to realize there’s more threatening their partnership than just the lies they’ve told one another. Someone’s trying to kill them.
Aware of the plot on their lives, Dan works in the shadows, trying to stay a step ahead of the murderers and a step ahead of Russ. Because if he had to explain how he found out, that would ruin everything. And if that weren’t enough, he's got a front row psychic ticket to a distracting truth: his partner is developing feelings for him.
Russ knows that he's a target. He has to step lightly. So how come the only person he wants to trust is an emotionally volatile loner he knows nothing about?
Lines of Sight is a must-read thriller that blends slow-burn romance and supernatural intrigue with a tense conspiracy plot, all set in the vibrant backdrop of the Pacific Northwest.
Accelera Pharmaceutical Labs suspects some tech is leaking clinical trial data to the competition. The case sounds simple enough: tail the geek, catch him in the act, and collect a much-needed paycheck.
A reclusive psychic faces the truth: people will die unless he finally uses his powers for good. Daniel Langston is far more than he appears. For starters, he’s not really a geneticist. Second, he can read minds. Things at Accelera aren’t as they seem, but how is a psychic supposed to prove it? Daniel needs Russ Callahan on his side to document the evidence. But he’s got to be careful.
He knows the truth about Accelera's clinical trial, but no one can know how he knows.
Once they join forces, the violence starts. Dan and Russ form a shaky alliance, only to realize there’s more threatening their partnership than just the lies they’ve told one another. Someone’s trying to kill them.
Aware of the plot on their lives, Dan works in the shadows, trying to stay a step ahead of the murderers and a step ahead of Russ. Because if he had to explain how he found out, that would ruin everything. And if that weren’t enough, he's got a front row psychic ticket to a distracting truth: his partner is developing feelings for him.
Russ knows that he's a target. He has to step lightly. So how come the only person he wants to trust is an emotionally volatile loner he knows nothing about?
Lines of Sight is a must-read thriller that blends slow-burn romance and supernatural intrigue with a tense conspiracy plot, all set in the vibrant backdrop of the Pacific Northwest.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2015
12 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Wolf Specter
70 books310 followersGrowing up, Wolf believed there was a ghost in his attic. To this day, he still believes that ghost creeps out of the shadows from time to time. He wishes it would say hello.
Wolf's stories explore the complicated, sensual bonds between men. There are always happy endings just as there is always a dash of otherworldly delight.
His work is exclusive to Amazon.
Wolf's stories explore the complicated, sensual bonds between men. There are always happy endings just as there is always a dash of otherworldly delight.
His work is exclusive to Amazon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 29, 2017
***** Marvelous guys, great story ! *****
Russ, mid to late 30s, is a private investigator,
finding cheating husbands, insurance fraud and the like. When one day he gets a call from a drug company to check out an employee. The CEO thinks Daniel/Dan is spying for competitors, but it turns out he is, but not the way they thought.
Surprising Russ, Dan contacts him to get his help. So, they work together and find out the source of the tampered drug trial results. The men work easily together and Dan keeps his secret the whole book, until he has to reveal his truth.
* A brain full of others thoughts...
* This is a sleek, slow burn of friends to lovers, with bright, vivid characters, an exciting plot, and the end is worth waiting for. Loved these men, and a few others here, too.
This tale is extremely well written by these two authors. There is never a dull moment !
Highly recommended. ENJOY !
================
Russ, mid to late 30s, is a private investigator,
finding cheating husbands, insurance fraud and the like. When one day he gets a call from a drug company to check out an employee. The CEO thinks Daniel/Dan is spying for competitors, but it turns out he is, but not the way they thought.
Surprising Russ, Dan contacts him to get his help. So, they work together and find out the source of the tampered drug trial results. The men work easily together and Dan keeps his secret the whole book, until he has to reveal his truth.
* A brain full of others thoughts...
* This is a sleek, slow burn of friends to lovers, with bright, vivid characters, an exciting plot, and the end is worth waiting for. Loved these men, and a few others here, too.
This tale is extremely well written by these two authors. There is never a dull moment !
Highly recommended. ENJOY !
================
December 28, 2015
******Contains some minor spoilers******
This book shines in it's complexity and is best read without interruption as each chapter is an intricately woven tapestry of intrigue not to be skimmed.Each of the main character has a deadly secret that if brought to light could mean their end and so they bury their true nature beneath layers of upon layers of masks while hiding in plain sight.So it is no surprise to the reader that the attraction between them burns slower than a snow man melting in an Alaskan winter.
Russel's gift is unique in the world of the paranormal & the way it's written is fascinating.He only needs to touch an object that someone has been in contact with to be able to ride inside their mind and see what they are seeing,feeling,thinking.
I would most like to know why does he need to be in contact with water to link?
I can't wait to read how these amazing authors unleash the beast within Daniel when Russel is taken away from him in the next novel.This has unexpectedly got to be one of my best reads of the year and feels almost like it should have been 2 separate books yet I'm grateful that it was this lengthy.The authors blend the story together seamlessly so there is no opposing style of writing to distract from the journey.
This book shines in it's complexity and is best read without interruption as each chapter is an intricately woven tapestry of intrigue not to be skimmed.Each of the main character has a deadly secret that if brought to light could mean their end and so they bury their true nature beneath layers of upon layers of masks while hiding in plain sight.So it is no surprise to the reader that the attraction between them burns slower than a snow man melting in an Alaskan winter.
Russel's gift is unique in the world of the paranormal & the way it's written is fascinating.He only needs to touch an object that someone has been in contact with to be able to ride inside their mind and see what they are seeing,feeling,thinking.
I would most like to know why does he need to be in contact with water to link?
I can't wait to read how these amazing authors unleash the beast within Daniel when Russel is taken away from him in the next novel.This has unexpectedly got to be one of my best reads of the year and feels almost like it should have been 2 separate books yet I'm grateful that it was this lengthy.The authors blend the story together seamlessly so there is no opposing style of writing to distract from the journey.
December 20, 2022
El romance no tiene mucha intensidad y la trama flojea un poco, pero no ha estado mal, ha mantenido mi atencion y ellos me gustaban, un poco mas de amorcito y hubiera sido un cuatro.
May 21, 2016
Tightly crafted, edge-of-your-seat suspense and intriguing supernatural elements make this a fantastic read. Dropped into a conspiracy/thriller plot and trying to unravel lies, we have two characters whose lies and backstories are carefully revealed to us a bit at a time. We get perspectives from both main characters but an almost double perspective when we are looking through Dan's eyes due to his empathic/telepathic abilities. The drama and tension stay high throughout the story--I found the muscles in my neck were clenched thoughout the read. The slow burn is so glacially slow that I was in agony for them to even start to have any romantic feelings toward each other; I think it was about page 258 before we get any real movement or feeling towards an eventual romantic relationship! Unlike Wolf's other works this is much, much less about the romance and sex than about the suspense plot. The writing is smooth and well-edited and the attention to detail is great. All that having been said, I must say that I was left with some questions and few holes I wanted filled. I did see at the end of the book that there is going to be another one in 2016 so I'm thinking that the authors have held back a secrets and details that they will reveal in forthcoming installments. I'm very eager to read the next one!
Rating: 4.5
An advance copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5
An advance copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2015
Russ Callahan is used to working undercover, both in his previous life as a soldier, now expertly hidden by the WITSEC programme, as in his actual life as a private eye at Seattle. His latest job brings him in touch with Daniel Langston, a man who seems to have even more secrets than Russ himself, secrets that may save his life, but break his heart on the way…
This is a really good first book of a series. It is a paranormal mystery with a hint at romance. There is quite a lot of background building for both characters, but it is necessary, as both Russ and Dan are really complex men. Russ is hiding from his former employers, after exposing them to justice. Dan is running from his past and even his present self. They meet when Russ is investigating Dan, but we soon learn that it was Dan himself who orchestrated it, to convince Russ to help him discover a fraud. From that moment onward, they start a relationship which moves from partnership into friendship and soon into something deeper. But Dan psychic abilities and the fact that he’s been lying to Russ for a long time threat to break their budding relationship.
Told by a third person omniscient narrator, the emphasis of the book is more on the characters and their personal issues than on the investigation or the romantic relationship which only flourishes at the very end. But it is a very engaging story, as I said before, because of the complexity of both characters. I enjoyed the split point of view, bouncing from Dan to Russ, but I really enjoyed the rebounded point of view when Dan is inside Russ’ head, both getting Russ’ feelings and Dan’s reactions to them. I found fascinating the fact that Dan has trouble to distinguish between his own feelings and those of the people he’s connected with, the deeper the bound the more complicated to discern… How can you establish a relationship with somebody, when you can sense all his feelings and thoughts, and you never know if what you feel is your own or a reflection of what the other person is feeling? Wow. What a messy situation…
In short I think this story has a lot of potential for turning into a really successful series. I’m looking forward to continue reading stories about Covert Investigations and to find out what becomes of Dan and Russ.
Undoubtedly worth your time.
I recieved this copy as a free ARC in return for a honest review
This is a really good first book of a series. It is a paranormal mystery with a hint at romance. There is quite a lot of background building for both characters, but it is necessary, as both Russ and Dan are really complex men. Russ is hiding from his former employers, after exposing them to justice. Dan is running from his past and even his present self. They meet when Russ is investigating Dan, but we soon learn that it was Dan himself who orchestrated it, to convince Russ to help him discover a fraud. From that moment onward, they start a relationship which moves from partnership into friendship and soon into something deeper. But Dan psychic abilities and the fact that he’s been lying to Russ for a long time threat to break their budding relationship.
Told by a third person omniscient narrator, the emphasis of the book is more on the characters and their personal issues than on the investigation or the romantic relationship which only flourishes at the very end. But it is a very engaging story, as I said before, because of the complexity of both characters. I enjoyed the split point of view, bouncing from Dan to Russ, but I really enjoyed the rebounded point of view when Dan is inside Russ’ head, both getting Russ’ feelings and Dan’s reactions to them. I found fascinating the fact that Dan has trouble to distinguish between his own feelings and those of the people he’s connected with, the deeper the bound the more complicated to discern… How can you establish a relationship with somebody, when you can sense all his feelings and thoughts, and you never know if what you feel is your own or a reflection of what the other person is feeling? Wow. What a messy situation…
In short I think this story has a lot of potential for turning into a really successful series. I’m looking forward to continue reading stories about Covert Investigations and to find out what becomes of Dan and Russ.
Undoubtedly worth your time.
I recieved this copy as a free ARC in return for a honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2017
Everything about this book pleased me: the crime was well plotted, the only character development was plausible and it all fit in together very well. Totally deserves my 5 stars.
April 19, 2017
I only read one book by Wolf Specter, Heat, and it was a DNF because the romance was based on sex only in the beginning. So I have to admit I was a little skeptical.
What I got in reality was a really great story with a plot good enough for me not to care about the romance in the end. I loved both MCs and the fact that they were not what I was expecting at all. And I loved the fact that I didn't really know where the story was going.
What a refreshing read! I hope book two will be out soon!
What I got in reality was a really great story with a plot good enough for me not to care about the romance in the end. I loved both MCs and the fact that they were not what I was expecting at all. And I loved the fact that I didn't really know where the story was going.
What a refreshing read! I hope book two will be out soon!
December 16, 2015
Wonderful Read!
This was packed full of twists and turns and just when I thought I knew where the plot was going it went in a totally different direction that I did not see coming. What a great read, both MC's Dan and Russ are well developed characters with some great hidden depths to them. I love the entire book of each wondering about the other and is he gay or not. Then deciding they are attracted to each other but not sure if they should take that step.
This was packed full of twists and turns and just when I thought I knew where the plot was going it went in a totally different direction that I did not see coming. What a great read, both MC's Dan and Russ are well developed characters with some great hidden depths to them. I love the entire book of each wondering about the other and is he gay or not. Then deciding they are attracted to each other but not sure if they should take that step.
February 14, 2016
It was an interesting character study, and well written. As a thriller, it was not exactly spine-tingling, but was certainly competently executed. I liked the duality of the two men living behind their individual shields of lies and deceptions, and the difficulty they had with feelings of trust/betrayal in letting those shields slip. It seemed like a good introduction for a new series.
April 29, 2019
Heed the blurb! This is a SLOW-BURN romance (like reallllllly slow) so if sparks flying from the start is more your thing, be warned that you'll have a looooong wait.
Even the mystery was drawn out at a snail's pace; the romance and action didn't really happen until at about 90% of the book. But it's still a good book and it kept me intrigued and engaged. I think fairly early on you find out who the bad guy is but it's just a matter of getting something more solid to really nail him to the wall, while at the same time there's a brief of a red herring thing going on that turns out not to be a red herring at all. It's enough to make you pause and second guess your assumptions though, and that was kinda fun.
Kinda not happy about the HFN and the fact that there doesn't seem to be a sequel to this book.
Even the mystery was drawn out at a snail's pace; the romance and action didn't really happen until at about 90% of the book. But it's still a good book and it kept me intrigued and engaged. I think fairly early on you find out who the bad guy is but it's just a matter of getting something more solid to really nail him to the wall, while at the same time there's a brief of a red herring thing going on that turns out not to be a red herring at all. It's enough to make you pause and second guess your assumptions though, and that was kinda fun.
Kinda not happy about the HFN and the fact that there doesn't seem to be a sequel to this book.
July 9, 2021
This book is good. I would give it a 5/5! I am glad I purchased it. Russ is a PI who is hired by a pharma CEO to look into an employee suspected of being dishonest. Enter Dan who is that employee. Daniel convinces Russ that he is not a bad guy and gets Russ to help him expose the real bad guy. Russ has secrets and so does Daniel. Daniel is psychic psychic and Russ is hiding from people. They will both have to learn work through their secrets and trust each other if they are going to solves this case.
March 28, 2018
So where is the 2nd book??
What a great read!! So nice to read about characters not driven by their all consuming sexual needs!! Where is book number 2 and why can’t I find anything about the 2nd author clara coyle??
What a great read!! So nice to read about characters not driven by their all consuming sexual needs!! Where is book number 2 and why can’t I find anything about the 2nd author clara coyle??
December 18, 2022
It’s a shame this never developed into a series but the ending is HFN/HEA enough to keep most readers satisfied. There are few interesting plot twists that pushed it from 3 to 4 stars. The world building is a bit shallow seeing as though there isn’t a follow up book, but there is enough there to enjoy the story.
November 9, 2019
I really liked it. Especially the fact that the relationship between the main characters developed through time and was not insta love/lust.
July 2, 2021
Good book
But too bad that there will not be a follow up. It appears one of the two authors is no longer writing. It had the potential to be an interesting series.
But too bad that there will not be a follow up. It appears one of the two authors is no longer writing. It had the potential to be an interesting series.
July 20, 2021
takie słabe 4 ;)
December 30, 2015
3 Heart Review by Vicki
I saw the blurb for this book and since I’ve lived in and around Seattle my whole life I decided to give it a try. Especially when I saw the paranormal aspect, that was intriguing as well. There is a huge blurb with this book, so I’m not going to do much of a plot recap.
I have mixed feelings about this book, and had a hard time rating it. Dan and Russ are very interesting characters, and the plot was unique. That would normally rate a higher rating for me, but I had some issues with this one….
I read romance novels. At the moment I read mostly gay romance novels. I’ll read any type of plot, paranormal, contemporary, historical, suspense, drama, fluffy, funny, BDSM, urban fantasy, Sci-fi, etc, but there has to be an emotional and romantic relationship at some point during the book. And I prefer some sex. Not always, if the book is good enough I can let the sex go, I like explicit sex, but again, a good book will get me past that. The big issue I had with this book is it is not a romance. At all. I kept waiting and waiting, and it never happened. I saw from the blurb it was slow burn, but come on. I wasn’t even sure if Dan and Russ were gay. Their sexuality isn’t talked about or mentioned pretty much ever. They finally kiss at 70%, and had sex at 96%. Seriously, 96% of this book had no sex and no romance. I couldn’t even tell if they liked each other. I don’t have to have flowers and dates, but there has to be some emotional connection between the two main characters for me to like a book, and this just doesn’t have that. I don’t know if I misunderstood the blurb or just had the expectation that I was reading a romance novel since the book was submitted for review to a blog that reviews same sex romance books, but it was a noticeable lack of romance for me.
The other thing that set me off immediately with this book was the obsession with the weather. I think people have this big misconception that it is grey and rainy in Seattle all of the time, and mentioning the weather is a way to set the scene and remind us the story is in Seattle. But it does NOT rain all of the time in Seattle. I say that as I sit on my couch just north of Seattle and look at grey skies out my window, but it is December. This story takes place in August. The hottest and driest month here. Yet nearly every scene where the weather is mentioned in this book it is grey, raining or drizzling, and once had a thunder-storm. Those are sooooo rare up here. The sun is mentioned a couple of times, but way fewer than rain. That pulled me out of the story at the start, and just irritated me from then on. I know, it’s my issue, but it pisses me off.
The writing was okay. At times it was pretty good, but then there would be typos and odd sentences. This is also a really long book, I may have liked it better if it was a hundred pages shorter. There were a few times I questioned why something in the plot was happening, it didn’t always make sense to me. Even with one of the characters being psychic…
So I’m giving this book an average rating of three hearts. I would go lower because I was disappointed in this one, but it’s not the author’s fault that I was expecting a romance and didn’t get it. Nor is it their fault that I have issues with Seattle weather being misrepresented in books. I do think the plot was interesting, as were the characters, and I would have rated it higher if there had been romance and at least some implied sex sooner than 96%. If I had gotten that it would have been a four heart book. Without it a two heart book. So we’ll cut it in half and go with three hearts.
If you are looking for a long story with a creative plot and interesting characters, you might like this book. If you are looking for a story with romance and sex, skip it. There isn’t any.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I saw the blurb for this book and since I’ve lived in and around Seattle my whole life I decided to give it a try. Especially when I saw the paranormal aspect, that was intriguing as well. There is a huge blurb with this book, so I’m not going to do much of a plot recap.
I have mixed feelings about this book, and had a hard time rating it. Dan and Russ are very interesting characters, and the plot was unique. That would normally rate a higher rating for me, but I had some issues with this one….
I read romance novels. At the moment I read mostly gay romance novels. I’ll read any type of plot, paranormal, contemporary, historical, suspense, drama, fluffy, funny, BDSM, urban fantasy, Sci-fi, etc, but there has to be an emotional and romantic relationship at some point during the book. And I prefer some sex. Not always, if the book is good enough I can let the sex go, I like explicit sex, but again, a good book will get me past that. The big issue I had with this book is it is not a romance. At all. I kept waiting and waiting, and it never happened. I saw from the blurb it was slow burn, but come on. I wasn’t even sure if Dan and Russ were gay. Their sexuality isn’t talked about or mentioned pretty much ever. They finally kiss at 70%, and had sex at 96%. Seriously, 96% of this book had no sex and no romance. I couldn’t even tell if they liked each other. I don’t have to have flowers and dates, but there has to be some emotional connection between the two main characters for me to like a book, and this just doesn’t have that. I don’t know if I misunderstood the blurb or just had the expectation that I was reading a romance novel since the book was submitted for review to a blog that reviews same sex romance books, but it was a noticeable lack of romance for me.
The other thing that set me off immediately with this book was the obsession with the weather. I think people have this big misconception that it is grey and rainy in Seattle all of the time, and mentioning the weather is a way to set the scene and remind us the story is in Seattle. But it does NOT rain all of the time in Seattle. I say that as I sit on my couch just north of Seattle and look at grey skies out my window, but it is December. This story takes place in August. The hottest and driest month here. Yet nearly every scene where the weather is mentioned in this book it is grey, raining or drizzling, and once had a thunder-storm. Those are sooooo rare up here. The sun is mentioned a couple of times, but way fewer than rain. That pulled me out of the story at the start, and just irritated me from then on. I know, it’s my issue, but it pisses me off.
The writing was okay. At times it was pretty good, but then there would be typos and odd sentences. This is also a really long book, I may have liked it better if it was a hundred pages shorter. There were a few times I questioned why something in the plot was happening, it didn’t always make sense to me. Even with one of the characters being psychic…
So I’m giving this book an average rating of three hearts. I would go lower because I was disappointed in this one, but it’s not the author’s fault that I was expecting a romance and didn’t get it. Nor is it their fault that I have issues with Seattle weather being misrepresented in books. I do think the plot was interesting, as were the characters, and I would have rated it higher if there had been romance and at least some implied sex sooner than 96%. If I had gotten that it would have been a four heart book. Without it a two heart book. So we’ll cut it in half and go with three hearts.
If you are looking for a long story with a creative plot and interesting characters, you might like this book. If you are looking for a story with romance and sex, skip it. There isn’t any.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
February 4, 2016
Genre: Gay Paranormal Mystery/Thriller
Length: Novel
Series: Covert Investigations #1
RUSS CALLAHAN is a private investigator. His job is to expose other people’s secrets, and when he gets an assignment to uncover the wrongdoer in Accelera Pharmaceutical Labs, it becomes clear Daniel Langston is a man of many secrets. Not only that, but Daniel seems to always be one step ahead of Russ, and knows more about him than anyone should.
Russ quickly uncovers a plot that could ruin Accelera, ruin him, and put everyone he’s ever loved in danger. If he doesn’t act, the bad guys could walk away, but if he exposes Daniel, he exposes his own secrets. How far is Russ willing to go, to keep those secrets buried?
The cover of the book suggests the genre for this story is MM Paranormal Romance, but I don’t believe the MM classification works for this title, and not because I didn’t like it–I did–but more because the heat factor is simply too low. It’s not explicit. It’s also self-reportedly a “slow burn romance”, but again, the romantic elements weren’t strong enough to warrant a Romance heading (that’s not a bad thing). The wary relationship between Daniel and Russ was enhanced by a certain attraction, yes, but their relationship struck me as sort of a Mulder-and-Scully dynamic, in how they go back and forth with each other. I’m a sucker for a good Mystery/Thriller, especially when there are paranormal or supernatural elements woven in. The icing on the cake was this book being LGBT.
All said and done? This was the perfect book for me.
I’ve been reading Wolf Specter since he wrote an usual Grizzly bear shifter mpreg short story. There was something about his writing: the gritty diction, the unusual suspects, and the twist, which I found compelling. While quite a few voices in gay fiction were writing whatever was hot, Wolf Specter was quietly penning mpreg that was off-the-wall, and at times more real than anything I was reading elsewhere. He quickly became an auto-buy for me.
Which meant, when Lines of Sight was published, I clicked on it, and started reading. I didn’t inspect the cover, I didn’t peruse the blurb–no–I just started reading. And I was in for a pleasant surprise.
Wolf Specter is obviously a pen name, so who knows what else he has written, but until Lines of Sight, the majority of his work under this pen name has been MM Paranormal Mpreg, and they’ve all been novellas or short stories. A few paragraphs into this book, I knew something was different. I rechecked the cover–this wasn’t a mpreg. And not only that, but Specter was teaming up with another debut author. His diction was more polished, rounding out the rough edges.
“Hm, go Coyle,” I thought. And my respect for Specter grew.
Specter consistently improves on his work (there aren’t any unnecessary epithets in this story), so apparently he’s not only versatile in his writing, but he listens, and adapts. Wow. How hot is that (okay, maybe that’s just my kink)? Of course, how much of this work is Coyle, how much of this is Specter, and is Specter more of a brand, or a person? Who knows, who cares. (I’ve learned to steer away from making friends with a pen name.) Point is: this story is fucking good, and it does great things for gay fiction. I predict great stories to come from this author. Enjoy the ride.
---------
B. A. Brock is a reviewer for DSP and QSF. He enjoys reading, writing, running, family and food, and fills his life with bent bunk. He especially loves to discuss LGBTQ+ literature. His website is http://www.babrockbooks.com.
Length: Novel
Series: Covert Investigations #1
RUSS CALLAHAN is a private investigator. His job is to expose other people’s secrets, and when he gets an assignment to uncover the wrongdoer in Accelera Pharmaceutical Labs, it becomes clear Daniel Langston is a man of many secrets. Not only that, but Daniel seems to always be one step ahead of Russ, and knows more about him than anyone should.
Russ quickly uncovers a plot that could ruin Accelera, ruin him, and put everyone he’s ever loved in danger. If he doesn’t act, the bad guys could walk away, but if he exposes Daniel, he exposes his own secrets. How far is Russ willing to go, to keep those secrets buried?
The cover of the book suggests the genre for this story is MM Paranormal Romance, but I don’t believe the MM classification works for this title, and not because I didn’t like it–I did–but more because the heat factor is simply too low. It’s not explicit. It’s also self-reportedly a “slow burn romance”, but again, the romantic elements weren’t strong enough to warrant a Romance heading (that’s not a bad thing). The wary relationship between Daniel and Russ was enhanced by a certain attraction, yes, but their relationship struck me as sort of a Mulder-and-Scully dynamic, in how they go back and forth with each other. I’m a sucker for a good Mystery/Thriller, especially when there are paranormal or supernatural elements woven in. The icing on the cake was this book being LGBT.
All said and done? This was the perfect book for me.
I’ve been reading Wolf Specter since he wrote an usual Grizzly bear shifter mpreg short story. There was something about his writing: the gritty diction, the unusual suspects, and the twist, which I found compelling. While quite a few voices in gay fiction were writing whatever was hot, Wolf Specter was quietly penning mpreg that was off-the-wall, and at times more real than anything I was reading elsewhere. He quickly became an auto-buy for me.
Which meant, when Lines of Sight was published, I clicked on it, and started reading. I didn’t inspect the cover, I didn’t peruse the blurb–no–I just started reading. And I was in for a pleasant surprise.
Wolf Specter is obviously a pen name, so who knows what else he has written, but until Lines of Sight, the majority of his work under this pen name has been MM Paranormal Mpreg, and they’ve all been novellas or short stories. A few paragraphs into this book, I knew something was different. I rechecked the cover–this wasn’t a mpreg. And not only that, but Specter was teaming up with another debut author. His diction was more polished, rounding out the rough edges.
“Hm, go Coyle,” I thought. And my respect for Specter grew.
Specter consistently improves on his work (there aren’t any unnecessary epithets in this story), so apparently he’s not only versatile in his writing, but he listens, and adapts. Wow. How hot is that (okay, maybe that’s just my kink)? Of course, how much of this work is Coyle, how much of this is Specter, and is Specter more of a brand, or a person? Who knows, who cares. (I’ve learned to steer away from making friends with a pen name.) Point is: this story is fucking good, and it does great things for gay fiction. I predict great stories to come from this author. Enjoy the ride.
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B. A. Brock is a reviewer for DSP and QSF. He enjoys reading, writing, running, family and food, and fills his life with bent bunk. He especially loves to discuss LGBTQ+ literature. His website is http://www.babrockbooks.com.
March 31, 2017
Far more than it first appeared.
The first part of the book was pretty interesting. The second half got more and more interesting, moving into suspense with a very interesting twist at the crucial part. Every scene built more and more of a fairly complex story. I wouldn't call it a romance but there is UST and an eventual HFN.
I'm not usually drawn by paranormal themes, but I can at least conceive of uncommon mental abilities. Because of the positive reviews, I bought it and am happy I did. Dan's psychic ability does not let him simply peer into people's minds whenever he chooses. He has to have some kind of often-used object and being cold, usually by a really cold bath, somehow helps him to increase the connection. He finds Russ this way and manages to enlist him to investigate a drug company.
Russ is in WITSEC and becomes a PI to utilize some of his skills from his prior career. By complicated means, he eventually meets and connects with Dan and at the completion of the case, they decide to work together. That's when things become much more complicated and dangerous.
The relationship is the slowest burn I've ever read. One review mentioned glacially slow. I would add that it's a glacier from well before global warming. There is no sex until near the very end and it's not full-on, as it were. I like more smexing in stories but that did not lessen my enjoyment and appreciation for the plot, the character building and the world building.
I have to note that there were some minor editing errors through the book. However they were relatively minimal and I found authors that know the difference between "complement" and "compliment"! I can forgive everything else. Well worth the read.
The first part of the book was pretty interesting. The second half got more and more interesting, moving into suspense with a very interesting twist at the crucial part. Every scene built more and more of a fairly complex story. I wouldn't call it a romance but there is UST and an eventual HFN.
I'm not usually drawn by paranormal themes, but I can at least conceive of uncommon mental abilities. Because of the positive reviews, I bought it and am happy I did. Dan's psychic ability does not let him simply peer into people's minds whenever he chooses. He has to have some kind of often-used object and being cold, usually by a really cold bath, somehow helps him to increase the connection. He finds Russ this way and manages to enlist him to investigate a drug company.
Russ is in WITSEC and becomes a PI to utilize some of his skills from his prior career. By complicated means, he eventually meets and connects with Dan and at the completion of the case, they decide to work together. That's when things become much more complicated and dangerous.
The relationship is the slowest burn I've ever read. One review mentioned glacially slow. I would add that it's a glacier from well before global warming. There is no sex until near the very end and it's not full-on, as it were. I like more smexing in stories but that did not lessen my enjoyment and appreciation for the plot, the character building and the world building.
I have to note that there were some minor editing errors through the book. However they were relatively minimal and I found authors that know the difference between "complement" and "compliment"! I can forgive everything else. Well worth the read.
December 28, 2016
I want to go in with my one negative comment... I rated this book 4.5 stars but rounded up to 5-stars. It totally was a 5-star read for me... but, dang those awkwardly worded sentences that I came across every now and then just pulled me right out of the story as I tried to figure out what the author's were trying to actually say. For example: Russ brushed his fingers along the faint red rope burn on Dan's throat. If anyone hurt you, he thought, I'll kill them. My mind says this should be either If anyone hurts you, he thought, I'll kill them. or If anyone hurt you, he thought, I'd kill them. Little things like that... ugh!
Now, for the rest of the story! I freakin' loved it! Yes, it was "low" on the steamy sex and yes, it was slow getting us to where we wanted to go... but the truth of the matter is, it was a great story that kept you guessing "who did it" as well as letting us see the whole picture with both Dan and Russ. Overall this was a well-written story with some very interesting writing techniques thrown in for good measure! Although, we were left with a few unanswered questions... for instance, what the heck is up with the dang cold showers? I was glad to see that there will be another installment released soon and I look forward to following Dan and Russ' new adventures together!
Now, for the rest of the story! I freakin' loved it! Yes, it was "low" on the steamy sex and yes, it was slow getting us to where we wanted to go... but the truth of the matter is, it was a great story that kept you guessing "who did it" as well as letting us see the whole picture with both Dan and Russ. Overall this was a well-written story with some very interesting writing techniques thrown in for good measure! Although, we were left with a few unanswered questions... for instance, what the heck is up with the dang cold showers? I was glad to see that there will be another installment released soon and I look forward to following Dan and Russ' new adventures together!
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December 30, 2015I REALLY enjoyed this book, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it but I quickly really got into the plot and started to enjoy getting to know the characters. It's pretty decent length book but there are no moments that feel unnecessary or where I didn't feel like I learned something relevant to the story. For me this books best feature was the main characters I really liked both Russ and Dan a lot, despite the mountain of secrets they both have. The plot was pretty good, the ending was kind of anticlimactic but it didn't make me mad like some other books with almost random endings, the final conclusion did seem a little far fetched to me but by the time you get to it, the focus of the book is more on uncovering the history of the main characters then the final mystery. I really enjoyed this book because I like mystery/thriller books that focus more on world building and story then just romance and this was right up my alley. It's more than 50% through the book when anything romantic happens between Dan and Russ and that was totally fine for me because the story was engaging. Overall, this story was a pleasant surprise for me that I didn't expect to enjoy half as much as I did. Definitely, looking forward to book #2!
December 28, 2015
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
I received an advanced copy of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Two men with mysterious pasts, an intriguing mystery, and a slow burn romance? Okay, you convinced me! Throw in a touch of paranormal in the form of a sexy, psychic geek? SOLD!
This book was ridiculously fun to read. It’s a mystery and an action novel, so the plot is fast-paced and the tension keeps you on the edge of your seat. Coyle and Specter did a great job of tying together the mystery, and of writing two fascinating men who must work together to keep themselves and others from dying.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Two men with mysterious pasts, an intriguing mystery, and a slow burn romance? Okay, you convinced me! Throw in a touch of paranormal in the form of a sexy, psychic geek? SOLD!
This book was ridiculously fun to read. It’s a mystery and an action novel, so the plot is fast-paced and the tension keeps you on the edge of your seat. Coyle and Specter did a great job of tying together the mystery, and of writing two fascinating men who must work together to keep themselves and others from dying.
November 14, 2020
<3 this new series from Wolf, and hope that that's what it becomes.
I read "Lines of Sight" in one go, and that is how I recommend you do too. This is a mystery, and there are deep dark secrets to unravel, as you may have guessed from the title. Everyone has something to hide, and watching it all play out is a fun ride. Not going to spoil it for anyone.
I also won't spoil their abilities. Russel's in particular I've never seen in a novel. It's close to being a clairvoyant but more active in the present moment and much more useful for the challenges ahead. I was left with a few world-building questions regarding how everything works, but regardless I enjoyed, and the second installment will surely shed some light.
Can't wait for number 2!!! Hurry up, please!
I read "Lines of Sight" in one go, and that is how I recommend you do too. This is a mystery, and there are deep dark secrets to unravel, as you may have guessed from the title. Everyone has something to hide, and watching it all play out is a fun ride. Not going to spoil it for anyone.
I also won't spoil their abilities. Russel's in particular I've never seen in a novel. It's close to being a clairvoyant but more active in the present moment and much more useful for the challenges ahead. I was left with a few world-building questions regarding how everything works, but regardless I enjoyed, and the second installment will surely shed some light.
Can't wait for number 2!!! Hurry up, please!
October 21, 2016
While it was a good story I felt the ending was really rushed. The sex (too soon!), the foray into Dan's past (too little!) - it'd have made a perfect sequel in itself with tastefully added danger, adventure, personal growth, relationship development... At the end Dan is still a bit of enigma, their feelings remain tentative, ambiguous (at most Russ has a crush on his partner). This book should be an intro to everything. Maybe it is. I'd like to read further. Not sure how to summarize the rating. :/ but hey, positive thinking, right? Four stars then. Btw, the cover is smoking hot. Aaand the whole thing definitely deserves more readers and attention.
December 22, 2015
Really good read
I really enjoyed this story. It kept me engaged and intrigued. Daniel's gift was amazing and written with a realistic bent. Not every gift will be perfect and it was through those imperfections that made his character believable. Russell's character was wounded both physically and emotionally and it was great to see how both men filled a void that the other wasn't quite aware was being filled.
This was a great read and I look forward to book two in the series.
I really enjoyed this story. It kept me engaged and intrigued. Daniel's gift was amazing and written with a realistic bent. Not every gift will be perfect and it was through those imperfections that made his character believable. Russell's character was wounded both physically and emotionally and it was great to see how both men filled a void that the other wasn't quite aware was being filled.
This was a great read and I look forward to book two in the series.
January 12, 2016
A very solid and very enjoyable crime/mystery/delicately paranormal story with great characters. The premise is excellent - a PI in a witness protection program is sent to spy on a guy suspected of corporate espionage, who turns out to be a telepath/psychometer. The romantic subplot, although important, is minor and isn't the main driving force behind the plot. The book is quite long, over 400 pages, but it never for a moment feels boring or like the action is stalling, and the numerous twists aren't predictable. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel!
January 19, 2016
Wow
Ok I'm picky with my stars so when I give this book five stars it's a five star book wow I love the fact that Russ and Dan romance is slow gradual but still explosive and the action was amazing I can't wait to read the next book I also hope the next book is not the last we see of this wonderful love story with spence and action. Great job to my favorite m/m romance author wolf specter and co author Carla Cole. An amazing job
Ok I'm picky with my stars so when I give this book five stars it's a five star book wow I love the fact that Russ and Dan romance is slow gradual but still explosive and the action was amazing I can't wait to read the next book I also hope the next book is not the last we see of this wonderful love story with spence and action. Great job to my favorite m/m romance author wolf specter and co author Carla Cole. An amazing job
January 10, 2016
Fun paranormal mystery with a little romance on the side. The plot was fun and well put together - points for avoiding predictability! - and the characters interesting and engaging. Vividly written with an excellent sense of place, and enjoyably realistic dialogue and interactions. Definitely on board for the sequel when it's done.
January 20, 2016
This was an interesting reading. Russ and Daniel seem to be an odd pair. Both running away from something both with their own secrets. Daniel feels his secret is greater than anything and his convinced he cannot tell Russ his secret. They both learn to trust and lean on each other. It was a story filled with various twist and turns that kept you going for a bit.
June 1, 2016
Interesting premise, but...
This book felt a bit disorganized to me. I felt that the pacing was odd and the two authors' writing styles weren't quite blended right. I also wish that more time had been devoted to describing/explaining Dan's abilities so that the use of them in the story wouldn't seem conveniently serendipitous.
This book felt a bit disorganized to me. I felt that the pacing was odd and the two authors' writing styles weren't quite blended right. I also wish that more time had been devoted to describing/explaining Dan's abilities so that the use of them in the story wouldn't seem conveniently serendipitous.
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