Holden

Mean Streets #1

by Andrea Speed

Mean Book One
From the Infected Universe

With his friend lion shifter Roan McKichan no longer in the picture, former sex worker Holden Krause is now working as a detective investigating cases in Seattle. When he receives a request to investigate a rather unusual case for Big Mike, a local drug dealer, he ignores the potential hazards in working for such a client and takes it on.

But Holden hasn’t given up his vigilante ways, occasionally seeking violent retribution for those ignored by the justice system. There’s a man stalking the streets, assaulting anyone he perceives to be trans or gender-nonconforming in any way. When the brutality escalates, the case becomes personal for Holden. 

If he cannot juggle being both a detective and a vigilante, his taste for blood and danger might finally catch up with him.

Genres: M M Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, LGBT, Fantasy, Shapeshifters

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2016

About the author

Super nerd. Former EIC at Cx Pulp. I've won Rainbow Awards, and still can't believe it. A small medicinal horse. The Meryl Streep of stunt corpses. Enby.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This pains me, it truly does.
I have adored the Infected world thus far.
I couldn’t wait to read this story.
And…I didn’t like it. Honestly, it was difficult for me to finish.
I don’t want to be a Debbie downer so, I’ll just cut to the chase…

First problem: (which I own as "I should have known better") I have always loved Roan. I have tolerated Holden. There is no Roan here. He was greatly missed. Yet it wasn’t just me. EVERYbody missed Ro and his absence is a constant kick in the shins.

The brilliant cat world is impressive and the shifting has been a pivotal piece for me. The best shifter series I have ever read!
Roan was not only blessed with one amazing soul mate but he has the unique gift of a second.
While the romance wasn’t always in the limelight, it was throbbing like a heartbeat in the background. It was what made Roan who he is.
The love story was fierce, protective and all-encompassing.
These are two very important factors for me and my enjoyment of this series. Which leads to my...

Second problem: This story had neither. No romance. No shifting.
Needless to say, this was a major disappointment for me. To make matters worse, every possible love connection was futile. For every crush or lusty desires and even love was unobtainable. They all fell in love with someone they couldn’t have. Say what? Yep. Talk about depressing.

Lastly, I felt it was heavily weighed down with negativity. Holden has a very flippant attitude but he is sooooo pessimistic and it brought me down. Dragged me down actually.
The tone felt preachy. I read for enjoyment not to be lectured.
It was all of the horrible news at eleven rolled into two hundred pages. And a sure way to cause my disinterest is to give me sexuality lessons. It doesn’t shine favorably for me when all of the characters fall into different colors of the rainbow and it’s thrown in my face. It was just…too much.

The blurb clearly defines the story; I just had expectations that weren’t met. Or perhaps I just had unrealistic expectations?
I did not enjoy Holden’s voice and missed Roan with my whole heart.
Despite loving this series, I didn’t love Holden from the beginning and feel as though my opinion should be null in void because of this. I wanted to like it, I really did. But yeah....no.
I hope Holden’s fans read it and love it…heavens knows he needs all the love he can get.

*2 stars*

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where did a vigilante get a sidekick?
Knowing what he knew, Holden figured the answer was probably Craigslist. Wasn't it always?

If you know me at all you know that the original Infected series is one of my all time favorite UF series and Holden was one of my favorite characters in that. I went into this with both excitement and trepidation. I so wanted it to be good but was worried it couldn't live up to the same level as Roan's story. I'm happy to say that I think we're off to a good start with this. I really liked it a lot.

For some reason I thought this would be lighter, less emotional, than Roan's story but in retrospect I'm not sure why I thought that. First off Holden is a very complicated character and secondly the author did nothing in the last series to lead me to believe she would be gentle with our hearts. I should have known right?

This story starts not too far down the road from the end of the last Infected book. Holden is trying to work some cases and is still handing out his own brand of justice to those who victimize the rent boys/girls in the area. He takes on a big case but realizes as he goes along he really doesn't know what he's doing. He helped Roan more with the muscle part of their cases and he's feeling a bit overwhelmed and lost. The case itself was interesting and I enjoyed seeing how it played out and the work Holden did to solve it.

Holden is really different than Roan in a lot of ways. One of the core things was that despite all his prior abuse and hurt, deep down Roan really cared for people and did what he did out of a desire to help. Holden on the other hand does what he does out of anger. It makes the dynamic of what happens and how he lives his life very different. Holden is not one for a lot of introspection and in prior books he appeared to have convinced himself he's totally happy with how he lives his life. Events in this book shake that up and there were a couple of scenes that were a bit emotional and painful to read. I have no idea where the author is taking us with Holden but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a long, emotional ride.

Many of the crew from Roan's books are there. Scott and some of the other hockey guys make appearances as does Kevin. We even get a few glimpses of Roan via telephone conversations. There is also a new addition to the cast who is someone from Holden's past.

So.......go into this knowing it's not the same. It's kind of the same. It's the same world and a lot of the same people but in this the vibe is different. I found it interesting that one of the things Holden and the other characters are dealing with throughout the story is their feeling adrift without Roan. It was a feeling that even I as a reader felt. I miss Roan too. (& major kudos to the author for making me feel that). But...this story is about Holden and his dynamics. If you did not like him in the prior series then this series is probably not for you. If you did, well, I think you're going to like this a lot and hopefully you'll join me on this ride cuz I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to vent along the way.

[Jenni Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is the hardest review I’ve ever had to write. I started and stopped so many times that I lost my train of thought and had to think about what I was trying to say. I also scrapped so many paragraphs because they just weren’t conveying what I was really feeling. I thought about it, I slept on it, I argued with myself, I discussed it with friends and I think I finally understand what it is about this book that has me so jumbled up in my heart. While I love this world that Speed has created and I gobbled up Roan’s series (except book 2, of course. You couldn’t get me to read that heart shredding story if you set me on fire), I was disappointed and, to be honest, a bit offended by this book. Please bear with me while I try and explain to you why this book affected me the way it did. I have the utmost respect for the author and this is extremely hard for me.

We first met Holden Krause in the Infected series. He quickly became a favorite of mine and I was so happy to see he was going to get his own series. I mean, who wouldn’t love a snarky, overconfident ex-hooker (kinda) with psychopathic tendencies? He was strong and fearless and always looking out for those who were more vulnerable. I looked forward to the parts where we got his POV even if they were dark and a bit scary. He took no shit from anyone and he wasn’t afraid to get the job done, even if it resulted in murder. I adore an antihero and Holden was the epitome of an antihero. So when this book was offered for review I jumped on it, just knowing I was going to love it. It was going to be more of everyone’s favorite snarky ex-hooker (kinda), more shenanigans, more adventure. What’s not to love?

But, I did not love it. Sure, Holden’s still snarky and protective and a psychopath but something wasn’t right. It felt a bit… off. I didn’t adore him like I did before. He wasn’t lovable any more. He wasn’t mean or anything and he still has his vulnerability peeking out from time to time but I never engaged with him like I did in the past. He felt cold to me. I didn’t like it at all. I found myself wanting to skip ahead to the parts where we got Scott’s POV. Scott I loved. Holden, not so much.

In Infected: Holden, Roan has moved away and left his PI business to Holden. Holden is unsure of his ability to be a private eye but, because Roan wants him to continue as his legacy he starts taking cases. Of course he’s hired by a drug lord for his first case, because that is his life. We meet Chai, a former coworker of Holden’s from the escort service where he used to be employed. He left town a few years ago but, after a traumatic life event, is back, looking a little worse for the wear. Chai slowly wiggled his way into the case, into Holden’s life and into my heart. I really liked his character and he balanced out Holden’s aloofness well. There’s a second storyline in this book too. Someone is preying on the transgender and gender non-conforming population of the city and Holden feels like it is up to him to avenge those he considers ‘his’ people.

I liked both storylines. Yeah, they weren’t as action packed or adventurous as the storylines in the Infected series but what was there was good. I liked that we got to see a lot of Scott and Grey and we even got a bit of Tank and Fiona. Kevin and Dee also made appearances. And the side story with Gareth was enjoyable too. It wasn’t the story that disappointed me. I’m actually looking forward to reading book two whenever it comes out. I have in no way given up on this author. I’m hoping this book was just a fluke and it will be better in book two.

*deep breath*

Now for the hard part. I have a few issues. The first is this book is rife with political agenda. I felt like I was being lectured for the most part. Now, I’m all for equal rights and everyone should be able to express themselves however they choose. I myself am a proud parent of the most wonderful son who just happens to have been born a girl. But don’t shove it down my throat. Really, you’re preaching to the choir here. There’s no need to school me. I promise I’m smart enough to decide on my own how to feel.

My second issue is with the writing. There were way too many words for a 200 page book. It was all too talky, too thinky, too explainy. The backstories were so in depth that it read more like a biography than fiction. Nothing was organic. When I meet someone new I don’t want to know every little thing about their past up front. I want to be able to learn about them as I go along and decide for myself if I like them or not. It takes the intrigue out of it if you tell me how I’m supposed to feel about them from the get-go. And whenever something happened or someone was acting a certain way it was explained, again in depth, exactly why it happened or why they were acting that way. It kept me from getting to actually know the characters and relating to them. It made the book become boring and made me feel like I was studying for a test rather than reading a story.

Now for my biggest issue. This book offended me. I hate saying that word. The first thing that comes to mind when I say that is ‘butt-hurt’. No one wants to be labeled as person who gets ‘butt-hurt’ over a fictional story but I can’t think of a better word than offended. There is a lot of het-hate in this book. Nothing overt, but as I was reading along a comment would be made here and there that made me pause. The more I read, the more upset I got until by the end I was quite pissed off. Comments like “Shh. The hets continue to think they made this for them.” or “...he was a bit tired of reading about hets. Hets were everywhere, and he was getting weary of them.” It felt to me like heterosexuals were portrayed as cheaters, liars,naive, stupid and foolish people who were too self centered and flaky to have happy, healthy relationships. And not just some, but ALL heterosexuals. I am a heterosexual woman who has been happily married for 20 years. I didn’t marry for money and I’ve never cheated. I am a strong, independent woman who has a successful career. I felt discriminated against, like I wasn’t supposed to be reading this book. Like it wasn’t written for someone like me. Who wants to spend time and money to read something that makes them feel bad about themselves?

So, it is with great sadness that I give Infected: Holden only two and a half hearts. I just cannot abide by some of the things that were written in this book. But, I want to reiterate that I will continue to read this series and any other of Speed’s books that catch my fancy. I think Speed is a great storyteller. I have high hopes that the next book will have less hate and political agenda and more action and adventure. I wouldn’t say no to a little bit of romance thrown in too.





A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like reading this series because Speed writes good characters and I like her stories. I have problems with her method of delivery which is not subtle rather, tell, tell, tell but the characters keep me returning to check the stories out. I always liked the anti-hero element that lies in Holden and I wanted to see this further developed which it was here. If Speed continues growing Holden like she did Roan, she will do a great job.

I knew going in that Roan was going to be missing but I did not expect the non alcoholic wake for him this book was. At each and every turn the everyone took, they felt the need to mention Roan and how much they miss him etc. It was as if Speed had no faith in her people without Roan thus short changing them which is a pity really. If the 'missing' Roan element had been scaled back a bit I as a reader would have not kept comparing this to the previous books at each turn which is not fair to this book.

Enjoyable read with R

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

I’ll freely admit, like many of the characters in this book, I wanted something of Roan to grab onto, any sort of peek or visit with this great, self deprecating guy would always be much appreciated - but I had to remind myself that this was a spinoff. I wasn’t going to find the same snark, the same humor, the same romantic tone that was infused in Roan’s series, and overall I accepted that.

Holden is definitely not Roan. He’s not a cat shifter, he’s not a self sacrificing hero who always puts others before him. Holden definitely keeps people at arm’s length - he’s cynical, practical, cold. He sure as shit doesn’t want any emotional attachment, because god forbid that equals vulnerability and a huge spotlight on the fact that he might actually have feelings. You know - those icky, gooey, stupid feelings that only fools get when they’re in lurve. No thank you. But he does have a sense of honor and goes about it unconventionally, determinedly. He’s a supporter and a champion of the weak; he won’t let depraved evil bastards get away with their twisted fuckery without a fight or proper punishment. So you don’t have to worry - this world is still harsh and brutal, always showing the awful side of humanity - a theme that Speed has kept constant throughout all the Infected books.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you liked Holden, if you liked a lot of the supporting characters, and how the detective cases evolve, in and amongst meting out justice here and there when needed, you’ll get this in spades. Though it’s missing that good ‘ol Roan spark, I do think it holds its own. I enjoyed revisiting this world. It’s gritty, full of tragedy, but ultimately eking out that violent, brutal win. Alas, it’s not about shifters, and it’s definitely lacking in romance, but what will continue to pull me back in, should this series continue, is hopefully the evolution of Holden. He’s started a new path due to some well placed hero worship and he’s slowly figuring some things out about himself. Though he doesn’t really accept it, no man is ultimately an island - I want Holden to find some sort of peace with his life and maybe carve out a part that he holds precious. That’s definitely something I can look forward to and will continue to seek out. Hopefully Speed will deliver.

Thanks for the company Sofia!

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still, there was a huge difference in the way Roan helped people and the way Holden did. He hoped Seattle was ready for it.

I think readers who expect the book to have a lot of shifting involved will be disappointed. Similar to those who want romance. Clearly this is not where Andrea Speed decides to go with the first installment of Mean Street series ... a.k.a. Holden's book (or Infected's spin-off). I think that name is more apt to describe the mood/tone of this book rather than using Infected on the title. Using Infected can be pretty misleading, IMHO.

I did love how this book turned out. I am glad that Holden stays, well, Holden, including his sarcastic looks toward the world, his negativity (especially towards the hets), as well as his penchant for vigilante and violence. Borrowing my friend, Ika's review, this is exactly how I imagine Suicide Squad movie should be. Morally ambiguous and take no prisoner.

I also don't expect romance -- so I wasn't really surprised when Scott decided to break it off with Holden. Honestly? I never really believe that Holden and Scott can make it till the very end anyway. They are two people with different needs and expectations. They might be good in bed but I don't see them as compatible partners in the long run. With Holden's unwillingness to let anybody close to him, this might not be the right time for Scott (or anybody else) to occupy that part of Holden's life and heart.

On that note, this is where I had problems. Now that Scott steps down from his role as Holden's boyfriend, I wasn't really interested to read his chapters. For me, Scott is significant because of his relationship with Holden. Without that, I don't really care about him.

Sure, Scott's relationship with Grey is intriguing, plus Grey being an asexual adds to the diverse sexuality of the book. But Scott's chapters just drag this book down for me. I was more interested to read about Holden -- even if only reading about his frustration of doing monotonous investigation process. I am more intrigued with Chai -- this additional character that ends up being Holden's partner in the private eye agency.

For sure, Holden is not Roan but he can still evolve, including probably caring for other people than he wants to in the beginning. Chai will be a good balance for him, I think. So sign me up for the next book because I am totally in for this next journey of Holden's life.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holden is a familiar and intriguing character from the Infected universe, and I was interested to see what the author would do with him. He's always been dark, controlled, a bit bitter, and his protective instincts towards those weaker and damaged by life are strong. But so is his appetite for vengeance and meyhem. In this book he remains true to his character, without morphing into a hero overnight. It will be interesting to see him unfold though this series.

Many familiar faces get a look in on this story - it helps tie it in to the first series, but makes it feel a bit scattered with the plethora of secondary characters orbiting around Holden. A couple of new potential side-kicks appear. I had hoped that Scott would be there more centrally, as both a foil for Holden and as a ticket to a softer side of him. But clearly Holden has a ways to go before any kind of soft is allowed to emerge. Without either big-cat shifting or romance, this book had a different feel, a cooler, disaffected gay mystery. Those who are fans of Fox will enjoy watching him begin to redesign his life here, while remaining true to the cynical loner he has been so far.

[Bitchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The shadow of Roan still looms over this series, even though he is (minor spoiler for the Infected series)retired from the biz . It seeds like people are always talking about Roan, or thinking about him. That makes the transition from this being Roan's series to Holden's a bit easier to take, maybe. I was happy with the little glimpses we got, anyway.

I know a lot of people don't seem to care for Holden, especially on his own like this, but I quite like him. He's not someone I'd want to date, but he's someone you would definitely want on your side, and not against you. He's trying his best to take over Roan's detective business, but he's just not cracked up for it, doesn't have the patience for the mundane investigative part of the biz, which is where Chai comes in.

I don't think we've met Chai before, or if we have, I don't remember him, but he's a nice addition to the story. It seems that he'll be doing the basic investigating now, with Holden doing the dirty work, and still some added muscle from Scott, Grey, and Tank. I love those guys, and am very happy to see they're still around in this new spin off series. Looking forward to seeing what's next.

[Skye Blue ☆*~ﾟლ(´ڡ`ლ)~*☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I love it? Yes
As much as Roan? Uh, no....but come on, Roan has big shoes to fill.




Holden is a great character. I don't want him to be a Roan copycat.

I did miss all the things that make Roan great. Not just the Lion, but all his quirks. I missed all the pop references. There are still some there, they just aren't as fun, or obscure. I loved squealing, OMG I remember that! But I'm glad that wasn't here, because that just isn't Holden.

We aren't the only ones who miss Roan. Most of the regulars from previous books are here, and they all miss him too. It was nice that we got a little glimpse of him from a few phone calls.

I also missed the infected portion. It's mentioned some, but not really brought into the story.
The world hasn't suddenly solved the infected issue, it's still there in the background.

Holden does care about people, and have the protectiveness going on. But it's different. He doesn't draw a line in the sand that he won't cross. He likes taking vengeance on those who cause others pain. He gets the job done.

Holden reminds me of a line in a Papa Roach song. (Actually it's a quote from Socrates, used by Papa Roach) But Papa Roach is fitting for Holden.



Just like Roan needed someone to keep him human, Holden needs someone to pull him back from the darkness. He tries to keep himself closed off...I think he knows if he lets himself care fully, it could destroy him. He'd rather avoid love and relationships of any kind, rather than have it go bad. He was slowly...VERY SLOWLY, getting there with Scott.

Maybe Scott is the one for him, maybe he isn't. But I'm glad they stepped back. I think they both needed it, if they ever want a chance at a future. Never know, maybe there is someone else out there for Holden. If there is, I think Scott will still be a very close friend.



I like getting Scott's POV. I love seeing Tank, and Grey, and Fi. There were some other familiar faces too.

While this book feels very familiar, and cozy. You know the world, you know the characters....It's not the same at the same time. Holden was my favorite character, besides Roan. I'm looking forward to seeing were this goes. I want to see him open up...I just fear for him. As hard as Roan took losing Paris, Holden wouldn't hold up as well in that type of situation....he would be truly scary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had to re-read because I couldn't remember Chai Nayar. As soon as I started I recalled the case and the outcome, but I still couldn't remember Chai. As soon as he was introduced during the reread, I wanted to smack myself, because all the rest came flooding back.
Not remembering Chai is not due to him being forgetable...it's due to my own failing memory. He was a good character.

Second time around, I still feel pretty much the same as my first review.
Now that I remember Chai, I happy to get to start the next book.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Unless he got some sense of a setup, he’d just play this like he played everything else. Come in with a secret weapon, act harmless and queeny, and prepare to take everyone in that fucking room down with him. There was no reason to change such a winning formula so late in the game."

It was a little bittersweet to begin Holden's book knowing that Roan wasn't going to make an appearance, at least not in person. I loved the way the author wrapped up the 'Infected' series and I was doubly curious as to what direction 'Mean Streets' was going to go in. I certainly always loved Holden in Roan's books so getting to see him, without Roan, working cases and pissing people off, had me excited about all the possible plots.

Holden is a complicated and very cynical man. A former street hooker who has recently fallen into the private eye business after working with Roan. Holden is very private, can be extremely black and white, takes care and watches over the people who mean something to him, and has no problem dealing out vigilante justice. He keeps his private and emotional self held very close to his vest. When Scott breaks up with him, Holden is relieved because he's been feeling too much and wondering what those feelings meant, and now he's off the hook. Of course, it doesn't prevent Holden from using Scott as backup in his latest case for Big Mike, a big time drug dealer.

Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews

[Theodora IK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book is the one I hope to see when I watch a suicide squad trailer. The main character was morally ambiguous, pessimistic, pragmatic, and a badass in a totally human way. It's not romance, because Holden was not the type to let himself be that vulnerable, but I loved his character as the avenger for the underdogs.

I devoured this one in one sitting, and now I want more.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ~ Holden Kraus is the ultimate antihero. I’d call him a disaffected, socio/psychopathic misanthrope, if hard pressed to call him anything, not exactly a guy who’s out to give you a case of the warm fuzzies, but, then again, he couldn’t give two craps about who likes him and who doesn’t, which is one of the things I’ve gotta respect about him too. Holden is the master of his domain and bows to no rules but those of his own designs.

If you’ve never read the origin series and are picking up Infected: Holden as a hopping off point, it could work as a standalone. I think. It’s hard to say because I can’t unread the other books. I already know and love these characters, so it’s difficult to say if there’s enough in this book to make new readers bond with them. Holden is a badass—has been from the moment he showed up on page and will be long after Speed is finished writing books set in this -verse. But, because he doesn’t present as a man who’d let you into his life, share his thoughts and feelings with you over a beer, he’s not easy to warm up to without the sparse knowledge longtime readers have of him and how he’s gotten where he is. To know what we know of Holden is to love him and the codes he lives by. And will probably die defending.

If you have read Andrea Speed’s Infected series, you knew this spinoff was sort of inevitable. With Roan and Dylan sequestered in Canada, far from the mean streets of Seattle and the pressure of Roan being the king of his urban jungle, Holden has been crowned successor to the king, by the king, to take over the private investigations business. The only question going in was whether or not he was suited to the task. The only answer after finishing this first book of the new Mean Streets series is…time will tell. But, I wouldn’t bet against Holden. Ever.

Saddled with two cases to solve—one for which he was hired, the other of which he took on as a personal mission—Holden remains conflicted over whether or not he has the patience to be a private detective. He’s an action oriented/instant gratification sort of guy (chapter one spells that theory out in fabulous detail), so sitting on stakeouts and digging through newspaper microfiche, both unpalatable but necessary parts of working these cases, have him questioning Roan’s and his own sanity for thinking he could do the job. If there’s anything about Holden we can be a thousand percent sure of, though, it’s that he doesn’t do jack shit unless he wants to.

One of the things I always loved about the relationship between Roan and Holden was their superhero/sidekick dynamic. They worked insanely well together, but with Roan now gone, Holden is picking up the hero slack—albeit in an urban vigilante savage Batman-ish sort of way—and though Holden’s always been a loner, he without question needs a Lucius Fox in the worst sort of way, someone to handle the business side of the biz, which he finds and god, Holden gets to be a total good guy in the process. The Holden version of a good guy, at least, without ever letting on that he’s doing anything but being Holden. I’m already halfway in love with this new partner, too, and can’t wait to get to know him better.

But, let’s not go getting all touchy feely sentimental over Holden or anything, it’s just pragmatism and incidental niceness, and this is the contrast that is Holden Kraus. He cares. And he also doesn’t give a shit. He is apathetic and passionate. He has loved and trusted one man in his life (as far as we know) but gives nothing of himself away. He’s deadly to a fault but the best man to have your back in a fight. It looks like he just might make it in this private detective gig, now that he has some help from an old friend. There’s one thing we do know for certain: regardless of the case, he’ll Frank Sinatra that bitch and do it his way.

Both the case he was hired for and the one that hits too close to home were excellent examples of exactly who Holden is. Deep down behind that barb wire and acid laced exterior is a man who cares about the injustices perpetrated against the defenseless, the man who will mete out his own sort of justice to anyone he feels deserving of it, whatever that punishment may be. I liked the raw and gritty of both cases, with a special sort of affection for Holden’s need to find Big Mike’s truth as well as finding the serial killer targeting trans and gender nonconforming folks. When Holden has the chance to show the scary sort of passion he feels towards taking care of those he considers his to defend, it’s awesomely frightening and frighteningly awesome.

And then, there’s the hockey boys… Yes, they figure prominently in the story. Poor Scott. That’s all I’ll say about him. And Grey and Tank, who are weaved into the story as a means of giving readers a break from Holden’s point of view—there had to be some outlet of levity in the story because Holden is so damn dark that spending an entire book in his head wouldn’t be prudent. Getting a healthy dose of these guys, and Fi, while sometimes felt like an odd detour and distraction from the gist of the story arc, was like visiting with old friends. And, of course, Scott and Grey don’t just serve as window dressing to give the story its charm. They also serve as sidekicks on retainer for Holden, just as they did for Roan. And, of course, Speed uses these moments to also serve as reminders of what a gaping hole Roan and Dylan left in Seattle with their departure. And, poor Scott…

Now let’s talk about my big “but”. The shift from Roan’s to Holden’s perspective in this series isn’t an easy one to embrace, and I knew it was going to be difficult before I ever cracked open the e-file. Without Roan’s quirky charms and his love for Dylan and the family he made for himself, and the irresistible hook of the paranormal activity that gave the original series its unique flavor (and which gave Roan something to focus on other than the cases he was working), the side scenes with the guys felt more like a corralling to get everyone into the book than it gave heft to or advanced the storyline. We get the two cases, which were both perfect vehicles to deliver Holden to the series’ objective, but when the focus was directed away from the investigation of those cases, those scenes outside of Holden’s orbit read like filler. The scenes are an absolute assist to new readers, though, giving a little insight into the oddball gang that loves our Roan, so in that way they do serve their purpose.

That one small grievance aside, I’m on board for the long haul with Holden. You can’t help but get the feeling that he’s going to learn a few things about himself before this series is through, things that he’s probably not going to like very much, but things that we readers are going to kind of love, in a sadistic sort of way, seeing him figure out.

Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Rainbow Gold Reviews. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a fan of the Infected series by Andrea Speed, this spin-off series is definitely one you must read. That being said, it is as different from the original series as night and day. I know we were already introduced to Holden and we knew he had some vigilante ways, but he is different in his undiluted form. I say that because even though we knew who he was, Holden with Roan was more balanced. In ways Roan was more balanced by Holden, too. Now Holden seems more cynical than ever, and definitely more closed off to others around him.

It’s like taking on the business of being a P.I. on his own makes him feel like he needs to be completely on his own. I kept hoping that Holden would find someone who would be a good partner for him sexually, emotionally. It even seemed like it was all set up in the last books of the Infected series. So part of me was disappointed by his lack of a romantic life in this book. Holden does a really good job of pushing away all his old friends that he mostly took on while he worked with Roan. Though a certain pairing seems like it might be dead, it’s unclear whether it might just be taking time off. I do wonder what the author has on the horizon for Holden. Especially when he takes in a former fellow rent boy as his assistant.

Chai, short for Somchai, has been through some hard times. An accident has left him with a prosthetic, and he comes back to town in a depression. Helping Holden with his case seems to turn things around for him. As far as business goes, Holden and Chai seem like a great pair. Chai is great at looking into things legally, and it leaves Holden to be a bit reckless and less law abiding in his investigating. Which is just how Holden prefers it. I, however, hope that someone will come into his life that will help him reconsider some of his decisions. Could it be Chai? Or Holden’s former sex buddy? Or even someone new? I don’t know, but I really want to know the answer. One thing about Holden, is that no matter how ruthless he might be in getting things done, he takes care of the people he cares about.

In this book several characters from the original series are back and I’m so glad to see them again. It felt like a reunion with some of my favorite people. Scott, Grey, Tank, and Fiona are all present. Grey’s asexuality is discussed in a big way and I love that awareness is made. I think it is important, but at times it felt like it was overshadowing other aspects of Grey’s personality. As if Grey’s main characteristic is that he isn’t interested in having sex with anyone. Scott also starts to hang out with Gareth, the cop from the cat squad. There is a mini “I miss Roan and am still infatuated with him” fan club between the two of them. Kevin helps out a bit, and Dee also has a brief appearance in this book. Oh, how much I missed all of them. Besides the return of all these favorites there were a few phone calls to a lion infected that really made my day.

What is really different about this book? Don’t expect Holden and friends to go up against any infecteds, any protesters of the infected, or any infected wannabees. It is more grittier, as Holden’s clientele are a lot different than Roan’s. Infected: Holden definitely had a different feel to it for me. It took me just a bit to adjust to this new series, but by the end, I was very excited and eager for the next book. I can’t recommend this universe, series, and book enough.

8.5/10 Pots of Gold (85% Recommended) – Compares to 4.25/5 Stars.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://justloveromance.wordpress.com...

Infected: Holden, or as I like to call it, Everybody Misses Roan, is an excellent start to the Mean Streets series. I will admit that this is a huge relief because I had some rather trifling concerns that Holden *might* not be able to shoulder the responsibility of carrying on in Roan’s absence.

I needn’t have worried.

Not only does Holden step up admirably to fill some rather big shoes, he doesn’t have do it alone. Infected: Holden sees the return of a few of the side characters we grew to love in the previous Infected books, and we are introduced to a new one who makes a fine addition to the collection of Roan’s former groupies, er, friends.

Although Roan is still a part of this book, it’s only peripherally, providing long-distance phone support to Holden when he is hired by a local crime lord to locate the man’s birth father. But he’s never far from anyone’s mind. That fact becomes almost a running gag throughout the book and would make a great drinking game: one shot for every time someone sighs and says they miss Roan. Cheers!

As with the other books in the Infected series, the POV switches between characters, mostly between Holden, Scott and newcomer Chai. The author always makes it clear whose voice we’re hearing and having both Holden and Scott’s POV is particularly helpful as they’re struggling with their feelings regarding their relationship. When Scott accuses Holden of being emotionally deficient, it’s only through Holden’s POV do we get see how untrue that is. Holden cares but he is remorseless and relentless when it matters. Never more so when he comes face to face with the person responsible for increasingly violent attacks on local trans people

While I have absolutely loved the shifter aspect of the Infected series, this book is more about relationships and connections. Roan has left a gaping hole in the lives of his odd group of friends, especially Holden, and a large part of this book is about Holden’s attempt to figure out his place in the world. Does he want to be a PI? A rent boy? A vigilante? All three? This is Holden’s journey and I’m keen to see what Andrea Speed has in store for him.

Word of caution: this book doesn’t read like book 9 of Infected. While populated by most of the same characters, Infected: Holden definitely has a different vibe. It’s a little darker, especially without the romantic backdrop of Roan’s relationship with Dylan, but I don’t think the story suffers because of that. There are still the same classic one-liners and pop culture references we’ve come to expect, but there is a melancholic air about it and a sense that there is a changing of the guard on the streets. Roan is missed – terribly – but others will rise up in his absence. How that happens is yet to be played out, but I’m excited to see where this goes.

I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Fenriz Angelo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel sorry about this book, Holden is one of my favorite characters but if I be honest with myself I cannot even think of the book being an ok read, I just simply did not like the book at all. Why? First, it was repetitive as fuck. Second, while Holden's cynicism is on point pretty much the narration fails into an annoying lecturing that just bored me to the point I just skimmed pages and pages of commentary and just focused on reading only the dialogues. And last, the book is basically 30% mystery, and 70% of how much the characters miss and love Roan. Lot of unnecessary scenes, and characters that aren't fleshed out and are only there to further Holden's or Scott's plot, meh.

Honestly this book could have been better if it had a good edit.

[Susinok · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad we're not done with the Infected universe yet. I am happy to see Holden get a series of his own. I didn't want to let the characters go.

Holden is a bit more messed up than I anticipated though. It'll be interesting to learn about his past.

[Aethena Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

On first quest to read the entire Infected series, I stopped just before this book. It was new, and I wasn't quite read to let Roan go. I liked Holden as a character, but Roan is just...Roan.

I enjoyed this book as much as the others. It's definitely different from the earlier books. If you are a comic book fan, you will notice a multitude of comic book references in this series, and you can sense that the type of storytelling is complimentary to comic books. This is even more noticeable in this book. I am an epic comic book fan, so I enjoyed this. I think Holden was obsessing over his vigilante tendencies a bit too much, but he is also trying to manage several major changes to his life, so his obsessions make sense as a coping mechanism.

I am looking forward to the next book. I hope Holden finds a bit of peace. He deserves it as much as Roan does. I am also hoping the members of the hockey team that adopted Roan also find some peace, or a Stanley Cup ring.

[Molli B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good! Lots of Holden (obviously) and Scott, plus some of Scott's friends we've met before and Chai, a friend of Holden's. Even some Roan on the phone. ♥

I had (sort of) forgotten that Andrea is a bit of a rambler, and that hasn't changed from the previous books. Not a huge deal in a relatively short book. If I didn't like the world so much, I know I'd complain about it more, but that's how it goes sometimes!

I miss the cats, which don't seem like they'll be anything but background in this series, but I like Holden and the crew enough that I'll happily read these books anyway. :)

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, ummm... OK, I got this.

To say that this didn't go quite as planned, at least not as I had it planned it... would be an understatement... but, obviously, Ms. Speed has a different plan... grrr (hahaha)

Yes, I missed Roan and even though we didn't even get to catch up with Dylan, it was good to see the rest of the gang and to met a couple of new gang members! Chai is going to be an excellent vigilante sidekick and I guess we will just have to wait and see what Ms. Speed has in mind for Holden and Scott... but, I am NOT what you call a patient person... just sayin'! ;p

[Wayne Blood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised how smooth the transition to this offshoot series is from the original series.
Holden remains one of my favorite characters, and is a commanding presence in the book. All of the “sidekicks” make appearances in the book and even Roan makes a phone appearance or two. Chai is an interesting addition to the mix and I’m glad that Gareth is making his feelings known. The cases were interesting and the story was compelling.

[Cerulean · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Tamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Holden but I'm missing Roan.

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

https://aspeccharactersoftheday.tumbl...

[Natosha Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely different then I thought it would be. It is not a romance or erotica or anything along those lines even though most of the characters are gay or bi or closeted. This book is more of a mystery/suspense. It is an action/adventure type book with a little bit of murder and vigilante justice.

In my opinion Holden thinks of himself as a bad person who likes to take down other bad people. I think that really Holden is in love with Scott but he will never admit to it because he does not think that he deserves Scott or his love. So when Scott decided to end their relationship he did not fight it and acted as if it did not bother him one way or the other, even though it really did. Holden reminds me of this self destructive person who constantly puts himself in danger. I think that it is going to take someone really going the extra mile with Holden for him to find someone that he will willingly let in. That person is going to have to be strong because Holden will fight them every step of the way and will try his best to push them away before they can get close. That would definitely be interesting to see.

Holden has two different things in the fire in this book. First he is working for a drug lord trying to uncover the truth about Big Mikes childhood and who his parents really are. Of course all the has to be done on the down low because Big Mike never wants anyone to find out about any of the things that happened to him as a child. So therefore this is a very dangerous investigation for Holden to take on. In true Holden fashion he takes the job if for no other reason because of the danger in it.

The other thingHolden is working on is his on form of Justice to the individual who is attracting trans people in town. Holden is bound and determined to catch this individual especially after one of his friends becomes a victim.

This book was truly a different kind of read then I normally read. I like the fact that it was a little on the dark side and that the book was full of all kinds of twist and turns. I find myself actually looking forward to the next book in the series and I hope that it will star Holden in it also. I would really love to read about him meeting his match in the love department. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the book in the series that is for sure.

Was giverhis galley copy for free for an open and honest review

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so realistically I'd give this one 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up for love of the series. This really wasn't my favorite book in this world. I loved the Infected series and was really looking forward to this spin off, but it never really lived up to my full expectations.

So I think my first big huge problem with this book was Holden and Scott. Really this bugged me more than anything. The backtracking of their relationship was the polar opposite of what I was expecting. I love Scott and he was probably my favorite part of this book. I really wanted to see Holden starting to mature and look at what he wants. I feel like he backslid a bit in this story. Sure, maybe it makes some sense for setting up his own series and his own arc, but because we already know him so well I wanted to see more growth out of him in this first story. His vigilante tendencies worry me for him long term.

Overall the mysteries weren't bad. I enjoyed Holden getting his own sidekick. :) Scott, Grey, & Tank were wonderful as always. I love the hockey boys. While this wasn't my favorite book in this world I still love the world as a whole and I look forward to reading more.

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a big Roan-shaped hole, but Holden is a great character I'll learn to love. I missed a bit the feline-verse, but we'll see what environment Holden will work in. I liked Chai very much, very much.

[Diana Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is filled with wonderful characters, both main and minor, but of all the non-POV characters within the main series, Holden has always been my favourite. It was wonderful to get a book written from his POV, which helps flesh out the main characters even more while giving Holden a real chance to shine like he so deserves. A very compelling read and plenty of fun as always.

[Chancey "Does not give out 5's like candy" Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story telling. Typical Speed. I am sure I'm not the only one to miss Roan. "Mean Streets" is meant to be Holden's vehicle, and be is an extremely interesting, unique character in his own. Chai was a very refreshing surprise. The whole series has some of the most amazing well written characters ever. I will read the next one.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad to say that at only 26%, I had to DNF. This wasn't the story I was expecting. I loved Holden as a support character, a sidekick, but without the shifter world front and center, this story just doesn't work for me.

[Julissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

No wonder so many readers got confused. This book was a book of Roan without him really being in the book. I skipped so much I don't really know what the book was about so maybe I shouldn't rate...

Two stars cuz of Scott.