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The Solomon Mysteries #1
Good Boys
Having risen through the ranks of the Baltimore City Police Department to the elite Homicide unit as an out gay man, Paul Solomon has always prided himself on his integrity and self-reliance. As the last vestiges of his failed eight-year-long relationship fall away, Paul finds himself adrift, forced to rely on others to help him find his footing again.
When Paul and his partner, Tim Cullen, are called to the scene of a double murder of two high school students on the city’s west side, Paul finds the lives and deaths of the two boys hitting closer to home than he’d expected. With his personal life in upheaval, he struggles with the perspective needed to untangle the web of secrets and lies that led to their demise.
While working his way through the complicated case, Paul starts getting his life back together. After a date with an enigmatic young man takes a dark turn, he reaches out to an old flame who brings some much-needed lightness to his life. But Paul finds that relationships, like murder investigations, are never as simple as he’d like.
When Paul and his partner, Tim Cullen, are called to the scene of a double murder of two high school students on the city’s west side, Paul finds the lives and deaths of the two boys hitting closer to home than he’d expected. With his personal life in upheaval, he struggles with the perspective needed to untangle the web of secrets and lies that led to their demise.
While working his way through the complicated case, Paul starts getting his life back together. After a date with an enigmatic young man takes a dark turn, he reaches out to an old flame who brings some much-needed lightness to his life. But Paul finds that relationships, like murder investigations, are never as simple as he’d like.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2016
10 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Keelan Ellis
12 books45 followersKeelan Ellis is a true crime enthusiast, a political junkie, and a comedy fan. Despite a compulsion to sometimes wallow in the depths of humanity’s corruption and sadness, she considers herself a romantic at heart. The stories she really connects with are about love that’s been twisted into hatred, and she believes that with honesty and forgiveness, love can overcome. Keelan loves good bourbon and classic country music, great television and well-prepared food, especially shared with like-minded people. She’s not a fan of parties and large groups of people, but there’s nothing she loves more than a long conversation with friends. Her favorite part of the writing process is the collaborative stage, hashing out plot and characters with smart and talented friends. It’s where she truly comes to understand the people she’s writing about, and often falls in love with them. With the support and encouragement--as well as some serious editing help--Keelan has found the writing niche she’s always searched for. Sometimes she gets blocked, and when that happens, there’s only one thing she knows to do. Just like Inigo Montoya, she goes back to the beginning, writing about the characters who inspired her so much in the past.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 17, 2019
4.25 stars
This is a good old fashioned Police Procedural story.
- Well written
- Funny, witty and pleasant to read.
- Lovable characters.
- The mystery was engaging.
Overall, i really liked it.
This is a good old fashioned Police Procedural story.
- Well written
- Funny, witty and pleasant to read.
- Lovable characters.
- The mystery was engaging.
Overall, i really liked it.
June 15, 2018
Sometimes it is good to have NO expectations at all. I picked up this book because of the category – a gay mystery. The author was new for me. I read the blurb and found it interesting. But to tell the truth, I didn’t expect this novel to be better than my last books: in the best case, not bad, but lacking on something to amaze and captivate such a picky reader as myself.
A pleasant surprise! This book was like a fresh cool wind in a hot day (not a thunderstorm, but very refreshing).
Who could imagine that it was not the mystery that would get my full attention, but the characters!
Tim and Paul together WERE.FUN.PURE. Completely different, but the most endearing guys.
Their harmonic team play was perfectly matched to each other and drew my whole attention. They seemed to enjoyed each other's company immensely, and there's plenty of banter that I, in return, enjoyed a lot.
The mystery itself then became of secondary importance.
But don't misinterpret my thought: it doesn't mean the mystery was NOT good, it was not THAT WOW-Jo Nesbø's-MINDFUCK-kind of mystery, but a solid murder mystery where you definitely want to find out who-FGS-did-it-and-WHY. But, BELIEVE ME, this book wouldn't be THAT good without Tim and Paul and their intercourse with each other.
Actually I reject to tell you more: there is a romantic spirit here, but if you expect a love story, you'll be disappointed, the ROMANCE is just in the very beginning and NOBODY knows exactly what direction it will take. Tim and Paul are the partners of the Homicide unit of the the Baltimore City Police Department and work on a brutal murder case and at the same time try to bring order into their lives. Everyone on his own.
Hehehe. Oh, yes, you'll have many wrong ideas on this case, but I am not going to tell you more.
I'm already looking forward to the next sequel, and hope it will appear pretty soon.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
A pleasant surprise! This book was like a fresh cool wind in a hot day (not a thunderstorm, but very refreshing).
Who could imagine that it was not the mystery that would get my full attention, but the characters!
Tim and Paul together WERE.FUN.PURE. Completely different, but the most endearing guys.
Their harmonic team play was perfectly matched to each other and drew my whole attention. They seemed to enjoyed each other's company immensely, and there's plenty of banter that I, in return, enjoyed a lot.
The mystery itself then became of secondary importance.
But don't misinterpret my thought: it doesn't mean the mystery was NOT good, it was not THAT WOW-Jo Nesbø's-MINDFUCK-kind of mystery, but a solid murder mystery where you definitely want to find out who-FGS-did-it-and-WHY. But, BELIEVE ME, this book wouldn't be THAT good without Tim and Paul and their intercourse with each other.
Actually I reject to tell you more: there is a romantic spirit here, but if you expect a love story, you'll be disappointed, the ROMANCE is just in the very beginning and NOBODY knows exactly what direction it will take. Tim and Paul are the partners of the Homicide unit of the the Baltimore City Police Department and work on a brutal murder case and at the same time try to bring order into their lives. Everyone on his own.
Hehehe. Oh, yes, you'll have many wrong ideas on this case, but I am not going to tell you more.
I'm already looking forward to the next sequel, and hope it will appear pretty soon.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
June 18, 2018
This book was SUCH a nice surprise. It was well-written, the police-work felt real and the MC was GREAT!
So Paul is a detective in Baltimore, he is an out gay man, and have 'just' broken up with his partner of 8 years, Andy.
Paul is a good-looking, smart, thorough, hardworking MC. His partner on the job, is Tim, and even though they work well together, Paul can come off as stand-off-ish, which is why he doesn't really have a lot of friends, and why Tim and Paul haven't really connected before.
However circumstances mean that Paul asks Tim if he can sleep on his couch, until he finds a new place to stay. During the story it becomes clear that the homophobia Paul perceived, might also be due to his cranky and no-nonsense personality.
I know the above-mentioned wasn't a BIG part of the story, but the way the Paul developed during this book was so well-done, and I loved his and Tim's relationship, when Paul finally took a chill-pill. Also Tim's humor and acceptance of Paul's orientation was freaking great.
So two teenage-boys have been murdered in their car, and Paul and Tim are called in, since Paul is gay and might have unique insights...
They start a thorough investigation, and I was impressed with the feel of real-life-police-work in this book.
There were no explosions or balistic-work in 2 hours, they went home during the weekends, when they couldn't get the witnesses they needed and so on. This felt like a real-life case, and even though many, MANY characters and witnesses were mentioned, interviewed and introduced, it never got too messy for me to follow along.
While Paul and Tim are working the case, Paul is trying to figure out whether he wants to start dating again. Paul and Andy have actually broken up on pretty good terms, and they still talk.
So when Paul meets David at a bar, he asks him out, since he is exactly Paul's type, and since his break up with Andy have not debilitated him completely.
Paul really wants something uncomplicated, and when he is put in contact with an old flame as well, he starts seeing Owen, even though his attraction to David is through the roof.
David doesn't pressure Paul, but Paul is all over the place with his wants and needs. You can't really call the relationship-stuff in this book a love triangle, but Paul will have to step up at some point and do... Something.
This book really was a GREAT MM-detective-novel, I loved Paul even though he was flawed and an idiot sometimes, but he was so well-written and developed, that I could not help but adore and respect him.
Paul and the detective-work felt so real, and I could identify with Paul in a lot of his thought-processes and decisions, even though he really did come off as a douche once in a while.
The reason this was not a 5-star read, was the complete lack of smexy times. Paul had sex en masse with Owen, but it was all fade-to-black, and that pissed me off!
BUT I would still have loved to read about Paul between the sheets, I'm pretty sure that would be HOT.
And since the rest of Paul's development as a character was so freaking well-done and fleshed-out, the lack of smexy times were REALLY annoying and obvious, BECAUSE they were missing.
There is no doubt however, that the next book in the series will be a one-click-buy for me, and I'm pretty sure this one will be read again, even though I needed me some dirty-dirty-man-on-man to round out this great story.
So Paul is a detective in Baltimore, he is an out gay man, and have 'just' broken up with his partner of 8 years, Andy.
Paul is a good-looking, smart, thorough, hardworking MC. His partner on the job, is Tim, and even though they work well together, Paul can come off as stand-off-ish, which is why he doesn't really have a lot of friends, and why Tim and Paul haven't really connected before.
However circumstances mean that Paul asks Tim if he can sleep on his couch, until he finds a new place to stay. During the story it becomes clear that the homophobia Paul perceived, might also be due to his cranky and no-nonsense personality.
I know the above-mentioned wasn't a BIG part of the story, but the way the Paul developed during this book was so well-done, and I loved his and Tim's relationship, when Paul finally took a chill-pill. Also Tim's humor and acceptance of Paul's orientation was freaking great.
So two teenage-boys have been murdered in their car, and Paul and Tim are called in, since Paul is gay and might have unique insights...
They start a thorough investigation, and I was impressed with the feel of real-life-police-work in this book.
There were no explosions or balistic-work in 2 hours, they went home during the weekends, when they couldn't get the witnesses they needed and so on. This felt like a real-life case, and even though many, MANY characters and witnesses were mentioned, interviewed and introduced, it never got too messy for me to follow along.
While Paul and Tim are working the case, Paul is trying to figure out whether he wants to start dating again. Paul and Andy have actually broken up on pretty good terms, and they still talk.
So when Paul meets David at a bar, he asks him out, since he is exactly Paul's type, and since his break up with Andy have not debilitated him completely.
Paul really wants something uncomplicated, and when he is put in contact with an old flame as well, he starts seeing Owen, even though his attraction to David is through the roof.
David doesn't pressure Paul, but Paul is all over the place with his wants and needs. You can't really call the relationship-stuff in this book a love triangle, but Paul will have to step up at some point and do... Something.
This book really was a GREAT MM-detective-novel, I loved Paul even though he was flawed and an idiot sometimes, but he was so well-written and developed, that I could not help but adore and respect him.
Paul and the detective-work felt so real, and I could identify with Paul in a lot of his thought-processes and decisions, even though he really did come off as a douche once in a while.
The reason this was not a 5-star read, was the complete lack of smexy times. Paul had sex en masse with Owen, but it was all fade-to-black, and that pissed me off!
BUT I would still have loved to read about Paul between the sheets, I'm pretty sure that would be HOT.
And since the rest of Paul's development as a character was so freaking well-done and fleshed-out, the lack of smexy times were REALLY annoying and obvious, BECAUSE they were missing.
There is no doubt however, that the next book in the series will be a one-click-buy for me, and I'm pretty sure this one will be read again, even though I needed me some dirty-dirty-man-on-man to round out this great story.
June 4, 2018
Completely I love romance. But mostly I love murder and mystery. I often joke that if someone doesn’t die I am just not interested. But yeah, mix a little romance in with my murder mystery and you will find me one very, very happy girl.
That being said, I will tell you I took a huge chance on this one. I had a preconceived idea of how it would go, as they so often do, but man do I love being wrong!! What a freaking surprise this book was!! I feel like this book was written for me. Gah! I could read books like this over and over and over. I mean really, I loved all of it. The setting (which is very close to home, the characters, the relationships, the pacing, the “romance” but mostly I loved the murder. It is very difficult to find books like this that get everything right like this one did.
This is exactly how this type of mystery should be written. This felt so genuine to me. We got to see Paul in his daily life and he was real. He was connected and closed off. He felt and was numb. He was just a real guy that I loved getting to know. I loved being in his head. His right from wrong and his ability to know himself but still act however he wanted. Yeah man. I loved him. He totally has a little bit of a Nick Nowak vibe going on and I dig it. Just a little but I felt it.
I don’t even know what else I am supposed to say about this. It felt like I was experiencing each day through the investigation, navigating his starting over and his looking back. All the difference facets of Paul’s life were done fairly and equally and again, I believed it.
I also didn’t want it to end.
What was that ending anyway? It was like boom! All I can say is thank you author for a second book!! Give it to me!! I cannot wait for more of this!
So, yeah, this is a pretty normal I loved the book kind of review from me. I’m not going to rehash the story because I think that should be for you to read but I’ll gush about how I feel about it.
I think if you like a side of romance with your murder mystery you will enjoy this. I mean, read that again, because yeah, the romance in this one is just a side but I think there is a lot more to come.
Excellent. I loved it.
**ARC provided by IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.**
That being said, I will tell you I took a huge chance on this one. I had a preconceived idea of how it would go, as they so often do, but man do I love being wrong!! What a freaking surprise this book was!! I feel like this book was written for me. Gah! I could read books like this over and over and over. I mean really, I loved all of it. The setting (which is very close to home, the characters, the relationships, the pacing, the “romance” but mostly I loved the murder. It is very difficult to find books like this that get everything right like this one did.
This is exactly how this type of mystery should be written. This felt so genuine to me. We got to see Paul in his daily life and he was real. He was connected and closed off. He felt and was numb. He was just a real guy that I loved getting to know. I loved being in his head. His right from wrong and his ability to know himself but still act however he wanted. Yeah man. I loved him. He totally has a little bit of a Nick Nowak vibe going on and I dig it. Just a little but I felt it.
I don’t even know what else I am supposed to say about this. It felt like I was experiencing each day through the investigation, navigating his starting over and his looking back. All the difference facets of Paul’s life were done fairly and equally and again, I believed it.
I also didn’t want it to end.
What was that ending anyway? It was like boom! All I can say is thank you author for a second book!! Give it to me!! I cannot wait for more of this!
So, yeah, this is a pretty normal I loved the book kind of review from me. I’m not going to rehash the story because I think that should be for you to read but I’ll gush about how I feel about it.
I think if you like a side of romance with your murder mystery you will enjoy this. I mean, read that again, because yeah, the romance in this one is just a side but I think there is a lot more to come.
Excellent. I loved it.
**ARC provided by IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.**
February 11, 2019
Seriously good police procedural -
Not always my genre, but I'm the type of person who will read almost anything as long as the characters are well-written and interesting. Something about Paul Solomon is really likeable, and reading about him solving a case involving two dead gay teenagers while trying to sort out his lovelife was really engaging. There's no black-and-white characters here - even the ex-boyfriend is an engaging and in the end sympathetic character (and probably gets the best joke in the book). There are also two potential love interests - who may be physically similar in type, but in character very different. I liked them both and it's gonna be a tough choice for Paul in the long run...
However - the highlight of this book is the relationship between Paul and his straight partner Tim. Not only is their banter fun, but they tackle real issues - and it turns out that Tim may just be the more openmind one. In any case, they are great for each other.
Oh yeah, there was a case too. It was good. Like I said, that's not where my expertise lies. I never guess the right culprit...
I'm now off to read the second book and hope it's just as good.
Not always my genre, but I'm the type of person who will read almost anything as long as the characters are well-written and interesting. Something about Paul Solomon is really likeable, and reading about him solving a case involving two dead gay teenagers while trying to sort out his lovelife was really engaging. There's no black-and-white characters here - even the ex-boyfriend is an engaging and in the end sympathetic character (and probably gets the best joke in the book). There are also two potential love interests - who may be physically similar in type, but in character very different. I liked them both and it's gonna be a tough choice for Paul in the long run...
However - the highlight of this book is the relationship between Paul and his straight partner Tim. Not only is their banter fun, but they tackle real issues - and it turns out that Tim may just be the more openmind one. In any case, they are great for each other.
Oh yeah, there was a case too. It was good. Like I said, that's not where my expertise lies. I never guess the right culprit...
I'm now off to read the second book and hope it's just as good.
February 21, 2019
"I can't believe anyone still wants to listen to Rush."
The mediocre rating isn't because they dissed my favourite band, I swear.
I found the writing to be pretty lacklustre, with a lot of descriptions that were so tell-not-show-y that it was genuinely jarring:
"She was a six-foot, terrifyingly beautiful, incredibly intimidating black woman. Her presence, combined with her drive and intelligence, made her a force to be reckoned with."
Luckily, however, there wasn't too much of this throughout, and for the most part the writing wasn't stunning, but it was functional (dare I make a pun and say prosaic?). The mystery plot was alright, with quite a few twists and turns, but I didn't find the murder motive quite convincing enough, and a couple of the suspects were ruled out a bit too early. Still, it wasn't bad.
I keep saying the same things - okay, not bad, mediocre, etc etc, which basically sums up this book. A solid three-star book, it was pretty enjoyable but instantly forgettable.
The mediocre rating isn't because they dissed my favourite band, I swear.
I found the writing to be pretty lacklustre, with a lot of descriptions that were so tell-not-show-y that it was genuinely jarring:
"She was a six-foot, terrifyingly beautiful, incredibly intimidating black woman. Her presence, combined with her drive and intelligence, made her a force to be reckoned with."
Luckily, however, there wasn't too much of this throughout, and for the most part the writing wasn't stunning, but it was functional (dare I make a pun and say prosaic?). The mystery plot was alright, with quite a few twists and turns, but I didn't find the murder motive quite convincing enough, and a couple of the suspects were ruled out a bit too early. Still, it wasn't bad.
I keep saying the same things - okay, not bad, mediocre, etc etc, which basically sums up this book. A solid three-star book, it was pretty enjoyable but instantly forgettable.
July 13, 2018
For me, Good Boys by Keelan Ellis was a story about relationships. We all have so many different kinds of connections in this world. Co-workers, neighbors, lovers, partners, ex-s, friends, family, and more. This book covers them all with insight, humor, and layers upon layers of emotion. Some ties are quick and easy on the heart. Others weigh and pull at us with guilt and conflict or desire and love. And then we have the relationships that have a mixture of both—like the guilt with the love and the conflict with the desire. I loved watching Paul Solomon move through them all.
Detectives Paul Solomon and Tim Cullen are partners investigating the murder of two teenagers. A case that takes them all over the city of Baltimore for information, background, and interviews. Watching these two men maneuver their way through the case was both fun and captivating. Suspect to suspect. Witness to witness. Paul and Tim are hysterical no matter where they are though—from bed to barstool! Their unique chemistry was the highlight of the show for me. Quick, fun, and telling. I could listen in on one of their late night drinking sessions or early morning banters any day of the week!
Paul refused to check the guy out. He sipped his beer and stared straight ahead.
“Andy’s not your type?” Tim asked. “Why were you with him, then?”
Paul shrugged. “It’s a type, not a fetish. I fell in love; that’s how it goes sometimes.” He glanced at Tim. “Do I seriously need to explain relationships to you?”
“Can you? That’d be great.” Tim glanced toward the end of the bar and turned back to Paul. “He’s skinny, with curly brown hair, and he’s got an expression on his face like his dog just died.”
Paul grinned into his beer. “Is he cute?”
“Are you serious? How am I supposed to tell?”
“Oh please.”
“Fine.” Tim huffed. “Objectively speaking, sure. I’d say yes. In my uneducated opinion. He has big eyes, like a cartoon kitten.”
Paul almost spit beer all over the bar at that, barely managing to swallow. He started coughing and then laughing.
Haha….Love it!
I’m looking forward to checking in with Paul and Tim again real soon.
May 30, 2018
I was completely engrossed in this story!
It is not a romance. It is a crime mystery novel featuring two homicide detectives. However, it does have elements of romance - just not between those two since their sexual orientation is different.
What kept my attention was the "whodunnit". I was carried away along with the detectives as they discovered so many twists and turns in their case. It was fascinating. Very well written. I never lost interest.
The story itself was a braided, winding plot that encompassed characterization of several main protagonists along with the mystery trope. The characters were so well done that they seemed like real people. People I could know or run into in my daily life.
I'm going to recommend this one as a fresh, out of the box, gay-lit novel. As long as you don't go into it expecting romance and smexy times, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well a story with several gay characters reads outside of the romance genre.
Review ARC graciously provided by Indigo Marketing & Design
It is not a romance. It is a crime mystery novel featuring two homicide detectives. However, it does have elements of romance - just not between those two since their sexual orientation is different.
What kept my attention was the "whodunnit". I was carried away along with the detectives as they discovered so many twists and turns in their case. It was fascinating. Very well written. I never lost interest.
The story itself was a braided, winding plot that encompassed characterization of several main protagonists along with the mystery trope. The characters were so well done that they seemed like real people. People I could know or run into in my daily life.
I'm going to recommend this one as a fresh, out of the box, gay-lit novel. As long as you don't go into it expecting romance and smexy times, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well a story with several gay characters reads outside of the romance genre.
Review ARC graciously provided by Indigo Marketing & Design
June 18, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Ohmygoodness, what a GREAT book! I chose this one because I’m a fan of cop stories and murder mysteries, and I was definitely not disappointed. Now, you’re going to have to bear with me because I don’t want to give anything important away. I’m going to give you a bare bones description of the plot, but this book was so amazing, I want you all to read it for yourselves without spoilers from me.
First and foremost, we have Paul Solomon…excellent cop and hot mess. The story begins with him being thrown out of the house he’d been living in with his ex. It’s complicated as they’ve been broken up for a month, but every time they argue about him moving out, they wind up having angry sex. It’s the real deal this time, and Paul has to figure out a living situation ASAP. Paul has a penchant for drinking too much and it’s really taking its toll. However, as I said, he’s an excellent cop who gets results. He’s also openly gay at work. Occasionally he’s hassled, but most of the other guys are ok with it and have his back. His main supporters are his partner, Tim, and the lieutenant, Cherise Masters (Paul’s former partner).
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Ohmygoodness, what a GREAT book! I chose this one because I’m a fan of cop stories and murder mysteries, and I was definitely not disappointed. Now, you’re going to have to bear with me because I don’t want to give anything important away. I’m going to give you a bare bones description of the plot, but this book was so amazing, I want you all to read it for yourselves without spoilers from me.
First and foremost, we have Paul Solomon…excellent cop and hot mess. The story begins with him being thrown out of the house he’d been living in with his ex. It’s complicated as they’ve been broken up for a month, but every time they argue about him moving out, they wind up having angry sex. It’s the real deal this time, and Paul has to figure out a living situation ASAP. Paul has a penchant for drinking too much and it’s really taking its toll. However, as I said, he’s an excellent cop who gets results. He’s also openly gay at work. Occasionally he’s hassled, but most of the other guys are ok with it and have his back. His main supporters are his partner, Tim, and the lieutenant, Cherise Masters (Paul’s former partner).
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
June 17, 2018
So good, an instant favourite, I enjoyed this book and it impressed me.
More than anything it's a friendship and getting to know the main character Paul. Mystery and personal angles are balanced well.
Mystery - More complicated than it seems, I liked seeing the detectives follow leads and speaking to people. There were a few suspicions along the way. As a mystery fan I liked it, there was enough emotion and complications with no need for heaping in drama-llamas. The crime-solving was a good focus for the book, the men are good detectives, they prioritise.
Romance - There is a romantic angle but nothing is tied off with a bow. I like how nice the ex is you can see why they'd be together though also why they'd split. Blame equally shared. It's fade-to-black which I think suited the story at this point, it's hopefully a series so we'll see where the new relationship goes.
Friendship - The friendship Paul and his police partner Tim is the draw of this book. The two bounce off each other, there's banter without the juvenile feeling wise-cracking so many books fall too. Sometime the jokes fall flat, sometimes Paul needs a dig or two; because Paul is a flawed human being like the rest of us. He empathises but cuts himself off, he judges by his experiences when that might not be fair. He comes across real, likeable and sometimes a bit of a dick. Tim is great.
I really can't find a negative about the book, I loved the characters, the mystery kept me guessing maybe a few more lead ups to the final solution but it wasn't a niggle, the romance thread well paced not full focus but some promise there.
I WANT THE NEXT BOOK -NOW - lol last mention it was promised this month but not seeing any cover or reference to it - here's hoping!
More than anything it's a friendship and getting to know the main character Paul. Mystery and personal angles are balanced well.
Mystery - More complicated than it seems, I liked seeing the detectives follow leads and speaking to people. There were a few suspicions along the way. As a mystery fan I liked it, there was enough emotion and complications with no need for heaping in drama-llamas. The crime-solving was a good focus for the book, the men are good detectives, they prioritise.
Romance - There is a romantic angle but nothing is tied off with a bow. I like how nice the ex is you can see why they'd be together though also why they'd split. Blame equally shared. It's fade-to-black which I think suited the story at this point, it's hopefully a series so we'll see where the new relationship goes.
Friendship - The friendship Paul and his police partner Tim is the draw of this book. The two bounce off each other, there's banter without the juvenile feeling wise-cracking so many books fall too. Sometime the jokes fall flat, sometimes Paul needs a dig or two; because Paul is a flawed human being like the rest of us. He empathises but cuts himself off, he judges by his experiences when that might not be fair. He comes across real, likeable and sometimes a bit of a dick. Tim is great.
I really can't find a negative about the book, I loved the characters, the mystery kept me guessing maybe a few more lead ups to the final solution but it wasn't a niggle, the romance thread well paced not full focus but some promise there.
I WANT THE NEXT BOOK -NOW - lol last mention it was promised this month but not seeing any cover or reference to it - here's hoping!
June 15, 2018
Paul Solomon, at the age of thirty-eight, has to face the end of his lingering eight-year relationship with Andy. Andy has finally drawn the line, and Paul has to move out, no more procrastinating. It’s not that either did anything wrong but that time just took them to different stages in what they wanted from life. Paul doesn’t have an easy time with the move or making friends; plus, being a detective with the Baltimore PD can certainly interfere with social time. Lucky for Paul, though, he does have a good friend and partner, Tim Cullen. Tim is divorced and has a young daughter, so it’s made clear that Paul’s stay is only temporary. Tim often teases Paul and is even willing to share his bed with him since the couch is not compatible with sleeping.
Paul has another longtime friend in Annie. Both Tim and Annie want to see Paul be happy and get back in the dating mode. When he does, finally, he meets a strange, shy and nervous David Haygood, who leaves Paul with mixed emotions and decisions to make. Annie also gets Paul back in touch with Owen, whom he once dated, but at that time, what Paul wanted and what Owen wanted in life were too different. But, Owen is an eye-opener; he seems to have grown up and has a better grasp on life than Paul.
With all the craziness in Paul’s personal life, there’s also the murder of two young teens of different ethnicities who come from opposite sides of the track. Tim and Paul are put through their paces in their investigation, what with so many questions and suspects to track down to solve these mysterious murders.
Good Boys was a first time read for me by Keelan Ellis, and I have to say this was a very good and entertaining start to the Solomon Mysteries series. Paul is not a big, bad detective; he just does what he does best—solves crimes. He’s good at his job, but he’s somewhat naive in starting his personal life over again. One thing that really stands out with Paul, though, is that no matter what he sees on the job, he still wants to believe there’s good in everyone. I was also impressed with how the author showed how Tim and Paul worked really well as a team in getting to heart of the crime.
This storyline also has a lot to do with life and timing. Paul, Tim, Anne, Andy, and Owen all have something that’s changed in their lives, taking took them down different life paths. As for the mystery, the plot was creative, and I couldn’t even begin to guess what the outcome would be. I’d seen it going in a different direction, but I was wrong. The Solomon Mysteries series has really good potential and lots of interesting characters. I’m all-in on this one! Keelan Ellis has a second installment in the works, High Time, and there’s a sneak peek at the end of this novel.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach
Paul has another longtime friend in Annie. Both Tim and Annie want to see Paul be happy and get back in the dating mode. When he does, finally, he meets a strange, shy and nervous David Haygood, who leaves Paul with mixed emotions and decisions to make. Annie also gets Paul back in touch with Owen, whom he once dated, but at that time, what Paul wanted and what Owen wanted in life were too different. But, Owen is an eye-opener; he seems to have grown up and has a better grasp on life than Paul.
With all the craziness in Paul’s personal life, there’s also the murder of two young teens of different ethnicities who come from opposite sides of the track. Tim and Paul are put through their paces in their investigation, what with so many questions and suspects to track down to solve these mysterious murders.
Good Boys was a first time read for me by Keelan Ellis, and I have to say this was a very good and entertaining start to the Solomon Mysteries series. Paul is not a big, bad detective; he just does what he does best—solves crimes. He’s good at his job, but he’s somewhat naive in starting his personal life over again. One thing that really stands out with Paul, though, is that no matter what he sees on the job, he still wants to believe there’s good in everyone. I was also impressed with how the author showed how Tim and Paul worked really well as a team in getting to heart of the crime.
This storyline also has a lot to do with life and timing. Paul, Tim, Anne, Andy, and Owen all have something that’s changed in their lives, taking took them down different life paths. As for the mystery, the plot was creative, and I couldn’t even begin to guess what the outcome would be. I’d seen it going in a different direction, but I was wrong. The Solomon Mysteries series has really good potential and lots of interesting characters. I’m all-in on this one! Keelan Ellis has a second installment in the works, High Time, and there’s a sneak peek at the end of this novel.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach
February 26, 2019
Whenever I read a book by Keelan Ellis I find myself in a conundrum: I’m deeply satisfied by the story but somehow unable to intelligently or cogently articulate why? There are no pithy quotes or overwhelming tides of emotion; no ‘heart in the palm of your hand’ declarations of undying, forever love; no cinematic acts of derring-do or danger; no unimaginable evil, just the, sadly, pedestrian strain of evil. Instead she mines the quotidian slings and arrows that make up the lives of most functioning adults, the ups & downs, the ends & beginnings of love affairs, friendships, work, growing up, starting over, revisiting our past by way of our future, they all coalesce in a picture that has the width, breath, and feel of real life. Also, for those still reading, I’d say that this isn’t, nor do I think is meant to be, a romance, not in the genre sense, but the seeds are laid for what can be a love affair for the ages. We’ll see where it goes. Meanwhile the story lands where most of my favorite murder-mysteries do, with the mystery being tangential to the other things going on. I love that. The best mystery stories aren’t really mysteries in a ‘who done it’ sense at all, but rather use the genre as a canvass to show a range of humanity, not something easy to do without coming off preachy but Keelan Ellis succeeds in spades.
Paul Solomon is 38, tall, dark, and handsome secular Jew, who’s a Homicide Detective with the Baltimore Police Department and his life is suitably a mess. Over a year after breaking up with his partner of eight years, and after much cajoling (read ultimatums) from Andy, his ex, he’s finally moving out of the home they shared. Moving out of course means begging his work partner, Tim Cullen, to put him up on his couch until he can sort something out. Paul isn’t necessarily a procrastinator, rather he’s just surrendered to the humdrum of daily life, letting his love life wither away, not making the effort to look below the surface of other relationships, and is just a bit paralyzed at the crossroads. As luck would have it, on the day Paul is moving to Tim’s couch, they also land the case of two teenage boys found murdered in a car and yet somehow this the least compelling of the things that come Paul’s way that week.
Though he’s been partnered with Tim for almost two years, it can’t be said that Paul knows him in any real way, and it’s not Tim’s fault. But all of that is about to change. I loved how the author avoided the ‘GFY cop partners syndrome’, I loved that Tim was such a non-stereotype and kept confounding Paul, and that could pretty much sum up the overarching theme of the book, IMO, how people and things are not always what they seem, how they’re mutable, and much more than the sum of their parts.
Tim is the first of these ‘surprises’ for Paul. He’s a 43 year-old Baltimore native, a red-headed Irish, a divorced cop and he doesn’t give a flying fig about Paul’s sexuality, asks questions because he’s genuinely interested, and has no ulterior motive or buyer’s remorse when he offering his bed (with him in it) to Paul, because the sofa is too short and so is his daughter’s bed. Paul begins to get an inkling of the beautiful friendship he’s been missing out on by being blind to what’s right in front of him or letting preconceptions cloud his judgement.
Added to the list of people confounding Paul or, rather just being humans, are the murder victims themselves, who flip the social/racial roles scripted for them, as do at least two of the murder suspects. Jimmy Pratt, in particular, had me filing his name away for future reference. He was a character that went from “who is this a$#hole” to “can we get a short story about him? Please?”
The biggest surprise, hurdle, or spanner in Paul’s worldview is David Haygood, a 28 year old recent arrival to the city. A kind of baby doe with a dark past looking to be redeemed or perhaps even reborn. He’ll make you think about the nature of forgiveness, faith, what do you really stand for, when it counts, and what is love in the larger sense of the word. I won’t get into David’s story but suffice it to say that not only is it Greek-style tragic, but it’s also, depressingly topical.
The unifying thread to all these characters is Paul Solomon, who in spite of sometimes being aloof and maybe a bit obtuse, also cares deeply about people, is immensely empathetic, and has a huge heart. I for one am going directly to the next book because I know it will be time well spent. I don’t want to miss a minute.
Paul Solomon is 38, tall, dark, and handsome secular Jew, who’s a Homicide Detective with the Baltimore Police Department and his life is suitably a mess. Over a year after breaking up with his partner of eight years, and after much cajoling (read ultimatums) from Andy, his ex, he’s finally moving out of the home they shared. Moving out of course means begging his work partner, Tim Cullen, to put him up on his couch until he can sort something out. Paul isn’t necessarily a procrastinator, rather he’s just surrendered to the humdrum of daily life, letting his love life wither away, not making the effort to look below the surface of other relationships, and is just a bit paralyzed at the crossroads. As luck would have it, on the day Paul is moving to Tim’s couch, they also land the case of two teenage boys found murdered in a car and yet somehow this the least compelling of the things that come Paul’s way that week.
Though he’s been partnered with Tim for almost two years, it can’t be said that Paul knows him in any real way, and it’s not Tim’s fault. But all of that is about to change. I loved how the author avoided the ‘GFY cop partners syndrome’, I loved that Tim was such a non-stereotype and kept confounding Paul, and that could pretty much sum up the overarching theme of the book, IMO, how people and things are not always what they seem, how they’re mutable, and much more than the sum of their parts.
Tim is the first of these ‘surprises’ for Paul. He’s a 43 year-old Baltimore native, a red-headed Irish, a divorced cop and he doesn’t give a flying fig about Paul’s sexuality, asks questions because he’s genuinely interested, and has no ulterior motive or buyer’s remorse when he offering his bed (with him in it) to Paul, because the sofa is too short and so is his daughter’s bed. Paul begins to get an inkling of the beautiful friendship he’s been missing out on by being blind to what’s right in front of him or letting preconceptions cloud his judgement.
Added to the list of people confounding Paul or, rather just being humans, are the murder victims themselves, who flip the social/racial roles scripted for them, as do at least two of the murder suspects. Jimmy Pratt, in particular, had me filing his name away for future reference. He was a character that went from “who is this a$#hole” to “can we get a short story about him? Please?”
The biggest surprise, hurdle, or spanner in Paul’s worldview is David Haygood, a 28 year old recent arrival to the city. A kind of baby doe with a dark past looking to be redeemed or perhaps even reborn. He’ll make you think about the nature of forgiveness, faith, what do you really stand for, when it counts, and what is love in the larger sense of the word. I won’t get into David’s story but suffice it to say that not only is it Greek-style tragic, but it’s also, depressingly topical.
The unifying thread to all these characters is Paul Solomon, who in spite of sometimes being aloof and maybe a bit obtuse, also cares deeply about people, is immensely empathetic, and has a huge heart. I for one am going directly to the next book because I know it will be time well spent. I don’t want to miss a minute.
Want to read
May 23, 2018I liked this when I read it a year ago; not sure if anything has been revised or updated so I'm looking forward to reading it again...and I'm kinda hoping that a re-release means the second installment is on the way!!
ARC provided by NetGalley and NineStar Press for an unbiased opinion.
ARC provided by NetGalley and NineStar Press for an unbiased opinion.
September 26, 2018
3.5 stars
Honestly, I am a little confused on how to categorize this. There's too much of Paul's personal life going to call this a mystery-procedural, despite Paul and Tim working out to solve a case of two dead teenage boys.
But I can't call it romance too because, well, there's too much going on in that department including Paul's finally moving out of his ex-of-eight-year's house, a complicated friendship with an ex-minister of a gay-conversion camp, as well as Paul trying to re-date this bartender from years ago.
But I liked the writing enough because I finished it without too much trouble.
Honestly, I am a little confused on how to categorize this. There's too much of Paul's personal life going to call this a mystery-procedural, despite Paul and Tim working out to solve a case of two dead teenage boys.
But I can't call it romance too because, well, there's too much going on in that department including Paul's finally moving out of his ex-of-eight-year's house, a complicated friendship with an ex-minister of a gay-conversion camp, as well as Paul trying to re-date this bartender from years ago.
But I liked the writing enough because I finished it without too much trouble.
June 18, 2018
This was pretty awesome. I’m looking forward to the second book and finding out how everyone is doing and what the next mystery is. Unlike many mysteries this mystery actually was mysterious for much of the book.
Tim, in particular, was my favorite. He is hilariously comfortable with everyone’s sexuality to the point that it makes Paul and others uncomfortable. Learning your presumption of a certain amount of homophobia isn’t there caught Paul flat-footed (I wonder where that saying came from. It’s sounds odd as I type it though I know I’ve heard it before.)
Paul in his own way is appealing, too, though it might take a bit of reading to warm up to him. I enjoyed his character’s development in this story but I’m really curious to see where it goes in the next book.
I don’t have much more to say that hasn’t already been said better in Jennipher Pher’s review.
Tim, in particular, was my favorite. He is hilariously comfortable with everyone’s sexuality to the point that it makes Paul and others uncomfortable. Learning your presumption of a certain amount of homophobia isn’t there caught Paul flat-footed (I wonder where that saying came from. It’s sounds odd as I type it though I know I’ve heard it before.)
Paul in his own way is appealing, too, though it might take a bit of reading to warm up to him. I enjoyed his character’s development in this story but I’m really curious to see where it goes in the next book.
I don’t have much more to say that hasn’t already been said better in Jennipher Pher’s review.
September 11, 2016
You have to love a good mystery and Keelan Ellis's Good Boys is pretty great. I never know with mysteries if I'll figure it out too soon and if I do will I get bored. I had a lot of ideas as I was reading and some were right and some weren't so it kept me on my toes.
Paul is a character that I sort of felt terribly bad for from the start. He's been living with his ex for a while. Their 8 year relationship fizzled out a long time ago. I mean Paul was sleeping in the guest room for a good long while and they were "sex" buddies. Now Andy, the ex, wants Paul out and so he's moving out.
His partner, Tim, takes pity on him and lets him bunk with him. I really adored Tim. He's a sweetheart and a true friend. One that we all should have at least one of. He's also great for Paul. But he's straight and pining for their Captain.
When two teen boys are murdered and Paul and Tim are sent to the case this is where the mystery begins. It was really sad. Two boys, gay, friends, great kids... dead. What happened? What went wrong? It began to build and build and weave itself nicely.
In between this we are following Paul and his personal dilemmas. From "This isn't happening David," to "No okay yes, Owen."
The mystery is constructed well. Good clues, perfect suspense. It's not a saturated love story. This is ultimately a mystery and really that's what the focus stays on. You will get sucked in.
Very engaging and entertaining.
Paul is a character that I sort of felt terribly bad for from the start. He's been living with his ex for a while. Their 8 year relationship fizzled out a long time ago. I mean Paul was sleeping in the guest room for a good long while and they were "sex" buddies. Now Andy, the ex, wants Paul out and so he's moving out.
His partner, Tim, takes pity on him and lets him bunk with him. I really adored Tim. He's a sweetheart and a true friend. One that we all should have at least one of. He's also great for Paul. But he's straight and pining for their Captain.
When two teen boys are murdered and Paul and Tim are sent to the case this is where the mystery begins. It was really sad. Two boys, gay, friends, great kids... dead. What happened? What went wrong? It began to build and build and weave itself nicely.
In between this we are following Paul and his personal dilemmas. From "This isn't happening David," to "No okay yes, Owen."
The mystery is constructed well. Good clues, perfect suspense. It's not a saturated love story. This is ultimately a mystery and really that's what the focus stays on. You will get sucked in.
Very engaging and entertaining.
March 28, 2017
4 Stars
And again with an out of nowhere, surprisingly good read! I absolutely love Tim; he's a great partner, the kind of guy I wish more MM romance cops would have. (That he's not a love interest was refreshing as well!) Paul is a little harder to like...mainly because he so effing real and that means terribly flawed, but he's also earnest and interesting.
At first I wanted to score it a little lower because there's no main love interest, but then I realized his recent breakup and trying to figure out his own shit was more engaging to read about. I'm not sure if I want him with Owen (his character didn't feel fleshed out completely since we get the unreliable narrator version of who the guy was almost a decade ago existing along with who the guy says he is now) or whether I think he should give David a chance (in fact, that man is a whole 'nother kettle of fish that would take some serious work to be relationship material).
However that works out, I'm interested in the second book;in fact, I'm going to add it to the Gang Bang shelf. Well shit - there isn't one out yet! I hate when that happens.
And again with an out of nowhere, surprisingly good read! I absolutely love Tim; he's a great partner, the kind of guy I wish more MM romance cops would have. (That he's not a love interest was refreshing as well!) Paul is a little harder to like...mainly because he so effing real and that means terribly flawed, but he's also earnest and interesting.
At first I wanted to score it a little lower because there's no main love interest, but then I realized his recent breakup and trying to figure out his own shit was more engaging to read about. I'm not sure if I want him with Owen (his character didn't feel fleshed out completely since we get the unreliable narrator version of who the guy was almost a decade ago existing along with who the guy says he is now) or whether I think he should give David a chance (in fact, that man is a whole 'nother kettle of fish that would take some serious work to be relationship material).
However that works out, I'm interested in the second book;
December 30, 2018
Thought the MC was a dick and the solution to the mystery bordered on incomprehensible.
September 10, 2018
Weird. I read the second book in this series first, then read the first book second. Still enjoyed the books, and will write a full review for this one shortly.
May 25, 2018
Copy from NetGalley
For the overall plot and mystery - 4 stars
For the main character - 3 stars
I enjoyed the story itself but I was left a bit put off by the main character. I wanted to like him but he just felt...off. He didn't have the personality to make me want good things for him, and he came off as horrible even when trying to be kind and funny.
Overall a good book, but I wouldn't want to read about this character again.
For the overall plot and mystery - 4 stars
For the main character - 3 stars
I enjoyed the story itself but I was left a bit put off by the main character. I wanted to like him but he just felt...off. He didn't have the personality to make me want good things for him, and he came off as horrible even when trying to be kind and funny.
Overall a good book, but I wouldn't want to read about this character again.
August 26, 2016
Detective Paul Solomon is 38, relatively single and newly pressed to leave the house of his former boyfriend, Andy. Paul and Andy had lived together the past six years, but their relationship died years ago. They officially broke up a year ago, but Paul just moved into the guest room of Andy's house. Now, they scratch each other's itches, but Andy wants Paul out, so he can finally move on.
Having few friends of his own to lean on, Paul ends up temporarily staying with his partner, Tim, a newly divorced man with partial custody of his three year-old daughter and a hopeless crush on their amazon Lieutenant. Tim and Paul get assigned to a double homicide, two teen boys--who happen to be gay--have been found in a car near a cemetery in a shady area of Baltimore. They were childhood friends, perhaps boyfriends, and no one knows how or why they were killed. I really liked the procedural nature of this read. It's intriguing, unraveling the secrets of two boys who were essentially good, and ultimately died for their kindness. It was a well-spun tale that had interesting twists. I honestly didn't see the murderer until the final clue was revealed, which was refreshing.
The story is Paul's to tell, and he's a personal mess. Tim advises him to meet a guy, and he does. Not the right guy, it seems, due to some personal problems that plague the sweet and frail David, but he does reconnect with an old flame, Owen. They'd dated way back when and Paul thinks Owen might be a fun fling, when it's not likely to work out that way--not anymore. This is a no-steam read. All the sexytimes happen off the page, leaving the mystery and crime solving to take center stage. That's cool. It was interesting to read about a gay cop doing serious cop work, and interacting with his friends, exes, suspects, colleagues and witnesses. He's a decent man with a complicated life, mostly because he's not able to commit. Paul's an intuitive man; he knew he was letting Andy go, far before Andy gave up on him. He's a professional, yet human enough to let his cases to infect his personal world.
I know that this is the first in a series, and I'd love to see how Paul grows, now that he's on his own. He seemed to take some big strides in just the week or two that we get in this story. I'm hopeful that he'll build some strong friendships and even a serious relationship, while also being a cool detective. Also, I wouldn't mind a little sexytimes. Just sayin'.
Having few friends of his own to lean on, Paul ends up temporarily staying with his partner, Tim, a newly divorced man with partial custody of his three year-old daughter and a hopeless crush on their amazon Lieutenant. Tim and Paul get assigned to a double homicide, two teen boys--who happen to be gay--have been found in a car near a cemetery in a shady area of Baltimore. They were childhood friends, perhaps boyfriends, and no one knows how or why they were killed. I really liked the procedural nature of this read. It's intriguing, unraveling the secrets of two boys who were essentially good, and ultimately died for their kindness. It was a well-spun tale that had interesting twists. I honestly didn't see the murderer until the final clue was revealed, which was refreshing.
The story is Paul's to tell, and he's a personal mess. Tim advises him to meet a guy, and he does. Not the right guy, it seems, due to some personal problems that plague the sweet and frail David, but he does reconnect with an old flame, Owen. They'd dated way back when and Paul thinks Owen might be a fun fling, when it's not likely to work out that way--not anymore. This is a no-steam read. All the sexytimes happen off the page, leaving the mystery and crime solving to take center stage. That's cool. It was interesting to read about a gay cop doing serious cop work, and interacting with his friends, exes, suspects, colleagues and witnesses. He's a decent man with a complicated life, mostly because he's not able to commit. Paul's an intuitive man; he knew he was letting Andy go, far before Andy gave up on him. He's a professional, yet human enough to let his cases to infect his personal world.
I know that this is the first in a series, and I'd love to see how Paul grows, now that he's on his own. He seemed to take some big strides in just the week or two that we get in this story. I'm hopeful that he'll build some strong friendships and even a serious relationship, while also being a cool detective. Also, I wouldn't mind a little sexytimes. Just sayin'.
September 17, 2016
This was my first Keelan Ellis book, and while I liked the mystery aspect (and the awesome surprise twist at the end), I’m a little let down by the lack of romance. Essentially… there isn’t a love interest. It’s a murder mystery story featuring a hot cop – who just happens to be gay as well. While I absolutely love seeing a featured gay character (hello – m/m reader here), I was expecting more of the falling in love angle that is typical for these reads.
That being said, the mystery and hunting down the right killer was fun to follow – and it was definitely a surprise with “who done it.” It felt like there were a few random characters thrown in that didn’t really make sense in this book, but perhaps will be further explored and make more sense in the books that follow in this series.
This is a good read for anyone who likes a good mystery… but stay away if you’re expecting a meet-cute/love story/or romantic HEA.
Review Copy of Good Boys provided by Wayward Ink Publishing for an honest Review.
That being said, the mystery and hunting down the right killer was fun to follow – and it was definitely a surprise with “who done it.” It felt like there were a few random characters thrown in that didn’t really make sense in this book, but perhaps will be further explored and make more sense in the books that follow in this series.
This is a good read for anyone who likes a good mystery… but stay away if you’re expecting a meet-cute/love story/or romantic HEA.
Review Copy of Good Boys provided by Wayward Ink Publishing for an honest Review.
June 3, 2018
I think Good boys was a pretty good first book in a series. The characters are lovable, the plot wasn't the best but not bad either. What I can say is that I'll certainly be reading book2 to find out more about Paul and his adventures and at the same time, I hope that the plot will be better handeled.
September 14, 2016
Reading Good Boys by Keelan Ellis is like sliding a warm knife through butter – sharp, smooth and delicious.
It’s a very intriguing read on both the mystery/crime and the relationship/romance plane.
The case Paul Solomon is assigned to together with his partner on the force, Tim, is a web of lies they have to disentangle and there are so many twist and turns along the way that I couldn’t guess the killer until the end. By the way the dialogue and all interactions between the two detectives are absolutely priceless.
While on the case, Paul also has to figure out what to do with his personal life on the crossroad between the demise of his long-term relationship, an old flame, Owen, who’s ready to give him easy fun anytime but seems to want something more, and a new thrill, David, coming with a huge baggage.
One thing I loved about the book, apart from the intricate crime plot, was the way the author saturated it with emotion and made it so hot without being descriptive when it came to the sex scenes at all.
I went into Good Boys with no set expectations and flipped the last page longing for the release of book 2. I can’t wait to see another interesting crime case and the development of Paul’s amorous affairs.
A must read for everyone who likes M/M mystery and highly recommended for anyone who wants to try it.
* I was given an ARC in exchange for a honest review.*
September 8, 2018
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Paul and Tim are homicide detectives in Baltimore. In the book, Paul and Tim are investigating the murder of two high school best friends. This book is all about that case from the beginning to the solving of the murder.
This was a great mystery with many twists and turns on the way to solving this crime. I did guess who the murderer was, but I did not see the twists that were going to happen on the way to solving. And I had the motive for the killing way, way wrong!
I don't consider this a romance book. Sure, Tim is secretly dating a woman at the end. And Paul is becoming friends with someone and reconnects with an old flame, but this is really just a minor part of this story. And there are a couple incidents of possible sex but it doesn't happen in the page.
This book it totally about partners who are focused on their jobs and catching killers and a totally PG read, so you can feel comfortable recommending it to your family and friends. Honestly, if my mom liked mysteries I would recommend this to her.
I look forward to the next book in the series and can't wait to see what awaits Paul and Tim next!
Rating: 4 stars
Paul and Tim are homicide detectives in Baltimore. In the book, Paul and Tim are investigating the murder of two high school best friends. This book is all about that case from the beginning to the solving of the murder.
This was a great mystery with many twists and turns on the way to solving this crime. I did guess who the murderer was, but I did not see the twists that were going to happen on the way to solving. And I had the motive for the killing way, way wrong!
I don't consider this a romance book. Sure, Tim is secretly dating a woman at the end. And Paul is becoming friends with someone and reconnects with an old flame, but this is really just a minor part of this story. And there are a couple incidents of possible sex but it doesn't happen in the page.
This book it totally about partners who are focused on their jobs and catching killers and a totally PG read, so you can feel comfortable recommending it to your family and friends. Honestly, if my mom liked mysteries I would recommend this to her.
I look forward to the next book in the series and can't wait to see what awaits Paul and Tim next!
Rating: 4 stars
April 13, 2017
More like 4.5 stars
It was a gripping read, I liked that the MC wasn't perfect and had some relatable problems. I just found the solution to the case a bit weak, no idea how to say it better, but it felt as if there was still another turn of events necessary for the author, but for me at the reader it wasn't. And it was wrapped up like in a rush.
Nevertheless I liked it a lot and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
It was a gripping read, I liked that the MC wasn't perfect and had some relatable problems. I just found the solution to the case a bit weak, no idea how to say it better, but it felt as if there was still another turn of events necessary for the author, but for me at the reader it wasn't. And it was wrapped up like in a rush.
Nevertheless I liked it a lot and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
June 17, 2018
Paul Solomon is an openly gay cop, who is trying to secure a place to live after his ex moves on, while trying to solve the double murder of two gay teens. This is the first book in a series following Paul, and it is a promising start. I really enjoyed Paul's character. He's not stereotypical, or a dark, broody cop, and seems to know himself well enough to admit to his flaws. He reevaluates past lovers with maturity, and doesn't blame his ex entirely for their breakup, since he knows that he is partly to blame as well. His chemistry with his police partner is genuine, and I enjoyed their friendship and bond develop throughout the book. The mystery of the murdered teens was a little underwhelming, and seemed to play out as the background task that Paul does throughout his life, rather than the main event. Paul and his new adjustment to life and new relationships seem to take the main focus away from the mystery whether this was intended or not, and when the mystery was solved, I didn''t feel like I had missed some clue earlier, or had been blown away by the revelation. It sort of felt like watching an episode of CSI where the main focus is on whether or not the cop investigating can get their life together while going through the motions of solving a murder. I enjoyed the book, but I think I was expecting more mystery going into it, or more romance. I was really glad that nothing romantic developed between Paul and his partner, which would have been too cliche, and I liked that he was open to keeping his exes on good terms. Nothing really explicit happens romantically, most of the sex is fade to black.
This was a strong start to a series that I will likely follow, but hope for more of a mystery next time.
This was a strong start to a series that I will likely follow, but hope for more of a mystery next time.
June 6, 2018
I definitely enjoyed Good Boys by Keelan Ellis. It is Book 1 in a brand new series, The Solomon Mysteries.
It is a well written mystery. As Paul finds himself trying to solve a double murder, he is also caught up in the backlash of his failed 8 year relationship ending. As he is investing the murder, he is also dealing with a lot of personal issues.
Although their are relationship issues, they are not at the forefront of this story. While Paul is struggling to find a partner, his path to this is not easy. But the main action in the story is Paul's investigation, seconded by Paul's tough romantic times.
I am not a huge fan of mysteries, but I enjoyed this one a lot. I really love Paul. He is just a wonderful character, so well developed, and so interesting. I also really enjoy the secondary characters. Each character is well described, with a lot of quirks that lead us to more insight in their personalities.
Good Boys definitely holds up to be a good mystery. There are a lot of twists and turns. And it held my attention throughout. I recommend it to any fan of mysteries, as well as M/M fans in general.
June 20, 2018
The mystery was definitely more of a (somewhat distant) background here. 2.5 stars, really. The part about "how" the murders were accomplished was not even hinted at - there was barely a "why". Kind of curious about the characters, so might keep reading.
January 8, 2020
An enjoyable police procedural, good characters, interesting storyline, and a love story on the side.
I look forward to reading more books in this series.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I look forward to reading more books in this series.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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