In the Ring

Dan Stagg Mystery #3

by James Lear

In this latest Dan Stagg novel, we find that Dan Stagg is dead . . . at least as far as the rest of the world is concerned.

In the Ring brings Dan Stagg to James Bond territory in an exciting story of concealed identities, beautiful double agents, corruption, power, and passion.

Genres: M M Romance, Mystery, Romance, LGBT, Suspense, Gay, Fiction

296 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2018

About the author

James Lear is the nom de plume of prolific and acclaimed novelist, Rupert Smith. He lives in London and is the 2008 Winner of Erotic Awards "Best Writer".

Reviews

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God. I’m going to have a field day writing this review.

I LOVED this. Dan Stagg is back, and although he is one promiscuous bad-ass, I love him dearly, just like in the previous two books!!

Sure, it is erotic fiction – which James Lear is excellent at - but I still prefer my usual romance books because of the emotional connection with the characters. Romance is so much more than sex. With Dan Stagg, Lear created a character whose life is basically a sequence of awesome and intense sex scenes, BUT he is also one incredibly likable guy that I would DIE for to have him in a real romance setting.

Okay, let’s get on with the review. Even though it’s clear this is a 5 star favorite for me, let’s start with the negative aspects. Which, I’m sorry to say, is the plot.

If there is one thing you can NOT say about the plot, it’s this.


Dan Stagg who was recruited back into the marines at the end of the previous book now wakes up in a hospital bed, recovering from an explosion that almost killed him in the sandbox.

Let’s not even waste time mentioning the hot military nurse Luiz who makes sure ALL his needs are cared for.

It zeroes in on this: Dan Stagg is dead. Officially. Killed on active duty. An American hero. Bla, bla.

The guy who is currently in a military hospital is no longer Colonel Dan Stagg, but an undercover agent who was recruited by the CIA for a special assignment in the UK that they’re preparing with their colleagues from MI6.

And the reason why they need him is his reputation of… well,…sexual prowess? Okay, let’s forget this PC crap. Dan’s cock is magical and even the CIA knows he’s a great fuck. So who better to send into an undercover mission to expose a terrorism network threatening the American homeland than Dan aka ‘Greg Cooper’, as he is now supposed to call himself.

Why do they need a sexually promiscuous gay man with a military background to infiltrate (I’m sorry, Dan prefers to use the word ‘penetrate’) a British terror cell?

That’s actually a good question. I wasn’t aware that terrorists can be stopped by great gay sex. Here’s also where the logic really drowns, because I didn’t find a single terrorist in this story.

The plot had everything: A boxing promotion enterprise with lots of hot young athletes, who do anything (ANYTHING) to make it big in the world of boxing. A sex trade ring with a little drug dealing thrown in. Public sex parties / porn / prostitution gigs that even Dan aka Gregg has troubles keeping up with – he isn’t 20 anymore, after all. Unlike the hot young muscle boys he needs to *care* for.

Jeez, it sounds so silly when I put it down like this, but it is REALLY good!!

Anyway, I didn’t find a real terrorists or even racist anywhere in this story. Heck, even that one ‘audition’ scene that turned into a full on porno had a black, white and Asian guy, as if this story promoted racial equality in porn. Somehow I don’t see the hands of right-wing terrorists behind all this, LOL.

So yeah, Dan infiltrates the boxing promotion company of one Alan Vaughan who seems to also have a different interest in the athletes he promotes. Dan becomes a trainer for Vaughan and works with all his boys. I repeat: All his boys. One envies his stamina.

All of them from ruined family backgrounds, starving for love and attention and obediently following orders in order to make it in the sports world.

Funny enough – and now I did not let myself be fooled, unlike in the previous two books – Dan develops feelings for everyone of these guys, wanting to save them and wonders what it would be like to try a relationship with them. It’s exactly these romance elements thrown into this porn-heavy plot that kept me hooked and interested on every single page. There’s always this question of: OMG, will Dan fall in love? Will he settle down with this guy?

Of course, don’t let this distract you. Dan is NOT a romance character after all. But it’s this dance on the edge of romance that I find so remarkably great about this series. James Lear is of course an awesome writer of erotic fiction, but he also creates characters that you quickly care for and that you want to see safe and happy – although you barely ever get to reach that point.

Speaking of erotic fiction. Wow.


I am speechless. I’m not gonna go into details about the sex here, but the best scene was clearly a public wrestling match in front of a paying audience that ended in an orgy. I never really paid attention to wrestling, but wow, James Lear turned this into a hot scene!! I almost wish it was a real sport.

Oh wait. It is!


So picture a guy like Dan Stagg, all alpha male hairy muscle daddy with a military background

wrestle Craig Lukas, *straight* boxing champion and Vaughan’s current star, with the winner fucking the loser in front of a live audience.


I mean….


It’s like James Lear cooked up a magic sex potion, throwing all the right ingredients into his cauldron to make us all drool like horny fools just smelling the fumes.

I think I said enough. It’s brilliant. It’s Dan Stagg. God do I hope there will be another book.
And let’s not talk about that final scene. I have no idea what brought that on and I won’t believe it for a minute, but maybe it’s kind of a consolation price for poor Dan after having sacrificed himself again and again for Uncle Sam, LOL.

5 stars for anal tracking devices and a definite place on my top 10 favorites of 2018!

[Trio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always the gentleman, James Lear was sweet enough to do a few questions for me on Kimmers Erotic Book Banter... here's the link so check it out if you have time bisous!

I was absolutely thrilled when I saw James Lear was going to be releasing another Dan Stagg mystery, and In the Ring is everything I’d hoped it would be. If you’ve never delved into the dark and dirty world of James Lear you don’t know what you’re missing. Lear always provides a unique and intriguing mystery, a good dose of dry humor, and best of all the most hedonistic main characters I’ve ever read. In the Ring is the third book in this series and, taking into account the way Dan’s character evolves, I recommend reading them in order.

I’ll admit it, no interrogation techniques need be employed, Dan Stagg is this girl’s ultimate fantasy. Rough and crude and sexy; confident and strong and sexy; dominant and masculine and yep, you guessed, it SEXY. I can’t help it, there’s just something about a man who constantly assumes everyone wants to have sex with him… and they do! Dan Stagg can’t even step into the 7-Eleven without getting a Slurpee, if you know what I mean. I sure do hope there’s someone out there who’s actually living this guy’s sex life, god bless him!

In keeping with the story lines of the previous novels, Dan starts out at his absolute lowest point. This time he wakes up in a military hospital, seriously injured, and told his “death” has been made public so he can participate in a dangerous undercover op. True to form, this won’t get Dan down, at least not for long, because Uncle Sam has provided a hot-blooded, male nurse who is thoroughly vetted to speed his recovery.... Like I said, he can’t go anywhere!

Dan accepts the assignment, because why not? Once again he has nothing, and no one, to lose. Armed with what the US military describe as his “‘uniquely valuable’” skills (his sexual prowess and his ability to kill with his bare hands), Dan is ready to take on whatever challenges he might face. Terrorists, a prostitution ring, blackmail, and more, Dan infiltrates the group in question and proceeds to do what he does best.

The path to the climax of the story has everything that made me a fan of this series, but what really gets to me about Dan Stagg is his complexity. On the outside he’s this tough, macho Marine, but the sweetly vulnerable man underneath is so attractive, it hooked me from the very first novel. Dan projects the image of a hardened, heartless man and proclaims he has no morals. However, in all three books, when faced with lines he won’t cross, he puts himself in harm’s way to save others. Done as a first person narrative, we get his unfiltered thoughts and honest observations. Sometimes the bravado is so transparent I just want to wrap him in a hug and kiss it all better.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the mysteries in each of the three Dan Stagg novels, and yes, there is an actual plot squeezed in between all the erotic sex! I hope the release of In the Ring signals many more publications to come from James Lear, and if you haven’t yet tried this wonderful author, pick up any one of his novels, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.

a copy of In the Ring was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review

[Denis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Stagg, the randy Jack Reacher, is back - and this time, he's visiting England.

If you've read any of Lear's work before you'll know what to expect - the plot is more a vehicle for the sex scenes than anything else, and is ultimately resolved more by the chaos Stagg leaves in his wake than by his investigations - but really, who cares?

Stagg charms his way into the boxers of a string of biddable young... boxers in quick succession, and the whole thing is an incredibly entertaining and arousing romp, which you probably shouldn't read in public!

In fact, In the Ring has reminded me how much I've enjoyed all Lear's books - it will be no hardship to re-read a few of them while I wait for him to write something else!

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Special thanks to Martin for recommending the book to me.]

The third installment of the series is definitely the most entertaining one yet! A few years have passed since we have last seen our horny (anti)hero, Dan Stagg. He's in his 40s, and trouble came knocking on his door again. Left without much of a choice, he's dead to the world this time, not that anybody in his life actually cares. Assuming his new identity as Greg Cooper, he needs to penetrate into a vice ring, pun intended.

There were many hilarous moments and scenes in this book, and I found myself laughing at his amusing inner monologues and actions. Mr Lear decide to break the fourth wall with Dan on occasion and I absolutely LOVED it, it was executed brilliantly at relevant parts of the story.

All the characters from the previous books seem to have been dumped into the abyss, but no worries! Dan's spellbinding magic wand seems to have the ability to enchant any man it touches, no matter gay or straight, making them fall hard and fast in love with Dan. There's no shortage of men in Dan Stagg's world. Even Oliver, the CIA agent who barely had much interaction with him, just said he loves Dan at the end of the book?! Even for a Dan Stagg story, that was way over the top for me. I really liked the mystery plot in this book, despite the outlandish scenarios leading to sex. I honestly wished that it had been longer, because it was wrapped up abruptly at the end.

It seemed like the erotica was toned down this time round as the scenes were generally shorter in length and less descriptive. However, I must give praise to the wrestling scene near the end of the book, that was really hot and well written. It's pressed all my right buttons and I'm sure anyone with a wrestling fetish would love this scene. My only gripe is that the sex between Dan and Lukas is too short.

James Lear's stories are certainly not for everyone, but if you've made it this far, you will not be disappointed!

4.5 Stars!

[Neil Plakcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lear continues to do an amazing job of combining action with erotic prose. Dan Stagg is a great character-- sexy, pragmatic, fully capable of almost anything, yet with a heart firmly entrenched in his chest.

[The TBR Pile *Book review site* · Rating 4 out of 5]

The suspense/action is excellent. There’s an entire web of plot twists with enough action to keep the book an enticing read. I wouldn’t call it a romance. Or even put it in the romance category. It’s an action book about spies and terrorists that has a very horny main character.

​Still In The Ring is entertaining. I’d read more in this series and I’d recommend it!

http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan’s the Man! If you’ve been following the Dan Stagg series by James Lear then you will enjoy his latest instalment.

Whilst Dan seems a little lost emotionally, that never stops him from finding adventure and drama or a willing hole to plough (never any shortage of those!).

After a serious injury requiring extensive ‘rehabilitation’ (*wink wink*) Dan is recruited as a double agent to expose a terrorism network. Part of his undercover work leads him to infiltrate or "penetrate" a boxing ring that could potentially be used to hide a network of prostitution, pornography and blackmail. Dan has “….a particular skill set that they think could be useful to them.” ….They want someone fucked, and then killed.”

I loved Dan’s enthusiasm for the job. ”I was licensed to fuck, if that was how I was going to effect entry to Vaughn’s inner circle. I needed to find a suitable subject and then pump him – for information of course.”



Dan firmly believes in the power of the penis and being his weapon of choice, makes very good use of it!

It's all wrapped up very quickly and Pulitzer prize winner In the Ring: A Dan Stagg Novel is not – but what you will find is a fun, entertaining (at times pornographic) tongue in cheek adventure.

[Keller Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the best book in the series but I felt it ended on a disappointing note. I enjoyed the story line and build up of characters till the end. It all just quickly ended with not a lot of steam to it.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed the James Lear books I've read up to now, but this one just didn't work for me. The first maybe 2/3 of the book was OK and more or less typical Dan Stagg shenanigans, but towards the end it all fell apart. The whole resolution to the case was contrived and wrapped up too neatly. Theoretically there's an HEA at the end, but that also came charging out of left field and wasn't satisfying at all.

[Bo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely Unbelievable--And So Very Right

Dan Stagg is a character I have come to love, hate, like, despise and--if some day author James Lear brings us another tale with him as the star--will likely vilify.

But not now.

This book is completely off-the-wall in virtually every respect--plot, characters, and most especially sex. There isn't a man in this book that Dan Stagg can't seem to keep his hands off. That's bth eye-brow raising (sometimes in an "oh, please") way, and other times in a way that you hope would please Dan enough to stop this fooling around and marry this guy or that guy or this other guy.

And, by the time you get to that point (which is not quite resolved), not only are you almost exhausted but also quite surprised.

Like all James Lear works, this one flew by without missing a beat. Let's hope Mr. Lear has more of this guy or comes up with a new one very soon.

[Colin Hardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In terms of plot and character development, this is probably the weakest in the series so far. The lead character remains an anti-hero, but what is noticeable is that he seems less confident in his persona. He repeatedly questions his involvement in the acts he does and exhibits emotion towards the men he meets and then dismisses this to do what he has agreed to do. Whilst this has been a feature of the previous books, here it becomes more like a mantra. Sadly this internal dialogue is emotionless and doesn’t develop the story in any way.

The men he is involved with, be they good guys or bad, are transient in the hero’s life and are painted in various shades of grey. Even the more vulnerable and better-developed characters ultimately are shown to be something other than they appear. This is common in thriller novels, but usually, there is a more rounded backstory and the revelation surrounding such characters is more critical to the plot than is offered here. The apparent villain of the story is fleshed out reasonably well, but as the novel reaches the critical point in the plot he becomes more of a background character.

With regards to the plot, this is made clear quite early on and the reader then follows through the various exploits that the hero undertakes to achieve the somewhat nebulous goal. He questions on a number of occasions whether he has been set up and certainly there is the potential for tension throughout. However, such situations never seem to come to anything or are resolved by something that is off-scene.

The author’s style of writing is still there and the reader is held within the story however tenuously, but it is not a gripping read.

Perhaps it is the weakness of the story that draws attention to it, but the sex seems to happen on every other page. It is explicit and handled well. There doesn’t come a time when it becomes repetitious, but without a strong story to offset it, it does lose credibility. As noted, the hero dabbles with emotions as do the other characters but there are no ties at all in this story.

The story is largely scene-based and each of these has a steady and appropriate pace. There is always something going on, even if it is even more sex.

The book reaches its end and threads to the plot are tied up. The resolution to issues that required the hero’s involvement largely occur off-scene. He clearly had a part to play in the outcome to the tale, but he seems disengaged from it and so is the reader. The story doesn’t have a cliffhanger but is left open for another book.

This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews

[John Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Stagg mysteries are different. Dan Stagg is a different. Dan Stagg is not like any investigator that I've read about so far. To him, sex is more than an integral part of life, it's integral to any investigation he is working. And Lear certainly knows how to develop that part of the story. This is novel is erotic, let me repeat that - this novel is erotic. It's also a mystery, and it's definitely interesting from the first page to the last.

The story, though simple in nature, developed at a fast pace as Dan infiltrated a boxing promotion scheme to flush out the corruption it hid. Lear continuously fed me the details to that corruption ring so I had to continue reading. And that was easy since Lear's writing style is enjoyable and effortless.

If you enjoy mystery laced with erotic scenes or maybe I should reverse that - If you enjoy erotic story lines laced with mystery, then In The Ring by James Lear will certainly give you plenty to enjoy.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good! And different. That’s a thing I like about mm, it takes a different tangent, has more inventive plots, and is definitely bolder about sex. The writing was erotica with a good story and dialogue. I read every word and it held my interest. Dan is definitely the man! I liked his compassion and honesty, with himself and others. Someone said to me recently about the SEALs, that the U.S. Navy wants a machine that thinks. Dan Stagg is a machine that thinks AND fucks like a champ. That he screwed everything that pees standing up was not a turnoff, but, a compliment to the writing that made it part of his character and had the reader still liking him and rooting for him to win. Dan was great, just really well written, as were all the side characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book by a new to me author.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was dismayed when I realized that this is the last mystery action novel that "James Lear" has written. But, then I doubt he could surpass this one. Yes, the plot is almost nonexistent and what there is doesn't make much sense and the ending is hurried and incomplete. But, the emotional truth is worth so much more than the mere details. Lear's books all have an internal truth based in the character of his heros, both Mitch and Dan. They know who and what they are and they never stray far from that truth - or from any bed or acceptable substitute. This book, however, burrows deeply into Dan's truth beneath his bravado and his horniness without his even being aware of it--until the very end of the book. And the sex is still as good as ever!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Stagg is at it again, this time plowing through England.
Barely out of a coma in the first few pages he is off to the races with a army nurse and it’s one conquest after another. If you have read the previous two books in the series or any of James Lears other books this will be a welcome addition! Enjoy with an ice cold Manhattan and a roaring fire.

[Brian Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Stagg goes underground with a new identity to infiltrate the business of a boxing promoter who is suspected of funding right-wing terrorists in the US. The promoter also happens to be a closeted gay man, with puritanical ways, although he has extensive business in male prostitution. In his new role as with his previous ones, he has plenty of opportunity for his sexual exploits-- his libido guides him along -- and he has sex with almost every man he encounters.
This is a rollicking tale, as usual for James Lear's stories, with Dan's sexual conquests being the centre of attention. It's great entertainment. The story can stand on its own, even though it's the third in the Dan Stagg series. If you like this one, you'll like the others.
Dan's getting a bit long in the tooth but shows no signs of slowing down. It's probably safe to say there will be a sequel.

[Juan Duarte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one, since it’s the last book or the trilogy. But the ending was kinda mid and it felt lazy The storyline itself had so much potential, and even though I’d say it was a fun and sexy book to read I wished the ending had more of plot twist, and that the happy ending made more sense.

[Kk · Rating 4 out of 5]

$ 1.99 Special

A rather vulgar review. ....

Ok I know it says it erotica but omg...Its porn for the sake of porn. Dan has the golden dick that can find any gay, bi or pan male in the immediate area & flip a few straight ones.

Hes basically a gay, extremely alpha Jason Bourne.

[Tom Jewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow

This book had me hooked from the beginning but never in a million years when I have guessed the ending . It played with my mind and I loved it

[Cliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection!

[Abinadí Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheesy and short. If you want a fun book that delivers smut, this is it.

[Sarmat Chowdhury · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew, picking this up and getting into the novel, that while I had relatively enjoyed the writing and action of the previous book, that this was, first and foremost, gay erotica writing with a dash of thriller vibes. And while there were some...deeply questionable scenes in the previous book, by ignoring a good chunk of the book, I was able to (relatively) enjoy the story. Written by a gay man and not being a romance book, it was interesting to read this piece of queer lit.

However, the third book in the series takes what worked from the last book and throws it out the door in favor of almost no plot, and just straight sex scenes left and right. Stagg, our titular American character, arrives in England to work as an asset for both the CIA and MI6, has been officially pronounced as dead, and this has enabled him to become an asset to penetrate a right wing sex and human trafficking operation (yes, penetration was chosen for a reason). Essentially, Stagg is like any other white, male thriller main character - able to kill people with little effort, has that "good mral compass" and the sex drive to go with it - the different being that Stagg is attracted to men, and they seem to be attracted to him (literally, there was no straight character to be found in this book at all), and for some reason, this man also falls in and out of love with no rhyme or reason.

While there are some interesting points of social commentary, the book is just essentially smut over and over again, and at some point you have to wonder what was the point of this roughly 256 pg book, and it would also explain why the apex of the novel was a letdown, as was the wrap up (I'm sure there is a sexual innuendo somewhere, so I do apologize about that)

[Pierre Rembert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lear's other Dan Stagg mysteries are excellent, but this one seemed forced. In fact, it doesn't make much sense. But I love Lear's fanciful style and his refusal to play along with the cliches of m/m romance. Try the other Stagg mysteries or, better yet, the lighter mysteries that take place in 1920s England, the Mitch Mitchell series. Those are great!