What do you think?
Rate this book
Caro Mysteries #2
Boiling Over
On the run from trumped-up murder charges, Alex Dawson and his boyfriend Sev settle in a small town in Vermont on the recommendation of Sev’s mob-boss cousin Bella. Chickadee is so tiny that it has only one major employer in the depths of the Great Depression: Trask & Co. Maple Sugar Mill. It’s a quiet place. That is, until Walter Trask is found in his own maple grove with his head smashed in.
Alex doesn’t want to have anything to do with the death, but things get much more personal when Bella is falsely arrested. Determined to free her and even the scales, Alex scours the town for clues as to what really happened. He quickly learns that small towns have big secrets that people may be willing to kill for. And if that weren’t bad enough, Alex and Sev’s once-sweet relationship is turning bitter under the combined pressures of isolation, anxiety, and jealousy. Alex needs to find the true murderer quickly before Bella is turned over to the feds, or worse, Sev walks out of his life forever.
Alex doesn’t want to have anything to do with the death, but things get much more personal when Bella is falsely arrested. Determined to free her and even the scales, Alex scours the town for clues as to what really happened. He quickly learns that small towns have big secrets that people may be willing to kill for. And if that weren’t bad enough, Alex and Sev’s once-sweet relationship is turning bitter under the combined pressures of isolation, anxiety, and jealousy. Alex needs to find the true murderer quickly before Bella is turned over to the feds, or worse, Sev walks out of his life forever.
ebook
Published January 6, 2020
9 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 6, 2023
It's been a few years since the first book and I had to go back for a quick 're-read' of parts to get my head around the relationship between the MCs and their escape from the long hand of the law resulting in their decamping in the very tiny town of Chickadee, VA. The writing is solid and the amateur-investigative procedural was believable, despite MC Alex blundering about sticking his nose into everyone's business whilst utilizing various underhanded ploys and schemes. I guessed the identity and motivation of the serial killer about seventy percent way into the read but that did not impact upon my continued reading pleasure till the end. Now I'm truly hoping the author will not keep us waiting three plus years for the next book in the series. 3.5 stars.
January 8, 2020
Well, dear readers, I've done it again. I've picked up the second book in a series without reading the first. The thing is, I could have sworn that I double checked before I requested an ARC of Boiling Over. *sigh* Looks like I've added another book to my ever growing TBR pile, because now I HAVE to know exactly where Alex and Sev's story began. Actually, I've added a couple of books to that ever growing pile because the ending of Boiling Over is most definitely not the end of Alex and Sev's story. Not by a long shot...
I like a good mystery and Boiling Over definitely fell into that category. I don't read a lot of historical books. It's not because I don't enjoy them. It's mainly because it takes me a while to get myself into the time frame. I can't really pinpoint why, but I didn't have that issue with this book. I wasn't even particularly lost having not read the first book, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's obvious that a lot happened in No Good Men. Those events in the first book in the Caro Mysteries sent Alex and Sev on the run with new identities and a lot to hide.
It didn't take Sev and Alex long to find out that trouble can find you just as easily in a small town as it can in the big city. It seems that everyone has something to hide, which makes it pretty hard to figure out who the good guys are among the not so good guys and the really bad ones. While trying to figure that out by playing amateur sluth, Alex finds himself trying to see exactly where he fit in- if anywhere - including Sev's world.
A few interesting twists at the end of Boiling Over left readers wondering where Alex and Sev will end up next. Now to figure out if I'm going to back-track or wait patiently for the next book in the Caro Mysteries series.
I received Boiling Over in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I like a good mystery and Boiling Over definitely fell into that category. I don't read a lot of historical books. It's not because I don't enjoy them. It's mainly because it takes me a while to get myself into the time frame. I can't really pinpoint why, but I didn't have that issue with this book. I wasn't even particularly lost having not read the first book, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's obvious that a lot happened in No Good Men. Those events in the first book in the Caro Mysteries sent Alex and Sev on the run with new identities and a lot to hide.
It didn't take Sev and Alex long to find out that trouble can find you just as easily in a small town as it can in the big city. It seems that everyone has something to hide, which makes it pretty hard to figure out who the good guys are among the not so good guys and the really bad ones. While trying to figure that out by playing amateur sluth, Alex finds himself trying to see exactly where he fit in- if anywhere - including Sev's world.
A few interesting twists at the end of Boiling Over left readers wondering where Alex and Sev will end up next. Now to figure out if I'm going to back-track or wait patiently for the next book in the Caro Mysteries series.
I received Boiling Over in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 14, 2020
Original Review at Jaunts & Haunts
4.5/5
I gave this book four and a half sleuthing stars!
Man, did I have a good time reading this one. Just a short while after the events of No Good Men, Sev and Alex are on the run from Westwick and the bloody nightmare that ensued.
Under Bella's protection, they find themselves not somewhere exotic like they fantasized, but in Chickadee, Vermont. If that wasn't bad enough, they arrive to the scene just after the death of Walter Trask, the man who was supposed to hook them up with employment while they hide out.
As events unfold and Bella herself is caught in the crossfire, Alex and Sev are forced to delve deeper into the situation to free Bella and get out of dodge.
I really loved this book.
For starters, all the great characters we've come to love are present. Pearl has always been a favorite of mine, and her attitude and portrayal of character were perfect. Bella was, well, Bella, in all her snide remarks and no-nonsense frame of mind. I also loved the continuance of romance between Sev and Alex. Alex goes through some deep character progression as he comes to terms with what happened in Westwick and where that leaves him and Sev.
The plot was really intriguing. Chickadee is a small town, but in a small town, everyone knows everyone else's business, causing for quite the drama fest. There were a lot of great twists and turns along the way that kept those pages turning for me.
If I had to pick at anything, I would say that some of Alex's assumptions and sleuthing could be far-reaching at times, and some of the issues arising between him and Sev could've been nipped in the bud a bit earlier I believe. Still, given what he's been through it's understandable that he could be missing something, especially when the stakes keep getting higher and higher. I didn't take too much star value due to this.
Ultimately, Boiling Over is a great continuation of the Caro Mysteries filled with mystery, drama, heartache, and violence. I can't wait to read what happens next!
4.5/5
I gave this book four and a half sleuthing stars!
Man, did I have a good time reading this one. Just a short while after the events of No Good Men, Sev and Alex are on the run from Westwick and the bloody nightmare that ensued.
Under Bella's protection, they find themselves not somewhere exotic like they fantasized, but in Chickadee, Vermont. If that wasn't bad enough, they arrive to the scene just after the death of Walter Trask, the man who was supposed to hook them up with employment while they hide out.
As events unfold and Bella herself is caught in the crossfire, Alex and Sev are forced to delve deeper into the situation to free Bella and get out of dodge.
I really loved this book.
For starters, all the great characters we've come to love are present. Pearl has always been a favorite of mine, and her attitude and portrayal of character were perfect. Bella was, well, Bella, in all her snide remarks and no-nonsense frame of mind. I also loved the continuance of romance between Sev and Alex. Alex goes through some deep character progression as he comes to terms with what happened in Westwick and where that leaves him and Sev.
The plot was really intriguing. Chickadee is a small town, but in a small town, everyone knows everyone else's business, causing for quite the drama fest. There were a lot of great twists and turns along the way that kept those pages turning for me.
If I had to pick at anything, I would say that some of Alex's assumptions and sleuthing could be far-reaching at times, and some of the issues arising between him and Sev could've been nipped in the bud a bit earlier I believe. Still, given what he's been through it's understandable that he could be missing something, especially when the stakes keep getting higher and higher. I didn't take too much star value due to this.
Ultimately, Boiling Over is a great continuation of the Caro Mysteries filled with mystery, drama, heartache, and violence. I can't wait to read what happens next!
January 8, 2020
I'm a fan of this series already! Book one: No Good Men, was a great start to the Caro series. Alex and Sev met in the first book. This series is set in the 1930s so it's not a world in which gay men can live openly. By a twist of fate, they find one another and become involved. The first book ends with the two men and their young neighbor Pearl ... on the run.
When they arrive in Chickadee, everyone already knows their name and it's not long before they're on the radar of the local police. Why? Because there's been a murder. Crime follows these two! Again, they find themselves attempting to solve a crime while not getting in any deeper. Bella shows up and things get even more complex when she is arrested for the murder!
While the "case" is being worked, Alex is losing his mind a little bit. He's in a relationship for the first time in his life and he's still learning so much about being in love. Sev is a bit older than Alex and his temperament is slightly more laid back so he seems to be taking it all in stride. He is out of his element and finding that raising a child is a constant reminder of his behavior and the fact that there are always eyes on him.
As Alex struggles with the events that are going on around him reminding him of his own losses and the danger they have so recently fled, his mood sours and he begins to feel some distance between himself and Sev. Because Alex is spiraling out of a control a little bit, he begins to be jealous of Sev's friendship with a local woman... manifest destiny!!!
Much of this book is about secrets. When Alex and Sev arrived in town it was with their own secret...they have fake names and identities and must continue to hide who they are to one another. Alex is also bottling up his emotions instead of talking to Sev about them, and that is making them both unhappy. Secrets take their toll! The town itself seems to be mired down in secrets as well. There are women who have been treated foully by their spouses, there are people having affairs, secret children and disintegrating family relationships.
McAlistairdoes a great job of creating the small-town feel of Chickadee. There are always people gossiping about everyone else and there's no such thing as privacy. I grew up in a small town so I know of what I write!
You should definitely read the first book before reading this one! This is a great series and I'm glad that this novel ends with a teasing cliff hanger !!! That means there will be more coming!
When they arrive in Chickadee, everyone already knows their name and it's not long before they're on the radar of the local police. Why? Because there's been a murder. Crime follows these two! Again, they find themselves attempting to solve a crime while not getting in any deeper. Bella shows up and things get even more complex when she is arrested for the murder!
While the "case" is being worked, Alex is losing his mind a little bit. He's in a relationship for the first time in his life and he's still learning so much about being in love. Sev is a bit older than Alex and his temperament is slightly more laid back so he seems to be taking it all in stride. He is out of his element and finding that raising a child is a constant reminder of his behavior and the fact that there are always eyes on him.
As Alex struggles with the events that are going on around him reminding him of his own losses and the danger they have so recently fled, his mood sours and he begins to feel some distance between himself and Sev. Because Alex is spiraling out of a control a little bit, he begins to be jealous of Sev's friendship with a local woman... manifest destiny!!!
Much of this book is about secrets. When Alex and Sev arrived in town it was with their own secret...they have fake names and identities and must continue to hide who they are to one another. Alex is also bottling up his emotions instead of talking to Sev about them, and that is making them both unhappy. Secrets take their toll! The town itself seems to be mired down in secrets as well. There are women who have been treated foully by their spouses, there are people having affairs, secret children and disintegrating family relationships.
McAlistairdoes a great job of creating the small-town feel of Chickadee. There are always people gossiping about everyone else and there's no such thing as privacy. I grew up in a small town so I know of what I write!
You should definitely read the first book before reading this one! This is a great series and I'm glad that this novel ends with a teasing cliff hanger !!! That means there will be more coming!
February 3, 2020
In this second book in the Caro Mysteries series, Alex and Sev have fled to rural Vermont to lay low after the murderous events of the first book. But they leap from the frying pan right into the fire when there's a murder in Chickadee, Vermont just as they arrive in town. Sev's mob boss / cousin Bella arrives in town, gets promptly tossed in jail, and Alex has to find the killer in order to clean Bella's name. The only problem is the bodies start to pile up, as well as the suspects.
The author does a good job of slowly unfolding Chickadee - where everyone knows everyone AND all their secrets. McAlistair gives us vignettes of secondary characters that are nicely fleshed out and the murder / mystery plot really holds my interest throughout.
Against this backdrop, Alex finds himself more confused and conflicted about his relationship with Sev. After all, they've only been together a matter of weeks and there are years (and years of experiences) separating them. At times Alex spends far too much time pouting in his room, avoiding Sev and as there is no on-page intimacy, I miss not having a better sense of the full dynamics of their relationship.
However, by the end of the book, Sev and Alex are on firmer ground, and solve the murders .... except for a cliffhanger that leaves us wondering if there is a larger game being played, and if so, who is the ultimate target?
All in all, I liked the mystery, liked the characters and the setting, and definitely like the way this book develops the series. After the first book in the series, No Good MenNo Good Men, I was on the fence about this series, but I am definitely looking to read more Caro Mysteries! 4 stars.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
The author does a good job of slowly unfolding Chickadee - where everyone knows everyone AND all their secrets. McAlistair gives us vignettes of secondary characters that are nicely fleshed out and the murder / mystery plot really holds my interest throughout.
Against this backdrop, Alex finds himself more confused and conflicted about his relationship with Sev. After all, they've only been together a matter of weeks and there are years (and years of experiences) separating them. At times Alex spends far too much time pouting in his room, avoiding Sev and as there is no on-page intimacy, I miss not having a better sense of the full dynamics of their relationship.
However, by the end of the book, Sev and Alex are on firmer ground, and solve the murders .... except for a cliffhanger that leaves us wondering if there is a larger game being played, and if so, who is the ultimate target?
All in all, I liked the mystery, liked the characters and the setting, and definitely like the way this book develops the series. After the first book in the series, No Good MenNo Good Men, I was on the fence about this series, but I am definitely looking to read more Caro Mysteries! 4 stars.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
January 30, 2020
An engrossing and enjoyable mystery, well written and entertaining.
I liked the description of the small town and its people, the well thought cast of characters, and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
It's the first book I read in this series and I look forward to reading other.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the description of the small town and its people, the well thought cast of characters, and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
It's the first book I read in this series and I look forward to reading other.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
August 2, 2020
Definitely a slow burn in terms of pace of the whole story.
Sev and Alex and Pearl arrive is v small town Vermont and immediately get on the wrong side of the police - and land in the middle of murders new and old.
Alex once again is the bumbling amateur detective who does manage to solve it all.
A few hooks for the next one right at the end
Sev and Alex and Pearl arrive is v small town Vermont and immediately get on the wrong side of the police - and land in the middle of murders new and old.
Alex once again is the bumbling amateur detective who does manage to solve it all.
A few hooks for the next one right at the end
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews