The Detective's Apprentice

by Edward Kendrick

Nineteen-year-old Joe has been living on the streets since escaping from a sex-trafficking ring. When a blizzard hits the city, he takes a chance, accepting Derek Clarke's offer of a place to stay for the night. It wouldn't have happened if Derek hadn't been doing a stake-out in the alley at just the right time and taken pity on Joe.

The blizzard leaves the two men housebound for the next few days, and they begin to bond as Derek teaches Joe some of what being a private detective involves.

Loath to let Joe return to the streets when the weather clears, Derek offers him a job as his apprentice, while allowing him to continue staying in his guestroom.

Can their relationship grow from friendship to more, in spite of traumas in their pasts, or will Joe's fear of physical commitment ultimately drive them apart?

Genres: M M Romance

138 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2019

About the author

Born and bred Cleveland, I earned a degree in technical theater, later switched to costuming, and headed to NYC. Finally seeing the futility of trying to become rich and famous in the Big Apple, I joined VISTA—Volunteers in Service to America—ending up in Chicago for three years. Then it was on to Denver, where I put down roots and worked as a costume designer until I retired in 2007.

I began writing a few years ago after joining an online fanfic group. Two friends and I then started a group for writers, where they could post any story they wished, no matter the genre or content. Since then I've been writing for publication. My first book came out in February of 2011. Most, but not all, of my work is M/M, either mildly erotic or purely 'romantic'. More often than not it involves a mystery or action/adventure, and is sometimes paranormal as well.

Reviews

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

I rather liked The Detective’s Apprentice. It’s a good story with solid bones, and two excellent main characters. Both Joe and Derek are good men. There’s no need for redemption anywhere here. They play off each other nicely, and they had a decent chemistry. This is a slow burn romance…very slow burn, and that’s exactly as it should be. As mentioned, both men have trauma in their past. However, it’s what happened to Joe that sets the pace. When he was younger, he trusted the wrong person and wound up being trafficked for sex and underage porn. He wants to be with Derek, but his aversion to being touched sexually keeps him from fully letting go. This is why I liked the time it took for Joe and Derek to become intimate. Derek is so kind and so supportive. There’s no pressure on Joe.

Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.

[James Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Derek Clarke is a PI who does checks on potential new employees for his clients, tails suspected cheaters and does all the normal work associating with being in his business. One night, while on a stake out, he meets a young man, about 19 years old. This kid has been kidnapped by a sex trafficing wing and taken from city to city and now has escaped. Not having a place for the night, he is hiding under a bridge until Derek sees him and warns him about the extreme cole.

Joseph (Joe) was gotten by the sex ring in his home city because of his ambition to be an actor. A man approached him and suggested he be in some movies. His parents tell him that there is no way so he goes with the man supposedly to see the equipment and that is that. He is forced to be in movies, some of them are emailed to his father, who rejects Joe because of the videos.

First Derek rescues Joe from having to search for a safe place to sleep in a blizzard outside, and takes him to his house. The snow keeps them house bound and they get to know each other, and Joe shows an ability and willing to work so he becomes an apprentice and they solve some cases together. They realize that both of them are better together, working together, that either was living alone.

I recommend this novella to those who have an interest in two men getting to know each other, and a glimpse of what those who are sex-trafficed go though and what the effects are like for those made victims from that industry. This case ends well, but not every case does.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent read, but not without it's flaws. Neither of them reads especially true to age. Joe's understandable in that he read a bit younger to me, given his story, but Derek read way older than 26.
The actual relationship aspect was sweet, I liked getting both POVs in regards to Joe's discomfort and wanting to trust but being afraid. That said, the magical healing power of Derek's love (or possibly his mouth) kind of frustrated me. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging the reality that Joe's trauma will be an ongoing recovery process.
I'm also admittedly not super clear on the laws surrounding PIs in various states but I don't think you can just decide to make a 19 year old your business partner when they've been working as your assistant for less than a month.

[Kobie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this.