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Nick Hoffman #1
Let's Get Criminal
When Perry Cross, an outsider, is hired to fill a new position at the State University of Michigan, fellow teacher Nick Hoffman finds the situation curious. But his curiosity changes obsession when he learns that his longtime lover, Stefan, shares a past with Cross. Now Cross has been murdered, and both Nick and Stefan are prime suspects.
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
35 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Lev Raphael
46 books54 followersI've wanted to be an author since I was in second grade and fell in love with "The Three Musketeers", which I read to pieces. It hasn't been a swashbuckling life exactly, but one full of surprises, including recently selling my literary papers to Michigan State University's Libraries.
Since second grade, I've loved all sorts of books and have ended up writing nineteen books in many genres: memoir, mystery, short story collections, a children's book, and more. I've been an academic, a radio DJ, had my own talk show, and currently have three terrific giugs.
I write a monthly column for Bibliobuffet.com called Book Brunch. I blog at Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lev-rap...). And I do a monthly "Under the Radar" book review for WKAR 90.5 FM in East Lansing, MI. I'm always on the lookout for beautifully written books in any genre, but I more and more favor books from smaller presses, because they need more exposure.
I love reading my work and have done hundreds of readings on three different continents. Readings are performances, and I practice, practice, practice.
Since second grade, I've loved all sorts of books and have ended up writing nineteen books in many genres: memoir, mystery, short story collections, a children's book, and more. I've been an academic, a radio DJ, had my own talk show, and currently have three terrific giugs.
I write a monthly column for Bibliobuffet.com called Book Brunch. I blog at Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lev-rap...). And I do a monthly "Under the Radar" book review for WKAR 90.5 FM in East Lansing, MI. I'm always on the lookout for beautifully written books in any genre, but I more and more favor books from smaller presses, because they need more exposure.
I love reading my work and have done hundreds of readings on three different continents. Readings are performances, and I practice, practice, practice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 28, 2019
3,5 stars
It was probably my first academic mystery. I read many mysteries with a writer in a main role, and there were also some professors among them, but not in THIS form: the setting, all the suspects and the investigation, EVERYTHING takes place within the University’s staff, and we have a very close and detailed insight and a description into an academic university’s life. Don’t fool yourself: if someone quote French from a Renaissance drama to every suitable situation THAT still doesn’t prevent this highly educated person from being a murder, blackmailer, sexual harasser or drug dealer, or, so to say, from any art of criminal behavior.
Nick Hoffman, a teaching professor at the State University of Michigan, and Stefan Borowski, a famous novelist and the University’s writer in residence, is an established couple for the last ten years. They are happy together- in spite of their distinct differences or maybe just because of them- until Perry Cross, a new staff member appears and with whom Nick has to share an office.
The reason why Nick dislikes him immediately is not only Perry’s dubious occupation of a tenured position without qualification, but also his false nature and ethically incorrect behavior in many situations. When Stefan confesses to Nick about Perry's role in the past, Nick’s world collapses.
While they endeavor to solve their relationship’s problem causing by Perry’s appearance, Stefan’s ex will be found dead on campus. What first looks like an accident turns out to be much more complicated. It appears, Perry made many people angry and it seems he had a lot of to hide. But if it wasn’t an accident, then who killed Perry and why? In the efforts to find a truth Nick starts to investigate on his own.
Many suspects and many secrets to discover.
It was an enjoyable read, mostly because of the Nick’s narrative. His voice is witty and fun. What I also enjoyed was an intellectual language, sarcastic description of an academic life, not to forget a wonderful setting of Michigan and Nick’s cooking skills. It could have been though much better read for me, had it have less of a specific academic atmosphere and a bit less of literary references. I wish also that some university’s talks were more compact and less detailed. That all made the book for me, who has nothing to do with a teaching academia work environment in real life, in some parts boring and wordy.
Still, a smart and quirky entertaining read on a high level.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher to GBR in exchange for an honest review.***
It was probably my first academic mystery. I read many mysteries with a writer in a main role, and there were also some professors among them, but not in THIS form: the setting, all the suspects and the investigation, EVERYTHING takes place within the University’s staff, and we have a very close and detailed insight and a description into an academic university’s life. Don’t fool yourself: if someone quote French from a Renaissance drama to every suitable situation THAT still doesn’t prevent this highly educated person from being a murder, blackmailer, sexual harasser or drug dealer, or, so to say, from any art of criminal behavior.
Nick Hoffman, a teaching professor at the State University of Michigan, and Stefan Borowski, a famous novelist and the University’s writer in residence, is an established couple for the last ten years. They are happy together- in spite of their distinct differences or maybe just because of them- until Perry Cross, a new staff member appears and with whom Nick has to share an office.
The reason why Nick dislikes him immediately is not only Perry’s dubious occupation of a tenured position without qualification, but also his false nature and ethically incorrect behavior in many situations. When Stefan confesses to Nick about Perry's role in the past, Nick’s world collapses.
While they endeavor to solve their relationship’s problem causing by Perry’s appearance, Stefan’s ex will be found dead on campus. What first looks like an accident turns out to be much more complicated. It appears, Perry made many people angry and it seems he had a lot of to hide. But if it wasn’t an accident, then who killed Perry and why? In the efforts to find a truth Nick starts to investigate on his own.
Many suspects and many secrets to discover.
It was an enjoyable read, mostly because of the Nick’s narrative. His voice is witty and fun. What I also enjoyed was an intellectual language, sarcastic description of an academic life, not to forget a wonderful setting of Michigan and Nick’s cooking skills. It could have been though much better read for me, had it have less of a specific academic atmosphere and a bit less of literary references. I wish also that some university’s talks were more compact and less detailed. That all made the book for me, who has nothing to do with a teaching academia work environment in real life, in some parts boring and wordy.
Still, a smart and quirky entertaining read on a high level.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher to GBR in exchange for an honest review.***
May 3, 2023
DNF @ 12%.
4 years on my TBR and I can’t even get 1/4 into this. It’s like academia dick measuring, and an endless parade of faculty members I can never hope to remember. I’m not sure if it is Nick’s POV or the writing in general that I find a bit pretentious. And there’s so many pop culture references, ones that are dated due to the fact this was written in the 90s, and ones that are dated that were decades dated by the time this was published. I needed someone to get stabby ASAP for this to have grabbed my attention.
4 years on my TBR and I can’t even get 1/4 into this. It’s like academia dick measuring, and an endless parade of faculty members I can never hope to remember. I’m not sure if it is Nick’s POV or the writing in general that I find a bit pretentious. And there’s so many pop culture references, ones that are dated due to the fact this was written in the 90s, and ones that are dated that were decades dated by the time this was published. I needed someone to get stabby ASAP for this to have grabbed my attention.
February 13, 2020
What would you do if you were forced to suddenly share office space with a good looking new upstart external academic being ushered into a fast-track career path ahead of you (with an annual salary several rungs above yours). What would you do if you suddenly discovered that your partner/lover of ten years had a romantic past with this same fellow – details of which your partner has never disclosed before until now when you felt that you had shared just about everything there was to be shared between the two of you. What would you do if your lover invites this fellow to dinner without prior consultation and expects you to get the house in order and to have a three course banquet spread for this special guest. And then what would you do if your partner confesses of his mixed feelings about this good-looking upstart former flame and informs you he now wants to explore / work out these same conflictual emotions?
I don’t know about you, but I would be quite understanding if University lecturer Nick Hoffman had decided to throw a major hissy fit, flipped off Stefan his longtime partner, blow-torched the dinner, poisoned the wine and stormed off to Acapulco in search of some latino remedial-affair. Instead, Nicky casts himself as Isabel Archer in Portrait of A Lady (with a heavy dose of Alexis Carrington) and brings off the dinner party with snarky aplomb, touting the virtues of Stefan and their rapturous 10 year life domesticity together in a grandstand bid to head off this upstart Dr Perry Cross. And the outcomes of this event – the stuffed pasta shells were a roaring success, the gorgeous guest leaves with tail between his legs, Stefan is very angry declaring Nicky a total jerk. And then everything is thrown into further madness when Perry Cross is found dead on campus the next morning – with Nicky (with whom everyone have been commiserating over being supplanted in several ways by the luscious Perry) becomes the homophobic campus police’s suspect numero uno. And why was Stefan not asleep in their bed on the night Perry perished?
It took a couple of chapters to get into the meter of the writing style – it’s drier and the dialogue definitely more wryly humorous than other gay whodunnits I’ve read to date. However – I found it hard to not like Nicky (whom I imagine has a voice sounding like Maud from Golden Girls) who has to navigate career maelstroms with his departmental colleagues (several truly awful examples of sharks clad in academic gowns living in ivory towers), painful interrogations with bigoted police detectives, relational upheaval with partner Stefan. Cheered on by his BFF, Nicky races against time to clear his name and Stefan’s before the police pounce – trawling through an increasing suspect list of folk who may want Perry Cross dead … and the body count starts to rise ….
Readers who like their mysteries with guns, blood and gore, violence and mayhem will find none of such typical crime elements being featured in the hallowed grounds of a mid-western university campus. However – I can attest from personal experience that menacing danger and murderous rages can simmer just below the slights and snubs found in academic political game-plays and power jostles. The denouement and reveal of the whodunit at the end came with some suspense, danger and the nearest the book to actual violence – the author managed to keep me guessing until the end as to the real motive for why Perry had to be murdered (despite tons of valid reasons why everyone – Nicky included – would want to do so).
This is not a romance title (think Agatha Christie with a decidedly gay twist) – so if you’re expecting hot man-on-man action verging on erotica – I suggest you try something else. I however, enjoyed my introduction to Professor Nicky Hoffman and look forward to reading his further adventures in Mr Raphael's series.
I don’t know about you, but I would be quite understanding if University lecturer Nick Hoffman had decided to throw a major hissy fit, flipped off Stefan his longtime partner, blow-torched the dinner, poisoned the wine and stormed off to Acapulco in search of some latino remedial-affair. Instead, Nicky casts himself as Isabel Archer in Portrait of A Lady (with a heavy dose of Alexis Carrington) and brings off the dinner party with snarky aplomb, touting the virtues of Stefan and their rapturous 10 year life domesticity together in a grandstand bid to head off this upstart Dr Perry Cross. And the outcomes of this event – the stuffed pasta shells were a roaring success, the gorgeous guest leaves with tail between his legs, Stefan is very angry declaring Nicky a total jerk. And then everything is thrown into further madness when Perry Cross is found dead on campus the next morning – with Nicky (with whom everyone have been commiserating over being supplanted in several ways by the luscious Perry) becomes the homophobic campus police’s suspect numero uno. And why was Stefan not asleep in their bed on the night Perry perished?
It took a couple of chapters to get into the meter of the writing style – it’s drier and the dialogue definitely more wryly humorous than other gay whodunnits I’ve read to date. However – I found it hard to not like Nicky (whom I imagine has a voice sounding like Maud from Golden Girls) who has to navigate career maelstroms with his departmental colleagues (several truly awful examples of sharks clad in academic gowns living in ivory towers), painful interrogations with bigoted police detectives, relational upheaval with partner Stefan. Cheered on by his BFF, Nicky races against time to clear his name and Stefan’s before the police pounce – trawling through an increasing suspect list of folk who may want Perry Cross dead … and the body count starts to rise ….
Readers who like their mysteries with guns, blood and gore, violence and mayhem will find none of such typical crime elements being featured in the hallowed grounds of a mid-western university campus. However – I can attest from personal experience that menacing danger and murderous rages can simmer just below the slights and snubs found in academic political game-plays and power jostles. The denouement and reveal of the whodunit at the end came with some suspense, danger and the nearest the book to actual violence – the author managed to keep me guessing until the end as to the real motive for why Perry had to be murdered (despite tons of valid reasons why everyone – Nicky included – would want to do so).
This is not a romance title (think Agatha Christie with a decidedly gay twist) – so if you’re expecting hot man-on-man action verging on erotica – I suggest you try something else. I however, enjoyed my introduction to Professor Nicky Hoffman and look forward to reading his further adventures in Mr Raphael's series.
November 18, 2007
This was a funny and kind of a feel!good who-dun-it book told from the 1st POV of Nick Hoffman, the university professor and lover of Stefan Borowski, also a professor and a reknown writer. When Nick finds out that Stefan helped a former lover to win a position at the University, he's enraged and he wishes that said ex-lover was dead. But then, said ex-lover is truly found dead and suddenly, Nick and Stefan are the main suspects of his murder.
What I loved about this book was the main hero himself. His opinions, his inner voice make you smile and sometimes even laugh out loud. When he finally decides to investigate on his own, he's nervous, he makes mistakes because he's no detective and he never even read mystery novels. It's quite cute :)
What I loved about this book was the main hero himself. His opinions, his inner voice make you smile and sometimes even laugh out loud. When he finally decides to investigate on his own, he's nervous, he makes mistakes because he's no detective and he never even read mystery novels. It's quite cute :)
June 10, 2019
This sounded very good when recommended on a Facebook group I follow. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t take to Nick, and couldn’t seem to get to know his lover Stefan. I just couldn’t see them in my mind’s eye. I’m a visual reader, but couldn't get any good images from this author’s writing. DNF
February 25, 2022
It's always such a delight to find a "new to you" mystery writer and then realize that there are TEN books in the series. Add Lev Raphael to your list right now, and start reading his murder/mystery series set in fictional State University of Michigan (SUM). You will not be disappointed!
Nick (not Nicholas, Nick - named after Fitzgerald's Nick Carraway) and Stefan have been together for ten years, and are employed by SUM in the EAR (English, American Studies and Rhetoric) department where Stefan is writer-in-residence and Nick teaches freshman composition. "Stefan is among the elite in the humanities and I'm just a foot soldier."
Teaching may be a noble profession, but as Nick shares, it's more like the Borgias with a side of the Montagues and Capulets. And the newest assistant professor in EAR is Perry Cross, a former lover of Stefan's, and Stefan admits to still having feelings for him. Nick is eaten up by jealousy, and hosts a hysterically awful dinner for Perry, wherein Nick - fueled by far too much booze guzzled whilst preparing said dinner - rhapsodizes about Stefan's successful writing career, their wonderful life together ...
Honestly, I could care less who was the murderer because it was such a romp getting there. 4.5 stars and I can't wait to learn more about Nick and Stefan and the crazy world of SUM.
Nick (not Nicholas, Nick - named after Fitzgerald's Nick Carraway) and Stefan have been together for ten years, and are employed by SUM in the EAR (English, American Studies and Rhetoric) department where Stefan is writer-in-residence and Nick teaches freshman composition. "Stefan is among the elite in the humanities and I'm just a foot soldier."
Teaching may be a noble profession, but as Nick shares, it's more like the Borgias with a side of the Montagues and Capulets. And the newest assistant professor in EAR is Perry Cross, a former lover of Stefan's, and Stefan admits to still having feelings for him. Nick is eaten up by jealousy, and hosts a hysterically awful dinner for Perry, wherein Nick - fueled by far too much booze guzzled whilst preparing said dinner - rhapsodizes about Stefan's successful writing career, their wonderful life together ...
With dessert, I launched into something new; Stefan and me, how happy and productive we were together. I guessed that Perry didn't have any kind of lover at the moment, and I was as cruel as those rebels in the Sudan preventing emergency flights of goods into starving enemy-held villages. "We have a very full life [...] We're very happy. We're thinking of adopting."When Perry is murdered, there are suspects-a-plenty, including Nick. And what follows is a deliciously twisted murder mystery with loads of suspects, and oodles of barbed comments about academia's unique brand of lunacy.
Honestly, I could care less who was the murderer because it was such a romp getting there. 4.5 stars and I can't wait to learn more about Nick and Stefan and the crazy world of SUM.
July 13, 2019
I'm creating a new sub-genre of mysteries. It will include all those novels in which the characters sling literary quotes like guns at the OK Corral. Or like a poker game, where the winner is the guy with the biggest cache of quotes. "Oh, you lay down a Shakespeare? I'll see you and raise you with a couple of Oscar Wildes!" Lev Raphael's novel is a case in point, a perfectly pleasant whodunit in which a bunch of university eggheads know way too much about literature and not nearly enough about how to behave. I could also file this one under another promising sub-genre, that of the gay detective, a fast-growing field with a lot of great new voices.
May 7, 2019
This is the first book Nick Hoffman mystery series.Nick is a professor at SUM along with his boyfriend Stefan Borowski,who is a writer and a professor too. Stefan & Nick are happy and enjoying their lives until a new staff member comes along. The staff member also has to share Nick's office. The man is not well liked by anyone so it's no surprise when he's found dead.There are secrets abound, and soon even Stefan ( who knew the man better than he said) is a suspect. Just a fun read.
March 15, 2020
To begin, this is not a romance novel. This is a mystery first, with a secondary, very prominent gay relationship. The mystery helps to define and enhance the relationship, which I greatly enjoyed. So many m/m romance books cover the dating or beginning stages of a romance, not so many delve in to the nuances of an established couple, and I find that just fascinating.
The blurb does a solid job of describing the plot so I won’t re-summarize. I greatly enjoyed Nick’s emotional conundrums – his partner of 10 years has lied? Omitted key aspects of his life? Not trusted Nick? Nick doesn’t know what to think anymore as he’s faced with the realization that Stephan could be facing jail time. Though Nick’s trust is shaken to the core, Nick doesn’t give up on Stephen, and it becomes a emotional roller coaster for both men.
The mystery was engaging – what I would call a cozy but with a bit less fluff than I find in most cozy mysteries. That probably makes no sense at all unless you’re an aficionado of cozy mysteries. Trust me, less fluff. Maybe it’s because of the established relationship – there’s not a “budding romance” in the mix.
There is a Tell All Bestie, and for those of you who read my reviews know my thoughts on this trope. This didn’t grate on my nerves as much as other stories, perhaps because our Bestie is a very strong established character who lives in another state and conversations are limited to the phone and advice.
I know this is a re-printing, and I hope/trust that the punctuation errors scattered through out the book will be tidied up before full "press". Normally not something I comment on, but a few were a bit cringe-worthy.
Lastly, a note that this was previously published in 1996. For myself, I find it fascinating to read a story where the characters don’t have cell phones, not everyone has a computer, and certain technology just isn’t prevalent yet. Yup…I remember land lines… a nice trip down memory lane.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries and characters established – and struggling - in a long-term relationship, you will probably enjoy this selection. Also noting, this is the first in a longer series, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the characters develop and grow. Recommended.
Review is cross-posted at Rainbow Book Reviews.
A copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
The blurb does a solid job of describing the plot so I won’t re-summarize. I greatly enjoyed Nick’s emotional conundrums – his partner of 10 years has lied? Omitted key aspects of his life? Not trusted Nick? Nick doesn’t know what to think anymore as he’s faced with the realization that Stephan could be facing jail time. Though Nick’s trust is shaken to the core, Nick doesn’t give up on Stephen, and it becomes a emotional roller coaster for both men.
The mystery was engaging – what I would call a cozy but with a bit less fluff than I find in most cozy mysteries. That probably makes no sense at all unless you’re an aficionado of cozy mysteries. Trust me, less fluff. Maybe it’s because of the established relationship – there’s not a “budding romance” in the mix.
There is a Tell All Bestie, and for those of you who read my reviews know my thoughts on this trope. This didn’t grate on my nerves as much as other stories, perhaps because our Bestie is a very strong established character who lives in another state and conversations are limited to the phone and advice.
I know this is a re-printing, and I hope/trust that the punctuation errors scattered through out the book will be tidied up before full "press". Normally not something I comment on, but a few were a bit cringe-worthy.
Lastly, a note that this was previously published in 1996. For myself, I find it fascinating to read a story where the characters don’t have cell phones, not everyone has a computer, and certain technology just isn’t prevalent yet. Yup…I remember land lines… a nice trip down memory lane.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries and characters established – and struggling - in a long-term relationship, you will probably enjoy this selection. Also noting, this is the first in a longer series, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the characters develop and grow. Recommended.
Review is cross-posted at Rainbow Book Reviews.
A copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
August 27, 2010
Let's Get Criminal hooked me from the first page, when the arrival of Professor Perry Cross to the State University of Michigan threatens to unravel the longtime relationship between professors Nick Hoffman and Stefan Borowski. Hired under suspicious circumstances, with Borowski's recommendation, Cross brought with him a well-bred air of menace, so that when his body was found floating underneath a campus bridge, he left behind plenty of suspects, including Hoffman and Borowski.
But while Cross is at the center of the mystery, Hoffman is the star of the book. Jealous of the past Cross and Borowski apparently shared, Hoffman reels from strength to weakness and back, using his good humor and acidic observations to keep himself standing. When Cross' death makes them suspects to a homophobic detective, Hoffman charges into the investigation.
Let's Get Criminal is more than just a mystery story, because Raphael winningly portrays Nick and Stefan, highlighting their differences and examining how their love bends and changes under the pressures of the investigation. There's humor here, but also menace and sadness, and even triumph at the end.
The trade paperback version carries a green banner on the cover announcing it is part of the Stonewall Inn Mysteries, a series which includes works by George Baxt, Mark Richard Zubro and Phyllis Knight. While I accept the idea that gay-themed mysteries should be marketed to gays, I never thought of Let's Get Criminal in that context. This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves mysteries.
But while Cross is at the center of the mystery, Hoffman is the star of the book. Jealous of the past Cross and Borowski apparently shared, Hoffman reels from strength to weakness and back, using his good humor and acidic observations to keep himself standing. When Cross' death makes them suspects to a homophobic detective, Hoffman charges into the investigation.
Let's Get Criminal is more than just a mystery story, because Raphael winningly portrays Nick and Stefan, highlighting their differences and examining how their love bends and changes under the pressures of the investigation. There's humor here, but also menace and sadness, and even triumph at the end.
The trade paperback version carries a green banner on the cover announcing it is part of the Stonewall Inn Mysteries, a series which includes works by George Baxt, Mark Richard Zubro and Phyllis Knight. While I accept the idea that gay-themed mysteries should be marketed to gays, I never thought of Let's Get Criminal in that context. This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves mysteries.
January 18, 2021
An interesting story, the mystery had me engaged from the beginning and I wasn't sure until the end if I had the right culprit. And I had it, but more by gut instinct than because I had actual proof.
But I must say that I didn't like the characters. And I think that we weren't mean to like them? Because they come out as self-absorbed, privileged pricks, TBH. And if we are going to go with what is shown of their relationship here, well... is a very superficial one. They have been TEN YEARS together, but there is no trust between them. Stefan lied and lied and then, basically asked Nick to cook dinner for them and his former quasi-lover while he decided which of them was the winner. You have to be either an absolute idiot or a very selfish and cruel person to do something like that, and I don't believe Stefan is an idiot.
I don't blame Nick for suspecting that he can be the murderer after all that. But the way in which he went about everything while 'investigating' was inefficient, to say the least. And his whole attitude? He wasn't angry, he wasn't really worried about his partner. He was worried about their professional future and outsider's perception!
And don't get me started with Michiganapolis! If you are going to invent a city, choose a better name! It made me cringe any time it came up!
So, in short, the mystery was really good and even when I had a lot of issues with the rest it did entertain me. I will read the second story to see if the characters are better in it.
But I must say that I didn't like the characters. And I think that we weren't mean to like them? Because they come out as self-absorbed, privileged pricks, TBH. And if we are going to go with what is shown of their relationship here, well... is a very superficial one. They have been TEN YEARS together, but there is no trust between them. Stefan lied and lied and then, basically asked Nick to cook dinner for them and his former quasi-lover while he decided which of them was the winner. You have to be either an absolute idiot or a very selfish and cruel person to do something like that, and I don't believe Stefan is an idiot.
I don't blame Nick for suspecting that he can be the murderer after all that. But the way in which he went about everything while 'investigating' was inefficient, to say the least. And his whole attitude? He wasn't angry, he wasn't really worried about his partner. He was worried about their professional future and outsider's perception!
And don't get me started with Michiganapolis! If you are going to invent a city, choose a better name! It made me cringe any time it came up!
So, in short, the mystery was really good and even when I had a lot of issues with the rest it did entertain me. I will read the second story to see if the characters are better in it.
August 15, 2012
Great Book. I have already bought the rest of series.
October 5, 2019
I read this book because Lev Raphael is on the Michigan State U faculty, and I was reminded of his work through a review by Ray Walsh in the Lansing State Journal. When I discovered the series on Kindle I purchased the first four, thinking that it’d probably take a writer new to the mystery genre a few tries to hit his stride. This is the first in the series, published in 1997. I guess I’m slow to the party.
On the whole, I enjoyed the reading experience. Raphael does a good job of establishing characters, particularly the relationship between English professors Nick Hoffman and Stefan (last name? I went through the first 40 pages and couldn’t find it. He’s only ‘Stefan’), who have been in a committed relationship for years. Their relationship is strained, though, when Perry Cross, Stefan’s former lover, is appointed to a position in the English faculty. When Nick learns that Stefan recommended Perry for the position, he reacts with jealousy and suspicion. It doesn’t help that Perry is apparently not qualified for the position, that he’s being overpaid, and that he is assigned to be Stefan’s office mate.
As a mystery, the plot unfolds slowly. Perry dies after having dinner at Nick and Stefan’s. He drowns in the river that bisects the campus, his death ruled accidental. Nick knows that numerous University people are happy he’s dead, and suspects the death will soon be ruled a murder. When it is, he knows that he and Stefan will be chief suspects.
Most of the first 75% of the book (kindle conveniently provides percentages) deal with Nick’s attempts to discover the real murderer. As these efforts unfold, a less-than-flattering picture of university faculty and personnel emerges. The backstabbing isn’t surprising, but it strains credulity a bit to believe that a half-dozen academics could be murderers. Still, that’s how mysteries work, so I invoked Coleridge and read on.
At about 80%, a rush of events coalesces and speeds toward a surprising conclusion. The true murderer emerges from the cast of possibilities introduced earlier, and the action and motives are plausible. I note the percentages because I’m conscious of the fact that many mysteries work in similar fashion - a fair amount of dithering, followed by a sudden sense that things must be wrapped up. I prefer mysteries where the detection element is more integrated into the entire narrative, as opposed to this type where more than half of the book effectively functions as background. I’ll be interested to see whether Raphael moves in that direction as the series progresses.
I should note that my familiarity with the campus, the community and the department where this story is located made it easy for me to visualize the locations and imagine the action as the plot unfolds. I’d guess that other readers could fairly easily transpose the action to the campus and community of their choice.
On the whole, I enjoyed the reading experience. Raphael does a good job of establishing characters, particularly the relationship between English professors Nick Hoffman and Stefan (last name? I went through the first 40 pages and couldn’t find it. He’s only ‘Stefan’), who have been in a committed relationship for years. Their relationship is strained, though, when Perry Cross, Stefan’s former lover, is appointed to a position in the English faculty. When Nick learns that Stefan recommended Perry for the position, he reacts with jealousy and suspicion. It doesn’t help that Perry is apparently not qualified for the position, that he’s being overpaid, and that he is assigned to be Stefan’s office mate.
As a mystery, the plot unfolds slowly. Perry dies after having dinner at Nick and Stefan’s. He drowns in the river that bisects the campus, his death ruled accidental. Nick knows that numerous University people are happy he’s dead, and suspects the death will soon be ruled a murder. When it is, he knows that he and Stefan will be chief suspects.
Most of the first 75% of the book (kindle conveniently provides percentages) deal with Nick’s attempts to discover the real murderer. As these efforts unfold, a less-than-flattering picture of university faculty and personnel emerges. The backstabbing isn’t surprising, but it strains credulity a bit to believe that a half-dozen academics could be murderers. Still, that’s how mysteries work, so I invoked Coleridge and read on.
At about 80%, a rush of events coalesces and speeds toward a surprising conclusion. The true murderer emerges from the cast of possibilities introduced earlier, and the action and motives are plausible. I note the percentages because I’m conscious of the fact that many mysteries work in similar fashion - a fair amount of dithering, followed by a sudden sense that things must be wrapped up. I prefer mysteries where the detection element is more integrated into the entire narrative, as opposed to this type where more than half of the book effectively functions as background. I’ll be interested to see whether Raphael moves in that direction as the series progresses.
I should note that my familiarity with the campus, the community and the department where this story is located made it easy for me to visualize the locations and imagine the action as the plot unfolds. I’d guess that other readers could fairly easily transpose the action to the campus and community of their choice.
December 2, 2022
So first time I read this, it didn't work for me at all.
Second time I read it, I was 1/3 the way in and realized, I've read this before, but couldn't remember who the murderer was.
Third time I read it, I actually enjoyed it.
I'm not sure why it took me so long to warm up to it. I usually highlight 5-7 memorable phrases in a goodish book. Here I highlighted 12 and that was only because I restrained myself. So it's got some great lines in it. I guess it was too many zingers, not enough connective tissue in the first instance, but once I knew the plot and the characters, I could just sink into the writing, and the writing is very good.
So this is a slow burn entry, but third time was the charm and I enjoyed it.
Second time I read it, I was 1/3 the way in and realized, I've read this before, but couldn't remember who the murderer was.
Third time I read it, I actually enjoyed it.
I'm not sure why it took me so long to warm up to it. I usually highlight 5-7 memorable phrases in a goodish book. Here I highlighted 12 and that was only because I restrained myself. So it's got some great lines in it. I guess it was too many zingers, not enough connective tissue in the first instance, but once I knew the plot and the characters, I could just sink into the writing, and the writing is very good.
So this is a slow burn entry, but third time was the charm and I enjoyed it.
November 19, 2019
This academic whodunnit accurately reflects my (unpleasant) memories of graduate school, with constant back-biting, kissing up, kicking down, and anxiety about reputation where there are no objective measures of worth. But it was written in 1995, and it seems quite dated. The narrator is anxious, gay, and Jewish, a self-described "foot soldier" who teaches writing at a second-rate university in Michigan (located in the state capital, Michiganapolis). He wears all three of those descriptors so aggressively on his sleeve that he comes dangerously close to caricature. But he solves the murders ahead of the police, with some ginned up excitement in the big finish.
April 2, 2020
I had read Lev Raphael’s “Dancing on Tisha Bav” years ago and remembered fondly Nick and Stefan. He has created an entire series, Nick-and-Nora style with the couple, fleshing out their lives and resolving the uncomfortable reappearance of one of Stefan’s exes.
Nick is the more vivid character in this installment, dishy and snarky, giving us the lowdown on the more cutthroat side of academia. Nick turns detective a bit late in the book, and the mystery wraps up a bit quickly for my taste, but I enjoy these characters enough to have ordered the next three books in the series. I’d love to join them for brunch.
Nick is the more vivid character in this installment, dishy and snarky, giving us the lowdown on the more cutthroat side of academia. Nick turns detective a bit late in the book, and the mystery wraps up a bit quickly for my taste, but I enjoy these characters enough to have ordered the next three books in the series. I’d love to join them for brunch.
June 20, 2022
A 3.5. A lot of references to Agatha Christie but it feels a lot like a cozy to me. The book seems as much about the relationship between Nick Hoffman and Stefan as about the mystery. Maybe because it’s the first in a series and is establishing the character. The mystery and solution are good enough. The humor helps.
The author teaches (or taught) at Michigan State University ((MSU) in Lansing, the capital of Michigan.
The main character, Nick Hoffman, teaches at the State University of Michigan (SUM) in the capital: Michiganapolis. If you don’t find that amusing, maybe you won’t like the book.
The author teaches (or taught) at Michigan State University ((MSU) in Lansing, the capital of Michigan.
The main character, Nick Hoffman, teaches at the State University of Michigan (SUM) in the capital: Michiganapolis. If you don’t find that amusing, maybe you won’t like the book.
October 31, 2021
While I have my quibbles (Michiganopolis took me out of the story every time) I still really enjoyed this one. The older it gets the harder it can be to parse some of it's pop culture references (there are a lot and they are very specific) but the relationship at the heart of the novel felt very finely drawn and relatable. the characters were fun and funny and I will definitely follow them into the next book. The solution to the mystery feels a little arbitrary as does the way the character is unmasked but I didn't mind.
June 26, 2022
Nick Hoffman is one of those 'Bob Newhart' kind of guys who seems to watch things going awry about him while being in the middle of a maelstrom----this time, murder. If you're not familiar with Bob Newhart, think "Will" from Will and Grace. Nick's partner, Stephan, has a somewhat mysterious past as it turns out as well as several members at the University where both teach. The story centers around who killed Perry Cross, a fellow professor, and it turns out many people had motives. Secrets are unveiled, which lead to incredible intersections in each other lives. Very entertaining as well as well as great recipes. Nick and Stephan love good food and the descriptions are fantastic. This book will feed your mind and your tummy.
September 15, 2023
Way too much info-dumping, no/slow-moving action because of all of the interruptions with explanations, and no characterization - I kept forgetting who Perry is coz of all the interruptions and I never got enough from the protagonist beyond shallow 'telling' - about 200 locations into this I realized I don't care and abandoned this book
June 3, 2019
3.75 stars
October 19, 2020
Very well done. Not only does it have a gay lead character, it takes place in a fictional town in Michigan!
I really enjoyed it. Well done! I look forward to more by this author.
I really enjoyed it. Well done! I look forward to more by this author.
Read
January 15, 2022DNF @ 11%
Read
January 16, 2022DNF @ 11% 😴
December 6, 2022
2.5/5
Às vezes tenta demais ser engraçado, com um excesso de referências obscuras à cultura gay, fazendo dos personagens (irritantes e egocêntricos) pouco mais que caricaturas. Aqui a narração irônica em primeira pessoa cansa acima da média.
Às vezes tenta demais ser engraçado, com um excesso de referências obscuras à cultura gay, fazendo dos personagens (irritantes e egocêntricos) pouco mais que caricaturas. Aqui a narração irônica em primeira pessoa cansa acima da média.
February 5, 2023
Fabulous book; such fun; now my favorite series. Each book in the series is wonderful, entertaining, satirical, and has great plot.
April 30, 2025
This book never really grabbed me. I did finish it, though, so I guess that's saying something. I much prefer the Richard Stevenson/Donald Strachey series. Much more engaging.
June 2, 2019
Very good academic cozy.
August 18, 2025
As an academic with years spent in a number of institutions of higher learning I can really identify with Lev Raphael's likely personal experience and Nick Hoffman character. Hoffman is snarky, gossipy and funny and the references to broader reading and critical thinking add to the narrative. But what what really hits home are the small pokes and big pains of an academic program where there's so much at stake, so much personal investment and so much work that goes into teaching, research and service - all three critical to academic success. What's funny are the middle class aspirations and lifestyle made possible by a successful academic career in the 1980s -- Nick and Stefan appreciate good wine, well prepared food, music, fashionable clothes, a lakeside retreat. The murders to me are almost an afterthought as I think through the politics of a small department in a large university.
Raphael was awarded a PhD in American Studies from Michigan State University. He left academic life in 1988.
Raphael was awarded a PhD in American Studies from Michigan State University. He left academic life in 1988.
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