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Paul Turner #7
Dead Egotistical Morons
Boys4U is the world's most popular singing group - at least among teenaged girls - and they have closed out their sold-out world tour with a series of shows in Chicago's brand new arena. The premier group of the inexplicably popular "boy band" trend, they've just finished their very last concert of the tour. While hundreds of tour members, well-wishers, label executives, and various hangers on wait to celebrate another wildly successful tour, the lead singer is found murdered - shot in the back of the head at close range - in the shower of the backstage dressing area.
To make matters more distressing, the crime itself was almost impossible - there was tight security on the shower area at all times, the only other people back there were the other members of the band, and none of the dozens of people in the next room report having heard a shot. While the international press is engaged in an unprecedented feeding frenzy over the sensationalistic murder, Chicago Police Detectives Paul Turner and his partner Buck Fenwick have pulled the unenviable task of investigating the murder. But even the initial appearances are deceiving and as they dig deeper into the case, they uncover more disturbing truths beneath the wholesome façade of Boys4U. Now they have untangle an increasingly complex web if they are to stop a determined killer before more victims are claimed.
To make matters more distressing, the crime itself was almost impossible - there was tight security on the shower area at all times, the only other people back there were the other members of the band, and none of the dozens of people in the next room report having heard a shot. While the international press is engaged in an unprecedented feeding frenzy over the sensationalistic murder, Chicago Police Detectives Paul Turner and his partner Buck Fenwick have pulled the unenviable task of investigating the murder. But even the initial appearances are deceiving and as they dig deeper into the case, they uncover more disturbing truths beneath the wholesome façade of Boys4U. Now they have untangle an increasingly complex web if they are to stop a determined killer before more victims are claimed.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2003
2 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Mark Richard Zubro
48 books50 followersAuthor also writes as: Mark Zubro.
Mark Richard Zubro is an American mystery novelist. He lives in Mokena, Illinois and taught 8th grade English at Summit Hill Jr. High in nearby Frankfort Square, Illinois.
Zubro writes bestselling mysteries set in Chicago and the surrounding Cook County area, which are widely praised as fast-paced, with interesting plots and well-rounded, likeable characters. His novels feature gay themes, and Zubro is himself gay.
His longest running series features high school teacher Tom Mason, and Tom's boyfriend, professional baseball player Scott Carpenter. The other series Zubro is known for is the Paul Turner mysteries, which are about a Chicago police detective. The books are a part of the Stonewall Inn Mystery series, published by St. Martin's Press. Zubro won a Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men's Mystery for his book A Simple Suburban Murder.
Series:
* Tom Mason and Scott Carpenter
* Paul Turner
I am the author of twenty-four mystery novels and five short stories. My book A Simple Suburban Murder won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men's mystery. I also wrote a thriller, Foolproof, with two other mystery writers, Jeanne Dams and Barb D'Amato. I taught eighth graders English and reading for thirty-four years and was president of the teachers' union in my district from 1985 until 2006. I retired from teaching in 2006 and now spend my time reading, writing, napping, and eating chocolate. My newest book, Another Dead Republican, is my thirteenth book in the Tom and Scott series which features as main characters, a gay school teacher and his lover, a professional baseball player. One of the keys in my mysteries is you do not want to be a person who is racist, sexist, homophobic, or a school administrator. If you are any of those, it is likely you are the corpse, or, at the least, it can be fairly well guaranteed that bad things will happen to you by the end. And if in my books you happen to be a Republican and/or against workers' rights, it would be far better if you did not make a habit of broadcasting this. If you did, you're quite likely to be a suspect, or worse.
Mark Richard Zubro is an American mystery novelist. He lives in Mokena, Illinois and taught 8th grade English at Summit Hill Jr. High in nearby Frankfort Square, Illinois.
Zubro writes bestselling mysteries set in Chicago and the surrounding Cook County area, which are widely praised as fast-paced, with interesting plots and well-rounded, likeable characters. His novels feature gay themes, and Zubro is himself gay.
His longest running series features high school teacher Tom Mason, and Tom's boyfriend, professional baseball player Scott Carpenter. The other series Zubro is known for is the Paul Turner mysteries, which are about a Chicago police detective. The books are a part of the Stonewall Inn Mystery series, published by St. Martin's Press. Zubro won a Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men's Mystery for his book A Simple Suburban Murder.
Series:
* Tom Mason and Scott Carpenter
* Paul Turner
I am the author of twenty-four mystery novels and five short stories. My book A Simple Suburban Murder won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men's mystery. I also wrote a thriller, Foolproof, with two other mystery writers, Jeanne Dams and Barb D'Amato. I taught eighth graders English and reading for thirty-four years and was president of the teachers' union in my district from 1985 until 2006. I retired from teaching in 2006 and now spend my time reading, writing, napping, and eating chocolate. My newest book, Another Dead Republican, is my thirteenth book in the Tom and Scott series which features as main characters, a gay school teacher and his lover, a professional baseball player. One of the keys in my mysteries is you do not want to be a person who is racist, sexist, homophobic, or a school administrator. If you are any of those, it is likely you are the corpse, or, at the least, it can be fairly well guaranteed that bad things will happen to you by the end. And if in my books you happen to be a Republican and/or against workers' rights, it would be far better if you did not make a habit of broadcasting this. If you did, you're quite likely to be a suspect, or worse.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 6, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up. While I prefer this series over the Tom and Scott mysteries, I feel this entry was pretty weak. The ending felt forced and the killer explained way too much on why s/he did it. Paul Turner should have figured it out based on clues. Using the words Egotistical and Moron frequently was getting a bit annoying too. Going to give this series a rest for a while. Not sure if I will read more from this author.
December 9, 2013
This is the 7th book in the Paul Turner mysteries where we find our intrepid Detectives Turner & Fenwick investigating who killed the lead singer of a popular boy band. The group Boys4U are ion Chicago ending their last in a world wind concert tour when the lead singer is found dead in the shower with a bullet hole in his head, he has been killed execution style.Other then discerning music critics, who would want these young man dead? Also, as the investigation gets further, we discover the underbelly of the music industry.Turner & Fenwick that the music executive of the record group the band belonged to forced each of the band members to haves sex with them. Also, another band member is found dead, another has suffered a complete mental breakdown from years of abuse, and two others a receiving death threats. The mystery is getting deeper, can Paul & Buck solve it without another senseless death? This isn't as good as the other Turner mysteries but still a pretty good read!
August 21, 2010
I enjoyed this murder mystery. I found it moved well, and the characters were interesting and three dimensional. It defintely gives the impression of history between the recurring characters and I'd like to read more in the series to see what came before. The mystery itself is well plotted and executed (pun not intended), and I didn't guess who the murderer was.
The only thing I found jarring was that the author referred to the main character as 'Turner' when he was in his role as police detective and 'Paul' when he was with friends/family, sometimes switching from one to the other mid scene. I would have preferred that he decided which one he was going to use and stuck to it, especially as it was written from his pov.
That was the only fault I did have with it though, and it's a book I would recommend.
The only thing I found jarring was that the author referred to the main character as 'Turner' when he was in his role as police detective and 'Paul' when he was with friends/family, sometimes switching from one to the other mid scene. I would have preferred that he decided which one he was going to use and stuck to it, especially as it was written from his pov.
That was the only fault I did have with it though, and it's a book I would recommend.
July 27, 2018
I haven't read a Paul Turner mystery in almost a decade. I'm not sure if I'm severely misremembering their quality, if they've gotten a lot worse over the years, or if this one is a fluke of badness.
* the minor characters are indistinguishable and their names absurd ("Blundlefitz"? Really?);
* the dialogue is stilted and boring, with no sense that the speakers are doing anything while they talk;
* I think Fenwick is supposed to be a "lovable asshole" but is just a regular asshole;
* Paul's personal life, a huge part of what made the earlier novels i read in the series so endearing, gets woefully short shrift.
A disappointing read.
* the minor characters are indistinguishable and their names absurd ("Blundlefitz"? Really?);
* the dialogue is stilted and boring, with no sense that the speakers are doing anything while they talk;
* I think Fenwick is supposed to be a "lovable asshole" but is just a regular asshole;
* Paul's personal life, a huge part of what made the earlier novels i read in the series so endearing, gets woefully short shrift.
A disappointing read.
April 12, 2011
Paul turner is a gay police detective. It was not too difficult to figure out the killer about three quarters of the book. I may read one more book of the author to understand his character development and plots better. Does this gay/ mystery genre have certain characteristics specific to it?
December 9, 2013
Read ebook review!
October 4, 2014
adequate police procedure by ordinary detectives, sympathetic to gay characters.
February 27, 2015
longer review here:
http://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/2...
I remember liking this series more when I read it 10 years ago. Still fun, but I'm older and less easily shocked.
http://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/2...
I remember liking this series more when I read it 10 years ago. Still fun, but I'm older and less easily shocked.
March 28, 2012
Smooth flowing dialogue throughout.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews