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Dom Reilly Mysteries #1
Year of the Rat
Long Beach, California 1996. Despite having little obvious experience, bartender Dom Reilly is hired as an investigator for the Freedom Agenda, a not-for-profit justice project. His first case involves a twelve-year-old homicide, in which a teenage girl was viciously murdered. The boy in prison for her murder, Danny Osborne, the imprisoned young man convicted of her murder, is seemingly exonerated by DNA evidence but the authorities refuse to accept it as proof.
Dom and his boss, Lydia Gonzales, slowly put together an iron-clad case, one the district attorney can’t ignore. As they do so, each puts themselves at risk—threatening not only their personal reputations, but their lives.
Dom and his boss, Lydia Gonzales, slowly put together an iron-clad case, one the district attorney can’t ignore. As they do so, each puts themselves at risk—threatening not only their personal reputations, but their lives.
231 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2021
83 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
About the author
Marshall Thornton
56 books628 followersThree-time Lambda Award-winning author, Marshall Thornton is best known for the Boystown and Pinx Video mystery series. Other novels include the erotic comedy The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood, Desert Run and Full Release. Marshall has an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he received the Carl David Memorial Fellowship and was recognized in the Samuel Goldwyn Writing awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
June 26, 2021
Very CLEVER, Marshall!!!
I stayed awake the night reading it, because I just needed to know how it would end.
All in all I enjoyed it a lot and I am looking forward to reading more about Dominick Reilly :)
*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for a honest review.***
I stayed awake the night reading it, because I just needed to know how it would end.
All in all I enjoyed it a lot and I am looking forward to reading more about Dominick Reilly :)
*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for a honest review.***
May 31, 2021
I was delighted to see this author begin another serious mystery series. It took me a bit of time to connect with Dom, but that was true of the Nick Nowak stories too, so I wasn't worried. And sure enough, about halfway in, this story grabbed me and I stayed up late to finish it. (And was glad I did, with a satisfying but not too tied-in-a-bow ending.)
Dom is a guy in his 40s, working as a bartender, living with a man 16 years younger than him in a relationship that is good but not perfect. They live and love together, but sometimes argue or have different priorities, and sometimes Dom lies to Ronnie, ostensibly for his protection but perhaps because it's easier. Their relationship feels real, in its day to day ebbs and flows.
Ronnie's mother is also around, determined to marry him off, and pretending Dom is a business partner. Dom is surprisingly philosophical and tolerant of this, but at his age, he no doubt recalls the consequences of estrangement from family when AIDS was a far worse scourge than this 1996 era.
Dom gets persuaded into working for a legal group much like The Innocence Project - trying to shed enough doubt on the trial of a young man convicted of rape and murder to get him released, or at least a new trial. This is right up Dom's alley, since under his laconic attitude there's a thirst for justice and the heart of an investigator. What he turns up suggests corruption, incompetence, or both. And the hunt is on.
This story was satisfying, real, and leaves me eager for the next installment.
Dom is a guy in his 40s, working as a bartender, living with a man 16 years younger than him in a relationship that is good but not perfect. They live and love together, but sometimes argue or have different priorities, and sometimes Dom lies to Ronnie, ostensibly for his protection but perhaps because it's easier. Their relationship feels real, in its day to day ebbs and flows.
Ronnie's mother is also around, determined to marry him off, and pretending Dom is a business partner. Dom is surprisingly philosophical and tolerant of this, but at his age, he no doubt recalls the consequences of estrangement from family when AIDS was a far worse scourge than this 1996 era.
Dom gets persuaded into working for a legal group much like The Innocence Project - trying to shed enough doubt on the trial of a young man convicted of rape and murder to get him released, or at least a new trial. This is right up Dom's alley, since under his laconic attitude there's a thirst for justice and the heart of an investigator. What he turns up suggests corruption, incompetence, or both. And the hunt is on.
This story was satisfying, real, and leaves me eager for the next installment.
June 8, 2021
Year of the Rat (Dom Reilly book 1)
By Marshall Thornton
Kenmore Books, 2021
Five stars
When an author of an epic series like the Boys Town books launches a new series, it is a moment of great anticipation. I was not disappointed. Of course, Nick Nowak was in my mind a lot, because one can’t help but draw comparisons. Right?
Before I start, let me note that the time in which this book is set— February, 1996 – is one that is vivid in my mind, because my husband and I adopted our son at exactly that moment. That son, all grown up, lives in Orange County, CA, where the book’s action is largely set. I’m thinking: not an accident.
Right away, Dom is up front with us. His much younger partner Ronnie Chen, whose name is Chinese but whose background is a lot more complicated than that, doesn’t know Dom’s real history, and is aware of it. In one of my favorite lines in the book, they have this exchange:
“If I’m such a liar, why are we still together?”
“Because I think someday you’ll tell me the truth.”
Even though Dom works as a bartender in Long Beach, where he and Ronnie share a beautiful arts-and-crafts house, there’s clearly something way more interesting going on. Dom is tagged by a client of Ronnie’s to do temp work for her legal firm, which specializes in overturning wrongful murder convictions with newly-developed DNA evidence. Lydia Gonzales is an interesting character all by herself, although I’m not totally sure about her up-and-coming-Hollywood junior executive husband, Dwayne. Dom isn't sure about him, either.
Dom quickly gets caught up in the case of a sixteen-year-old, railroaded into a murder confession a decade earlier. The overall public sentiment on the case seems to be that he was a crack addict, so why worry about whether he was really guilty or not?
Dom is portrayed as something of a dinosaur, lumbering around with his clumsy “cellular phone” and his big middle-aged fingers. It’s clear from the start, however, that not only does Lydia see his competence, she also sees his good heart. At the same time, Dom is trying to manage the tricky situation between Ronnie and his beautiful, successful, immigrant mother, Mai Chen, who keeps not-so-subtly pushing ill-informed Chinese brides at her son, even in Dom’s presence.
In spite of Dom’s patience, and his obvious love for the ambitious Ronnie, we continue to puzzle over his secrets. Another moment I particularly loved was when a young woman sighs over the fact that all the good guys are gay. Dom turns to her and says: “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not one of the good ones.”
Well, I think Dom is one of the good ones, and was completely captivated by the increasingly unpleasant story of injustice delivered as Dom and Lydia dig for the truth among a decade of lies. Then, just as I was feeling smug, the author’s final twist was a total sucker punch.
I couldn’t be happier.
And I can’t tell you why.
By Marshall Thornton
Kenmore Books, 2021
Five stars
When an author of an epic series like the Boys Town books launches a new series, it is a moment of great anticipation. I was not disappointed. Of course, Nick Nowak was in my mind a lot, because one can’t help but draw comparisons. Right?
Before I start, let me note that the time in which this book is set— February, 1996 – is one that is vivid in my mind, because my husband and I adopted our son at exactly that moment. That son, all grown up, lives in Orange County, CA, where the book’s action is largely set. I’m thinking: not an accident.
Right away, Dom is up front with us. His much younger partner Ronnie Chen, whose name is Chinese but whose background is a lot more complicated than that, doesn’t know Dom’s real history, and is aware of it. In one of my favorite lines in the book, they have this exchange:
“If I’m such a liar, why are we still together?”
“Because I think someday you’ll tell me the truth.”
Even though Dom works as a bartender in Long Beach, where he and Ronnie share a beautiful arts-and-crafts house, there’s clearly something way more interesting going on. Dom is tagged by a client of Ronnie’s to do temp work for her legal firm, which specializes in overturning wrongful murder convictions with newly-developed DNA evidence. Lydia Gonzales is an interesting character all by herself, although I’m not totally sure about her up-and-coming-Hollywood junior executive husband, Dwayne. Dom isn't sure about him, either.
Dom quickly gets caught up in the case of a sixteen-year-old, railroaded into a murder confession a decade earlier. The overall public sentiment on the case seems to be that he was a crack addict, so why worry about whether he was really guilty or not?
Dom is portrayed as something of a dinosaur, lumbering around with his clumsy “cellular phone” and his big middle-aged fingers. It’s clear from the start, however, that not only does Lydia see his competence, she also sees his good heart. At the same time, Dom is trying to manage the tricky situation between Ronnie and his beautiful, successful, immigrant mother, Mai Chen, who keeps not-so-subtly pushing ill-informed Chinese brides at her son, even in Dom’s presence.
In spite of Dom’s patience, and his obvious love for the ambitious Ronnie, we continue to puzzle over his secrets. Another moment I particularly loved was when a young woman sighs over the fact that all the good guys are gay. Dom turns to her and says: “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not one of the good ones.”
Well, I think Dom is one of the good ones, and was completely captivated by the increasingly unpleasant story of injustice delivered as Dom and Lydia dig for the truth among a decade of lies. Then, just as I was feeling smug, the author’s final twist was a total sucker punch.
I couldn’t be happier.
And I can’t tell you why.
July 3, 2021
This series is set in the mid-nineties (1996 is the Year of the Rat in the Lunar zodiac calendar) with lots of historical, political and socio-cultural references that 'set the scene' ... and for movie buffs - there's tons of 'movie premieres' that will ring nostalgic bells. A new sleuth/hero from Mr Thornton ... just how good is that? And Dominick Reilly is intriguingly avoidant about his past/background despite dropping lots of hints; these were very clever hints Mr Thornton - very clever indeed. Apart from part-time veteran bar-tending in a gay bar, Dom appears to balance his work life carefully around his private life with much younger Eurasian lover (real estate agent) Ronnie Chen. And Ronnie I just adore ... his cheerful, outgoing, go-getting outlook is the Yin to Dom's reserved and suppressed Yang. There's shades of The Wedding Banquet when Ronnie laments
Drawn into working for a non-profit group assisting those who are wrongly convicted get justice and freedom ... Dom's deductive and investigative skills come reluctantly to the foreground when he gets more invested in the life/mistreatment of a (then) teen-aged rapist/murderer. Throughout the read ... several observations and asides made by Dom tweaked my subconscious alert but for what reason I couldn't quite say.
Lydia and Karen as Dom's boss and colleague respectively prove to be substantial and interesting secondary characters ... I'm really looking forward to seeing how these working dynamics/relations play out in future books. Ronnie's (I'm Chinese not Vietnamese) mother Mai Chen is another fascinating character who I believe is being set up to being a more featured character in the next books; and Dom is surprisingly tolerant and understanding toward this hard-to-please/brittle/take-no-hostage 'mother-in-law' ... I do wonder why? Past experience with such women? New lodger Junior reminds me so much of Leon from the author's Pinx Video series. And there's a mysterious holiday card sender whose identity/reveal I'm dying for (even more than Ronnie LOL).
The smack-in-the-face factoid reveal in the end (before the epilogue) was a total shocker ... a delicious shock nevertheless given that . I cannot wait for any/all books in this new series -4.5 stars.
Drawn into working for a non-profit group assisting those who are wrongly convicted get justice and freedom ... Dom's deductive and investigative skills come reluctantly to the foreground when he gets more invested in the life/mistreatment of a (then) teen-aged rapist/murderer. Throughout the read ... several observations and asides made by Dom tweaked my subconscious alert but for what reason I couldn't quite say.
Lydia and Karen as Dom's boss and colleague respectively prove to be substantial and interesting secondary characters ... I'm really looking forward to seeing how these working dynamics/relations play out in future books. Ronnie's (I'm Chinese not Vietnamese) mother Mai Chen is another fascinating character who I believe is being set up to being a more featured character in the next books; and Dom is surprisingly tolerant and understanding toward this hard-to-please/brittle/take-no-hostage 'mother-in-law' ... I do wonder why? Past experience with such women? New lodger Junior reminds me so much of Leon from the author's Pinx Video series. And there's a mysterious holiday card sender whose identity/reveal I'm dying for (even more than Ronnie LOL).
The smack-in-the-face factoid reveal in the end (before the epilogue) was a total shocker ... a delicious shock nevertheless given that . I cannot wait for any/all books in this new series -4.5 stars.
March 16, 2023
Having been scarred for life by coming of age in the 80s and all the gay fiction I encountered then being either straight up porn or suicidally depressing, I am always reluctant to pick up any gay fiction set in the 80s or 90s no matter when it was written. Perhaps one day my gut will catch up with my brain, which has already figured out that when it comes to Marshall Thornton I should just trust, and dive in.
This was fantastic, perhaps the most flawless of his novels I've read yet, and the only thing I didn't like was that I put it off for this long.
The other day I made myself a short list of reliable authors with a backlist I haven't finished, with the idea that I will just pick up one of them when I find myself indecisive about what to read next. Thornton is absolutely on there.
This was fantastic, perhaps the most flawless of his novels I've read yet, and the only thing I didn't like was that I put it off for this long.
The other day I made myself a short list of reliable authors with a backlist I haven't finished, with the idea that I will just pick up one of them when I find myself indecisive about what to read next. Thornton is absolutely on there.
June 26, 2021
One of the best of Thornton's novels, maybe just a step lower than the unequalled Murder Book.
Well-defined characters, excellent dialogues. During the reading the style and the voice of the protagonist reminded me of Boystown, my favourite series, which I missed so much.
And then, that revelation in the final pages...😲
Maybe for that twist it helped the fact that Thornton is one of the few writers I buy at closed eyes, without reading any review.
P.s. sorry for my english, I'm a foreign learner.
Well-defined characters, excellent dialogues. During the reading the style and the voice of the protagonist reminded me of Boystown, my favourite series, which I missed so much.
And then, that revelation in the final pages...😲
Maybe for that twist it helped the fact that Thornton is one of the few writers I buy at closed eyes, without reading any review.
P.s. sorry for my english, I'm a foreign learner.
October 14, 2021
Loving this author’s mysteries!
June 1, 2021
Yes!!!! Chapter five, knew it!!! Marshall Thornton delivers!
June 21, 2021
I really enjoyed this book but didn’t realize this was a returning character, I believe, from the Boys Town series? I read a few of those books but now feel like I missed a lot of back story.
July 8, 2021
In reading Michael Doris' A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, which follows the story of three generations of Native American women, we get the story of the daughter first, followed by the mother and then the grandmother. At the end, we finally learn what created the family dynamic and how actions by each woman were precipitated by the past. For me personally, reading that book was gut-wrenching and really transformational.
In much the same way, Year of the Rat starts out as a mid-1990's investigative murder case where 40ish Dom Reilly - part-time bartender and owner of a few properties with his 16-years younger lover, Ronnie, a real estate agent - is drawn into an Innocence Project-like case to exonerate a young man in prison for murder. Dom reluctantly agrees to investigate, despite claiming that he has no experience, but it's pretty clear from the start that Dom basically hits the ground running.
As Dom doggedly works the case, we also get glimpses into his life with Ronnie. Ronnie's mother is a Piece.of.Work yet Dom cuts her a lot of slack and admires her stubbornness. Or as he says "She's not awful; she just does awful things." He's like a man who has been given a final chance of a relationship and is trying not to mess it up.
As the investigation deepens, Dom talks with Peggy McCallister from the Happy Acres Mobile Estate. That probably should have been a clue that Year of the Rat exists in the Marshall Thornton universe, since Peggy and the Happy Acres feature prominently in Death Comes to Happy Acres by Thornton, writing as JT Moon.
But let's just say that when we next learn of an additional connection to the Marshall Thornton universe, it was a moment like reading A Yellow Raft in Blue Water when you unearth the final clues, and everything pinpoints into clear focus and my gawd, the Revelation hit me like a tremor. Why Dom more than tolerated Ronnie's mother, why he is drawn to investigating a case to make sure justice is done, why he lies to the world about himself. It transforms the events of the entire book.
5 stars for Year of the Rat, and we can only hope that Marshall Thornton gives this series as many wonderful books as his stellar Boystown series.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
In much the same way, Year of the Rat starts out as a mid-1990's investigative murder case where 40ish Dom Reilly - part-time bartender and owner of a few properties with his 16-years younger lover, Ronnie, a real estate agent - is drawn into an Innocence Project-like case to exonerate a young man in prison for murder. Dom reluctantly agrees to investigate, despite claiming that he has no experience, but it's pretty clear from the start that Dom basically hits the ground running.
"Why are all the good ones always gay?" She sighed, almost under her breath.The book is from Dom's POV and we see how brutally honest he is with himself - his faults, his self-awareness, his efforts to be honest with Ronnie (as much as he can). Yet, his entire background is a lie. "I've been lying about myself for a long time. It's become a habit. Or maybe an addiction."
I stopped and looked back at her, "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not one of the good ones."
As Dom doggedly works the case, we also get glimpses into his life with Ronnie. Ronnie's mother is a Piece.of.Work yet Dom cuts her a lot of slack and admires her stubbornness. Or as he says "She's not awful; she just does awful things." He's like a man who has been given a final chance of a relationship and is trying not to mess it up.
As the investigation deepens, Dom talks with Peggy McCallister from the Happy Acres Mobile Estate. That probably should have been a clue that Year of the Rat exists in the Marshall Thornton universe, since Peggy and the Happy Acres feature prominently in Death Comes to Happy Acres by Thornton, writing as JT Moon.
But let's just say that when we next learn of an additional connection to the Marshall Thornton universe, it was a moment like reading A Yellow Raft in Blue Water when you unearth the final clues, and everything pinpoints into clear focus and my gawd, the Revelation hit me like a tremor. Why Dom more than tolerated Ronnie's mother, why he is drawn to investigating a case to make sure justice is done, why he lies to the world about himself. It transforms the events of the entire book.
5 stars for Year of the Rat, and we can only hope that Marshall Thornton gives this series as many wonderful books as his stellar Boystown series.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
August 28, 2021
Really wonderful new mystery series from Marshall Thornton with a big reveal at the end that’s sure to please his fans. Loved the ordinary-ness of his characters. No nonsense going after the crumb trail of clues to get an innocent man out of prison. All in a days work. Thornton is one of my favorite mystery series writers and he’s got me hooked with the Dom Reilly Mysteries.
September 17, 2023
That ending!!!!
Mid 1990’s California mystery novel.
No sex.
Although you know who did the crime, you get the treat of Dom Reilly piecing it all together for you.
And that ending!! What a lovely surprise! (No spoilers).
Mid 1990’s California mystery novel.
No sex.
Although you know who did the crime, you get the treat of Dom Reilly piecing it all together for you.
And that ending!! What a lovely surprise! (No spoilers).
June 3, 2021
4,25 ⭐️ rounded up because of THE REASON!
A great prelude to the new series.
A great prelude to the new series.
July 22, 2025
Me feeling like a total dumbass when I realized 5 pages from the end what I was actually reading 😂.
Now I gotta scan the other reviews to see if I'm the only dumbass or if other innocents were similarly duped.
Some typos and (intentional? hard to say) continuity errors aside, this was really good!
ETA: it seems that in this case, the dumbass brigade was legion. Well played, Mr Thornton!
Now I gotta scan the other reviews to see if I'm the only dumbass or if other innocents were similarly duped.
Some typos and (intentional? hard to say) continuity errors aside, this was really good!
ETA: it seems that in this case, the dumbass brigade was legion. Well played, Mr Thornton!
July 3, 2021
I was loving this even before the reveal at the end. Fortunately, Thornton is pretty much an auto-buy for me so I hadn’t read reviews first. I’m so glad I didn’t get spoiled! The investigation was so interesting and fast-paced that I didn’t pick up on any clues (obvious as they seem now) and was completely surprised. It’s not often you get a fun, gobsmacked moment like that. Hats off to Mr. Thornton.
The news and pop culture tidbits establishing the 90s setting and the introduction to Dom’s home/work lives, along with tantalizing hints at the previous life he’s hiding even from his partner Ronnie, have me hooked. What “friend” is sending unsigned cards to Dom? And what’s up with intrusive lodger Junior? Book two can’t come fast enough!
The news and pop culture tidbits establishing the 90s setting and the introduction to Dom’s home/work lives, along with tantalizing hints at the previous life he’s hiding even from his partner Ronnie, have me hooked. What “friend” is sending unsigned cards to Dom? And what’s up with intrusive lodger Junior? Book two can’t come fast enough!
May 29, 2021
This book wasn't even on my radar until the author's newsletter arrived.
The MC is in a committed relationship, and Ronnie is a lot younger than our MC Dom, and has a Vietnamese mother who doesn't accept her son is gay.
Dom takes up an offer to work for an Innocence Project type business.
This is a mystery but you really know who did it at the beginning but the unravelling of the crime the whodunnit was nicely done with a twist I didn't see coming.
A good mystery with no sex.
Highly recommended.
The MC is in a committed relationship, and Ronnie is a lot younger than our MC Dom, and has a Vietnamese mother who doesn't accept her son is gay.
Dom takes up an offer to work for an Innocence Project type business.
This is a mystery but you really know who did it at the beginning but the unravelling of the crime the whodunnit was nicely done with a twist I didn't see coming.
A good mystery with no sex.
Highly recommended.
May 25, 2025
WE’RE BACK, BABY.
This is my absolute favorite brand of Marshall Thornton. He knows how to write a compelling protagonist that plays perfectly with a center mystery. Could I get a hundred more orders of this similar delight? Please and thank you 😌
This is my absolute favorite brand of Marshall Thornton. He knows how to write a compelling protagonist that plays perfectly with a center mystery. Could I get a hundred more orders of this similar delight? Please and thank you 😌
June 3, 2021
Marshall Thornton, you devil. :)
Good start to a new series! Fun mystery, good characters, excellent mystery within a mystery! =) Already looking forward to more!
Good start to a new series! Fun mystery, good characters, excellent mystery within a mystery! =) Already looking forward to more!
November 18, 2023
I absolutely love everything Mr. Thornton writes. His characters and stories grip me from the first page. I had a special surprise with Dom’s real identity. It reminded me that I need to finish an earlier series. I’ll do that and then read the next Dom Reilly book.
November 5, 2021
I wasn’t sure about buying this, as there are some Marshall Thornton books that haven’t worked for me (which is why I’ve not read the final book in the Boystown series), but I was desperate for a good read, so tried the sample.
It pulled me in, and I bought the book, albeit with some trepidation, to continue reading about Dom. I was glad I did. The plot was interesting, with twists and turns along the way. I liked Dom, his partner Ronnie, and his new boss Lydia. I’m looking forward to the next book now, to see where Dom goes from here.
It pulled me in, and I bought the book, albeit with some trepidation, to continue reading about Dom. I was glad I did. The plot was interesting, with twists and turns along the way. I liked Dom, his partner Ronnie, and his new boss Lydia. I’m looking forward to the next book now, to see where Dom goes from here.
June 2, 2021
OH. MY. GAH. I DESPERATELY want to tell so much about this book and I can't!!! Man what a book!! What a surprise ending. I KNEW something was up, I KNEW it. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect this. Dang, Marshall Thornton…..what a way to throw a wrench in the works. I am still in shock.
I have to tell you, this story broke my heart for Danny. As Dom and Lydia are trying to figure this case out, more and more pieces are falling together and Dom knows it stinks right up to the top. The sad part is why. And in order to protect that why, things are happening to Dom and Lydia both, that aren't too 'friendly'. Both being threatened in different ways, but because of it, both are more determined to get to the bottom of things. I just know my heart broke for Danny. And for Dom and others in this story.
This story is about mysteries, secrets, lies and coverups from every angle. Some are obvious, some are not. In any angle, you can't put the book down because you desperately need to figure out who has done what and why they did it. The motive. The plot. And boy does it have a plot. I so want to share so many things but it will just give too much away.
The point is this. Marshall Thornton has another hit with this and if it's as good as his other series', I'm going to be in love. Especially with the bombshell that got dropped. It's a mystery you can't put down. You've got the good, the bad, the ugly and the innocent all trying to fight for different reasons. Most are bad and some good. And it's a page turner. You never know what's lurking around the next corner, who's in cahoots with who, and how it's going to end. The perfect mystery. I can't wait for book 2. I know already this is going to be one heck of a series.
I have to tell you, this story broke my heart for Danny. As Dom and Lydia are trying to figure this case out, more and more pieces are falling together and Dom knows it stinks right up to the top. The sad part is why. And in order to protect that why, things are happening to Dom and Lydia both, that aren't too 'friendly'. Both being threatened in different ways, but because of it, both are more determined to get to the bottom of things. I just know my heart broke for Danny. And for Dom and others in this story.
This story is about mysteries, secrets, lies and coverups from every angle. Some are obvious, some are not. In any angle, you can't put the book down because you desperately need to figure out who has done what and why they did it. The motive. The plot. And boy does it have a plot. I so want to share so many things but it will just give too much away.
The point is this. Marshall Thornton has another hit with this and if it's as good as his other series', I'm going to be in love. Especially with the bombshell that got dropped. It's a mystery you can't put down. You've got the good, the bad, the ugly and the innocent all trying to fight for different reasons. Most are bad and some good. And it's a page turner. You never know what's lurking around the next corner, who's in cahoots with who, and how it's going to end. The perfect mystery. I can't wait for book 2. I know already this is going to be one heck of a series.
September 15, 2021
Marshall Thornton is fast becoming a favorite author. He certainly didn’t disappoint with this mystery! I was intrigued with Don’s mysterious background secrets through out the book. And the big reveal at the end had me gob-smacked! Excellent!!
June 10, 2021
Compelling story with great characterization!
There's a brilliant "coup de théâtre" at the end of the book! Can't wait for the next installment!
There's a brilliant "coup de théâtre" at the end of the book! Can't wait for the next installment!
May 30, 2021
Another great read from the Master, with a surprise ending. Thank you, Marshall Thornton!!!
June 7, 2021
Marshall, Marshall, Marshall, you sly devil you! Loved this book, looking forward to the coming books in this series.
May 30, 2021
It’s 1996, and Dom Reilly is an underemployed, middle-aged bartender with a much younger partner and some Los Angeles-area real estate to his name. At the urging of his partner Ronnie, Dom takes a part-time job with a lawyer named Lydia Gonsalez. Lydia runs a non-profit devoted to getting innocent people out of jail, and soon, Dom is investigating an old case that landed a drug-addicted teenager in jail for murder.
The plot unfolds neatly and swiftly, and while it’s less of a whodunnit than a why-the-cover-up?, there are plenty of intriguing questions for Dom to find the answers to. Along the way, he questions wary trailer park residents, copes with Ronnie’s indomitable and obnoxious mother, and is threatened by some bad guys.
Thornton is a great writer, both economical and evocative in his characterizations and settings. And Dom, who appeared briefly in two of Thornton’s Pinx Video mysteries, is an appealing, empathetic narrator. He’s also a liar. He reveals this right away, so there’s a constant tension between what Dom says and what the reader suspects. (This tension is resolved at the end of Year of the Rat, which is a relief. It's also implied that Dom's past will be relevant in future installments. YAY.)
I would have liked more about Dom’s personal* life. In Thornton’s mysteries, the main characters are usually single, at least at the start of the book, and a romantic and/or sexual relationship—or the lack thereof—with another man adds an important dimension to the plot. Dom, meanwhile, is settled with Ronnie, whom he loves, but I missed the sense of longing, and the excitement of sexual attraction, that pervades both the Boystown and Pinx Video series. But YMMV.
ANYWAY. I am looking forward to** more Dom Reilly books.
*sex/love
**eagerly awaiting. When is it coming out?
The plot unfolds neatly and swiftly, and while it’s less of a whodunnit than a why-the-cover-up?, there are plenty of intriguing questions for Dom to find the answers to. Along the way, he questions wary trailer park residents, copes with Ronnie’s indomitable and obnoxious mother, and is threatened by some bad guys.
Thornton is a great writer, both economical and evocative in his characterizations and settings. And Dom, who appeared briefly in two of Thornton’s Pinx Video mysteries, is an appealing, empathetic narrator. He’s also a liar. He reveals this right away, so there’s a constant tension between what Dom says and what the reader suspects. (This tension is resolved at the end of Year of the Rat, which is a relief. It's also implied that Dom's past will be relevant in future installments. YAY.)
I would have liked more about Dom’s personal* life. In Thornton’s mysteries, the main characters are usually single, at least at the start of the book, and a romantic and/or sexual relationship—or the lack thereof—with another man adds an important dimension to the plot. Dom, meanwhile, is settled with Ronnie, whom he loves, but I missed the sense of longing, and the excitement of sexual attraction, that pervades both the Boystown and Pinx Video series. But YMMV.
ANYWAY. I am looking forward to** more Dom Reilly books.
*sex/love
**eagerly awaiting. When is it coming out?
April 12, 2022
Dom is a bartender with secrets. He will tell you that straight out of the gate. He has a lie for everything. Ronnie is his adoring boyfriend who has pretty much just stepped into Dom's life and hopes that one day Dom will share his secrets with him. In the meantime he is going to just continue loving him. Ronnie gets Dom a job working for a lawyer who defends those wrongly imprisoned. Dom says he doesn't want the job but ends up going anyway and he loves this kind of work. The only problem is that he uses skills that don't jibe with his past and he has to work hard to keep his secrets secret. The case at the core of the book was interesting and i enjoyed that aspect. The only issue i had with the story is that Dom is an ass and I didn't really ever come to like him. Dom reminded me a whole lot of another character of Marshall Thornton's that I could never did grow to like. Ronnie was interesting but never really fleshed out for me. overall, i really liked the story line.
June 7, 2021
Dominick “Dom” Reilly works as a bartender, he seems satisfied with his life and job. He lives with his much younger boyfriend, Ronnie Chen. There’s something peculiar about Dom and Ronnie’s relationship, they both can argue that they are sixteen to twenty year apart. There’s also other things that they differ on. The truth is oddly distorted between them but they get along regardless. Often Dom gives Ronnie some important advice when it comes to Mia, Ronnies mother, he has his reasons.
Ronnie is in real estate and he wheedles his way to get Dom another job. Dom is somewhat reluctant to become an investigator for lawyer, Lydia Gonsalez. Lydia works for the Freedom Agenda and takes on cases of the wrongly accused. Dom finds himself immersed in the case of Danny Osbourne, who was incarcerated at the age of seventeen and has served eleven years of his continuing sentence. There’s a mountain of evidence against Danny, especially his own confession. As Dom starts to settle in this new venture he finds so many things wrong and many suspects. When he brings what he’s found to Lydia they have to be very careful with what they’ve found or the case many never be overturned. The deeper Dom get’s into his investigating it becomes dangerous for both him and Lydia
Usually, Marshall Thornton presents his mysteries from the police and private investigators side of mysteries. With this new series he takes us through a case that’s already been resolved through the court and what it takes to get it overturned. Dom get’s deeply involved in the case and he really get’s into a process of investigation.
Dom is definitely a peculiar character, he had me wondering at every turn. Not so much about the investigation but about him as an individual. The interaction with his boyfriend and his overbearing mother Mia are an interesting aspects of the novel.
Lydia Gonsalez is an excellent secondary character and Karen. Without Karen there’s a lot that wouldn’t have gotten done. John Gallager, nurse and roommate to Dom and Ronnie, also contributes to important moments. Junior Clybourne a new and nosy roommate!
One thing that I know for sure, in several of Marshall Thornton series, from the 1960s, through the 1990s, he continues in bringing attention to the issues of HIV/AIDS. Mr. Thornton always provides appropriate information about an illness that still exists and causes heartbreak even today.
I highly recommend “Year of the Rat” and I am looking forward to the next installment to this new, brilliant series from Marshall Thornton.
Ronnie is in real estate and he wheedles his way to get Dom another job. Dom is somewhat reluctant to become an investigator for lawyer, Lydia Gonsalez. Lydia works for the Freedom Agenda and takes on cases of the wrongly accused. Dom finds himself immersed in the case of Danny Osbourne, who was incarcerated at the age of seventeen and has served eleven years of his continuing sentence. There’s a mountain of evidence against Danny, especially his own confession. As Dom starts to settle in this new venture he finds so many things wrong and many suspects. When he brings what he’s found to Lydia they have to be very careful with what they’ve found or the case many never be overturned. The deeper Dom get’s into his investigating it becomes dangerous for both him and Lydia
Usually, Marshall Thornton presents his mysteries from the police and private investigators side of mysteries. With this new series he takes us through a case that’s already been resolved through the court and what it takes to get it overturned. Dom get’s deeply involved in the case and he really get’s into a process of investigation.
Dom is definitely a peculiar character, he had me wondering at every turn. Not so much about the investigation but about him as an individual. The interaction with his boyfriend and his overbearing mother Mia are an interesting aspects of the novel.
Lydia Gonsalez is an excellent secondary character and Karen. Without Karen there’s a lot that wouldn’t have gotten done. John Gallager, nurse and roommate to Dom and Ronnie, also contributes to important moments. Junior Clybourne a new and nosy roommate!
One thing that I know for sure, in several of Marshall Thornton series, from the 1960s, through the 1990s, he continues in bringing attention to the issues of HIV/AIDS. Mr. Thornton always provides appropriate information about an illness that still exists and causes heartbreak even today.
I highly recommend “Year of the Rat” and I am looking forward to the next installment to this new, brilliant series from Marshall Thornton.
June 26, 2025
I quite liked this book. Thornton writes situations and characters that feel authentic. Relationships are imperfect. Family is complicated. The justice system is flawed, and so are the resolutions (even after you have a ‘win’).
Good main characters too (Dom, Ronnie and Lydia especially). The 1996 setting a shows an interesting moment in time from various angles,p.
I am a bit conflicted though, since it seems this series has ties to some other books by Thornton, which is maybe best read first (but not sure I’d like to?)
Good main characters too (Dom, Ronnie and Lydia especially). The 1996 setting a shows an interesting moment in time from various angles,p.
I am a bit conflicted though, since it seems this series has ties to some other books by Thornton, which is maybe best read first (but not sure I’d like to?)
August 20, 2022
3 and a bit stars rounded up to 4 as I'm feeling kind.
A perfectly enjoyable but simple mystery with a few eye rolls when the connections are easier for the reader to make than for the characters.
I didn't see the twist at the end coming, but then, I've only read some of Thornton's Pinx Video series so aren't as up on his lore.
A perfectly enjoyable but simple mystery with a few eye rolls when the connections are easier for the reader to make than for the characters.
I didn't see the twist at the end coming, but then, I've only read some of Thornton's Pinx Video series so aren't as up on his lore.
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