"Marriages are made to be broken" – a note as if written from a child – is the only clue that Wilmington Clarke may be murdered.
But Dennison Bowie’s not so sure. Hired by Wilmington to protect him, Dennison and his girlfriend, Penny are invited to the restaurateur’s Gothic Victorian for an adult play party. Here they discover a cast of characters loyal to the eldergoth’s “kink family.”
And when Wilmington’s body does end up on the floor, the police cannot find anything worthy of investigation.
Lacking substantial physical evidence, Dennison must confront the family, from the new widow and goth goddess Lalinda to handsome heart doctor Zakar, and three adult submissives: feeble Ron-Ron, lonely Hannah, and somber Mandi.
William D. Prystauk is a writer of dark fiction, blending elements of horror, mystery, and crime into gripping narratives that explore the depths of human morality and the shadows within us all. With a passion for urban settings and complex characters, William’s stories delve into themes of prejudice, truth, and the nature of evil—often challenging perceptions and confronting uncomfortable truths.
His latest novel, Red Agenda, is a tense, character-driven thriller set against a backdrop of supernatural horror and political intrigue. When he’s not writing, William enjoys exploring abandoned places, studying the psychology of fear, and engaging with fans of dark fiction.
William D. Prystauk lives in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he continues to craft stories that haunt and captivate readers long after the last page.
I have now read all four books in the Noir Kink series, and I am saaaad! So sad that I’ve finished everything Bill Prystauk has to offer to this point. The good news is I hear there’s another book being added to this series. The bad news is we have to wait.
But that’s okay because now’s your chance to get caught up, and if crime thrillers with a side of kink is your thing, get caught up you MUST! This series is absolutely incredible. Great characters, superb writing, intriguing mysteries, thoughtful intimacy, and lots of action.
Bondage jumps right in with our main character, PI Denny Bowie, getting a job, but this new client adds a twist right off the bat. This requires Bowie to be a voyeur to the world of kink in which the client has immersed himself, leaving us on the 50-yard line for some extreme behavior. If you’re into or familiar with the BDSM world, none of this should be shocking to you, though.
As events quickly unfold in Bondage, the mystery becomes a true whodunnit and gives us multiple suspects who could easily stand out as the culprit. It might just be me, but this book seemed like quintessential noir. Not to take away from the other three because they are great, but I felt like this one really grabbed onto the noir element more with its line of storytelling.
We also see a bit of a relationship upheaval in Bondage as Erin falls into true drama queen mode, creating a secondary mystery of his/her own. That plays out throughout the book and adds up to an ending that will knock your socks off.
I cannot stress this enough – if this is your genre, THIS is your series! Five stars across the board (I’d give it more if I could!) and a huge round of applause to Bill Prystauk!
I'm a Kink Noir fan, but in ways, Bondage (book #4) is my favorite so far. I read a lot of books, and it's always refreshing to know I'm in the hands of a skilled author. Unfortunately, this is a rare occurrence for me. But not when I read Prystauk.
I gobbled up this book in four days. Prystauk knows about what he writes--from the vidid NYC locales to the BDSM/kink community (including the goth groupies this time) to a personalized punk playlist for each book to a cadre of main characters I've become obsessed with. And now I can't wait to get my hands on book #5!
Prystauk writes with great sensitivity about extremely sensitive, sometimes shocking, subject matter. It's not only that this author doesn't kink-shame (although Denny suffers no fools, and I love that about him), he also treats every kinky character with a kindness and understanding that is nothing short of graceful.
Then there's Prystauk's sharp wit and wordsmithing that make a keenly observed book as sharp as a chef's cleaver.
As I watch Denny, Penny, and Erin evolve--and for all their individual and collective progress, I know there's soo much more that will be revealed about them--Prystauk has a beautiful message about f'd up people and f'd up families (and the fetish fam in this book is particularly f'd up): We're here to serve each other. Whether you're a dom, sub, or switch. Whether you're a punk PI, a stepfather of a rebel daughter, or the father of a trans daughter. Because we're all f'd up in some way, and that's okay. And if we're lucky, through our biological and found families and friends, as well as our own fortitude (yay, Denny, for continuing with his therapist Terrence!), we'll find that the ties that bind us aren't always made of rope.
Prystauk has written another fantastic sequel to the Kink Noir series. Denny is thrust into an usual family's world when he's tasked with finding the father's killer Penny and Erin are back but not all is paradise. You wonder if Denny will ever catch a break but the mystery wraps around you and leaves you wondering what will happen next. Prystauk is a master storyteller painting give scenes and dynamic characters. I cannot recommend his works enough.
Bizarrely this is my first foray into the cases of PI Dennison Bowie - ill make a point of reading the first book next! Nevertheless I devoured this. The murder mystery is satisfying and the characters well drawn. I especially loved the music references as Bowie's music tastes definitely crossed over with my own (The Real Ramona IS a class album!). Then there's the sex and the BDSM world, which sets these tales apart from most murder mysteries which can be enjoyed even as someone not part of that scene.