Father Complex

Hazard and Somerset: Arrows in the Hand #4

by Gregory Ashe, Tristan James (Narrator)

Having a father can be hard. Being a good one might be even harder.

The call-out for the double homicide, when it comes, is a strange one: two men gunned down in a motel room, no witnesses, no real clues. Even stranger, the men were enemies, and no one seems to know why they were in that motel room together. And stranger still, people won’t stop calling John-Henry Somerset, telling him he needs to find some answers—preferably nice, easy ones—fast.

Hazard and Somers set out to learn what happened, but they quickly find themselves mired in shifting factions: the ultraconservative political machine of the Ozark Volunteers; a liberal activist group protesting the local gun show; a reclusive fundamentalist church; even a hint of Mexican drug cartels. The further they press their investigation, the clearer it becomes that the killer—or killers—wants something, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it.

As Hazard and Somers struggle to find the truth, they face trouble at home as well. Their foster-son, Colt, has received a letter from his estranged father, the same man who attacked Colt and Somers in their home. Worse, Colt seems open to more communication, which leaves Hazard grappling with his fears for Colt and his helplessness against a world that seems to be conspiring to take his foster-son away.

But when a pair of gunmen come after Hazard at home, two things are crystal clear: he’s going to get to the bottom of these murders, and he’ll do anything to keep his family together.

Genres: M M Romance, Mystery, Romance, Contemporary, Crime, LGBT, Suspense

12 pages, Audible Audio

First published April 7, 2022

About the author

I'm a long-time Midwesterner. I've lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, my current home. Aside from reading and writing (which take up a lot of my time), I'm an educator.

While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!

My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.

Reviews

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook - 4 stars

Story - 4.35 stars

Here I thought I got Daddy Issues, clearly, I got nothing on these characters!!! This series was all about them daddys and their kids issues. Well, it was a lot.



DAAAMMNN!!! Took 4 books to get here. Le sigh! Greg but whyyy???

My Hazard, my grumpy, loving, caring, Hazard, how I had missed you.



Loved and enjoyed everything about this book, well, not actually everything because Colt! Ugh! I don't think I will ever warm up to him.

The writing will always be my jam. I love Greg's way of writing, the in your face thingy will forever work on me.

Hazard and Somers, GAAAHHH!!! This is how I love them, I loved that they got back to working together. Their working dynamic is just the best. Love their banter, their lovely sweet conversations. GAAAHH!! took so long but here we are.

The mystery was engaging, daddy issues upon daddy issues was a very interesting take. Naomi, lawd! as much as I wanted to at least sympathize with her, I just couldn't. Greg! You can't change my mind. Loved how Hazard and Somers were Insync when it came to this case.. Gosh I had missed them just communicating.

North and Shaw.... ummm the jury will continue being out. I think Shaw is overdoing it.



Overall, I ended up loving this one so much. I hope Greg stays on this course, I understand that it can't all be roses but Hazard's behavior in past books will always not sit right with me. That is not the Hazard I know and love.

A copy of the Audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He wants to drive it over to the fundraiser."
"Of course he does. Go on; Evie and I'll follow you over in case you break down."
"Ha ha."
That lopsided grin got bigger as Somers ducked back inside the house.
"I didn't realize I married a comedian."
"I love you." Somers sang back.

✧ Hazard's parenting skills reminded me so much of my parents'. not so much the suffocation of expectations, but more of how strict he was being. it's obvious Hazard was projecting from his own experience bc of his relationship with his dad, but what i liked was the way he handled it maturely in the end, realizing his own faults (he was putting so much pressure on Colt, not letting him breathe, and not giving him a choice in anything surrounding his life) and learning how to be better. the talk he had with Colt once he realized where it all went wrong was so emotional, i admit i was tearing up during that scene.
✧ Colt/Ash spin-off? honestly, i needed a bit of time to get used to Colt at first and, although he's still very much a brat, i feel like he's reached a point where i could tolerate him and would even be interested in a story between him and Ash. i feel like there's so much to tell with their dynamic and i'm pretty curious about Ash as well. 👀
✧ North/Shaw? these two gave me crackhead duo energy and i'm looking forward to reading their series! 😌

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s almost midnight guys so I gotta gather my thoughts before I review.

But some initial thoughts so I don’t forget aka my pre-review:
⚠️ Hulk Hazard is fully present. However, things are brought to light that explain some of his actions. I found some satisfaction in this and it did make some sense. I still don’t think it explains all of his rage the last few books. The Hazard I know has grown enough to not be this way. But at the same time, I tentatively accept the reasoning. My true test will be future books. Only then will I know if he’s grown.
⚠️ Why is Greg making me care a tiny bit about Dulac? I swore I never would. I’m so easily manipulated by Greg’s witchy ways! Calm down guys I said tiny. But what’s going on with him and why do I mildly care?
❓Speaking of characters I swore I’d never like, this book was Nico light and yet I found my heart hurting for him. I yearn for a spin-off with him and Cora in the fashion business.
✅ North and Shaw. While North is still in timeout for me, given his actions in the last book of their series I read, I can’t deny I loved their appearance. They make me laugh so hard. Shaw wanting to be Hazard’s BFF is one of my favorite things ever.
⁉️ In my opinion, not enough cute moments with my babies. I liked that they were totally connected and not at odds with each other. And that Ree was actually listening to John’s wishes from the previous book. But I needed more cuteness!! A sexy moment or two wouldn’t have hurt either. Yes I know these aren’t romance, but give us a little something! 🤣

These are just my first thoughts. I’ll come back and add more once I’ve digested it all the way.

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Great Chapter for Hazard & Somerset!!

Double murder
Multiple suspects
Colt and Hazard get into it. Again.
Kidnappings
Shoot outs
And a carnival

TW: no sexy times

Fabulous narration!!

[Nelly S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this, but there was a bit too much family drama for my liking. There are daddy issues galore and all the main characters and important side characters have them. Hazard and Colt keep fighting like crazy, with Colt’s biological father trying to get back into the picture. Of course Hazard is his own worst enemy as he keeps losing his sh*it in spectacular fashion when Colt acts out. And OMG can we talk about how insufferable Colt is here? The banter between Somerset and Hazard is great as always and their dynamic is remarkably healthy in this book. North and Shaw were just plain annoying. The mystery is okay.

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 4 out of 5]

And there’s my boys.



I could feel their bond, their love and that they are very much a team, personally and professionally. Something that was quite a bit amiss in the first three books of this series.

Loved all those little kisses, those hugs, those understanding words. Loved that neither is afraid to call the other’s BS or tell him ILY.
Loved that it’s very very clear that they are TOGETHER, that they are in a solid relationship. Yes, I could have done at least with one instance of steam, but hopefully the last book will provide that for us!
Loved that they have learnt to talk to each other when the going gets tough, to recognize moments where they go ‘off the rails’ and not divert to hurtful words and poisonous arguments like so many times before. THAT is one of the best parts here, for me.

Hazard and Somers working together again is another highlight. I missed that so much! (Not sure how Hazard’s involvement in the case is justified, but frankly, I don’t care). They just fit like Holmes and Watson.

And then, there is Emery Hazard.
I didn’t like what GA did to him over the last three books, … well, understatement of the year ...
Ree is the kindest, most loyal man you could ever find, but …

He brings a lot of baggage into his new father role. Behaviour patterns ‘learnt’ through the fractured relationship with his own dad. And here, Hazard finally realizes and acknowledges this.
And it helped enormously to understand his extreme reactions when Colt throws around teenage vibes of platinum caliber, and while it doesn't 'make up' for all of Hazards behaviour, it left me a lot happier!
Gregory Ashe writes it all beautifully. All those layers, indeed COMPLEX.

The title is brilliantly chosen, I simply have to mention it.
The father-son theme is one Gregory Ashe brings up again and again, and it has been one of the big main themes in the whole series, right from the beginning.
In this book, it pops up on so many levels and with so many characters, it’s wonderfully clever and brilliantly written:
Hazard and his dad. Hazard and Colt. Colt and his biological dad. Benji and his dad. Carson and his dad. Zach and his dad. And of course, Naomi and her dad.

I actually loved what happened with Naomi here. So far, she has been one of the vile villains Gregory Ashe writes so well. But with all we find out, her character’s firmly moved from the black the grey area. I actually almost felt sorry for her.

And finally, I have to say how much enjoyed the humour here. There is lots of it. Obviously, North and Shaw’s cameo helped that along a lot. Shaw’s ‘fixation’ on Hazard provides plenty of opportunity for hilarity.

As always, Gregory’s writing stirs emotions of all kinds and, as a result, causes an outburst of words on my part. But now, I will hold my breath for the last EVER book in this series and hope it ends on a high!

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i admit it. i can't quit these two.

sue me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

if Ashe were to write 97 books about these two, i would read them.

no doubt they piss me off, they enrage me but they also make me laugh and can almost always pull on my heartstrings. more often than not the good outweighs the bad which i will attribute to some sort of weird, voodoo magic weavery by Ashe.

i'm not sure i liked this one better than the previous but it's splitting hairs so 5 stars to you too, lil bookie.

the case what interesting but i really enjoyed the heartfelt moments between Emery and Colt. then you throw in North and Shaw and their shenanigans which had my feels spinning around like a tilt a whirl from shock and awe to dafuq did he just say to do you talk to your momma with that mouth to he's wearing what now? they're certainly interesting so i guess i should break down and read those books soon.

maybe after Final Orders? apparently, i can catch up with my two favorite knuckleheads too, so win/win!

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love spending time with Somers and Hazard, they have grown so much as characters. But, and its a biggie, i really have zero time and patience for Shaw. He really is one of the most irritating characters i have had the misfortune to read and actually detracted from the story and much beloved characters.

5 stars for Somers and Hazard, zero for that melt Shaw.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note:  This book is part of a long-running series which really needs to be read in order; there are spoilers for earlier books in this review.

With Father Complex, we’re heading into the home straight of this third Hazard and Somerset series, Hazard and Somerset: Arrows in the Hand .  The guys have been through a significant number of major life changes since we first met them; the original series saw them uneasily reconnecting after more than a decade, starting to work through the various issues between them and – eventually – falling in love.  In A Union of Swords , they’re adjusting to life as a couple with all its ups and downs,  learning how to be in a relationship and then getting married; and in Arrows in the Hand they return from their honeymoon to find themselves becoming ‘insta-parents’ to a troubled teen and working – not always successfully – to redefine and remake their family unit.  There are never any easy answers – these are complex, flawed, very human characters with individual baggage that often has a very real impact on their relationship and family dynamics, from Somers’ need to be liked and his desire to prove himself to his father (regardless of the fact that Glennworth Somerset is an arsehole), to Hazard’s PTSD and the anger issues that have been surfacing more and more frequently in his relationship with their foster son Colt, many of them arising as the result of his complicated relationship with his own – now deceased – father.

But through it all, there’s never been any doubt that these two love each other deeply; they get each other like nobody else ever has (or will) and best of all, they Put In The Work; it’s not easy and often it’s not pretty (they really do know how to push each other’s buttons) but every victory is all the sweeter for being hard won, and one of the many highlights of the series is the way Hazard and Somers are continuing to change and grow while remaining recognisably the same guys we met in Pretty Pretty Boys .

The mystery in Father Complex kicks off when Somers receives the news of a double homicide at a run-down motel, two men shot and killed, no witnesses and no real clues.  After the events of the previous book, Somers is taking on board the fact that his role as Chief of Police means trusting his team to do what they’re supposed to and that he can’t become personally involved in every investigation, so when Dulac asks him to come to the motel to take a look around, Somers initially refuses.  However, learning that one of the victims was engaged to Naomi Malsho – Somers’ former sister-in-law and one of the leaders of the ultra-right wing Ozark Volunteers (and a perennial thorn in his and Hazard’s sides) – and that the other was a liberal activist and son of a family deeply involved in local politics starts the alarm bells ringing.  Sure enough, it’s not long before his father is on the phone demanding he ‘handle’ it, and fast.

Somers brings Hazard in to help with the investigation, and they’ve really got their work cut out trying to figure out why two men with such strongly opposed views were even in the same room to begin with, and then following a winding trail down some dangerous paths and into confrontations with participants at the local gun show, the members of a fundamentalist church/cult and the Ozark Volunteers (Gregory Ashe is a master at writing seriously fucked-up and creepy characters who really make your skin crawl!),  as connections slowly begin to emerge and weave themselves together into an ever expanding web of lies and deceit – with Naomi somehow in the middle of it. It’s an incredibly complex but incredibly well-executed plot as the significance of each seemingly unconnected and confusing clue is revealed and the full picture slowly comes into view.  Watching Hazard and Somers work together so intuitively and seamlessly is always a delight, and I thoroughly appreciate the way they can do that even when they’re at odds off the job.

Tensions are running high at home, especially after Colt receives a letter from his deadbeat dad that pushes Hazard’s curiosity and protective instincts through the roof, and the pair are butting heads even more than usual. I’m sure anyone who has parented a teen will recognise many of the arguments and thought-processes at work here, and it’s tough to watch these two people who so badly want to love and be loved continually hurt each other.  Colt’s a teenager doing what teenagers do, but also, he’s a kid who has never been able to rely on anyone but himself, and who is, deep down, terrified that eventually Hazard will leave him, just as every other adult in his life has done – so he keeps on challenging him and pushing boundaries, which is his mixed-up way of checking that Hazard cares enough about him to keep loving him regardless.  And Hazard, well, sometimes he behaves every bit as badly as Colt does, rising to the bait every time even as he tells himself to be the adult, doing or saying exactly the wrong thing even though he knows it - and doing it anyway.  Unfortunately, this tendency is spilling over into his relationship with Somers, too – especially professionally, where he screws up the investigation or endangers them on several occasions because he can’t keep his mouth shut or his temper under control.  (I really hope he’s going to get some help with his anger issues soon!  If he carries on like this he’s heading for a meltdown of epic proportions.)

After the heartache of watching Somers floundering so badly in the previous book, I was delighted to see him finally starting to get to grips with his new role and moving towards finding a proper work/life balance in this one.  I don’t envy his role as referee in the ongoing Emery-Colt battles, but he’s on much more of an even keel here and is on hand to provide support and a badly needed voice of reason.

The cast of regulars is augmented by North and Shaw, who show up as the unlikeliest cavalry ever – and who inject some quite ridiculous (but needed) light-heartedness into the story.  All is clearly not well with Dulac and Darnell, despite their outward show of having patched things up, and I’m still worried about Nico, who seems to be swinging from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other.  With only one more book in the series to go, it might be a bit much to hope there’s room for those issues to be resolved alongside what (from the preview chapter I read) looks set to be an explosive finale… but if anyone can do it, Gregory Ashe can.

Father Complex is another gripping and unputdownable read from a writer at the top of his game, a tough, complex mystery with a rollercoaster ride of breathless emotion on the side.

[Evelyn220 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ First if all, Hazard at a MAGA gun show is one of the best things I’ve ever read. 😂😂

Second, I loved this deep-dive into the difficulties of parenting, and the fact that no matter how hard we try, sometimes we can’t help letting the trauma of our own childhood experiences bleed into our parenting.
I loved how Ashe wove together the difficult dynamics of father-son relationships from several different angles. Hazard is struggling with the loss of his own father while learning (and sometimes failing) to parent an unruly and troubled teenager. Cole is such a handful but I love how Hazard never gives up.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I see loose ends tightening and problems being solved and it feels too much like closure to me. My boys are learning and growing and evolving and that's great and all and I'm happy for them, but I'm not ready to say goodbye! In order to prevent this from turning into a blubbering mess of feelings and words, I'll organize my thoughts into categories as I have in other reviews. You're welcome.

Somers - He was in a much better place in this book and it was nice to see those genuine smiles of his again. He was still tired and running interference for pretty much everyone, but he seemed to have found enough balance to keep from completely losing his shit. And for the first time in this series arc, things with Hazard felt fairly solid. I mean, Hazard was still a loose cannon at times, but Somers appeared to have a better handle on his special brand of crazy. Which leads me to...

Hazard - Yes, he continued to overreact when it came to pretty much everything related to Colt, but in this book we got to see the way it was eating at him. In previous books, he reacted, got reprimanded, got defensive, felt bad later and apologized. He came across as a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any minute and with no regard for innocent bystanders and no real explanation as to why he was so mad. The arguments in this book were no less explosive, but the way he felt during them - the detached feeling of losing his grip on his own words and emotions and the helplessness of watching it all happen without the ability to stop it - was new and extremely insightful. It gave Hazard a starting point for progress, which I don't think he had before.

Colt - I like this kid now. Yeah, he's a turd 90% of the time, but I see his soft center and know there's a good person in there waiting to emerge. Sometimes it's easy to forget what he has been through and simply judge him for acting like an entitled brat. I love his friendship with Ashley. They might do incredibly stupid things together, but I think they're good for each other.

Parenting - I initially called this arc the "teenager arc", but I think I got that wrong. The underlying theme in all of the books in this series is the parent/child dynamic. A mother's love. A father's set of expectations. Wanting what's best for your child and the different ways that can be expressed. The damage we do as parents. The blame we place as kids. There are too many examples of each of these things to list because these books have a lot to say and it's a testament not only to how amazing GA is as a writer, but also how intuitive he is as a person. There is so much here to chew on and that's what takes these books to the next level for me.

North and Shaw - Every scene they were in made me laugh out loud. I can't wait to read their books! Shaw is a treasure and if Hazard refuses to be his BFF/non-romantic soulmate, I volunteer as tribute. I'll even keep limes in the house, just for him.

Nico and Cora - I love their burgeoning friendship. It reminds me of that first disastrous double date at Moulin Vert when the only comfortable conversation that took place was between the two of them. I'd love to be a fly on the wall during their time together because you know there has to be some level of smack talking happening, I don't care how amicable things are with Hazard and Somers.

Auggie and Theo - Who was the other gay couple they were talking to at the fundraiser????

It's with a heavy heart that I say...on to book #5. 😭

[C.S. Poe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another murder. Another twisted mystery. Another tale of sordid humanity in small town, America. It must be a Gregory Ashe book! Father Complex, the fourth title in the third arc of the Hazard and Somerset Mysteries, continues its deep dive into the troubles that plague Wahredua—and this study of blue collar towns, of multi-generational families that struggle to survive on the middleclass rung of society’s ladder, of the intricate causes and effects that birthed the drug epidemics really happening in America, and how all of this so often coalesces in real life cults, fanatical religions, hyper-conservatism, and the, them vs. us mentality is story enough for me. Ashe’s inherent understanding of the complexity of our modern culture is impressive—but how he utilizes it to tell a murder mystery—nothing short of remarkable.

We return to the extremist Ozark Volunteers and a county gun show taking place, a polar opposite liberal group challenging the event, and a man from either side found dead in the same motel room. Somers, now better finding his way as the Chief of Police, brings his husband in as a consultant on the case, as the Volunteer found dead is none other than his ex-sister-in-law’s new fiancé. To make the situation all the more difficult, Cocks for Glocks organizer, Zach Renner, comes from a prominent and wealthy family and his staff are suspects. Likewise, Naomi was marrying Landon Maas because it was politically wise for solidifying her place within the Volunteers, and now his son is a suspect. Add a Wahredua cop growing increasingly fanatical, a reclusive cult on a farm, and a certain two private investigators from St. Louis, and the absolute last thing Somers and Hazard have the mental stamina to deal with is continuing drama and trauma with their foster son, Colt.

This book was fantastic. I know it sounds totally chaotic (it was) but the mystery was perfect. I honestly couldn’t figure it out until our heroes were laying it all out in the finale, and some of the dark secrets they uncovered in the process were pretty epic. Where Domestic Animals was the book for Somers and was the growth he so desperately needed, this was the book for Hazard, and by extension, Colt. Even after all these stories, both of these men are so multi-layered, you just keep peeling and peeling and there’s always something new to discover. I can’t wait to read how they tackle the final mystery together, now that they’re stronger than ever before.

Ashe, don’t ever stop writing. You scratch a lifelong itch no one else has ever reached.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pros:
- Hazard and Somers - WORKING TOGETHER
- Clever mystery
- Surprise ending
- Theo and Aggie cameos
- Hilarious North and Shaw cameos. Lots of them. Awesome.
- Aileen
- Ash
- Noah and Rebecca
- Nico
- Dulac
- Great writing.
- Excellent pacing.

Cons:
- Look, I don't love Colt or his storyline. I sort of hate him and that his relationship with Hazard and Somers mostly feels toxic. I'm exhausted by all the drama he's brought to their lives and his starring role in this series.
- Not enough loving moments between Hazard and Somers. Too much work, not enough play.
- Uniting theme of this series; is it just Colt?

Let's be honest. It's Gregory Ashe and my favorite fictional couple. I love his books and I love this pairing. I'm all in for the investigations and criminal activity and these two being badasses on the job and with each other. The cameos from other book characters in Ashe's-world are phenomenal. But Colt is just a total mood killer. I already have an angsty teenager in my life and reading about one who is super messed up just doesn't give me the feels Ashe intends. I resent his every appearance/fuck-up in these books. Sorry, not sorry. I do.

I'm here for whatever Ashe wants to write. I'm never going to become a Colt fan.

Recommended with reservations. And you definitely can't start this series here!!! DON'T.

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great mystery, but Hazard is getting on my last nerve. GO. TO. THERAPY!!!!! And get Colt some too! Because you are fucking him up with your Hulk-smash rage-monster routine! Bruh. Bruh.

I get what GA is doing with the whole fathers-sons thing this arc, but I must admit that I miss Hazard and Somerset as a couple, rather than as parents of a teenager. I don't mind Colt, but four books in and the balance has tipped too far: their relationship barely features, except as one of them reacting to how the other reacts to Colt. At this point I just want some focus on the Emery-JH relationship that has them in the center, rather than Colt in the center with them orbiting around him. Also, seriously, Hazard really does need help. Anyone who spends his every waking minute catastrophizing about their teenager will not just make their own and the teen's life miserable, but also [and this is the real crime here, given the whole "fictional characters" thing] make the reader's life miserable, because this level of intense worrying over an adolescent's day-to-day life is eye-rolling and tiresome. Hazard has always had major trust issues, but he loses a ton of sympathy when he turns tinpot dictator and treats Colt like an incapable moron rather than a perfectly normal, albeit experience-toughened, adolescent.

OK, end rant. But really, Hazard. Get your shit together.

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this installment. There was a lot going on here - daddy issues abound - but the best part of this story was Hazard and Colt finally having an honest talk, with Hazard realizing how he's been dealing with Colt and putting it all out there. It brought tears to my eyes to read that part. Somers was a rock here for the family, but he needs to really get control of his precinct.

I was pretty surprised by what came out during the course of the murder investigation but I will never feel bad for Naomi regardless of her daddy-issues sob story. She's cruel and hateful and I really want to see her get what she deserves.

Having not yet read the Borealis books, I really don't know what to make of North and Shaw, but they were good for some comic relief. I have a theory about Carmichael and I suppose time will tell there. Dulac is so up and down and I still can't figure out him and Darnell. On to book 5!

[Annery · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.5***

This is a Hazard-centric outing. As the tittle suggests we continue to unravel the knotty skien that is parenthood, dealing pretty exclusively with fathers. Almost every character from murder victims to possible murderers, from Colt to Hazard, are coping (mostly not well) with that oft fraught relationship.

About the mystery itself there isn't much to say and the dead are of no great loss to anyone. One of the twists was clear to me from the get go but I wasn't mad about it. The case is a canvass for the author to continue his exploration of Wahredua politics (which IMO is a stand-in for current America) and the ever maturing relationship between John-Henry & Emery. I like that he isn't heavy handed, he allows even the most villainous of villains moments of grace and humanity and there are some interesting, but not farfetched developments among some of the recurring cast of characters.

Becoming Colt's father makes Hazard to revisit/reevaluate his thoughts & feelings about his own father. It's progress even if it's at tortoise speed. Life has its own pace. Meanwhile we have Colt who's the walking, talking stereotype of a teenager, emotions like a pinball machine. My first thoughts were:
*1Super glad to not be regularly around teenagers
*2I wouldn't never have gotten away with that behavior
*3how does Hazard love this virtual stranger so much in such a short time?
*4has Colten forgotten what/who Danny Lee is?

and then I remembered what it was like to be in that limbo age where you're not one thing or another, that those initial formative years mark us indelibly whether we admit it or not, like it or not, logic has no sway. Fifty year-olds are still talking about their parents when they go to therapy. As for Hazard's love, who knows? Maybe Colt, who looks so much like him (and not just physically) is a chance to save the boy he once was and all the boys like himself who've been ill used by a cruel world.

Overall I liked how we get to see the MC growing and learning from their mistakes and how they're becoming a true family. Beautiful 👬🏼

[PaperMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's always one book in each H&S series that stands out above the others for me and I believe this is it for the Arrows in the Hand books. Perhaps the theme of fatherhood - the perceived success or failure in this duty by the children, and the parent's own struggle to maintain sanity, sense and inner order whilst parenting a teenager/child struggling for independence and finding their place in the world - these are themes that really resonate with me. Mr Ashe capably explores such issues through multiple father-child dynamics presented in this book and I was brought undone a couple of times towards the end by Ree having to confront and accept his own brokenness.

The murders being investigated turned out to be a lot more complicated than I expected, the tensions and drama with Wahredua's far-right wing local religio-power groups were palpably menacing in one or two encounters. Fortunately this is leavened by a great deal of humor a gun safety program called Cocks for Glocks - seriously?!, the main agents of this being the totally unexpected presence of North and Shaw (I know there will be some readers who would be suppressing a shudder at this revelation) but this proved a treat for me despite my readily acknowledging I can really only take these guys in small intense doses.

The overarching relational dynamics between our MCs and their foster son Colt continues to grow through much shouting and also a few touching moments. Things seem to be set up for some kind of showdown between our foster-dads, Colt's biological relatives and the child welfare services in the next book I believe. I'm finding very few M-M themed books move me emotionally these days - so any that successfully manages that feat gets a 5 star rating from me. Bring on book 5 now!

[GeishaX · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: 4.1 Stars
Audio: 4.0 Stars
Hazard and Somerset is a benchmark that all other gay crime novels out there have to run up against and I am a huge fan. That being said I thought Hazard had gone over the top in the last books. He was soo anal-retentive it stopped being funny and turned into plain annoying. "Father Complex" is going into a better direction with Hazard again. Yes, there are times when he is still a bit too much, but he has learned/is learning to say "sorry" when he comes back down to earth.

The crime story here was ... for once I wasn't able to guess the ongoings until shortly before they were revealed. That should be good but on the other side the criminal plot did not shine quite so bright in this installment.

North and Shaw from the "Borealis"-Investigation have a huge appearance in this book - not just a peak but they turn up again and again and their cases are intermixed. While such things usually read to me like an author trying a in-book-promo of his other series (which it probably is) I thought in this case it was still relatively well done and nice to read because of the chemistry between the two couples.

Altogehter I was happy with this episode but starting to wonder where the series arc is going. The first series was about Mikey, about the death of Jeff and about the twisted old thorny relationship of Hazard and Somers becoming something new and evolved. But the Arrows in Hand series ... seems about children and parents, about the white supremacists trying to run the show and yet .... hm ... the waters seem muddy here.

[ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

father complex is right?!?

Just reading the premise of this book made me a bit reticent to read it . Mainly because I hate Colt. He’s a conflict I can do without. He shouldn’t have even made it out of the last book. Rowan was incompetent. Ugh.

North and Shaw do a crossover in this. Having all 4 together on the same case was really something. Naomi was back and brutal as ever. You get so much of her backstory (finally). Now you know why she is how she is 😬.

Colt is the most annoying character. How much? So much, I’d rather have a Dulac book! 😆👀👀 He’s just very ungrateful for all the sacrifices that H&S have made for him. Next time he runs away… let him stay gone.

Hazard and Somerset solve this very twisty case like always. The strain on their relationship seems to have dissipated a bit but I expect more cracks in it for the next installment. They can never be too happy, right 😵‍💫😵‍💫

[h o l l i s · Rating 3 out of 5]

The exhaustion and frustration continued but, as always, we get a payoff to trick your brain into thinking it was worth it. Adding to that emotional clusterfuck was a North and Shaw cameo, as if things couldn't get worse. Ashe loves turning up the torture element on his readers.

At this point I'm just a broken record but please, oh please, can this be the end of the Colt drama.

As for the mystery, I kind of hemmed and hawed over it. Sometimes it was compelling, other times not, but as always Ashe does a masterful job with letting it spin out and somehow relate to the personal drama at hand. In this case, if you couldn't tell, it was all about fathers.

The good times are still at crumb-level portions and I demand more in the final instalment. They can't all be reserved for the short story collections. I need some good times, damnit.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume was kind of all over the place though by the end I felt satisfied.

The inclusion of North & Shaw is easier to take when they are side characters rather than main characters and as always, though they are pretty funny they just are not believable as people let alone successful private investigators.

The sections dealing with family & parenthood felt disjointed from the rest of the story.

Despite my complaints, I still enjoyed this book and will read the fifth and final volume.

[Carol (bookish_notes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the time I'm reviewing this book, I will have already read this book twice and I've come to appreciate this book even more the second time around. I am somehow still shocked by how the mystery ended in this all over again. It's just incredibly unexpected for the character(s) involved and I am still not over it??

I've liked the books in this story arc, but coming off the intensity that was the Keeper of Bees and adding a teenager into the mix, this story arc has always felt...different? Not in a bad way, but while you had overarching mystery plots in the first two story arcs, this one is more contained with mysteries in the books themselves while this arc focused more on parenting the teenager Hazard and Somers found on their doorstep. However, this book does bring back Hazard's inner turmoil angst. It's a lot. Not that Somers's pent up anxiety due to his new position as chief wasn't also a lot to deal with in the previous books, but there's something about a Hazard-focused book that makes my heart ache. This book made me cry three times? I love that for me.

It's really amazing that even after 15 books into the series (it really does not feel like that many books), Gregory Ashe still manages to put us and the characters through the wringer and I love that. I think what really sets this series apart from other romance/mystery books is that these books are broken up with a story arc where there's a clear beginning and end, even as we get more and more books into the series. And this way of storytelling definitely works better for me, personally, because I love clarity.

Content notes include homomisia, violence, death, emotional abuse, white supremecists, mentions of cults, Islamophobia, kidnappings, and grief over a parent/loved one's death.

There's a lot in this series that reflects what's going on in the world today, and this book is no exception. The book starts off with the murder of two men in a hotel room, and the two men are the least likely people to be meeting together in a hotel room. One is Naomi Malsho's fiancé (Landon Maas) who was a rising star of the Ozark Volunteers (described as a neo-Nazi-lite group), and the other is Zachary Renner who was the head of a gun safety program and very much clashed with members of the Ozark Volunteers. I'm not going to spoil what the name of the gun safety program is, but the fact that Palomo, and not Dulac, had to say it out loud to Somers is one of the most hilarious things in this book.

But anyways.

The Ozark Volunteers has been a huge menace this entire series, and Naomi is no exception. Naomi is Cora's sister and this would make her Somers's ex-sister-in-law. I think it's interesting where these books go with Naomi's storyline. When we saw Naomi last, she was uncharacteristically helping a family you wouldn't have expected her to get involved with at all. Then, in this book we see a different side of her? Don't get me wrong, I still hate her, but maybe this means she'll stop being a pain in everyone's butt and we won't ever see her again when it comes to the Ozark Volunteers? Who knows.

One of my favorite parts in this book is when Hazard is being a total badass and pulls a page out of Taken. For someone who complains about action movies, and in particular about the Die Hard movies, Hazard could totally be an action hero. I think it's fun that he is also a big teddy bear with anxiety, and I love how he winds up with friends he never asked for but secretly likes. These not-friends-who-are-actually-friends (it's North and Shaw) turn up in this book and it's amazing. I think it's great when they meet Colt, because those scenes are hilarious. Hazard and Somers are also unlikely friends with Theo and Auggie, who I adore. I think it's fun that we get to see so much of Theo and Auggie when their books (the First Quarto series) takes place before Hazard's return to Wahredua and that series isn't done yet. At the time this book released, we've only read 2 of the 4 currently announced books in the First Quarto series.

There wasn't as much Dulac and Darnell in this book, and I'm curious where that story is going. Like, there are unresolved issues between them and I still wonder what caused Dulac to spiral and how and why they got back together, and where their relationship is going forward. I never understood how they could be together, but opposites attract and all that? Dulac never treated Darnell right, and Darnell loves Dulac too much for his own good. I'll be interested to see how all of this plays out, because I highly doubt that their relationship is all sunshine and rainbows so easily after the events of the last book. And there have been small moments we're able to glimpse that not all is well between Dulac and Darnell.

Then there's Nico. We don't see much of Nico in this book but he's still working through a lot of trauma from what the Keeper of Bees did to him, and his love life is in shambles. Despite how I felt about Nico in the first story arc and how he and Hazard treated each other, I've really grown to like Nico (much like Hazard has grown to like Nico and is hilariously overprotective of him like an overbearing best friend). I only hope Nico finds someone he loves and gets his own HEA.

And with Colt...I might be warming up to him? I don't know, he's a ball of teenage angst and half the time he's driving me up the wall like he is Hazard and Somers and it's a lot of emotions all the time. In comparison, I can see how Evie is easier to deal with. Godspeed to Hazard and Somers's neighbors, Rebeca and Noah, when they eventually have 6 teenagers to deal with in the future. I think what Colt has with his best friend Ashley is cute. I wonder where that's going to go in future books? Of course, the first time reading through these books I could see Colt and Ashley already having feelings for one another, but it was definitely on re-reads where it gets even MORE obvious how they feel for one another, even from the beginning. It's like a what-if scenario, like what if Hazard and Somers had been allowed to be friends when they were in high school? Or even more than friends? It eventually worked out for them obviously, but Colt (an outsider) and Ashley (a relatively wealthy kid) being able to be best friends and maybe something more, is so sweet.

So, like I said, this series has been going on for AWHILE, right? Sometimes I get so caught up in the mysteries and everything around solving the murders in a book that the book is over before I look back and realize there was no sex scene in this? It's very interesting what a damper to Hazard and Somers's married life getting a teenager has done. I guess we should say a prayer for Hazard and Somers's sake that they can find some time alone in the next book without having to worry about a teenager or someone else trying to interrupt them. There's a lot going on in this book and not having a sex scene doesn't take away from this book or their relationship at all. I just thought it was interesting that I didn't realize there was no sex scene between them before this book was over.

A minor thing to point out, but very significant nonetheless for anyone curious, is that this series has now caught up to March 2020 and we are fully ignoring a certain pandemic. I love that this series now exists in a universe where the pandemic does not exist and the story continues on like normal.

This audiobook is fantastic and Tristan James knocks it out of the park once again. Despite not being the narrator for the Borealis books with North and Shaw, I don't think there's really too much of a difference between his voices for the characters versus Charlie David's performance as those characters, and I love that. I have not listened to the First Quarto books yet, so I can't say how Tristan's performance as Theo and Auggie compare to J.F. Harding's performance for the characters in those books, but if there's any differences I think we could just chalk it up to a time difference between the books and Theo and Auggie are now a little older and might sound a little different.

I will say that the best part of the audiobook for me is when Hazard and Somers are doing their impressions of North? The whole "I'm North McKinney" scene and the way Somers keeps saying it is hilarious on audio and it's just might be my favorite moment out of this entire story arc.

I loved this book, and loved it even more the second time reading this. I can't wait to pick up the audiobook for Final Orders, which is the last book in this particular story arc. I'm sure it's going to have another explosive storyline, so I'm looking forward to see what happens!

***Thanks to the author for giving me an e-ARC and audiobook to read and review!***

[Lily S (Cover Lover) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great installment in this series! I loved so much about this. What I probably loved the most was seeing Somers and Hazard work side by side throughout a case like they used to. This book focused more on them working and showing how well they work together. I didn’t realize how much I missed that after them working almost against each other, albeit for the same cause, throughout so many books. We didn’t have Hazard working for a client that coincides with Somers case, they truly worked as a unit. They didn’t have constant fights, they teased each other (well John teased Ree) and they showed how much they love and respect each other.

Another thing I liked, even though they also drove me crazy, is North and Shaw showing up! They provided some much needed comedy during tense times. I do wish Shaw would shut up sometimes though, even though I love him.

I do wish we’d get Hazard and Somerset books for years to come, then working on cases even in their old age. I love these characters that much.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colt was still a pain in the ass. 😠🤪 I loved Hazard and John working together again and the addition of North and Shaw!! 👏🏻👍

[Wilma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kinda made me hate Hazard. We get to see a side of him that is ugly, controlling and abusive.
I couldn’t understand the “I can’t help myself” or “I don’t know what I’m doing” when he’s purposely antagonizing Colt.

Logically, I understand that they abused often become the abuser, but it was still hard to see it unfold with a beloved character. With previous books I’ve been super annoyed by Somers to the point that I almost hated him, but I’ve always, always loved Hazard. So this part of the book made me feel uncomfortable and disappointed in that way. It almost made me hate a character that I love.
🤬🤬

Then.

As always, Gregory Ashe managed to fry my nerves and get me upset only to do a complete 180 on my emotions and show me that no, there’s no hating Hazard, there’s only loving him more. 😍

I’m never not impressed by GA’s ability to really make you feel things very deeply for his characters, but whoa! Just like that I went from not being pissed, unable to understand why Hazard was doing the exact same things that were done to him, to relating so hard and wanting to give him the longest hug.


The mystery is sooo good, one of the best ones I’ve read so far by Ashe. It has so many moving parts with the white supremacists, Naomi making a comeback, but also now we have an anti-gun organization, gunrunners and a cult! As well as some other players I can’t name because of spoilers🥴

There are so many moving parts that it’s so difficult to see where the mystery is going to be solved from. And the twist 🤯🤯

So if you’ve made it this far into the series, now it’s not the time to stop. This is is a must read.

[BevS · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars from me.

I loved the glimpses into Ree and J-H's marital relationship, the love and the strength they share between them; unfortunately, the emotional screaming and shouting back and forth between Ree and Colt seemed to reach new heights and it was extremely painful to read about. Yes I will freely admit to some tears BUT they both approached the possible resolution 🤞 as grown-ups with Ree also having to deal with some truths he hadn't wanted to face...or even knew about to be honest. John-Henry is growing into his job as Chief but he MUST do something about bl**dy Carmichael, she’s a danger to herself and others. Nico didn't appear in this one too much and although things are rather tense between them, Dulac 🙁 and Darnell are still together. Did Naomi Malsho get her comeuppance yet? That's for you to discover...

Sadly [for me anyhoo], North and Shaw featured quite prominently in this one, and I even laughed at some of Shaw's antics [I must be losing my mind 🤯], but I can only take N & S [or rather Shaw] in very small doses and by the end of the story, I'd had enough.

The last in this particular series, Final Orders comes out in June, and looks set to be...well, confrontational doesn’t do it justice I don't think...😠

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Hazard and Somerset. I like their relationship and how they both work on it day in and day out. This time around I found it a bit difficult to follow the case somewhere in the middle of the book. It had too many details and it split my attention to the max capacity. I do not like that. I had to step away for a bit. When I came back to it, my interest was renewed and I enjoyed the rest of the story. The plot twist in the end was well placed and rather good. I have to say that Colt tested my patience a lot. He was a very irritating character, even more so than in previous books. There was no steam here but it was not needed for me to love everything about J-H and Emery. These two have so much more to offer me as a reader than a quickie in the bathroom. Good stuff.

[Rochelle Selwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest installment of Hazard and Somers - Arrows in the Hand series is just as fantastic as the previous ones. Emery and John-Henry continue to kick ass and solve crimes and discover what it means to be a father. The mystery this time around: a super conservative and a super liberal end up dead together in a hotel room - who the hell knows what happened?

Things I liked about this book:
- As interesting as it was to learn more about Naomi and to see her as something other than her cold-hearted, cruel self, it was still utterly satisfying to see her brought so low (also super proud that I managed to figure her and Benji way in the start!)
- Hazard and Somers relationship has come miles since Pretty Pretty Boys, even when they are at odds with one another, they still act as a team and have each others back, which was also satisfying and gratifying as a fan to read
- North and Shaw crossover is always good! (however, I feel an opportunity was lost not to have Shaw be introduced to Dulac, so many R-rated hangouts would have been planned)
- Colt continues to be his difficult, thorny self (although who's blaming the poor kid?). It was gut-wrenching to read those tense, angry scenes between Colt and Hazard, two people who love one another so much but refuse to show it. However, their make up scene was heart-breakingly sweet, as is the fact how much public humiliation Hazard will go through just to make his kid happy.
- I have so many new swearwords to add to my vernacular after reading this book!

Things I didn't like:
- It's the second to last book in this series
- I now have to wait however many months for the next book

That is all

Thank you again to Gregory Ashe for an ARC of this book.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somerset's trouble.
Ree's rage. Colt's complete dumbness.
Wraps up in one more?

[alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.7] ughhhhh heart-to-heart convos will always be the death of me 😭💖

time to read north and shaw's series next because i want to submerge in their crack energy 🤪