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Lacetown Murder Mysteries #1
Murder Most Lovely
Murder Most Lovely
Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One
A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.
Michael Fleishman is excited to meet his favorite mystery writer, Russell Withingham, at Lacetown's Literary Fest. He is not expecting to cross paths with sexy hairdresser Jasper "Jazz" Dilworth―or become embroiled in a real-life mystery. As Lacetown's only mortician and the county coroner, Michael is called to his first murder scene and is shocked to recognize the victim―Russell's young lover.
Jazz only wanted to confront his ex, Russell, over his cheating. Instead, he meets the adorably awkward Michael and becomes a murder suspect. Soon Jazz is teaming up with Michael to clear his name. Along the way, they are helped and hindered by Michael's sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell's creepy PR rep, Norbert, and Michael's lothario grandfather, who likes his manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third....
Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case One
A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.
Michael Fleishman is excited to meet his favorite mystery writer, Russell Withingham, at Lacetown's Literary Fest. He is not expecting to cross paths with sexy hairdresser Jasper "Jazz" Dilworth―or become embroiled in a real-life mystery. As Lacetown's only mortician and the county coroner, Michael is called to his first murder scene and is shocked to recognize the victim―Russell's young lover.
Jazz only wanted to confront his ex, Russell, over his cheating. Instead, he meets the adorably awkward Michael and becomes a murder suspect. Soon Jazz is teaming up with Michael to clear his name. Along the way, they are helped and hindered by Michael's sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell's creepy PR rep, Norbert, and Michael's lothario grandfather, who likes his manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third....
314 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2019
48 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
About the author
Hank Edwards
82 books227 followersHank Edwards (he/him) has been writing gay fiction for more than twenty years. He has published over thirty novels and dozens of short stories. His books fall into many sub-genres, including romance, rom-com, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, mystery, and wacky comedy. He has written a number of series such as the suspenseful Up to Trouble, funny and spooky paranormal out for you gay romance Critter Catchers, Old West historical horror of Venom Valley, the erotic and funny Fluffers, Inc. series, and the funny and thrilling Lacetown Murder Mysteries series co-written with Deanna Wadsworth. Under the pen name R. G. Thomas, he’s published a young adult urban fantasy gay romance series called The Town of Superstition. No matter what genre he writes, Hank likes to keep things sweet, steamy, and fun.
Join his author group on Facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/hankshangout), visit his website at www.hankedwardsbooks.com or send along an email to hankedwardsbooks@gmail.com.
Join his author group on Facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/hankshangout), visit his website at www.hankedwardsbooks.com or send along an email to hankedwardsbooks@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
May 1, 2025
This was different. A mortician, who decides since he's a civil servant, he can therefore investigate murders, and a hairdresser he hooks up with in line for a book signing team up to be the worst amateur sleuth team to come along in a long while. And if they stumble upon the truth, that's purely plot armor. 🤣
But I did like the MCs quite a lot. Michael just needed someone to notice his hotness to come out of his shell, though I suspect if Jazz hadn't come along, his apprentice would've made a move at some point. Jazz is nearing 50 and going through a divorce, and he might be a hairdresser, but he's got guts where it counts. I'm not really feeling the chemistry between them, though that could be because I was too grossed out by all the discussion of Jazz's ex's sex fetishes, which did not put me in the mood to trust these authors with a sex scene. I skipped/skimmed nearly all the sex scenes except for the funny part at the end. But despite that, there's no doubt that Michael and Jazz are good for each other, and hopefully, the ex won't be an issue - or at least, his sex life won't be a point of discussion - going forward.
This is Small Town, America where everyone knows your name and business, but our MCs are out and proud and don't get too much harassment for it. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Mr. Pickles, Michael's cat, who proves himself to be quite capable of handling business.
The mystery was decent enough, but once again, I just don't understand putting in villain POVs in a mystery book. Especially because these villains were dimmer than a lamp post with a broken lightbulb. But that said, I did allow myself to be fooled about the whodunit, and I'm interested to see if they do any follow up on that in the next book since
I wasn't wowed by this. The various POVs were unnecessary for the most part and didn't add anything to the story, certainly they didn't add any tension. I also got the sense that these authors were writing somewhat different books, and their styles didn't quite mesh well. That said, I liked it enough to check out the next one and see if they're able to iron out the wrinkles.
But I did like the MCs quite a lot. Michael just needed someone to notice his hotness to come out of his shell, though I suspect if Jazz hadn't come along, his apprentice would've made a move at some point. Jazz is nearing 50 and going through a divorce, and he might be a hairdresser, but he's got guts where it counts. I'm not really feeling the chemistry between them, though that could be because I was too grossed out by all the discussion of Jazz's ex's sex fetishes, which did not put me in the mood to trust these authors with a sex scene. I skipped/skimmed nearly all the sex scenes except for the funny part at the end. But despite that, there's no doubt that Michael and Jazz are good for each other, and hopefully, the ex won't be an issue - or at least, his sex life won't be a point of discussion - going forward.
This is Small Town, America where everyone knows your name and business, but our MCs are out and proud and don't get too much harassment for it. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Mr. Pickles, Michael's cat, who proves himself to be quite capable of handling business.
The mystery was decent enough, but once again, I just don't understand putting in villain POVs in a mystery book. Especially because these villains were dimmer than a lamp post with a broken lightbulb. But that said, I did allow myself to be fooled about the whodunit, and I'm interested to see if they do any follow up on that in the next book since
I wasn't wowed by this. The various POVs were unnecessary for the most part and didn't add anything to the story, certainly they didn't add any tension. I also got the sense that these authors were writing somewhat different books, and their styles didn't quite mesh well. That said, I liked it enough to check out the next one and see if they're able to iron out the wrinkles.
April 6, 2019
Third person with Multiple POVs, very hot sex, humor, interestingly twisty mystery, some sigh inducing romance, and a happy for now ending.
Murder Most Lovely is the beginning of the new "Lacetown Murder Mysteries" series and it's a strong start, but not without its issues (the multiple POVs were sometimes confusing, and there was a subplot that wasn't really, well, good).
There were parts of this I enjoyed (Jazz, the snark, the humor, the sexy times) and I'm bumping my rating up a full star simply because I did not figure out the bad guy until the moment of reveal.
I'm very interested to see how the authors end up constructing the series. I certainly hope Michael and Jazz continue to be the main couple, but because Murder Most Lovely has a HFN ending, it could end up being a different couple as there are a few supporting characters that could end up being the focus, but I'm hoping they return. So I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case Two and seeing Michael and Jazz grow as a couple.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Murder Most Lovely provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Murder Most Lovely is the beginning of the new "Lacetown Murder Mysteries" series and it's a strong start, but not without its issues (the multiple POVs were sometimes confusing, and there was a subplot that wasn't really, well, good).
There were parts of this I enjoyed (Jazz, the snark, the humor, the sexy times) and I'm bumping my rating up a full star simply because I did not figure out the bad guy until the moment of reveal.
I'm very interested to see how the authors end up constructing the series. I certainly hope Michael and Jazz continue to be the main couple, but because Murder Most Lovely has a HFN ending, it could end up being a different couple as there are a few supporting characters that could end up being the focus, but I'm hoping they return. So I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for Lacetown Murder Mysteries: Case Two and seeing Michael and Jazz grow as a couple.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Murder Most Lovely provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
May 1, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
The dynamic team of Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth are offering up a delightful new mystery called, Murder Most Lovely. All indications point to this being the first of the series and I am thrilled by that news. This story had it all: humor, mayhem, and lusty hot sex. Beneath his seemingly demure and shy exterior, Michal Fleishman is a man who likes his kinky sex—he just hasn’t had much of it in his life until Jazz. Warm, caring, and feisty Jazz is the perfect foil and partner for Michael. The two of them try their best to date like regular guys, but either dead bodies or kidnapped pets always seem to get in the way; however, that doesn’t stop these men from finding common ground and a mutual attraction to each other.
With an incredibly entertaining cast of side characters, from the crass and slightly homophobic Sheriff Musgrave to the mortuary crew, Lacetown and its inhabitants felt like a real hometown rather than a fictitious one. I loved how this ensemble cast worked together to solve their very first real crime. This novel is just a heap of fun. With a solid little mystery arc and a sweet romance, there is really nothing to find fault with here. The story was just delightful and I enjoyed every moment of it.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
The dynamic team of Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth are offering up a delightful new mystery called, Murder Most Lovely. All indications point to this being the first of the series and I am thrilled by that news. This story had it all: humor, mayhem, and lusty hot sex. Beneath his seemingly demure and shy exterior, Michal Fleishman is a man who likes his kinky sex—he just hasn’t had much of it in his life until Jazz. Warm, caring, and feisty Jazz is the perfect foil and partner for Michael. The two of them try their best to date like regular guys, but either dead bodies or kidnapped pets always seem to get in the way; however, that doesn’t stop these men from finding common ground and a mutual attraction to each other.
With an incredibly entertaining cast of side characters, from the crass and slightly homophobic Sheriff Musgrave to the mortuary crew, Lacetown and its inhabitants felt like a real hometown rather than a fictitious one. I loved how this ensemble cast worked together to solve their very first real crime. This novel is just a heap of fun. With a solid little mystery arc and a sweet romance, there is really nothing to find fault with here. The story was just delightful and I enjoyed every moment of it.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
March 6, 2020
You say you want stories with RL MCs? Here they are!
Michael Fleishman is a 41 y.o. mortician & small town coroner, both positions which he comes by honestly, it's the family business. Michael is shy, but no pushover, smart, bookish, brave when it counts, and loves his cat. Jasper "Jazz" Dilworth is a bun sporting hairstylist, closer to 50 than he likes to admit, doesn't have washboard abs or anything close, but has a joie de vivre that's contagious, and sees beyond Michael's outward straitlaced persona. The two meet cute, and though there's a pretty gruesome murder, and some serious sexy times, IMO this read more like a cozy or a comedy in a small town, complete with local characters, bumbling goons, and cartoonish villains. It was a romp.
I had a good time with Michael & Jazz and positively loved the Small Town ensemble cast, many of which were pleasantly surprising (looking at you Sheriff Musgrave). I'm looking forward to the next installment.
Michael Fleishman is a 41 y.o. mortician & small town coroner, both positions which he comes by honestly, it's the family business. Michael is shy, but no pushover, smart, bookish, brave when it counts, and loves his cat. Jasper "Jazz" Dilworth is a bun sporting hairstylist, closer to 50 than he likes to admit, doesn't have washboard abs or anything close, but has a joie de vivre that's contagious, and sees beyond Michael's outward straitlaced persona. The two meet cute, and though there's a pretty gruesome murder, and some serious sexy times, IMO this read more like a cozy or a comedy in a small town, complete with local characters, bumbling goons, and cartoonish villains. It was a romp.
I had a good time with Michael & Jazz and positively loved the Small Town ensemble cast, many of which were pleasantly surprising (looking at you Sheriff Musgrave). I'm looking forward to the next installment.
April 17, 2020
I'm not familiar with the authors to know for sure but this felt like a clash of writing styles. I dnf's at 68% and can't tell you how serious the story is meant to be; the plot had potential and main characters were likeable enough, but there's odd jokes and innuendo threaded through that are really random and often cringeworthy uncomfortable reading. It appeared one was writing a decent cosy mystery while the other was busy working on a 'funny' parody.
Could see the author's delight at inserting Taggart's 'There's been a murder'
I wasn't in the least convinced Fleishman was qualified to be a coronor, his examination of the murder victim seemed an afterthought. He's given CSI's Alexx Woods's habit of talking to his 'patients' but while it showed her heart with him it's referred to and displayed in a way that reads as creepy. The 'people associate him with death' was overstressed.
He has random sexual fantasies on meeting Jazz, to show he's not boring? I don't know. Perhaps it's necessary to qualify as a gay man/characater. Didn't think the sex scene worked, but I tend to skip when not invested in a story, other reviews call it hot...
Jazz is popular, has a bit of tummy, and that's about it.
But if in doubt describe the room; we get the layout and design of every building entered including the furnishings history and price bracket. Which wine they drink is paramount to impart. The few characters beyond the main two are caricatures who are either busy being quirky or speak unnaturally eg a policeman pulling up and saying 'you look perplexed' huh? Then the jokes, for example a person described as a 'serial cheater' mistaken for a 'cereal cheater' ? ....no joke!
To me the murderer and reasoning was obvious from early, it's hard to avoid the clues, though the characters manage to; but it was an ok if slightly awkward feeling book - until I turned the page and found we'd gone from dual pov to having a room with three complete strangers, at first I thought I'd forgotten a name but no, they've none of them been introduced previously. It's like the authors gave up, each wrote a piece threw them in the air and where they landed - story.
I checked the end, I was right who did it, so no reason to struggle on.
Could see the author's delight at inserting Taggart's 'There's been a murder'
I wasn't in the least convinced Fleishman was qualified to be a coronor, his examination of the murder victim seemed an afterthought. He's given CSI's Alexx Woods's habit of talking to his 'patients' but while it showed her heart with him it's referred to and displayed in a way that reads as creepy. The 'people associate him with death' was overstressed.
He has random sexual fantasies on meeting Jazz, to show he's not boring? I don't know. Perhaps it's necessary to qualify as a gay man/characater. Didn't think the sex scene worked, but I tend to skip when not invested in a story, other reviews call it hot...
Jazz is popular, has a bit of tummy, and that's about it.
But if in doubt describe the room; we get the layout and design of every building entered including the furnishings history and price bracket. Which wine they drink is paramount to impart. The few characters beyond the main two are caricatures who are either busy being quirky or speak unnaturally eg a policeman pulling up and saying 'you look perplexed' huh? Then the jokes, for example a person described as a 'serial cheater' mistaken for a 'cereal cheater' ? ....no joke!
To me the murderer and reasoning was obvious from early, it's hard to avoid the clues, though the characters manage to; but it was an ok if slightly awkward feeling book - until I turned the page and found we'd gone from dual pov to having a room with three complete strangers, at first I thought I'd forgotten a name but no, they've none of them been introduced previously. It's like the authors gave up, each wrote a piece threw them in the air and where they landed - story.
I checked the end, I was right who did it, so no reason to struggle on.
April 15, 2020
It's books like this that give me hope I too can become a published author. I can take an interesting premise and water it down, I don't need to be edited, I don't need to worry (as I do) about whether I'm writing words for the sake of words, I can include any old details I want -
They reached the front of the line, and Jazz handed tickets to the vendor. “Two pinot grigios, please.”
“We only have chardonnay here,” the woman said.
“That’s fine,” Michael piped up.
- I can include multiple POVs, I can include co-incidences like they're going out of fashion, it's OK to devote page time to very minor characters, and I don't require a coherent plot.
Publishers, form an orderly queue.
They reached the front of the line, and Jazz handed tickets to the vendor. “Two pinot grigios, please.”
“We only have chardonnay here,” the woman said.
“That’s fine,” Michael piped up.
- I can include multiple POVs, I can include co-incidences like they're going out of fashion, it's OK to devote page time to very minor characters, and I don't require a coherent plot.
Publishers, form an orderly queue.
September 6, 2020
This was a fun, light-hearted little mystery. I had a few smiles at Michael and Jazz. The snark kept the story moving when the plot got a little thin. I loved Musgrave!
February 22, 2020
Small town romance laced with a bit of mystery and suspense. It was steadily paced, low angst and pretty steamy. This was a case of mild amateur sleuthing mixed with bad luck and hilariously inept criminals. I wished that some of the POVs were absent since it gave away some of the mystery, but in the end I was surprised by the culprit. The mortician and hairdresser pairing was curious in a way how they meshed on professional level and how they regarded each other based on their clients treatment, which was endearing and sweet by the way.
I liked both MCs, Jazz and Michael. They were down-to-earth men who had their own insecurities and habits. This was slight insta lust since the entire book spun only a couple of days with the possibility of a relationship. I liked that the authors didn't force strong feelings here. They just let it progress naturally to a certain point. The intimate scenes were very imaginative.
Some of the characters cracked me up, some made me shake my head in dismay and some were downright creepy - and I liked that I had such wide range of feelings for different characters. It made the story more interesting. All in all, I enjoyed the storytelling, the humor and the acceptance of Lacetown residents. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
I liked both MCs, Jazz and Michael. They were down-to-earth men who had their own insecurities and habits. This was slight insta lust since the entire book spun only a couple of days with the possibility of a relationship. I liked that the authors didn't force strong feelings here. They just let it progress naturally to a certain point. The intimate scenes were very imaginative.
Some of the characters cracked me up, some made me shake my head in dismay and some were downright creepy - and I liked that I had such wide range of feelings for different characters. It made the story more interesting. All in all, I enjoyed the storytelling, the humor and the acceptance of Lacetown residents. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
May 17, 2020
I thought this was a lot of fun, a bit silly without being over the top. I particularly like that these were real men, not ripped to hell and back pieces of physical perfection. Jazz carried a bit of weight, and Michael was fussy and picky, and talked like an old man. It took me awhile to warm up to Michael, but once I got some of his backstory, it made sense. No one wanted to be friends with the mortician's kid, so he seemed to spend most of his time with his father and grandfather.
I enjoyed the mystery, I didn't figure it out until the very end, although I never thought it was any of the numerous red herrings, either. Maybe I'm just no good at mysteries anymore? Anyway, I'll probably be reading this next book in the series, when I'm in the mood for something light, but not pure romantic fluff.
I enjoyed the mystery, I didn't figure it out until the very end, although I never thought it was any of the numerous red herrings, either. Maybe I'm just no good at mysteries anymore? Anyway, I'll probably be reading this next book in the series, when I'm in the mood for something light, but not pure romantic fluff.
May 4, 2020
acetown Murder Mysteries: Case One
A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.
Michael Fleishman is excited to meet his favorite mystery writer, Russell Withingham, at Lacetown’s Literary Fest. He is not expecting to cross paths with sexy hairdresser Jasper “Jazz” Dilworth—or become embroiled in a real-life mystery. As Lacetown’s only mortician and the county coroner, Michael is called to his first murder scene and is shocked to recognize the victim—Russell’s young lover.
Jazz only wanted to confront his ex, Russell, over his cheating. Instead, he meets the adorably awkward Michael and becomes a murder suspect. Soon Jazz is teaming up with Michael to clear his name. Along the way, they are helped and hindered by Michael’s sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell’s creepy PR rep, Norbert, and Michael’s lothario grandfather, who likes his manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third…
Review:
Dear Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth,
A book buddy on the book discussion group recommended your story and since I tend to really enjoy mysteries with gay romance in it, I happily bought the book ( which was also on sale ).
I finished the book in one sitting, I am pretty sure that I did enjoy the story and wanted to know who the villain was. I was confused about some writing choices though and I am not sure how I feel about the romance .
Basically the story has several POV. It is written in third person limited, however in addition to two main characters we get to hear from at least four more people ( it is either three or four if I counted correctly, so altogether we have five or six POV and I am not too keen on going back and double checking).
I am used to multiple POV in some fantasy books, I never saw the reason for multiple POV in pure romance books. Of the top of my head, I don't remember reading a mystery with that many POV, although I probably did. However in this book it sounded like authors were using multiple POV for one very specific purpose - to set up red herrings for the reader. Basically all POV characters we get to hear from (not including the two main characters ) sounded as if they either had something to hide or already were up to no good.
I am not sure what I think about this device. I don't think it interfered with the flaw of the story too much, as I said previously I did not want to stop reading at all, however I felt like placing red herrings that way was not cheating the reader rather than tricking the reader. I am probably not explaining this well, but if we would hear at least from one of these characters fully, well at least half of the puzzle would have been solved.
Yes, then we would have no story, but to me it would make very little sense that this character would not have been thinking about certain stuff. Of course authors had to cut this person's monologue off, hide their certain thoughts otherwise no mystery would have been taking place. But then why did we hear from this person in the first place rather than hear from two main POV characters and them observing and making correct or false conclusions?
I spent a lot of time talking about this one issue, because it felt important to me and it is not as if I can talk about mystery plot much without revealing spoilers, but I want to say that I find the blurb to be a little misleading too. Jasper really is not a suspect for too long and Michael is worried about starting anything with him because in the beginning he is indeed a suspect in the murder case. I suppose formally he is considered a suspect for a while, but my impression was that after sheriff office had a conversation with him they were not going to pursue him as a suspect seriously or at all.
In case some readers may have an issue with this plot twist. I also thought that authors took good care of "Civilians being involved in the investigation" aspect. As I may have mentioned in some of my reviews of m/m mysteries I am not always convinced as to why civilian sleuths decide to insert themselves in the investigation and here it made sense to me .
Jasper was initially a suspect and Michael is a coroner, a county official in the small town. He is not a main figure in the investigation, but he has the authority to conduct those if need be and since this is the first time in his career both himself and sherif encounter the murder it is not as if they are that experienced in those investigations and figure out stuff as they go.
I thought that both Jasper and Michael were great characters and even their almost Insta Love made sense to me - not sure why, but authors convinced me. Having said that, I am not sure if I had seen that much emotional connection between them. I suppose it is just the beginning of the relationship, but if they will still be together in the next book of the series I would like to see more.
Grade B-
A killer at a small-town literary festival. Bumbling drug dealers. A kidnapped cat. Starting a romance among all this chaos might be the death of them.
Michael Fleishman is excited to meet his favorite mystery writer, Russell Withingham, at Lacetown’s Literary Fest. He is not expecting to cross paths with sexy hairdresser Jasper “Jazz” Dilworth—or become embroiled in a real-life mystery. As Lacetown’s only mortician and the county coroner, Michael is called to his first murder scene and is shocked to recognize the victim—Russell’s young lover.
Jazz only wanted to confront his ex, Russell, over his cheating. Instead, he meets the adorably awkward Michael and becomes a murder suspect. Soon Jazz is teaming up with Michael to clear his name. Along the way, they are helped and hindered by Michael’s sassy assistant, Kitty, the grumpy Sheriff Musgrave, Russell’s creepy PR rep, Norbert, and Michael’s lothario grandfather, who likes his manhattans strong and his women saucy. And of course, Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third…
Review:
Dear Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth,
A book buddy on the book discussion group recommended your story and since I tend to really enjoy mysteries with gay romance in it, I happily bought the book ( which was also on sale ).
I finished the book in one sitting, I am pretty sure that I did enjoy the story and wanted to know who the villain was. I was confused about some writing choices though and I am not sure how I feel about the romance .
Basically the story has several POV. It is written in third person limited, however in addition to two main characters we get to hear from at least four more people ( it is either three or four if I counted correctly, so altogether we have five or six POV and I am not too keen on going back and double checking).
I am used to multiple POV in some fantasy books, I never saw the reason for multiple POV in pure romance books. Of the top of my head, I don't remember reading a mystery with that many POV, although I probably did. However in this book it sounded like authors were using multiple POV for one very specific purpose - to set up red herrings for the reader. Basically all POV characters we get to hear from (not including the two main characters ) sounded as if they either had something to hide or already were up to no good.
I am not sure what I think about this device. I don't think it interfered with the flaw of the story too much, as I said previously I did not want to stop reading at all, however I felt like placing red herrings that way was not cheating the reader rather than tricking the reader. I am probably not explaining this well, but if we would hear at least from one of these characters fully, well at least half of the puzzle would have been solved.
Yes, then we would have no story, but to me it would make very little sense that this character would not have been thinking about certain stuff. Of course authors had to cut this person's monologue off, hide their certain thoughts otherwise no mystery would have been taking place. But then why did we hear from this person in the first place rather than hear from two main POV characters and them observing and making correct or false conclusions?
I spent a lot of time talking about this one issue, because it felt important to me and it is not as if I can talk about mystery plot much without revealing spoilers, but I want to say that I find the blurb to be a little misleading too. Jasper really is not a suspect for too long and Michael is worried about starting anything with him because in the beginning he is indeed a suspect in the murder case. I suppose formally he is considered a suspect for a while, but my impression was that after sheriff office had a conversation with him they were not going to pursue him as a suspect seriously or at all.
In case some readers may have an issue with this plot twist. I also thought that authors took good care of "Civilians being involved in the investigation" aspect. As I may have mentioned in some of my reviews of m/m mysteries I am not always convinced as to why civilian sleuths decide to insert themselves in the investigation and here it made sense to me .
Jasper was initially a suspect and Michael is a coroner, a county official in the small town. He is not a main figure in the investigation, but he has the authority to conduct those if need be and since this is the first time in his career both himself and sherif encounter the murder it is not as if they are that experienced in those investigations and figure out stuff as they go.
I thought that both Jasper and Michael were great characters and even their almost Insta Love made sense to me - not sure why, but authors convinced me. Having said that, I am not sure if I had seen that much emotional connection between them. I suppose it is just the beginning of the relationship, but if they will still be together in the next book of the series I would like to see more.
Grade B-
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2019
I'm so ashamed. I'm going to have to have my murder mystery solving card revoked or take a 101 class, because I was WAY off on who did it in this one. So ashamed. But it's worth it. This is one hell of a mystery. Shady characters popping up everywhere, and just when you think you may have it solved, something else shows a clue and boom. You're off in another direction. I LOVED this book and cannot wait for the next one!
Michael just wanted to get his ten books signed by his favorite author before the rain did any damage. What he didn't expect, was to run into the author's soon-to-be ex-husband, Jazz. Turns out his favorite author, Russell, is really a dick in everyday life and owes Jazz some money and is being a butt about the divorce. Apparently, he has no problem flashing his latest boy toy, Dylan, with him as well. Michael gets his books signed, Jazz gets his money, after a heated argument, and Dylan ends up dead, with drugs shoved in some private places. While Michael is trying to help figure things out, he and Jazz seem to be hitting it off. But every time they have a date or get together, something ends up happening. Before you know it, Michael's cat, Mr. Pickles is being held for ransom (*gasp* I know), and Michael and Jazz are being held up at gunpoint. The catnapper’s are arrested and everyone thinks it's finally over, but they're wrong. Michael and Jazz are in a fight for their lives and hoping someone will 'save the day’, before they are next on the murder list.
With Michael being the coroner, he has first access really to everything. Or most everything. So him finding drugs in the victim’s rectum, just added to the mystery of what was going on. Especially with the way he was found, the condition and all. I really loved all the different facets to Michael. He is often quiet, shy, and a loner. The loner part is not by choice and that breaks my heart. Just because he's a mortician, doesn't mean he's a bad guy. It's just a job. Even though Jazz is still technically married, it tickled me to see him with Michael. Because someone finally saw Michael. All of him. The shy, quiet man along with the fiery passionate one that rarely makes an entrance. (Unless he's been pushed too far.) There's so many different levels to Michael. Including intelligence. As evident in this case. Michael made this book for me.
But he's not the only one. Jazz is a character himself. He seems so flighty at times. Queenish, maybe. But when it comes down to it, he just in with both feet and does all he can. Definitely when it comes to saving Michael and himself. He's a good man, just blinded by the flash of someone somewhat famous. He's been put in a bad spot he just wants out.
I think one of my other favorites is Kitty. She's a badass assist of Michael's. You will love her.
I may be way off, but something in this book makes me think it may be a mystery coming up. Maybe not. And someone else close to Michael seems shady to me. Something just seems off about him. Hopefully it will be resolved soon. I'm antsy lol.
A great start to what looks like a great series. A really great book.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Michael just wanted to get his ten books signed by his favorite author before the rain did any damage. What he didn't expect, was to run into the author's soon-to-be ex-husband, Jazz. Turns out his favorite author, Russell, is really a dick in everyday life and owes Jazz some money and is being a butt about the divorce. Apparently, he has no problem flashing his latest boy toy, Dylan, with him as well. Michael gets his books signed, Jazz gets his money, after a heated argument, and Dylan ends up dead, with drugs shoved in some private places. While Michael is trying to help figure things out, he and Jazz seem to be hitting it off. But every time they have a date or get together, something ends up happening. Before you know it, Michael's cat, Mr. Pickles is being held for ransom (*gasp* I know), and Michael and Jazz are being held up at gunpoint. The catnapper’s are arrested and everyone thinks it's finally over, but they're wrong. Michael and Jazz are in a fight for their lives and hoping someone will 'save the day’, before they are next on the murder list.
With Michael being the coroner, he has first access really to everything. Or most everything. So him finding drugs in the victim’s rectum, just added to the mystery of what was going on. Especially with the way he was found, the condition and all. I really loved all the different facets to Michael. He is often quiet, shy, and a loner. The loner part is not by choice and that breaks my heart. Just because he's a mortician, doesn't mean he's a bad guy. It's just a job. Even though Jazz is still technically married, it tickled me to see him with Michael. Because someone finally saw Michael. All of him. The shy, quiet man along with the fiery passionate one that rarely makes an entrance. (Unless he's been pushed too far.) There's so many different levels to Michael. Including intelligence. As evident in this case. Michael made this book for me.
But he's not the only one. Jazz is a character himself. He seems so flighty at times. Queenish, maybe. But when it comes down to it, he just in with both feet and does all he can. Definitely when it comes to saving Michael and himself. He's a good man, just blinded by the flash of someone somewhat famous. He's been put in a bad spot he just wants out.
I think one of my other favorites is Kitty. She's a badass assist of Michael's. You will love her.
I may be way off, but something in this book makes me think it may be a mystery coming up. Maybe not. And someone else close to Michael seems shady to me. Something just seems off about him. Hopefully it will be resolved soon. I'm antsy lol.
A great start to what looks like a great series. A really great book.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
April 3, 2019
Michael Fleishman is the forty-something, nerdy, and shy mortician / coroner of Lacetown, Michigan, situated on the shores of Lake Michigan. He loves his job, even though it means that more often than not, the people of his hometown treat him like a pariah. No one likes to be reminded of death (or their own mortality, for that matter). But he doesn’t care. Hook-ups are not his cup of tea (he prefers to play with his collection of sex-toys), and he has his kitty Mr. Pickles Furryton the Third and his books to keep him company. As luck would have it, Mr. Withingham, his favourite murder mystery writer, is in town for the annual Literary Fest. Michael grabs a pile of books and rushes over to get them signed. While waiting in the queue, he meets dashingly hot, late fortyish Jasper “Jazz” Dilworth, the new hairdresser in town, who turns out to be Withingham’s soon-to-be-ex-husband. Jazz doesn’t want any books to be signed by the author; he just wants to get the money the latter still owes him. Despite the slightly embarrassing scene Michael is forced to witness, he can’t deny the unsettling chemistry between him and Jazz.
But then the murdered and mutilated body of a young man is washed ashore. Michael recognizes Russell Withingham’s new paramour Dylan. When he examines the body, he discovers the youngster is carrying a stash of heroine up his rectum. Has he been caught up in a drug deal gone wrong? Or has Jazz killed him out of jealousy? If so, then why can’t Michael seem to keep his hands off the sexy hairdresser? How shall he deal with the obnoxious sheriff of Lacetown? That’s only the start of a thrilling catch-the-murder tale where romance has a place of honour.
I spent two swell evenings reading the well-written, well-paced novel. Michael is endearingly shy and a bit stiff in his human interactions. But lo and behold, once Jazz manages to get him out of his jeans and underwear, he turns out just as wild in bed as he’s been reserved in everyday life. Still waters do run deep. Jazz on the other hand has led an eventful life. He’s moved several times, has married Russell Withingham because he fancied himself in love, has left the author when finding out that the guy was chain-cheating on him, and has finally found his safe haven in tranquil, peaceful Lacetown. He’s a regular charmer, popular with men and women, laid-back and easy-going. The perfect Yin for Michael’s Yang. I really liked both characters and enjoyed their heart-warming romance. It was nice for a change to not read about two absolute hunks (they do find each other strikingly handsome, but don’t come across as two models off their catwalks, as is so often the case), but two average-looking guys in their middle-to-late forties. Jazz even turns out to be slightly paunchy—why on earth would I find that particularly charming? Surely has nothing to do with my own body evolving somewhat differently since I’ve passed the 30+ line… (you may add some more ++, in fact). The secondary characters (Michael’s buxom, viper-tongued secretary; the meaty sheriff; a bunch of third-rate wannabe criminals creating additional mayhem) make for some delicious and deliciously funny scenes and dialogues with the odd feel-good moment where I cried out “Atta boy!” because of some natty reply.
The murder mystery aspect is entertaining as well, well-crafted, with leads and misleads; the ending is perhaps a teensy bit far-fetched, but I don’t think the authors’ aim was to retell a real-life crime; they just wanted to present a nicely wrapped-up story, and they succeeded in drawing me in. The small-town setting was a nice touch, too—the interactions felt true, the people milling around real folk you could run across in any rural backwater. I for one will surely check out the next instalment of the “Lacetown Murder Mysteries”.
4.6 stars. I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been originally posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
But then the murdered and mutilated body of a young man is washed ashore. Michael recognizes Russell Withingham’s new paramour Dylan. When he examines the body, he discovers the youngster is carrying a stash of heroine up his rectum. Has he been caught up in a drug deal gone wrong? Or has Jazz killed him out of jealousy? If so, then why can’t Michael seem to keep his hands off the sexy hairdresser? How shall he deal with the obnoxious sheriff of Lacetown? That’s only the start of a thrilling catch-the-murder tale where romance has a place of honour.
I spent two swell evenings reading the well-written, well-paced novel. Michael is endearingly shy and a bit stiff in his human interactions. But lo and behold, once Jazz manages to get him out of his jeans and underwear, he turns out just as wild in bed as he’s been reserved in everyday life. Still waters do run deep. Jazz on the other hand has led an eventful life. He’s moved several times, has married Russell Withingham because he fancied himself in love, has left the author when finding out that the guy was chain-cheating on him, and has finally found his safe haven in tranquil, peaceful Lacetown. He’s a regular charmer, popular with men and women, laid-back and easy-going. The perfect Yin for Michael’s Yang. I really liked both characters and enjoyed their heart-warming romance. It was nice for a change to not read about two absolute hunks (they do find each other strikingly handsome, but don’t come across as two models off their catwalks, as is so often the case), but two average-looking guys in their middle-to-late forties. Jazz even turns out to be slightly paunchy—why on earth would I find that particularly charming? Surely has nothing to do with my own body evolving somewhat differently since I’ve passed the 30+ line… (you may add some more ++, in fact). The secondary characters (Michael’s buxom, viper-tongued secretary; the meaty sheriff; a bunch of third-rate wannabe criminals creating additional mayhem) make for some delicious and deliciously funny scenes and dialogues with the odd feel-good moment where I cried out “Atta boy!” because of some natty reply.
The murder mystery aspect is entertaining as well, well-crafted, with leads and misleads; the ending is perhaps a teensy bit far-fetched, but I don’t think the authors’ aim was to retell a real-life crime; they just wanted to present a nicely wrapped-up story, and they succeeded in drawing me in. The small-town setting was a nice touch, too—the interactions felt true, the people milling around real folk you could run across in any rural backwater. I for one will surely check out the next instalment of the “Lacetown Murder Mysteries”.
4.6 stars. I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been originally posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
March 31, 2020
I loved this book, a romantic, action-suspense, comedy mashed up with a cozy mystery and a little spice! Michael and Jazz were just terrific characters, navigating a budding romance in between murder, an ex-husband, drugs and cat-napping. It has one of the best red-herring plots I’ve seen in a while. In spite of just a few gruesome details of murder, the storyline maintains a light and subtly humorous feel with action sequences and danger alongside scenes of passionate, occasionally raunchy lovemaking. Mostly told in alternating POV, a couple of extra perspectives are thrown in to really twist the plot line. So much fun and highly recommended. (No cats were harmed in the reading of this book!)
June 19, 2019
A pretty good mystery
The plot about a grizzly murder in a small town was quite good. My reason for not giving a higher rating is that the sexual innuendos and double entendres made parts of the book very cringeworthy. I know this is partly a gay romance and the sex scenes were hot, but the authors left no question about what the characters were thinking and how horny they were throughout the book. A little more creative subtlety would have made it a better book.
The plot about a grizzly murder in a small town was quite good. My reason for not giving a higher rating is that the sexual innuendos and double entendres made parts of the book very cringeworthy. I know this is partly a gay romance and the sex scenes were hot, but the authors left no question about what the characters were thinking and how horny they were throughout the book. A little more creative subtlety would have made it a better book.
August 25, 2020
This was a book I was surprised to see I was finished and several hours where gone. Micheal was a great character with an unusual job. I liked how smart but oblivious he was at times. The mystery surprised me at the end with the murdering being someone I didn't suspect. I also like how Micheal and Jazz where just average guys and not rippled tone men or slim twinks. The only downside I felt was the skipping around in secondary characters heads. It felt out of place to me.
February 28, 2020
cute story.. enjoyable and fun.. it made me laugh and kept me on my feet curious to see what would happen next. very good and i can't wait to see more.
June 4, 2020
Strasznie nierówne to było, dlatego mimo słodyczy, kota i całkiem sprawnie poprowadzonej intrygi tylko dwie gwiazdki.
April 26, 2020
I tried. I really did. But this book is just not for me. There's nothing wrong with the overall plot as far as I can tell, but the characters and writing are just... not very good. That's not to say that I don't get why other people might enjoy this, I just didn't. There was far too much that rubbed me the wrong way.
Michael is an idiot who, apparently, can't understand the English language despite speaking it for forty-one years while being an avid reader. Within the context, I don't understand why he was so stumped by the use of "side-dishes" to refer to "lovers" and "buffet" when speaking about the wide array of choices one has in sexual partners. I'm not a native speaker and I understood it right away. It's not an unusual way to describe things. And, sure, I understand that Michael is supposed to be a bit socially inept and awkward, but having him not understand words makes no sense? A better way to show his awkwardness would be to have him understand what was being said, but he's just not quick-witted enough to give a good response. Now it just makes him look like someone who has a bad vocabulary, which I don't think was the authors' intention.
Also, don't get me started on how incredibly unprofessional Michael was when it came to his work as a corner on a murder case. I mean, I get that this is a romance and that Michael has never handled a murder before, but he's clearly read A LOT of crime novels. And he still thought it was a good idea to get the name of the victim from Jazz, of all people? Just because he wants to get inside his pants? Jazz himself admits he doesn't even know the guy and, if anything, he's a suspect! Which Michael knows. The victim is Jazz's husband's lover, for crying out loud! Why the fuck would you call him to get the victim's name?
And I don't buy it as a reason to get Russell's contact information, either, because a) Jazz didn't actually give that information during the phone call anyway, and b) there were easier ways to do that. Like, call the organisers of the Book Festival? Whose phone numbers must be posted all over the entire town? Surely they can tell the police where one of the authors is staying?
It's just SO stupid, okay? In that way where I can tell that the authors really want to tell a story — which is admirable — but they don't really seem to know HOW. At least not in a way that makes sense and feels believable. It just feels amateurish with all the cut corners and poorly thought-out sequence of events.
On top of that, the writing is fractured, jarring, and leaning much too heavily on tell rather than show. And, overall, is pretty clumsy. Like the second chapter where Dylan (the victim) hints at having been betrayed by his author lover Russell, but never says exactly what he did (though we can guess). And that he's planning some sort of payback that evening, but never exactly what. I get that this was meant to build suspense, but it just looks stupid, okay? Because no person thinks like that, in cheeky, half-explained plots and reveals. It's like Dylan KNEW someone was listening to his thoughts and couldn't tell us what Russell had done and what he planned as payback, because that would ruin the twist later in the story. It would have been better to just skip that chapter entirely, to be honest.
It's not the worst book I've tried to read and I really wish that I could have continued. The premise sounded fun and, at first glance, the characters were interesting, but there was just too much that annoyed me. So it's a no from me.
Michael is an idiot who, apparently, can't understand the English language despite speaking it for forty-one years while being an avid reader. Within the context, I don't understand why he was so stumped by the use of "side-dishes" to refer to "lovers" and "buffet" when speaking about the wide array of choices one has in sexual partners. I'm not a native speaker and I understood it right away. It's not an unusual way to describe things. And, sure, I understand that Michael is supposed to be a bit socially inept and awkward, but having him not understand words makes no sense? A better way to show his awkwardness would be to have him understand what was being said, but he's just not quick-witted enough to give a good response. Now it just makes him look like someone who has a bad vocabulary, which I don't think was the authors' intention.
Also, don't get me started on how incredibly unprofessional Michael was when it came to his work as a corner on a murder case. I mean, I get that this is a romance and that Michael has never handled a murder before, but he's clearly read A LOT of crime novels. And he still thought it was a good idea to get the name of the victim from Jazz, of all people? Just because he wants to get inside his pants? Jazz himself admits he doesn't even know the guy and, if anything, he's a suspect! Which Michael knows. The victim is Jazz's husband's lover, for crying out loud! Why the fuck would you call him to get the victim's name?
And I don't buy it as a reason to get Russell's contact information, either, because a) Jazz didn't actually give that information during the phone call anyway, and b) there were easier ways to do that. Like, call the organisers of the Book Festival? Whose phone numbers must be posted all over the entire town? Surely they can tell the police where one of the authors is staying?
It's just SO stupid, okay? In that way where I can tell that the authors really want to tell a story — which is admirable — but they don't really seem to know HOW. At least not in a way that makes sense and feels believable. It just feels amateurish with all the cut corners and poorly thought-out sequence of events.
On top of that, the writing is fractured, jarring, and leaning much too heavily on tell rather than show. And, overall, is pretty clumsy. Like the second chapter where Dylan (the victim) hints at having been betrayed by his author lover Russell, but never says exactly what he did (though we can guess). And that he's planning some sort of payback that evening, but never exactly what. I get that this was meant to build suspense, but it just looks stupid, okay? Because no person thinks like that, in cheeky, half-explained plots and reveals. It's like Dylan KNEW someone was listening to his thoughts and couldn't tell us what Russell had done and what he planned as payback, because that would ruin the twist later in the story. It would have been better to just skip that chapter entirely, to be honest.
It's not the worst book I've tried to read and I really wish that I could have continued. The premise sounded fun and, at first glance, the characters were interesting, but there was just too much that annoyed me. So it's a no from me.
June 26, 2019
Despite the title of this intriguing whodunit, murder can never be lovely. The title is such a contradiction in itself that I was curious to find out more about Lacetown, the people who live there, and how the heck a cultural event like a literary festival can lead to murder. What I found is a captivating story about human nature, the beginning of a touching romance between two men who didn’t expect to fall in love, and a murder mystery with more than one twist and turn. In line with tradition, there are a ton of clues, most of which are just there to distract readers, of course. Different from the “usual” way a mystery is solved, the main character in this case is the town’s mortician and county coroner who is not exactly friends with the sheriff, and that alone leads to some interesting tension and a few surprises. All in all, the mix between humor, romance, mystery, and exciting characters made for an absorbing adventure in a small-town setting. It had me turning the pages not just because I wanted to know who was the killer, but also because I came to really like Michael, a very private coroner and avid reader, and Jazz, an out-and-proud hairdresser with a great sense of humor and a huge heart.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 6, 2021
I had never read anything by this author but when I dug around in my “treasure chest” of books, I see my two friends have several of his books including the next in this series. I liked the characters and the plot but the title is a tad misleading and there were parts where I became a bit bored waiting for the action to go on and less talk. I can say that it often made me laugh and sometimes there were elements of slapstick comedy in the midst of dramatic and/or dire situations. That took some getting used to. Overall, it was a fun read. Rather like watching an old 1930's comedy murder mystery movie. Will certainly go on to book #2 in the series. Oh...and Mr. Pickles Furryton, the Third... was simple adorable. (Meow)
May 10, 2020
I loved this small town coroner/mortician and all the crazy characters in this town. And finding love in the midst of a murder investigation with a hairdresser named Jazz. Micheal may be shy, but he is no pushover. He’s full of passion and touch of kink in private. And beware of anyone who messes with his beloved cat, Mr Pickles Furryton the Third.
The change of POV outside of the main characters took a little getting used to. But I was totally surprised with the ending. It was a crazy ride, but really fun read.
The change of POV outside of the main characters took a little getting used to. But I was totally surprised with the ending. It was a crazy ride, but really fun read.
June 2, 2020
Sorry its a hell no from me, this is at 7%:
Mostly just the standard creepy-old-guy stuff, like sticking his finger into Dylan’s crack as he walked by, Dylan’s hands too overloaded with a tray of shots to stop him, and then sniffing his finger and saying “Mmm, you’re fresh.”
At this point i dont care who is murdered, who finds love, just nope ...
Mostly just the standard creepy-old-guy stuff, like sticking his finger into Dylan’s crack as he walked by, Dylan’s hands too overloaded with a tray of shots to stop him, and then sniffing his finger and saying “Mmm, you’re fresh.”
At this point i dont care who is murdered, who finds love, just nope ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2022
This was surprisingly enjoyable. Michael and Jazz worked in sync solving the mystery, of course along with sheriff Musgrave.
I felt a little bit sorry for the victim. And that one Cameron was kinda cute :)
Knowing that Michael was a mortician, I was worried it's going to be creepy , but I it flows without complain from me.
I cann wait for their next case.
Recommended.
I felt a little bit sorry for the victim. And that one Cameron was kinda cute :)
Knowing that Michael was a mortician, I was worried it's going to be creepy , but I it flows without complain from me.
I cann wait for their next case.
Recommended.
April 25, 2019
This could best be summed up as a classic cozy mystery with a healthy dose of m/m romance. Set in Lacetown, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan (I Google map-ed this to see if I could figure out exactly where – alas, not familiar enough to figure it out) this is kept small and intimate. A small cast of characters keeps things simple, and a neat plot twist kept the mystery engaging.
I should note, I have a fondness for cozy mysteries and this fell firmly in that category. I have a fondness for m/m romances, and I greatly enjoyed the interaction between Michael and Jazz. There was just enough self-doubt, angst, and dating to make the romance work. It was a tich “insta-love”, but not infrequently, that’s the way many romance books roll.
What dropped this from a 5 star to a 4 star read was description repetition. I noticed several instances where something was described (the town, feelings, a job, etc.), only to have the same thing repeated a page or two later. I found that to be somewhat disconcerting and a tich annoying.
As I noted earlier, there was an interesting plot twist which I won’t elaborate on, but definitely added to the overall story line.
Another point in favor of the characters – I greatly appreciated that our main characters are in their 40’s and 50’s. This is a refreshing change from a 20 or 30 year character old complaining about how “old” they are.
If you love cozy mysteries, interesting characters, and an engaging plot, you’ll probably enjoy this selection. I’m looking forward to seeing how the Lacetown mysteries progress in coming books.
Review is cross posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the authors and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I should note, I have a fondness for cozy mysteries and this fell firmly in that category. I have a fondness for m/m romances, and I greatly enjoyed the interaction between Michael and Jazz. There was just enough self-doubt, angst, and dating to make the romance work. It was a tich “insta-love”, but not infrequently, that’s the way many romance books roll.
What dropped this from a 5 star to a 4 star read was description repetition. I noticed several instances where something was described (the town, feelings, a job, etc.), only to have the same thing repeated a page or two later. I found that to be somewhat disconcerting and a tich annoying.
As I noted earlier, there was an interesting plot twist which I won’t elaborate on, but definitely added to the overall story line.
Another point in favor of the characters – I greatly appreciated that our main characters are in their 40’s and 50’s. This is a refreshing change from a 20 or 30 year character old complaining about how “old” they are.
If you love cozy mysteries, interesting characters, and an engaging plot, you’ll probably enjoy this selection. I’m looking forward to seeing how the Lacetown mysteries progress in coming books.
Review is cross posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the authors and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
April 25, 2019
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Michael Fleishman runs a funeral home and is the coroner in Lacetown, a small town on Lake Michigan. Waiting line to meet is favourite mystery writer, he meets local hairdresser Jazz who also happens to be the mystery write's soon to be ex-husband. Jazz and Michael flirt as they share an umbrella in the rain.
I love reading murder mystery/romance novels and lately many of them have been brilliant but very serious. But Murder Most Lovely is full of levity and humour it never feels heavy, even when Jazz's ex's new squeeze turns up dead with his hand cut off. The quirky diverse characters had me repeatedly laughing out loud. The Sheriff with questionable intelligence, young wanna be drug runners, Michael's grandpa, Mr Pickles the cat and the workers at Michael's mortuary all make for an entertaining supporting cast. The stars themselves, Michael and Jazz keep having drama get in they way of their dates but among the search for a killer and kidnapped cat they manage to grow close and provide us with a few incredibly hot scenes and a lovely romance.
Murder Most Lovely mixes a sexy romance between two 40 something men with a murder mystery and provides lots of laughs along the way. This is the first book in a new series and I get the feeling Lacetown is going to become the new Cabbot Cove. I look forward to more adventures with Michael and Jazz.
Michael Fleishman runs a funeral home and is the coroner in Lacetown, a small town on Lake Michigan. Waiting line to meet is favourite mystery writer, he meets local hairdresser Jazz who also happens to be the mystery write's soon to be ex-husband. Jazz and Michael flirt as they share an umbrella in the rain.
I love reading murder mystery/romance novels and lately many of them have been brilliant but very serious. But Murder Most Lovely is full of levity and humour it never feels heavy, even when Jazz's ex's new squeeze turns up dead with his hand cut off. The quirky diverse characters had me repeatedly laughing out loud. The Sheriff with questionable intelligence, young wanna be drug runners, Michael's grandpa, Mr Pickles the cat and the workers at Michael's mortuary all make for an entertaining supporting cast. The stars themselves, Michael and Jazz keep having drama get in they way of their dates but among the search for a killer and kidnapped cat they manage to grow close and provide us with a few incredibly hot scenes and a lovely romance.
Murder Most Lovely mixes a sexy romance between two 40 something men with a murder mystery and provides lots of laughs along the way. This is the first book in a new series and I get the feeling Lacetown is going to become the new Cabbot Cove. I look forward to more adventures with Michael and Jazz.
June 14, 2022
Review of 2022 edition.
I enjoyed meeting the characters in this new small town mystery series. I liked that the MCs are a bit older, and how they fit into the plot in more ways than one. I enjoyed reading about their relationship alongside the murder mystery. The plot twists are clever and Mr Pickles steals every scene he’s in.
Michael and Jazz have very different personalities and life experiences, yet find a lot of common ground. I love how Jazz brings out a hidden side of Michael, and the growing friendship as well as their mutual physical relationship. I also love how much they both care about Mr Pickles, and the risks they take to get him back.
The supporting cast, and the town, are an essential part of the story. I loved the connections between everyone and how that all plays into the storyline. I liked how the layers of character, especially Musgrave’s, are subtly revealed as the story progresses. I’m looking forward to see more of them in the rest of the series. I particularly liked Michael’s grandfather, and I’m curious about Ezra. Norbert is a nasty self-centred piece of work. Unlike the sheriff, my opinion of him didn’t change the more I read.
The kidnappers are victims too, and way out of their depth. I kind of liked Cam who connects with Mr Pickles. The showdown is tense and realistic. Loved it.
I thought the story fits the cozy mystery genre very well with its tropes of small town, and community. The authors have done a great job sowing red herrings, and I didn’t guess who the real murderer was until the reveal. Then, in hindsight, all the clues are there. Nicely done. I liked how the two crimes worked together too.
I enjoyed meeting the characters in this new small town mystery series. I liked that the MCs are a bit older, and how they fit into the plot in more ways than one. I enjoyed reading about their relationship alongside the murder mystery. The plot twists are clever and Mr Pickles steals every scene he’s in.
Michael and Jazz have very different personalities and life experiences, yet find a lot of common ground. I love how Jazz brings out a hidden side of Michael, and the growing friendship as well as their mutual physical relationship. I also love how much they both care about Mr Pickles, and the risks they take to get him back.
The supporting cast, and the town, are an essential part of the story. I loved the connections between everyone and how that all plays into the storyline. I liked how the layers of character, especially Musgrave’s, are subtly revealed as the story progresses. I’m looking forward to see more of them in the rest of the series. I particularly liked Michael’s grandfather, and I’m curious about Ezra. Norbert is a nasty self-centred piece of work. Unlike the sheriff, my opinion of him didn’t change the more I read.
The kidnappers are victims too, and way out of their depth. I kind of liked Cam who connects with Mr Pickles. The showdown is tense and realistic. Loved it.
I thought the story fits the cozy mystery genre very well with its tropes of small town, and community. The authors have done a great job sowing red herrings, and I didn’t guess who the real murderer was until the reveal. Then, in hindsight, all the clues are there. Nicely done. I liked how the two crimes worked together too.
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February 14, 2025Tout partait plutôt pas mal en lisant le résumé : une petite ville, des personnages intéressants dont l'un a un job plutôt pas commun, une enquête, une romance...
Si la partie enquête a finalement été pas mal fichue (même si j'avais découvert le coupable), avec des ramifications/fausses pistes un peu dans tous les sens, l'enquête des deux protagonistes est assez amusante et leurs interactions de détectives amateurs amusantes. Leurs rapports avec le shérif local un tantinet (beaucoup) homophobe-lourdingue sont piquants et l'opposition de leurs milieus professionnels est intéressante.
Là où ça a pêché pour moi, c'est au niveau de la romance. J'ai trouvé que pour des hommes fin quarantaine, Michaël est geignard au possible et Jazz un peu caricatural du coiffeur peroxydé maniéré. Et du coup, je n'ai pas accroché avec leur couple, ce qui est un peu gênant quand je lis une romance. En fait, pour moi, Mr Cornichon avait plus de caractère et le personnage qui finalement évolue un peu de façon intéressante, c'est le shérif.
Bref, je lirai sans doute la suite pour la partie enquête, d'autant que le résumé du tome suivant (oui je sais, je suis curieuse), laisse présager que l'intrigue continue dans le suivant, mais pas tout de suite. Au temps pour ma résolution de finir les séries commencées...
Si la partie enquête a finalement été pas mal fichue (même si j'avais découvert le coupable), avec des ramifications/fausses pistes un peu dans tous les sens, l'enquête des deux protagonistes est assez amusante et leurs interactions de détectives amateurs amusantes. Leurs rapports avec le shérif local un tantinet (beaucoup) homophobe-lourdingue sont piquants et l'opposition de leurs milieus professionnels est intéressante.
Là où ça a pêché pour moi, c'est au niveau de la romance. J'ai trouvé que pour des hommes fin quarantaine, Michaël est geignard au possible et Jazz un peu caricatural du coiffeur peroxydé maniéré. Et du coup, je n'ai pas accroché avec leur couple, ce qui est un peu gênant quand je lis une romance. En fait, pour moi, Mr Cornichon avait plus de caractère et le personnage qui finalement évolue un peu de façon intéressante, c'est le shérif.
Bref, je lirai sans doute la suite pour la partie enquête, d'autant que le résumé du tome suivant (oui je sais, je suis curieuse), laisse présager que l'intrigue continue dans le suivant, mais pas tout de suite. Au temps pour ma résolution de finir les séries commencées...
May 20, 2019
This was the perfect cozy small town mystery.
Michael is an avid reader, he loves his, mysteries. Being the town's mortician and the coroner has led to him coming across as quiet and a bit socially awkward - though when you get past the trappings he really is far from that description
Jazz is vocal, outgoing popular- Michael's complete opposite and his perfect match. Such a treat watching these two navigate the waters of their attraction. Really enjoyed the chemistry between them.
This was such an overall fun read. It had all the mishaps and shenanigans of a cozy mystery. A complete mishmash cast of characters that you would expect from a small town. A bit of a phobic sheriff who truly didn't have a mean bone in his body, A take charge get her done assistant who knows more than she lets on, a questionable kitty and that is just the tip of souls who reside in Lacetown.
The plot was tangled and had me going in circles grinning as each time I thought I figured out who done it I was once again thwarted!
I do hope we will get more from this cast.
An entertaining sweet romance shrouded in mystery
Michael is an avid reader, he loves his, mysteries. Being the town's mortician and the coroner has led to him coming across as quiet and a bit socially awkward - though when you get past the trappings he really is far from that description
Jazz is vocal, outgoing popular- Michael's complete opposite and his perfect match. Such a treat watching these two navigate the waters of their attraction. Really enjoyed the chemistry between them.
This was such an overall fun read. It had all the mishaps and shenanigans of a cozy mystery. A complete mishmash cast of characters that you would expect from a small town. A bit of a phobic sheriff who truly didn't have a mean bone in his body, A take charge get her done assistant who knows more than she lets on, a questionable kitty and that is just the tip of souls who reside in Lacetown.
The plot was tangled and had me going in circles grinning as each time I thought I figured out who done it I was once again thwarted!
I do hope we will get more from this cast.
An entertaining sweet romance shrouded in mystery
April 30, 2019
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
There was so much going on in this story dramawise that I was actually surprised when the murderer was revealed, which was a nice surprise as I think a lot of what I read lately has been predictable. Michael likes his quiet life in his hometown though really wishes for companionship. Jazz has rebuilt his life in this new quiet town but still dealing with drama from his future ex-husband.
I hated that Michael didn’t feel like he has any friends. So many people avoid him since he is the town mortician but he still doesn’t feel that those he interacts with on a daily basis are friends. Jazz bumps into his world and makes his quiet calm life not so quiet and calm.
Now Jazz, I liked him though I thought the non-divorce split he has agreed to with Russell was stupid and would be prone to causing more problems than not. I felt bad when he found out what his ex was really like. Michael and Jazz are great together and Jazz really brings Michael out of his shell. I look forward to other books in this series.
The cover art by Bree Archer is nice and I like the visual of Michael.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
There was so much going on in this story dramawise that I was actually surprised when the murderer was revealed, which was a nice surprise as I think a lot of what I read lately has been predictable. Michael likes his quiet life in his hometown though really wishes for companionship. Jazz has rebuilt his life in this new quiet town but still dealing with drama from his future ex-husband.
I hated that Michael didn’t feel like he has any friends. So many people avoid him since he is the town mortician but he still doesn’t feel that those he interacts with on a daily basis are friends. Jazz bumps into his world and makes his quiet calm life not so quiet and calm.
Now Jazz, I liked him though I thought the non-divorce split he has agreed to with Russell was stupid and would be prone to causing more problems than not. I felt bad when he found out what his ex was really like. Michael and Jazz are great together and Jazz really brings Michael out of his shell. I look forward to other books in this series.
The cover art by Bree Archer is nice and I like the visual of Michael.
June 18, 2022
Starting this book, I thought there were some similarities with well known other books ... so I was not quite sure what to expect.
But this was a lovely read.
I really enjoyed both MCs ... Jazz was a fun character, who brought fun into Michael's life
And Michael was great ... I loved the fact that he is a mortician and his work ethics.
The mystery was well done and I enjoyed the journey ... especially the sheriff was fun in that and he grew on me as a person.
The relationship was also well done, although I didn't get the syong connection at the beginning, I loved how it developed. Especially the fact that these tro really talked to each others.
All in all a really good read and I am happy that the second book comes out this month.
An ARC was provided by GRR and I am happy to give my honest opinion
But this was a lovely read.
I really enjoyed both MCs ... Jazz was a fun character, who brought fun into Michael's life
And Michael was great ... I loved the fact that he is a mortician and his work ethics.
The mystery was well done and I enjoyed the journey ... especially the sheriff was fun in that and he grew on me as a person.
The relationship was also well done, although I didn't get the syong connection at the beginning, I loved how it developed. Especially the fact that these tro really talked to each others.
All in all a really good read and I am happy that the second book comes out this month.
An ARC was provided by GRR and I am happy to give my honest opinion
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