Moth and Flame

Benjamin Justice #6

by John Morgan Wilson

Benjamin Justice used to be one of Los Angeles's most respected journalists, but a scandal over invented sources cost him the Pulitzer, his job and his reputation. With his life in ruins, he's spent much of the past decade slowly piecing it back together. Now he's under contract to write his biography, but the writing is going slowly and he's in need of a job to tide him over financially. So when Bruce Bibby, a freelance writer, is murdered during an apparent burglary, Bibby's uncompleted assignment for the city of West Hollywood is a much needed opportunity for Justice. Hired to complete the dead man's assignment-researching and writing a booklet on the city's historically relevant buildings - Justice resists becoming involved in the murder investigation, wanting only to maintain his quiet, stable life.

But it's not going to be that easy. There's a fight brewing over the fate of a set of rundown cottages - some believe them historically significant and wish to preserve them, others want them torn down to make way for a new condo project and both sides see Justice's pamphlet as the key to winning the fight. As Justice tries to go about his business, he finds himself intrigued by the complexities of the murder case - the young Russian immigrant tied to the Bibby murder scene may be damned by his father's notorious crimes; the detective leading the murder investigation is quietly searching for her own long missing father; the owner of the houses in question, the would-be developer, and their main opposition all share a secret connection that dates back nearly three decades. When the leader of the local preservation group is found murdered on the grounds of the controversial cottages, Justice must unravel the secrets that surround the murders or let an innocent suffer for another's crimes.

Genres: Mystery, Gay, LGBT, Fiction, M M Romance, Suspense, Thriller

304 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2004

About the author

John Morgan Wilson is the author of several novels in the Benjamin Justice series as well as two co-written books with band leader Peter Duchin. He's the winner of the Edgar Award and three-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award for the Benjamin Justice novels. He lives in West Hollywood, CA.

Reviews

[Jeff Clausen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery set in a somewhat exotic location, West Hollywood, which turns out to have oodles of historic architecture, perfect for slinking about, spotting unlikely characters involved in dubious activities, then fading into the shadowy shrubs to avoid detection. I enjoyed the many significant buildings and their descriptions, which coincidentally figure strongly in the multiple murders in the plot. A sub-genre that might be called ‘gay mystery’, nearly everyone from the protagonist down to the waiter at the swanky restaurant is a gay or lesbian, and heteros seem to all be minor characters. But there’s still plenty of the traditional mystery tropes so that we can be kept guessing as to the hidden motives and methods of the bad guys.

[Eric Swanson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The latest installment in the Benjamin Justice series is a disappointment in nearly every respect. With the exception of Justice (and to a lesser extent, his friend and fellow reporter Alexandra Templeton), the characters are all one-dimensional stereotypes. The writing is OK but not spectacular, and the plot isn't particularly compelling.

I haven't read all the Justice books, but I have read two or three. Sadly, most of them have the same flaws as this one.

If you're looking for a series of compelling crime novels with a gay lead character, I strongly recommend Michael Nava's series featuring attorney Henry Rios. They outshine the Justice books in every way.

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this sixth book in the Benjamin Justice series, Ben is on Prozac after the horrors depicted in the previous book, Blind Eye. The novel itself seems to be on Prozac, compared to earlier books in the series with not nearly as much (gay) sex and violence. This tamer style, however, is not a bad thing. The mystery of first one and then a second murder, both related to historical preservation battles in West Hollywood, is interesting and fast-paced. Ben's temporary job at City Hall gets him involved with the preservationists, the developers, and the politicians, and also adds some historical details to his landlords' lives.

#7 Next: Rhapsody in Blood.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moth and Flame featured a Prozac-ed Benjamin Justice and that disappointed me. He wasn't his usual outraged self, but his reliance on medication is explained in the novel and it worked in conjunction with the things Justice had been through in the previous books. This one was more of an LA novel than the others because it focused a lot of local landmarks in around West Hollywood and, as someone not familiar with that area, I found it interesting. I was also glad to see Templeton talk about being a black woman a little here (something that I don't recall her having views about in other books) because I felt Wilson glossed over her race far too often in other books and made it seem like being an attractive black woman automatically opened doors for her that wouldn't be opened for him. Maybe so in some cases, but I doubt she'd be able to acquire the amount of information he did as a white man.

[Lori S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is chock full of the history of West Hollywood and a fun read, if you like history. Fortunately, I do, so it was a joy to read that way. The mystery is riveting and the main characters interesting and enjoyable. And Benjamin Justice on Prozac is at his most even keeled, though the drug does kill his more powerful aspects. Now I just need to find Spider Season.

[Kim]

An ok mystery. I like that the main character is a gay man who isn't relegated to playing a supporting character, which is how the books I usually read treat gay men, if they are in the novels at all. I like that it is also set in a place I've never read about until this novel: West Hollywood. This book is part of a series, but the story itself wasn't exciting or intelligent enough for me to continue to pursue reading more of the series.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of this series, largely because there were so many instances of name dropping. Every page sounded like "Christopher Rice sat to my left, while Famous Couple XYZ strolled down the street." (My example is hampered by my inability to recall any actual celebrities at this moment.) Also, the plot of this one was fairly easy to figure out. Still, entertaining read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good gay mystery in which Ben is hired to finish a brochure for the city of West Hollywood after the original writer was murdered. I realized after finishing this that the really horrific things have happened to Ben in the odd number books (excluding the first), so now I'm nervous about reading book 7...

[Freyja Vanadis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so glad I've finished the books I own in the Justice series, they made me so angry. I don't even know who the final killer was in this story, I skimmed over so much of it that just made me sick. Not going to bother trying to put my thoughts together enough to write a review; I'll just say I'm glad to be done with this piece of trash.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very good read; typical Wilson fashion - you think you have the ending figured out - but never do! I thoroughly enjoyed the deeper character development of the main protagonist, Benjamin Justice! A must-read for any Benjamin Justice fan!

[CRM · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best in the series so far. I really enjoyed the story and Justice made it through without any further physical damage.

[Tex Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 of 5 stars – Milder Mystery Still with Interesting Issues & Elements of Community.

[Rod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each book is so different. Wilson does not have a formula. I enjoy that.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Benjamin Justice novel is full of the history of West Hollywood and as such, a fun read. The mystery is suspenseful and as usual, the main characters interesting.