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The Art of Murder #5
The Movie-Town Murders: The Art of Murder 5
Murder: Live and in Technicolor
Working undercover gives FBI Art Crime Team agent Jason West the illusion that he's safe from his stalker, Dr. Jeremy Kyser. Though film history and preservation are not Jason's area of expertise, he's intrigued by the case of a well-connected UCLA film studies professor whose family believes she may have been murdered after discovering a legendary lost 1950s film noir.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, BAU Chief Sam Kennedy gets disturbing news: the Roadside Ripper, the serial killer Sam believes murdered his college boyfriend, may not have been working alone.
Working undercover gives FBI Art Crime Team agent Jason West the illusion that he's safe from his stalker, Dr. Jeremy Kyser. Though film history and preservation are not Jason's area of expertise, he's intrigued by the case of a well-connected UCLA film studies professor whose family believes she may have been murdered after discovering a legendary lost 1950s film noir.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, BAU Chief Sam Kennedy gets disturbing news: the Roadside Ripper, the serial killer Sam believes murdered his college boyfriend, may not have been working alone.
284 pages, Paperback
First published May 29, 2022
54 people are currently reading
917 people want to read
About the author
Josh Lanyon
224 books5,418 followersAuthor of 100+ titles of Gay Mystery and M/M Romance, Josh Lanyon has built her literary legacy on twisty mystery, kickass adventure, and unapologetic man-on-man romance.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
March 2, 2025
Being back in this series felt so comforting. I love Jason and Sam. The romance still develops slowly and, while I wish they got more page time together, I really like the direction it's taking. I feel like they're in a really good place at the end of this book and I hope it only gets better in the next one.
I found the mystery and the investigation interesting overall, but I'm not sure if the ending is unfinished or just rushed. There's an overarching storyline to the series, and in that regard this book definitely ends with a cliffhanger.
Excellent narration by Kale Williams, as usual.
I found the mystery and the investigation interesting overall, but I'm not sure if the ending is unfinished or just rushed. There's an overarching storyline to the series, and in that regard this book definitely ends with a cliffhanger.
Excellent narration by Kale Williams, as usual.
July 29, 2022
** 2.5 stars **
There's a mystery component and a romance component. I'll address them separately.
The Mystery
This may include spoilers, although it's kind of hard to judge whether you're spoiling something when you don't actually know or understand what happened.
For most of the book I enjoyed the mystery. I have to say, though, that when it comes to undercover work, Jason makes Victor Bayne look good. Still, the investigation was interesting enough... except that coincidence after coincidence after coincidence accumulated. It's like the author wanted every previous book in the series to be connected to this book, with bad guys reappearing and plots intersecting and old resolved storylines being un-resolved and resurrected.
Which was fine — somewhat eyeroll-inducing, but whatever. Then the book suddenly stopped, without the mystery being solved. Or it had been solved, but I didn't understand it? And the friend I was buddy-reading with didn't understand it either? So, was it solved, and we weren't smart enough to get it? Or was it not solved, and there was a final wrap-up chapter missing? Or was it intended to be a second cliffhanger? There was already one cliffhanger, but that was for the series as a whole, and typically a book-specific mystery will be wrapped up at the end, even though the whole-series mystery continues unsolved until the final book.
WTF, does any of what I said even make sense? If not, it fits right in. What the hell was going on in the final pages? Whodunnit? Why was that guy in the water? How did he get there, what was going on, why am I wasting my time writing about this, the book doesn't deserve this much effort from me, ugh, let's move on to the romance.
The Romance
Nothing happened in the romance department.
Wheels were spun. Jason indulged himself in internal theatrics that made no sense to me. He's evolved into something of a high-maintenance drama queen. But mostly, he and Sam were just kind of there.
Which was a wasted opportunity, but not the end of the world. What was the end of the world — well, actually nothing so drastic, probably just the end of my interest in reading about them again — were the sex scenes. Dear lord.
Every sex scene had something that made me either cringe or burst out laughing. I cringed so hard during the final sex scene —
No. Just. No.
So why am I giving this two and a half stars? Good question, that's exactly what I'm asking myself right now.
I suppose because there's still some good stuff here. Good prose, and banter, and flashes of humor that show what the author is capable of. Nice cover, too. That earned it the extra half-star. Unfortunately, this read like a draft that needed at least one more round of revisions before it was published. Oh, and an ending! It also needed an ending.
There's a mystery component and a romance component. I'll address them separately.
The Mystery
This may include spoilers, although it's kind of hard to judge whether you're spoiling something when you don't actually know or understand what happened.
For most of the book I enjoyed the mystery. I have to say, though, that when it comes to undercover work, Jason makes Victor Bayne look good. Still, the investigation was interesting enough... except that coincidence after coincidence after coincidence accumulated. It's like the author wanted every previous book in the series to be connected to this book, with bad guys reappearing and plots intersecting and old resolved storylines being un-resolved and resurrected.
Which was fine — somewhat eyeroll-inducing, but whatever. Then the book suddenly stopped, without the mystery being solved. Or it had been solved, but I didn't understand it? And the friend I was buddy-reading with didn't understand it either? So, was it solved, and we weren't smart enough to get it? Or was it not solved, and there was a final wrap-up chapter missing? Or was it intended to be a second cliffhanger? There was already one cliffhanger, but that was for the series as a whole, and typically a book-specific mystery will be wrapped up at the end, even though the whole-series mystery continues unsolved until the final book.
WTF, does any of what I said even make sense? If not, it fits right in. What the hell was going on in the final pages? Whodunnit? Why was that guy in the water? How did he get there, what was going on, why am I wasting my time writing about this, the book doesn't deserve this much effort from me, ugh, let's move on to the romance.
The Romance
Nothing happened in the romance department.
Wheels were spun. Jason indulged himself in internal theatrics that made no sense to me. He's evolved into something of a high-maintenance drama queen. But mostly, he and Sam were just kind of there.
Which was a wasted opportunity, but not the end of the world. What was the end of the world — well, actually nothing so drastic, probably just the end of my interest in reading about them again — were the sex scenes. Dear lord.
Every sex scene had something that made me either cringe or burst out laughing. I cringed so hard during the final sex scene —
No. Just. No.
So why am I giving this two and a half stars? Good question, that's exactly what I'm asking myself right now.
I suppose because there's still some good stuff here. Good prose, and banter, and flashes of humor that show what the author is capable of. Nice cover, too. That earned it the extra half-star. Unfortunately, this read like a draft that needed at least one more round of revisions before it was published. Oh, and an ending! It also needed an ending.
Read
June 4, 2022I am going to leave this one unrated.
Because as much as I enjoyed the case that Jason was working on (and I totally got new knowledge about the whole "piracy" old movies of collectors" part)...
I HATED HOW THE BOOK ENDED 😫.
The conclusion of the case was unsatisfying (I still wonder about the MOTIVATION and we didn't really get a confession or full explanation)... and then there were that final line. It feels like a bait to wait for another uncertainty of release date of the next book.
(By the way, the whole noir movie of Snowball in Hell is pretty cheeky; it's like a Lanyon-verse, you know)
Because as much as I enjoyed the case that Jason was working on (and I totally got new knowledge about the whole "piracy" old movies of collectors" part)...
I HATED HOW THE BOOK ENDED 😫.
The conclusion of the case was unsatisfying (I still wonder about the MOTIVATION and we didn't really get a confession or full explanation)... and then there were that final line. It feels like a bait to wait for another uncertainty of release date of the next book.
(By the way, the whole noir movie of Snowball in Hell is pretty cheeky; it's like a Lanyon-verse, you know)
April 12, 2025
3,5⭐ rounded up because it's still Jason and Sam!
First of all, let me just take a deep breath and-
FFFUUUUUUUCKKKKK!!!!! 😫
Sometimes, I truly loathe my lack of impulse control because I definitely should've waited at least for an announcement of the next book's release date 🤡 I should be a pro at waiting - I'm still waiting for new chapters of fanfics that were last updated in 2012 hahahaaa - but I'm VERY MUCH NOT! 😫
Okay, with that out of the way and me not unbalanced (much) anymore...🙂
The case itself in this fifth book was the weakest in the whole series for me. As I'm not a movie buff and not particularly interested in the history and art of movie-making and preservation, many of the details and references went over my head. I caught myself zoning out at times (just like the Uni students Jason taught as part of his undercover gig 😅).
But there's still Jason and Sam 🥰 And I think the amount of romance here is just the right amount for me. It seems the crumbs are enough to keep me feral for the couple, instead of shoving a whole feast at me 😅
How much you'll enjoy this series really depends on if you don't mind loving the characters separately, I think. I love Jason and Sam as a couple, messy as they are, but I'm also quite content to read about Jason and his current case.
On the other hand, Jason and Sam ARE compelling so you can't help but want more, at least a little bit, at least one more scene 😳
(On the other other hand, I secretly think it's good they have so little on-page time because they don't have that many opportunities to fuck things up 😂) No, but I love how it's clear they both struggle more and more with the long-distance relationship. It's becoming harder to say goodbye and not see each other for weeks, and they don't want to let go - and I'll be patiently waiting for some solution because JL is bound to deliver. (...right? RIGHT??) And I adore Sam being so soft with Jason, he truly grew on me 😭🥰
Although the sex scenes... they are a bizarre mix of hot and cringe?? I regularly go from 🤤 to 😬 in a span of one page. I never again want to read about Jason yelling "YEAH BABY!", please and thank you, that mental image just doesn't do it for me 😬
The cliffhanger at the end was rough regarding the overarching plot, although it was obvious something like that would happen. BUT STILL! I need the next book asap!
Now, did anyone read "Snowball in Hell" by JL? It was mentioned (as a lost film noir here, but I thought the title sounded familiar!) and I want to give it a go as it sounded interesting, but supposedly it has a very unsatisfying ending? 👀
First of all, let me just take a deep breath and-
FFFUUUUUUUCKKKKK!!!!! 😫
Sometimes, I truly loathe my lack of impulse control because I definitely should've waited at least for an announcement of the next book's release date 🤡 I should be a pro at waiting - I'm still waiting for new chapters of fanfics that were last updated in 2012 hahahaaa - but I'm VERY MUCH NOT! 😫
Okay, with that out of the way and me not unbalanced (much) anymore...🙂
The case itself in this fifth book was the weakest in the whole series for me. As I'm not a movie buff and not particularly interested in the history and art of movie-making and preservation, many of the details and references went over my head. I caught myself zoning out at times (just like the Uni students Jason taught as part of his undercover gig 😅).
But there's still Jason and Sam 🥰 And I think the amount of romance here is just the right amount for me. It seems the crumbs are enough to keep me feral for the couple, instead of shoving a whole feast at me 😅
How much you'll enjoy this series really depends on if you don't mind loving the characters separately, I think. I love Jason and Sam as a couple, messy as they are, but I'm also quite content to read about Jason and his current case.
On the other hand, Jason and Sam ARE compelling so you can't help but want more, at least a little bit, at least one more scene 😳
(On the other other hand, I secretly think it's good they have so little on-page time because they don't have that many opportunities to fuck things up 😂) No, but I love how it's clear they both struggle more and more with the long-distance relationship. It's becoming harder to say goodbye and not see each other for weeks, and they don't want to let go - and I'll be patiently waiting for some solution because JL is bound to deliver. (...right? RIGHT??) And I adore Sam being so soft with Jason, he truly grew on me 😭🥰
Although the sex scenes... they are a bizarre mix of hot and cringe?? I regularly go from 🤤 to 😬 in a span of one page. I never again want to read about Jason yelling "YEAH BABY!", please and thank you, that mental image just doesn't do it for me 😬
The cliffhanger at the end was rough regarding the overarching plot, although it was obvious something like that would happen. BUT STILL! I need the next book asap!
Now, did anyone read "Snowball in Hell" by JL? It was mentioned (as a lost film noir here, but I thought the title sounded familiar!) and I want to give it a go as it sounded interesting, but supposedly it has a very unsatisfying ending? 👀
October 27, 2022
✦ sadly, i think this book just made me lose interest in this series. the case did not interest me whatsoever. the way the book ended on a cliffhanger was annoying more than anything.
✦ the romance was super weak in this book too. by book five i'd expect the mcs to be giving me major feels. some more relationship development would be nice too. however, instead it was just more of the same. i just felt nothing reading their scenes. it's also very unfortunate just how little time these two even spend together.
✦ when you're not interested in the case and the mcs barely spend time together or even talk, it's hard to even keep reading.
✦ anyways.. i doubt i'll be reading the next book tbh, whenever that might come out.
✦ the romance was super weak in this book too. by book five i'd expect the mcs to be giving me major feels. some more relationship development would be nice too. however, instead it was just more of the same. i just felt nothing reading their scenes. it's also very unfortunate just how little time these two even spend together.
✦ when you're not interested in the case and the mcs barely spend time together or even talk, it's hard to even keep reading.
✦ anyways.. i doubt i'll be reading the next book tbh, whenever that might come out.
June 13, 2022
This is the fifth book in the series about FBI Art Crime Team agent Jason West and BAU Chief Sam Kennedy, and a really nice one.
Jason is working undercover on the death of a former senator's granddaughter, UCLA film studies professor. Police assume the professor committed suicide, but the family has doubts. And it doesn't help that no one seemed to like the disagreeable professor, and Jason quickly discovers that there is a reason. Jason mostly works on this alone. So if, like me, you were counting on him and Sam to handle the case together, you won't find it here.
But I like the general direction in which Jason and Sam are going when it comes to their relationship. After the previous book, I started to worry a little about them, but luckily, we can see some changes in this book, especially when it comes to Sam's behavior. I feel like they are finally starting to talk to each other and work on this relationship. In this book, it was much easier than in the previous one for me to see that they fit together.
The ending of this story made me really look forward to the next book and wonder what else will happen in this series. And not only about the threat to Jason, but also about the unsolved mysteries of Sam's past that we learn a little about in this book.
If you haven't read the previous books in this series, I would rather not recommend starting it with this book as you will lose a lot of context, especially when it comes to the story of Sam and Jason and the threat to Jason from Dr. Kyser.
For those who have read the previous books in this series, I recommend continuing. This is a very solid addition to this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Josh Lanyon for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jason is working undercover on the death of a former senator's granddaughter, UCLA film studies professor. Police assume the professor committed suicide, but the family has doubts. And it doesn't help that no one seemed to like the disagreeable professor, and Jason quickly discovers that there is a reason. Jason mostly works on this alone. So if, like me, you were counting on him and Sam to handle the case together, you won't find it here.
But I like the general direction in which Jason and Sam are going when it comes to their relationship. After the previous book, I started to worry a little about them, but luckily, we can see some changes in this book, especially when it comes to Sam's behavior. I feel like they are finally starting to talk to each other and work on this relationship. In this book, it was much easier than in the previous one for me to see that they fit together.
The ending of this story made me really look forward to the next book and wonder what else will happen in this series. And not only about the threat to Jason, but also about the unsolved mysteries of Sam's past that we learn a little about in this book.
If you haven't read the previous books in this series, I would rather not recommend starting it with this book as you will lose a lot of context, especially when it comes to the story of Sam and Jason and the threat to Jason from Dr. Kyser.
For those who have read the previous books in this series, I recommend continuing. This is a very solid addition to this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Josh Lanyon for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2023
This book has an "unfinished" feeling to it. Immediately after reading it I considered the probability of a similar situation to the release of the second installment (= the "Monet Murders"), where the author inadvertently uploaded an earlier version of the book with the final 4 chapters missing.
But alas, I am afraid my hope is void and this is all we are supposed to get…
It is a collection of lost thoughts, frazzled threads, open ends and, finally, one major cliffhanger. Readers who have followed the "Art of Murder"-series so far could actually skip this one and would not miss any important steps in the greater storyline. The overtones of the novel read like the author actually wants to say: "You know what, I'll tell you later. Right now I can't be bothered. Somehow I am not in the mood for these people."
Jason stumbles through his assignment, mostly led by gut instinct and sheer luck. Why he has to pose as a college professor to investigate, is not entirely clear to me. The case of Georgie Ono's murder ends in Jason having strong suspicions of who the murderer might be, but - to use his own words - "proving it will be up to someone else". And then, in the final chapter, after Jason has practically closed up shop and packed to go home, another suspect enters the scene, but since we are in the last chapter of the book, there is no more time to follow this new thread. So, no, the trusty reader does not get to see the end of this investigation and has to make do with assumptions.
The much more sinister and practically accidentally uncovered side plot of Shep Durand in conjunction with snuff films is only touched with a very long pole, as it is not Jason's area of expertise and shall therefore - again - be solved outside of this novel by somebody else.
Jason's relationship to BAU chief Sam Kennedy is mostly on hold (as usual, because Josh Lanyon rarely allows these two people to be at the same place at the same time). Some profound and potentially explosive questions are floated (moving in together, marriage, who would bring the sacrifice of relocating their center of vital interest across country), but before things can get juicy, Sam simply - and kind of metaphorically - turns off the blue-green Tiffany lamp by the bed, declaring the importance of sleep, and that is that.
"Not now" seems to be the leitmotif of this novel. True to this theme the recurrent topic of Jeremy Kyser ends in the aforementioned cliffhanger to be addressed in a future installment of the series.
A word of advice to Josh Lanyon in particular: Please leave cliffhangers to other authors. Your writing routine of multiple delays and deviating in favor of other projects does not mix well with cliffhangers. You might seriously annoy your audience.
But alas, I am afraid my hope is void and this is all we are supposed to get…
It is a collection of lost thoughts, frazzled threads, open ends and, finally, one major cliffhanger. Readers who have followed the "Art of Murder"-series so far could actually skip this one and would not miss any important steps in the greater storyline. The overtones of the novel read like the author actually wants to say: "You know what, I'll tell you later. Right now I can't be bothered. Somehow I am not in the mood for these people."
Jason stumbles through his assignment, mostly led by gut instinct and sheer luck. Why he has to pose as a college professor to investigate, is not entirely clear to me. The case of Georgie Ono's murder ends in Jason having strong suspicions of who the murderer might be, but - to use his own words - "proving it will be up to someone else". And then, in the final chapter, after Jason has practically closed up shop and packed to go home, another suspect enters the scene, but since we are in the last chapter of the book, there is no more time to follow this new thread. So, no, the trusty reader does not get to see the end of this investigation and has to make do with assumptions.
The much more sinister and practically accidentally uncovered side plot of Shep Durand in conjunction with snuff films is only touched with a very long pole, as it is not Jason's area of expertise and shall therefore - again - be solved outside of this novel by somebody else.
Jason's relationship to BAU chief Sam Kennedy is mostly on hold (as usual, because Josh Lanyon rarely allows these two people to be at the same place at the same time). Some profound and potentially explosive questions are floated (moving in together, marriage, who would bring the sacrifice of relocating their center of vital interest across country), but before things can get juicy, Sam simply - and kind of metaphorically - turns off the blue-green Tiffany lamp by the bed, declaring the importance of sleep, and that is that.
"Not now" seems to be the leitmotif of this novel. True to this theme the recurrent topic of Jeremy Kyser ends in the aforementioned cliffhanger to be addressed in a future installment of the series.
A word of advice to Josh Lanyon in particular: Please leave cliffhangers to other authors. Your writing routine of multiple delays and deviating in favor of other projects does not mix well with cliffhangers. You might seriously annoy your audience.
April 5, 2025
WHYYYYYYY??? WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS GOOD DID I START THIS SERIES WITH IT BEING UNFINISHED? 🫠
Oh, I know. I thought it was 😂 I didn't ask. Just assumed. Full-on assumed that a 5 book series that started in 2016 and last had a book published 3 years ago was complete. I feel that was a reasonable assumption. Was it a smart one? No. Absolutely not 💀 I checked, and if my calculations are correct, Josh Lanyon has published 9 other novels since this one. So again, I say the assumption wasn't a crazy one, except maybe it was? Clearly, I was not familiar with Josh Lanyon's game 🙃
So, as a result of my stupid assumption, here I am suffering because this book ended on a huge cliffhanger 😩 Since there is exactly 0% chance I will remember most of what happened here by the time the next one comes out, I will have to re-read. Plus, who knows if that one will be the last? Definitely not me. Maybe someone else does 😂
Anyway, I enjoyed the book for the scraps of Jason and Sam more than anything else. The case this time was meh at best. It didn't really catch my interest. I think the problem I am finding I have with this series is that the cases haven't interested me enough to offset the minimal amount of romance. I don't mind having romance as the subplot in my mystery books because I don't need all romance all the time, but what I do need are the mysteries to be engaging with a plot line I care about 😅 If that's not there, and there's minimal romantic interaction between the MCs, what am I here for really? I might as well read a really good mystery without any romance and at least have something satisfying going on. If the mystery is meh, I can deal with that if the romance is holding up the rest of the story. I'm not sure I'm getting that here. I love Jason and Sam, but their page time is minimal and I'm left with little to enjoy. Ideally, I want both parts to be bangers, but I can't have the world all the time 🤣
Oh, I know. I thought it was 😂 I didn't ask. Just assumed. Full-on assumed that a 5 book series that started in 2016 and last had a book published 3 years ago was complete. I feel that was a reasonable assumption. Was it a smart one? No. Absolutely not 💀 I checked, and if my calculations are correct, Josh Lanyon has published 9 other novels since this one. So again, I say the assumption wasn't a crazy one, except maybe it was? Clearly, I was not familiar with Josh Lanyon's game 🙃
So, as a result of my stupid assumption, here I am suffering because this book ended on a huge cliffhanger 😩 Since there is exactly 0% chance I will remember most of what happened here by the time the next one comes out, I will have to re-read. Plus, who knows if that one will be the last? Definitely not me. Maybe someone else does 😂
Anyway, I enjoyed the book for the scraps of Jason and Sam more than anything else. The case this time was meh at best. It didn't really catch my interest. I think the problem I am finding I have with this series is that the cases haven't interested me enough to offset the minimal amount of romance. I don't mind having romance as the subplot in my mystery books because I don't need all romance all the time, but what I do need are the mysteries to be engaging with a plot line I care about 😅 If that's not there, and there's minimal romantic interaction between the MCs, what am I here for really? I might as well read a really good mystery without any romance and at least have something satisfying going on. If the mystery is meh, I can deal with that if the romance is holding up the rest of the story. I'm not sure I'm getting that here. I love Jason and Sam, but their page time is minimal and I'm left with little to enjoy. Ideally, I want both parts to be bangers, but I can't have the world all the time 🤣
November 9, 2022
Much to his surprise, Jason West is not fired in the aftermath of the events from The Monuments Men Murders, largely thanks to his overall impressive success rate. And his colleagues' high praise didn't hurt either. Kennedy is making serious efforts to prove himself a model-lover in spite of the high demands of his job.
As for our protagonist... he's busy sulking about everything from his suspiciously affectionate boyfriend, to his unexpectedly intriguing "punishment" case. But hey, at least he's doing it as a stylish film professor at UCLA.
The overall atmosphere of the who-dunnit investigation is still great. The self-deprecating first person narrative point of view, that Josh Lanyon excels at is still present. Unfortunately, the comedic aspects are mostly absent or just plain... cringe-worthy. Then again, perhaps this is not that important to other fans of the genre.
Romance-wise... this was a fairly disappointing book. You see, when I first got into M/M romance (outside of fanfiction, that is) I happened to choose Lanyon's Adrien English Mysteries series. And one of the biggest improvements over f/m romance presented the marked lack of flowery language. Gone were the cringey rhapsodies over eye and hair-color. Here on the other hand, things took a markedly sappy turn.
The character and plot development though, it was a complete flop. As in: there was none... or well, very little. The overarching plot advances millimetrically at the very end, but the whole scene left me feeling way more irritated than intrigued.
Jason and Kennedy's relationship... is sort of moving backward. Although this time around, it's Jason doing the retreating. So that's a change. I guess.
Score: 2.8/5 stars
There is no kind way of putting this, so here it goes: this was disappointing.
As a long-time fan of the author, I feel like I've been very understanding with all the issues that have come up, because in the end I would always get a good book. This one however, is mainly coasting by on nostalgia.
======================
Review of book 1: The Mermaid Murders
Review of book 2: The Monet Murders
Review of book 3: The Magician Murders
Review of book 4: The Monuments Men Murders
As for our protagonist... he's busy sulking about everything from his suspiciously affectionate boyfriend, to his unexpectedly intriguing "punishment" case. But hey, at least he's doing it as a stylish film professor at UCLA.
The overall atmosphere of the who-dunnit investigation is still great. The self-deprecating first person narrative point of view, that Josh Lanyon excels at is still present. Unfortunately, the comedic aspects are mostly absent or just plain... cringe-worthy. Then again, perhaps this is not that important to other fans of the genre.
Romance-wise... this was a fairly disappointing book. You see, when I first got into M/M romance (outside of fanfiction, that is) I happened to choose Lanyon's Adrien English Mysteries series. And one of the biggest improvements over f/m romance presented the marked lack of flowery language. Gone were the cringey rhapsodies over eye and hair-color. Here on the other hand, things took a markedly sappy turn.
The character and plot development though, it was a complete flop. As in: there was none... or well, very little. The overarching plot advances millimetrically at the very end, but the whole scene left me feeling way more irritated than intrigued.
Jason and Kennedy's relationship... is sort of moving backward. Although this time around, it's Jason doing the retreating. So that's a change. I guess.
Score: 2.8/5 stars
There is no kind way of putting this, so here it goes: this was disappointing.
As a long-time fan of the author, I feel like I've been very understanding with all the issues that have come up, because in the end I would always get a good book. This one however, is mainly coasting by on nostalgia.
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Review of book 1: The Mermaid Murders
Review of book 2: The Monet Murders
Review of book 3: The Magician Murders
Review of book 4: The Monuments Men Murders
June 4, 2022
Oh, boy.
This book starts with the fallout from the events of the previous book in the series that came out in 2019. Now, granted I had read it in 2020, but I did not remember much of it because let's face it: Lanyon is entertaining, but her plots (especially the newer ones) aren't exactly of the memorable kind. There is an attempt at a previously on but it almost manages to be more confusing than if there was nothing at all.
Jason then does some undercover work in LA while Sam fucks off to investigate a case that has to do with events that were mentioned in even earlier Art of Murder books and also events in Winter Kill, a book that came out in 2015 and another place I have no memory of. He and Jason occasionally talk on the phone and have the same arguments/discussions that every Lanyon couple in every book has.
Jason, meanwhile, is supposed to investigate a murder and he kind of does, but he also talks about copyright and movie preservation a lot. I kid you not. There are many things to be said about these topics. Do I care about them? Not so much that I want to read about them in a mystery novel. Especially not so much that I want to read the same points slightly rephrased 10 times.
But that's not all! Jason is also on the hunt for a missing movie! Snowball in Hell, one that is based on...you'll never guess Snowball in Hell a Lanyon book that came out in...2007! Yeah...in universe they made a movie based on the "true events" of the story from Snowball in Hell...and there are random references to the story thrown in that also mean nothing to me because...I do not remember a fucking thing about that book. I mean, I liked it. A lot even, and I did read it more than once but that was a long long time ago and as we established, Lanyon plots are not famous for the memorableness. (Now to be fair it wasn't exactly vital to the plot of this book (hahaha...more on that later) to understand everything but I'll just leave this here). Oh, and I almost forgot about the storyline with Jason's stalker...but then so did the book 95% of the time.
But what about the murder? Well, Jason investigates a bit (and we are repeatedly reminded how unlikeable the victim was...just in case we might feel sorry for her...now I admit that unlikeable victims are a popular trope in these kinds of mysteries, but this one felt strangely vicious to me) and does even get somewhere....but it's to an end I found very unsatisfactory. But I guess we needed that sequel hook.
This book starts with the fallout from the events of the previous book in the series that came out in 2019. Now, granted I had read it in 2020, but I did not remember much of it because let's face it: Lanyon is entertaining, but her plots (especially the newer ones) aren't exactly of the memorable kind. There is an attempt at a previously on but it almost manages to be more confusing than if there was nothing at all.
Jason then does some undercover work in LA while Sam fucks off to investigate a case that has to do with events that were mentioned in even earlier Art of Murder books and also events in Winter Kill, a book that came out in 2015 and another place I have no memory of. He and Jason occasionally talk on the phone and have the same arguments/discussions that every Lanyon couple in every book has.
Jason, meanwhile, is supposed to investigate a murder and he kind of does, but he also talks about copyright and movie preservation a lot. I kid you not. There are many things to be said about these topics. Do I care about them? Not so much that I want to read about them in a mystery novel. Especially not so much that I want to read the same points slightly rephrased 10 times.
But that's not all! Jason is also on the hunt for a missing movie! Snowball in Hell, one that is based on...you'll never guess Snowball in Hell a Lanyon book that came out in...2007! Yeah...in universe they made a movie based on the "true events" of the story from Snowball in Hell...and there are random references to the story thrown in that also mean nothing to me because...I do not remember a fucking thing about that book. I mean, I liked it. A lot even, and I did read it more than once but that was a long long time ago and as we established, Lanyon plots are not famous for the memorableness. (Now to be fair it wasn't exactly vital to the plot of this book (hahaha...more on that later) to understand everything but I'll just leave this here). Oh, and I almost forgot about the storyline with Jason's stalker...but then so did the book 95% of the time.
But what about the murder? Well, Jason investigates a bit (and we are repeatedly reminded how unlikeable the victim was...just in case we might feel sorry for her...now I admit that unlikeable victims are a popular trope in these kinds of mysteries, but this one felt strangely vicious to me) and does even get somewhere....but it's to an end I found very unsatisfactory. But I guess we needed that sequel hook.
August 8, 2023
Audio review 8/7/23
This is my second listen and third time overall reading the book. My original review has disappeared, I think that was my fault somehow but I have no idea how! I do know the last time I listened to this and the first time I originally read it I gave the story 4.5 stars and the audio narration 5 stars. I stick with my narration stars but I actually liked the story even better this time around. Maybe because I listened to the entire series back to back and this is the first time since this book has been in audio that I was able to have the complete (so far) series.
This is still the weakest in the series overall and if not for Kale Williams brilliant narration I probably wouldn’t be giving the story that extra 1/2 star. In my opinion Lanyon has some work cut out for her when it comes to the last book. I hope she takes her times and delivers a book more like the first four because I felt like she almost dialed it in with this book. She was able to bring the romance full circle but in order to have an extra epilogue you need to be a member of her Patreon where you can listen to an extra clip of what happens directly after the end of this book. It should be included in the book because without it the book ends abruptly. Maybe it is included now or you can find it on her webpage, if that’s the case then I stand corrected. I belong to her Patreon so I listened to the extra bonus seen directly after this listen and I think that’s also why I enjoyed the book more this time around.
I know we’ll probably be waiting awhile for the last book
In this series but I cannot wait. I love Jason and Sam.
I almost forgot to add, I have a theory on who killed Ethan and another theory about another character. I wonder if I’m right it totally off the mark!
This is my second listen and third time overall reading the book. My original review has disappeared, I think that was my fault somehow but I have no idea how! I do know the last time I listened to this and the first time I originally read it I gave the story 4.5 stars and the audio narration 5 stars. I stick with my narration stars but I actually liked the story even better this time around. Maybe because I listened to the entire series back to back and this is the first time since this book has been in audio that I was able to have the complete (so far) series.
This is still the weakest in the series overall and if not for Kale Williams brilliant narration I probably wouldn’t be giving the story that extra 1/2 star. In my opinion Lanyon has some work cut out for her when it comes to the last book. I hope she takes her times and delivers a book more like the first four because I felt like she almost dialed it in with this book. She was able to bring the romance full circle but in order to have an extra epilogue you need to be a member of her Patreon where you can listen to an extra clip of what happens directly after the end of this book. It should be included in the book because without it the book ends abruptly. Maybe it is included now or you can find it on her webpage, if that’s the case then I stand corrected. I belong to her Patreon so I listened to the extra bonus seen directly after this listen and I think that’s also why I enjoyed the book more this time around.
I know we’ll probably be waiting awhile for the last book
In this series but I cannot wait. I love Jason and Sam.
I almost forgot to add, I have a theory on who killed Ethan and another theory about another character. I wonder if I’m right it totally off the mark!
June 18, 2022
3.5 stars
It has been so long since the last book that it took me a bit to catch up & remember what had happened in the last book. Once I did I was “mostly” cruising along happily.
I didn’t love it though. Some glaring editing snafus, slow pacing & a bit boring in places and most importantly, I’ve grown tired of them barely being together. We’re 5 books in to it & they’ve barely progressed romance wise. They’re more committed in their words but otherwise no progression. There’s not enough romance to keep me really interested.
The slow pace of the romance combined with the extremely long wait between books has caused me to lose interest in this series
It has been so long since the last book that it took me a bit to catch up & remember what had happened in the last book. Once I did I was “mostly” cruising along happily.
I didn’t love it though. Some glaring editing snafus, slow pacing & a bit boring in places and most importantly, I’ve grown tired of them barely being together. We’re 5 books in to it & they’ve barely progressed romance wise. They’re more committed in their words but otherwise no progression. There’s not enough romance to keep me really interested.
The slow pace of the romance combined with the extremely long wait between books has caused me to lose interest in this series
November 27, 2020
Working undercover allows FBI Art Crime Team agent Jason West the illusion of safety as he investigates the supposed discovery of a legendary lost 1950s private eye movie known as Snowball in Hell. But the complicated relationship between film preservation and piracy is nothing to preserving the delicate balance of Jason's ongoing relationship with BAU Chief Sam Kennedy.
Sam is hunting the man hunting Jason, and until Dr. Jeremy Kyser is caught, the possibility of a real relationship between Sam and Jason has to be put on pause.
Then Jason learns of another legendary lost flick, the subject darker than any film noir, and he's drawn into the secret, sinister world of snuff films. A world where the line between fantasy and felony—a line as thin and deadly as a strand of piano wire—means the difference between life and death.
Sam is hunting the man hunting Jason, and until Dr. Jeremy Kyser is caught, the possibility of a real relationship between Sam and Jason has to be put on pause.
Then Jason learns of another legendary lost flick, the subject darker than any film noir, and he's drawn into the secret, sinister world of snuff films. A world where the line between fantasy and felony—a line as thin and deadly as a strand of piano wire—means the difference between life and death.
June 13, 2022
A quick read which really felt like an instalment rather than a book. It definitely cannot be read on it's own. You need to know what happened before and what's going to happen next.
I liked Lanyon's cheeky product placement. Snowball in Hell with the sultry looks fit right in. Copyright and piracy were frequently mentioned but not really deeply explored through different facets.
I wish I did not feel that this was hastily done but I do, the high achieved by this first book in this series The Mermaid Murders has just continued to roll down, no other peaks remembered.
An ARC gently provided by author/publisher via Netgalley
I liked Lanyon's cheeky product placement. Snowball in Hell with the sultry looks fit right in. Copyright and piracy were frequently mentioned but not really deeply explored through different facets.
I wish I did not feel that this was hastily done but I do, the high achieved by this first book in this series The Mermaid Murders has just continued to roll down, no other peaks remembered.
An ARC gently provided by author/publisher via Netgalley
June 20, 2023
Another great addition to the series, with some tense relationship moments that bleed over from the last book. But it's not over yet.....
June 16, 2023
The case in The Movie-Town Murders, as the title suggests, is focused on movies and specifically old movies and copyright issues. The topic was actually really interesting and I learned some things. The case Jason is investigating is the potential murder of a UCLA film studies professor.
This case was probably the weakest of the series. It was a bit lackluster. For a large part it wasn't even considered a murder case. Her grandfather threw his political weight to get them to investigate as he didn't believe she committed suicide. Now he turned out to be right, but it slowed down the pace and wasn't as exciting from the get go.
A lose end from a previous book make a return and set up for the next book.
A cool kinda meta aspect to this story, is that before her death she was tracking down a lost old gay PI film. I didn't realise until I read it in another review that it's a movie based on one of Josh Lanyon's books Snowball in Hell. A fun tidbit.
My biggest problem with this book was the ending. It sets up the climax of the overarching series storyline, which was great and has me super excited for the next book! But the conclusion for the mystery in this book felt rushed and confusing. I hope it's just a case that it's another cliffhanger and it'll be continued in the next book.
The above quote is from Josh Lanyon's blog and it's got me so hyped for the next book. It'll be sad that this series will be concluding but I'm so excited to see what happens!! Also it better have more Jason and Sam! I'm tired of their main interactions being phone calls.
This case was probably the weakest of the series. It was a bit lackluster. For a large part it wasn't even considered a murder case. Her grandfather threw his political weight to get them to investigate as he didn't believe she committed suicide. Now he turned out to be right, but it slowed down the pace and wasn't as exciting from the get go.
A lose end from a previous book make a return and set up for the next book.
A cool kinda meta aspect to this story, is that before her death she was tracking down a lost old gay PI film. I didn't realise until I read it in another review that it's a movie based on one of Josh Lanyon's books Snowball in Hell. A fun tidbit.
My biggest problem with this book was the ending. It sets up the climax of the overarching series storyline, which was great and has me super excited for the next book! But the conclusion for the mystery in this book felt rushed and confusing. I hope it's just a case that it's another cliffhanger and it'll be continued in the next book.
"Next year will likely be the final Art of Murder book: The Medicine Man Murders. That's going to be a big, complicated book, so I need to give myself plenty of breathing room."
The above quote is from Josh Lanyon's blog and it's got me so hyped for the next book. It'll be sad that this series will be concluding but I'm so excited to see what happens!! Also it better have more Jason and Sam! I'm tired of their main interactions being phone calls.
August 15, 2022
I sincerely hope not...but I think Josh may be having a bit of difficulty in her life. This book has been 3 long years in coming and her Secrets and Scrabble series is missing books being released in paperback format, and they also have been way past the advertised release dates. I was really glad to get this one as I had almost forgotten what Sam and Jason had been up to...so I went back and read up to this one. The last book left us wondering and slightly on edge about their very fragile relationship. Sam was more than furious with Jason about his work on the last case, and it doesn't help at all that they often find themselves on opposite sides of the country from one another. Good thing that Jason is the more patient of the two and Sam is finally beginning to acknowledge his feelings for Jason. Now we have Jason posing as a professor of art and film at UCLA to investigate the possible murder of an ex-senator's granddaughter, while Sam is again on the opposite side of the country investigating a serial killer case that he thought had been closed. Dr Jeremy Kyser, the killer that has been stalking Jason and giving him sleepless nights is still on the loose. I believe, (hope...fingers crossed), that there has to be another book somewhere in the future. Josh can't be so cruel as to leave us with Jason and Sam still not having worked out some solution to their relationship, not to mention that both men are still in the killers' plans. Please, please, don't make us wait another 3 years, Josh.
June 7, 2022
3,5 because I unabashedly adore Jason and Sam but what a disappointing mess of a book. The plot is messy, the relationship troubles feel tiresome and reshaped and the resolution / ending is as abrupt as usual. There are a myriad editing issues which pull you out of the book. This feels rushed and phoned in and I truly believe either Lanyon has lost passion for this series (which would be a shame, as it’s her best) or, more likely, she needed to get his out because it was giving her serious writers' block. The addition of a snowball in hell felt cheap and so did the resurfacing of the Roadside Ripper.
There is no evolution in this book, it feels like none of the issues have been resolved or addressed. Jason is still jealous of Petty and insecure over Ethan. Sam is still closed off and an asshole who appears to patronise Jason with smidgens of attention. The mad psychopath doctor is still out there.
What I’m trying to say is I wish this had been better, especially after the long wait and rescheduling issues. On the other hand, I also believe that if Lanyon had to bang this out to move on to better things, it’s worth it. I'm just sad we’ll have to wait who knows how long again for the next Sam and Jason.
There is no evolution in this book, it feels like none of the issues have been resolved or addressed. Jason is still jealous of Petty and insecure over Ethan. Sam is still closed off and an asshole who appears to patronise Jason with smidgens of attention. The mad psychopath doctor is still out there.
What I’m trying to say is I wish this had been better, especially after the long wait and rescheduling issues. On the other hand, I also believe that if Lanyon had to bang this out to move on to better things, it’s worth it. I'm just sad we’ll have to wait who knows how long again for the next Sam and Jason.
Want to read
May 22, 20222021???
Update: It is May 2022 and there's still no information on when this book is releasing on Goodreads, though some sites says 31st May (That information is not Lanyon's website though nor is the book up on Amazon). And I just read that this is not the last book in this series which means there's little hope for closure with this book whenever it arrives. I mean, credit to Lanyon this anticipation is also because the series is good but this wait is just...it's too long.
Update: It is May 2022 and there's still no information on when this book is releasing on Goodreads, though some sites says 31st May (That information is not Lanyon's website though nor is the book up on Amazon). And I just read that this is not the last book in this series which means there's little hope for closure with this book whenever it arrives. I mean, credit to Lanyon this anticipation is also because the series is good but this wait is just...it's too long.
June 4, 2022
I am utterly heartbroken!! Literally cried!!
Years of waiting for this?!?!
Very very short story with very few Sam-Jason moments, weakly built mystery & ended in a f-ing cliffhanger 🙂
Years of waiting for this?!?!
Very very short story with very few Sam-Jason moments, weakly built mystery & ended in a f-ing cliffhanger 🙂
June 7, 2022
2.5 rounded up
This was fine, but ultimately disappointing.
It's been less than a year and a half since I read the last book, but this one takes place *right* afterwards and a lot of the book heavily references the events from that book, which I only vaguely remembered--I'd highly recommend a reread of that book before this one if you don't want to spend the first 25% a little lost.
I continue to like Jason and Sam together, but I'm starting to grow a little weary of the world's slowest burn. It's been 5 books, and I just barely feel like they're in a solid relationship. They live across the country from one another and spent almost this entire book apart--I did think there was a decent focus on the romance despite that, and Lanyon is known for more plot-focused mysteries, but I did want a bit more here. And then, just when we think there's going to be some movement, once again Lanyon just fucking ends the book in the middle of the action--it's so fucking annoying! And bizarre! And honestly doesn't make me want to read more, it makes me want to say fuck this and spend my valuable time reading books that don't constantly end on cliffhangers.
Besides that, the mystery was just weird. Way too much random facts about old films, the entire concept of the case made no sense, and then we *also* get no resolution to it. I honestly was SO baffled and confused the entire last chapter, and then the book just ends, answering no questions. I'm just so bummed because I've really enjoyed this series but it seems like the author has lost their interest/investment in it, and at this point I really hope the next book is the last one and they just wrap up the romance and stop stringing us along.
Thanks to JustJoshin Publishing, Inc. and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was fine, but ultimately disappointing.
It's been less than a year and a half since I read the last book, but this one takes place *right* afterwards and a lot of the book heavily references the events from that book, which I only vaguely remembered--I'd highly recommend a reread of that book before this one if you don't want to spend the first 25% a little lost.
I continue to like Jason and Sam together, but I'm starting to grow a little weary of the world's slowest burn. It's been 5 books, and I just barely feel like they're in a solid relationship. They live across the country from one another and spent almost this entire book apart--I did think there was a decent focus on the romance despite that, and Lanyon is known for more plot-focused mysteries, but I did want a bit more here. And then, just when we think there's going to be some movement, once again Lanyon just fucking ends the book in the middle of the action--it's so fucking annoying! And bizarre! And honestly doesn't make me want to read more, it makes me want to say fuck this and spend my valuable time reading books that don't constantly end on cliffhangers.
Besides that, the mystery was just weird. Way too much random facts about old films, the entire concept of the case made no sense, and then we *also* get no resolution to it. I honestly was SO baffled and confused the entire last chapter, and then the book just ends, answering no questions. I'm just so bummed because I've really enjoyed this series but it seems like the author has lost their interest/investment in it, and at this point I really hope the next book is the last one and they just wrap up the romance and stop stringing us along.
Thanks to JustJoshin Publishing, Inc. and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2022
I don't think Josh Lanyon respects her readers very much. There's the habitual pushing-back of deadlines (though I get that creativity doesn't work to a timetable). And according to her blogs, she allows herself very little time to turn round each book (production-line stuff), with the result that IMHO the quality of her writing has deteriorated appallingly over the few years I have followed her.
In TMTM, the plot is incoherent in the extreme, and though I have read the ending a couple of times now, I am no clearer about Who or Why. As the latest instalment of a long-running series, the book does nothing to advance the over-arching stalker plot. That's right—nothing. I think I read this was meant to be the final episode of The Art of Murder series, but it reads more like inept fanfiction (with apologies to all the hugely talented AO3 authors I enjoy).
I certainly don't think Lanyon likes her characters. I'm reading the series for the relationship between Sam Kennedy & Jason West. But—relationship? What relationship? The two scarcely interacted, and nowhere was there any evidence that Sam cared at all for Jason. There are some bald statements, yes, but no gestures, actions, glances, touches to back that up. Sam is emotionless. And without emotion, there is no relationship.
I will probably read the final episode, hoping that Lanyon has enough drive to finish the series properly, with a clearly resolved plot and a satisfying romantic conclusion. On the basis of this lazy entry, however, my hopes are not high.
In TMTM, the plot is incoherent in the extreme, and though I have read the ending a couple of times now, I am no clearer about Who or Why. As the latest instalment of a long-running series, the book does nothing to advance the over-arching stalker plot. That's right—nothing. I think I read this was meant to be the final episode of The Art of Murder series, but it reads more like inept fanfiction (with apologies to all the hugely talented AO3 authors I enjoy).
I certainly don't think Lanyon likes her characters. I'm reading the series for the relationship between Sam Kennedy & Jason West. But—relationship? What relationship? The two scarcely interacted, and nowhere was there any evidence that Sam cared at all for Jason. There are some bald statements, yes, but no gestures, actions, glances, touches to back that up. Sam is emotionless. And without emotion, there is no relationship.
I will probably read the final episode, hoping that Lanyon has enough drive to finish the series properly, with a clearly resolved plot and a satisfying romantic conclusion. On the basis of this lazy entry, however, my hopes are not high.
Want to read
March 7, 2022It really is pointless to get excited about any Josh Lanyon releases as they are regularly and relentlessly pushed back time and again. Bad form.
July 1, 2022
Well, I was so confused at the end of this that I'm not even going to rant about the cliffhanger... Yes, this is still me, mark the day, you'll never hear that from me again.
One of the things that lure me to read mysteries is gathering the clues the author leaves scattered through the pages of a book, and try to figure out what happened along with the characters in it, the other is that when everything is said and done at the end, we got the culprit, or, if the culprit escaped, we know why. But, we have a culprit. Here that didn't happen and I was so dissapointed about that, that it almost didn't register that this book was trying too hard. I think every possible coincidence and over the top occurence made an appearance here. And some of them, well, they didn't add anything to the story, if you ask me,
So the ending left me hanging trying to figure who was the one behind the crime.
Other thing that didn't work for me was the amateurish investigation. Do you think I'm going to believe the FBI allows one of his agents spend 1000$ in a dinner to chat up a person of interest in the investigation, and then, send him on the field "undercover" under a filmsy cover story to back him up? Note that I wrote undercover inside quotation marks, because if that how the FBI conducts undercover work, well, it's a wonder the agents wouldn't be spotted the moment they entered a room. Because everyone in his book got Jason's number, everyone pegged him as fake, and when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. OMG! That was so exasperating, it got old after the second time. I didn't know why Jason was bothering even.
Then we have It didn't make much sense he didn't make a move... more when In normal circunstances, I wouldn't have been bothered by that. But there were too many things packed in this book to make it credible.
And last but not least, we have Jason as a whole insecure clingy boyfriend. Really? Are we back in book three?
So, why three stars and not two... well, I'm still wondering... I usually reserve my one and two stars for books really messed up, and well, now that I think about it, this might be one of them, but the company (thank you, Teal!) and I don't know, maybe having been following this characters for years, made me give it three.
One of the things that lure me to read mysteries is gathering the clues the author leaves scattered through the pages of a book, and try to figure out what happened along with the characters in it, the other is that when everything is said and done at the end, we got the culprit, or, if the culprit escaped, we know why. But, we have a culprit. Here that didn't happen and I was so dissapointed about that, that it almost didn't register that this book was trying too hard. I think every possible coincidence and over the top occurence made an appearance here. And some of them, well, they didn't add anything to the story, if you ask me,
So the ending left me hanging trying to figure who was the one behind the crime.
Other thing that didn't work for me was the amateurish investigation. Do you think I'm going to believe the FBI allows one of his agents spend 1000$ in a dinner to chat up a person of interest in the investigation, and then, send him on the field "undercover" under a filmsy cover story to back him up? Note that I wrote undercover inside quotation marks, because if that how the FBI conducts undercover work, well, it's a wonder the agents wouldn't be spotted the moment they entered a room. Because everyone in his book got Jason's number, everyone pegged him as fake, and when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. OMG! That was so exasperating, it got old after the second time. I didn't know why Jason was bothering even.
Then we have It didn't make much sense he didn't make a move... more when In normal circunstances, I wouldn't have been bothered by that. But there were too many things packed in this book to make it credible.
And last but not least, we have Jason as a whole insecure clingy boyfriend. Really? Are we back in book three?
So, why three stars and not two... well, I'm still wondering... I usually reserve my one and two stars for books really messed up, and well, now that I think about it, this might be one of them, but the company (thank you, Teal!) and I don't know, maybe having been following this characters for years, made me give it three.
Read
October 16, 2022I think I finally know what it means to be truly biased. Because I see the flaws in this book, but I still liked it. I love Jason with his sharp mind and unfounded insecurities, I love Sam's briskness; I love that they're devoted to their job but they're making their relationship work as best they can (one step forward than one back). They're the embodiment of the word 'trying'.
The main issue here I think was that there were many moving parts that eventually connected together to make a whole, though how whole it ended up being I'm not quite sure because there was no ending. Bit of a cliffy here, two actually. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that . Anyway, that would be too much of a coincidence.
I enjoyed the mystery in itself, just got a bit too much at the end. And there's so many questions left. I am definitely confused about a thing or two.
3.5 stars, not rounding up or down
July 3, 2024
3.5/5
Okay, first of all, my bad for not realising that this is in fact not the last book of this series. I honestly should have known or at least suspected but I didn’t. I am kind of mad at myself but okay.
Now about this book:
The case was quite interesting (at least in the beginning, not so much in the end) because of all the different factors involved but it just didn’t really have that big of an impact on me.
I also really disliked all the open ends. Stuff with Sam and the Roadside Ripper, stuff with Jason and his stalker — it just seems like we’re not getting satisfying answers anytime soon and it’s driving me up the walls.
And what really bothered me was how little time we had for Sam and Jason in this book. It seems like it gets less and less each time, and I really, really dislike that.
But to be fair, I did still enjoyed this read. But I really hope that when the next book comes out, I'll finally get some sort of closure.
“You’re my favourite thing in the world, West.”
Okay, first of all, my bad for not realising that this is in fact not the last book of this series. I honestly should have known or at least suspected but I didn’t. I am kind of mad at myself but okay.
Now about this book:
The case was quite interesting (at least in the beginning, not so much in the end) because of all the different factors involved but it just didn’t really have that big of an impact on me.
I also really disliked all the open ends. Stuff with Sam and the Roadside Ripper, stuff with Jason and his stalker — it just seems like we’re not getting satisfying answers anytime soon and it’s driving me up the walls.
And what really bothered me was how little time we had for Sam and Jason in this book. It seems like it gets less and less each time, and I really, really dislike that.
But to be fair, I did still enjoyed this read. But I really hope that when the next book comes out, I'll finally get some sort of closure.
June 5, 2022
Although supposedly longer than book 4, this felt short. It’s a bit of a placeholder without major developments, though a few tidbits are queued up for the next installment. Nevertheless enjoyable and I liked learning about movie preservation & collecting. Rounding up because I love spending time with these characters.
August 13, 2024
2023 review
Ahh, I am just so in love with this series, and Jason and Sam. Such wonderfully written characters and mystery development. So freakin' brilliant! Highly recommend and I cannot wait for the next book!! I am waiting, somewhat patiently, for the next and I never want the series to end. Of course, I feel that way about most of JL's stories, lol. :D If you haven't read this series, you really, REALY, MUST!
All the stars!
2022 review
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy this series and The Movie-Town Murders is a really great installment. No, I can't say A LOT happens here, it's a random case that has no connection to the characters, meaning they didn't know the person killed, and Jason goes undercover at a college to find out what happened to her (for a distant family friend). Jason and Sam do have on page time together and they are still navigating their relationship. It's hard when they are both good at what they do, don't want to change what they are doing or where their home base is, and yet also want to be together as in geographically. Jason is still being stalked by Dr. Nut Job, and oh, boy, I think the cliffhanger at the end may be hinting he found him.
I can't say I cared for this particular murder plot because Jason was so far removed from everything - his expertise is art, not film; he's undercover and not working with a team (directly); he altered his looks which I don't think I liked because he freakin' shaved his head! WTH?! Also, the victim was a bitch. That of course doesn't mean she deserved to die, but my sympathy was not with the victim and the way she died just DID not jive with who the killer turned out to be. The killer was weird and I still don't fully understand what they were trying to accomplish in the end.
Regardless of whatever issues I have with this story I still really enjoyed it; I LOVED seeing Jason and Sam together. This book is something I really crave which is just being able to see these guys live their daily lives. I love books that continue beloved characters and their relationship and it's not always ups and downs, or constant lovey dovey time, or even being in the same room. They love each other, want to be together, and talk about their options. They discuss their cases, though Jason is reluctant to do so because of reasons. I could take 1000 more books just like this. I don't always need action, or death threats, or anything but being able to watch them live. Happy times!
I give this 4.5 stars because, like I said, the murder was interesting but not interesting, and I had hoped to have seen more forward progress and Jason and Sam's relationship. They are progressing, but at the same time it feels like two steps forward, one step back.
So excited for the next book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahh, I am just so in love with this series, and Jason and Sam. Such wonderfully written characters and mystery development. So freakin' brilliant! Highly recommend and I cannot wait for the next book!! I am waiting, somewhat patiently, for the next and I never want the series to end. Of course, I feel that way about most of JL's stories, lol. :D If you haven't read this series, you really, REALY, MUST!
All the stars!
2022 review
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy this series and The Movie-Town Murders is a really great installment. No, I can't say A LOT happens here, it's a random case that has no connection to the characters, meaning they didn't know the person killed, and Jason goes undercover at a college to find out what happened to her (for a distant family friend). Jason and Sam do have on page time together and they are still navigating their relationship. It's hard when they are both good at what they do, don't want to change what they are doing or where their home base is, and yet also want to be together as in geographically. Jason is still being stalked by Dr. Nut Job, and oh, boy, I think the cliffhanger at the end may be hinting he found him.
I can't say I cared for this particular murder plot because Jason was so far removed from everything - his expertise is art, not film; he's undercover and not working with a team (directly); he altered his looks which I don't think I liked because he freakin' shaved his head! WTH?! Also, the victim was a bitch. That of course doesn't mean she deserved to die, but my sympathy was not with the victim and the way she died just DID not jive with who the killer turned out to be. The killer was weird and I still don't fully understand what they were trying to accomplish in the end.
Regardless of whatever issues I have with this story I still really enjoyed it; I LOVED seeing Jason and Sam together. This book is something I really crave which is just being able to see these guys live their daily lives. I love books that continue beloved characters and their relationship and it's not always ups and downs, or constant lovey dovey time, or even being in the same room. They love each other, want to be together, and talk about their options. They discuss their cases, though Jason is reluctant to do so because of reasons. I could take 1000 more books just like this. I don't always need action, or death threats, or anything but being able to watch them live. Happy times!
I give this 4.5 stars because, like I said, the murder was interesting but not interesting, and I had hoped to have seen more forward progress and Jason and Sam's relationship. They are progressing, but at the same time it feels like two steps forward, one step back.
So excited for the next book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 18, 2022
Thought this was a weak story. Much too long between books coming out and I had totally forgotten what had happened in the last book.
Also Jason and Sam's relationship needs to get going. Its not going anywhere fast and Im getting bored.
Also Jason and Sam's relationship needs to get going. Its not going anywhere fast and Im getting bored.
June 27, 2022
It has been so long since I read the fourth book in this series, The Monuments Men Murders, that I went back and did a quick reread of the entire series just to get to the point where I could recall enough of the overlying plot in order to read this latest book.
Lanyon has done a pretty remarkable job of making Sam and Jason's relationship an intensely-felt relationship that leans heavily on the longing and light on the actual boots-on-the-ground aspect, yet to me it still feels intriguing and dynamic. I really like their arc and like where they are at this place in the series.
However, the murder mystery here is not as captivating as others in the series, and while I appreciated Jason's professorial attempts, everything felt a bit too long, a bit too convoluted and by the time I got to the end, I had a moment where a character was murdered ... and I couldn't immediately recall who the victim was, and the final pages left me with a sense of wait, what? rather than anticipation for the next book in the series.
HOWEVER, I feel that once the next book is released, I will get a better sense of how everything plays out based on what we learned in this book in the series, which seems more of a transitional book instead of a clear stand-alone book. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from the author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Lanyon has done a pretty remarkable job of making Sam and Jason's relationship an intensely-felt relationship that leans heavily on the longing and light on the actual boots-on-the-ground aspect, yet to me it still feels intriguing and dynamic. I really like their arc and like where they are at this place in the series.
However, the murder mystery here is not as captivating as others in the series, and while I appreciated Jason's professorial attempts, everything felt a bit too long, a bit too convoluted and by the time I got to the end, I had a moment where a character was murdered ... and I couldn't immediately recall who the victim was, and the final pages left me with a sense of wait, what? rather than anticipation for the next book in the series.
HOWEVER, I feel that once the next book is released, I will get a better sense of how everything plays out based on what we learned in this book in the series, which seems more of a transitional book instead of a clear stand-alone book. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from the author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
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