L.A. Boneyard

L.A. #3

by P.A. Brown

Book by Brown, P.A.

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

339 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2009

About the author

Pat Brown, writing as P.A. Brown, is the author of the Chris and David police procedural novels featuring LAPD homicide detective David Eric Laine and his lover, computer network engineer Christopher Bellamere. In L. A. Heat the first in the series, David is an uptight, in the closet cop living a life of denial and dark secrets he will protect at all costs. Then his life becomes entwined with Chris who is a suspect in the brutal slayings of young gay men. Neither of them ever expected to find love. L.A. Heat was followed by L.A. Mischief which follow Chris and David as they try to reconcile their vast differences and forge their relationship into one of true love. In L.A. Boneyard, a dark thriller that moves from the bright streets of West Hollywood to the gang ridden streets of East L.A. All the while David faces the temptation of his sexy new partner, Jairo Hernandez.

Reviews

[Kassa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of the first book, LA Heat, I’m very happy with the sequel and the fact there will be a third book coming out. While not perfect, LA Boneyard concentrates on the author’s strength in writing an interesting, complicated mystery with thorough but never boring police work. Police procedural aspects are kept current and engaging, carrying the intricate plot. The relationship between David and Chris is a nice addition and adds more complexity to both men, although clearly taking the backseat to the murder mystery. The resolution to the murder is well crafted, yet the emotional pay off is too easy and short after dragging on for so long. Not without its problems, LA Boneyard remains a great, entertaining read for those that like the hard boiled, detail driven cop books.

Detective David Laine is called in to investigate a half buried body in Griffith Park. He discovers not just the one body but another as well. The burial site causes immediate problems sending David working overtime as a rift starts to appear between him and Chris. Unfortunately that’s not the only problem David has as his sexy new partner, Jairo, has made it clear he wants David and has no problems getting in the way of David and Chris’ relationship. As if all of this wasn’t enough, more bodies seem to be piling up and David struggles to find the common thread while clinging to his relationship with Chris despite temptation and horribly bad choices.

The plot is rather complicated as it weaves four almost separate murders together into a large, complex mystery involving slave trading, black market gun running, baby selling, prostitution, and child pornography. Given the numerous elements, Brown does a superb job keeping the plot moving with a minimum of confusion. There are perhaps too many aspects that keep getting thrown in and the book/plot didn’t need quite so many tangents to create a compelling mystery. This is a minor detail as there are very few dropped threads, but there are several elements that could have been dropped without adversely affecting the story. For the most part, the skillful weaving of details and careful, thorough police work creates an interesting story even as body after body and a plethora of seemingly random connections are introduced.

Since the murder mystery is the real focus of the book, the narrator is David’s third person point of view. There are a handful of scenes from Chris’ point of view and a few awkward view shifts mid-scene, but this is really David’s book. Following step by step as he works to solve the murders while simultaneously trying to save his relationship with Chris. David’s struggle with temptation, his annoyance with Chris’ bitchy behavior, and later his fear of losing his lover all present a very nice contrast to the day to day detail of police life. This helps humanize David and shows the personal side of his personality, a side that is rarely ever shown during his investigation. Although the relationship drama and fidelity test are welcome and very nicely drawn, none of these scenes really offer in depth characterization. All of the characters introduced are given enough outline to be recognized, but nothing goes further than at best a two dimensional characterization. Chris is especially absent and deserved more than the few scenes he’s given.

Part of this problem ties into the too easy resolution for the relationship aspect. Since the murder mystery is drawn out and includes a lengthy gun/chase scene at the end, the lesser back story of David’s relationship drama is resolved in about a paragraph. The quick and easy resolution had me wondering why that didn’t happen 200 pages ago when the issue was first brought up. Here Chris’ character is contradictory as he waffles from moment to moment and ultimately capitulates without any real prompting. Given this happened after 350 pages of police drama, I can understand wanting to wrap up the remaining emotional issue nice and easy, but it lacked any real romantic satisfaction. Hopefully the next book will even the focus on both men and give both men the additional depth and characterization they deserve.

The pace is mostly even with a lot of action and prolonging suspense. Some of these scenes are over the top slightly and didn’t necessarily need to be added as there is a sense of the plot getting chaotic at one point. However stick with it as the book evens out and the murders slowly start to form a common thread. The additional fourth murder and its implications could have been dropped entirely in my opinion and I would have rather seen David deal with all the problems without such an easy out but this is definitely a personal preference. Most readers won’t mind the added element and it does eventually weave itself into the main plot. There are a few too many rhetorical questions asked which have a tendency to annoy and a few too many random slang words thrown in that don’t really match the dialogue. However, these minor qualms do not take away from the book.

Overall this is another solid installment in the police procedural series and I look forward to the next one. Even if the story gets slightly confusing, stay with it and the plot will weave itself together very well. This sequel stands well on its own and does not need to be read with the first book; in fact there are a few erroneous details about the timeline that don’t match the previous book. So this is a great one to pick up on its own if you’re looking for a solid, engaging detail orientated book.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I must say that I'm very impressed of this book. P.A. Brown writes crime and police procedure very well, that this should be classified more than just "gay mystery". It's as good as other detective/mystery books I've read that involve non-gay heroes. The issue with human trafficking, molestation, force of prostitution is very good. The answer of the murder is a very good twist. And the last scene with the bad guy feels like an action movie.

And now ont the relationship part ... I'd like to think that this is David's book. How he deals with temptation in form of a new partner. I'm not justifying his action, it IS crossing the border of infidelity. I'm happy that Chris confronts him and not easily accept his apology like a doormat. But at the same time, I'm glad that this happens. Because it's not just happily ever after. I'd say that this brings David and Chris to a different level in their relationship. They talk about it, they face the issue, and they can triumph over it. So, even if I'm so annoyed at David -- I'm satisfied with the ending. A solid book and I definitely find a new favorite author. Can't wait for book #3 (L.A. Bytes) because I think that one will be Chris's book.

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn't get one because I liked the next two a bit more... I hate cheating though.

[Tj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. The characters were solid and real. I thought the conflict that developed actually helped their relationship and finally pushed David into total commitment. He always seemed to hang on to that little bit of shame. The plot was well written. The twists and turns of the case were unexpected. I felt for David even while calling him an idiot, to me this marks a well executed character. A very enjoyable read:)

[SA · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really creepy murder mystery, on par with any CSI episode. I was surprised at how strong the forensic science is in this and the subsequent book--Brown really gets her stuff.

I was a bit sketch about the whole David and Jairo on the d/l part, not because I didn't believe that someone wouldn't make a move on David but more that the whole married bi smoking hot detective that just happens to show up as David's partner and won't take no for an answer was just a little too pat. And Chris was a pissy bitch, which actually is believable but made me want to skip ahead to the part where he wasn't changing the locks because some dude he didn't know lied to him.

I'm of two minds on this series, because I like David and Chris and the homicide mysteries are detailed and actually a bit surprising, there's never enough emotional development to make me believe what the main characters do in their relationship. You spend three hundred pages driving a wedge through your characters after stating they've been together and happy for four years, and then have them go through something massively traumatic and then David proposes and it's all magically better?

Maybe that's a fundamental suspension of disbelief I'm missing for a quasi-romance novel, but if there had been at least five pages of actually discussing their relationship and resolving their problems instead of wham-bam-marry-your-man it would have made it significantly more believable and enjoyable.

Still not a bad series for the genre, though, whether you're talking about gay fiction or homicide mysteries.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am struggling between 4 stars and 5 stars rating here, because as a police procedural mystery, this sequel is even better than LA Heat. The plot more complicated and tightly plotted. However, since I spent the larger part of the book being angry with the main hero David, I admit I feel a bit let down by the romance part of it.

SPOILERS: Oh, don't worry... heart(s) got broken, but the two that meant to be together will be together. It's just an very angsty ride. It doesn't help that David was being tempted by his new partner, Jairo, who is rather nasty in some parts of his character. Having said that, PA Brown again created excellent flawed characters. Jairo is a good cop and eager to learn, while at the same time, he's almost malicious in his attempt to ruin David and Chris' relationship. I am very invested in both David and Chris, so it's hard not to wish bad things happen to Jairo...

A must for readers who love LA Heat and yes, I think we need a book 3 because David has so much to make up to Chris.

[Matthew Vandrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was better than the previous installment. The case David was working on was as much dramatic as the crisis in his relationship with Chris. However, both main protags and Jairo were the same - selfish, stupid, unable to communicate and when it comes to sex, reduced to drooling zombies. How was I supposed to like them? I didn't.
The ending killed it for me, too. Jairo's out of picture and there is a huge and teary reconciliation brought to a completely new level in the final chapter. I really didn't buy it.
Still, the book is well-written with very thorough research (although I really doubt Ukrainians would ever root for Russians in a soccer match; they would root for ANY team EXCEPT Russians) and I enjoyed the crime aspect much more than the romance subplot.

[Betryal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow a 4 year time frame jump from the last book. Be ready for it.

This isn't the first book and not the last so if you've read out of sync/order and reading this first it's plain it's simple that you're whacked.

All I can say here is: DAVID IS A BLOODY WANKER!

Other than... it's an amazing story and must keep going which means... LA Bytes here I come!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good gay mystery with a titch of romance in which I wanted to smack David for 90% of the book; for the other 10%, I wanted to smack Chris.

[Spiderorchid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give this a higher rating but I was so disgusted with parts of this book that I just couldn't. So what happened?

First, the mystery is excellent. That storyline, from the moment they find the first body until the well written action sequence at the end, was tightly plotted and full of suspense. It's an original take on the forced-protitution angle with some cruel but fascinating twists and lots of good dialogue and detailed but well-paced detecting. A five-star rating, easily.

And then there's the romance. Oh my. Let's recap: in the first book of this series David, the police detective, and Chris, a computer specialist, became a couple. When this book starts they have been together for more than four years. They are both around or nearing middle age, so one could expect mature behaviour. Or not. As it turns out, a subplot involving David and a younger colleague who tries to seduce David results in Chris turning into a hysterical teenager and throwing a fit and David out of their house, including changing the locks, because he can never trust him again. I should mention that David never even slept with the other man, just was attracted to him AND he told Chris about this, believing in honesty. Apart from being extremely unrealistic this plotline felt like something out of a cheap romance novel, definitly not something I want to read in a crime novel, be it m/m or not. Add to that the fact that throughout the book David is the one at fault who has to appologize over and over again, feeling "not worthy" of being Chris' lover and an incredibly cheesy ending scene with a wedding and everyone in tears and I have another author I'm crossing off of my "to read" list.

I really enjoyed the first book, "L.A. Heat. It was a great mystery with a believable love story. With this volume, P.A. Brown has shown that she still writes great mysteries, but her love story now drowns in romance clichés.

[jules0623 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the problem with this book was that it was set four years after the last one. Now, while that's a perfectly fine leap in time for a third book normally, this series hasn't show the growth in the MC's relationship that's needed to really wring an emotional response from the reader. Infidelity is gutting for me to read, particularly when I like the characters, but I was more 'meh' about it here. I figured out that it was because the characters - David, especially - were still in the same mindset they were in the last book (four years earlier). Normally, couples grow together but they seemed to have stagnated here so David cheating wasn't all that big of a surprise.

The crime story didn't hold my interest this time either, and I was annoyed by the ending, tbh. :( The best part about this story was the friendship between Des and Chris. I would have really liked to see Des recover and move on though, and was sad we missed out on that.

[DaisyGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Holy wow. Now that's what I'm talkin' bout! This installment blew my socks off, which is saying a lot considering the super-close-borderline-actually-over-the-line infidelity issue. I loathed David's poor judgment and weakness (albeit not total failure) in staving off temptation. I wanted to strangle the shit out of Lothario Jairo sometimes. And, my heart bled for Chris. It all worked out in the end (although I was sad for Lothario Jairo and his family but I did feel that David got off a little easy ... ESPECIALLY considering he LIED to Chris about never seeing Jairo again! UGH! How can one begin to think to rebuild trust on a lie. I'm sorry but that's fucking retarded..

Bottom line: Where's book 4!?!? I can't find it anywhere!!!

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the last 100 sites the crime case was boring for me. I wanted to know how David and Chris fix their relationship...I was happy about the end, but it was too quick and unbelievable - for me, too bad.
I love those guys, but sometimes I have the feeling David does not love Chris very much.
His life is all about his work. Wouldn't he want to spent more time with the guy he loves?
All he does is work all the time. :(
I don't get him...

[Elisa Rolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

2010 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)

[R.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The crime investigation was somewhat lengthy in this book but I love those guys, so 5* rating is for them *lol*

[Nic · Rating 1 out of 5]

*SPOILERS*
Normally, I appreciate a well developed plot to go along with my M/M romance read. However, Brown was so laser-focused on the crime in this book that the romantic aspect of it fell to the wayside and was basically neglected for 90% of the story. In fact, I was so eager to know what would happen between Chris and David that I ended up skimming through quite a bit of the crime portion of the story because it was in the way of the part of the book that I was invested in. Boneyard lacked balance between Chris and David's relationship and David's work, and that was detrimental to the whole story because the brief scenes that did involve the couple or just Chris seemed glossed over, as if Brown were in a hurry to get back to the crime plot.

And as for David, what an asshole. He had no excuse and let himself be manipulated by Jairo. And nothing he did to apologize or make it up to Chris was enough in my eyes. I found it unbelievable that Chris would take him back. And when Chris did finally take him back, the scene was so anti-climatic, so brief, and so underwhelming that I was completely disappointed. And that ending was ludicrous. "Hi, I cheated and lied to you, so lets get married because that will solve all of our problems." WTF?

Brown has a habit of including one character who is so one-dimensional, so completely unlikable that there's almost no reaction when something terrible happens to that person. In book one, it was Kyle, and in this one it was Jairo. He deliberately pursued someone he knew was in a loving relationship and damn near destroyed that relationship and did not care one bit about that or the wife he had waiting for him at home. What a despicable asshole. Totally got what he deserved.

I think I need to stop reading this series now because the last two have pissed me off so much that I think anymore books would just be hate reads at this point.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine book in the series. I've become fully invested in Detective David Lane and his lover, Chris Bellamere, though this novel will absolutely tug at your heartstrings! Well plotted mystery and exciting thriller!

[B.K. Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

L.A. Boneyard by P.A. Brown is absolutely astounding! If you're a murder and mystery fan you are surely going to love this book! Captivating from start to finish, it's a must read!

David Eric Laine is a homicide detective of the Northeast Community Police Department in Los Angeles. When two bodies turn up in a local park, Detective Laine begins his pursuit to find the killer, with his new homicide partner Jairo Hernandez.

With no clues as to who these women are, and a new partner, this case proves to bring chaos into David's life. As the investigation pursues, his partner shows increased interest, more than in just the case at hand.

When a third murder almost kills David's life partner, Chris, Chris is sent away on business. In the days of Chris's absence, Jairo becomes more persistent in his advances. David struggles with his morality and desires, trying to maintain professional boundaries while trying to solve these murders.

Trying to keep the investigation the main focus, the only clue into these deaths are dental work and tattoos all the deceased possess. When they narrow down there search to claim identities, they uncover a smuggling and prostitution ring with a surprising twist.

L.A. Boneyard is phenomenal! Full of suspense, murder, mystery and even explicit sex, Brown left nothing out! What more could you ask for in one book? I strongly recommend this book and I believe Brown could possibly be the next J.D. Robb. I think we can expect to see much more from P.A. Brown. I loved this read and I give L.A. Boneyard *****1/2 (5.5) Stars~BK Walker from BK Walker Books, Author of "Near Suicide" and "Dares And Dreams". http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com

[OkayKim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this murder mystery, had me doing the constant page turner thingy. As for the relationship though, I just wanted to shake Chris and tell him to grow up! After being with David for 4 years, well lets put it like this, David might as well have done fully what he was accused of. At least, the punishment would have fit the crime. I'm surprised that after knowing Chris through the last 2 books, that he was such a coward. If I'd been Chris I would have confronted Jairo (had that chance in the last meeting between the two) and made a big stink about him coming on to my boyfriend. After what he did with David, why should Jairo have gotten off so easy. Although, Jairo did suffer the ultimate punishment for stupidity.
Chris and David both had some serious problems with communicating with each other. Hope it has improved by the next book. Would have given this a 5 star except for the relationship part of the story. Great murder mystery and suspense.

[Rie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5

Reading this book felt like watching criminal tv series like Bones or Castle. It was so enganging that I finished it in a day (thank god I wasn't that busy at work).

I would give it a solid five star if not for the ending for Jairo. With that kind of ending for Jairo, we couldn't know how David resolve his own problem toward Jairo. I wanted to know more about that.

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think so far this is my favorite of the series. I felt so bad for Chris this book, he was far less annoying then he had in previous books. Also I can't believe that David couldn't have said anything to his boss about the new D harassing him, that part was a hard pill to swallow.

[Lori S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brown just gets better as she goes. This one's gruesome, with a nasty twist for the characters. I felt bad that David Laine's new partner, Jairo Hernandez, bought it in a way that was just a little too obvious, I wanted him gone from the picture, just not that way.

[Minne · Rating 5 out of 5]

simply brilliant - the entire series is as good.

[Miriki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised at the details of the forensic works. Sadly the romance was lacking something. After the rollercoster the ending was a meh for me.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book of the series so far. Although, I did want to hurt David for the first half of the book.

[Okidli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5