Three Nick Nowak Mysteries

Boystown #1

by Marshall Thornton

A former police officer turned private investigator, Nick Nowak is haunted by his abrupt departure from the department, as well as, the traumatic end of his relationship with librarian Daniel Laverty. In these three stories set in Chicago during the early eighties, Nick locates a missing young man for a mysterious client, solves a case of arson at a popular nightspot, and goes undercover to prove a dramatic suicide was actually murder.When he isn't detecting, and sometimes when he is, Nick moves through a series of casual relationships. But his long suppressed romantic side surfaces when he meets Detective Bert Harker. Will he give love another chance? Or, will he continue to bury himself in the arms of strangers?Finalist Lambda Literary Award - Gay MysteryThis book is intended for mature audiences.

Genres: Mystery, M M Romance, Crime, Historical, Audiobook, LGBT, Gay

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2009

About the author

Three-time Lambda Award-winning author, Marshall Thornton is best known for the Boystown and Pinx Video mystery series. Other novels include the erotic comedy The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood, Desert Run and Full Release. Marshall has an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he received the Carl David Memorial Fellowship and was recognized in the Samuel Goldwyn Writing awards.

Member Mystery Writers of America

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Reviews

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

4.35 stars

“If there is a God, he’s a son of a bitch. If he wanted to do us a favor he would have made raw carrots and bean sprouts as appealing as a fatty, fried sandwich and a Marlboro.”



Well! Well! Well! This is different!

I am going to try and write something. I might as well go ahead and lay it all out.

So, the thing is if you are a strict mm-romance reader, you are not going to like this book at all, reason being, there is no romance at all! our mc is promiscuous and he loves to have sex, i mean lots of sex, doesn't matter as long as you got dick, Just lube up and good to go! Nick must be a real catch. The sex scenes are just that, no emotions or anything, just a means to an end.

Like most guys, I’m a sucker for easy sex and a fast buck. Unlike most guys, I should know better.

BUT! BUT!

If you can bend genres and try to overlook all that, then you are in for a GREAT well written story. This book is so well written, the mysteries are engaging and our MC Nick Nowack is interesting enough to keep you going.

Nick is our main narrator, he is a PI, we follow him as he tries to solve some mysteries around Chicago town. His tone is sarcastic, funny and he can be an a**hole when he wants to be. I like him a lot.

I have been looking for a story set in the 80’s that comes close to truly representing that era, and for now I think I have found the one. This story happens in the 80s before the AIDS disaster became public knowledge, bigotry and gay bashing is high. Being a gay cop is like the worst crime you can commit. And Vaseline is lube, I still don’t get that, but it is part of the story so just roll with it.

I know somewhere along Nick’s journey there will be loss, heartbreaks, love, emotional sex , more great mysteries to solve and I will be here for all that.

Ok! What I am trying to say is this book is worth reading! Just remember it is not MM romance.

[LenaRibka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before you decide to read the series, please, read Marshall Thornton's Blog M/M Romance Vs. Gay Fiction where he explains the difference between a gay fiction and a mm-romance.
It is not a romance book.



4,5 stars!!!

I. AM. SOOOOOO. IMPRESSED.



I am sooooooo in love with the plot, with the main character Nick Nowak, with the refreshing amazing writing of Marshall Thornton!
I am soooo happy I found this author!
Thanks GOD, you heard me.

I've read a lot of cop's romances last time, about closet cops, outed cops, cops living and working in the past, present or set in a fantasy world. I am sucker for this kind of stories. Because mostly you get not only an exciting romance but also a thrilling plot. A good mixture, I like it this way. But all these books have a lot of similarities, a typical schema. Boystown stands out from them.

It is NOT a typical candy suspense romance.
And Nick Nowak is not a typical detective. The whole book is written in 1-st person. If an author can do it, it is my favourite way of telling. And Marshall Thornton is an excellent first-person-POV's teller. His writing is FANTASTIC!! Witty, refreshing, intense, a brilliant mixture of sex and suspense.

The series takes place in Chicago in the early 80s, the pre-AIDS wild time. And the first book includes 3 parts, 3 cases-

Little Boy Found.
Little Boy Burned.
Little boy Fallen.

-that per se are not connected but we meet some already known characters.

Not a typical plot structure, but it is an interesting and a perfect way to show Nick in different situations. Because....HE IS the main attraction here, he is the main figure of the series, everything revolves around him. Nick is a lone wolf, an ex-cop and now a private investigator, a testosterone cannon. He is not in love. He doesn't want to fall in love. And there is a reason for it.


I love EVERYTHING about this book. And I am so happy that there are further 4 instalments for this series, because right now I can't have enough of it and I am hooked. Yeah, I want more!!!

Highly highly recommended!!!!

It was a stroke of luck for me that I discovered this series,totally by chance, browsing through Rosa's shelves. Thank you, Rosa!!!

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars. Review completed September 1, 2014

That's Nick. Always prepared (I'm not talking about protection).


First off I'd like to say that I've read and enjoyed gay fiction before. Although considering my rating, you can guess that Boystown and the infamous Nick Nowak weren't my cup of tea. I'm so friggin' peeved right now, mainly because I've read tons of mediocre or really, really crappy books this year and good ole Nick pushed me into yet another friggin' book funk. It. Sucks. Big. Time. I dislike Nick very much. First thing I thought after finishing this book was "I need a break. What the fuck am I doing on this site?" People are gushing over books left and right and I can't seem to choose a great book lately. Do I have such high standards? I don't think so. Isn't it ridiculous that reading a few bad books in a row can influence my life so substantially?

Friendly warning
I will drop the F-bomb. Repeatedly. What I will say is this: apologies to everyone who feels offended by my language. Don't take it personally because I really, really, really need to vent.

The sex in Boystown is beyond bad. Man sees other man. Unpacks his dick. Compares the two dicks. Longer, shorter, curvier, pinker. (Ja, ja, aus würds mi interessiere wär vo dene z'dünnere Wienerli het). You don't need to compare a dick, you need to know how to use it (don't bother, that's not the translation of my Swiss German). Sorry, I got side-tracked. Lubes up dick and hole. Sticks dick in hole. Push, push, push. Groan. Pulls out (sometimes not). Jerks off. Jizz splatters on chest or over hand. Or on a wall. Whatever. Rinse, repeat. Rinse, repeat. Rinse repeat, etc. In between a couple BJs. Pathetic is what I call that.


You know what's actually really sad is the fact that the writing was good. But Nick ruined every-f@cking-thing. And somewhere along the way I got really bored due to the story lines which didn't engage me at all. Plus, once in a while I had to check my toes because I was afraid they would suffer from frostbite due to the freezing atmosphere of Boystown. Detached asshole meets reader on the verge of book funk and pushes her over the edge right into a f@cking black hole of misery. Excuse me while I'm having a little emotion here.

So, yeah, I think I'm entitled to this...


Anyway, let me get down to business.

I understand that this series is set in the early 80s, thus a whole lotta f@cking without protection. Ok, I get that. I suppose Nick is going to lose a few of his former fucks to AIDS over the next few years. Nick's need to staying closeted for his entire life…ok, I get that too (again, the 80s thingie). Hmm…probably not. Keep on reading and you'll know why I didn't get it.

But then when his (ex) boyfriend got so terribly hurt (I mean he could have died, they escaped due to sheer luck and coincidence), Nick left him without a second thought because Daniel insisted on reporting the attack to the police. Nick "advised" Daniel to cover up the assault but he refused to do so. Granted, Nick was afraid of losing his existence. After all, he'd been a gay police officer during the 80s. I kinda get that too. On second thought: Nope, I don't get it. Nick had feelings for Daniel. He had a really good life with Daniel and if I got that right then he was even in love with him. That's why I find his act even more cowardly not to stand up for his boyfriend. What the f@ck would he have done if Daniel had gotten killed? Would he have buried the body somewhere or would he have told the police that Daniel had suffered from a heart attack and a bunch of aliens had ravaged his friggin' face/head body? My opinion has been reinforced because I just read a collection of poetry whose subject matter is pretty much ugly and terrifying and compared to what other people are suffering in this world, Nick having been 'forced' to reveal his sexuality is a very small issue.

Don't mind my crazy musings, though. It's all about venting, right? Ok, he left him and started his PI business and cut out his heart and acted like a cold, heartless, and unemotional bastard. After all, the poor sod had to protect his non-existent feelings. He's doing his PI work, is getting harassed by his former police coworkers and his 'dear' family members and starts having random hook-ups; lots of random hook-ups, that is. When he feels an itch then he needs someone to scratch it. I mean…yeah, let's f@ck, shall we? Pffftt. No biggie. No, scratch that. It is a big deal to me. I ended up f@cking annoyed! He sees a guy and f@cks him. And then what peeved me so damn much is the fact that he has such f@cking high standards when it comes to receiving BJs. He has no patience for men who are too reluctant. Mind you, he expects to be sucked off throughly and deep-throated, but here's the big deal: Nick gives really crappy head himself and he's aware of that minor detail! Cut down your standards, you moron! You don't have any business to expect anything special if you can't return the favor! Geez, I need a breather otherwise I'm going to combust!

The sex in this story must have been among the worst I've read in a darn long time. No chemistry. Nada. Zilch. It was terribly clinical and mechanical. Again, I don't mind random hook-ups IF THERE IS CHEMISTRY BETWEEN TWO INDIVIDUALS. Sex without love works just fine for me. In this story, however, there is so much terribly bad sex that provoked this kind of thought from me: Not even halfway through the book, I couldn't give a f@ck about it anymore.



Maybe it's time to point out that I read the entire book. After so many DNFs it's worth mentioning.

The personal highlight must have been at 51 %. Yikes. Let's have a little party, shall we? They swallowed a nice pill, got high and Nick proceeded along these lines: "Follow me, boys", and off they went into his bedroom and had a crappy threesome. Jesus Christ on a friggin' crutch! Spare me please.

Also, what I've noticed is that Nick is unethical and immoral when it comes to his work technique. Anything to solve a case, right? I mean…yeah…f@ck this shit, Nick can f@ck anyone who walks on two legs, whether this person is a friend/buddy/roommate of a victim or a detective or whatever. Oh, and it's always nice to have a little bit of meat on the side, just to keep you warm during the dark nights. Did you hear my sarcasm? To make matters worse, Nick also came off as somewhat incompetent. And why was it necessary to mention in every mystery that Nick is six-foot three and weighs a steady two-ten? BTW, the moustache didn't influence my rating but I sure as heck had to wipe it off my memory because, honestly, some men rock beards big time (which is fine by me) but a moustache is definitely a big fat no-go.

During the last few pages of Boystown I was like…"I can't even…" One of the biggest pet peeves ever. An injured (and convalescing) protagonist is having sex. Hey, it did hurt a bit but once again Nick was happy to hang out his meat. Sorry, he didn't hang it out, he was happy to put his pole into Harker's hole. Nice ride. Not. Don't get me wrong, I could practically smell that would happen eventually but that doesn't mean that I have to like it!

Best thing about the book? Nick acknowledging that he's an asshole. Isn't there a saying about acceptance is the first step toward change? Happy redeeming journey, Nick, but most probably without me. Bottom line, when I can't give a flying f@ck about the main protagonist then it's a lost cause. I hope Nick is going to choke on his next dick.

Rant over.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 2 out of 5]

**2.5 stars**

Things I know about being gay in the 80s from reading this book:

1) Apparently, Vaseline is like the ultimate lube. Everyone had a tub of it next to their nightstand. It was strange how that was the go-to for everyone.

2) People seem to have no concept of fidelity. Just an observation, but everyone seems to have an open relationship or be into casual sex.

3) The police is mean as F to you if you are gay in the 80s. Gives me the sads.

Well... this book was something else. I don't read much gay fiction, to be honest, but I enjoy it as a genre. I wasn't expecting romance in this book and I certainly didn't get it.

Nick was a character that I had trouble connecting to. He was cold, aloof, and sort of devoid of emotion. While I don't mind casual sex, I didn't really get Nick's almost pathological need to have sex whenever the opportunity arose. He would be telling the reader that some guy grossed him out or that he didn't like him, and the next thing we knew, the Vaseline would be flowing (gooping??). I didn't like how he treated people like they were disposable at times. He felt judgmental and I didn't ever get into his head-space.

Also, though the sex scenes were almost constant (yay!), they also felt very rote. They were sort of procedural feeling. What should have been hot didn't get me going at all.

In terms of the audio, I think the narrator did an okay job, but I didn't like how he didn't differentiate between the characters' voices. I also found his voice to be a bit whiny-sounding at times. Overall, he fit the character but I didn't love the performance.

The mystery was entertaining but, since I'm not a mystery lover by nature, it wasn't enough to make me like the book as a whole. I didn't dislike it by any stretch, I just don't think this series is for me.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I can really add to the reviews that are already out there but just in case...

-This is not a love story.
-This is set in 1981 before the AIDS crisis became known.
-Police corruption is common
-Intolerance and bigotry is sadly the norm.
-Safe sex is just a distant afterthought or no thought at all.
-There is drug use, menages, and a lot of eyebrow raising promiscuity. A LOT. Seriously Nick must be one helluva looker because he barely has to bat an eyelash to get every gay man on his dick - scuse my language. But really - that is no lie. I don't think he had to work for any of his dalliances; sometimes it seemed like a chore to him. Apparently he's one lucky bastard and I mean that in the kindest, most complimentary way.

So this book contains 3 short stories, peeking at the life and times of private eye Nick Nowak and the cases he comes across. He may be emotionally distant with quite a lot of baggage due to a horrible incident, but that doesn't mean he hasn't got a conscience or doesn't care. Though some actions made me uncomfortable and I might not have gotten a lot of enjoyment out of this in regards to romance/puppies/rainbows, it was still full of smart writing and I look forward to the next chapter.

[Ingie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written June 1, 2014

3.8 Stars - a hard-boiled PI with tough grunting style and many short steamy encounters in the "happy" early 1980:s - fun, entertaining, and ('take me hard') erotic

My friends Lena, Sofia and Irina all three chat a lot about this (according to them) fantastic series.
Well, it sounded interesting and I was quite soon convinced and downloaded the first audio book to read later next week. But, weak as I am couldn't I resist to not put on the play button at my iPad at once, way to late, last night.



Six hours with Marshall Thornton's Nick Nowak
in my ears and I can give a positive report. The girls are right, this is cool, bold and tough written, and by no means the least sweetened. ~ Great reading entertainment. I enjoyed every minute.

***********************************************************

The Boystown series is about the gay former police officer turned private investigator, Nick Nowak. The story is set in Chicago during the early 80:s before we knew anything about that awful disease that struck terror in the entire gay world, and all of us.

Boystown 1 consists of three short mystery stories by three different case Nick is asked to investigate. I liked them all. It was like listening to an old detective story serialized in public radio here. .. But with a lot more sex and filth of course.

‘Always be careful who you trick with. I should have that tattooed on my forehead so I can see it every morning when I shave.’

I realize that I have a weak spot for a rock hard, bitter, cynical ex-cop who glides around as a PI and take every opportunity that pops up for a quick moment of anonymous, pretty fast forgotten, steamy heat. Lucky, atleast he has a wounded heart. ~ It justifies some of my acceptance here.

An 'all guys fucking all guys' lifestyles were perhaps partly in this gay society then at the 80s. This was also the years before "intercourse protection" became common in the gay world as well. There was a lot of explicit sex, without romanticism shimmer, but still quite fun done.

Our slightly worn hero Nick, who has several male cave-man traits, generally likes to 'take' what is offered and so soon the opportunity arises.

Conclusion: This is not for moralists!

“You want to fuck me?" he asked.
"The thought crossed my mind," I replied honestly.’

Several friends warned me that these books aren't ordinary M/M romances, they should probably be labeled as gay crime fiction instead. That's true enough.

We are not even close any real romance or deep love feelings for our hero in this first part. There is some mourning about an ex-lover (Daniel Laverty), a nice fuck-buddy (Ross) and a lot of one-night-stands. Not so hopefully for a romantic lady... But then in the end turns also an quite interesting police detective up (Bert Harker). We might see more of him and Nick in future books. I cross my fingers.

***********************************************************

These three short stories about Nick Novak and his PI adventures was fun and enjoying to listening to. Brad Langer who narrated this audio book did an excellent job with his scratchy voice.
Some of my prejudices and thoughts about Chicago (mafia, industries, corruption ~ worn, gray and cold) was maybe "confirmed", but it feels like a great setting for a gay PI who is horny, hard, tough and stubborn in the search for truth.

It will surely be more books (6 parts so far) about this lovely PI, Nick Nowak for me.

I LIKE - Yep, tough and fun in the crime 'Noir' genre


~~~~~~~~~~



And a old 80s goodie song:
http://youtu.be/xQ9KuQQDEow by 'Wham'

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well damn. Despite the fact that I kind of knew what I was getting here, I still didn't know.

Set in the early 80s, Nick is a now-private investigator who lost his job as a cop, his family and his lover when he was involuntarily publicly outed. Nick doesn't intend to ever set himself up for something like that again, so he's all about the hookups. It's all about nothing but sex and Nick has a lot of it, with a lot of different people. But it's just sex. So if you're looking for romance, you're not going to find it here.

This is before AIDs became public knowledge, homophobia and gay bashing was acceptable to most. The setting and atmosphere to this story was so well done, and Nick himself is terrifically well-defined, including the glimpses here and there that maybe he doesn't feel quite as offhand as he acts.

Nick is a damn good investigator, despite the fact that he was only a beat cop before and not a detective. The story follows him around his hometown of Chicago as he works the cases that come his way, and navigates the knotty landscape of what has become his life.

All that aside, I really like Nick. He isn't hard-hearted or uncaring, he's just trying to live his life the easiest he can with the situation he's been given. Still, I get the feeling that pain is coming in his future. I'm not looking forward to that but I am looking forward to more Nick. This was my first book by Marshall Thornton, who I have been wanting to read forever *thanks Shile, LOL* and I was not disappointed!

[Meep · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not for romance fans, a hard-boiled Chicago detective happy to 'plough' any small tight body offering a fat arse! With a nice big Fireman thrown in for giggles. A lot of messed up people in a messed up world. It's gritty, unsentimental, with a definite masculine feel.

A Humphrey Bogart detective; the main character Nick isn't 'nice' he's damaged and careless; often a complete arsehole to people, and yet there's gaps in his life that have been gathering dust for two years, showing there's more there. He's a product of the times and attitudes around him. There's room for some waking up to himself, but the feel of this book is more based in reality than rosy fiction, will he get a HEA by the end of the series? Who knows, but it's going to be a damn fine adventure finding out!

Thornton is a great writer; though first person there's not pages of navel gazing introspection, analysing behaviour and making excuses. Nick isn't the type for it. Might be easier on him if he was. It's through reading the stories you get to see deeper.

The period is set through casual comments about presidents... and I'll admit my ignorance, I'm not American so it was boom-boxes and music mentions that told me this was the early eighties. But I liked how it was done, I fell straight into the world. Cassettes, Payphones, Typewriters! how times have changed.

I can understand why some people wont like this character and why these books wont work for everyone. Nick never turns down casual sex, and this is pre-aids scare unprotected. 'Tricks' might have wives, and boyfriends. It's not about soft warm feelings, those Nick runs from, while he'll face down one of the 'outfit' with little hesitation. I knew it wasn't going to be a HEA in the style I crave and that put me off, despite my feed exploding with good reviews (*cough* Lena) But there's something here. Something great. I want to know how Nick's mind works, if he'll ever open to a relationship - where this book ends there's possibilities, if we'll ever meet Daniel and whether that would be a good or bad thing.

The book is made up of three separate stories and can be read separately though they follow nicely into each other. The mysteries are good too. Definitely recommend giving these a try. I'm starting the next book this evening :)

[Moony Eliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is quite good, but I have to say that I wasn't particularly hooked with this first volume. However, I've seen enough friends' reviews to make it clear that the volumes keep getting better, so I will definitely continue. The narrative voice feels very noir, which I'm digging.

[Argona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please note that this is actually my review for the entire series so far, including books 1 to 8. I decided to post my review for the first installment of the series to encourage others like myself who might have trouble getting into this series.

I had a rather unique experience with this series. It took me a long time to warm up to Nick and his stories; stories that are dark and realistically written and reminded me of classic and old detective stories.

I think it’s important to note that this book is gay-fiction, not M/M romance. To my knowledge, gay-fiction is more focused on individual journeys of characters than their romantic relationships. These two genres are considered different by many and are written differently. Knowing the differences would probably help to avoid any genre-related disappointments and read this book with the right attitude.

The story takes place in Chicago and during early 80s, when unfortunately; AIDS epidemic is starting to make an appearance, terrifying the whole world. Prepare yourself for cruel family members, a prejudiced society and bashing, corrupted cops, mafia, unhealthy lifestyles, many one night stands, AIDS and generally a dark time for gay community. But there is also friendship, camaraderie and sweet romance hidden under these dark layers.

Nick Nowak and his stories are not very typical. I had trouble connecting with Nick’s character. Infidelity darkens my first impression of characters. Also, too many sex-scenes are a turn-off for me in any book. But readings my friends’ reviews, I decided to keep reading and I am so glad that I did.

I think if you grow to like Nick, you come to love his stories. He is hard, aloof, bitter, cynical, mean, horny, avoids love like it’s a plague and has commitment issues for understandable reasons. But he is also loyal, honorable, kind at heart and simply wants to be left at peace. Deep inside, he actually does want love and a happy domestic life, but thanks to bitter experiences, he thinks such desires are unwise and such life is almost impossible for a gay man.

Reading book after book, I warmed up to Nick’s character and began to better understand his morality, his commitment issues, and even his mean behavior. I simply came to love him! After finishing each book, I was in so much haste to read the next one. I was at the edge of my seat, wondering about possibilities, from how his relationship with his lovers, old friends and acquaintances might change and develop to how his ongoing cases might turn out and affect him in the long run.

I care about him so damn much, now! I need him to find something close to happiness and peace. I want it for him so badly! And yet, I am afraid that the worst is yet to come!

In conclusion, I am really glad I decided to be persistent and to keep on reading. It’s not an easy read, but it’s definitely worth the effort. I can’t wait to get my hands on the 9th book!

[Rosa, really · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-re-relisten: Seriously, Nick Nowak gets laid more than anyone has gotten laid in the history of getting laid. I am never not impressed by that. And by this series in general (probably should've led with that--oh well!).

*************************************************

I really like Brad Langer's narration. Nick Nowak is a heavy smoker (except when he's trying to quit) and Brad sounds like a smoker (or a former one). This gives a rough tone, not too gravelly, to Nick's voice.

My review of the booky book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I couldn’t help but feel my life was changing, shifting, turning into something it hadn’t been for a very long time. And strangely, that was all right with me.”

Marshall Thornton’s Boystown introduces us to Chicago private eye Nick Nowak with three separate mysteries. Even though each story revolves around one case, the timeline connects and flows right into the next one. With a realistic, no bullshit, waste no words style, Nick talks and guides readers through each mystery, his life, and the ins & outs of Chicago in the early 1980s.

Thornton tallies up the time perfectly with details, politics, sex, and tone. You can smell the remnants of disco in the air. The sex was wild and reckless. Not a condom in sight. The 80s show up on the page in so many ways—the Gipper, tight Calvin Kleins, and boom boxes! But so is Chicago. Nick fit with Chicago. I wish I could explain why, but it was something about Nick’s voice and the city’s hard, gritty ways that just suited each other. They felt good together. I could feel Chicago move and breathe. Trips on the El, bars, jazz, and corruption. From the icy, snow covered sidewalks to the rosy color in a guy’s cold, cold cheeks! You will feel this city, time, and Nick’s pain in the words he says and doesn’t say and in the people he sees and doesn’t see anymore. Nick maybe up and about, working, and living, but he’s limping around with one hell of a hole in his heart.

“Love isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes it makes a mess of people’s lives.”

It really surprised me how much I liked Nick. On one level I knew I would -- I have a huge soft spot for old school detectives. Stakeouts, smokes, booze, and sex. Come on! What’s not to love and fall for? Being in Nick’s head felt very natural and real to me. Real pain and loneliness that he doesn’t know how to face, fix, or talk about. So he doesn’t. Nick avoids thinking about his broken heart and problems like a champ! But he’s honest. He works hard. Hits the streets asking the dumb questions and getting the job done. With patience, persistence, and luck, Nick figures out the angles and sees the truth behind the mysteries. Mysteries that felt so simple, but realistic. Jobs that involved the classics--greed, lies, and jealousy—but still managed to surprise me. Every time! I was following the stories and evidence right along with Nick and BAM! The truth was right there. Right in front of me the whole time in pieces. Nick picks them up and puts it all to together with us watching over his shoulder. I loved it!

Before I shuffle off for more Nick mysteries though, I have to praise the writing. Thornton’s style is so direct and easy to read that I almost missed its brilliance. I adored lines like—“her hair was done up in a way that had probably gotten a lot of attention during the Eisenhower administration”. Haha…His words paint a picture for me. The characters and places come to life in a line or two. The sex comes alive in just a few words. The sex could be rough and dirty. Sucking, thrusting and pounding! But could also turn to warmth and emotion with a gasp, nuzzle, or soft kiss on each eyelid. Mr. Thornton has a gift. The skill to pull readers in to each and every scene with a straightforward, genuine, sexy voice.

“You can have something to remember me by any time you want to come by.”

Can’t wait for more!

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3,5 stars*

It is true what so many other reviews have said before:
This is different.
It is certainly not a romance, and the setting in the 80s comes with some nostalgia as well as some “omg”s and “I can’t believe that this (anything from food, opinions, sex …) was ever okay”.

For me the first instalment in this series felt very much like setting the scene. And the way the author does this is quite … different. 😉 The writing is mainly factual to the point of clinical.
Nick (we only get his POV) tells us in a very reserved, if not impersonal way about his work and private life. He’s almost listing his activities, with only very little feeling involved. To me it felt like he is detached from everything.

And that particularly includes the frequent hook-ups he collects while he is doing his detective stuff. It seems that whatever case he’s working there are guys galore (and some of them half-clad, how convenient! 😁) waiting for him – virtually with a jar of Vaseline in their hands – to be done by him. And when it happens it’s like in and out and over. Wow. Quite different.

Whether this is deliberate by the author to show in a subliminal way that Nick has not really dealt with what happened to him and his ex-boyfriend, that he is emotionally unavailable and withdraws in work and mindless sex OR whether this is simply how Marshall Thornton writes, will be a puzzle to be resolved in the following books. Which I will definitely go for.

Because despite of it all – Nick is a good guy. He’s had a hell of a time in the not so distant past and he deserves better than he got. I wonder if Bret is the man to help him there!

Different, but interesting!

[Skye Blue ☆*~ﾟლ(´ڡ`ლ)~*☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick, you dirty little slut! =)

I've been reading a lot of P.I. books lately. Most have been little to NO sex, so I was expecting the same here. Boy was I mistaken. Hey, that's not a bad thing. It's a BONUS! I loved it. The story was good, the mystery interesting. Throw in some hot sex, and I'm a happy girl, and boy does Nick get around!

I think I'm hooked. I hadn't planned on reading the next book for a couple months, but I think I might just have to bump it up on the list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
re-read

Pretty much the same reaction as the first time around...only this time I knew what I was in for.

GO NICK!

No matter how promiscuous Nick gets, it never bothers me. Instead of the normal eye rolls, I'm end up cheering him on...Go Nick, Go Nick!


Considering that I hate historicals...it's funny that this series is my favorite comfort read.

I didn't pay much attention to the mention of Magnum P.I. the first time around, but I paid more attention this time...just because I picture Nick looking like Tom Selleck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
re-read 1/19/18
Oh Nick, I love you.
Now that I've gotten further in the series, it's nice to see the Nick I fell in love with.
I've seen people give up on this series after one book, because they think it's full of cheating. They are missing out.

This isn't a romance. Oh, the series has romance...not so much in this book, but in the future.
The first several books are full of sex. Let's face it, Nick's a slut. But the series isn't a series of sex sex sex. Nick grows, falls in love, learns life lessons. This series is the story of his life...not just his romance. People don't usually find their life mate and live hea in a day. They have life experience that ready them. They mature. This is just the start of Nick's story. I hope that people who dislike cheating a promiscuity in books, hang in there. This book is good, but the series as a whole is fantastic.

I'm going to enjoy Nick's promiscuity again, while it lasts. I think my previous 2 reviews still hold true to my feelings.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The three novellas in this book comprise three cases for PI Nick Nowak. They are imbued with the feel of the era in which they are set - pre-AIDS in the early eighties in Chicago. Being gay is no longer illegal, but it does lead to harassment, some of it from the authorities themselves. In this brief span of time, when gay sex is not a death risk from either law or disease, it's a more casual thing. "We're guys, it feels good, why not..?" Although there are longterm gay relationships, including Nick's failed disaster of a relationship with his ex-boyfriend Daniel a year and a half earlier, there is also a lot of casual "We're both gay - let's fuck" sex.

Nick tells himself he's content with available hot bodies, and his investigative career, but there is a wistfulness that pervades his stories. He's never had closure on what happened with Daniel, he lost his police job and his fellow boys in blue now harass him periodically, and for all his casual sex, he's clearly unsatisfied and searching. The last novella ends with a possibility for more, and I will be moving quickly to book 2 (stories 4-6) to see what happens.

The cases are interesting, not complex, but plausible. To me, they serve more as a very good framework for the progression of Nick as a man, and for the exposition of a time and place that would change, drastically, in a very short span of time. Recommended.

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I immediately went to book 2 and left no words of wisdom here.

I immediately went to book 2 are the only words of wisdom I have.

Kinda says it all, yeah?

[LenaRibka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible

I don't do re-read normally. I have a re-read shelf, but it has more a symbolical character, it's a way to show how much I enjoyed a book. Well, I did a re-read already but it is a big exception.

I am not sure that listening to an audio book after you've already read a book falls in the category re-read.
I think that if a narrator doesn't match you, you might even regret to listen to it. But if he does it perfectly, it could be a great experience that opens totally new perspectives. I wish I could have more of audio books, in the first place of the books I like, but the English audio books are unfortunately so ridiculously expensive in Germany, that I'd most likely won't have too many of them.

I've got this audio book as a gift from Marshall Thornton and I'm so grateful for it. Because I most probably won't buy it myself(the reason I already explained) and because a narrator Brad Langer and Nick Nowak's POV fit PERFECTLY together, and I just want to say, that my second READ -actually it was listening to- of Boystown series, when I know already how it goes on, was not less thrilling but even more exciting.

I. LOVE. BOYSTOWN.

My original review to the first book of the series.

[KatieMc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ack... I loved this! Chicago, early 1980s, quaaludes, and the hot guys in bikini underwear! I cannot even begin to tell you all the buttons Nick Nowak pushes for me. While I am a confirmed Californian now, I grew up in the Chicago area and spent many impressionable years there, so I feel like Nick and I have something in common. Jane Byrne, yep, I lived through the blizzard that got her elected mayor. So when Nick talks about parking his Plymouth Duster on the street, there is more to it than just avoiding the weekly street cleaning tickets. Marshall Thornton's setting for Nick Nowack is perfectly authentic. Which brings me to Nick, who is perfect and unapologetic about who he is. He's a dude who likes other dudes and likes to get off. If an opportunity comes up, why pass it up? At this point in history pre-AIDS there really isn't any reason to hold back. Nick spent many years in the closet, and coming out cost him both career and love. He has managed to build a new career with his PI business. As for love, maybe it's in the cards for him, but for now, Nick is just fine.

Side note, when I was in college, I worked retail in men's wear. I sold Levis, Member's Only jackets, Le Tigre polo shirts (the poor man's izod), and lots of Jockey underwear. Striped bikini briefs that came in a tube. They were hot!

[Rosa, really · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confessions of a Romance Reader; or why you need to read this fucking series already, ok? Great. Thank you.


I was planning on writing a well thought out & cohesive essay on why, as a romance reader, I love Marshall Thornton’s Boystown mysteries and WHY YOU SHOULD TOO. Dammit. But I lost interest in doing so because, well, why should I attempt to change your mind? You have a right to prefer a guaranteed HEA. Actually, an HEA is something I insist upon in about 95% of my reading.

I’m exactly like you, romance-reader. I was born, and will most likely die, a lover of romance novels. Regard:

At 11 my father, Mr. Überintellectual, handed me Rosa Luxemburg Speaks and said he thought it was a “good place” to start my study of socialism. (Clearly, he was a little ambitious. And insane.) In response I went to the library and picked out this book:



The librarian asked me what my parents would think of me reading such items and I replied with a pithy, “fuck ‘em!” (Ok, no I didn’t, but that’s how I prefer to remember it.) As an adult, whether I read het romance, erotica or MM romance, I’m a lost cause. I love a love story. I want a happy ending.

However, I read gay fiction/mysteries with an entirely different attitude. It’s not about a relationship between two men, or their devotion & loyalty to each other, but the relationship one man has with himself & the world around him. Boystown does deal with Nick’s love life, though it’s not a love story, and though romantic feelings play a part, its plot isn’t based on the development of those feelings. Instead we have Nick Nowak, who focuses on solving murders because he cannot solve the mysteries in his own life.

Shortly before the beginning of this novel Nick has been rejected & hurt by everyone he cares about: his lover, his family & the Chicago Police Department. This rejection is caused, in various ways, by something he can’t control: his sexuality (read the interview with Marshall Thornton where he mentions this). He can’t control who he is, he can’t control who he’s attracted to and he can’t change minds. Nick is deadlocked and his isolation is what pervades this series. He spends the course of 5 books (so far, the 6th will be out May 23rd & the 7th should be out in 2015) attempting to come to terms with his situation.

Of course, Nick isn’t able to express this directly. He is abrupt, aloof & ironic in his speech and narration. The book reads like a case file and any emotion has to sneak in through the back door (ha, ha). Nick reminds me of the roles played by Humphrey Bogart. From the age of seven I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be Bogie or marry him. It’s still a tough decision. I love the cynical, jaded men that Bogie frequently played: Rick in Casablanca, Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon and Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep. They’re outsiders; the cynical PI (or bar owner) who at heart is a deeply disappointed romantic.



These men are good at only two things: solving mysteries & making themselves miserable. They smoke too much, drink too much, listen to non-stop jazz & consume so much coffee I’m surprised they don’t spend whole days on the toilet. They may yearn for their lovers, but it’s unlikely they’ll turn down an easy lay or sacrifice their sense of justice to achieve some sort of false sense of happiness. For me this type of man is the ultimate romantic hero (in a romance novel they’d be the “bad boy” or the “icy CEO” who are only waiting for true love’s touch -- or a magical dick -- to heal their inner pain). That’s how I see Nick Nowak: Chicago’s answer to Sam Spade & Philip Marlowe. (If you’ve ever a classic PI mystery, you’ll know I’m not making much of a leap here.)

Boystown is probably the most romantic non-romance series I’ve ever read and Nick is definitely the most romantic character. Though he’d strongly disagree if you mentioned it to him. For instance, the first line in Boystown:

“Like most guys, I’m a sucker for easy sex and a fast buck. Unlike most guys, I should know better.”

As the first line in the first book this is an important statement. However, Nick is also trying to prove he’s an insensitive tough-guy. Uh huh. Behind his sardonic attitude is a man who longs for happier days with his lover:

“His eyes were the blue of a summer sky that clouded over whenever I made him unhappy. He had a way of laughing at me when I was mad that made everything I did or said seem silly. And he had a hundred ways of saying my name; ways that meant he loved me, that he expected more from me, that I was perfect, or awful, or just too ridiculous to take seriously. It was the best almost-three years of my life.”

If you hear a noise, that’s the sound of my heart imploding in joy over the writing. If you hear another noise, that’s my heart breaking over the loss expressed in that paragraph. And if you don’t swoon over it, you are not a romance lover.

Mr. Thornton has written some gay romance or MM romance, try The Christmas Visit or The Ghost Slept Over, but to my delight he seems incapable of writing a story typical of the genre. But it’s entirely possible that Nick will meet a new love or reunite with an old one, someone he could perhaps create a life with. But this is not a book where our heroes, united in true love, drive off into the suburbs after adopting a child. If Marshall Thornton ever writes the words “and they lived happily ever after” in this series I’ll know he’s on crack. It’s likely Nick won’t end up with a lover, but will find some peace in his life. I would like that, but I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t count on either option because Boystown is not the type of series that will offer you any guarantees. The readers, like Nick, have to find a way to exist in the unknown.

This may not be the series for you. It has group sex, a severe lack of condom usage, drug use, corrupt cops, rampant homophobes and a self-loathing detective who frequently makes questionable decisions. It also provides a lesson on the history of the men we so love to read about. But if you’re anything like me it’s one of the few series that makes you want buy 657 copies & hand them out to strangers on the street.

Or try and talk your Goodreads friends into giving it a go.

P.S. I completely lied. I’m absolutely trying to talk you it reading this. In case I was too subtle for you allow me to add:

READITREADITREADIT. READ IT.

Other books in the series: Boystown 2: Three More Nick Nowak Mysteries, Boystown 3: Two Nick Nowak Novellas, Boystown 4: A Time For Secrets, Boystown 5: Murder Book. There's also a prequel, Little Boy Dead: A Boystown Prequel, but I think it has more impact if you read it after book 1 or 2. There’s a lot of emotional undertone that you might wonder at if you haven’t read at least book 1. However, I only read the prequel after reading the first two books, so I'm probably biased. Also, picking up the prequel is a good way to get a small taste of what you'll find in the series.


Merged review:

Update 5/24/14 - Edited for the 300th time. Roughly.


Confessions of a Romance Reader; or why you need to read this fucking series already, ok? Great. Thank you.

Here's the thing, I love Marshall Thornton’s Boystown mysteries and YOU SHOULD TOO. Dammit.

I’m exactly like you, romance-reader. I was born, and will most likely die, a lover of romance novels. Regard:

At 11 my father, Mr. Überintellectual, handed me Rosa Luxemburg Speaks and said he thought it was a “good place” to start my study of socialism. (Clearly, he was a little ambitious. And insane.) In response I went to the library and picked out this book:



The librarian asked me what my parents would think of me reading such items and I replied with a pithy, “fuck ‘em!” (Ok, no I didn’t, but that’s how I prefer to remember it.) As an adult, whether I read het romance, erotica or MM romance, I’m a lost cause. I love a love story. I want a happy ending.

However, I read gay fiction/mysteries with an entirely different attitude. It’s not about a relationship between two men, or their devotion & loyalty to each other, but the relationship one man has with himself & the world around him. Boystown does deal with Nick’s love life, though it’s not a love story, and though romantic feelings play a part, its plot isn’t based on the development of those feelings. Instead we have Nick Nowak, who focuses on solving murders because he cannot solve the mysteries in his own life.

Shortly before the beginning of this novel Nick has been rejected by everyone he cares about: his lover, his family & the Chicago Police Department. This rejection is caused by something he can’t control: his sexuality (read the interview with Marshall Thornton where he mentions this). He can’t control who he’s attracted to and he can’t change minds. I don't think "changing minds" is really his goal; he just wants to be able to live his life, without censure and without pride parades.

Nick himself is abrupt, aloof & ironic in his speech and narration. The book reads like a case file and any emotion has to sneak in through the back door. Nick reminds me of the roles played by Humphrey Bogart. From the age of seven I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be Bogie or marry him. It’s still a tough decision. I love the cynical, jaded men that Bogie frequently played: Rick in Casablanca, Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon and Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep. They’re outsiders; the cynical PI (or bar owner) who at heart is a deeply disappointed romantic.



These men are good at only two things: solving mysteries & making themselves miserable. They smoke too much, drink too much, listen to non-stop jazz & consume so much coffee I’m surprised they don’t spend whole days on the toilet. They may yearn for their lovers, but it’s unlikely they’ll turn down an easy lay or sacrifice their sense of justice to achieve some sort of false sense of happiness. For me this type of man is the ultimate romantic hero. That’s how I see Nick Nowak: Chicago’s answer to Sam Spade & Philip Marlowe. (If you’ve ever a classic PI mystery, you’ll know I’m not making much of a leap here.)

Boystown is probably the most romantic non-romance series I’ve ever read and Nick is definitely the most romantic character. For instance, the first line in Boystown:

“Like most guys, I’m a sucker for easy sex and a fast buck. Unlike most guys, I should know better.”

As the first line in the first book this is an important statement. However, Nick is also trying to prove he’s a tough-guy. Behind his sardonic attitude is a man who remembers happier days with his lover:

“His eyes were the blue of a summer sky that clouded over whenever I made him unhappy. He had a way of laughing at me when I was mad that made everything I did or said seem silly. And he had a hundred ways of saying my name; ways that meant he loved me, that he expected more from me, that I was perfect, or awful, or just too ridiculous to take seriously. It was the best almost-three years of my life.”

If you hear a noise, that’s the sound of my heart imploding in joy over the writing. If you hear another noise, that’s my heart breaking over the loss expressed in that paragraph. And if you don’t swoon over it, you are not a romance lover.

Mr. Thornton has some romantic gay fiction, try The Christmas Visit or The Ghost Slept Over, but to my delight he seems incapable of writing a story typical of the genre. It’s possible that Nick will meet a new love or reunite with an old one, someone he could perhaps create a life with. But this is not a book where our heroes, united in true love, drive off into the suburbs after adopting a child. If Marshall Thornton ever writes the words “and they lived happily ever after” in this series I’ll know he’s on crack. It’s likely Nick won’t end up with a steady lover. I would like if that happened, I would like to see Nick find some peace in his life, but I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t count on any of those options because Boystown is not the type of series that will offer you any guarantees. The readers, like Nick, have to find a way to exist in the unknown.

This may not be the series for you. It has group sex, a severe lack of condom usage, drug use, corrupt cops, rampant homophobes and a frequently self-loathing detective who makes questionable decisions. But if you’re anything like me it’s one of the few series that makes you want buy 657 copies & hand them out to strangers on the street.

Or try and talk your Goodreads friends into giving it a go.

In case this review is too subtle for you, allow me to say:

READITREADITREADIT. READ IT. READ IT. That is all.

Other books in the series:

Boystown 2: Three More Nick Nowak Mysteries
Boystown 3: Two Nick Nowak Novellas
Boystown 4: A Time For Secrets
Boystown 5: Murder Book
Boystown 6: From the Ashes

There's also a prequel, Little Boy Dead: A Boystown Prequel, but I think it has more impact if you read it after book 1 or 2. There’s a lot of emotional undertone that you might wonder at if you haven’t read at least book 1. However, I only read the prequel after reading the first two books, so I'm probably biased. Also, picking up the prequel is a good way to get a small taste of what you'll find in the series.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, brilliant series.

So much good stuff.

First off, there is Nick’s gritty, rich, sprawling world. Unobtrusive, highly effective world building with a captivating sense of place. There are so many carefully honed details that give Nick’s world a vibrant and authentic feel: Nick’s maze of an apartment, the visceral description of the icy cold Chicago winters, Nick’s rattled Plymouth, disco queen Miss Minerva Jones ..... I could go on and on.

And on the topic of Miss Minerva - the people that populate Nick’s world are marvelous. Without ever being overly descriptive, every side character is carefully outlined and masterfully characterized through Nick’s biased eyes. Even if their visit is short, they come alive – and over the course of the series we get to revisit with a few of them, giving this slowly unfolding world heft and depth. That is some elegant, unpretentious, seriously good writing right there.

Then there are the expertly crafted mysteries, concise, strong, gritty, down to earth without any unnecessary clutter - and in a very crafty, natural way they always end up being deeply personally relevant to Nick on some level.

And that’s where all these good things come together and culminate: The character of Nick Nowack.

His personal journey is utterly captivating and deeply satisfying. This is a strong portrait of an emotionally traumatized, attachment-avoidant man in his prime: intelligent, ambivalent, hedonistic, perceptive, empathetic, lonely. In a constant tug-o-war between his need to connect and his urge to protect himself from hurt. For good reason, by the way. So Nick’s friendships, entanglements, his casual and not-so-casual relationships are like real life – messy and ambivalent.

And there is this beautiful undercurrent of melancholy, of longing, of a deep and rich emotional world masterfully hidden behind his restricted POV and his constant effort to not feel things so deeply.

If you’re looking for standard tropes, cliché redemptive journeys for cardboard cut-out bad boys, the all-healing power of love or any of that other nonsense – you won’t find it here.
What you will get instead is glimpses into a profoundly formative time period through the eyes of a multi-layered man that feel authentic, vibrant and meaningful.


PS: I couldn’t help myself, it had to be said. Please do yourself a favor and completely disregard the low ratings that chastise these books because there is no use of condoms and no monogamy, seriously. Do some readers really expect a writer of that caliber do sacrifice authenticity and psychological plausibility to adhere to their warped sense of PCness? These are the fucking 80s! There wasn’t even a name for HIV yet. Get a grip! Argh!

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

There are so many good reviews already, that this is just a quickie.
I really enjoyed this compilation of three good, old fashioned detective stories. Set in 1981, Nick Nowak is a gruff, no-nonsense private eye straight out of the Philip Marlowe era. A former Chicago police officer who two years prior lost his job, his family and his boyfriend Daniel, he is really just existing. He is obviously still consumed by guilt and pining for Daniel. He screws his way through the book, basically everyone he crosses paths with. This is not a romance, but a story of a damaged man, trying to make his way through the days. The mysteries are good and are all wrapped up within their story, but the characters do come back and appear later on.

The 80's is my decade and the book really captured the feel of the times. Reading it and knowing that the AIDS pandemic is about to explode and so many of these men are likely to soon fall ill to the then unknown disease that was, at the time, a death sentence adds an extra layer of darkness to the story. I've seen a number of reviews complaining about the unsafe sex, but that was the time when nobody knew just how bad things would get and it was not even close to the issue it is now. The author did a great job of bringing me into this world and I am really looking forward to the rest of the story.


Big thank you to Lena for her recommendation!

[Otila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of 3 novellas staring Nick Nowak, a former cop turned PI. Set in Chicago in the early months of 1981, during the pre-AIDS era, when indiscriminate unprotected sex was prevalent. Each novella covers a different case that Nick is solving. During those cases, we get glimpses into Nick's life so we start to form a whole picture.

This is not a romance or even m/m. It's gay fiction. Yes, there's a lot of sex, but it's not sexy or hot. It's emotionless and mechanical. This isn't a complaint. I thought it fit the story. Nick is rather emotionless and mechanical himself. He seems to be just going through the motions, with sex and with life.

Nick lives a dreary life. He's cynical about love and has shut down emotionally since his boyfriend left him. He lives in a crappy basement apartment that's mostly empty since the ex took half their stuff and he just hasn't bothered to "fill the holes". I don't think he just means the furniture. He has frequent meaningless sex with the most inappropriate men, but really doesn't have to think about it since guys just kind of fall on his dick. He's constantly being harassed by the police ever since he was forced to quit the force after being outed. And his family pretty much disowned him. Yet, I still felt little glimpses of hope. Hope that Nick does want more and might even be open to it eventually.

The mysteries were interesting and Nick is fascinatingly flawed, so I'll definitely keep reading.

I do have one complaint. Every time there's a mention of a movie, TV show or newspaper, the name is completely left out. So I got sentences like these: "He wrote a column for the." "was showing at the movie theater." "You're a private investigator? Like." (these aren't direct quotes because I'm too lazy to look them up, but you get the picture) That last one I figured was Magnum, PI and it was confirmed on the next page, but it was annoying trying to fill in the blanks all the time.

[Irina · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is smart but reckless. He is promiscuous, yet very lonely. He might appear as cold and sometimes ruthless, but he is hurt too. And he is sexy as hell...

Marshall Thornton's vivid writing makes Nick so real, it was like watching 3D movie. I just wish I could hide and 'watch' it undisturbed ;)

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked:

Thornton’s spare writing style. The crime stories are compact and interesting, characters are fleshed out and we get to know Nick as he grinds his daily grind.

Slow character building –being built up during the series not during a book. So apart from the crimes solved in the book, we also have the puzzling out of Nick. Information about him dribbles in slowly. I form an opinion to have it completely overturned when another sliver of data comes in. Puzzles within puzzles. So I’m not going to be hasty and state a written opinion which I will later have to eat. For the moment I can say that Nick is a tough guy, projecting the image that nothing could possibly hurt him. The veneer is so intact and then once in a while, tiny slivers of thoughts, feelings get into his armour and you see a peek of him.

I feel that this book deals more with reality then utopia. Yes Nick is totally inundated with sex, he has sex with almost all the guys he meets (as long as there is the tightly muscled body, it’s on) . But when it comes to real connections, relationships, well those are nebulous and transitory and that is painful to see.

Thornton offers a snapshot of the gay world which is seldom seen in romanticised m/m stories. I cannot attest to the veracity of this picture but it feels more real somehow. I’m not talking about the numerous sex encounters but about other realities like being gay and having a wife and kids and a boyfriend on the side. Or having a wife and kids but seeking out gay sexual encounters actively. Or being ostracised by family, friends for being gay. Or losing your job because of your sexuality, etc. etc. Or having to choose between being yourself and advancing in your chosen career. Or the small acts or little words that kill without drawing blood.

I had not planned on starting book 2 immediately after I finished this but Mr Thornton is very devious. He finished this book in a way that I have no other option, I need more. It’s not really a cliffhanger just a need I have to continue. Devious Mr Thornton, devious....

[Limor Moyal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is something else, it's like watching starsky & hutch only starsky happens to be gay ( a very sexually active one for that matter) and just enjoy episode after episode, what can be bad about that ?

The 80s atmosphere reflects beautifully in the book, the free sex before Aids era began, the life without computers, internet or cellphones ( it's amazing that life actually existed in those circumstances ) it's funny that the 80s considered to be history and I was actually a teenager back then (fuck I'm getting old)

So the book is fantastic the sex is hottt the mystery and detective work are interesting enough, but I'm a girl and I need some lovingggg . And that is not there , soon , I was told it's gonna change and I sure hope so cause the lack of emotions kinda kills it for me .

I think though that what really great about this book is the fact that there is only one MC , his name is Nick and he is gorgeous, smart,sexy and very easy going in every aspect of his life . I'm totally In love with him, he is also evolving and all the other characters so far that coming and going through his life sort of pilling the layers from the facade and revealing the inner parts of Nick, like pilling an onion, and it's beautifully made literature wise .

There was something else that hit me while reading about the 80s coming to the Aids era . Something sad and disturbing : I was thinking of all the religious fanatics that talks constantly about homosexuality being a sin and all that crap . And then came the Aids, "a mysterious killer that hits gays from high above" and gave them such a back wind ! Like god is supporting the issue . I can imagine it was a low blow for the gay community and a field day for all the homophobe religious fanatics out there , made me sad .

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked these three short mysteries featuring one very interesting PI.

The author did more than a great job of making every story in this collection a real mystery while keeping it short. Not many authors could do this. Usually it either ends up with too many things crammed into a story or you get so little information that you end up not caring about anything in the story.
It doesn't even matter if you guessed the guilty party when it is told the way these stories are told.

Little Boy Found, Little Boy Burned and Little Boy Fallen have that perfect balance between too much and too little.
I got just enough information about Nick Nowak, his life, his past, his issues and his world that I want more.

The writing is perfect. It is not pretentious. The author doesn't feel the need to awe us with his vocabulary or never-ending sentences (even if one could see the man can write). It wouldn't fit in with Nick's character. Not that it stops other authors. Here, you get three short mystery stories perfectly told in the first person narrative.
That brings me to the thing I loved the most - Nick's dry humour. The moments are preciously rare. His dead-panned one-liners made me laugh.

Of course, I could start nitpicking but I enjoyed this too much to make the effort.

[Pavellit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's been something really different from I've read as a part of MMs. This is not a typical MM read- sweet words, feelings with well-choreographed sex scenes- as the cover suggests( this toned, softened male nude digital photograph is definitely misleading). It’s not even romance, despite slight glimmers of hope that Nick’s romantically dreary existence will be improved. The endless casual hook ups will keep you rocket-shaped if you are gay male reader in mind. Honestly, from my perspective, the Loading Zone was too much for my taste(he did not miss a guy- from friends to people in the same building where he’s making enquiries), though they were totally quick, convincing and tested.

The thing that kept me on the surface was the mystery part, which was quite simple, but engaging enough. The three novellas in this book incorporate three cases for PI Nick Nowak. They seemed deeply inhale with the feel of the era in which they are set - pre-AIDS in the early 80s in Chicago.

The writing is very tight and economical and it fits with the characters, the times and the place. However, I would loved to see more deeply self-aware narrator and he should kept things more professional.

All in all, I didn't love this book as much as I thought I was going to but it was an enjoyable read and I'm glad I didn't pass it up!

[Madeline (Maddi) · Rating 4 out of 5]

******4.5 stars******


This book takes you through, start to finish, 3 different cases Nick Nowak PI is working on. During each case, he investigates, he fucks(a lot), he remembers his past, and you learn more about how he really feels the more you read. There seems to be more to him than the cold, aloof, non feeling guy you think he is in the beginning.
Gotta give the man credit for going through life on his own terms, even though he lost his job, his family, and man he loved. (you have to read to find out)

I liked that it is set back in early 80's, it brings me back to my teenage years. I remember all the things the book brings up, boom box,dime pay phone,marlboro reds, magnum p.i, etc. It may be a little difficult for younger readers to relate, no cell phone, no computer, old fashioned mail.

I liked the cases/mystery he had to solve, they seemed real. He solved them with good old fashioned legwork.

This was pre aids era, so lack of condoms and *proper* lube didn't surprise me, although I'm a little nervous with the amount of casual sex he had.

I look forward to continuing this series, I like Nick Nowak and the end left me wanting more.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I was burning through the early 80's Marshall Thornton was taking notes--I cannot say enough good things about these three stories and the writing talent of Mr.Thornton --

If you've read and enjoyed classic private detective books like The Maltese Falcon or Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe series you will love Thornton's Mysteries

This is one of the many favorites I highlighted throughout the book:

"If I had any doubts about the threesome, they disappeared as the Quaalude kicked in. It seemed the most natural thing in the world. The kind of thing that should happen every time three guys had dinner. In fact, if more people had group sex the world would be a better place. Maybe there'd be less war and stuff. Okay, I knew I was high when that thought popped into my head."

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three things I have learned about Nick Nowak...

1. He must be really good looking because he gets hit on a lot
2. He has a lot of unprotected sex :(
3. Vaseline was the lube of choice in the 80s

Seriously though, I really enjoyed this audiobook. Brad Langer did a great job narrating. I love that the stories take place in the 80s. And Nick is a fairly likable guy. I definitely plan to continue on with this series.