What do you think?
Rate this book
Aaron Bradley: Closet Detective
Aaron Bradley is restless. Despite a privileged upbringing, at twenty-seven he still hasn't figured out who he is or what he wants to do with his life. Then his friend Joe, a successful public prosecutor, asks him for a favor that will change Aaron's life. While investigating Joe's enigmatic girlfriend Candice, Aaron meets Bo, an out-and-proud, easygoing waiter, causing unfamiliar and confusing emotions to flutter to life. Caught up in the middle of Candice's clandestine activities, with Bo gently nudging him out of the closet along the way, Aaron will have to review everything he thought he knew about himself as he tries to make sense of his feelings for Bo.
262 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2010
82 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Owen
10 books15 followersTimothy Owen was born in a small suburb in Johannesburg, South Africa right in the middle of the apartheid era, a scary time of unrest and riots. Since the abolition of apartheid in 1991, South Africa has produced a constitution that is an example to the rest of the world, where all people, regardless of race, creed, gender or sexuality are truly equal in the eyes of the law. In 2006, South Africa became the first country in Africa to recognise same-sex marriage, only the fifth in the world.
An avid reader, poet and traveller, Tim is a columnist for various gay publications. He and his long-term partner are the proud fathers of Tim’s three biological children. He has diplomas in IT, Creative Writing and Human Resources.
Inspired by cultures around the world and by Dean Koontz, whose novels are a constant reminder that good can triumph over bad, Tim has always been creative when it comes to fictitious writing.
The first time he submitted his work for publication, it was with a very specific goal in mind, which had nothing to do with writing. He wrote in anonymously to Fairlady Magazine, detailing his predicament of being a married, closet homosexual. His wife at the time and the mother of his children used to read Fairlady religiously, and upon seeing the article commented to him that the gentleman in the piece should ‘grow some balls and tell his wife!’ Two weeks later he did exactly that.
Now, Tim looks back at that incident and realises it was the most difficult decision he had to make, to be honest about who he was, but also the most rewarding one as it changed the course of his life, or rather, set it on course.
‘You owe it to yourself and the people you love to embrace who you are and live your life accordingly’, he says. ‘Love resides in the heart, not the genitals, and the essence of love is unbiased with no regard for the trivial attributes of the people involved. The ability to love is what makes us human, but unfortunately, so is the tendency to judge.’
Tim has just released his second book, The Killing Cycle which is available in both paperback and eBook on most of the Amazon sites, and in selected book stores in the States.
You can find Tim Owen on http://iamawriterdammit.blogspot.com where he muses over the misadventures of a wanna-be-stay-at-home-writer or follow him on Twitter; http://twitter.com/#!/TimOwen1968 and on Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/timowen1968
An avid reader, poet and traveller, Tim is a columnist for various gay publications. He and his long-term partner are the proud fathers of Tim’s three biological children. He has diplomas in IT, Creative Writing and Human Resources.
Inspired by cultures around the world and by Dean Koontz, whose novels are a constant reminder that good can triumph over bad, Tim has always been creative when it comes to fictitious writing.
The first time he submitted his work for publication, it was with a very specific goal in mind, which had nothing to do with writing. He wrote in anonymously to Fairlady Magazine, detailing his predicament of being a married, closet homosexual. His wife at the time and the mother of his children used to read Fairlady religiously, and upon seeing the article commented to him that the gentleman in the piece should ‘grow some balls and tell his wife!’ Two weeks later he did exactly that.
Now, Tim looks back at that incident and realises it was the most difficult decision he had to make, to be honest about who he was, but also the most rewarding one as it changed the course of his life, or rather, set it on course.
‘You owe it to yourself and the people you love to embrace who you are and live your life accordingly’, he says. ‘Love resides in the heart, not the genitals, and the essence of love is unbiased with no regard for the trivial attributes of the people involved. The ability to love is what makes us human, but unfortunately, so is the tendency to judge.’
Tim has just released his second book, The Killing Cycle which is available in both paperback and eBook on most of the Amazon sites, and in selected book stores in the States.
You can find Tim Owen on http://iamawriterdammit.blogspot.com where he muses over the misadventures of a wanna-be-stay-at-home-writer or follow him on Twitter; http://twitter.com/#!/TimOwen1968 and on Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/timowen1968
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 30, 2010
Aaron Bradley Closet Detective is a difficult story to review. Parts of it I liked quite a bit and this is an author I eagerly await for more but to be honest, I couldn’t buy into all of the characters and the story. Parts of the story are authentic, interesting, and above all the writing is very engaging and keeps the story interesting. Yet I couldn’t connect with the main characters, who are really the straight couple – Joe and Candice – while I liked Aaron. This is a mixed bag with good writing and a good, solid story that really depends on whether readers can get into the heads of Candice and Joe, and more so like them.
Aaron Bradley is a privileged wealthy orphan who is doing very little with his life. He spends his time doing odd jobs and helping out friends of friends with things like fixing a leaking sink or installing electronics. He’s pretty handy and smart so when his best friend Joe asks him to subtly tail Candice, Joe’s mysterious girlfriend, Aaron reluctantly agrees. He’s not that stealthy and almost immediately he is spotted by a nearby waiter, Bo. Bo strikes up a conversation and Aaron soon finds himself wondering if he’s attracted to a man and what it means. Aaron’s newfound sexuality isn’t the main mystery though. The main suspense comes from Candice’s late night activities that start a chain of events involving everyone and turns dangerous. At the same time, Candice and Joe are really in love and think the other may be “the one” so they must discover what’s more important, doing what’s right or what’s right for you.
The plot is pretty tightly paced and drives the story. Not to give too many spoilers, the main thrust of the book is what Candice is hiding and why. Aaron is brought in initially to tail her but that soon tapers off around halfway through and the rest of the story is about how Joe handles the truth about Candice and what it means for their relationship while Candice makes some life changing decisions of her own. Aaron is almost a peripheral character at this point and Bo is pretty unimportant, which is very sad since Bo is a great character and his chemistry with Aaron is wonderful. I admit I was pretty surprised when the focus of the story slowly turns to Candice and Joe as the main driving force. I had thought that the Candice mystery would be a vehicle for Aaron rather than the main story. In fact the final third is all about Joe and Candice with very little mention of Aaron and Bo.
I have mixed feelings about the strong focus on Candice and Joe. The story is told from numerous third person perspectives, including Candice’s very prominent voice but there are also scenes from Aaron, Joe, and even a minor Bo. On the one hand the writing is really great. The story is engaging and the mystery well crafted with a lot of subtly and interest. There are some leaps – such as the technology – but these are negligible. Aaron as a detective is minor at best and so I was partly frustrated since he’s such an interesting character, along with Bo, but pretty much wasted being in such a small role. I wanted to get back to Aaron’s perspective and have him actually do some amateur detecting rather than the lengthy focus on Candice’s motives and actions.
The flip side to this is that Candice in particular is a strong, well developed character with a lot of hidden depth. She is perhaps the best characterized of the cast with Aaron as a close second. Since the focus is so strongly on her, the story spends a lot of time looking at her background, her thoughts, her motivations, and her actions. What bothers me is that despite all this set up I can’t quite understand why Joe, Bo, and Aaron are so enamored of her. She’s a good lead character and holds the story well but since the men pale in comparison, I can’t quite understand the strong connection they each have with her, thus I never really bought into the various justifications and excuses. Joe keeps saying how in love he is with Candice and I can’t help but think “why?” most of the time. Ultimately, I didn’t like the character of Candice, mostly due to how the men act around her and make excuses for her and not because she’s a strong female in what is supposedly a m/m romantic suspense. I got annoyed with both Joe and Aaron several times for justifying Candice’s behavior and supposedly all of this is ok because really it’s not about right or wrong. Except, well in this case it is so I find the insistence on both the story and the men making everything ok with Candice frustrating.
Now there is a romance between Aaron and Bo (they have the only on page sex though it’s tame) but again this feels very minor. Aaron is a fun character with a lot of possibility and if there are any more in the series, perhaps a book focusing more on his relationship with Bo and another mystery, I’d be interested in reading it. Aaron’s struggle with his sexuality is easy but nice. He never really explored his sexuality until finding someone he has instant and charged chemistry with. Once Aaron meets Bo, he understands why people are so excited about sex and their gradual romance is interesting and engaging. There is a weird philosophical conversation they have halfway through the story that feels like a preaching lecture about the gay perspective and place in the world but other than that, their relationship and Aaron’s awakening is nicely done.
This story is an interesting mix of mystery and romance and I think it’ll appeal to mystery fans the most. The romance between Aaron and Bo is not the focus so romance fans may be disappointed whereas mystery fans may enjoy the action and reaction plot a lot more. The focus on a straight couple, Joe and Candice, didn’t bother me but I disliked Candice more and more as the story went on so and was frustrated with the men and their weak arguments. This definitely affected my enjoyment negatively. If this is the start of a series with more stories about Aaron, then I look forward to the next one. The writing really drew me in from the start and the engaging prose had me rooting for the story despite the issues. Aaron’s chemistry and interactions with Bo are adorable and I liked reading about them together. Joe is a good best friend and makes a good contrasting character with his own issues that make him stand out and has promise, despite his easy excuses for bad behavior.
I’m curious to see what others think about it as it’s definitely not a typical story for this genre or publisher.
Aaron Bradley is a privileged wealthy orphan who is doing very little with his life. He spends his time doing odd jobs and helping out friends of friends with things like fixing a leaking sink or installing electronics. He’s pretty handy and smart so when his best friend Joe asks him to subtly tail Candice, Joe’s mysterious girlfriend, Aaron reluctantly agrees. He’s not that stealthy and almost immediately he is spotted by a nearby waiter, Bo. Bo strikes up a conversation and Aaron soon finds himself wondering if he’s attracted to a man and what it means. Aaron’s newfound sexuality isn’t the main mystery though. The main suspense comes from Candice’s late night activities that start a chain of events involving everyone and turns dangerous. At the same time, Candice and Joe are really in love and think the other may be “the one” so they must discover what’s more important, doing what’s right or what’s right for you.
The plot is pretty tightly paced and drives the story. Not to give too many spoilers, the main thrust of the book is what Candice is hiding and why. Aaron is brought in initially to tail her but that soon tapers off around halfway through and the rest of the story is about how Joe handles the truth about Candice and what it means for their relationship while Candice makes some life changing decisions of her own. Aaron is almost a peripheral character at this point and Bo is pretty unimportant, which is very sad since Bo is a great character and his chemistry with Aaron is wonderful. I admit I was pretty surprised when the focus of the story slowly turns to Candice and Joe as the main driving force. I had thought that the Candice mystery would be a vehicle for Aaron rather than the main story. In fact the final third is all about Joe and Candice with very little mention of Aaron and Bo.
I have mixed feelings about the strong focus on Candice and Joe. The story is told from numerous third person perspectives, including Candice’s very prominent voice but there are also scenes from Aaron, Joe, and even a minor Bo. On the one hand the writing is really great. The story is engaging and the mystery well crafted with a lot of subtly and interest. There are some leaps – such as the technology – but these are negligible. Aaron as a detective is minor at best and so I was partly frustrated since he’s such an interesting character, along with Bo, but pretty much wasted being in such a small role. I wanted to get back to Aaron’s perspective and have him actually do some amateur detecting rather than the lengthy focus on Candice’s motives and actions.
The flip side to this is that Candice in particular is a strong, well developed character with a lot of hidden depth. She is perhaps the best characterized of the cast with Aaron as a close second. Since the focus is so strongly on her, the story spends a lot of time looking at her background, her thoughts, her motivations, and her actions. What bothers me is that despite all this set up I can’t quite understand why Joe, Bo, and Aaron are so enamored of her. She’s a good lead character and holds the story well but since the men pale in comparison, I can’t quite understand the strong connection they each have with her, thus I never really bought into the various justifications and excuses. Joe keeps saying how in love he is with Candice and I can’t help but think “why?” most of the time. Ultimately, I didn’t like the character of Candice, mostly due to how the men act around her and make excuses for her and not because she’s a strong female in what is supposedly a m/m romantic suspense. I got annoyed with both Joe and Aaron several times for justifying Candice’s behavior and supposedly all of this is ok because really it’s not about right or wrong. Except, well in this case it is so I find the insistence on both the story and the men making everything ok with Candice frustrating.
Now there is a romance between Aaron and Bo (they have the only on page sex though it’s tame) but again this feels very minor. Aaron is a fun character with a lot of possibility and if there are any more in the series, perhaps a book focusing more on his relationship with Bo and another mystery, I’d be interested in reading it. Aaron’s struggle with his sexuality is easy but nice. He never really explored his sexuality until finding someone he has instant and charged chemistry with. Once Aaron meets Bo, he understands why people are so excited about sex and their gradual romance is interesting and engaging. There is a weird philosophical conversation they have halfway through the story that feels like a preaching lecture about the gay perspective and place in the world but other than that, their relationship and Aaron’s awakening is nicely done.
This story is an interesting mix of mystery and romance and I think it’ll appeal to mystery fans the most. The romance between Aaron and Bo is not the focus so romance fans may be disappointed whereas mystery fans may enjoy the action and reaction plot a lot more. The focus on a straight couple, Joe and Candice, didn’t bother me but I disliked Candice more and more as the story went on so and was frustrated with the men and their weak arguments. This definitely affected my enjoyment negatively. If this is the start of a series with more stories about Aaron, then I look forward to the next one. The writing really drew me in from the start and the engaging prose had me rooting for the story despite the issues. Aaron’s chemistry and interactions with Bo are adorable and I liked reading about them together. Joe is a good best friend and makes a good contrasting character with his own issues that make him stand out and has promise, despite his easy excuses for bad behavior.
I’m curious to see what others think about it as it’s definitely not a typical story for this genre or publisher.
January 18, 2011
1.5 stars. So-so m/m romance with an identity crisis. Calling this book Aaron Bradley: Closet Detective is deceptive - only a tiny part of the book is about the deeply closeted Aaron. Far more of the book is devoted to the mysterious Candice and her shenanigans. I think that this book, while definitely written in an engaging style, needed a lot of editing to give it some focus... and maybe it shouldn't have been published by Dreamspinner.
May 9, 2011
This could have been a good and maybe even a great book, if the book would have been about the gay couple Aaron and Bo and not about Candice and her criminal mind/activities.
August 24, 2010
This book is incorrectly classified as gay erotica - if that's what you are expecting you will be very dissapointed. There is no sex in this book, only romance.
If you are looking for a fun amateur detective story, then read it. It is also completely hetero-friendly and in my opinion shouldn't even be classified as a gay book - half the characters in it are str8.
Thank you.
If you are looking for a fun amateur detective story, then read it. It is also completely hetero-friendly and in my opinion shouldn't even be classified as a gay book - half the characters in it are str8.
Thank you.
August 25, 2010
This book is incorrectly classified as gay erotica - if that's what you are expecting you will be very dissapointed. There is no sex in this book, only romance.
If you are looking for a fun amateur detective story, then read it. It is also completely hetero-friendly and in my opinion shouldn't even be classified as a gay book - half the characters in it are str8.
Thank you.
If you are looking for a fun amateur detective story, then read it. It is also completely hetero-friendly and in my opinion shouldn't even be classified as a gay book - half the characters in it are str8.
Thank you.
not-for-me
June 10, 2011wont read because from the reviews looks like the book focus on Candice and her secrets and just not interested
September 21, 2010
This is not a typical "gay" book which I think the people who wrote the previous reviews were expecting and is the only explanation for their low rating. Why shouldn't it have a woman in it? It's a story of love, friendship, betrayal and revenge, with a dose of coming out and a slice of detective work on the side.
The writing is clever and humorus and the love scene, specifically because it is not graphic, is sweet and tender.
**** SMALL SPOILER HERE******
I adore the characters, except Candice who is not a nice lady. Timothy Owen has done a remarkable job with the character of Candice, who has some severe personality disorders which slowly become more and more apparent as the story progresses. As unlikable as she is she is the most complex character in the book - a point which seems to have alluded my co-reviewers.
If you are expecting erotica, skip this one. This is the perfect book if you are looking for a bit of escapism and a laugh or two.
I sincerely hope this is the first book ai a series as I would really like to know how the relationship between Aaron and Bo develops.
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
The writing is clever and humorus and the love scene, specifically because it is not graphic, is sweet and tender.
**** SMALL SPOILER HERE******
I adore the characters, except Candice who is not a nice lady. Timothy Owen has done a remarkable job with the character of Candice, who has some severe personality disorders which slowly become more and more apparent as the story progresses. As unlikable as she is she is the most complex character in the book - a point which seems to have alluded my co-reviewers.
If you are expecting erotica, skip this one. This is the perfect book if you are looking for a bit of escapism and a laugh or two.
I sincerely hope this is the first book ai a series as I would really like to know how the relationship between Aaron and Bo develops.
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2010
The story started really well and interesting both characters
Aaron and his friend Joe where funny. Then the plot began and I have to say, it was totally boring and wasted read -_-. I will never read it again. And than that female role Candice...omg, why put a female into the story.
Blah...
Aaron and his friend Joe where funny. Then the plot began and I have to say, it was totally boring and wasted read -_-. I will never read it again. And than that female role Candice...omg, why put a female into the story.
Blah...
November 14, 2010
Good read. My first from this author. Aaron, Bo, and Joe were great characters. Not 100% sure I liked the ending (how things turned out for Candice). Didn't need that visual!!
Read
September 28, 2010“Aaron Bradley: Closet Detective” seems to have been advertised primarily as a “gay romance novel”. However, this book, written by newcomer Timothy Owen, will appeal to a much wider audience and should not, in my opinion, be just limited to this “target readership”.
In fact in many ways the “romantic focus” of the novel is more on the straight couple, Candice and Joe, than on the gay couple, Aaron and Bo. Be that as it may, I believe that there is a little bit of something for everyone – including a mystery, suspense, good old fashioned greed and – yes – a little bit of romance.
The plot unfolds around 4 main characters – Aaron, Joe, Candice and Bo – although, at times, it is hard to establish who the central protagonist is. The title suggests it is Aaron – a twenty-something South African who, despite being an orphan, has grown up in privileged circumstances. However, as the story progresses, we meet Joe - Aaron’s long-standing friend who is a successful public prosecutor, Candice – Joe’s girlfriend and apparent philanthropist-come-cat-burglar, and Bo - a charming and “openly gay” waiter who is instrumental in helping Aaron to acknowledge his true sexuality.
Without ruining the plot, the story revolves primarily around Candice’s secret life which is the trigger for Aaron’s fledgling detective activities. It is also the main catalyst for his meeting Bo – who will be instrumental in guiding him through the rite of passage that is his “coming out of the closet”.
The storyline is well thought through with some clever twists and sub-plots, although many readers may not like the ending. The ending of the book is quite open ended which, whilst it might frustrate some readers, could also provide a perfect opportunity for the author, Timothy Owen, to continue this story in a second instalment.
Favourite scene: The show-down between a husband and wife who have ostensibly become the targets of Candice’s illegal activities showing that, once again, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
In fact in many ways the “romantic focus” of the novel is more on the straight couple, Candice and Joe, than on the gay couple, Aaron and Bo. Be that as it may, I believe that there is a little bit of something for everyone – including a mystery, suspense, good old fashioned greed and – yes – a little bit of romance.
The plot unfolds around 4 main characters – Aaron, Joe, Candice and Bo – although, at times, it is hard to establish who the central protagonist is. The title suggests it is Aaron – a twenty-something South African who, despite being an orphan, has grown up in privileged circumstances. However, as the story progresses, we meet Joe - Aaron’s long-standing friend who is a successful public prosecutor, Candice – Joe’s girlfriend and apparent philanthropist-come-cat-burglar, and Bo - a charming and “openly gay” waiter who is instrumental in helping Aaron to acknowledge his true sexuality.
Without ruining the plot, the story revolves primarily around Candice’s secret life which is the trigger for Aaron’s fledgling detective activities. It is also the main catalyst for his meeting Bo – who will be instrumental in guiding him through the rite of passage that is his “coming out of the closet”.
The storyline is well thought through with some clever twists and sub-plots, although many readers may not like the ending. The ending of the book is quite open ended which, whilst it might frustrate some readers, could also provide a perfect opportunity for the author, Timothy Owen, to continue this story in a second instalment.
Favourite scene: The show-down between a husband and wife who have ostensibly become the targets of Candice’s illegal activities showing that, once again, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
December 29, 2010
3.5 at best.
This story isn't really like the typical m/m romances I'm used to, and it's not a mystery novel at all as any mystery is immediately solved when the point of view switches over to Candice. Despite the novel hinting towards a story about Aaron Bradley, he feels more like a secondary character and Bo, the waiter come boyfriend, an even more minor character.
The story is divided into multiple POV's of which Candice and her relationship with Joe is more focused on than Aaron and his self discovery and new relationship with Bo. I wouldn't have mind that if it was made clearer in the first place. The whole blurb seem like false advertising since I purchased a story expecting m/m romance and -some- kind of detective work. Aaron Bradley's detecting skills are barely there and his amateur sleuthing job is done before the story reached midway.
And a minor note, the setting of the story is in South Africa, but there's barely any attention drawn to that beyond the currency and a single line about equality issues. It would have been nice if it was emphasized more since it's such a unique backdrop.
This story isn't really like the typical m/m romances I'm used to, and it's not a mystery novel at all as any mystery is immediately solved when the point of view switches over to Candice. Despite the novel hinting towards a story about Aaron Bradley, he feels more like a secondary character and Bo, the waiter come boyfriend, an even more minor character.
The story is divided into multiple POV's of which Candice and her relationship with Joe is more focused on than Aaron and his self discovery and new relationship with Bo. I wouldn't have mind that if it was made clearer in the first place. The whole blurb seem like false advertising since I purchased a story expecting m/m romance and -some- kind of detective work. Aaron Bradley's detecting skills are barely there and his amateur sleuthing job is done before the story reached midway.
And a minor note, the setting of the story is in South Africa, but there's barely any attention drawn to that beyond the currency and a single line about equality issues. It would have been nice if it was emphasized more since it's such a unique backdrop.
March 21, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. I was so engrossed in the plot that I lost track of time and wound up staying up so far past my bedtime that I doubt I'll be able to get up in the morning. The characters were so engaging and the plot was well thought out. The time line was laid out so well there wasn't a chance of getting confused.
If I was pressed to comment in a critical way about the only things I could say would be that I would have liked to have seen more of the dynamic between Aaron and Bo and there wouldn't be any complaints if the sex was a bit more graphic and there was more of it.
Overall, it was a fantastic read. Thank you Timothy for your hard work and I look forward to the sequel.
If I was pressed to comment in a critical way about the only things I could say would be that I would have liked to have seen more of the dynamic between Aaron and Bo and there wouldn't be any complaints if the sex was a bit more graphic and there was more of it.
Overall, it was a fantastic read. Thank you Timothy for your hard work and I look forward to the sequel.
January 28, 2015
Probably more like 2.5 stars.
This is more mystery with gay characters than gay mystery. The main focus is a straight female who leads the other characters on a merry game. Fun read in that light.
If you're looking for more than hinted at sex look elsewhere as there isn't any here. Evan the gay romance needs more in my opinion.
This is more mystery with gay characters than gay mystery. The main focus is a straight female who leads the other characters on a merry game. Fun read in that light.
If you're looking for more than hinted at sex look elsewhere as there isn't any here. Evan the gay romance needs more in my opinion.
June 1, 2012
Like the author's voice but there was just too much going on that I didn't care about. And really, a philosophical conversation about coming out right after Aaron and Bo have found Candice in a compromising position? Unlikely to say the least and boring as all hell.
Want to read
December 16, 2011It sounds good, which is why I bought it, but I haven't started it yet. I'll get back to you once I have.
February 27, 2012
A good read. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were believable as was the storyline. I look forward to reading some more by this author.
May 30, 2012
this book was really good but at points i felt it dragged on a bit.
June 13, 2013
Way too much focus on Candice and Joe for a book labeled "gay romance".
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews