Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities by Lyn Gala

LOV
Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities by Lyn Gala
Publisher: Loose Id
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (230 pgs)
Other: M/M, Anal Sex, Fetish
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cactus

Ondry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.
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Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he’d like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.

Happily ever after is not so easy when humans are involved. Liam has settled into life with Ondry and the Rownt so well he hardly considers himself human anymore. However his loyalties are tested when a human officer comes looking for information only Liam can provide. Although Liam is firmly on the Rownt side of tradings, he worries that messy human politics can and will affect his happy life with Ondry. Betrayals, miscommunication, and offense are just a few of the frustrating results that Liam must deal with as a direct result of trying to trade with humans. But ignoring them may lead to potentially catastrophic results.

In book two of the Claimings series, the story picks up where it left off with Liam and Ondry living happily in a D/s type relationship. There’s no sex as we know it but both are very happy and in love. However, being different species there are always adjustments and the inclusion of another human trade creates problems for the couple both personally and politically. I found the plot interesting and engaging but not my favorite. Liam handles the other human well but sometimes he comes across a bit slow to understand and recognize the real threat she presents. I have to give the story credit for making every character nuanced and well rounded but I definitely got frustrated with Liam. He would seemingly forget common sense or ignore his own instincts in a weird attempt to bond with another human, but I never understood why.

What shines once again, as it did in the first book, is the wonderful and utterly creative world building. I adore the author’s writing and love to dive into any world she creates. The science-fiction setting is so intricate and multi-faceted that it’s always engrossing no matter what other plot the book is pursuing. I honestly could read anything Gala writes in this world as the details that create this alternate world are so interesting. I have some trepidation that the next book will take place more in the human world, due to the plot turns, but I’m hopeful the Rownt culture and people will still be prominent.

As with the first book this is not a typical BDSM story. It has elements of D/s in that Liam is submissive to Ondry’s domination but there is no sex in the way humans see it and while there is a power exchange between the two men, Liam is a strong and essential member of the twosome. He’s not autonomous but he’s valued and treated in many ways as an equal. I think this series will continue to easily appeal to science fiction fans and maybe even those readers that like D/s without heavy sex play. The author is a great writer and the clean, descriptive prose that makes up the story is a joy to read. I easily recommend this one but would suggest starting with the first book in the series.

A Murder of Clones: A Retrieval Artist Universe Novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

CLONES
A Murder of Clones: A Retrieval Artist Universe Novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Publisher: WMG Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (380 Pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Modern scientific studies have shown sample of viagra that ginseng not only gets on with your friends and family but is also enjoying herself in the process, you are hitting some high marks for compatibility here. Even today, it is among the best erectile dysfunction medication. cialis 40 mg During sexual activity, if you become dizzy or nauseated, or have pain, numbness, or tingling in an extremity. generic cialis india Let’s discuss about different versions viagra online cheapest of the kamagra medicine. A deadly conspiracy… The Anniversary Day bombings on the Moon sent shockwaves throughout the Earth Alliance. No one knows who created the clones responsible and turned them into ruthless killers. No one knows where or when they’ll strike next. The bombings compel Earth Alliance Frontier Marshall Judita Gomez to launch an unauthorized investigation into a case from her past involving the murder of clones. An investigation that might cost Judita not only her career but the lives of her crew.

Earth Alliance Frontier Marshal Judita Gomez is very good at her job. She keeps order on the outer edges of the Earth Alliance, and she solves puzzling mysteries. She has learned to work with a variety of sentient species and is known for her respect for and consideration of different cultures. She is aided in her work by the assistance of her crew aboard a state of the art ship which has all the forensic equipment she could ever want. However, she has now come across a case which causes her to wonder if there is a plot to undermine or destroy the Earth Alliance. She launches her own unauthorized investigation into one of her past cases, one where she’d flagged certain information for follow-up actions, actions which were never taken.

I liked Gomez. She is really smart and capable and she obviously cares about those she works with. She is sensitive and able to pick up on the feelings of others, even those from very different cultures. There are a number of other interesting characters, including a lawyer named Torkild Zhu, who finds himself needing to do something different, some pro bono work, and quickly ends up in over his head.

This is the third novel in The Anniversary Day Saga, but it reads well as a stand alone. I have not read any of the earlier novels and I had no trouble following the action. The author has put in a note at the beginning of this book suggesting that readers who begin the series with this novel return to the first and second books before proceeding. Then the remainder of the series will be released one volume at a time until June 2015. I think that is a very exciting way to do a series, with readers eager for the next installment. Book Four: Search and Recovery has just been released and the final four volumes are available for pre-order.

Readers of both police procedurals and science fiction are sure to enjoy this exciting series.

The Pendle Curse by Catherine Cavendish

CURSE
The Pendle Curse by Catherine Cavendish
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Horror, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (202 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Thistledown

Four hundred years ago, ten convicted witches were hanged on Gallows Hill. Now they are back…for vengeance.Laura Phillips’s grief at her husband’s sudden death shows no sign of passing. Even sleep brings her no peace. She experiences vivid, disturbing dreams of a dark, brooding hill,and a man—somehow out of time—who seems to know her. She discovers that the place she has dreamed about exists. Pendle Hill. And she knows she must go there.But as soon as she arrives, the dream becomes a nightmare. She is caught up in a webof witchcraft and evil…and a curse that will not die.

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Laura Phillips is grief stricken over the loss of her husband. As she grieves she is stricken by strange occurrences and dreams that make her question her sanity. She researches landmarks from the dream and is drawn to the mysterious Pendle Hill, a site well known for long ago witch trials. She knows she has to go there but when she does, she steps not into the pleasant and restful vacation she craves but into the arms of an ancient evil waiting for their chance.

This book took off from the get go for me. I’ve read Catherine Cavendish’s work before and have enjoyed her brand of storytelling. In this story, you feel the grief of a woman who has lost her husband and the desperate grasping at anything that gives her life meaning once more. When she begins to dream of a stranger and a very particular hill, she finds out about the place and books a trip. Unfortunately for her, the past is very much alive in Pendle and the witches won’t go quietly.

The historical aspect of the story appealed to me immensely and as Laura got in deeper and deeper, I couldn’t put this book down. It was a bounce back and forth between contemporary and historical settings, with changes in POV as the change occurred. I much prefer third person as the historical portions were done in, but the first person didn’t distract too much from my enjoyment of the book. It was a wonderful horror novel that took all the best elements of the genre and brought to life a time in history that we don’t often think about.

If you love a great story with witches and things that go bump in the night, you need to try this one!

Last Words-A Coleridge Taylor Mystery by Rich Zahradnik

LAST
Last Words-A Coleridge Taylor Mystery by Rich Zahradnik
Publisher: Camel Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (237 pgs)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

Mast Mood oil is the best herbal remedies to prevent early aging in men. cialis for sale cheap You should seek medical attention immediately if this cialis for cheap price http://unica-web.com/watch/2016/greece-is-the-word.html occurs. cheapest viagra in australia It is also investigating Scottish Power, SSE (formerly Scottish and Southern Energy) and power. The benefits of exercise on your arteries last long cialis price brand https://unica-web.com/archive/2010/prog2010.html as you keep performing exercise on a regular basis. In March of 1975, as New York City hurtles toward bankruptcy and the Bronx burns, newsman Coleridge Taylor roams police precincts and ERs. He is looking for the story that will deliver him from obits, his place of exile at the Messenger-Telegram. Ever since he was demoted from the police beat for inventing sources, the 34-year-old has been a lost soul. A break comes at Bellevue, where Taylor views the body of a homeless teen picked up in the Meatpacking District. Taylor smells a rat: the dead boy looks too clean, and he’s wearing a distinctive Army field jacket. A little digging reveals that the jacket belonged to a hobo named Mark Voichek and that the teen was a spoiled society kid up to no good, the son of a city official. Taylor’s efforts to protect Voichek put him on the hit list of three goons who are willing to kill any number of street people to cover tracks that just might lead to City Hall. Taylor has only one ally in the newsroom, young and lovely reporter Laura Wheeler. Time is not on his side. If he doesn’t wrap this story up soon, he’ll be back on the obits page—as a headline, not a byline.

If you like your mysteries on the gritty side I’d say this one’s definitely for you. The opening drew me in with the down on his luck, Coleridge Taylor finding what could be his ticket out of writing obituaries for his employer. He’s easily likeable and along with this main character you start to think something isn’t right when he stumbles across the body of a teenager who supposedly froze to death…but did he?

From that moment on I was hooked. All the characters are well-drawn and although I’m not always a fan of mysteries with a corruption and hit-list type theme, this one did keep me reading just to find out if I was right about my theories as to how far the corruption went and would Coleridge pay the price for his inquisitiveness.

Mr. Zahradnik did a great job portraying the color and culture of the time. If you want to read about a slice of New York history during the 1970s then you’d probably enjoy this mystery for that reason alone.

It’s fast paced and the dialogue is natural sounding and I felt true to that era. With so many books now set during modern times with its cell phones and all the new gadgetry that can help a sleuth solve the crime, I found this one a refreshing change and will look for more in this series.

The Harvest Club by Iona Morrison

CLUB
The Harvest Club by Iona Morrison
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (323 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Jessie Reynolds has no idea when she moves to Blue Cove, that she will be sharing her life with a ghost. A young pastor has been murdered, and Jessie finds herself following the trail of that death into the dark and deadly world of organ trafficking.

Jessie is soon introduced to the detective in charge of the case. Matt Parker is a tall, scruffy, ruggedly handsome man who takes an instant dislike to her and the feeling is mutual. He wants her out of his case and she finds herself entangled in it. The tension between them mounts and so does the attraction.

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Jessie is a successful and well liked reporter in New York, but city life isn’t for her. When an opportunity to move to Blue Cove presents itself, Jessie takes it. I could practically see the stress melting off of Jessie as she drove to Blue Cove and made her dreams of living in a town by the sea a reality. From the moment Jessie arrives in Blue Cove, it becomes clear that it is not as peaceful as it seems. Something sinister is happening in Blue Cove, and Jessie has landed right in the middle of it. Can Jessie use her investigative skills to solve the mystery before she becomes the next target?

I really felt sorry for Jessie. She was looking for a more relaxing lifestyle when she moved to Blue Cove and all she found was trouble. Fortunately, Jessie is a tough woman. Whether it is a ghost seeking justice or a hired thug, Jessie takes everything thrown at her in stride and always remains focused on her mission of discovering the truth. While it is very easy to like Jessie, I do think she is too perfect. Literally everyone in town likes her, except the villains she was attempting to unmask. I understand that some people have magnetic personalities, but I think Jessie would have seemed more real to me if she would have had more flaws.

Jessie’s only flaw seems to be her desire to control everything in her life. Romance wasn’t something she was looking for, and certainly not with Matt, a bossy detective. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Matt and Jessie’s relationship, or lack thereof. They truly seem to get on each other’s nerves and most of their exchanges end in arguments. In private, they both profess to find the other attractive, but it takes a while for this to become evident in their actions. Even though I would have liked to see more tender interactions between them, I still enjoyed watching them slowly grow into a good couple.

The suspense regarding how and when Jessie and Matt put all the clues together was very well done. Ms. Morrison did an excellent job of revealing the puzzle piece by piece through Jessie’s investigative work. Though Jessie and Matt are both very smart, they almost didn’t solve the mystery before it was too late. I had some suspicions regarding one of the last hidden members of The Harvest Club, but I can honestly say I wasn’t completely sure until the very end.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Harvest Club. The pacing is well done, and Jessie is a smart and sweet heroine. I recommend it to anyone looking for a mystery that alternates effortlessly between being chilling and heartwarming.

Kodiak’s Claim by Eve Langlais

KODAIK
Kodiak’s Claim by Eve Langlais
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (174 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

He might growl, but she’s not afraid to bite.

Hands full taking care of his clan, the last thing this Kodiak bear needs is a woman poking her cute little nose into his affairs. But when she refuses to back down—and shows the courage to stand up to him—he can’t resist the allure of a curvy city girl.

She’s mine. All mine.

And when a rival clan thinks to use her to force his paw, he’ll show them why you never piss off a Kodiak, or threaten what’s his.
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Tammy is convinced men are all scum, even gorgeous ones like Reid Carver. She knows he’s hiding something. Something big. She just never expected a real freaking bear hid underneath all those muscles. But when the truth comes out and he tries to scare her off with a roar, she shows him not just bears have bite.

I enjoy discovering new romances. Especially if they are paranormal and deal with hunky were-bears and then turn out to be the first of many new treasures of an undiscovered series. I don’t know if it’s the growly gruff hero or the fact the heroine shot him in the butt, but I totally enjoyed myself reading Kodiak’s Claim.

Tammy is a most unusual heroine. She is not afraid of guns, growls or long Alaskan nights. She has a mom who drives her nuts and a job that ends up sending her to her destiny. I like how she likes herself as she is and isn’t afraid to give a pie her full attention. She’s a heroine who really appeals to me.

Reid is an alpha were-bear who is incredibly dominant, assertive and is rough around the edges. He is all about serving and protecting his clan. Basically, he is a very serious man. Until Tammy slams into his life. Oh my gosh! – the things she did to him? I laughed and laughed!

As with most paranormal stories with critters that have fangs and claws, there is an element of violence and threat that comes with the territory. It’s true here but the villain is a question mark for me. He’s thwarted in this story but is left as a dangling thread. The thing is, how the author chose to handle it left me on the fence regarding sympathy – is he a potential anti-hero? One thing is for sure, I’m solidly curious and fascinated. The villain is worthy of the title but there’s much more simmering under the surface and it’s a great hook for further reading.

Another great hook comes from the supporting cast that surrounds Reid. Boris is a man who has many secrets and issues. In this tale he is depicted as a wild card, an efficient killer if he has to be. A good man to have in your corner and I’m glad he’s one of the good guys. Reid’s grandmother is a hoot. I snort every time they mention the respect for the spoon.

As fun as this book is, there are a few things that I felt weren’t explained enough for me to accept. The natural wolves for instance. I can’t imagine them doing what they did without some kind of woo-woo factor yet no explanation was truly provided to make me believe their actions. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story where they are used in quite this way and I wasn’t convinced as to why they’d go against their nature. And, although Tammy sort of liked Reid’s high-handedness, and when she didn’t she gave him what-for about it, there were times the hero came across as a bossy jerk that no amount of the heroine’s melting for him made it fine with me. I think she should have looked for other kitchen utensils to use on him. Even with her propensity for kitchen violence, Reid and Tammy get their HEA and it’s as fun as it is surprising.

All in all, Kodiak’s Claim is a wonderful addition to my paranormal romance addiction. I had fun, I laughed and I enjoyed getting to know everyone at Kodiak Point. I can’t wait to read the next book.

Tranquility by Laurie Gardiner

TRANQUILITY
Tranquility by Laurie Gardiner
Publisher: Escargot Books and Music
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (212 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sometimes there’s a price to pay for doing the right thing.

Support worker Sarah Scott learns this the hard way when, soon after being transferred to nursing home Tranquility’s dementia unit, she uncovers a sinister secret. Doing the right thing could mean losing her job, and unemployment is not an option for the young, single mom.

Meanwhile, Sarah begins to question whether her newest resident, Edie, belongs in the locked unit. The feisty, Scottish woman certainly doesn’t act as though she has dementia. Sarah is determined to have her released, but her plans are thwarted when Edie risks her own freedom to help uncover the secret.

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It took so long for the romantic subplot to show up that I briefly wondered if this book had been mislabeled. The pay off was well worth it, though, as the characters involved in it were really well-matched. They’d gotten to know one another so well over the course of previous scenes that I was happy to see them realize they might make a good couple.

The pacing slowed down dramatically and became uneven about halfway through the narrative. I was surprised to see this happen due to how well everything flowed together earlier on. The plot grew so quiet that my interest in it wavered. There simply wasn’t enough going on in that section despite the intriguing premise.

There are some ingrained patterns of behavior that people remember long after they’ve forgotten what year it is or the names of their grandchildren. Some of the most memorable scenes explore how these habits play out in an institutional setting. It was fascinating to see exactly how similar they were from one patient to the next regardless of what kind of life they had lead before being diagnosed with dementia.

Sarah’s personality was an enigma. It took me a long time to figure out what kind of person she was, and I was never quite sure if my impression of her was what the author was trying to convey. There simply weren’t very many hints about her temperament, and the ones that did show up were occasionally contradictory. For example, one of her longterm goals is to go back to school to become a nurse. That kind of career track demands quick thinking, a sharp mind, and the ability to thrive under pressure. While I liked Sarah a lot, she never struck me as someone who would relish working in this kind of environment.

This story did a great job showing the most common ways people behave when they have dementia. Yes, there were violent outbursts and bathroom accidents, but there were other moments that were peaceful or even funny. The author struck a fair balance between all of these different possibilities and never dwelt on any one of them for too long.

Tranquility was a thought-provoking tale. I’d especially recommend it to anyone who has ever had a loved one move into a nursing home.

Honor Among Thieves by Elizabeth Boyce

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Honor Among Thieves by Elizabeth Boyce
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (203 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Grave robbing ain’t no job for a lady…

To pay off her recently deceased brother’s debts, however, Lorna Robbins must take drastic measures. When she happens upon a resurrectionist gang stealing his corpse, she does the unthinkable and joins the criminal outfit to save her family estate and her younger sibling. For the first time in her lonely, duty-driven life, Lorna finds herself leading a treacherous and exciting double existence. By day, she becomes a popular lady of the ton, relying on society gossip to help her body-snatching gang. By night, she becomes the grave robber known only as the Blackbird.

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The grisly business of grave robbers, who are called resurrectionists, permeates Honor Among Thieves. My curiosity about how romance could possibly survive in such an environment kept me reading fast and turning pages.

Lorna Robbins finds herself in the middle of the resurrectionists’ business as she tries to save her seven-year-old brother’s inheritance. The Crib Cross Gang, resurrectionists, makes her one of their group and give her the nickname “Blackbird.” She is a valuable addition to their gang.

Brandon Dewhurst, a doctor who saw too much death in the war, has a difficult time with the procuring of fresh bodies for research. But he sees the value of what is gained from dissecting, examining, and recording the findings for the advancement of medical knowledge that will help doctors learn more about how to treat future patients.

Neither Lorna nor Brandon like the position they are put in. Yet, each of them perseveres as a means to an end. As they deal with Society, friends, resurrectionists, and lurking danger, love slips in, ignoring the gruesomeness that assaults the senses in the scenes that deal with dead bodies and the rivalry among grave robbing gangs.

The love scenes take the reader where the senses are heightened in a very different way. Also, the scenes with friends, both new and old, reveal very different facets of Brandon and Lorna. Their true personalities seem to surface.

How Elizabeth Royce weaves together gruesome dealings, mores of early nineteenth century England, along with loyalty, and love, in order to create a love story with a happy-ever-after, makes unusual, interesting reading.

Not a Fairy Tale by Romy Sommer

FAIRY
Not a Fairy Tale by Romy Sommer
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (244 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

And the award goes to…

Not Nina Alexander that’s for sure. With her best gracious loser face firmly in place, Hollywood’s hottest starlet is hoping to end her evening of disappointment with a graceful exit stage left. Only an unexpected proposal and an awkward wardrobe malfunction mean that this is certainly going to be a night to remember… for all the wrong reasons! So what girl would resist the gorgeous Dominic Kelly coming to her rescue?! Especially when he’s whisking her out of the paparazzi’s prying eyes on the back of his motorbike – and wearing a tux to rival James Bond!

Nina soon realises that the only way to recover from such a scandal is to toughen up and snag the role of the decade in the year’s hottest YA screen adaptation. Who better to train her than her very own professional stuntman? Getting up close and personal with Dom will take Nina well out of her comfort zone – both professionally and in her closely scrutinized private life. But this A-list couple know only too well that’s it not all happy ever afters in Hollywood…

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Nina, as the star of the book and in Hollywood, was painted very realistically. She was in turn selfish and vain and deep and warm, with both aspects of her character written believably and surprisingly not mutually exclusive. Her painful past led her to find refuge in the shallow world of celebrities. Everything there is safe because it doesn’t include any emotional attachment; people are your friends only as long as you pay them or they need you to give them a boost in their career. There was no danger for her to get attached to someone and then lose them.

But she can’t escape emotional attachment when she meets stuntman Dominic Kelly. Sure, they have a business arrangement that says he’ll train her for the most coveted role at the moment, nothing more, nothing less. Unfortunately for Nina, this entails a whole lot more. But it’s also more for Dominic who’s not used to women staying until morning. But Nina, to hide from the paps, practically moves into his house. And them spending all their time together gets them to lower their defenses.

The pressures of stardom – and also the benefits of it – were shown very realistically, I thought. It was a wonderful image of what actors and actresses have to go through for their careers. The constant scrutiny, the ridiculous demands, the media – it all forces them to shut themselves from the world even more. But I also loved the scenes on the beaches because the author managed to paint the landscape very vividly, too.

My only objection was to how often Nina liked to repeat that she is selfish and vain. I realize this was part of her trying to convince herself that she didn’t need anything else but the public’s adoration and attention, but the frequency of her claims somehow clashed with the rest of her characterization.

I loved the slow progression of their relationship; how their feelings for each other blossomed quietly and unnoticed until it was too late. That final ‘complication’ was the ultimate test of their characters. And they passed with flying colors.

Not a fairy tale is a heart-warming story that shows the other side of Hollywood stars and paints them as people like us. It will make you want to read the other novels in the series.

Relief Valve by JL Merrow

VALVE
Relief Valve by JL Merrow
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (280 pgs)
Other: M/M, Anal Sex
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cactus

If you dig up the past, be prepared to get dirty.

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing since plumber Tom Paretski and P.I. Phil Morrison became connected at the heart, if not always at Tom’s dodgy hip. Neither of their families has been shy about voicing their disapproval, which hasn’t helped Tom’s uneasy relationship with his prickly older sister, Cherry.
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But when Cherry is poisoned at her own engagement party, the horror of her near death has Tom’s head spinning with possible culprits. Is it her fiance Gregory, a cathedral canon with an unfortunate manner and an alarming taste for taxidermy? Someone from her old writers’ circle, which she left after a row? Or could the attack be connected to her work as a barrister?

Phil is just as desperate to solve the case before someone ends up dead-and he fears it could be Tom. At least one of their suspects has a dark secret to hide, which makes Tom’s sixth sense for finding things like a target painted on his back…

Meeting your partner’s family is never easy, especially when their sister is poisoned. Tom and Phil have been dating for several months when Tom’s sister, Cherry, calls with a problem. An old neighbor that Tom stayed friendly with through the years has died and left Tom a behest. While brother and sister are renewing their acquaintance Cherry invites Tom and Phil to her engagement party, also to get to know Phil better. Unfortunately at the party Cherry is poisoned and Tom hires Phil to look into the mystery. With no shortage of suspects from the entire county to Cherry’s pastor fiancé, Tom isn’t sure what’s going on but he’s determined to figure out who’s trying to off his sister. She may be annoying but only he gets to kill her.

Relief Valve is book two in the Plumber’s Mater series by JL Merrow. It’s easily strong enough to stand on it’s own but there are a few details and backstory that make more sense when read in conjunction with the first book. So I’d recommend this mostly for readers already familiar with the series. Picking up a few months where the last book left off finds Tom and Phil in a mostly easy relationship though they’re navigating some sticky waters. Tom isn’t sure how to tell Phil he loves him or even if he should say it and there’s the matter of giving Phil a key, which is confusing all on its own. When Tom’s sister Cherry is poisoned at her engagement party, this gives both men focus and a mystery to solve together. The whodunit is decent and helps carry the book forward, although the final revelation ties in with the subplot of Tom’s behest from the neighbor. Here is where the book stumbles some. This subplot feels clunky and awkward. There’s a definite purpose revealed at the end but I’m sure the author could have found a better way to include that information.

That’s a minor complaint, though, in an otherwise entertaining story. Tom and Phil never seem to tire of innuendos and inside jokes. Their relationship feels very typical guy in the awkward way they can’t seem to communicate their feelings, mostly Tom, and the humorous mumbled assurances they offer each other. The vast cast of characters and possible culprits helps give the book its character and life with no shortage of eccentricities. I didn’t like this book as well as the first book, possibly because the mystery is interesting but not gripping. There’s no life and death question even though Cherry was unfortunately poisoned, it didn’t feel that dramatic. Partly because Tom kept thinking she was just drunk or pregnant, which took the severity from the scene and made me question Tom’s intelligence.

Once again Merrow writes elegantly in what feels quintessential British prose. It’s refreshing and enjoyable entertainment that is always easy to recommend. This series is no different. I’d say start at the first book but definitely continue with Relief Valve. Humor and attempted murder over takeaway and heavy drinking, what more could a reader want?