Title: Mountainway Chant
Series: Coulter and Woodward Book 2
Author: M.J. Calabrese
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Publisher: Self
Pages: 284
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Adam Coulter has returned and is coping with the horrific events of sixteen months ago as best he can, but not everyone is happy about it. His best friend and new husband, Detective Eagle Woodard, doesn’t want to speak to him and it’s starting to look like his fifth marriage isn’t going to be anymore successful than his other four.
FBI Agent Rick Kessler and Navajo Reservation Police Lieutenant Carlos Aiello, Eagle’s cousin, have pulled a reluctant Adam into another case. Five bodies discovered at the site of a planned casino, all dressed and painted up as Native American mythological characters offer confusing clues. Are they dealing with another serial killer?
Fighting to stay clean and sober, Adam’s 12 step sponsor is murdered. At first it seems unrelated to what he saw in the desert, but evidence comes to light that says otherwise. Revelations concerning Adam’s past and his father, Richard Coulter’s, connections to the local crime syndicate boss, Nelson Greybill creates even more chaos.
Can Adam repair the damage he’s done to his relationship with Eagle so he can help him solve this case? Can he win back the only man he’s ever truly loved, or will the demons of his past win the battle for his soul?
PLEASE NOTE: This is the second book in a continuous series. For full enjoyment please read Warrior’s Way before reading Mountainway Chant. Contains murder and mayhem, as well as dealing with an alcohol and drug addiction. If these are triggers for you, please skip this one!
The Review
Eagle Woodard and Adam Coulter are back! They first came on board in “Warrior’s Way”. “Mountainway Chant” will tell of what happened between Eagle and Adam and what a struggle it became for both of them. Besides the “oil and water” relationship, drugs and drinking, just couldn’t make this relationship any worse.
With Adam’s return to Albuquerque there’s so much he discovers about himself it’s overwhelming. Once Adam sorts out all he knows for sure, he decides to do the right thing. In fact, he starts to look like a really good guy. What he decides to do will cause a shake-up with a lot of people.
Eagle isn’t happy at all with Adam or his return. But there’s a murder to be solved and Adam was called in by Eagle’s cousin Lieutenant Carlos Aiello.
It’s absolutely brilliant how M.J. Calabrese reveals so many secrets, answers a lot of questions that all connect expertly in solving the murders of five men. There’s also many triggers in this well plotted mystery: drugs, pedophilia, sexual and physical abuse and that gives this novel a dark side.
I’m game for the next installment! M.J. Calabrese leaves us with a lot to ponder once more. What’s going to happen with the annoying FBI agent Richard Kessler? What will happen with Lieutenant Carlos Aiello, who has his own surprise? What will become of Michael? And of course, there’s still more to come from Adam and Eagle.
I highly recommend reading “Warrior’s Way” the first book in this “Coulter and Woodard” series. It really delves deep into Eagle and Adam’s chaotic relationship.
Both “Warriors Way” and “Mountainway Chant” are fast paced reads, filled with high emotions, that make them hard to put down. I wouldn’t even try to retell these stories as there’s just too much going on and both books deserve to be read.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
