Genre: Mystery
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
Award winner in the 2017 FAPA President’s Awards for Adult Suspense and Thrillers.
A young man. Unconscious in a hospital bed. His life is in the balance from a drugs overdose.
Attempted suicide or attempted murder?
British lawyer Dominic Delingpole investigates, with the help of his larger than life partner Jonathan McFadden. Compromising photographs of senior politicians and business chiefs are discovered.
Is the young man a blackmailer?
Dominic and Jonathan uncover a conspiracy reaches into the highest levels of government and powerful corporations. Three people are murdered, and Dominic and Jonathan struggle for their very survival in this gripping thriller.
The Review
David C. Dawson brings us a re-edited versions of the “Delingpole Mystery” series, starting with “The Necessary Deaths”. He introduces the readers to Dominic Delingpole, Jonathan McFadden and a variety of interesting characters, with a complex mystery to go along with them all.
Dominic Delingpole is a small time lawyer, with mostly rural county clientele as well as some large corporations. He by no means deals with criminal law. He’s shy, mild mannered and tries to keep his life as low-key as possible. He lives in Oxfordshire and has a long distance lover in Jonathan McFadden, who lives in Lewes. Dominic isn’t closeted, but he’s very cautious when it comes to being out in public.
Jonathan McFadden, landscape gardener, actor and singer is Dominic’s lover of two years. Although both men seem too have wandering eyes, Jonathan is very much in favor of an open relationship. For Dominic an open relationship is not his cup of tea, but he tolerates the situation with Jonathan because he truly has feelings for him.
When there’s a commotion outside Dominic’s apartment door, he finds his neighbor, Mrs. Gregory, in distress and learns that her son has been hospitalized. Samantha Gregory calls Dominic to watch her apartment, but he sees an opportunity to go to Brighton and have a chance to visit Jonathan. In accompanying Samantha to the hospital, he meets John Fraser one of Simon’s housemates. Inquiring about Simon, Dominic learns that Simon is studying journalism and media studies, while John is studying biochemistry, Gemma is studying English and Jay is a postgrad in pharmacology.
John is adamant that Simon doesn’t do drugs and was never suicidal. As Dominic get’s deeper into this mystery he finds there are high profile individuals involved and it’s more that just photographs and a data chip that has brought danger to them all.
I first read “The Necessary Deaths” when it was published in 2016. I have to say I really enjoyed the re-edited version just as much, maybe even more. Dawson creates a puzzle of a mystery, where a few characters get involved to help solve it.
Dominic gradually steps out of his comfort zone into danger. Jonathan becomes overbearing and very pushy when it comes to their relationship. It was difficult to see Jonathan and Dominic as a couple.
Dawson also delivers an abundance of secondary characters that piqued my interest: Simon and John and Jay. Gemma who ways very special. Barrister Miles Torrington and Samantha Gregory. And Steve, an outstanding addition to the storyline – he’s not what he seems and is a wizard with tech. Last but not least, the Natural Family Association and the most diabolical villains, Viktor Krasov and Janet Downpatrick.
There is also an AUDIO version of “The Necessary Deaths” narrated by Dawson himself. He presents his story in a clear and precise speaking voice with an excellent pace and captures the emotions of every character. There’s also a voice distinction where each character is concerned.
Dawson took a chance narrating his own novel but I’m glad he did. I hope he continues to narrate “A Delingpole Mysteries”.
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.
