Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Tony is an art curator. He’s bright, ambitious, and unlucky in love. Wanting to start a new life, he applies for jobs around the world and is hired by a prestigious museum to work on a major exhibition on a legendary artist. He’s thrilled until he shows up for work. The place is a landmine of conflicts, personal agendas, and dark insinuations.
But there is a ray of light in Tony’s new life. He meets a struggling young artist and they fall in love. Jeff is beautiful, talented, shy — and terrified. When Tony finds out why, he’s terrified too. Then staff members begin to die and disappear and, because of his troubled past and suspicious behavior, Jeff is the prime suspect.
Suspecting a setup and determined to protect his lover, Tony starts an investigation of his own. As he stumbles upon one nasty secret after another, he counts on love to pull him through. But not everyone wants him to succeed and, as he searches for the truth behind the deaths and disappearances, he has to learn what’s real and what’s not. Or Jeff could be lost to him forever.
The Review
Patrick Doyle delivers another page-turner of a mystery, with a bright new character in Antoni-Carles Qinto i Agramunt. “Tony” to his friends.
Toni from Barcelona, Spain has just taken the position as curator for MAMMA, the Museum of Modern Art in Montreal, Canada. He’s really looking forward to being in charge of the Ulysse Dubois art exhibit.
From the very start, he comes across one of the oddest groups of board members: Gabrielle “Gabby” Smythe, president of the board and founders daughter; Monique Roquefort, vice-president; Richard Brown, chief curator; Michel Des Laurier, financial officer; Yvette Lafleur, librarian; Kelly Boucher, director.
All Tony wants to do is get some rest after his long flight. But it’s all so weird with what the board members have told him. He is overwhelmed with all of the complicated issues the board throws at him. There’s no information about the exhibit from the former curator, no funding, the pressing need to find an apartment, and a work party that’s mandatory. He’s also lonely and wants to make friends in his new, cold and snowy city of Quebec.
At the party he meets some remaining Board Members: Francis MacKenzie, long time member; Nicole Leblanc, an independent curator who recently joined the board; and Jean-Pierre Souvenir. There’s also the staff at MAMMA: Suzie, Jeff, Pierre, Dawn, Elaine, and Annie. As Tony looks for some companionship, he attaches himself to the staff rather than the board members.
At the party, the guests are given some terrible news, which leads to Tony finally getting some answers from the staff. As Tony and Jeff become more involved, suspicion grows about the board members.
Tony sets out to solve a series of murders but as Jeff reveals his own secret, Tony knows he has to save Jeff.
Once Jeff is safe, Tony decides to stay in Quebec until the exhibit is over, and as his investigation continues, new revealations shock him, and nothing is what it seems.
Patrick Doyle presents a well constructed mystery plot in the art world, with a precisely planned out investigation. There’s an abundance of suspicious characters that kept me guessing.
Doyle kept me in suspense with this complex mystery, following Tony’s own investigation of each suspicious character. Not only is the mystery well written, but Doyle introduces readers into the world of art and the curators position. The description of Tony living in a much colder temperature, dealing with snow and the strange manner of dress are very vivid.
I liked Tony’s character – he’s smart and not afraid to delve into each situation but in a way he’s also innocent. There’s also and intriguing moment that helps Tony find the courage to do what’s right.
I really got attached to Tony’s character even more at the end of the story, and I liked the addition of Big Benat and Oriol, although they only have a brief part, I think there could be a story there for these three.
“Tony’s Dream” is Doyle’s second mystery and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I can’t wait to see what he has in the works for his next book.
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.
