Genre: Mystery, Historical, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
After their wild and dangerous adventures, Archer and his crew are happy to take on a cosy mystery. Two new staff join Clearwater House. One of them, Jasper Blackwood, comes with an enigmatic, limited edition songbook that suggests he is no ordinary lad from the workhouse. When Archer investigates Jasper’s past, he soon realises that his origins, if known, will cause a scandal for one of his closest friends. The question is, how to reunite father and son without disrupting their lives?
In the space of one week, Jasper’s life changes in ways he never expected, and when he meets Billy Barnett, what was once a shameful longing for the companionship of another man, quickly becomes his reason for living.
‘Home From Nowhere’ begins on the day Artful Deception ends. This is a comfortable, low-heat mystery set against a young man’s coming of age in 1889 London. It can be read as a standalone novel, but it’s best to have read the previous books in the series first. As with the other Clearwater Mysteries, you will find a mix of fact and fiction, alternating between upstairs and downstairs in a Victorian household.
The Review
The Clearwater Detectives have their first official case, and the client is none other than Archer himself. Archer has rescued Jasper Blackwood and Harvey Holt from the cruel and abusive treatment at Kingsclere House.
Jasper has never known his parents or where he truly came from. He shows Archer a book and a chocolate tin that he’s had in safe-keeping for all of his sixteen years. Archer notices something odd about the tin and the book and turns his musings over to James and the newly established detectives.
Life becomes very different for Jasper after being at Kingsclere. It’s a coming of age story for him as he learns many important facts about his life, himself and the men of Clearwater. Jasper shows he’s a perfectionist when it comes to his services in the household. But most important is his unique musical talent as a pianist. With the help of Mrs. Norwood, he meets a young man, Billy Barnett, who has a voice of an angel. Jasper and Billy become friends and it gradually blossoms into young love.
As for the mystery of the book and the chocolate tin, James and Silas discover some interesting surprises, but can they find Jasper’s father?
Marsh creates a very different mystery here from the other novels of “Clearwater Mysteries”. Archer lays out all his musings to the crew: James, Thomas, Silas and Mrs. Norwood. Then everyone is off and running to investigate their piece of the mystery, which is surrounded by the world of music.
“Home from Nowhere” is the seventh book in “The Clearwater Mysteries,” and Jackson Marsh had me hooked from the start. From the very first book “Deviant Desire” in the Clearwater Mysteries, I’ve not been disappointed. I’m definitely looking forward to book eight “One of a Pair” with Jasper and Billy.
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.
