Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
A serial killer is stalking young gay men in a Midwest college town. High school senior Kevin Bland, rich, brilliant, and a wild-child, meets a college freshman, Mitch Christman, who is just Kevin’s type. And also the killer’s type.
Adding to the mix is college sophomore Brent who enlists Mitch’s help in finding answers and possibly unmasking the killer.
And all the while, Dr. Spencer Fellows, anti-gay crusader, and hate-monger, stirs the pot, praising the killer for ridding the city of gay men, one by one by one.
The Review
Kevin Bland is seventeen and a senior in high school. He’s is especially smart, and he can remember anything. He’s not very happy with his mother and his step-father, Sloan. Both are always too busy with their careers, and the love he felt from his mother when he was younger now seems non-existent. He also has a younger brother Markie who gets all the attention.
Sloan has given Kevin a new sports car and an unlimited credit card. Is he trying to buy Kevin’s love? Kevin’s always trying to find a way to hurt Sloan, and he talks trash about both them and his little brother. He does whatever he thinks will cause disruption and embarrassment.
His best friend is Les Nunez, who he’s known since first grade. Les has always known Kevin is gay, it’s not a secret. They often meet at the Cup.
Kevin sees a news report about the Greenwood, Indiana – a fourth young gay man’s murder. Law enforcement and the D.A. have not yet declared these murders to be hate crimes. Anti-gay activist Spence Fellows of Family Now blames the murders on the victims because of their morals, corrupt lifestyle and the fact that he thinks they are abominations. He believes whoever is taking these lives is one of the Lord’s warriors, and will be accepted by God. Reverend Sid Kramer, on the other hand, is an LGBTQ+ Advocate, and thinks Christ believes in love, not vengeance.
Mitchell Christman is a freshman at the University. He was raised by his mother, and on her death bed she reveals a secret to Mitch. He is not happy about what he was told, and he is fearful he will be found out. His mother left him an ample inheritance, so he doesn’t need anything from anyone. They had a wonderful relationship, and he still misses her.
At the Cup, Mitch and Kevin eye each other, and Kevin invites him to sit at his table. They seem to hit it off and gradually start dating. Under Mitch’s influence, Kevin starts to change.
Brent is also attending the University and is in one of Mitch’s classes. When the fourth victim is finally identified as Callum Slater, Mitch realizes Brent was very close to Callum. Four years, Brent and Callum were partners and he knows the Slater family. He and Callum had a very unique relationship – they never lived together. Callum believed in saving himself until marriage.
Brent was head over heels for Callum. He had so many great qualities, and Brent would have waited for Callum forever. Callum was a well known as a counselor with Campus Pride, and he helped so many people. Brent is heartbroken, angry and can’t find closure. He doesn’t think law enforcement is doing enough to catch this crazed and hateful killer.
As Mitch befriends Brent and listens to his concerns, they decide to team up and do their own investigation. Brent looks into videos of Spence Fellows and Family Now, what he finds doesn’t look good. He’s going to have to tell Mitch what he found. What will happen when he confronts Kevin?
The focus in this story is on four young men who all have different family perspectives. Mitch is a good person, and not much older than Kevin. He helps Kevin change, but there were still times when I wondered about Kevin’s sincerity.
I was also left wondering why, at the end, no one questioned Kevin about attending a Family Now anti-gay meeting. He did talk with his step-father but that wasn’t enough. I could see Mitch explaining to Kevin how immature it was, just to irritate Sloan. No matter Kevin’s reason, it went against the very LGBTQ+ community he is a part of.
There’s a very interesting look here at the difference in relationships between Mitch and Kevin and Brent and Callum, too. Mitch was more understanding of Kevin. He helped ground Kevin and to learn to care more, regardless of what took place in his life. As for Brent and Callum, their relationship unique. Brent’s love was so great for Callum that he respected his decision, but in the end he wished they had been able to have the physical connection.
Russell J. Sanders has penned a suspenseful, dark themed story of homophobia, hate and growing up. It’s the first book I’ve read from this author, and I enjoyed the amateur investigation by Brent and Mitch. I had a couple of suspects in mind as I read, and was surprised to find out that it wasn’t who I thought. An interesting, suspenseful tale.
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.
