Genre: Mystery, Noir, Historical
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
Hard-boiled 1920s private detective Buck Baxter isn’t interested in falling in love… that is until his latest mystery leads him straight into the arms of playboy Holden Hart. But what will Buck end up breaking first—a seemingly unsolvable case or his own heart?
Welcome to Wilde City, 1924—a crane on top of every skyscraper, a party in every club, a romance on every dance floor, a shooting every night, a broken heart on every street corner and a dirty secret behind every window with the curtain drawn. It’s the kinda town that keeps Buck Baxter, private detective, in business. For despite his fondness for a cold gin and a pipe stuffed with cannabis, Buck is the best gumshoe in Wilde City. Why? Because he has rules: never make friends, never make enemies, and never ever fall in love.
That is until the day that playboy nightclub owner Holden Hart swings into town. He’s suave, he’s charming, he’s chivalrous… and he’s exactly the kinda man that Buck will break all the rules for. From the romance of the Rainbow Palace atop the Wilde City Tower, to the dazzling debauchery of the gentlemen’s parlor The Velvet Viper—from the history surrounding the sinister convent on the hill better known as Hell’s Bells, to the lantern-lit opium barge, The Peking Empress, run by the mystical Madame Chang—could Buck be about to unravel the greatest mystery of them all… The mystery of love?
Buck Baxter, Love Detective is the first adventure in the Buck Baxter Mysteries. It is a campy, noir, 30k-word detective story featuring a tough and troubled leading man, a heartthrob love interest with secrets of his own and a hilarious cast of supporting characters. Enter a world of prohibition, gangsters, speakeasies, jazz clubs, star-crossed romance, brooding heroes and a mystery with a twist.
The Review
In 1924, Wilde City is certainly booming and wild, a city filled with all kinds of people, secrets and atmosphere, from the rent boys at the Velvet Viper to the Rainbow Palace atop Wilde City Tower. There are three types of people: the lovers, the famous and the dead. Buck Baxter isn’t any of these, so he considers himself a nobody. Buck grew up at St. Agatha’s, referred to as Hell’s Bells, a convent and orphanage with scary Sister Rose. His best friend at the orphanage was Harry.
Now Buck is a Private Detective who keeps a low profile. He does his job, and doesn’t get involved in any extra emotions. He works and lives out of an old office/apartment.
One morning, after being awakened from a night spent on his couch, he scrambles to get dressed. Opening the door, he finds Miss Winnipeg Whitmore, who had telephoned the day before. She’s a very private person with a delicate matter that needs investigation – her husband Stuart Whitmore has been cheating on her with another man. Where discretion and privacy are concerned, Buck is the best PI around.
Buck thinks it’s all very suspicious. The best place for someone having an affair who wants to impress someone is the new and most popular nightclub in town, owned by Holden Hart. Buck heads for the Rainbow Palace, where he approaches the bar and greets Nick the barman. Nick is able to identify the other man in the picture with Whitmore as Marky Marlowe.
Buck is leaving the bar when he notices the man himself, Holden Hart, heading his way. Before Buck can escape, he’s cornered by Lois and Lucy, Hart’s two personnel assistants. An incident breaks out and he tries to help, and finds that Hart is there to help him. Besides the Whitmore case, there’s another mystery for Buck to figure out – why is he so taken with this Holden Hart. It seems that everywhere he goes, Hart shows up too.
Buck’s investigation and a new insight will take him to a place of dark memories and danger, St. Agatha’s Orphanage. Who will live to see another day?
Robin Knight resurrects an oldie but goodie from 2014 with Buck Baxter, Love Detective from “The Buck Baxter Detective Agency” series. The author captures the tone of the roaring 1920’s and noir fiction during that era. The mystery is a dark suspenseful, thriller with many surprises to be revealed. It’s also a time when those who are homophobic use religion to make their case.
The action scenes make Buck Baxter one exciting tale. The author takes readers to China Town and the Opium Den, on the barge “The Peking Empress” with Madame Chang, where Buck will learn an important lesson; the red light district, where Buck meets the the ladies of the “Mews of Muses” and Stella Starling; and Stella takes Buck on a wild ride to meet Mama Marlowe, where things really get fired up. There’s also humor in this excellent story.
Buck is stoic up to a point, especially when it comes to love. He’s a man that never felt love but will soon discover its secrets. I like that Holden stays an enigma until the end.
There are stories that are worth reading over and over again, and Buck Baxter, Love Detective is one of them. It’s a quick, intriguing read packed with lot’s of entertaining characters, and worth every exciting second.
The second mystery in the series, Buck Baxter and the Disappearing Divas, is coming soon.
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.
