A Nick Fabian LGBT Thriller
by
Size: 5.00 x 8.00 in
Pages: 200
Nick Fabian never made it as a CSI. His idealistic vision of the police as an institution dedicated to serving justice died in the harsh light of day, and he quit to become a freelance private investigator, taking on cases nobody else wanted to touch.
Enter Emily Bright, a woman with a score to settle. Her best friend Sabrina was murdered, but local law enforcement is dead-set on ruling it a suicide. Determined to get justice, she turns to Nick. Nick feels the pain of one of his own and takes on the mantle of finding Sabrina's killer.But Point Clear has skeletons in its closet. A married local school teacher, Connor Long, had an affair with the victim and isn't above threatening Nick to keep his secret safe. Local man Roy Constas took Sabrina home that night, but he swears nothing happened between them. Emily herself raises suspicions when she reveals she was in love with Sabrina, a sentiment that was not returned.
If Nick wants to get to the truth, he'll have to cut through the small-town prejudice and lies surrounding Sabrina's death, but that's not easy when the entire system is determined to bury the case and chase Nick out of town...
- 2 To Be Read lists
- 1 Read list
Publisher: Independently Published
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 3
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Bisexual, Gay, Transgender
Protagonist 1 Age: 26-35
Protagonist 2 Age: 46-65
Tropes: Age Difference
Word Count: 40926
Setting: Point Clear, Maine
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Nick Fabian glanced in the rearview mirror of his black Ford Explorer. He carded his fingers through his short, brown hair and set his eyes back on the road ahead as the mountain pass grew steep and narrow. One wrong turn and the crash barriers wouldn't do much to stop him from tumbling into the river below. It was beautiful up here, though. Pine trees as far as the eye could see. The scent of pine and ocean mingled in the air coming in through the open window, and Nick released a long sigh. A shame the reason he was coming here wasn't a pleasant one. This was no vacation. It was blood and death bringing him all the way out to the coastal Maine town of Point Clear.
READ MOREIt had been two years since he'd consulted on a murder, and this one hadn't come through official channels. There was no FBI or local law enforcement involved in retaining his services, and he couldn't expect to get paid much by the victim's friend. He thought back to the call, which had interrupted his smoke. He'd answered it sitting by the window of his small, sparse Philadelphia apartment.
"Is this Nick Fabian?" The warm, dulcet tones coming from the other end of the line lulled Nick into a sense of security right away.
"Yeah." Nick nursed his smoke between his fingers, twirling the lit cigarette as he considered who might be calling. The caller didn't sound like law enforcement, but assumptions had led him astray before. "You are?"
"My name is Emily Bright. I'm told you can help me. That you take on cold cases that nobody wants." The bright facade of confidence in Emily's tone shattered to reveal exhaustion, her voice starting to sound tight and strained. She'd suffered a recent loss. One she cared deeply about.
"For a price." Nick always tried to dissuade those who thought he took on charity work. He couldn't afford it, no matter how much of a vested personal interest he had in bringing killers to justice. Consulting on trans issues didn't bring in a lot of money, and local law enforcement had been giving him the cold shoulder since his transition. Because of course they had. As a woman, condescended to; as a trans man, considered delusional at best. Transphobia was the reason he'd quit being a CSI. Cops didn't pursue justice; they chased their version of it, and it was an ugly vision at best. One which favored middle-age white men and their needs over their marginalized and downtrodden victims. He was better off as a freelancer.
"So, you're a private investigator?" Emily asked.
"Of sorts. With the right motivation." Nick let out a long puff of cigarette smoke. "Tell me about your case."
"My best friend was murdered. Her name was Sabrina. Sabrina Tobias. We'd started a new life here in Point Clear. Far away from the city, our parents, and all the stifling expectations they placed on us." She let out a derisive snort. Nick imagined he could smell her brand of cigarettes through the phone, a shared cloud of cynicism and gloom that hung about them both like a bad smell. Toxic sticks killing them both one day at a time. "They found her hanging in a lighthouse. Her body had been set on fire and burned beyond recognition. The judge ruled it a suicide."
"She set herself on fire while tying a rope around her neck?" Nick stubbed out his smoke on the windowsill while he watched the couple from downstairs out in the shared yard arguing. She was accusing him of cheating, again. He probably had. Heterosexual relationships seemed to be a paint-by-numbers image of misery and decay. People had a hard time convincing him cis men and women belonged together.
"Sabrina was a mixed-race trans woman. They'd have claimed she was walking a tightrope juggling knives while doing a contortionist act if it meant they could rule her death an act of self-harm. Saves them having to waste time investigating her death."
"You've got my attention." Nick stood up and padded barefoot across the wooden floor, grabbing a pen and paper. "Tell me everything you know."
COLLAPSELilyana Shadowlyn wrote:Nick Fabian used to work as CSI agent until one day he and his team were called to a murder of a transgender sex-worker and it was made clear to him that this case was not a first priority one because sex-workers and transgender people weren’t first priority. This was the moment Nick’s – who is transgender himself – idealistic vision of the police vanished and he quit his job to become a freelance private investigator taking on cold cases nobody ever cared to solve.
One day he gets a call form Emely Bright stating that her friend Sabrina was murdered. Although her death was classified as a suicide Emely is sure that it was a hate-crime because Sabrina didn’t just hang herself. The body was also burned – and how can you burn and hang yourself at the same time and why would you do that?
So Nick decides taking the case and finding out the true story behind Sabrina’s death. But he quickly realizes that there isn’t just one suspect – no, everyone he interviews seems to hide something and doesn’t want him to look into Sabrina’s death properly. And soon the hunter becomes the hunted. But not even a concussion and damaged ribs stop Nick from solving the case. And so he starts resolving the secret of Sabrina’s village. He has to take one step after the other while making new friends. But can he trust his newly found friends and will he make it to the end to solve the riddle about Sabrina’s death?
OMG I loved this story. It was short and straight forward. But although the story developed really quickly you could feel into Nick and solve the case with him. You got his anxieties and feared with him and you were happy with him when he found someone who he could bond with.
I wouldn’t change a bit on that book – it’s interesting, exciting and emotional from the beginning to the end.
Phoebe wrote:Clear Motives is a thrilling story. There are some themes that mirror real life - including small town attitudes towards outsiders and the attitude of too many cops towards members of the LGBT community, especially trans individuals. I love that Nick doesn't back down no matter what gets thrown at him. Threats, violence, he pushes through in search of the truth, to give a voice to those who had theirs taken away. I have to admit I was holding my breath and my heart was racing for a good bit of this book, and I hope to read more books starring Nick in the future!
Rachel Reed wrote:There is a new crime solver who has hit the streets and his name is Nick Fabian. Reis Asher has created an ordinary hero who just wants to find justice for those who are not seen or are ignored. Ummm...can you say soulful? Asher has also made him hot and apparently everyone wants him, which might not be to his advantage.
In Nick’s latest case too many of his suspects want to sleep with him. This can cause issues when someone is trying to kill you almost every chapter. Asher has created a hero with heart, , but no health insurance (laugh). Nick won’t give up though and Clear Motives becomes the thriller that I could not put down.
Asher and Nick Fabian are now on my #mustreads author list because I cannot live with Nick. I cannot wait to see where Asher and Fabian end up because I will be right there along for the ride.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
This was a fun adrenaline-fueled action packed thriller.
The setting of the story was compelling and I liked the storyline.
The overall plot was engaging and kept me intrigued till the very end.The author's writing style appealed to me and I liked that it was fast paced with never a dull moment.
The characters were likeable and well fleshed out I liked how relate they were.
If you are looking for a action packed, entertaining lgbt romantic suspense, do gove this a go.
