by
Pages: 275
Size: 5.00 x 8.00 in
Pages: 295
Pages: 275
Declan Hunt is having a bad week. His kidnapping case is showing little progress, his office assistant has left him on short notice, and his latest investigation has left him literally battered and bruised. But things change when he hires twenty-four year old Charlie Watts to help out at the office. They form an unlikely partnership while trying to solve two seemingly unrelated cases whose threads begin to weave together when the missing person case turns to murder.
The investigation takes them from the dark alleys, gay bars and bath houses of Calgary to the richest parts of the city during the world-famous Calgary Stampede.
But will they be able to discover who the killer is before another life is lost? And will Declan be able to solve the mystery of his relationship with Charlie, who is clearly attracted to him — especially since it is evident that the attraction is becoming mutual?
- 1 To Be Read list
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Publisher: Pride Publishing
Editors:
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 3
Romantic Content: 3
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: 36-45
Protagonist 2 Age: 26-35
Tropes: Office / Workplace Romance
Word Count: 69, 000
Setting: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Ian loved his boys’ nights out and tonight’s was the perfect antidote to the unpleasant meeting he’d had earlier in the day. At the party Ian observed his usual rituals, saw the usual people and as always, avoided drinking so he was totally in control. When he looked at his watch, he was surprised at the time. It was late and he had to get home. He changed into his street clothes, bade the rest of the party-goers adieu and trundled his suitcase back to the car. He pressed the button on his key fob to open the trunk and was about to stow away his bag when a voice from the shadows said, “You come here often?”
Ian jumped.
READ MORE“Jesus, what the fuck are you doing here?” Ian snapped.
“Just being curious, I guess. Just wondered what you got up to in your spare time.”
“I don’t appreciate being stalked. What do you want?”
“You know what I want!”
“We’ve talked about this before.”
The figure pulled a knife out of his coat pocket.
Ian saw the uncertainty in his assailant’s eyes. “I can’t do anything about this right now, but tomorrow, I’ll call you and give you what you want.”
The attacker lowered his knife slightly. Ian talked, soft and slow, saying what he knew his attacker wanted to hear. He finished with, “I promise.”
“You’d better be telling the truth,” the assailant said as he spit his gum out on the drive and disappeared back into the shadows.
Ian started shaking. I’ve got to get home. Katherine will be worried. His trunk was open and his suitcase was still sitting on the ground. He put his bag in the trunk and drove down the driveway, through the gates as they opened and out onto the main access road.
A figure stepped out of the shadows and flagged him down.
What does he want now? he thought. He lowered his window and said, “I’ll deal with this tomorrow.”
Then Ian realised that something wasn’t quite right.
A voice said, “I don’t believe you. Give me the keys.”
“What?”
“The car keys. Give me your car keys!” the attacker snapped, reaching in the window and grabbing onto Ian’s hair. It was then that Ian saw the gun.
His heart pounded as he pulled the keys out of the ignition and handed them over with a shaky hand.
“Out of the car. Now!”
As soon as he stepped out, Ian was grabbed and dragged towards the back of the car. The trunk lid popped open. The man tore off the emergency trunk lid release tab before saying, “Get in.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Get in and you’ll find out.”
Ian climbed into the trunk and curled himself into a protective ball as the lid slammed shut. He was in total darkness. His suitcase, which contained all of the objects of the beautiful aspect of his life, pressed painfully into his back. The engine roared and the car reversed, then sped ahead. Every turn, corner, pothole and stop sent him ricocheting around his tight prison cell. As the car bounced on a particularly deep rut, his head hit the hinge of the trunk and blood trickled down his face.
The car came to an abrupt stop and the driver’s side door opened, then closed. The trunk lid popped open.
He wasn’t sure where he was. It was remote, and in the distance he could hear water running.
“Get out.”
Ian’s limbs felt heavy and he was having trouble disentangling himself from the suitcase and other items in the trunk.
The man said, “Now, I hope you know I’m serious about this. Are you going to give me what I want?”
Something inside Ian snapped. For once, he wanted things to go his way. He stared directly at his attacker and said, “No, you will not get what you want. And you will pay for this. I’ll go to the papers and tell them everything.”
Then Ian started to run. He got twenty feet before his left foot caught on a tree root and he fell. He looked back and could see that his assailant was nearly on top of him.
Ian curled his legs beneath him, and with every last ounce of strength, launched himself directly at his attacker, driving his head into the assailant’s stomach and knocking the wind out of him. Ian turned around and started to run past his car and along a trail which seemed to head towards a street lamp.
He got no more than fifty feet down the path when the man tackled him from behind. He landed with a crack. Ian looked up into the sky. So many stars, he thought. So many…
When Ian came to, he felt as if he were floating. His head throbbed and he couldn’t see out of his left eye. His brain swam in a sea of confusion. He was naked. None of this made sense. Ian tried to stand up but his legs wouldn’t oblige. He was surrounded by water. His brain shouted messages of danger and get to safety, but his body failed to cooperate. The cold water felt good. It eased the pain. The trees and stars above swirled as he thought, I used to like swimming. Then he descended into blackness.
COLLAPSETatted Book Freak on MM Romance Reviewed wrote:“It’s definitely going to be a series that keeps you wanting to come back more. This is a definite recommendation from me; I can’t wait for more stories from this great pairing.”
Jovan on Joyfully Jay lgbtq romance reviews and more wrote:Mystery, Suspense, murder, and romance ... I'm in love!
on Rainbow Book Reviews:Mann Hunt is a fast-paced whodunit with solid writing.
Maryann on QueeRomance Ink wrote:The plot’s tension is constructed to keep us turning the pages, as it gyres tightly to its conclusion.
Mann Hunt is the first story I’ve read by Peter E. Fenton and I really enjoyed it – it’s well written, easy to follow and flows well. It’s also suspenseful and dangerous, with fast-paced action, snarky humor, a ton of emotions, a bit of steam and a bit in the romance department too. Along with a surprise twist there’s danger, greed, corruption, deceit, secrets and homophobia.
