Category: Historical

A MelanieM Review: Tainted Love (Soho Noir #1) by T.S. Hunter

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

SOME RELATIONSHIPS ARE JUST MURDER

It’s 1985, and Joe Stone is excited to be joining his old school friend, and lifelong crush, Chris, for a long weekend in London’s Soho—home to a vibrant, developing gay scene, and a million miles from the small town Joe and Chris grew up in.

But when Chris is brutally murdered, the police just write his death off as another rent boy, fallen foul of a bad hook up. Joe realises that his best friend was killed deliberately, and joins forces with former police detective, Russell Dixon—Chris’s flatmate—to find out why.

Spiralling debt, illicit sex, blackmail, spurned lovers and hard-nosed gangsters all play their part, but who among the celebrities, fashionistas, drag queens, ex-lovers and so-called friends is Chris’s killer?

A noirish whodunit set in 1980s London, with all the big hair, electro-pop, shoulder pads, police discrimination and lethal killers that the era had to offer.

TAINTED LOVE IS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SOHO NOIR SERIES OF COZY CRIME NOVELLAS.

Ok, so right off the bat, I had to wonder who was writing the blurb, had they read the story, and did they even know what one, a cozy mystery was (no, the answer is no), and two, did they understand what noir means?  Because noir and cozy are about as polar opposite as you can possibly be.  And Tainted Love (Soho Noir #1) by T.S. Hunter isn’t a cozy and it isn’t noir.  So that big old statement of it being the first in a “noir series” of Cozy crime novellas?  Strikes dread in this mystery lovers heart.

A cozy btw is  a mystery that uses humor to downplay the crime and violence, aka murder, in the story, the settings are a small intimate village or town where everyone knows everybody.  Whether its Midsomers Murders or Jessica Fletcher, that’s a cozy. A noir?  All those “hardboiled detective” fiction like Sam Spade jumps to mind but it’s defined as “a genre of crime film or fiction characterized by cynicism, fatalism, and moral ambiguity.  Again, this book plays loosely with that term.

So what the author and Red Dog Press should do is dump all those poor attempts to keep slapping bad labels on this story and simply call it a mystery.  On that it nicely stands alone.

Its set in the 1980’s and the author has a great feel for the best and worst of the decade, especially its more tawdry side.  It’s the seemier side that gets the most play here when Joe Stone’s old friend and crush is murdered.  This isn’t a romance but a straight mystery that unfolds as hidden relationships unravel, homophobia on the police force is still powerfully evident especially when dealing with crimes against homosexuals, and the whole sex, drugs and rock n roll was very much alive.

The characters are well developed but keep an odd dissociation or disconnect from one another.  I never felt as though any of them cared a wit about each other no matter how much they said that they did.  Well constructed yes, but without a heart. So odd.

The mystery itself was well done.  I was never emotionally invested in anything that happened in this novel but admired the writing and enjoyed watching the investigation unfold.  It  felt consistent for the time period, believable too.  But the story never pulled me in, never connected me to the people or the events taking place.  So no matter that the foundation was solid and the house sturdy, the hearth remained cold.

Even in noir there is passion, and in cozy laughter.  Here there is neither.  But there is an interesting mystery to unravel.

I wonder what they are going to do with the rest of the series.

Cover art is graphically interesting and eye catching.

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 85 pages
Expected publication: April 18th 2019 by Red Dog Press
ASINB07PH78GZQ
SeriesSoho Noir #1

Love Recent Murder Mysteries? Check Out the Release Blitz for Tainted Love (Soho Noir #1) by T.S. Hunter (Excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Tainted Love (Soho Noir #1)

Author: T.S. Hunter

Publisher:  Red Dog Press

Cover Artist: Red Dog Press

Release Date: April 18, 2019

Genre/s: Cosy Crime, Noir, Novella, Amateur Sleuths

Trope/s: Historical discrimination, burgeoning gay scene in London in the 80s, friendship among queers, solidarity, community.

Themes: 1980s murder mystery, coming together, coming out, discrimination.

Heat Rating:  1 flame – It’s all murder and crime solving, though there is a love interest.

Length: 125 pages

It is a standalone story.  The first of a series of 6.

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Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Amazon UK

Direct from publisher

Some relationships are just murder

Blurb

It’s 1985, and Joe Stone is excited to be joining his old school friend, and lifelong crush, Chris, for a long weekend in London’s Soho—home to a vibrant, developing gay scene, and a million miles from the small town Joe and Chris grew up in.

When Chris is found brutally murdered, the police write his death off as another rent boy fallen foul of a bad hook up. But Joe knows his best friend was killed deliberately, and joins forces with former police detective, Russell Dixon—Chris’s flatmate—to find out why.

Spiralling debt, illicit sex, blackmail, spurned lovers and hard-nosed gangsters all play their part, but who among the celebrities, fashionistas, drag queens, ex-lovers and so-called friends is Chris’s killer?

A noirish whodunit set in 1980s London, with all the big hair, electro-pop, shoulder pads, police discrimination and lethal killers that the era had to offer.

Tainted Love is the first book in the Soho Noir series of cozy crime novellas.

About the series

The Soho Noir series is set in the decade of big hair, shoulder pads, pastel suits and bright, cheesy pop, in a part of London which, on the surface at least, seemed to accept and adore people from all walks of life—a melting pot of gender, sexuality, colour and race, where celebrities rubbed up against the average Joe in cafes, bars and hair salons on every street.

But the 1980s had a darker underbelly, even in Soho. This was a time when gay rights were hard fought, where the police actively targeted gay men as easy victims for arrest and extortion, the government deliberately restricted gay rights and the tabloids screamed about The Gay Plague—the AIDS epidemic. And yet, gay icons who would go on to endure lasting fame and success were springing up all over the pop and fashion world.

The 1980s forms a strangely fitting, sometimes nostalgic, always entertaining backdrop to this colourful series of cozy crime stories.

Noirish, sexy and delicious.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

SOHO, LONDON. 1985.

THE DANK WINTERY STREETS outside were a distant memory now. Tonight, this hot, sweaty, neon-lit club was Joe’s whole universe. Music pulsed through his body like a brand new heartbeat. London was already changing him.

Sweat sticking his T-shirt to his ribs, arms raised high above his head, grinning wildly, hips pumping to Frankie’s repetitive calls to “Relax”. Joe hardly recognised himself and he was happier than he’d ever been.

It had been a night of Bronski Beat, Sister Sledge, Culture Club and Madonna—the kind of upbeat pop Joe usually hated. He was into more brooding, melancholic stuff—miserable shite, according to his friend Chris—and yet these pulsing, happy beats felt like they defined him right now. The new him. His new start.

This whole weekend had been like none Joe had ever known. He’d always been the quiet one, never even daring to come down to London on his own. Not confident enough to admit who he really was. This year was different already.

His oldest friend from school, Chris Sexton, had called him out of the blue to invite Joe to join him in London for a long weekend. A friend is having a party, he’d said. It’s going to be wild. You should come.

Chris had been the only person Joe had stayed in touch with from his school days. His first and only love, though he knew that particular accolade was one-sided, and Joe had long since given up hope of anything happening between them, even if he was still—and always would be—a little besotted with Chris.

Chris wasn’t the kind of guy who went around falling in love, though. Handsome, confident, reckless, funny and the bravest man Joe knew—Chris had left a trail of broken hearts behind him of those who’d fallen for him before they realised he’d never settle down.

So Joe and Chris had stayed friends, meeting up less frequently now that they had both left their respective universities, and Joe had secured a boring but well paid job with the council back in their old home town.

Chris, on the other hand, had moved to London seven years ago to study Fashion at St Martin’s College. Two fingers up to his father, who’d wanted him to join the family accountancy firm. Maybe he’d go back to it, when he’d settled down a bit. Though there was no sign of that happening any time soon.

After college, Chris had hooked himself up in a partnership with a couple of other young designers, and had been making a name for himself on the fashion scene ever since.

He was renting a flat in the heart of Soho and seemed to have a wide circle of friends of all shapes and ages. Joe wished he had Chris’s life. Or his talent. Or his looks. Any one of those would do.

Joe laughed as his friend bounced across the floor in a series of typically ostentatious dance moves, deliberately bumping into a tall, skinny, blonde guy—exactly Chris’s type—and planting a sly kiss on his cheek before sashaying away again. Oh, for that confidence.

Joe hadn’t even come out to his family yet. In fact, Chris was the only person he’d ever confided in, though he was sure others knew.

His oldest sister suspected. She’d asked him outright once, but he’d just changed the subject. It was none of her business. She was like the mirror of their mother. She wouldn’t understand. She would just worry.

All of that felt a lifetime away right now. Here in this club, Joe had found his spiritual home. This was living. This was who he really was. “Like a Virgin” by Madonna blasting out of the speakers, bodies bouncing and writhing together, very few of them remotely like a virgin.

About the Author

Claiming to be only half-Welsh, T.S. Hunter lived in South Wales for much of his latter teens, moving to London as soon as confidence and finances allowed. He never looked back.

He has variously been a teacher, a cocktail waiter, a podium dancer and a removal man, but his passion for writing has been the only constant.

He’s a confident and engaging speaker and guest, who is as passionate about writing and storytelling as he is about promoting mainstream LGBT fiction.

He now lives with his husband in the country, and is active on social media as @TSHunter5.

Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter: Red Dog  or  TS Hunter

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Love M/M Historical Romances? Check Out the Blog Tour for Strokes on a Canvas by H. Lewis-Foster (excerpt)

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Book Title: Strokes on a Canvas

Author: H. Lewis-Foster

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Cover Artist: Cherith Vaughan

Genre/s: Historical M/M Romance

Heat Rating:  3-4 flames

Trope/s: Friends to lovers

Themes: Overcoming the past

Length: 29,060 words/114 pages

It is a standalone book.

 

 

Love and art escaping the past in 1920s London

 

Blurb

London, 1924. Evan Calver is enjoying a quiet pint, when he notices a man smiling at him across the bar. While the Rose and Crown isn’t that kind of pub, Evan thinks his luck might be in, and he narrowly escapes humiliation when he realises the man is smiling at a friend. Eavesdropping on their conversation, Evan discovers the man is named Milo Halstead and served as an army captain during the war.

When they meet again by chance in the British Museum, artist Milo asks Evan if he would sit for a portrait. Evan is amazed that an upper-class artist wants to paint the son of a miner, and he’s just as surprised when their acquaintance blossoms into friendship. When he discovers that Milo is a man like himself, he hopes that friendship might become more. But as Evan and Milo grow ever closer, can they escape the fears of the past to find their future happiness?

 

Buy Links

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Excerpt

On the opposite side of the cabinet, a man was gazing intently at the Athenian amphora. Evan doubted he was having the same thoughts as himself as he scrutinized the naked athletes, but he seemed transfixed by its sporting design. The dark-haired man was wearing a brown pinstripe suit, the kind seen in newspaper photographs of famous actors and royalty, which Evan could never hope to afford. The stranger looked born to wear his stylish attire, his confident posture showing the suit’s fine cut to full advantage. Then he raised his eyes, and Evan saw the man was not a total stranger. His hair was smooth with Brilliantine, and he wasn’t wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, but he was unmistakably Captain Milo Halstead.

Evan was about to make a hasty exit when he realized the former soldier was smiling at him through the glass. He may have looked smarter than he had last night, but his smile was still as warm and kind as a Nightingale Nurse’s. Evan didn’t imagine the captain remembered him, but he smiled back, thinking it would be impolite not to, then turned to walk away. To his surprise, Evan’s action was mirrored on the other side of the cabinet as Captain Halstead moved in the same direction. He was still looking at Evan, still smiling, and as they both reached the end of the cabinet, Evan wondered what would happen next. Would words be exchanged? And what would those words be? If Milo remembered him from last night and he wasn’t the genial man he seemed, they might hint at blackmail or violence.

Evan was tempted to put his head down and make a run for it, but he didn’t want to attract the attention of the museum guards. He took a breath and stepped forward, only to find Milo standing in his way.

“Excuse me. Could I get past?”

“Of course, but…” Milo’s smile was uncertain now, but he didn’t move from Evan’s path. “It was you I saw in the Rose and Crown last night, wasn’t it?”

Evan lowered his eyes and weighed up his options. He could admit he was at the pub and ask to know what business of Milo’s it was. Or he could deny being anywhere near the place, or even knowing of its existence. The latter seemed the most sensible choice, avoiding all confrontation, but when he looked up and saw Milo’s blue eyes sparkling cheerfully back at him, Evan was overwhelmed by a longing to spend a few seconds more in his company.

With no idea of Milo’s intentions, Evan answered, “That’s right. I saw you there too.”

 

About the Author

H. has worked with books for a number of years, and is delighted to finally find herself on the author’s side of the bookshelf. She enjoys writing historical romances, and contemporary stories too, and while her characters travel all over the world, they always have a touch of British humour.

H. has lived in various parts of the UK and currently lives in the north of England, where she’s enjoying city life as much as the beautiful countryside. In her spare time, H. loves going to the cinema and theatre, and her very eclectic tastes range from quirky comedy to ballet and Shakespeare, and pretty much everything in between.

 

Author Links

Blog/Website

Twitter

 

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Check out the Blog Tour and Giveaway for Honeythorn by Marina Vivancos

 

 

Buy Links:  Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Length: 58,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Natasha Snow
 
Blurb
 

Omega Milan Pryor knows his duty. He must travel North through the continent towards the snow, the cold, and his new betrothed. They say that Lord Alpha Raphael Ledford, the man he is to marry, is as artic as the weather of his land. But Milan has always been an optimist. Perhaps he might find friendship in the arranged marriage. Even love.


It doesn’t take long for Milan to realize that all the rumours about Lord Raphael are true. Reclusive, distant, frigid. Milan finds himself unwelcome in what he must now call his new home. He’s used to fighting for what he wants—but can he survive a husband as cruel as Lord Raphael?


Being bonded to one who rejects you is a painful thing. Will Milan be able to win his husband’s regard? What terrible secret is Lord Raphael keeping, and will Milan be able to discover it before it’s too late?


Or will Milan perish along with his heart?

 

 
Author Bio


When Marina was a child she couldn’t sleep. Night after dissolving night she just couldn’t sleep. Nothing much worked – until she started making up stories in her head. Suddenly, the transition into unconsciousness was a smooth dive into calm waters.


Marina is currently in a period of sleepless upheaval, and she hopes writing down the stories in her head will cast the same spell it did decades ago.


Marina hopes to write in a variety of romance sub-genres, from contemporary to supernatural to sci-fi. Her style, however, tends to focus on character-centred stories that explore different facets of the human experience, such as mental health. She also enjoys writing explicit, drawn-out sex scenes, so expect those to be a prominent feature of her stories.


Marina tends to keep to herself unless prompted, so don’t be shy in approaching her!

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A Caryn Review: Midnight Flit (The Carstairs Affairs #2) by Elin Gregory

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I did not know when I read Eleventh Hour 3 years ago that there would be a sequel.  Three years, for me, is plenty of time to forget a book that wasn’t a standout, especially when I’m not waiting for a sequel.  Well, I remembered this book, and these characters, and was very excited to see they were coming back for another adventure!  This is another action story with espionage, danger, exotic locales including – wait for it – the Orient Express!  And, of course, silk stockings and fabulous frocks for my favorite cross dressing spy.

1931.  London.  A time of considerable political unrest in Europe, with the rise of the fascists in Italy and the Nazis in Germany, and Britain trying to determine who were allies and who enemies.  Miles Seward, linguist, cipher clerk, and occasional cross-dressing spy, received an encoded message from his mother, stationed at the British embassy in Bucharest.  She was in danger, and he embarked upon what was supposed to be a quick and simple extraction to bring her back to London.  The stakes were much higher than either of them thought, and they were immediately ambushed on their way to the air strip.  Fortunately, Miles brought the accoutrements for his transformation into his alter ego, Millie, and with some quick thinking they escaped Bucharest and made their way to Belgrade, where Briers Allerdale was stationed undercover.  Miles and Briers had maintained and deepened the relationship they started three years earlier during their joint mission in London, and despite the peril, working together as Brian and Millie Carstairs was a true pleasure.

The rest of the story is a classic high class spy adventure – evening dress and beautiful jewelry, aristocrats, luxury trains, explosions, car chases, gunfights, witty banter, blackmail – as Miles, Lady Siward, and Briers made their way across Europe to deliver the secrets Lady Siward had so carefully guarded to British Intelligence in London.  It was more than a little over the top, to me reminiscent of a James Bond adventure – Roger Moore rather than Daniel Craig – but I loved it anyway.  As in the first book, alongside the adventure was the romance between Miles and Briers.  There was actually a little more emphasis on the romance in this book than in the first, with both men considering what life might be like if they were out of the intelligence game.  What life could be like together.  And again, the complex role that Millie played in both the men’s psyches.

The cast of secondary characters included some old friends from book one – including Falk, the German spy once again temporarily allied with them but with his own agenda – as well as new ones including several clever and kick ass women.  Millie wasn’t the only woman who was strong and resourceful and took no crap from men.  Lady Siward, her secretary-cum-bodyguard, and the American actress were all courageous, intelligent, and the type of female character I think we need to see more of in historical fiction.

Once again, overall an excellent read.  Beautiful descriptions of scenery, strong characters, fast pace, humor, with well researched historical details and period appropriate dialogue and slang.  There is also what I considered to be a mostly satisfying ending that makes it clear this time there WILL be a sequel.  Which I am eagerly looking forward to, and hoping it doesn’t take another 3 years to come out!

Cover art by Manifold Press implies a darker and more serious story, but the train was totally appropriate.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Book Details;

Kindle Edition, 210 pages
Published March 14th 2019
ASINB07NWFJCN2
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Carstairs Affairs #2
Characters Miles Siward, Briers Allerdale

Carstairs Affairs Series:

Eleventh Hour

Midnight Flit

Jump Back to Jazz Age Romance with the Book Blitz Tour for Midnight Flit (The Carstairs Affairs #2) by Elin Gregory (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Length: 73,000 words approx.
 
Publisher: Manifold Press
 
The Carstairs Affairs Series
 
Book 1 – Eleventh Hour – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Blurb


Miles Siward and Briers Allerdale return for another thrilling Jazz Age adventure .

“Silk stockings on expenses.”

Miles’s aristocratic mother has information of importance to the British Government and he must escort her home from Bucharest immediately, but their plans go violently awry and Miles and Lady Siward find themselves on a train to Belgrade – where Miles’s lover is posted. Since their pursuers are looking for a man and a woman, might two women slip past them unnoticed?

“Is anyone on this train who they say they are?”

Briers doesn’t know whether to kiss Miles or punch him but is delighted to accompany him and his mother on their journey. All he has to do is keep an eye open for their enemies – but who exactly are they; the enormous Russian, the sinister priest, the handsome jazz pianist, or maybe the winsome young movie star? And his mother-in-law might just be the most terrifying of all!

All aboard for the ride of a lifetime, with a cast of characters you’ll never forget!


Excerpt


Secret Intelligence service operative, Miles Siward, is preparing for a mission with the assistance of his gentleman’s gentleman, Pritchard.

“Do you miss working for Father?” Miles asked after a moment. “I feel bad that I’ve never asked before, but I was so grateful when you agreed to come back with me and run my little establishment that I suppose it never occurred to me to ask.”

Pritchard paused, his hands full of snowy linen. “Lord bless you, sir, no. Ronald and I were heartily sick of exchanging letters by then, and maybe seeing each other once a year – your father’s commitments allowing. To be offered the chance to come here, with private accommodation provided, was a Godsend. My only worry was that a relationship started in the trenches and continued on paper might not weather more frequent contact.”

Ronald – professional stage manager, natty dresser, a full head taller than Pritchard – was perhaps a little shrill, but one had to be shrill to be heard in theatrical circles. From what little Miles had seen of Pritchard and Ron together, though, they seemed blissfully happy and he wished them well and envied them with all his heart.

“I’m glad,” he said. “Going from valet to His Majesty’s Ambassador in Bucharest to the man-of-all-work of a clerk seems such a come down.”

“We both know that you are far more than a clerk, sir,” Pritchard grinned. “And speaking of more, Bucharest is not that far from Belgrade. While you are there, will there be any chance of meeting with the master?”

Miles snorted. “You mustn’t call Briers that, it only encourages him. He’ll turn up in plus fours and a monocle next, you wait and see!”

“It’s meant affectionately, sir.” Pritchard gave him a serene smile and tucked a rolled black tie and a pair of silk socks in beside the shirt.

“I know, and he loves it.” Miles paused in smiling contemplation of Briers Allerdale – tall where Miles was short, dark where he was fair, a hard-bitten field agent where Miles spent a lot of time at his desk − and thanked his lucky stars that opposites attract. “But sadly I am only going for one night, solely to retrieve Ma and bring her home safely in time for her appointment. A side trip is completely out of the question.

“I understand, sir.” From the sympathetic glint in Pritchard’s eye, Miles knew that he did understand, very well.

 
About Elin
 

Elin Gregory lives in South Wales and works in a museum in a castle built on the edge of a Roman Fort! She reckons that’s a pretty cool job.

Elin usually writes on historical subjects, and enjoys weaving the weird and wonderful facts she comes across in her research into her plots. She likes her heroes hard as nails but capable of tenderness when circumstances allow. Often they are in danger, frequently they have to make hard choices, but happy endings are always assured.

Current works in progress include one set during the Great War, another in WW2, one set in the Dark Ages and a series of contemporary romances set in a small town on the Welsh border.

www.elingregory.com
www.facebook.com/elin.gregory
@ElinGregory
www.elingregory.wordpress.com

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