4.5 out of 5 stars
E-book. 210 pages. Published September 22nd 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Blurb:
Riley Parker: temp, twink, geek… sleuth?
Maybe Riley isn’t living up to his full potential, but being a temp executive assistant suits him. He’s never bored at work, he’s got friends who let him geek out, and he’s got a carefully crafted twink exterior… which might be getting constrictive now that he’s on the other side of thirty. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s comfortable.
It all unravels when he takes a job working for a tea-obsessed cosmetics queen, the owner of Gautier Cosmetics. During the launch party for a new product, Riley finds his boss dead under suspicious circumstances, and the homicide detective is none other than Tadeo Martin, Riley’s high school obsession who never knew he was alive.
Tad drafts Riley to get the scoop on the inner workings of Gautier, and for Riley, it’s like a drug. His natural inquisitiveness is rewarded with more and more Tad. Unfortunately, his snooping puts him in the running for two other roles: suspect and victim. The killer doesn’t care which.
Likes:
- Good mystery.
- Both Tad and Riley, together and separately.
- Good tension throughout the story.
- The side plot with Riley’s brother.
- More intense than a cozy mystery.
- Kept me hooked.
Dislikes:
- Riley being Tad’s secret.
- I seriously worried for Riley a few times.
I love mysteries, and this was a good one. I wouldn’t call it a cozy mystery because it takes place in a big city, but it still managed to have a similar feel. Mostly because all of the sleuthing and most of the possible killers were working for Gautier Cosmetics, and Riley had ample opportunity to interact with them all.
Riley was likeable and a great main character for a mystery. Being a temp gave him freedom and flexibility. I especially liked how professional he was. A lot of people looked down on him for being a temp, but he liked doing the work and was damn good at it.
I did get worried for Riley’s safety a time or two. That usually doesn’t happen with cozy mysteries. Then again, this wasn’t a cozy. The danger felt more imminent, both for Riley and those around him. It kept me hooked, and I finished the book fast.
Watching Riley and Tad’s relationship develop was mostly fun. The guys had great chemistry, and there was just enough hesitation to add some tension. I didn’t like that Riley had be Tad’s little secret, even though I know why it was necessary. The fact that they weren’t guaranteed a happy ending because of Tad’s job was a nice touch.
Like all mysteries, the romance was secondary. I didn’t mind that, since Tad was never far from Riley’s mind. There was a good balance between the mystery and the romance.
Riley’s strained relationship with his brother, while not a big part of the story, was surprisingly impactful. It made me wish this was the first in a series and not a standalone. I would have happily read multiple books where Riley keeps finding dead bodies at his new temp jobs. It would keep the mysteries fresh, though Riley would probably end up thinking he was cursed.
Love is Love Reviews 