To Catch A Fox

Title: To Catch A Fox

Author: Geoffrey Knight and Ethan Day

Publisher: The Empire Press

Publisher URL: www.smashwords.com

ISBN: 9780987328762

Genre: {M/M} Mystery Series

Rating: 5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Chocolate Minx 

Profile of Jonathon Fox: a New Orleans private detective and comes from a wealthy family. But Jon chose not to join the ranks as head of the Fox Corporations. Jon appears to be your average working man, casually dressed, driving an old car and living in the family’s plantation manor in need of some serious renovations. He has issues that stems from the loss of his father. Becoming a private detective is part of Jon’s self-appointed makeover. Jon’s motto is to help people without getting emotionally involved with anyone on a long term basis. However, Jon has a network of business contacts who accept casual sex as the preferred payment.

Profile of Tucker Wilder: a screen play writer whose first attempt at movie-making did not sell as he hoped, so he returned to his home in New Orleans, working in his aunt’s café while researching material for what he hoped would be the next blockbuster.

The case: Betty Black hires Jon to assist her in locating an acquaintance from fifty years ago. As it turns out, the name given to Jon by Betty is also the name of the man Tucker is researching. Tucker becomes a person of interest in Jon’s investigation. When Tucker witnessed a murder that Jon also happen to stumble upon, then Tucker is now a target in need of Jon’s protection and things just spiral downward from there for Jon, as well as Tucker.

To Catch A Fox is the first book in the Knight and Day Fox Mystery series. This is a gripping saga full of heart-stopping incidents. The complex plot has many twists and turns, an exciting murder and mayhem, emphasis on mayhem thriller with a dash of humor. Nevertheless, Jon and Tucker manage to squeeze in a few moments of scorching intimacy.

I absolutely enjoyed To Catch A Fox and look forward to the upcoming book A Fox in the Hole. My favorite quote “on this episode of Lifestyles of Sick and Demented we travel to the backwoods of Deliverance-ville, Louisiana, to meet a deadbeat daddy and his back door whore.” You will need to read the book to understand that quote.

Winter’s Journey

Title: Winter’s Journey

Author: Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Publisher: Eternal Press

Publisher URL: http://www.eternalpress.biz

ISBN: 9781615724604

Genre: {M/F} Romantic Suspense, Murder-Mystery

Rating: 5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Rose Nymph 

After losing her trucker husband to the bitter Wyoming winter one year ago, the last place Loretta Brennan expected to be was in “Baby Blue”, her eighteen-wheeler, heading along those same icy roads. However, if she wants to keep a roof over her and her daughter’s head, Loretta needs to start taking action, now. 

She may have accepted the dangerous job for honorable reasons but Loretta soon realizes she has bitten off more than she can chew. There’s no way she’ll get her haul to the destination in time by herself. So when hitchhiker Sam Emerson offers to share the burden, Loretta is loath to turn him away. She knows the danger of picking up a stranger, but Sam’s sob story pulls at hear heartstrings. As the duo ride out the winter storm, Loretta leans more about the enigmatic Sam, but not all of it is good. She can’t fight the feelings that are growing for the man, but when they hear that truckers are being murdered nearby, Loretta starts putting two and two together, and coming up with five. With a coldblooded murderer on the loose, can Sam be honest enough about his past to save his and Loretta’s future? 

Despite Loretta and Sam’s actions making me want to bang their heads together most of the time, I just couldn’t put Winter’s Journey down. The author did an amazing job creating such an atmospheric setting that I shiver now just remembering the cold and icy conditions faced by the characters. There were shivers of a different kind as people Loretta and Sam met along their journey started turning up dead. The constant “friend or foe?” vibe coming from Sam kept me on edge and helped me ride the rollercoaster of emotions with Loretta as she tried to figure him out. The climax of the murder mystery was exciting and unpredictable. The romance between Loretta and Sam was slow building and let my imagination wander to all sorts of possibilities between them. If you are looking for an engaging story with twists and turns plus tender romance, I highly recommend Winter’s Journey.

A Portrait of Andrew

Title: A Portrait of Andrew

Author: J.P. Bowie

Publisher: ManLoveRomance Press

Publisher URL: http://www.mlrbooks.com

ISBN: 978-1-60820-388-8

Genre: {M/M}, Mystery, Series

Rating:  4.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph 

Since Andrew and David moved to New York, Peter has missed his friends beyond belief.  Thrilled that he and his partner, Jeff, are able to spend the Christmas holiday with them, Peter is looking forward to the trip.  The only thing he did not plan on was the murder investigation that has Andrew as a possible person of interest. 

While A Portrait of Andrew is the third book in the Portrait series, this is the first one I have read and let me tell you it won’t be the last.  The story is able to stand on it’s own and the author gives background information along the way so I never felt as if  I was missing something.   

The characters are interesting and pulled me in right from the beginning.  Peter is an artist who finds himself with physic powers after coming out of a coma.  The author played this very well, rather than having Peter experience ‘visions’ or ‘dreams’, the young man gets a feeling, almost as if becoming ill.  Jeff is an ex-cop turned private detective.  Slightly older than Peter, Jeff is the prefect counterpart for the artist.  While the story is not heavily saturated in sex, the author still brings across the passion and love that exists between the men. 

A Portrait of Andrew is just as much, if not more, a murder- mystery as it is a romance.  The crime is one that builds slowly during the course of the story, as the author gives the reader a chance to become familiar with all the characters.  It is not surprising that Jeremy is killed but I am surprised someone had not killed him sooner.  The killer, and the reason behind the crime, was the surprise.  While it was easy to figure out part of the mystery, I did not expect the whole of it and loved the surprise twist at the end. 

While A Portrait of Andrew is a sequel, it is also in some ways a prequel as well.  Readers new to J.P. Bowie’s books are introduced to Nick Fallon, the cop investigating the murder at the center of this story, and his new lover Eric.  These two men are now the main characters in another series by the author. A Portrait of Andrew is a very entertaining read and I can’t wait to check out the earlier stories.

A Matter of Time IV

Title: A Matter of Time IV
Author: Mary Calmes
Publisher: Club Lighthouse Publishing
Publisher URL: http://www.clublighthousepublishing.com/
ISBN: 978-1-897532-88-1
Genre: {M/M} Murder-Mystery
Rating: 5 Nymphs/Golden Blush
Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Scandalous Minx

As usual, trouble has Jory Harcourt on its radar. Life is settling down for him and his lover, Detective Sam Kage, when an old threat resurfaces. It doesn’t hit home how dangerous the situation is until Sam is caught in the crossfire, leaving Jory scrambling to find the culprit. How much can one untrained gay man playing Kojak uncover? You would be surprised!

Before I begin, let me say that, in order to enjoy this book, you have to know the history behind Sam and Jory. You have to experience their trials and tribulations to grasp how far this couple has come; to see clearly how much they’ve both grown individually and together, and to finally be able to celebrate their union.

Now that being say…it’s official, I absolutely love Mary Calmes. She took me on the ride of my life with A Matter of Time IV. I don’t think I’ve ever talked to a character so much in my history of reviewing. Jory is one of a kind. His brain seems to shut down during two critical moments and he acts before he truly thinks, when he is hurting, or someone he loves is harmed. I was on the edge of my seat for a majority of this book wondering, “What can he get into next, surely there is nothing left”. Well let me tell you, with Jory, there is always something left.

Sam has grown into a partner Jory could be proud to have in his life. There was no doubt in my mind of his love for Jory. To say Jory is important to him is an understatement. There were times where he made such touching declarations of love that I couldn’t help but forgive him for all the hurt he previously caused.

Mary Calmes fills the pages with action, suspense, drama, and sex that left me gasping for air. Ms. Calmes has anchored herself on my “must read list” of author’s. For those who’ve waited to see Sam and Jory finally get it right, the wait is over!

A Matter of Time III

Title: A Matter of Time III
Author: Mary Calmes
Publisher: Club Lighthouse Publishing
Publisher URL: http://www.clublighthousepublishing.com/
ISBN: 978-1-897532-83-6
Genre: {M/M} Murder-Mystery
Rating: 4.5 Nymphs
Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Scandalous Minx

No one can question Jory Keyes feelings for his lover, Detective Sam Kage. After Jory’s abduction, he sustains injuries while protecting his lover. However, Jory has no idea the worst pain is yet to come. Sam decides he has to leave to protect his career and Jory. After three years of separation, will Jory decide to give love one more chance?

Clearly, I’m starting to think Jory has a kick me sign hanging on his back, suspended for all the world’s prized jerks to see. He seems to have the worst luck with men and Sam always strives to be the cherry on top. Sam reminded me of a hound dog on the scent of a fox. Regardless of what he did, or how far he went, Sam always refused to give up on claiming Jory as his own. Jory, on the other hand, knew that Sam would one day break his spirit to the point of no return. Even with that knowledge, he didn’t have the strength to put the iron bars on the doors.

Mixed in with a twisted relationship that would make Lucifer proud of the complexity, we see wonderful things happen to some of my favorite characters. Mary Calmes has brought us yet another story sure to have you talking to her characters and screaming for Jory to run towards the light. If you enjoyed the first two stories in this series, hold on to your hat for a bumpy ride! Action, suspense, and a fair amount of drama await your reading pleasure in A Matter of Time III.