Thea McAlistair

I'm a fan of this series already! Book one: No Good Men, was a great start to the Caro series. Alex and Sev met in the first book. This series is set in the 1930s so it's not a world in which gay men can live openly. By a twist of fate, they find one another and become involved. The first book ends with the two men and their young neighbor Pearl ... on the run.

When they arrive in Chickadee, everyone already knows their name and it's not long before they're on the radar of the local police. Why? Because there's been a murder. Crime follows these two! Again, they find themselves attempting to solve a crime while not getting in any deeper. Bella shows up and things get even more complex when she is arrested for the murder!

While the "case" is being worked, Alex is losing his mind a little bit. He's in a relationship for the first time in his life and he's still learning so much about being in love. Sev is a bit older than Alex and his temperament is slightly more laid back so he seems to be taking it all in stride. He is out of his element and finding that raising a child is a constant reminder of his behavior and the fact that there are always eyes on him.

As Alex struggles with the events that are going on around him reminding him of his own losses and the danger they have so recently fled, his mood sours and he begins to feel some distance between himself and Sev. Because Alex is spiraling out of a control a little bit, he begins to be jealous of Sev's friendship with a local woman... manifest destiny!!!

Much of this book is about secrets. When Alex and Sev arrived in town it was with their own secret...they have fake names and identities and must continue to hide who they are to one another. Alex is also bottling up his emotions instead of talking to Sev about them, and that is making them both unhappy. Secrets take their toll! The town itself seems to be mired down in secrets as well. There are women who have been treated foully by their spouses, there are people having affairs, secret children and disintegrating family relationships.

McAlistairdoes a great job of creating the small-town feel of Chickadee. There are always people gossiping about everyone else and there's no such thing as privacy. I grew up in a small town so I know of what I write!

You should definitely read the first book before reading this one! This is a great series and I'm glad that this novel ends with a teasing cliff hanger !!! That means there will be more coming!… (meer)

No Good Men is about the lengths we go to for friends…and found family.

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Alex Dawson is a part-time writer and bodyguard for the Mayor. On the night Alex meets Sev… a handsome, charming man with the same secret as Alex… his mentor and father-figure, Donnie is shot. Alex is immediately caught up in needing to find out who committed the murder and took away from him the only man who ever a father to him. The police seem to want to take Alex down, he’s lost his only source of income and he’s feeling very isolated.

I enjoyed the way the characters in this book are all connected to one another. McAlistair has plotted out an intricate novel with enough detail for the reader to figure out “who done it” without giving anything away. Being gay in the 1930s isn’t easy. Alex lives a life in which he spends a lot of time not acknowledging who he is.

Once Alex gets to know Sev… he realizes that things are far more complicated than he had initially thought. Sev is part of the local Mob family and Alex finds himself falling for a man he knows little about. This book has one of my favorite features! The fact that Alex and Sev are gay… isn’t THE plot… it’s simply part of their lives. While they struggle with being gay at a time when it is still illegal, the two men have embraced who they are and try to live as authentically as they can.

There are some wonderful characters in this book. There is a little girl named, Pearl in Alex’s life. She appears often when her boxer father is drunk and abusive … something that pulls up memories from Alex’s own past. One of the locals is Martin… a feisty and sharp doctor who was forced out of the medical field for reasons he keeps to himself. Vern is a quick-talking ruthless reporter (with a heart) who wants to get the story at almost any cost.

This lovely roster of well-developed characters weave in and out of each other’s lives as the mystery in this story is slowly unraveled. I loved the detail in this novel… it really gives the reader a feel of living in the 30s.

Strong 4-stars from me!… (meer)

After I read an early draft of this book, the author kindly provided me with a review copy. I've been waiting with a fair amount of anticipation for this release. I'm pleased to say the book doesn't disappoint.

The setting is America during the Great Depression. We meet Alex, a budding writer, who's earning a crust by working as a bodyguard for the mayor. Not a job he's exactly enthusiastic about, but life gets exciting when his client and his mentor are both shot dead in a nightclub.

From then on, Alex is drawn into a more complex and dangerous series of events. Every attempt he makes to solve the murders instead makes things worse. The expected elements of a noir mystery are present, including (but not limited to): a brutal policeman, a nosy reporter, a vulnerable child and a friend who is helpful but also hiding secrets. They all feel like people with lives of their own rather than revolving around Alex's troubles. Well, maybe not the policeman, but who cares about him?

(Disclaimer: I tend to avoid reading romances.) Alex's life is made even more difficult by love interest Sev being related to the local mob boss, although sometimes that has its advantages. The romantic elements in this book between Alex and Sev were tastefully handled. There was enough detail to establish the strength and challenges of their developing relationship without being (from my viewpoint) over the top.

The writing was smooth and the descriptions evocative without being overdone. I didn't notice any typos.

Overall, an enjoyable read. If you enjoy fast-paced mysteries, I recommend this one.… (meer)