This series keeps on getting better. Mr. Buchanan has rolled a mystery, police procedural, romance, contrary religion, hot sex and real flawed characters all into one excellent story. Some of the backwoods language may put some people off but the story takes place in small town Utah. I have to admire Joe for adhering to his religious convictions even after being excommunicated. The personal tension between Kabe and Joe was well played out throughout the story. The mystery also wasn't a quick fix "gotcha" bit but was a real mystery. Some BDSM play just incase you're easily offended. Highly recommended. ( )

4.5 stars.

Now I can't explain completely why, but I enjoyed this one a lot more than the previous one. Maybe the lack of all the climbing terms made it easier to read. Maybe because we already know the MC's.. And maybe because the religious aspect wasn't as 'in your face' as it was in the first book. I really can't explain.

Here we see the relationship between Joe and Kabe grow. But because Joe isn't completely honest with Kabe they hit a very major speed bump along the way. Add to this trying to solve the mystery of a body found whilst out hunting and you have the foundation for a fantastic book. Lucky for me James Buchanan has delivered one! ( )

A sequel that is every bit as good as the original! ( )

Spin Out (Deputy Joe #2) by James Buchanan (95,000 words) is the second and newest book in a projected series about the unforgettably unique character of Joe, a law enforcement officer in rural Utah whose devout faith in God coexists uneasily with his equally strong need for gay sadomasochistic sex. Both “Deputy Joe” books (Hard Fall and Spin Out) have a lot going for them, including tight understated writing, solid police procedural details, in-depth research, hot BDSM sex, and strong mystery plots. But the strongest element in these books is Joe’s character. He is an honest cop and a small-town Mormon boy through and through.

His loneliness for the tight-knit, devout culture of his birth gives his stories significant emotional depth. Joe will never be able to leave Utah. Yet he will never be able to be the Mormon that he’s supposed to be. His unique insider-outsider perspective gives the books a wonderfully layered view of small-town law enforcement and the Mormon community – the good and the bad in sympathetic balance. You will want to read Hard Fall before you read Spin Out. The two books make great back-to-back reading.

The story opens when Joe and his young lover Kabe discover a dead teenage boy in the snowy backcountry. At first, it looks like a suicide, but then clues point towards murder. Joe investigates the boy’s peers, all well-drawn characters. One is working a horrible sawmill job. Another is a 19 year-old “Elder” at a Mormon training facility, preparing for his upcoming proselytizing mission. Meanwhile, Joe has to face a disciplinary hearing for sexual misconduct charges stemming from his relationship with Kabe in the previous novel, and the wrong ruling could destroy his career. When he foolishly shuts out Kabe who wants to support him, he also faces the possible destruction of his relationship.

Val for AReCafe ( )

Read for m/m team bingo challenge. ( )