4 Stars!

Poor Kit. He just cannot catch a break - a break from finding dead bodies, that is. He and JX have made that ultimate relationship step and have newly moved in together, but a murdered victim found in one of their packing crates is not a great way to start their new life together.

As with this particular series, Kit is ever the neurotic fussy guy, full of insecurities and a tendency toward introversion, all of it marked with sarcastic humor and a fatalistic attitude that lends itself to some very entertaining moments. Though I would've preferred to have more on page JX time, it is actually their relationship that takes center stage this time, in and around the murder shenanigans. Despite their best efforts, these two are still on shaky ground due to Kit’s fears. Though frustrating, I enjoyed seeing him argue with himself and trying to overcome his own personal roadblocks, wanting a happy ending with JX, but not quite sure how to achieve and maintain that. JX in return is solid, but also desperately trying to hang on by any means possible.

Always interesting, smart, and full of that wry and sardonic wit that can be so prominent in a lot of Lanyon’s works, I often found myself suddenly snorting or bursting out in laughter. This was good reading, as yet again, Kit solves the murder whether he wants to or not. He’s quite the unconventional hero, but there’s definitely something there that makes you want to be in on the inside jokes with him; his “brilliant criminal mind” notwithstanding. This series is never overt in the smex, but what little we got quite satisfies (though I will never turn down more), and delved deeper into the romantic and intimate, vulnerable dynamic between these two complete opposites. Luckily we get another entry to this great series, and I’m definitely looking forward to it! ( )

self-worth-issues, writers, wry-humor, snark-fest, relocating, theft, greed, family, family-drama, family-dynamics, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, m/m mystery, suspense, verbal-humor, relationship-issues, relationships, invested-erotica, friction, friendship, frustration, adaptability, angst, stalker****

Christopher and JX have sold their homes and are moving into their shared home in San Francisco, but JX has this commitment to an awards ceremony in Vegas while Christopher prefers to stay home and unpack two households worth of...
Then comes the body, the stalker, and so much more, all with the signature snarkiness we all love.
Interesting and complicated plot with devious red herrings, whiplash twists, memorable characters, and a new home to die for.
Voice actor Kevin R. Free is perfectly attuned to the main characters and makes a fun read spectacular! ( )

This was really more of a three-and-a-half than a four but I'll round up because it's Lanyon.

I think maybe the reason these Holmes & Moriarity books aren't as good for me as the rest of Lanyon's books is that Christopher reminds me so much of, well, me. And I don't really like him, which makes me feel all kinds of uncomfortable. And I really don't like J.X.'s controlling nature either - it's something I would not be able to live with in a million years.

In this one, the mystery didn't really seem to be up to par, either. Maybe because there were so many elements to the eventual plot, so many characters playing a part without seeming altogether necessary. Sometimes less is more even in mysteries.

But I did finish the book in two days, which is quite fast paced for me these days, so I suppose not all hope is lost. Most likely it's just a case of way too high expectations, a consequence of having a favorite in any genre. I've come to expect entertaining and riveting reads from Lanyon, so anything less will always dissapoint. ( )

Great writing as always. ( )

As much as Kit drives me to distraction (for a variety of reasons) I do love these two.

( )