This book is like a wreath knot of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. It’s been a long time since I read a good, well-crafted murder mystery. The only thing that makes this book one step above your average murder mystery is that the two main characters… a Detective and a Police Officer are a gay couple. This book is the fourth in the Detective Heath Barrington Mystery series. I read it as a stand-alone and it was easy to follow.

This is a mystery in its purest form. The book is primarily the dialogue and procedure of solving a mystery. Detective Heath Barrington is a laid back guy, but his attention to detail is amazing. And, in spite of the fact that he seems to be comfortable with his relationship with Officer Alan Keys, he’s a little jealous about Alan’s new friendship with a handsome actor. It’s Alan’s involvement in the theatre which leads to the two men being in the theatre the very night a murder is committed.

This book falls into one of my favorite categories; this is a story … with queer characters. Queer is not the focus of the story, it’s just a facet of what is going on. The fact that Heath and Alan are a couple is definitely an integral part of the story, but it’s subtle and well-written… it’s… just another relationship. And what a wonderful way to read about a queer couple!

The murder occurring in the theatre brings Heath and Alan into contact with a snarky, colorful cast. What a delightfully bitchy and back-stabby crew of folks! Some of the supporting characters are equally as interesting as the mains!

If you like murder mysteries and are particularly interested in the old-school type, you’ll love this book! ( )