A mystery, set in a mortuary, with a surprisingly gruesome end for the villain who is downright ... gruesome in his own right ... I like the relationship between Tom and Stanley in this book despite the strain the pair are under for most of the book (fall out from the previous story). Look forward to the next book in the series. ( )

I enjoyed the first books of this series, but this one seemed too different. An overly contrived plot didn't pull me in as the first ones had done. Found myself skipping paragraphs just to get to the end quicker. ( )

The Deadly Mystery series by Victor J. Banis is probably the only gay mystery series out there where the romance part of the book is good as well as the mystery one. In the four books we saw the evolution of their relationship, from being casual lovers and probably having no chance to be nothing else, to tentative long term partners, to the almost apex of happiness in book 3. Then the abrupt end of that novel, with a Tom, the strong man in the couple, scarred and for the first time weak. And maybe also a bit castrated from the fact that this time, it was not him who saved Stanley. They have their roles in the relationship, Tom is the protector and Stanley the one in need of protection, you can't change that, otherwise Tom doesn't know what is his place. Tom is a simple person, he is a man who reasons and acts more with his gut (and heart) than his mind, he is not stupid, but he is not one to brainstorming too much. If you take away from him his role, what he is for Stanley, what is his added value to the relationship. But as simple as Tom is, it's also simple for him to realize that even if scarred, he is still the same man as before, and that Stanley need him.

It's not Tom's trouble to adapt to the new situation that is the focus of this 4th novel, but more the descending phase of their relationship. Don't get me wrong, it's not a negative descending, but more the natural evolution of a relationship fated to last a long time. You can't be forever newly wedded birds in love, you have to arrive at the time when you question if you are ready to take, or maybe respect, the decision to be IN a relationship, with all that means. And strange to say, it's not Tom who questions it, but Stanley. As I said, Tom is simple, he is a man of heart and gut, and when he decided to be with Stanley, he was well sure of what that would have meant. Already before, with the woman who wasn't a woman, Tom proved that he can be tempted, but he is strong enough to not surrender to temptation. Instead I think that Stanley realized for the first time that he has taken a decision for life. Stanley was infatuated, he was madly in love, and he strongly wanted Tom. More Tom resisted and more Stanley wanted him. Stanley didn't have time to think at what would have happened once his desire was granted. That once he had a man like Tom all for him, he has to be a one to one relationship, it's not possible to go off track, neither for a moment. Tom is a very demanding man, not at words, but as a whole: loving a man like Tom is a full time work, and Stanley is probably scared.

It's not a secret, if you read my previous reviews, that I like a lot Tom; I like also Stanley, but truth be told, my favorite is Tom. And so I'm true, I was a bit annoyed with Stanley, how could he have any doubts on his relationship with Tom? didn't he realize how much Tom changed his life to be with him? Didn't he at least be sure of their relationship and not be distracted by some pretty boys who flirt around? But then I understood that Stanley wasn't really interested in any of them, it was only a way to test his love for Tom. And then it was nothing of dramatic or irreparable, only some passing thoughts, and as Tom put it, if you have an itch, you scratch it with your man, and it's everything all right, even if that itch was caused by another man... see? simple and plain my Tom, no painstaking works on an hypothetical 'mind' betrayal.

Oh, I forgot to tell you about the mystery... but is it really necessary? There is a mystery, it's good, I wasn't able to find for sure the killer, even if I have my idea on who they was... well friend, you now that, if you want a review on a mystery novel, this is not where you will find it. An 'happy' note this time was that neither one of the victims was someone I care of, it was so sad in the previous books to read of interesting characters that were already dead, or soon be dead. I'm still grieving for that young boy in book 2.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608200906/?tag=elimyrevandra-20