Just a quick note before we get this party started-I wrote this a while ago in preparation for this grand countdown I had planned for the release of Josh Lanyon's new Adrien English mystery Death of a Pirate King, which I have been looking forward to for FOREVEH. Well, life happened and so I never did anything with this, but it's such a great series and so I figured why not do this?  Have a three day countdown before the massive launch party next week? It'd be a shame to waste my ramblings and scribblings. And so here we are. Today we cover Fatal Shadows. Tomorrow tune in for nattering on about A Dangerous Thing.

Oh and one more thing--and yeah, I know what you're thinking: "this broad will never get to the point"--but I just want to stress this is a non-review. I'm not going to sum it all up in my pretty little words, or break it down point by point, mainly b/c I don't want to spoil anything (this is a mystery...it should be mysterious!). There are enough serious and well-thought out reviews out there, I don't think the world will miss much if I don't add to the pile (you can read one here or here or here or here or here) So this is more like... commentary. An introduction to my favorite character and anything else that may matter. Or not. I'm a trickster like that.  And I'll warn you, we're probably headed straight for inane if I have anything to say about it, so if that's your cup of tea pull up a chair. If not, then read my lips: Read this book. Read. It. It's flippin great. Buy here in print or here-double your pleasure-as an ebook with A Dangerous Thing, another flippin great Adrien mystery.

 

Fatal Shadows: The Way He Was Then 

 

Teh Blurb 1:

One sunny morning Los Angeles bookseller and aspiring mystery author Adrien English opens his front door to murder. His old high school buddy (and employee) has been found stabbed to death in a back alley following a loud and very public argument with Adrien the previous evening.

Naturally the cops want to ask Adrien a few questions; they are none too impressed with his answers, and when a few hours later someone breaks into Adrien's shop and ransacks it, the law is inclined to think Adrien is trying to divert suspicion from himself.

Adrien knows better. Adrien knows he is next on the killer's list.

Teh Blurb 2:

Someone's out to get Los Angeles bookseller Adrien English. His best friend has been viciously murdered, now he's getting weird phone calls and sinister gifts from a mysterious "admirer." The cops think he's trying to divert suspicion from himself-with the exception of sexy and homophobic homicide detective Jake Riordan. Is Riordan really such a great detective--or does he have a few secrets of his own? Is his offer to help Adrien on the level or is he out to nail his favorite suspect -- to the wall?

There's actually a third blurb but three would be excessive. Where as two? Just necessary for a book this frickin great.

So here we have Adrien English, one of my favorite characters EVAH. Oh, and that's "with an e".  When I first read that it gave me all these warm fuzzies as I recalled my girlhood reading, but aside from a name "with an e" Adrien does not have much in common with a young red-haired orphan who enchants everyone she meets in a turn of the century coming of age story set on Prince Edward's Island. Well, maybe pale skin and a penchant for trouble. But I digress. Here's the 411 on Adrien: he owns Cloak and Dagger books, he recently sold a murder mystery he wrote Murder Will Out about a gay Shakespearean actor amateur sleuth, and he's l-o-n-e-l-y. But ssshhh, let's not point that out to him, hmmm? He's smart, a good listener, quick-witted, smart-mouthed, and definitely funny. Which is enough to make me say, "Where do I sign up?" He's got this heart condition and as a result it's really important for him to be independent and keep up with the big boyz. He's determined, and stubborn, and...vulnerable. He's okay with who he is. He's kind of British without being British. And he's got a thing for pirates. I think I want to make a bracelet that says "BFF." 



Then we have Jake. He's pretty much a...Piece. I think that's an apt way to describe him. Add Master--another apt description--and you have a masterpiece. Ask Adrien at certain moments and I think  he might tell you Jake's a piece of something alright. Hot piece of ass. Piece of shite. But as a character? Frickin' masterpiece. And guess what? One line from Jake and I know exactly who and what he is. How he will act. That happens the first time he meets Adrien, when he's questioning Adrien about the murder of his friend and employee a-hole Rob. One of the questions Jake asks is, "But you are a homosexual?" with the emphasis implied on the "are." And Adrien later thinks about that, about the disdain in Jake's voice. But that statement? All about Jake. All about who he is, not Adrien. Self-loathing. Closeted. Scared. He's also tough, hard (keep it clean, people), by the book. He sees things in black and white. Well, more accurately blue and white. He doesn't even smile that often. He's pretty much an asshole. What's to like about that? But when he turns to Adrien after all the shizzle goes down and says, "You know, this won't be an easy thing, Adrien." Well when he says that? I'm in. I. Am. In. Wherever this baby is going, I'm taggin along for the ride. (I'll refrain from making cracks about rides. Heh. Cracks.) J. Lanyon could take me to the moon with this one, or down a mine shaft, for all I care. I'm just so there.

Okay, so that's the skinny on the two most important characters for the series, but for this book we also have a-hole Rob, Adrien's friend and employee who got himself killed. Which sounds like a dumb thing to say, only I don't much like Rob--despite never meeting him on screen--and so he gets the ignorant "who got himself killed" description. Then there's Adrien's "mum" Lisa, who never, ever disappoints. She's so ridiculous, and yet so real to me. Then there's Claude, another friend of Adrien's. And what is it with Continental affectations? There is the new temp at Cloak and Dagger books, Angus, who is the resident warlock, but that's a whole 'nother story. No really, it is. We'll be covering "The Hell You Say" on Saturday. There are some other real gems--especially from the Partners in Crime mystery writing book club Adrien hosts--but you'll have to read and find out for yourself. See what I did there? I tease. Hee.

As for plot, please see blurbs cuz you ain't gettin' any spoilers out of me. No useful information either, I suspect. Except buy links. I have those, I promise. But a quick run down, we have dead body 1 and Adrien's a suspect and Detective Jake makes screen appearance, oh la la. Some creepiness, black flowers, cryptic notes, dead body 2, boinking with the dude on the left, lots of questions, and some danger later, everything works out. Aren't you so glad you stopped by today?

Hmmm. What else? Besides me screeching at you to buy and read this delicious book (hear "nom nom nom"). I wanted to talk about my favorite things (and then I don't feeeel soooo baaaad) but again with the spoilers. How do others dooo eeeet? Well, number one is no spoiler: it's Adrien! But my favorite scenes/lines? *sigh* So I'll talk a little about reasons number 17 and 32 of why I love this book a whole frickin lot (most of you probably really don't want to stick around for this titillating bit of description so buy Fatal Shadows here in print or here as an ebook, and visit Josh's website and give him a shout out--he really needs more things to fill his days.)

Reason # 17: Jake converted me. And as much of a religious experience it might be for most of you, that's not what I mean. He uses the word "baby" for Adrien. EWWWWWWWWWW. Cringe. Something inside me dies a little inside when I hear/read that in intimate situations. And actually, as I'm typing this it just hit me that maybe only people who live in New York will get this. I don't know. Was this a national campaign? Dear God, I hope not. Anyways, when I was a young warthog, there were these TV and Radio spots promoting abstinence, the "Not Me, Not Now" ads. They basically consisted of some icky, unwashed teenage boy with acne saying to some girl "Come on, BABY. You know you want to, BABY." To which she realistically replied, "No. Because I have dreams. And having sex before I'm ready? Isn't one of them. Not me, not now." So as you might imagine, it struck fear into my heart that when I became a teenager, some unwashed teenage boy with acne would be after my virtue, ready to spoil my dreams, and he would be calling me "Baby." But Jake, Mr. he-man, tough guy, calling Adrien "baby"? Totally cured me. Hallelujah, I'm healed. I no longer live in fear of that icky teenage boy combing the streets for me. Jake is my HERO.

Reason #32: Avery Oxford. I never really got what the word "sporfle" meant until I read this bit. Ted and Jean, oh you do amuse me, you do. No clue what I'm talking about? Read the book!

I'm hoping something I've said has convinced you to read Fatal Shadows, or to at least check out one of the real reviews. I swear you won't be disappointed. It's a great book, and the introduction to my favorite tai chi doing book-selling amateur sleuth. And the writing? Top Notch. Lanyon is the king of Less Is More. And if you ever need a lesson in subtext? Lanyon's your dude. Okay, okay, okay I know. I said no breaking down of the writing but, but, but...it's so pretty!

For the brave person who made it all the way to the end, do you need links again? Yes? No? Well, just in case and because I can, buy Fatal Shadows in print here or buy it as an ebook combo deal with A Danger Thing here. Visit Josh here and see what else he has coming out soon (DOPK!!!).

Okay, class dismissed.

Waaaaaiiiiiiiit! Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for my brilliant and scintillating commentary on the second in the Adrien English mysteries series, A Dangerous Thing. Here there be cartoons!