Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
Straight cop, gay cop, and a woman who "isn't real." Tom and Stanley are on the trail of a drag queen serial killer, and along the way, they find themselves engaged in a more intimate pursuit, trying to resolve another mystery: their unexpected attraction to one another.

BOOK REVIEW:
“Deadly Nightshade” by Victor J. Banis is a well-written mystery with interesting, sexy characters, clues and red herrings, and some hot sex.

The two main characters are like night and day, polar opposites; the only thing they have in common is that both are very attractive. Stanley is intelligent, possesses a razor sharp wit and is gay. Tom is masculine, brutish and straight. They are partnered to solve the murder that opens the book. Both of these men were complex and intriguing. The author did a wonderful job of making them seem real and even likeable, despite some of their choices.

The secondary characters, all of whom become suspects at one time or another, are vivid and flamboyant. There are plenty of drag queens, bar tenders, ex-wives, and johns to keep the story colorful and funny.

The plot developed quickly and the mystery was first rate. There are clues throughout to help the reader figure out who the murderer is; yet, there is more than just the murders being investigated. All of it comes together to create a fun, yet moving, murder mystery.

The author has given the story a very smart ending, just not my favorite. But then, I was disappointed in the ending to “Gone With The Wind”; however, there could not have been a better way to end that. The same is true for this story. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. However, some books were purchased by the reviewer and not provided for free. For information on how a particular title was obtained, please contact us at reviews@rainbow-reviews.com.