Monday, October 6, 2008

The Angel Singers by Dorien Grey



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Reviewed by Drew Hunt
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Nothing requires more harmony than a chorus, but when an eager Jonathan Quinlan joins his local gay men's chorus, his PI partner Dick Hardesty becomes immersed in a seething cauldron of conflicting egos, power struggles, rumors, gossip...and murder.
When a protege of the wealthy chorus sponsor get blown up, Dick is hired to find out if anyone from the chorus was involved. As is all too often the case, there at first seems to be too many suspects, and then another man is killed in an apparent mugging. Or was it?

This is the twelfth, and most explosive, Dick Hardesty story.

In some ways I was quite relieved when Grant died. He was, to put no finer point on it, a bastard. And he isn't the only bastard to meet his end during the unwinding of this complex tale.

It's difficult to talk about the gripping main mystery plot without spoiling it for the reader. Suffice to say, Dick's loved ones are put in grave peril because of it. His investigations also bring him back in contact with the delightful Iris and Arnold Glick. Alas we saw little of his friends, Jared, Jake, Phil and Tim.

Dick's personal life continues to enthrall. Joshua is a delight. He's a typical five-year-old kid. By which I mean, he's moody, melodramatic and messy, but still loveable. Grey does an awesome job in writing about life with a pre-schooler.

Jonathan. What can I say about this guy that I've not said before? He has grown from the innocent and naïve man who first appeared in Dick's life several stories back. His increased maturity is natural and believable. However, there still remains an essence of trustfulness and a willingness to try to find good in everyone he meets. The closing of the story had me blinking away tears at just how true this last statement is.

GWR Fiction Reviews doesn't have a recommended read award, but if it did, I would definitely nominate this story.

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