The Barlow Lens Circles Book #2
LGBTQ Action Adventure, Gay Fiction , LGBTQ Mystery
Howling Corgi Press; 2nd edition
Jan 3, 2020
Kindle
144
Amazon
Two romances. Two stories. Two timelines. Two mysteries solved.
Digging into history can turn deadly.
Wyatt Harig and his partner Vladimir ‘Val’ Mihalic are busy planning their wedding when Wyatt’s old friend asks him to investigate the mysterious death of her uncle, Tom Manning, in a fire back in 1927. Back then men were silent, tough, and expected to marry nice girls.
Working with Val, Wyatt digs up clues uncovering the truth behind the tragedy. When Tom met Philip in a speakeasy outside Cleveland, Ohio the spark between them was instantaneous. They fell hard and fast for each other. However, with Philip working as a beat cop and Tom as a schoolteacher, their relationship being discovered meant the end of everything.
As the story of Tom and Philip slowly reveals itself, and Wyatt and Val realize nothing is as simple as they originally believed. While their trail heats up, an old enemy of Wyatt’s decides he’s waited long enough for revenge. Wyatt’s life before meeting Val catches up with him and the results could prove fatal.
Review by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
In book one, Run for the Roses, we met Wyatt Harig and Val Mihalic two amazing characters whose story is now continued in book two. Wyatt’s daughter Janelle, a jockey has won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and is headed to Belmont to compete for the Triple Crown. Wyatt and Val will not miss it and have planned their wedding in New York after the race. It will take a phone call from Griff Diamond who is an investigator for the U.S. Marshal’s Office to put all their plans in jeopardy.
In 1927 there was a fire at a school, now after a huge storm did damage to what was left of the building it was finally taken down. Three skeletons were found, three men, Phillip a cop, Tom a teacher and a man believed to be responsible. Griff has asked Wyatt to investigate what happened as a consultant, Lily Fells wants to clear her uncle Tom who everyone believed started the fire.
Lily is married to Kevin Fells the brother of Wyatt’s partner who died. Kevin and Wyatt have a very contentious relationship but he is willing to help Lily find the answers she is searching for. A look through pictures and papers gives Wyatt and Val a look into the past and the relationship between Tom and Phillip. Their relationship was behind closed doors due to the times and each of them are expected to marry. I could feel their pain, unable to show their love and be together it was a sad time in our history.
The third person who died in the fire is identified and when Wyatt and Val finally think they have the answers Kevin decides he wants them dead. Wyatt and Val come very close to dying at Kevin’s hands and the entire situation kept me glued to my seat. Hatred amplified by the fact that Wyatt is gay and Kevin’s belief that he is responsible for his brother’s death.
I was glued to this book the suspense was so real I felt that it was happening to me and the author made the horseraces so descriptive that I stood up and wanted to yell for the horse I wanted to win. I can’t recommend this book highly enough it has it all.