Snowball in Hell by Josh Lanyon. Lt. Matthew Spain and his partner Jonesy are assigned to track down the killer of a man found in the Brea Tar Pits. Nathan Doyle is a reporter who uses his investigative skills to help Lt. Spain catch a murderer both to clear his name and because he’d like to get to know Matt better.

As an author of suspense, Josh Lanyon proves yet again that he can weave an action filled tale that will keep us guessing from first page to last. His sensitivity in dealing with the way Nathan and Matt have coped with their sexuality is excellent. The way he combines the murder mystery with a well penned love story keeps him at the top of my list for authors to read.

Death of a Blues Angel by Sarah Black. Deacon Johnson is a black man working for the Washington Post. His editor Bruce Charters sends him to the Blues Angel to cover a new white bluesman brought in by three elder black statesmen in blues history from Mississippi. The new blues guitarist, Rafael Hurt gets under Deke’s skin and into his heart.

Sarah Black continues to intrigue me with her well crafted emotion-evoking tales. This time she wraps her love story in racial relations in the mid sixties and the history of the blues. This is one of those where a reader needs to keep the tissues handy, especially those of us who remember and/or lived through the race riots and turmoil throughout the USA in the 60s.

Both of these authors can be counted on for an exceptional story. Each excels at their craft in a way that draws me to their books over and over. Having the two together is just an added bonus to give us even more hours of great reading.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Dee Dailey
December 27, 2008