Hi, I’m JL Merrow, and I’m delighted to be here today as part of the blog tour to celebrate the release of Lock Nut, the fifth of my MM mysteries in the Plumber’s Mate Mystery Series.  In Lock Nut, a simple hunt for a missing husband turns into a chase after a murderer when a body turns up in a local canal—and slightly psychic plumber Tom Paretski ends up with his face on TV as the prime suspect! Meanwhile, wedding bells are ringing all over the place…

Lost in Antiquity

Lock Nut has, as one of its settings, an upmarket antique shop, the workplace of the hapless murder victim.

Many people love antiques. In a throwaway age, it’s good to find something that was built to last, in an age where quality and craftsmanship were valued over profitability. Antique shops and fairs can make for fascinating browsing, where you might find gadgets which have outlived their purpose—or alternatively are ripe for rediscovery.

Victorian skirt lifters, for example, definitely appeal to my steampunk side. But nipple shields made of lead? While I can certainly sympathise with mothers in a bygone age who found breastfeeding painful and difficult, it’s rather horrifying to think of them innocently poisoning their infants.

What exactly is an antique? Well, it depends. Traditionally, to be an antique, an object has to be of collectible value and at least 100 years old. In the USA, the Tariff Act of 1930 defined antiques as art objects and other collectibles produced before 1830—which, conveniently, as well as being 100 years prior to the Act, was also roughly the time when mass production started in the USA. There are exceptions to this—cars, for instance.

In practical terms, an antique is really just something old and reasonably rare that someone’s willing to pay money for. And now we get to the nitty-gritty. Many craftsmen of old would be astonished to find how much money their products are worth to the modern collector.

The BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, itself almost an antique at 40 years old, is a sedate show that turns valuing antiques into reality TV. Obviously what everyone involved hopes for is that the dusty old thing found in Granny’s attic turns out to be worth a fortune, and there have been a few of those over the years: paintings by Van Dyck, Alma Tadema, Orpen and even Beatrix Potter have been unearthed, and all were valued at several hundred thousand pounds. Other highlights have included a plant pot from the owner’s front room (later sold for £560,000), a Faberge brooch worth a cool million pounds, and John F Kennedy’s leather jacket, which he left with an ex girlfriend (valued at up to £300,000).

Could it be time to clear out that attic?

Question: Do you love browsing in antiques shops & markets? Or is it brand, spanking new all the way for you?

About Lock Nut

Still waters run deadly.

Tom Paretski, plumber with a talent for finding hidden things, and his private investigator fiancé Phil Morrison have been hired to locate a runaway husband, Jonathan Parrot. The job seems simple enough—until their quarry turns up dead in a canal, and a photofit of Tom’s face is splashed all over the news, making him chief suspect.

The widow, petite ex–porn star Lilah Lovett, is convinced her husband was killed by his gay lover, but Tom and Phil aren’t so sure. Worried they may have precipitated Jonathan’s death, they’re determined to find the real killer. But with a web of incestuous ties linking the suspects, it’s hard to know who to trust. Especially when a second victim dies a gruesome death.

Meanwhile, with their wedding looming and them sharing a house now, Tom’s worried it may all be too much, too fast. The last thing he needs are the mixed messages Phil seems to be sending out. They’ll need to get back on the same track if they want to make it to their honeymoon together—and alive.
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About The Plumber’s Mate Mysteries

A plumber with a hidden talent and an ex–school bully who’s trying to atone for his past. This unlikely crime-solving duo could be the worst thing that’s ever happened to the murderers of rural Hertfordshire, England.

All his life, cheeky plumber Tom Paretski’s had a sixth sense for finding hidden things. Mostly it’s brought him nothing but grief, but ever since tall, blond, and broody Phil Morrison stomped back into his life, Tom’s been using his psychic talents to track down killers. He’s shocked to find himself falling for the man he used to hate.

Phil’s an ex-cop turned private investigator who can’t forgive himself for the pain he caused Tom in their shared schooldays—especially his part in an accident which left Tom with a lasting limp. Finally able to face up to his feelings for Tom, Phil’s determined to make amends. Just as long as the murderers who won’t stop crossing their path don’t rob him of the chance to do so for good.

The path of their investigations may not run any smoother than their love life, but with the help (and hindrance) of a motley crew of friends and family—including the world’s campest campanologist and his ex–porn star lover—with any luck Tom and Phil will continue to get their man.

Publisher’s note: Each book in this series stands alone as a murder mystery, but the series as a whole follows Tom and Phil’s romantic journey from enemies to lovers, and beyond. It’s recommended, but not essential, to read the books in order.

About JL Merrow

JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea.  She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again.

She writes (mostly) contemporary gay romance and mysteries, and is frequently accused of humour.  Two of her novels have won Rainbow Awards for Romantic Comedy (Slam!, 2013 and Spun!, 2017) and several of her books have been EPIC Awards finalists, including Muscling Through, Relief Valve (the Plumber’s Mate Mysteries) and To Love a Traitor.

JL Merrow is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, International Thriller Writers, Verulam Writers and the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.

Connect with JL:

• Website: www.jlmerrow.com
• Twitter: @jlmerrow
• Facebook: facebook.com/jl.merrow
• Goodreads: goodreads.com/.J_L_Merrow

To celebrate the release of Lock Nut, JL Merrow is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 19, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!