Reviewed by Kimberley

 TITLE: Murder in the Rue Dauphine

SERIES: Chanse MacLeod Mysteries #1

AUTHOR: Greg Herren

PUBLISHER: Bold Strokes Books

LENGTH: 224 Pages

BLURB:

A simple blackmail case goes south when Chanse finds the murdered body of his muscleboy client in what appears to be a hate crime. But neither Chanse nor the police are convinced it was a hate crime, despite the frenzy being whipped up in the city by a charismatic but attention-seeking gay rights activist. The trail leads to a call boy ring, blackmail of wealthy Uptown closet cases, and it’s not long before Chanse’s investigation has put not only his life at risk, but that of everyone he cares about!

The first Chanse Macleod mystery.

REVIEW:

I didn’t expect this book to be as entertaining as it was and I didn’t expect to be as engrossed as quickly as I was. I started reading and found myself immersed in this mystery and before I knew it, I had reached the end.

Once you start this book, you truly won’t be able to put it away as you are swept up into the story of this Private Investigator and his case, which involves an escort and his rich client being blackmailed. The story takes off after the escort was murdered and the mystery that unfolds will grab your attention and hold it until the very last word is read.

Chanse is an ex-cop turned P.I. who gets drawn into a murder mystery after one of his clients who happens to be an escort hired him to find out who is blackmailing his boyfriend. Chanse figures it is a hate crime initially but upon further investigation finds out there is so much more to this case than meets the eye.

Set in New Orleans, a city with a rich history and interesting people, this story features a fantastically diverse set of supporting characters. I particularly appreciate the smart, sassy and tough female characters. As a woman of color, I truly appreciate how he portrayed the African American detective. She was tough but fair; she believes in and is dedicated to serving justice to those who deserve it. Then there’s his sassy BFF journalist and a wide range of other outside characters that bring life to the story.

This book took us through many twists and turns which keep you on your toes. I do so hate figuring out who the culprits are half way through a mystery. You won’t have that issue with this book. You are definitely kept on your toes until the very end.

Chanse has a boyfriend but he’s not prominently featured in the story. You see Chance as he questions whether or not to remain in the relationship.

This was a wonderful and, at 224 pages, substantial read. The plot twists combined with the wonderful and diverse cast of characters set in a fantastic city guarantees an enjoyable read. This series is definitely worthy of your time and attention.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

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