Reviewed by Jess
TITLE: The Fall Guy
AUTHOR: Chris Quinton
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 32 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 23, 2019
BLURB:
In 1920s New York, Pinkerton Agent John Brady is assigned to a brutal robbery/kidnapping, an open and shut case with an obvious culprit – but nothing and no one are what they seem.
Small-time crook Cesare Donati has the perfect getaway: a transatlantic cruise ship. When Brady turns up at his cabin door, Cesare knows he is out of options until they reach England.
Will London be a safe haven or a place of reckoning?
REVIEW:
It’s hard to write a captivating mystery in so few words, but Quinton really makes it work with this story. I was completely captivated on every page. It’s a world I only wish I had more of!
John Brady, a hardworking but seemingly lonely Pinkerton, is working a case involving the disappearance of Alice, a young maid who was seemingly kidnapped and assaulted at her employer’s home. But when Brady meets the shady (and tall, dark, and handsome) Cesare Donati, he’s surprised to find out what really happened to Alice in that house. He also finds himself on a cruise to England, where he must confront the reality of his discovery and his attraction to the suave Cesare.
The length of this short story works perfectly. The plot moves steadily but never rushes, and the chemistry between the two men is apparent from the start. They somehow get a nice, slow burn within a very brief story. It’s a generally PG romance, but they still smolder.
The sudden shift between America and England was a little jarring for such a short piece. And I do wish there were more historical details. With more space, the author could really show off their skills in writing historical romances. All in all, this is a wonderfully readable little romantic mystery.
RATING: 
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