Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Pretty Pretty Boys 
SERIES: Hazard and Somerset Mysteries #1
AUTHOR: Gregory Ashe
NARRATOR: Tristan James
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2018
LENGTH: 12 hours 58 minutes
BLURB:
After Emery Hazard loses his job as a detective in Saint Louis, he heads back to his hometown–and to the local police force there. Home, though, brings no happy memories, and the ghosts of old pain are very much alive in Wahredua. Hazard’s new partner, John-Henry Somerset, had been one of the worst tormentors, and Hazard still wonders what Somerset’s role was in the death of Jeff Langham, Hazard’s first boyfriend.
When a severely burned body is discovered, Hazard finds himself drawn deeper into the case than he expects. Determining the identity of the dead man proves impossible, and solving the murder grows more and more unlikely. But as the city’s only gay police officer, Hazard is placed at the center of a growing battle between powerful political forces. To his surprise, Hazards finds an unlikely ally in his partner, the former bully. And as they spend more time together, something starts to happen between them, something that Hazard can’t–and doesn’t want–to explain.
The discovery of a second mutilated corpse, though, reveals clues that the two murders are linked, and as Hazard gets closer to answers, he uncovers a conspiracy of murder and betrayal that goes deeper–and closer to home–than he could ever expect.
REVIEW:
After losing his detective job with the Saint Lewis PD, Emery Hazard decides to head back to the town he grew up in to search for answer sin hopes to find out what really happened to his first boyfriend all those years ago. He’s hired on with the local police department, only when he gets there he realizes that not only is he the “token gay” but he’s partnered with John-Henry Somerset one of his past tormentors. But he’s not there to make nice, he wants answers. But answers might have to wait a while, because soon after arriving in town a burnt body is discovered and he’s drawn deep into a case filled with politics and intrigue.
I’m not sure what I think about Hazard and Somerset. But I do know one thing, they have got some serious issues, past and present. How can it not be when they’ve got as much bad history? And with bad I don’t mean some hurt feelings, I’m talking about extreme bullying, bashings and in general Somerset and his friends making Hazard’s life a living hell when they were growing up. So yes, feelings run high on both sides. Somerset (kind of not) trying to make amends and Hazard trying not to let it get to him or keep it from finding the answers he seek.
I’m mostly ambivalent towards Somerset. At a glance it seems like he’s change his ways and regrets his actions and inactions from the past. At the same time he’s not really trying to make amends with Hazard, it’s more of a “let’s put the past behind us” kind of situation. It wasn’t enough for me. And yes I know that it’s not up to me to decide what’s enough, I’m only the outsider looking in, but considering the circumstances I needed more. I don’t know if it makes them wonderfully human and flawed or if it’s too much, or not enough. For now though I don’t mind my confusion, it’s an interesting feeling 😉
There isn’t a lot of romance in this book, some interest for sure, from a couple of directions. Some love-hate relationships. But those were not the focus of the book, rather the solving of the case was. That said the relationships and characters were interesting. I’m a fan of getting titbits instead of info-dumps. I enjoy the getting to know you, and slow-building/burning, even if I’m left with questions I just have to have answered.
So I can’t seem to make up my mind about Tristan James, and that goes on par with this book it seems. Sometimes I just can’t get into Tristan’s narration and I space away – to the point where I’ve had to immediately re-listen to a book to have the first clue what I listened to the first time around. Other times, we just click, it works for me, Pretty Pretty Boys was one of those times. And I guess that’s why I keep coming back to his narration – to find the gems that really work for me. I’m a huge fan of all his different accents, it’s something he always hits spot on – at least for me as a non-native English/British/Scottish and what not speaker. And for once he didn’t feel as monotone in his narration as he has a habit of, so I’m counting this as a win.
I enjoyed the mystery part of this book, it was interesting and it had me engaged. I’m not so sure about the MC’s just yet. Do I like them/hate them or am I indifferent but having the mystery pulling at me? I think I might just have to pick up the next book and find out more.
RATING: 
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