Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Ace in the Picture
SERIES: County Durham Quad #3
AUTHOR: Jude Tresswell
PUBLISHER: Rowanvale Books Ltd
LENGTH: 171 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2019
BLURB:
Polyamory and asexuality meet in this third tale about the North East England quad.
The police suspect Raith Balan of faking a painting. So do money launderers who sink profits into art.
Mike, Ross and Phil, the three men in Raith’s life, must prove his innocence. They’re hampered by their certainty that a member of the Fraud Squad is corrupt.
The senior investigating officer is Detective Sergeant Nick Seabrooke. He knows he is asexual, but is he aromantic too?
As Raith’s lovers struggle to keep Raith safe and find the fraudster, the sergeant struggles to understand why the quad is often in his thoughts.
REVIEW:
This was a rough one. It’s really good though. Raith has always been the high maintenance one. But they all still love him. Enough so, that Phil married him. And on their one year anniversary, it went to shit.
Someone was painting forgeries. And with Raith having the tetra eye thing, he was suspect because of the details of the paintings. The problem is, with who had the paintings and who they got sold too, are some very not nice guys and now Raith has been kidnapped to try to find out why he forged the painting and such. But Raith didn’t do it. He doesn’t know who did either. Mike pulls his contacts and gets the right people involved to free Raith, but not even days later, he’s surrounding by 3 men who are trying to get him again. Over these stupid paintings he has nothing to do with. The more Mike and everyone digs, they more they are finding out what’s going on behind these paintings. Money laundering and all kinds of illegal crap. And now on top of it, the senior detective in charge wants what the quad has but he’s asexual. So how can he have it all but without the sex and how do they keep Raith and themselves safe until they get to the bottom of this?
I tell you what, this quad has been through some stuff. If it’s not one thing it’s something else. The first book was Mike and a cover up pertaining to Ross, the next was Phil, and now it’s Raith. They are hurt, in constant danger and don’t know who to trust. All they know, is they have to keep strong and keep relying on each other. They are all each other has. These books have been a test of strength and endurance and a test of the bonds the four of them have. And even though Ross doesn’t sleep with the other two, he still loves them and wants them to be happy. He loves the time they spend together, because they all bring something different to the table. And this book shows how fragile Raith really is. Raith is an artist, so he has that zoned out, spacey, high maintenance thing going on, and he really is a fragile minded person. But this has also shown him he can be strong. Even if it’s through the other three.
It really has been a good series. There is betrayals at every turn, dirty cops, bad people, psychos and all kinds of stuff. Mysteries to solve, ways to stay alive and so much more. It’s been an intriguing series.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
Becca, I am so glad you’re enjoying the series. It makes me feel I’m doing something right when I get good reviews for stories that have so little on-page sex! I’ve finished the fourth book, but I’m sitting on it for a bit because I know I’ll want to make a few changes. More trouble for the quad – but it turns out well in the end. Best wishes – Jude
For me, it’s never about the sex. It’s always the plot for me. And when there’s good plot I can’t resist it. It’s been a great series. And now I’m anxious to see where book 4 will lead. thank you for the reply. I’m glad you’re happy with the review!
[…] The senior investigating officer is Detective Sergeant Nick Seabrooke. He knows he is asexual, but is he aromantic too? […]