Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: The Merchant of Death
SERIES: Playing the Fool #2
AUTHOR: Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo
PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing
LENGTH: 5 hours, 29 minutes
RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2016
BLURB:
All’s fair in love and war.
There’s something rotten in the state of Indiana. When con man Henry Page takes it upon himself to investigate the death of an elderly patient at a care facility, he does so in true Shakespearean tradition: dressed as a girl.
FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness has more to worry about than Henry’s latest crazy idea. Someone is trying to send him a message—via a corpse with a couple of bullets in it. He needs to figure out who’s trying to set him up before he gets arrested, and he really doesn’t have time for Henry’s shenanigans. Then again, he’d probably be able to focus better if Henry didn’t look so damn distracting in a babydoll dress and a wig.
But when Mac discovers that Henry has been keeping a secret that connects the cases, he has to find a way to live on the right side of the law when he just might be in love with the wrong sort of man.
REVIEW:
The Merchant of Death picks up at the moment the first book ended. It’s not a book that stands on its own, so I’d urge you to start from the beginning to fully Henry and Mac. Which means that this book starts in a bit of a delicate moment with Henry and Mac. A moment that’s interrupted by a phone call from Henry’s twin sister Viola. She’s run away from the care facility she’d been living in, claiming that the staff are killing the patients. Henry doesn’t know what to believe, but takes it upon himself to investigate. So of course he pretends to be is sister and checks himself into the facility, and it’s not long until he discovers things are not what they seem, and some of the staff does not have the best interest of the patients at heart.
While Henry investigates the home, Mac investigates Henry, trying to discover more about this mysterious – and infuriating man. His quest takes him to Viola – only to discover his (once again) wayward witness. He reluctantly agrees to aid Henry’s investigation, but he also knows that if they are found out they would both be in a world of trouble. Trouble that is already coming for him from many directions.
We learn more about Henry in this book, learn about his and Viola’s past. It’s heartbreaking for sure, and it also explains so much about them. I love how fiercely they love each other, how close they are. The two of them united against the world – in their own way at least. I also enjoyed watching Henry and Mac’s continued dance. They had less time together compared with the first book, but I enjoyed it all the same. It’s growing, into what we’ll have to see in the next book. Let’s just say they’ve had a bit of an unconventional start.
The Merchant of Death is as much fun as the first book. It’s not supposed to be a serious story – there are serious moments for sure, but the undertone throughout is fun with a dash of quirky. The mystery turns more intricate and complicated but also very entertaining.
Nick J. Russo performed this book really well. I loved how he made Henry’s love for Viola so clear, you just knew that she was the one thing in the world he truly cared about – until Mac that is. I also liked the whole Law & Order intro – though I have to say none of them got it quite right. I liked how he portrayed Viola. It’s difficult for voice actors to not overdo the opposite sex, but he never did. Russo made this book fun to listen to, and time just flew by, before I knew it the book ended. Luckily for me I have the final book ready to go…
RATING:
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