Book Title: Nothing but the Night (Basic Instincts Book 2)
Author: Thom Collins
Publisher: Entwined Publishing
Cover Artist: Kelly Martin
Release Date: April 8, 2025
POV/Tense: third person/past tense
Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, mystery/suspense/thriller
Tropes: detective, murder mystery, crime, erotic romance, suspense
Themes: family, secrets, sex work
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 64 958 words/253 pages
It is a standalone story that is part of a wider series.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
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Be careful what you look for in the night.
Blurb
Three months after the death of his brother, Marc Glass faces a whole new dilemma. A tabloid journalist has made a connection between Theo and a prominent politician. Theo’s death might not be all it seems. Marc knew all about his brother’s secret sex work, but it’s a scandal that would destroy his family, who have already suffered enough.
Private Detective Jason Durham might be the answer. Marc enlists Jason’s agency to look into Theo’s unsolved murder. The police investigation is dead, but if they can solve the case on their own, they could head off the potentially damaging story. Marc isn’t sure who he can trust with the details of Theo’s life, but Jason seems like the man.
As secrets are uncovered, Marc and Jason must fight their attraction to each other, but when their prime witness is murdered, they are suddenly caught in a web of mystery and increasing danger.
As the nights grow darker, will either of them make it until morning?
“Have you heard of Marc Glass?” Jason asked.
Ryman furrowed his brow. “Should I have?”
Jason pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “I did a quick internet search on him too. It turns out he’s kind of famous. You know the TV show The Partnership? He was on that. It was a few years ago now, but he actually won it.”
The Partnership was a blatant rip-off of The Apprentice, a reality TV show in which fifteen hopefuls competed against each other in business-themed challenges. One contestant was eliminated after each episode with the ultimate winner taking home a £200,000 investment. Marc had used the prize money to set up a factory in Peterlee that produced farming machinery. In the few minutes Jason had spent snooping, the business seemed like a big deal, exporting products worldwide.
He brought up a photo of Marc from when he was on the show. He was a lot younger-looking. It was a good fifteen years since his win.
Ryman looked at the phone. “Oh, yeah. I do remember him. I never watched it, but it was everywhere at the time. He was in the local papers and news stations. They loved that Blyham-boy-made-good story. He’s done well for himself.”
“Another reason for Nadine Smythe to be interested in the story, don’t you think? An MP, a dead sex worker and the reality TV star brother.”
“It ticks a lot of boxes. And another reason to beat her to the punch, don’t you think?”
“Go on then, you’ve got me. I’ll take the case.”
“We can’t afford for you not to,” Ryman said.
“Things aren’t that bad.”
“There’re not that great, either. We need every decent job we can get. Besides, this one will be a walk in the park for you. I don’t know what you’re worried about.”
When Ryman left to collect his daughter, Jason considered staying for another drink, but the atmosphere in The New Inn was nonexistent. The weather was no better, and it was clear that most people had decided to stay home. He’d walked to work that morning and with no desire to get soaked again walking back, he arranged an Uber.
Home was a rented two-bedroom flat in a modern building overlooking the river Bly. The rent was extortionate, but he loved living in the heart of the city too much to find somewhere cheaper. The dash from the car to the foyer meant he was soaked all the way through again.
Jason poured a strong vodka and Coke and turned on the air-fryer before going to the bedroom. He stripped naked and took a quick shower to warm his cold skin. Freshly dried, he pulled on an old T-shirt and a pair of pyjama bottoms. He was thinking about Marc again when he put a chicken breast on to cook and mixed up some couscous with chopped peppers.
The one thing he hadn’t admitted to Ryman was just how attractive he found his new client. He’d have to be blind not to. Marc was hot. Incredibly. He was tall and athletically built with grey-blue eyes and a rugged, square jaw. His beard and short brown hair were streaked with grey, which only made him more attractive. He was quite serious-looking, and sexy rather than traditionally handsome. Some people might not find him attractive at all, but to Jason’s eyes he was a near ten out of ten.
Which was another thing that made him uncomfortable.
From a professional angle, it was much better not to fancy the client
Thom Collins is the author of the Jagged Shores series and the Anthem Trilogy as well as numerous standalone novels and novellas.
His new series Basic Instincts launches in spring 2025 with the novel Now Comes the Dark.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.
Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night.
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one of 5 ebook copies of the series so far:
Now Comes the Dark
Nothing But the Night
Night Crimes (a standalone short story prequel)
