Steven Cooper (1)

After reading Steven Cooper's Desert Remains, I know I want more. Cooper's lyrical descriptions bring the desert around Phoenix to life, and he's got two main characters who deserve many more cases to solve. The sensitive and touching beginning shows us just what sort of a police officer Alex Mills is, and we go on to learn about his solid marriage and the trouble his teenage son gets into-- trouble that could have wide-ranging consequences both for himself and his father. The single Gus show more Parker provides us with a bit of comic relief here and there, and his psychic gifts are handled well-- especially since those gifts are not his full-time job. Both men are likable, hard-working, and dedicated, and their circles of family and friends make for a strong secondary cast.

I did find that the book wobbles once or twice. For some reason, a brief description of someone's behavior clued me into the killer's identity very early on, and I thought the lovelorn stalker subplot could have been left out entirely. I believe this subplot made the pace of the book uneven, and some editing to tighten everything up was needed as well.

But the story, the characters, and the setting are all there, and I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series. Bring it on! show less

Desert Remains by Steven Cooper has characters you can believe in and relate to, their development happens as you read, and before you know it, you are invested in the outcome. I was in the dark about the killer for a bit longer than usual, though my slight suspicions proved to be more than slight. The characters are highly likeable, or unlikeable, as the case may be. Cooper hits the desert surroundings right on the nose, and the claustrophobic caves add to the suspense and horror of the show more murders Mills and Parker set out to solve. Some of the dialogue seemed stilted, although I found myself questioning whether that was my personal bias, or a failing of the author. Regardless, I fully intend to read more from S. Cooper. Starting with the next Mills and Parker book, the 2018 publication of Dig Your Grave followed by 2019's Valley of Shadows. show less

A hotel heiress is kidnapped and her gay brother is trying to find her. Part of the kidnappers demands are that he renounce his homosexuality. At times the book is terribly irreverent and other times reads like a true mystery. Rico, the brother, has this strange ability where upon shaking hands with some men he learns that they are in fact latent homosexuals. This plays slightly into the story later, but makes for some very funny parts in itself. While trying to save his sister, Valencia, he show more runs into issues with the families security team as well as his youngest brother. Through much travel and country hopping they end in Israel. A religious right group has abducted his sister and they are of the mindset that baptizing people in the holy land will lead the back to the straight and narrow path. The politics aside it is a very good book and was fun to read. show less

Openly gay investigative reporter Damon Fitzgerald is hot the trail of the biggest scandal to rock Boston in years. Many people would like to see him dead and on the eve of breaking his big story, he's strangled in his own apartment. But with all leads going cold and bigger fish to fry, the police put his murder on the back burner. So Damon does what any good reporter would do and tries to solve his own murder -- even from the afterlife.

A great murder mystery, filled with comedic turns and show more an interesting glimpse into the afterlife. show less