John F. Rooney (1)

Terrorist Felix the Cat, believed dead, makes an unexpected reappearance when a film about him and his exploits goes into production. Targeting one by one the writers and actors he goes on a killing spree and his old adversary detective Denny Delany is quickly back on the case. As Felix engages in a periodic dialogue with Denny by telephone we learn of the terrorist’s aims and get to see into his twisted mind.

While the plot unfolds we also get to know Denny better as we follow his interactions with Felix and by contrast see him also in his private life; his relationship with his wife and his parents, including his ailing father.

The story at times moves with unnerving haste as we follow the killings, at other times there are unsettling periods of peace as perhaps Denny spends time with his parents, or even Felix pursues an unexpected and surprising diversion.

Along with the action the writer provides much in the way of detail. There are many references to stage and screen reflecting both the villain’s and hero’s interests. There are also many minor details that bring the story to life and provide a sense of time and place; as a Brit reading a story set in the States I find this particularly appealing. Interesting too is the clever inclusion of a character from John Rooney’s recent novel The Rice Queen Spy.

More seriously the story raises questions about the mind of the terrorist and subtly draws comparisons with the actions of powerful governments. But in never gets bogged down in propaganda, and humour is never far away. I found this an engaging story which is as concerned about the development of its characters as with the intertwining and unpredictable plot.… (more)

Set for the most part on a South American cruise sailing South from Buenos Aires, Last Passage to Santiago centres on Stephie and Ben Ranier, a young married couple feeling somewhat out of place amidst their generally much older travelling companions; although Ben has already made prior plans to avoid any possible tedium by ensconcing his young mistress Ann aboard the cruise ship. The story opens however as the travellers are about to make the return flight home from Santiago following the cruise, whereupon Stephie is kidnapped; the story then takes us back to Buenos Aires some days prior to embarkation for the cruise and to all that leads up to the kidnapping.

We get to meet some of their unusual fellow passengers as well as learn more of Ben and Stephie and their background. Ben it appears has been unfaithful in the past, and seems intent on continuing his philandering. Stephie works for a highly secret US National Security Agency, and even during this voyage she remains in contact with her boss. Is her kidnapping related to her work or is it some hair brain scheme of her husband's to get her out of the way? And what will come of the new interests she discovers on the voyage, assuming she survives her ordeal?

While the underlying theme of the book builds up to the kidnapping, it seems to play a relatively minor part for much of the story; yes there are secrets and mysterious happenings, but for the major part of the story could be better described as a travelogue. We are given guided tours of a number of the sites included in their itinerary, and many interesting facts and even figures relating to these; penguins too feature quite prominently along with an enthusiastic and handsome young exponent on the subject.

Last Passage to Santiago is perhaps a better travel guide than mystery, more a leisurely read than an edge of the seat thriller; for me it was at its best when offering detailed descriptions and providing historical facts about the various places visited by the cruise.… (more)

I don’t know what I was expecting by this novel but for sure I’m impressed by how the author managed to make of Philip Croft, the Rice Queen Spy, an even too real character, with the faults and down of a man, not an hero.

Philip Croft is a spy for the Queen of England, but he is not some fake James Bond; when the novel starts, Philip is 58 years old and under investigation for being gay. Investigation that implies physical torture to the hand of his same colleagues, betrayed by whom he believed were friends. And Philip will betray other colleagues, sure, brought to the edge by a sadistic man, but nevertheless he will shout the names of other homosexual men in the Service. After this experience, Philip is forced into an early retirement, but in a way this will be the freedom he was always searching.

Philip always lived his homosexuality abroad, in Asian countries were other foreigners profited of their wealth in comparison to the poor local boys. Yes, Philip is not some romance hero in searching for Mr Right; on the contrary, he is more like a sailor with a lover in every Asian Pacific harbours, and with his retirement he didn’t change his customs. Philip will open a gay sauna in London, and spend his winters wandering the Asia and in the end, having a 4 months boyfriend in Philippines, Reynaldo, while at the same time maintaining a friendly relationship with his employee in London, Kwan, and with an in-house boyfriend at home, Robin. And before and after these new boyfriends, he had always saved the memory of the love of his life, Tom.

There is a dark side in Philip the author is not willing to hide: Philip’s passion for young men, barely legally boys, borders into paedophilia, and indeed there are men in the circle of Philip’s friends that probably are not stranger to that; the same Philip is tempted, but for various reason he will never lapse, even if, only having being tempted is a nightmare that will always haunt Philip’s life.

Doing a balance of the pros and cons of Philip, he has to come out with more positive traits since, in the end, he will find a young man, Robin, who will be faithful to him until the end. And yes, the author chooses to accompany the reader until the end of Philip’s life, an end that is no bad, an end that will see Philip old and not alone, but maybe a little haunted by one too many ghosts. But you could say that he has so many ghosts since he had so many years to live and love.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0975275666/?tag=elimyrevandra-20… (more)

First of all, I have probably to warn who usually reads my blog that this is not a romance and neither a gay novel. If someone wants to probably label it in the LGBT field, than maybe it could be a bisexual mystery/thriller. That is probably not a surprise for who is used to John F. Rooney’s novels, they know he is not actually a writer of gay novels, aside for a novel, The Rice Queen Spy, about a retired gay spy for Her Majesty’s secret service, who was cruelly outed and tortured
for his homosexuality. Moreover this is the third mystery in the Denny Delaney’s series, and in the previous two books, and in this one as well, Denny is happily married with Monny, and many chapters in the books start with “Denny and Monny” doing something, going to dinner, attending a Broadway show, planning a night together, both in some trendy NYC location than staying at home.

But in this novel Denny is investigating about a serial killer who is targeting young gay hustlers, and Denny becomes involved with Tim, a friend of two of the victims and an hustler himself. Not only Denny is worried about Tim since he is the only lead he has on the case, he is also worried about him as a person, and Denny’s feelings are new to him, but not unwelcome. Strange, but not something that horrified Denny, more a source of perplexity. What I probably didn’t like about Denny is that, yes, he wonders about what these feelings will imply in his relationship with Monny, but sincerely I didn’t feel like Denny was really wondering if his relationship with Monny was at risk. For this reason I think that more than gay this novel is on the bisexual field: Denny doesn’t exclude he can have feelings for Tim, but I have never questioned that he would, in the end, find a way to stay with Monny.

As many noticed, Denny and Monny have a really intense social life, and a lot of scenes in the novel take place in some real location: theatres, Broadway shows, restaurants, club, and I didn’t check all of them, but I bet they are all real and exactly in the place where Rooney located them in the novel. I think that was done with a purpose, and for two different reasons: first, to highlight the difference between the “superficial” lights of the NYC socialite, and the sordid fate fell upon those poor souls, just outside the circle of those same lights. Second to prove that Denny and Monny are a steady couple, that they have place in common, a circle of friends, shared interests… all reasons why, even if Denny could go astray for a day or two, in the end, he will always come back.

As usual, I will not comment on the mystery, that is really not my cup of tea; I can say that, of course I had my idea on who was the serial killer, mainly since I didn’t like their attitude, and in the end, I was right, but that was more something from the gut than a real “detective” job.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0975275615/?tag=elimyrevandra-20… (more)