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Topic: I'd love to talk gay mysteries

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Subject: I'd love to talk gay mysteries
Date Posted: 1/7/2012 5:26 PM ET
Member Since: 5/11/2011
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Hi, I'm Haley Walsh and I'm trying to start my own chat session with others interested in a gay mystery series of mine, the Skyler Foxe Mysteries.  MLR Press published bookone FOXE TAIL and book 2 FOXE HUNT and soon I'll be finishing up book 3 OUT-FOXED.  http://www.SkylerFoxeMysteries.com

What is it you like about a gay mystery?

Mine have a lot of humor and are generally light and romantic. What does a gay mystery have to have to get you interested?

Where are you finding the books you like to read? Here? Other blogs?

 

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Date Posted: 1/12/2012 2:18 AM ET
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Hi Haley!  This is kind of a quiet forum, so I posted a link in active threads (hope you don't mind).

Where do I find books?  I've become very author loyal and only branch out to new authors after doing research and reading reviews & comments.  Some of my favorites are Jessewave, Goodreads, Amazon, and here at PBS of course!

To interest me, a gay mystery should have a strong mystery plot (not just a bit of mystery mixed with alot of other filler). If I'm reading a mystery, I've chosen to engage the brain and watch for clues and such, so avoid plot (and dialogue) holes and inconsistancies b/c I'm going to notice and be annoyed. I also prefer strong complex characterizations and good relationship elements...all the above, done well of course!  If you're doing the mystery right, erotica isn't a requirement (not m/m but Frank Tuttle comes to mind).

My personal weakness is non-traditional characters (ie Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary by JCP or Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale)

Love Psycop by JCP.  Josh Lanyon is hit or miss for me, miss when he relies to much on stereotype (The Ghost Wore Yellow Sox) and hit when he stretches his characters (All She Wrote & I Spy Somethng Bloody).  The Infected series by Andrea Speed is fun reading and the author isn't afraid to mix it up a bit.  Other good examples of mystery light are Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville (please publish another book soon!), In the Flesh by Ethan Stone (PBS author), and the Cheating Chance series by James Buchanan.

A personal example that doesn't work for me is Victor Banis due to the swishy bitchy lead, his sexually conflicted partner, and the near constant rants about police and non-gays.



Last Edited on: 1/12/12 2:26 AM ET - Total times edited: 4
EmilyKat avatar
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Date Posted: 1/12/2012 2:32 AM ET
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How about John Morgan Wilson?   Been too long since his last book.  Definitely not light.

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Date Posted: 1/13/2012 3:09 PM ET
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Hi Hayley.  I read alot of M/M and a good number of them are mysteries.  I like when the focus of the book is kind of split between the relationship and the mystery.  Neither one should be neglected.  I like some steamy love scenes, but not so much as to make it qualify as erotica.  An author with a good sense of humor is great.  I like to chuckle at subtle humor and sometimes a real laugh is good.  Subtle humor is more my speeed though.  A gay mystery is just like a hetero myystery to me.  If the characters are well developed and the mystery keeps me guessing, I'm sucked in.  I find almost all of my book suggestions on Goodreads.  Good luck!

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Date Posted: 1/16/2012 6:00 AM ET
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I'm with Tina, a good mystery, straight or gay, has to have all the same literary components...well-written, some humor, a good 'hook', some intimacy.  I prefer to read f/f, though.  Paranormal and historical are very interesting categories to me as well.

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Date Posted: 1/16/2012 7:40 AM ET
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I like Miranda Scott. She's ff, but that is not a deciding factor for me. I'd be more than happy to read mm as well, as long as the romance is light and good, the mystery is good and well plotted, and there is humor, as well. any other authors I should try?

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Date Posted: 1/16/2012 4:41 PM ET
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Hi Haley, I just finish reading your 2nd book Foxe Hunt. I love the way you write.  Skyler is a very likeable, funny and intresting character.  Your secondary characters are great.  I love a book that I fall for the characters rather it be any genre.  I love your hints of mystery and Skyler's dumb luck.  Keep up the great work and can't wait, literally, for Out-Foxed.  You little tease you!

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Date Posted: 1/27/2012 1:43 PM ET
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Luv the suggestions !   will def check out Goodreads for recommendations ! 

I found a few surprisingly good books that became shelf keepers that focus less on sex and more on plot  and characters.... why not a mystery  Lily White, Rose Red (Grey Randall, Private Dick, Bk 1) by Catt Ford

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Date Posted: 3/7/2012 10:58 AM ET
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Definitely some good suggestions here, all. Keep up the reading! And if I might make a suggestion for finding books, especially with gay books, one might go directly to the publisher's website if you are finding an author you like. There might be more there. It's certainly a way to go with this genre rather than with big publishers. Mine is MLR PRess    http://www.mlrbooks.com/books.php