Curio

Title: Curio

Author: CS Poe

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: February 5, 2024

Genre(s): M/M Contemporary Romance

Page Count: 60

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here

Llewellyn Cooper (Lew) and his aunt Julia ("Remember the summer you took up performance art in the park and destroyed all your panties in front of picnicking families?" "It was art, Lew. I was making a statement.") run the Curio Cabinet in NYC's West Village and have lately been fascinated by Professor Bow Tie (Henry), a natty dresser (albeit with thick thighs and a lumberjack beard) who sorts endlessly through old photos in their shop, occasionally buying a photo or two.

Julia insists Henry and Lew would make a great couple. And even after a somewhat fraught first date ("I started to giggle. And not in a cute way either - but in a hysterical way that'd have had a nineteenth-century woman locked away."), Lew and Henry find they are, indeed, a good fit. 

This novella packs in a lot - quirky well-developed characters, an Easter egg (or two?), and the start of what looks to be an interesting relationship. Toss in a robbery, a WWI-era mystery, a steamy sex scene (and, yes, this all fits nicely into this 60-page novella) and you have a thoroughly enjoyable story that I personally loved. 5 stars.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Broadway Butchery (Memento Mori #3)

Title: Broadway Butchery (Memento Mori #3)

Author: CS Poe

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: June 22, 2023

Genre(s): M/M Crime Procedural

Page Count: 311

Rating: 5+ stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here

I have to admit I struggled a bit with this book. No, no, no .... I loved "Broadway Butchery" (I'm not an idiot) but it was hard to decide if I wanted to devour it in a frenzied stay-up-all-night, sob in my pillow marathon .... or savor every page, every nuance of the flowering relationship between Larkin and Doyle, set my Kindle aside for a few moments, gently wipe away my tears of joy, and just bask in the wonderfulness of this book. So, yeah, I definitely basked. 

 Also, I went back and browsed the first two books in this series because, yeah, this series is all sorts of wonderful, but also because I had to refresh my memory about the earlier murders, as well as the slow and careful way Larkin and Doyle's relationship begins. And in Broadway Butchery, CS Poe really ramps it all up by revealing (some of) the layers of her intricately crafted underlying plot, and laser-focusing on Ira and Everett. 

As always, each character - no matter how minor - is beautifully fleshed-out. My new favorite is Dr. Baxter in the office of the chief medical examiner:

"Oh, I do love a man with a sense of justice." "You love any man!" one of the other pathologists shouted from behind Baxter. He said, without missing a beat, "It gets lonely down here."

And, of course, there are countless moments between Ira and Everett that I bookmarked, but here's just one:

It was like a bubble had formed around them just then, encapsulating them in an untouchable privacy lasting one a heart, a breath, long enough for Doyle to say in his quiet, smoky voice, "I'll do anything for you."

The words hit Larkin square in the chest and repeated over and over like an echo trapped in a cave.

I'll do anything for you.

Anything for you.

For you.

Damn. 5+ stars for "Broadway Butchery." 

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Subway Slayings (Memento Mori #2)

Title: Subway Slayings (Memento Mori #2)

Author: C.S. Poe

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: October 28, 2022

Genre(s): M/M Crime Procedural

Page Count: 274

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here

To say I love this book seems so .... trite. Subway Slayings gives us a complex mystery created in amazing detail and depth about a current murder in the NYC subway system tied to one of Larkin's cold cases. This book also provides more clues into Ira Doyle's background as well as Everett's. And the HSAM that resulted from Evie's injuries is detailed in such heartbreaking ways that it is sometimes more than one can bear. 

In the midst of a fairly gripping murder mystery, it's the small moments that really capture the unique relationship between Doyle and Larkin. 

"[Ira's] face had this way of lighting up whenever Larkin walked into a room, like the first rays of sunshine to reach over the horizon at dawn, that always made Larkin want to check over his shoulder, because no one had ever stared at him quite like that before." 

And Doyle's realization that Larkin understands his love language:

"In the past, most guys have equated my need for touch with sex. Don't get me wrong, I love sex, but for me, touch isn't only about skin-on-skin. It's about the way someone smells. The way they sound. The way their smile makes me feel. When I listen to that voicemail [Larkin's first message to Doyle], I feel ... at home. You feel like home. And I think, if someone can make me that comfortable, they must understand my language pretty well too." 

The central murder of this book in the series gets solved in a chaotic scene where I'm still not quite exactly certain what happened, but Poe leaves the over-arching mystery firmly intact (just who is sending those messages?) and leaves you pondering everything about the case. And in the same way, we are starting to solve the mystery of Doyle and Larkin but there is still a long way to go and much to ponder, and I am so looking forward to Broadway Butchery! 

Oh, and Neil Millett. Yes, definitely, we need more Neil Millett. 5+ stars. 

I received an ARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

The Doctor (Magic & Steam, #3)

Title: The Doctor (Magic & Steam series, Book #3)

Author: CS Poe

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: May 26, 2022

Genre(s): Alternate Universe, Magic, Steampunk

Page Count: 255

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here

As I set down The Gangster, I immediately began anxiously awaiting this third book in the series.  Gillian Hamilton is Simon Fitzgerald, the Butcher of Antietam?  Wait what?? It's a slow reveal, but we eventually learn more of Gillian's background and just how far he has risen. And Gunner the Deadly?  Can I just saw how frickin' much I adore that name?

Gunner the Deadly - the country's number-one wanted outlaw. The gentlemen thief. The vigiliante. Six fee of all-black wearing, deadeye marksmanship skills, with a penchant for Crown perfume and Black Jack chewing gum. A learned man of literature, with a husky voice from years of smoking Virginia Brights, and eyes so blue that sapphires paled in comparison.  Constantine Gunner - the one men on God's green earth who'd considered me his. Who'd adored me without fear, without hesitation, without concern for the secrets that burdened my soul.

We get more about Gunner's background as well, and as the secrets are revealed and explained, Gillian and Gunner are stronger together than ever. Gunner's trust and love ("Gunner has right here, reminding me to breathe, telling me it was never to late to begin anew") makes all the difference to Gillian.

As always, CS Poe's world building is stellar in this series, and the plot she has crafted carries us through gun toting robots, magic perverted for nefarious reasons, gruesome battlefield atrocities, and the book ends in another cliffhanger of sorts, as they continue to look for answers.

Side note:  I long for the series about Neil from the Snow & Winter series, and now I am adding Loren Moore to that wish list. He has developed into an intriguing character and I want to see him happy, damn it.  

5 stars and I am again anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!

I received an ARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

The Mystery of the Spirits (Snow & Winter #5)

Title: The Mystery of the Spirits (Snow & Winter #5) 

Author: CS Poe 

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: December 30, 2021 

Genre(s): M/M Crime Procedural 

Page Count: 231 

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here

Apparently CS Poe had always intended to write a 5th book in her amazing Snow & Winter series, and now almost 2 years later, it is here .... and it is good.  

Immediately I realized that I desperately need to reread the entire series because I have forgotten too much about the earlier books, and also because seeing Sebastian and Calvin where they are right now in their relationship is so perfect that I need to go back to the beginning and watch it all unfold again.  

"Even after a year and a half, I still had these fleeting, surreal moments of holy shit, I'm married to my soul mate." [...] We complimented each other, enhanced strengths, reinforced weaknesses. Snow or Winter weren't inherently better or lesser without the other - we were simply something unique when together."

Sebastian is hired as a consultant by the NYPD and the case involves spiritualism, the Fox sisters, Robert Hare and his spiritoscope, feuding mediums, and of course all sorts of absolutely fascinating history.  In addition to the meticulous research and intricate crafting of the murder plot, Poe tosses in a few good suspects and deftly ties it all together in a denouement that is equal part terrifying and very satisfying.  I also enjoyed keeping in touch with Neil, Sebastian's ex, as well as Aubrey Grant from Poe's Southernmost Murder. 

 

I highly recommend The Mystery of the Spirits and strongly suggest that you cannot go wrong with anything penned by CS Poe! 5 stars. 

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Madison Square Murders (Memento Mori #1)

Title: Madison Square Murders (Memento Mori, Book #1)

Author: CS Poe

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: September 28, 2021

Genre(s): M/M Crime Procedural

Page Count: 299

Rating:  5 stars out of 5   

Read book blurb here

As much as I love Poe's Snow & Winter series, this new series is just as good .... perhaps better.  And that is saying a lot. 

The Latin phrase Memento Mori -  "Remember that you must die" - is about the inevitability of death, but also the understanding it can help you cherish every moment and feel gratitude for what you have. 

Cold-case detective Everett Larkin is exceptional at what he does, aided (or hindered) by HSAM - Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. He is neurodivergent and recalls everything that has happened since August 2, 2002 (and we learn as the story unfolds what happened that day) and he also recalls every emotion, so August 2, 2002 and its sorrow and heartache is just as fresh and horrible as it was the moment it happened. 

When a storm topples a tree and reveals a buried cage with 20+ year old body and a death mask , Larkin is tasked with learning who the victim is and solving the murder. He receives the assistance of Detective Ira Doyle, of the Forensic Artists Unit, an equally talented detective who carries a burden of his own, which slowly unfolds over the course of the story.

Larkin had acquaintances.

He had colleagues.

He had a husband.

But he had no friends.

He had no partnership - no day to compliment his night. 

Poe shows us just how perfect these two men are for one another, intellectually and emotionally.  And it's not so much a case that "neither were complete with the other. A partnership shouldn't fill missing pieces, but instead enhance what was already present."  The gradual way we learn how Ira and Larkin enhance and compliment each other is splendid, and although there is only a handful of kisses throughout the book, their emotional connection is off the chart. 

The murder / mystery is meticulously charted and researched and I especially love how Poe gives us strange and off-the-wall information that you don't even realize just how much you need to know. We also get a few glimpses of Neil Millett, Sebastian's ex in the Snow & Winter series, and here's hoping that Detective Calvin Winter makes an appearance in the Memento Mori series. 

Warning: The book ends with a huge cliffhanger (after thinking everything is neatly tied up);  I highly recommend this book, and cannot wait for the next book in this new series. 5 stars. 

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Mystery of the Curiosities (Snow & Winter #2)

Title: The Mystery of the Curiosities (Snow & Winter #2) 

Author: CS Poe 

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: February 14, 2020 (reissue)

Genre(s): M/M Contemporary Romance, Criminal Investigation

Page Count: 198

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here 

The Mystery of the Curiosities is the second book in the Snow and Winter series. Yeah, I suppose it could be read as a standalone, but you'll definitely want to read The Mystery of Nevermore to learn how Seb and Calvin met.

“When writing my obituary, just be sure it says, ‘Sebastian was the death of him.’”

He [Calvin] turned and walked to the exit.

“Ha, ha,” I said loudly, following. “Heart disease is more believable.”

Calvin turned as he held the door open for Quinn and I. “Not once people meet you, Seb.”

It's only been a matter of weeks since Seb and Calvin officially started dating and now they are immersed in another mystery, this one involving P.T. Barnum's famous museum of curiosities that burned to the ground in 1865. Someone is tempting Seb with clues ("I know you like mysteries" and "He lost the whales but not the mermaid") and murders to solve. Of course, Calvin demands that Seb let the police do their job, but knowing Seb, yeah, that's not gonna happpen.

When I stood up, he put a firm hand on my shoulder and pushed me back into the seat. “Not you. Stay.” “I’m not a dog.” “Dogs take better direction.”

I absolutely love the dynamic between Calvin and Sebastian. Sure the sexual chemistry between the two is sizzling (with a side of dominance), but the bottom line is Sebastian makes Calvin happy. And Sebastian? He worries about Calvin and his PTSD and his stress:

"But I want to help him. I want to help him sleep through the night without dreaming about the dead children in Afghanistan he’s convinced died because he wasn’t a good enough soldier. I want him to stop crying, to stop being afraid. He’s the bravest and strongest man I know, and he thinks the exact opposite of himself.”

I am in awe of C.S. Poe's writing skills and admire the deftness with which she crafts a mystery while building this weird, touching, supportive, deeply sensual, quirky relationship between Sebastian and Calvin that somehow just plains works for them. My only niggle about the book is the pacing of the story. After a brilliant misdirect about the killer (is it someone very familiar to Seb?), the answers finally start coming around 90% into the story and the resolution felt somewhat rushed. I highly recommend this book and anxiously await the next book in the series! 4.5 stars. 

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Lights, Camera, Murder (The Silver Screen #1)

Title: Lights, Camera, Murder (The Silver Screen #1) 

Author: CS Poe 

Publisher: Emporium Press 

Release Date: May 30, 2020 

Genre(s): M/M Historical, Thespians 

Page Count: 105 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here

For a brief novella, this really feels whole and complete ... and a great start to a new series by C.S. Poe. Our main characters are a charismatic actor in the role of a lifetime, and a world-weary PI on set to find who stole a missing script. There's an instant sizzle between the two, and a well-plotted murder mystery and it all works in just a handful of pages. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!

Interlude (The Snow & Winter Collection, #1)

Title: Interlude (The Snow & Winter Collection, #1)

Author: C.S. Poe

Publisher: Emporium Press

Release Date: April 8, 2021

Genre(s): M/M Mystery/Suspense

Page Count: 149

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here 

I will admit it - I haven't always been the biggest fan of ficlets, drabbles, codas or whatever-you-may-call-them from series authors. But, C.S. Poe's Interlude has blown that out of the water .... and now basically I would pay to read random bar napkin scribblings or a grocery list penned by Poe. 

This book of eleven (11) interludes fits in and around the existing "Snow and Winter" series and gives us some deep insight into Calvin (loved "The Good in the World"), the Customer from Hell vs. a nooner, a welcome glimpse into what's going on with Neil (Seb's ex-boyfriend), a belated honeymoon trip, a loving homage to M/M romance novels and the GayRomLit being held in October, 2021 (mark your calendars!) and a few more gems. 

I love Poe's awesome writing chops and her subtle humor and sarcastic wit, and I would definitely recommend "Interlude"  AND I also look forward to Neil's own series, coming soon. 5 stars! 

I received an ARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

The Gangster (Magic & Steam #2)

Title: The Gangster (Magic & Steam #2) 

Author: C.S. Poe 

Publisher: Emporium Press 

Release Date: January 12, 2021 

Genre(s): Alternate Universe, Magic, Steampunk

Page Count: 242

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Read book blurb here

Wow.  I loved this book. Steampunk / alternate universe?  Yup. Another case involving magic and destruction and death, plus elemental ammunition and aether bullets?  Of course. 

The plot is top-notch, with a mysterious super villain and the introduction of mechanical men equipped with Gatling guns for hands, and bodies reinforced with pressure tubes, iron and bronze.  The action is densely constructed and unbearably suspenseful. But ... the pulse of the story is the continuance of this undefinable attraction between Special Agent Gillian Hamilton and Gunner the Deadly.

After their adventures in Shallow Grave, Arizona, Gunner has promised to ring in the New Year of 1882 with Gillian in New York. And despite everything going on around them, Gillian and Gunner connect on a deeper level:

"I enjoying making eye contact with a man across a tavern. Getting that swell in your gut, like the ground has fallen out from under you."

I tried to swallow, but my throat was parched - dry like animal bones bleaching in the desert sun. "Like you've been pinned to the wall."
Gunner took one step closer to me. "And you realize you share a tendency."
"Now you've got to put it into words."

Another step. "When it's right, you don't need words."

Gunner sees something in Gillian no one else has - that his power is much greater than he lets on, and that his past is more painful and devastating. "Whatever you've lived through - survived - Gillian Hamilton, I am sorry. [...] But you said you remembered everything I told you in Arizona? Remember this : we aren't so different." Gillian struggles to accept Gunner's love and acceptance while battling shadows of horrific memories and the ending of the book is definitely a "Wait. What???" cliffhanger that will make you count the days until the next book in the Magic & Steam series is available.  5 stars!

I received an ARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

A Friend in the Dark (Auden & O'Callaghan Mystery Series #1)

Title: A Friend in the Dark (An Auden & O'Callaghan Mystery #1)
Author: Gregory Ashe and CS Poe
Publisher: Emporium Press
Release Date: September 8, 2020
Genre(s):  Crime / Intrigue
Page Count: 251
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Read book blurb here

Having just finished this book, I'm stunned.  Well, mostly right now because of the unexpected what the hell cliffhanger at the end, but also because this book grabs you by the throat and drags you into the world of Rufus O'Callaghan and Sam Auden - two damaged, lonely men brought together by the death of their mutual friend, detective Jake Brower.

Sam knew Jake from their time in the military, as well as a complicated relationship of sorts (It was fun, let's not pretend it was anything else).  Jake's death, coupled with blackout drunk emails from Jake hinting at a police cover-up, bring Sam to NYC in order to find the killer, where he quickly meets Rufus, who has the same mission.

The authors dole out small crumbs of information about each man, and I suspect we'll be learning details through every page of the remaining three books in the series.  While it's frustrating in one sense, it is equally heartbreaking.

Alone wasn't new to Sam; he'd always had a part of himself that he kept separate, isolated. The part that wanted more than a one-off. The part that thought about stupid things like the future. But Rufus took alone to a new level. Sam had been with him for almost twenty-four hours now, and he hadn't seen any sign that Rufus had anyone in his life. [...] Who did Rufus hang out with, go to the movies with, shoot the shit with? In a city of almost nine million people, it seemed impossible that the answer was no one.

Rufus, with a long lean frame and flame-red hair, has this "crazy, sexy, nerd vibe" with a mind like a steel trap and a voracious appetite for knowledge, underlaid with unknown tragedy.  Sam is barely described in the book - other than he looks like a "big-ass action figure" - but he has a lot of sensory issues; he can't process noise, being touched, he wears his tee and socks inside out because of the seams, etc.

The plot draws you in as Sam and Rufus slowly unravel the conspiracy, at times a bit too slowly, but it is tightly focused and well-developed. I don't want to say too much because it is so well-done and I don't want to give an spoilers.


Combined with the revelations about their respective pasts, as well as this fragile new relationship between Rufus and Sam, "A Friend in the Dark" is a tantalizing introduction to what looks to be an amazing new series.  5 stars and I highly recommend this book!

The Engineer (Magic & Steam #1)

Title: The Engineer (Magic & Steam, Book One)
Author: C.S. Poe
Publisher: Emporium Press
Release Date: May 28, 2020
Genre(s): Steampunk Western Romance
Page Count: 84
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Read book blurb here

This short novella serves as a gripping introduction to Special Agent Gillian Hamilton (of the Federal Bureau of Magic and Steam) and Gunner the Deadly, notorious outlaw.

Or as Gunner says "Your files call me a vigilante, and if you must put a label to my actions, then yes, that is likely the most accurate. I've sacrificed my safety because I know I can do good. Sometimes bad men die when I do good. I don't regret that. I don't regret feeling alive."

As far as Gillian, "  ... there was no magic between me and Gunner, just flesh and bone and blood and heat and my heart breaking because the taste of human touch was confirmation that I wouldn't survive much longer in my self-induced isolation. I was wasting away inside, and Gunner was an antidote."

Gunner and Gillian are great characters, wonderfully fleshed out in just a few words, and their romance is a slow flame (with just a brief sex scene) but, oh my gawd, that brief glimpse is tantalizing.  Poe gives us a steampunk western town, complete with an epic villain, and it all works together so seamlessly that you can't wait to read the next book in the series.  5 stars.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

That Turtle Story (Dreamspinner 2018 Advent Calendar)

Title: That Turtle Story (2018 Advent Calendar - Warmest Wishes) 

Author: C.S. Poe
Publisher: Emporium Press
Release Date: December 1, 2018 (reissue April 10, 2020)
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance, Holidays
Page Count: 46
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Read book blurb here

This book features turtles, turtle eggs, love when you last expect it, and the sun and sand and water of Key West, all mixed together into a lovely holiday read.

Nor works at a turtle rescue and when Eugene walks in, claiming to have found a nest of turtle eggs at a popular tourist beach, Nor sweeps in to protect the little eggs. Along the way, he and Eugene share some wonderful moments like a Christmas parade as only Key West can do it and a haunted trolley tour. This story has a bit of spice, a lot of heart, and a sweet ending. Enjoy! 4 stars.