Snowball in Hell by Josh Lanyon

Journalist Nathan Doyle has just returned home from North Africa-still recovering from wounds received in the Western Desert Campaign-when he’s asked to cover the murder of a society blackmailer. 



Lt. Matthew Spain of the LAPD homicide squad hates the holidays since the death of his beloved wife a few months earlier, and this year isn’t looking much cheerier what with the threat of attack by the Japanese and a high-profile homicide investigation. Matt likes Nathan; maybe too much.

If only he didn’t suspect that Nathan had every reason to commit murder.

On holiday at the moment and loving being lazy bint and doing much reading. The other night I finished Josh Lanyon’s Snowball in Hell at some god-awful hour. I was so engrossed I did not even realise the time and had to make sure I was very quiet and did not wake the other bed occupant.

I really liked this book,  a lot. Mind you, thus far I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Josh Lanyon’s work and have given my credit card a work out in the last wee while!



Nathan is kinda lonely and all in his head and just seems to want to make a connection even if it is fleeting and possibly dangerous. Being a homosexual man at this time would have been incredibly difficult. As a result he feels terribly conflicted and lonely. He comes across almost empty at times, shut off but with this underlying desperation.

Matt is also alone, has lost his wife and has served in the war. He seems more sure of himself but is aware of his status as a cop. Homosexuality was illegal, and because of his job you cannot help but feel empathy for the internal struggle that this causes. Matt feels what seems like an instant connection for Nathan. He has had a wife who loved him and who he loved in return, but had he lived in a more contemporary setting you wonder if he would ever have married. 

How the time is written is also wonderful and made me think of an old film noir. Chinatown?? or The Maltese Falcon which I read with my Dad when I was younger. The mystery was good but my focus was very much on the relationships of the people.

Gorgeous read, one for a quiet late night with rain on the roof.