The Adrien English Mysteries by Josh Lanyon.

There are many of things I have enjoyed about this series. The clever dialog, interesting characters and always a murder to boot! I am a total mystery geek and adored watching the incomparable Joan Hickson play Miss Marple when I was younger. She is simply not to be missed! So clever and smart. I think that this series has that subtle wit too. For that more puerile part of me there is some seriously hot smex, judicious misuse of sunscreen, hot cops and one mans passion for Tab.

Adrien rocks with his bravery, strength of character and honesty. He cares for those around him, even his delightful mother and newly acquired family. I’ve sniggered away at Adrien’s snippy, clever comebacks and internal dialog. He is just so droll, I love it! Finally, his love for Jake. I know, Jake does not deserve him! But, I hold out hope that this love has not completely gone.

What has had me coming back for more in this series of books though, is Jake. If I am reading a book my favorite characters are often the ones that everyone else thinks is a bit of a shit. I guess I like that whole redemption thing and the broken hero. I also firmly believe that nothing worth having is easy, which is certainly the case for Jake. You should fight for what you want and it should be worth it and involve a bit of self discovery. Nothing wrong with a bit of navel gazing! For Jake, nothing about his whole life is easy. He is a closeted gay cop, a man used to being in charge and so sure of himself and where he is going. At times he seems rigid and uncompromising. But, how hard is it to go against the path you’ve always blindly just followed? When you know that if you do something unexpected, or away from that path that you’re going to probably loose people you love? It’s not easy and it would be ridiculous to think that in reality it ever would be. Hello, therapy! This is the heart of the series that gets me every time and invariably makes me think. Is love worth it? Or is it about more than that, more being true to who you really are and how difficult is that? His journey for me is compelling.

Jake’s feelings for Adrien are apparent from the start. Maybe it is just a strong attraction initially but there is caring there also. When he notices Adrien’s scraped knuckles after the murder of a friend, in that very first book, and he offers his coat to him to keep him warm. Or when he calls him baby, big sigh there.

Jake planted his hand on my shoulder. It was like having a brick dropped on my chest. 
My head dropped back on the spongy pillow, pain thudding in dizzy time with my pulse beat. 
“Simmer down, baby.” He traced my collarbone with his thumb. I couldn’t have moved if I had wanted to; I was too surprised to try. “Just relax.” 
The feel of his callused thumb on my sensitized skin was weirdly hypnotic.

Most of the time he is pretty crap at showing it, lets be honest the man can be a bear. But, there are those moments when he is so gruffly sweet, it just made me melt. He’s also a guy who does not seem to have had physical intimacy with another man. I know he’s fucked a lot of guys but there is a difference between fucking and intimacy.(not saying that the former isn’t a good thing!) It is intimacy that he shares with Adrien. Maybe one of the hardest and easiest things for Jake is loving Adrien? I don’t know.

The last book, I have just read, in the series was a heartbreaker. There is so much of Jake in this book that just made me wild but on the other hand I understood. If it had been any different I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much or been put through the wringer. Isn’t that what good books do? Make you think, justify, decide, ponder and read into the small hours when all the other lights are out? And, Jake on that last page, it does mean something – I have to believe that.

I have throughly enjoyed all 4 books, they’re thoughtful, smart and excellent reading. See what you think and let me know, there are links below where you can check the them out. 

Plus, other reviews or non reviews you must read, because they’re super cool!

Book Utopia Mom on Josh Lanyon.

So not a review, no really. Nose in a book.
Josh Lanyon Website.
Buy the books-

Loose Id
MLR Press