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72nd out of 413 books
—
588 voters
In the Flesh (Flesh #1)
by
Ethan Stone (Goodreads Author)
Reno Detective Cristian Flesh lives his life by a strict set of personal rules, preferring one-time flings and anonymous encounters to committed relationships. His rules work for him... until his life is turned upside down when first, a former lover, a famous televangelist, is attacked, and then one of his one-night stands is murdered, making Cristian the prime suspect. Wh...more
ebook, 220 pages
Published
August 27th 2010
by Dreamspinner Press
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^^NOT JUST FLESH, A WHOLE LOT OF FREAKING SKIN!^^
More of my reviews and thoughts on my blog PANTS OFF REVIEWS
In The Flesh is a hard book to rate and a hard book to love, yet I am infatuated with the story and the characters. Let me tell you, that is no easy accomplishment because these characters are a bit vile and mostly stupid. Yet, it’s a great mystery and crime drama, small on the romantic aspect big on the ‘lets get it on’ all the time with mostly anyone.
Christian Flesh is a gay cop and he...more
More of my reviews and thoughts on my blog PANTS OFF REVIEWS
In The Flesh is a hard book to rate and a hard book to love, yet I am infatuated with the story and the characters. Let me tell you, that is no easy accomplishment because these characters are a bit vile and mostly stupid. Yet, it’s a great mystery and crime drama, small on the romantic aspect big on the ‘lets get it on’ all the time with mostly anyone.
Christian Flesh is a gay cop and he...more
Genre & Keywords:
M/M, Contemporary, Suspense, Murder, Coming out
Storyline:
Gay and out cop Cris is accused of murder. His gay and closeted lawyer Colby breaks down the wall Cris has built around himself with his endless set of rules regarding relationships. While they work on Cris’ case, trying to find the real murderer, they learn to know each other better and better. But Cris can’t yet throw away all of his rules and Colby is publicly still very much in the closet.
My opinion in short:
This...more
M/M, Contemporary, Suspense, Murder, Coming out
Storyline:
Gay and out cop Cris is accused of murder. His gay and closeted lawyer Colby breaks down the wall Cris has built around himself with his endless set of rules regarding relationships. While they work on Cris’ case, trying to find the real murderer, they learn to know each other better and better. But Cris can’t yet throw away all of his rules and Colby is publicly still very much in the closet.
My opinion in short:
This...more
7 likes · like · see review
view all 9 comments
I wasn't sure whether to rate this book at all, seeing as I didn't--couldn't--finish it. I've been trying, struggling, really, to read In the Flesh for 2 weeks now, but it's going very slowly, mostly because I just can't seem to like anything at all about the book. Everytime I start reading I put it away again shortly after in order to do something else, anything else, just so that I don't have to read anymore... So, maybe it's unfair of me to rate the book when I haven't read the whole thing (s...more
5 likes · like · see review
ElaineY did such a great review, most has been said already there. I definitely agree about the TSTL moments, but I take on board Ethan's excuse. Maybe the heart did rule the head.
Like others I also enjoyed his "voice" and the balance of suspense to romance.
There were a few issues he dealt with throughout the story which lifted this above the run-of-the mill romance. Coming out, hypocrisy of some religious characters, reactions by peers. As one who has never witnessed it, his depiction of the ca...more
Like others I also enjoyed his "voice" and the balance of suspense to romance.
There were a few issues he dealt with throughout the story which lifted this above the run-of-the mill romance. Coming out, hypocrisy of some religious characters, reactions by peers. As one who has never witnessed it, his depiction of the ca...more
I think the summary is sufficient for this book, so I'm just going to post my opinion.
I'm a bit torn whether to put this as m/m mystery or romance. Colby doesn't enter Cristian's life until about page 90-something. However, about second half of the book, it is focused more on Cristian and Colby and how Cristian breaks his rule one by one because Colby is starting to take a special place in his life. The murder investigation pushes back a little bit. BUT, since it starts around a murder case and...more
I'm a bit torn whether to put this as m/m mystery or romance. Colby doesn't enter Cristian's life until about page 90-something. However, about second half of the book, it is focused more on Cristian and Colby and how Cristian breaks his rule one by one because Colby is starting to take a special place in his life. The murder investigation pushes back a little bit. BUT, since it starts around a murder case and...more
9 likes · like · see review
In the beginning this books is factual, dry, a little distanced, just like Cristian Flesh, the first person narrator. It picks up pace fairly quickly, though.
The characters were very believable, particularly Cristian, a genuine flawed hero with a painful past which is never entirely revealed but still hinted at often enough to make his motives understandable. He keeps himself distanced from everybody and has surrounded himself with a fortress wall of rules for nearly every aspect of his life, e...more
The characters were very believable, particularly Cristian, a genuine flawed hero with a painful past which is never entirely revealed but still hinted at often enough to make his motives understandable. He keeps himself distanced from everybody and has surrounded himself with a fortress wall of rules for nearly every aspect of his life, e...more
I can't even rate this yet. I'm too irritated by the stupidity of it all. 1.5 stars, I think, but round up or down?
Update: I just finished Force of Law and next to that horrific train wreck, this is a five star book. So we'll be rounding up.
Update: I just finished Force of Law and next to that horrific train wreck, this is a five star book. So we'll be rounding up.
Oct 09, 2010
Kate
added it
Cris and Colby were a bit rough around the edges but I enjoyed them immensely. I like Ethan's voice and the way he writes. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
"One finger, then two. More spit, two fingers, three fingers."
This. Omg this. This reminded me of this:
(Lots of lube! One, two, three fingers, go!)
From Lenore's review of Lover at Last (it's under the spoiler tag after "Here, I would like to say a few things about the m/m parts in this book.")
And it's got one of those. Those straight guys who realize they have a gay friend and tentatively ask if the gay friend would have gone for them, then gotten totally offended when he said no.
'kay, obligator...more
This. Omg this. This reminded me of this:
(Lots of lube! One, two, three fingers, go!)
From Lenore's review of Lover at Last (it's under the spoiler tag after "Here, I would like to say a few things about the m/m parts in this book.")
And it's got one of those. Those straight guys who realize they have a gay friend and tentatively ask if the gay friend would have gone for them, then gotten totally offended when he said no.
'kay, obligator...more
Cristian Flesh is an out-and-proud police detective and self-professed man-whore. He has rules, lots of rules, like no kissing, no sleepovers, etc. Life is good until not only is one of his lovers, a hardcore religious leader, stabbed, but the man he says did it is murdered and it looks like someone is setting Christian up for murder. His partner hires lawyer Colby to defend him and he can't help being attracted to the sexy black lawyer, but Colby is deeply in the closet and has no intention of...more
Now this was mighty atrocious. I know it's not a nice thing to say about something that was clearly invested into, but an "at least he tried" approach doesn't really cut it here. The end result caused me a few hours of suffering, and I must do my best to warn others before they are mislead by the glowing top reviews. (Were they paid to do this, or is it that they never read a good book in their life and therefore have no fair comparison material?)
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
3.5 stars
Part of my issue with this book is not the story but it is written in the first person. I still can't get used to that. Nothing to do with the book or author just a personal preference that I don't want to always read from one person's POV.
Flesh a 25year old gay detective in Reno has some real relationship avoidance issues. He's obviously been hurt in his past and we only get tiny glimpses of what may have been but very little. He sure does love sex however and he gets in all the time....more
Part of my issue with this book is not the story but it is written in the first person. I still can't get used to that. Nothing to do with the book or author just a personal preference that I don't want to always read from one person's POV.
Flesh a 25year old gay detective in Reno has some real relationship avoidance issues. He's obviously been hurt in his past and we only get tiny glimpses of what may have been but very little. He sure does love sex however and he gets in all the time....more
I have to admit that cop novels are not usually my cup of tea, even if I can sympathize with the imaginary seeing a cop like a perfect lover. But this cop in particular, Cristian Flesh, or simply Flesh, is at the opposite of your common idea of a police detective: unapologetically gay, and that is the point I liked the most, he is also pretty open on what he likes and doesn’t like; he likes sex and more is good, and so, probably for the first time in a novel, I found a detective that slept at le...more
I've read this book when it was published last year. When I saw that there was a sequel on the way, I decided to reread it. The flaws that bothered me during the first reading were just more pronounced this time.
I liked Cristian as a character, I'm just not sure he is a functional character in a mystery novel. He has a distinctive voice and I liked that he was aware just how screwed up he was. Reading about his 'rules' was entertaining, especially the deadpan delivery of some of them. But, I don...more
I liked Cristian as a character, I'm just not sure he is a functional character in a mystery novel. He has a distinctive voice and I liked that he was aware just how screwed up he was. Reading about his 'rules' was entertaining, especially the deadpan delivery of some of them. But, I don...more
In the Flesh is a good mix of mystery and romance that is very likely to please fans of the publisher/genre. The characters are interesting and Flesh has a lot of texture and strength. He’s not an easy character to like, yet the real star of the book is the writing. Ethan Stone has penned a fast paced, slick story that grabs you while developing and maturing the murder and the main characters. The voice used is a curious mixture of wit and a dry recitation of events yet remains interesting with...more
6 likes · like · see review
A decent story, part mystery & part romance. I think the fact you may figure out the real criminals is less important in these types of stories as this feels more like a police procedural than a whodunit mystery.
The main detective, Chris is one of the youngest at 25 and a bit of a male slut. He engages in countless anonymous sex which unfortunately, is depicted in mind numbing details too many times in the book. My eyes glazed over in these scenes, which may be the point of depicting them....more
The main detective, Chris is one of the youngest at 25 and a bit of a male slut. He engages in countless anonymous sex which unfortunately, is depicted in mind numbing details too many times in the book. My eyes glazed over in these scenes, which may be the point of depicting them....more
This is a great book (I, in fact, read most of it in one sitting because I found it so engrossing). I had a few tiny niggles, but there's a lot to admire here. Cristian Flesh is a great character: flawed, complicated, fully developed in the novel. (In fact, one of my tiny criticisms is that he so dominates the book that some of the other characters are a little underdeveloped by contrast, though the leads—Gabe, Colby, Lex—still feel like real people.) I had the murderer pegged very early in the...more
1 like · like · see review
Cristian Flesh is a young police detective who doesn't believe in hiding the fact that he's gay. He's also a bottom-boy who loves to be dominated and has a rule for just about everything in his life, most especially when it comes to sex. When one of his frequent sex partners, an older, married man with a penchant for 'boys' is attacked and then a one-night stand ends up dead Cristian has to figure out what's going on before he ends up in big trouble. With the help of his partner Lex, and Colby M...more
6 likes · like · see review
To be fair, I only read up to page 66 and then just gave up. That was enough to figure out who the murderer was, anyway.
The writing style in this book just does nothing for me, the dialog is mostly uninteresting, the whole thing comes off like a list of facts. First this happened, then that, and so on. I imagine reading the phone book might be more exciting.
The writing style in this book just does nothing for me, the dialog is mostly uninteresting, the whole thing comes off like a list of facts. First this happened, then that, and so on. I imagine reading the phone book might be more exciting.
OK, I've been letting this percolate for a bit too long, so I'll simply say, this book has enough depth that it's worth re-reading periodically. I love that Christian struggles with his growing feelings for Colby, and the relationship between himself and Gabe. I love that he hides his vulnerability so completely from the world, with the exception of his partner, Lex, but that he's forced to oh-so-slowly reveal it to Colby, even against his will, as he falls in love.
I don't know that I was comple...more
I don't know that I was comple...more
This is the first Ethan Stone I've read. I have an earlier one, bought but not read yet.
I found ItF a nice balance of suspense and romance, slightly heavier on the second. There was no doubt the focus was on the relationship, not the murder because the first chapters are all about Cristian's sex life and his commitment phobia.
I know some GR readers don't like cheaters but bear with Cristian here. I don't like cheaters, too. Their excuses are often too inexcusable. In ItF's case, Cristian enters...more
I found ItF a nice balance of suspense and romance, slightly heavier on the second. There was no doubt the focus was on the relationship, not the murder because the first chapters are all about Cristian's sex life and his commitment phobia.
I know some GR readers don't like cheaters but bear with Cristian here. I don't like cheaters, too. Their excuses are often too inexcusable. In ItF's case, Cristian enters...more
7 likes · like · see review
Ok, so I was right about who the actual killer was, but there was so much more too it. The twists and turns of the murder investigation were very well done. Cristian Flesh (love this name) is an openly gay detective who gets framed for murder. He chooses to go with the public defender until the guy shows up and Flesh pretty much fires him on the spot. His partner from work, Lex, hires an attorney to represent him and Flesh is very attracted to his new attorney,Colby Maddox, but thinks he's strai...more
Exciting and entertaining. Cris is an interesting character, and with the story told from his first-person viewpoint you have insight to his reasoning, which is good because otherwise you might find some of his actions frustrating. Instead, his fallible nature is explored. I also liked that the love interest comes into the story later than usual, and there is uncertainty regarding his "interest" in Cris, at least for a little while. Niggles: I would have liked more details of Cris's past, which...more
Cristian Flesh lives by his own set of rules, and he is pretty hard-nosed about them, as far as sex and other men is concerned. Yeah, he's a gay cop, in Reno, Nevada, and he's up front and open about it, and always has been, but there are some things he doesn't do, and he's up front about that too. For example, no kissing. No overnights. No two nights in a row. You get the idea. Anything that might close the distance between himself and the other guy.
Cristian has a female partner named Lex; they...more
Cristian has a female partner named Lex; they...more
I decided to purchase this Kindle book on the strength of another author's recommendation. Same author, different genre. This series is a really good, gripping read. The only reason for my 4 x star review and not 5 x star is that I found the sex a bit repetative. Great descriptions and very horny, but just too much of it for me. I tended to skip huge chunks just to get back to the story.
If you like the gratuitous sex, fine, read them all. Great story line to all three novels in this series. Each...more
If you like the gratuitous sex, fine, read them all. Great story line to all three novels in this series. Each...more
Flesh is an out gay cop with a history. He has a set of rules that he lives by that is until Colby enters the picture. It just goes to prove that when the right guy enters your life you will let your guard down and look for happiness. The murder mystery that brings these two together is entertaining although I figured out who the villain was when Flesh first met him. I just had to keep reading to see if I was right.
This was my first read of a book by Ethan Stone and I have already started the s...more
This was my first read of a book by Ethan Stone and I have already started the s...more
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Police Detective Cristian Flesh believes that sex is like money -- you can never have enough. Flesh never tops and in In the Flesh he proceeds to fulfill the promise of the title by literally sleeping with anything breathing, two-legged, with a cock. He is single minded in his work and play. Flesh is a damaged soul and protects himself by living by a long list of rules which include no hook-ups twice in a row. Well, that is until he meets handsome lawyer Colby Maddox. Flesh gets implicated as...more
This book basically turned out to be what I'd expected Billionaire's Row to be. And while that one disappointed, this one did not. I did have a little niggle, though, about how quickly and casually Cristian and Colby stopped using condoms. It struck me as bizarre and out of character for both of them.
Also, there darn well better be a sequel!! It seemed like it was set up for it. I loved the character development in this one, and the way the mystery of the murder stuff played out. But there's the...more
Also, there darn well better be a sequel!! It seemed like it was set up for it. I loved the character development in this one, and the way the mystery of the murder stuff played out. But there's the...more
There's an adjective I'd use to describe this book: raw. It fits everything: the narrator, the writing, the story, the sex.
I am not going to summarize the story, because the blurb is enough. It was difficult to warm up to the narrator, detective Cristian Flesh. I have no problems with characters as Flesh: even if he is not open, even if he is reluctant, I appreciated that he doesn't try to win people over. He gets in your reading space and there is no way to find a compromise with him. It's as i...more
I am not going to summarize the story, because the blurb is enough. It was difficult to warm up to the narrator, detective Cristian Flesh. I have no problems with characters as Flesh: even if he is not open, even if he is reluctant, I appreciated that he doesn't try to win people over. He gets in your reading space and there is no way to find a compromise with him. It's as i...more
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“Eventually Gray came in to interview me, and I gave him my official statement.
"I met him at Quest. We were both looking for sex, and he invited me to join him in his motel room. I did, and we had sexual relations."
"What kind of sexual relations?"
"I performed oral sex on him, and he did the same to me. Then we had anal intercourse."
"Were you the...?" he paused, looking for the right words.
"I was on the receiving end," I answered to spare him further embarrassment.
(...)
"And what happened this morning?"
"I wanted to visit him again."
"Why?"
I looked at Gray like he had just asked the stupidest question ever. "Why? Because I wanted to be on the receiving end of anal intercourse again.”
—
8 people liked it
More quotes…
"I met him at Quest. We were both looking for sex, and he invited me to join him in his motel room. I did, and we had sexual relations."
"What kind of sexual relations?"
"I performed oral sex on him, and he did the same to me. Then we had anal intercourse."
"Were you the...?" he paused, looking for the right words.
"I was on the receiving end," I answered to spare him further embarrassment.
(...)
"And what happened this morning?"
"I wanted to visit him again."
"Why?"
I looked at Gray like he had just asked the stupidest question ever. "Why? Because I wanted to be on the receiving end of anal intercourse again.”
