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A Hard Winter Rain
Sean Andros is tired―tired of hustling, tired of trying to make the rent, tired of running from his past. But the past can chase you down in a heartbeat. Suddenly Sean’s living a nightmare again and casualties are stacking up around him. The only person he can trust is Harry, a man twice his age and the closest thing to a friend Sean has ever known. Harry Connors has loved Sean since their first night together, and now, with danger hard at their heels, Harry will do anything to protect the tough, strangely vulnerable young man who begs him for help. Harry had better be serious about offering protection, though, because the demons threatening Sean’s life are no joke. Only a hard winter rain will wash away the evil that drove Sean Andros to the streets, and Sean and Harry are going to have to be strong if they plan on sticking around for the sun.
302 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2012
16 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
About the author
John Inman
42 books442 followersA Lambda Literary Award finalist and the author of over forty novels, John has been writing fiction for as long as he can remember. Born on a small farm in Indiana, he now resides in San Diego, California where he spends his time gardening, pampering his pets, hiking and biking the trails and canyons of San Diego, and of course, writing. He and his partner share a passion for theater, books, film, and the continuing fight for marriage equality. If you would like to know more about John, check out his website at----
http://www.johninmanauthor.com/John_I... or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/john.inman.79
http://www.johninmanauthor.com/John_I... or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/john.inman.79
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
November 29, 2015
This review is intended for a mature audience that does not include Mishy.
This book has multiple POVs. I like this very much.
First up is Sean, a sweet, gay rent boy:
Sean, like all literary hookers, has a heart of gold and a generous soul:
Then we have Harry, one of Sean's regular customers, who is a former military man turned hairdresser. If you can find a gif for Harry, consider my hat tipped.
We also have two police detectives who are made of awesome:
Lastly and bestly (yes, I just invented a word) we have a religiously obsessed, self-hating and everybody else hating serial killer. Yeah!
(Spoiler below is not a spoiler at all, but done for Mishy, who I love and wish to protect. Everybody else - enjoy the bloody goodness.)
This book is, above all else, a thriller... and I was thrilled. The plot consists of Sean being targeted by the serial killer and running into the arms of Harry, who has been in love with Sean for some time before the story opens.
POV switches between Sean, Harry, the detectives, and the killer. These switches are flawless and not at all distracting. I thought they were actually very well used to increase the rate at which I chewed my fingernails down to the quick.
This book is terrific. John Inman, whose comedies I love, writes suspense as well as any "mainstream" writer that I've read. All secondary characters are given full development so that you feel you know them before they get offed in entertainingly gruesome ways.
The tension grows throughout the book and the finale is amazing.
Any more would be spoiling, so that's all, kittens.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. I loved it. Give it a shot if you're getting bored with the sighing and crying to which we are all addicted.
This book has multiple POVs. I like this very much.
First up is Sean, a sweet, gay rent boy:
Sean, like all literary hookers, has a heart of gold and a generous soul:
Then we have Harry, one of Sean's regular customers, who is a former military man turned hairdresser. If you can find a gif for Harry, consider my hat tipped.
We also have two police detectives who are made of awesome:
Lastly and bestly (yes, I just invented a word) we have a religiously obsessed, self-hating and everybody else hating serial killer. Yeah!
(Spoiler below is not a spoiler at all, but done for Mishy, who I love and wish to protect. Everybody else - enjoy the bloody goodness.)
This book is, above all else, a thriller... and I was thrilled. The plot consists of Sean being targeted by the serial killer and running into the arms of Harry, who has been in love with Sean for some time before the story opens.
POV switches between Sean, Harry, the detectives, and the killer. These switches are flawless and not at all distracting. I thought they were actually very well used to increase the rate at which I chewed my fingernails down to the quick.
This book is terrific. John Inman, whose comedies I love, writes suspense as well as any "mainstream" writer that I've read. All secondary characters are given full development so that you feel you know them before they get offed in entertainingly gruesome ways.
The tension grows throughout the book and the finale is amazing.
Any more would be spoiling, so that's all, kittens.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. I loved it. Give it a shot if you're getting bored with the sighing and crying to which we are all addicted.
June 10, 2015
This was a wild ride. I would call it a gruesome crime thriller. I thought the identity of the killer was clear from pretty early on so it was mostly a game of cat and mouse for me as opposed to a mystery. This book was quite a surprise since the only other John Inman book I read was a lighter, romance.
Multiple POVs from the deranged and increasingly unstable killer, his target, the man protecting him, the team investigating and even the victims added to, rather than detracted from, the story telling.
The violence is incredibly graphic, definitely not a book for the squeamish, but the banter and snark of the team working on the case, from the medical examiner and the lead detectives to the out of state Sheriff's office, provided some needed levity. There is a romance, but it is not the focus of the story, so if you can put that aside and are looking for a creepy, thriller, this would definitely fit the bill.
Multiple POVs from the deranged and increasingly unstable killer, his target, the man protecting him, the team investigating and even the victims added to, rather than detracted from, the story telling.
The violence is incredibly graphic, definitely not a book for the squeamish, but the banter and snark of the team working on the case, from the medical examiner and the lead detectives to the out of state Sheriff's office, provided some needed levity. There is a romance, but it is not the focus of the story, so if you can put that aside and are looking for a creepy, thriller, this would definitely fit the bill.
January 13, 2014
I read A Hard Winter Rain expecting a romance with mystery/thriller elements to it. Boy was I wrong. Actually, this book is a mystery/thriller with a small romance side. It's that small some probably wouldn't describe it as a romance.
John Inman is a very talented writer. I've read many of this books but this one has been on my list the longest. I can't even tell you why I didn't read it, probably the same reason as most overlook books. Timing. Big lists can get in the way of people reading everything they want to. This just so happens to be one of those cases and like a few of the others, I'm annoyed that I didn't read this sooner.
This book is hard to read, and it won't be for everyone. It's gory, it's dark, and it can seem creepy at times. Does any of that bother me? Hell no! I was so engrossed in this book that nothing else mattered to me. I even laughed in a couple of places, and trust me, it's not easy in a book like this. But there was humor (small amounts) thrown in at times. It made the book even more fun to read.
Sean and Harry both had POV's in this book. But so did the killer (even more awesome!) and a the detectives. None of those POV's ever got confusing, even when the author introduced another POV.Does it make me sound creepy if I say my favorite POV was the killers? All of those POV's brought something incredible to the book.
I have to admit I love a book with a good mystery. And even though I figured out who the killer was, I was still so eager to find out how the characters would react. Was it a bit predictable? Maybe. I think it was just a really great choice. The killer was someone you could kind of see coming, but the character was disturbed enough to not know what they would do next. I really looked forward to seeing who he would kill next.I know, creepy.
Overall, I really loved this book and on a day I feel like reading something with a darker plot, this will be one I pick up. I hope the author writes more books like this, he should! Definitely a 5 star book from me.
John Inman is a very talented writer. I've read many of this books but this one has been on my list the longest. I can't even tell you why I didn't read it, probably the same reason as most overlook books. Timing. Big lists can get in the way of people reading everything they want to. This just so happens to be one of those cases and like a few of the others, I'm annoyed that I didn't read this sooner.
This book is hard to read, and it won't be for everyone. It's gory, it's dark, and it can seem creepy at times. Does any of that bother me? Hell no! I was so engrossed in this book that nothing else mattered to me. I even laughed in a couple of places, and trust me, it's not easy in a book like this. But there was humor (small amounts) thrown in at times. It made the book even more fun to read.
Sean and Harry both had POV's in this book. But so did the killer (even more awesome!) and a the detectives. None of those POV's ever got confusing, even when the author introduced another POV.
I have to admit I love a book with a good mystery. And even though I figured out who the killer was, I was still so eager to find out how the characters would react. Was it a bit predictable? Maybe. I think it was just a really great choice. The killer was someone you could kind of see coming, but the character was disturbed enough to not know what they would do next. I really looked forward to seeing who he would kill next.
Overall, I really loved this book and on a day I feel like reading something with a darker plot, this will be one I pick up. I hope the author writes more books like this, he should! Definitely a 5 star book from me.
March 10, 2012
Before I put down my thoughts, let me list some warnings first. Careful, this is going to be long, simply because I think the warning is necessary ...
Warning:
1) NOT a romance; blurb and cover are quite misleading. This is more like mainstream mystery/suspense, with a couple of gay characters -- and gay-related murders. Although, I still put this on my mm-mystery shelf, rather than mainstream mystery, based on the publisher
2) Quite gruesome murders, which includes mutilation of male's organ member
3) Two non-consentual sex scenes, both done by the murderer to the rent-boy.
4) Multiple perspectives, from the rent boy, his protector, the detectives, the murderer, and even the victims (usually before they die)
5) More of "tell" but not show kind of writing.
There, I hope that nobody gets mislead or confused when they decide to buy it.
Having listed all that ... once I put on my "this is a murder/mystery book" hat, I am able to enjoy it. I'm a fan of mystery/thriller suspense first (romance books come to my life later) so I appreciate the darkness of the story. I don't avoid story with gruesome murders, hey, I'm a fan of CSI.
Summary:
Sean Andros is a 21-year-old rent-boy in San Diego. One night, his last client is mutilated, and Sean runs from. He encounters Harry Connors at the nearest bar, and Harry is determined to protect him, by taking Sean to his house to hide. Harry Connors is a 45-year-old hairdresser, who is another one of Sean's client, and he has been in love with the kid.
Meanwhile, two San Diego detectives, Jimmy Smith and Jefferson McCray, are handling the mutilation case. Soon, the crime escalates, which includes murder by pipe bomb, and two other detectives who are tailing Sean's apartment. Smith and McCray wonders what has Sean done that creates the obsession from the murderer. They need to find Sean before more murders happen ...
My Thoughts
This story covers 3-days of quite intense 'cat-and-mouse' chase. The identity of the murderer is not a mystery. About half of the book, I already know who he is. But I guess the suspense is to read how this murderer seem to be able to avoid the detectives (at least for those 3-days) while leaving bodies all over. At first, I'm a bit annoyed with the 'tell not show' writing, and how it covers multiple perspectives, including the victims (example of that below)
IF THE front desk clerk at the Stevens Hotel had known he was enjoying the last few remaining minutes of his lifetime, he might have chosen to spend them differently. And if he had known the manner of his upcoming death, some twenty minutes hence, he most assuredly would have made different decisions on how to spend his time on this stormy afternoon, the last afternoon he would ever know.
However, after awhile, it doesn't matter to me. This is a style of writing I find in some mainstream mystery/suspense titles, so I'm used to it, and it actually adds to the thrill because I know that they are going to meet their demise soon. I enjoy the May/December relationship that blooms under duress. I enjoy the banter between Smith and McCray (they're quite a combination; one is an American-Indian, the other is African-American). I enjoy the run towards the climax.
And in between those scenes, there's still humor present ...
“Judy, you’re a doll. I could kiss you.”
“Don’t toy with me, Detective.”
“You do realize that it’s four thirty in the morning. Don’t you ever sleep?”
“Only after sex.”
“Ah.”
“And I haven’t had sex since August of 1983.”
“I see.”
“I don’t sleep much.”
“I guess not”
So, the writing might not evoke emotion. But for a murder/mystery, I find this as a good one. Just remember, do NOT expect romance, well, not in that sense of emotional romance ...
PS: I wish DSP change the cover. The soft tone of this doesn't do good to explain the story. Although, if you look closely, the guy in the back is carrying knife. He's the murderer ...
Warning:
1) NOT a romance; blurb and cover are quite misleading. This is more like mainstream mystery/suspense, with a couple of gay characters -- and gay-related murders. Although, I still put this on my mm-mystery shelf, rather than mainstream mystery, based on the publisher
2) Quite gruesome murders, which includes mutilation of male's organ member
3) Two non-consentual sex scenes, both done by the murderer to the rent-boy.
4) Multiple perspectives, from the rent boy, his protector, the detectives, the murderer, and even the victims (usually before they die)
5) More of "tell" but not show kind of writing.
There, I hope that nobody gets mislead or confused when they decide to buy it.
Having listed all that ... once I put on my "this is a murder/mystery book" hat, I am able to enjoy it. I'm a fan of mystery/thriller suspense first (romance books come to my life later) so I appreciate the darkness of the story. I don't avoid story with gruesome murders, hey, I'm a fan of CSI.
Summary:
Sean Andros is a 21-year-old rent-boy in San Diego. One night, his last client is mutilated, and Sean runs from. He encounters Harry Connors at the nearest bar, and Harry is determined to protect him, by taking Sean to his house to hide. Harry Connors is a 45-year-old hairdresser, who is another one of Sean's client, and he has been in love with the kid.
Meanwhile, two San Diego detectives, Jimmy Smith and Jefferson McCray, are handling the mutilation case. Soon, the crime escalates, which includes murder by pipe bomb, and two other detectives who are tailing Sean's apartment. Smith and McCray wonders what has Sean done that creates the obsession from the murderer. They need to find Sean before more murders happen ...
My Thoughts
This story covers 3-days of quite intense 'cat-and-mouse' chase. The identity of the murderer is not a mystery. About half of the book, I already know who he is. But I guess the suspense is to read how this murderer seem to be able to avoid the detectives (at least for those 3-days) while leaving bodies all over. At first, I'm a bit annoyed with the 'tell not show' writing, and how it covers multiple perspectives, including the victims (example of that below)
IF THE front desk clerk at the Stevens Hotel had known he was enjoying the last few remaining minutes of his lifetime, he might have chosen to spend them differently. And if he had known the manner of his upcoming death, some twenty minutes hence, he most assuredly would have made different decisions on how to spend his time on this stormy afternoon, the last afternoon he would ever know.
However, after awhile, it doesn't matter to me. This is a style of writing I find in some mainstream mystery/suspense titles, so I'm used to it, and it actually adds to the thrill because I know that they are going to meet their demise soon. I enjoy the May/December relationship that blooms under duress. I enjoy the banter between Smith and McCray (they're quite a combination; one is an American-Indian, the other is African-American). I enjoy the run towards the climax.
And in between those scenes, there's still humor present ...
“Judy, you’re a doll. I could kiss you.”
“Don’t toy with me, Detective.”
“You do realize that it’s four thirty in the morning. Don’t you ever sleep?”
“Only after sex.”
“Ah.”
“And I haven’t had sex since August of 1983.”
“I see.”
“I don’t sleep much.”
“I guess not”
So, the writing might not evoke emotion. But for a murder/mystery, I find this as a good one. Just remember, do NOT expect romance, well, not in that sense of emotional romance ...
PS: I wish DSP change the cover. The soft tone of this doesn't do good to explain the story. Although, if you look closely, the guy in the back is carrying knife. He's the murderer ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2015
4,5 stars.
The pale man’s fingers commenced to tingle again. He felt a tightness in the crotch of his slacks as his cock stirred. God’s work was beginning. He could hardly wait. Fat raindrops began to pepper the cabbie’s windshield. And just like that, the man thought, the storm begins. A cleansing was about to take place in this city. He wondered just how many souls would be swept away in the rain of God’s wrath. And his own.
That was just the beginning, and it made my blood freeze…
Yep, I’m on a John Inman run… and I enjoy every single book.
A Hard Winter Rain took me to a roller coaster ride to hell and back… it’s a crime story par-excellence. It’s suspenseful, scary, sometimes even gory, and it’s sweet, funny and romantic…
Can this work? Yes, it can, it’s John Inman we’re talking about, no other author can throw those adjectives together and make them to a brilliantly written book that drew me in and kept me reading.
The story of Harry, a 45 years old hairdresser and Sean, a twenty-something years old rent-boy has everything I want in a good book. Plenty of action, mystery, a good dose of violence, humor, friendship, and romance. I loved how Harry takes care of Sean, not even an insane murderer can scare him away.
Harry seemed to know what the boy was thinking. He tucked his hand into his pocket alongside Sean’s and wrapped his hand protectively around the boy’s cool fingers.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll get through this.”
He watched, startled, as a tear slid down Sean’s cheek.
“You’re not alone,” he added, squeezing the boy’s hand. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
It was a promise he hoped he could keep. Sean nodded and brushed the tear away with his other hand.
Btw… I loved Jeff and Jimmy, the police detectives that solved the mystery. They didn’t feel like supporting characters at all. I would love to read more of them. :)
Jimmy Smith stood under the steaming shower for fifteen minutes, hoping the hot water would permeate into his bones and linger there long enough to get him through another day of Indiana winter. He wasn’t used to this crap. He hadn’t had one sexual thought since he stepped outside the Indianapolis terminal the day before. It was just too cold. How did these people procreate? Did they wait for spring? Were their gonads acclimated to the minus degree temperatures? Did their sperm cells don little overcoats and earmuffs, like those morons at the circus who truss themselves up in protective gear before being shot from a cannon?
I’m off now to lose myself in another of John’s books, this time it's Jasper’s Mountain.
Highly recommended. :)
January 28, 2014
WOW. This shit is bloody insane! Good insane, very good insane :) Creepy as hell with sweet romance on the side. While it's incredibly John-Inman-humor-like funny it's even more so ohmigodohmigod just disgustingly bloody. I L-O-V-E-D it.♫ ♬ ♪ ♩♥ Besides many innocent deaths and a lunatic on the loose, I think the story shows no matter the loss, love can be found in places you least expect and there might just be your second chance around the corner.
A Hard Winter Rain is my second my John Inman and I am well damn speechless. It was everything and nothing I could've imagined. I mean, after falling in love with Paulie I knew this man was a genius at work, with a sense of humor you just have to love. I was hooked.❤
The blurb pretty much gave me impression that this promised to be nothing like Paulie and it's needless to say I was extremely excited to test the waters.
And woooot, this was a rollercoaster of sorts. I have had to laugh out loud so many times despite the darkness of all this. If you love yourself some good mystery and suspense and can't wait to get your hands bloody and maybe your rocks off watching brains explode *laughs* while waiting for a sweet romance to blossom you came to the right place.
What was a first for me was the way this story was told. Not only do we get to see Sean's and Harry's POV or an insanely sick bastard on a killing spree, but also various witnesses, cops and officers and victims before they were killed.
There is definietely a lot going on! So buckle up and hold on tight! *goes fetching the popcorn*
Personally I just had a blast! John, Mr. you are a damn fine genius. :)
Some might say the romance between Harry and Sean are not the main focus here, and while I agree the murderer and his killing spree is absolutley the center of the story (it is isn't it?) I was quite satisfied with the meaning of them finding their way to each other. To be honest I wished for more detailed intimate scenes, but I think what we got here feeds you enough to still feel the importance of their new found love, even if it isn't the center of everything.
Oh yeah so well, be warned, the unhealthy mind of the killer brings us a lot of blood and a bunch of incredibly disgusting scenes which might or might not make you feel upset and sick.
I don't think it's necessary for me to go into a lot of detail here especially since it might give away a lot.
Still I want to take the opportunity to say that I really had a lot of fun with A Hard Winter Rain, and everyone who gives it a pass will miss out on something brilliant. ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩❤
Sean is such a sweet and probably pretty boy and I am very happy that he found love in all this mess. Someone who will be there for him in a way he hasn't known. I am very positive Harry will be his best therapy after all this, because fuck me, that poor boy had to go thru bloody hell! :(
I am also very happy for Harry who has found a new reason to be as well.
"Amazing what a little perspective could do. A little murder, a little mayhem, and a little falling in love, and your priorities changed real quickly."
A Hard Winter Rain is my second my John Inman and I am well damn speechless. It was everything and nothing I could've imagined. I mean, after falling in love with Paulie I knew this man was a genius at work, with a sense of humor you just have to love. I was hooked.❤
The blurb pretty much gave me impression that this promised to be nothing like Paulie and it's needless to say I was extremely excited to test the waters.
And woooot, this was a rollercoaster of sorts. I have had to laugh out loud so many times despite the darkness of all this. If you love yourself some good mystery and suspense and can't wait to get your hands bloody and maybe your rocks off watching brains explode *laughs* while waiting for a sweet romance to blossom you came to the right place.
"I’ll get Judy in here from the office. She can do just about everything with a computer except fuck it."
What was a first for me was the way this story was told. Not only do we get to see Sean's and Harry's POV or an insanely sick bastard on a killing spree, but also various witnesses, cops and officers and victims before they were killed.
There is definietely a lot going on! So buckle up and hold on tight! *goes fetching the popcorn*
Personally I just had a blast! John, Mr. you are a damn fine genius. :)
Some might say the romance between Harry and Sean are not the main focus here, and while I agree the murderer and his killing spree is absolutley the center of the story (it is isn't it?) I was quite satisfied with the meaning of them finding their way to each other. To be honest I wished for more detailed intimate scenes, but I think what we got here feeds you enough to still feel the importance of their new found love, even if it isn't the center of everything.
"When something terrible happens, you have to let it wash over you, like a wave. You have to hold your breath until the pain lessens with time, or you’ll drown in the misery of it.
It took me more than two years to get over Ben’s death. And it was the sight of you that finally brought me up for air.”
Oh yeah so well, be warned, the unhealthy mind of the killer brings us a lot of blood and a bunch of incredibly disgusting scenes which might or might not make you feel upset and sick.
I don't think it's necessary for me to go into a lot of detail here especially since it might give away a lot.
Still I want to take the opportunity to say that I really had a lot of fun with A Hard Winter Rain, and everyone who gives it a pass will miss out on something brilliant. ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩❤
Sean is such a sweet and probably pretty boy and I am very happy that he found love in all this mess. Someone who will be there for him in a way he hasn't known. I am very positive Harry will be his best therapy after all this, because fuck me, that poor boy had to go thru bloody hell! :(
I am also very happy for Harry who has found a new reason to be as well.
"Memories.
More than four-and-a-half decades of experience had molded him into the person he was today.
Four-and-a-half decades that had led him on a straight course to this one night. To this one young man who was now gazing at him with such a look of wonder on his innocent face that it made Harry want to cry out with the awe of it.
This boy made him feel more like a man, a real man, than anyone else Harry had ever known or cared about. And he loved this boy more deeply than any of the others.
More than anything or anyone that had come into his life in all his long years."
August 12, 2022
John Inman does it again. I started this book earlier in the evening and now it is 12:45 a.m. That's how good this book was.
Inman is a master story teller. His ability to craft worlds and characters so likeable and so monstrous is clearly displayed throughout this entire novel. What seems like effortlessness on his part, Inman grabs you right away with the opening scene and pile drives you headlong into a complicated murderer's mind and the mind of his would be victim. You'll grip the pages with fear, you'll laugh at some bawdy characters, and you'll absolutely fall in love with the love you see in this novel.
Exquisite. Do yourself a huge favor. Pick this one up.
Inman is an insta-buy for me.
Inman is a master story teller. His ability to craft worlds and characters so likeable and so monstrous is clearly displayed throughout this entire novel. What seems like effortlessness on his part, Inman grabs you right away with the opening scene and pile drives you headlong into a complicated murderer's mind and the mind of his would be victim. You'll grip the pages with fear, you'll laugh at some bawdy characters, and you'll absolutely fall in love with the love you see in this novel.
Exquisite. Do yourself a huge favor. Pick this one up.
Inman is an insta-buy for me.
May 21, 2013
This is a very different book for John Inman - it is intense, uncomfortable, compelling. While there is a romance (and a bromance) that frame the plot - the book is really about the increasingly desperate efforts of two smart, funny cops (Smith and McCray) to stop a serial killer. It offers a horrifying glimpse into the darkest of hearts in America's heartland.
The opening prologue is one of the most chilling things I've read in years, worthy of a Patricia Cornwell murder mystery. There is a litany of carefully choreographed violence as the killer circles in for the kill on his real prey. It can be off-putting, and was certainly not the most, um, cozy reading I've done of late; but Inman pulls it off, and the book is a heart-pounding page-turner. You care for the characters, even the secondary ones; Inman produces portraits that are vivid, even if they only flutter across a few pages as the story moves relentlessly forward.
But the book is also very much a tale of the profound ability of people to be kind as well as cruel; to protect the weak without reason other than goodness of spirit. It is an affirmation of the best of the human heart alongside the ultimate perversion of it.
I couldn't have been more surprised by this book coming from Inman's pen. It's worth a read, but I wouldn't recommend it for bedtime.
The opening prologue is one of the most chilling things I've read in years, worthy of a Patricia Cornwell murder mystery. There is a litany of carefully choreographed violence as the killer circles in for the kill on his real prey. It can be off-putting, and was certainly not the most, um, cozy reading I've done of late; but Inman pulls it off, and the book is a heart-pounding page-turner. You care for the characters, even the secondary ones; Inman produces portraits that are vivid, even if they only flutter across a few pages as the story moves relentlessly forward.
But the book is also very much a tale of the profound ability of people to be kind as well as cruel; to protect the weak without reason other than goodness of spirit. It is an affirmation of the best of the human heart alongside the ultimate perversion of it.
I couldn't have been more surprised by this book coming from Inman's pen. It's worth a read, but I wouldn't recommend it for bedtime.
July 29, 2014
3.75 stars
I was forced to stay up all night reading this book (thanks, Nick!). The cops and their jokes and interactions + the serial killer and his actions were, for me, the most interesting parts, while the romance came in a distant second. The cops had me cracking up, which is always fun, especially when I got side eyed on the train. Good story.
I was forced to stay up all night reading this book (thanks, Nick!). The cops and their jokes and interactions + the serial killer and his actions were, for me, the most interesting parts, while the romance came in a distant second. The cops had me cracking up, which is always fun, especially when I got side eyed on the train. Good story.
October 27, 2018
5/5 stars.
A Hard Winter Rain was one of the most intense books I have ever had. It took me longer than usual to read as I stopped reading multiple times because the sense of foreboding almost became too much.
This book is not so much a murder mystery as it is a thrilling game of cat and mouse. The chase is masterfully depicted through multiple point of views from a varied cast of characters, some fleeting, others main characters, but all are integral to the story and their characterisation is done quickly and effectively.
After so much intense build up, I felt the ending of the book was a little quick but still, I was happy with the way it ended.
A Hard Winter Rain was one of the most intense books I have ever had. It took me longer than usual to read as I stopped reading multiple times because the sense of foreboding almost became too much.
This book is not so much a murder mystery as it is a thrilling game of cat and mouse. The chase is masterfully depicted through multiple point of views from a varied cast of characters, some fleeting, others main characters, but all are integral to the story and their characterisation is done quickly and effectively.
After so much intense build up, I felt the ending of the book was a little quick but still, I was happy with the way it ended.
May 10, 2013
3.5 Stars
Be warned: Gruesome murders, rape, religious fanatic claiming God's work, hilarious Detectives, 1 young hustler, 1 middle aged hairdresser, and 1 chain smoking 70+ year old hilarious woman named Judy.
I got this because the blurb made me think "Ooo...Suspense/Romance"! What I got was Mystery/Thriller. Holy hell. To me, this was NOT a romance at all. Blurb was misleading (at least to me).
With that said, I liked it. I read it quickly and it held my interest, but I felt detached. I was being TOLD a lot of things, but I was never shown anything. There were also WAY too many POV's and I think that's where the detachment came. One minute I was reading the killer's POV, then the Detective's, then Sean, then Harry, then the victims. I didn't need to know about the victims. I didn't need to know who they were to me and how they lived their lives. To me, that was irrelevant.
I got caught up in the "whodunit" though. I couldn't pry my eyes away from my Kindle, so that must tell me something.
Although, for me, this was not a romance there was the relationship between Sean and Harry. Sean being a 21 year old rent boy and Harry a 45 year old ex-Marine turned hairdresser. Sean witnesses his last client's murder and runs to somewhere safe. A bar. He immediately sees Harry there (who is also a client--3 times) and turns to him for help.
This is where I get lost in the story It just didn't make sense to me.
The Detectives made this story for me. Holy sheep! They were hilarious. LOVED their banter. Even the Sheriff got in on the jokes. I was cracking up.
Overall, good story just wasn't what I was expecting...AT ALL!
Be warned: Gruesome murders, rape, religious fanatic claiming God's work, hilarious Detectives, 1 young hustler, 1 middle aged hairdresser, and 1 chain smoking 70+ year old hilarious woman named Judy.
I got this because the blurb made me think "Ooo...Suspense/Romance"! What I got was Mystery/Thriller. Holy hell. To me, this was NOT a romance at all. Blurb was misleading (at least to me).
With that said, I liked it. I read it quickly and it held my interest, but I felt detached. I was being TOLD a lot of things, but I was never shown anything. There were also WAY too many POV's and I think that's where the detachment came. One minute I was reading the killer's POV, then the Detective's, then Sean, then Harry, then the victims. I didn't need to know about the victims. I didn't need to know who they were to me and how they lived their lives. To me, that was irrelevant.
I got caught up in the "whodunit" though. I couldn't pry my eyes away from my Kindle, so that must tell me something.
Although, for me, this was not a romance there was the relationship between Sean and Harry. Sean being a 21 year old rent boy and Harry a 45 year old ex-Marine turned hairdresser. Sean witnesses his last client's murder and runs to somewhere safe. A bar. He immediately sees Harry there (who is also a client--3 times) and turns to him for help.
This is where I get lost in the story It just didn't make sense to me.
The Detectives made this story for me. Holy sheep! They were hilarious. LOVED their banter. Even the Sheriff got in on the jokes. I was cracking up.
Overall, good story just wasn't what I was expecting...AT ALL!
August 30, 2012
John Inman's book A Hard Winter Rain has been sitting on my bookshelf for a few weeks sort of taunting me to read it. My pile of TO READ books is always huge. I finally gave in and pulled his book out of the pile and read it, and I am so glad I did.
A Hard Winter Rain is a fantastic book. I don't give praise easily or freely (just ask my employees!), but I did not have that problem with this book. Many books in this genre (yes, including my own) are light, fluffy stories of no real substance. Some of the fluffy ones are well-written and others are not. That's why Inman's book blew me away. A Hard Winter Rain is an intense story that is most definitely not fluff and it is very well written.
It is also a book that is not easily pigeon holed into a category. It is a mystery, a thriller, a romance, and so much more. However you classify this book, it extraordinarily well written. The characters are very well developed. As I was reading one of the more intense passages in the book I felt that I was watching the scene unfold in front of me - it was way beyond just reading about the conflict. It is the rare author that can pull off that fete, but Mr. Inman has done so with this book.
I've never met him and I know basically nothing about him, although someday I would love to change that, just as I would love to read another book by him. This is just my own two cents, for what it's worth.
A Hard Winter Rain is a fantastic book. I don't give praise easily or freely (just ask my employees!), but I did not have that problem with this book. Many books in this genre (yes, including my own) are light, fluffy stories of no real substance. Some of the fluffy ones are well-written and others are not. That's why Inman's book blew me away. A Hard Winter Rain is an intense story that is most definitely not fluff and it is very well written.
It is also a book that is not easily pigeon holed into a category. It is a mystery, a thriller, a romance, and so much more. However you classify this book, it extraordinarily well written. The characters are very well developed. As I was reading one of the more intense passages in the book I felt that I was watching the scene unfold in front of me - it was way beyond just reading about the conflict. It is the rare author that can pull off that fete, but Mr. Inman has done so with this book.
I've never met him and I know basically nothing about him, although someday I would love to change that, just as I would love to read another book by him. This is just my own two cents, for what it's worth.
December 22, 2015
Steadily escalating suspense, a varied and quirky cast of characters, a tender love story, a rain-soaked San Diego as both plot device and motif, and a nightmare-inducing villain. What more could you ask for? An enthralling read!
May 13, 2012
I never know what to expect when I read something by an author I've never read before. The blurb is actually a little misleading. It implies that it is more of a romance than it actually is. Don't get me wrong, it's THERE, it's just not center to the story. This is more of a mystery/suspense type book. There are quite a few things that happen that are pretty graphic. It is told from different points of view though I never got confused even when it went back and forth rather quickly. I, along with a lot of folks apparently, had the killer pegged early on. That did not take away from my enjoyment of the story because even knowing who it was didn't tell me what he was going to do next.... and this guy was always doing something.
Harry is a 45 year old hairdresser. Sean is a 21 year old male prostitute. Harry fell in love with Sean the first time he was with him a year earlier and fell harder the other 2 or so times that they hooked up. Sean walks in as a john is being murdered. He runs away from the killer and ends up where Harry is. Harry makes it his job to protect Sean from that moment on. Their relationship happened fast... real fast. But then again, so did the rest of the story. There is so much going on at one time with so many different characters that I was so eager to keep reading to see what would happen with each one.
Some of the killings are quite brutal. There are a lot of things in this book that would be disturbing to those who aren't expecting them. I mentioned that the romance between Harry and Sean is not center in this story. The warped mind of the killer is.
This was a very, VERY good book. Sure it is disturbing in a lot of places but it added to the overall story. The ending was perfect.
A very enjoyable read. I am glad I decided to take a chance on an author I've never read before. I will definitely be looking for more. This is so much different from the books I've been reading lately. That alone made me like it that much more. Definitely not what I was expecting.
And a thank you to another reviewer for pointing out something on the cover. I totally missed it until I read that review.
Harry is a 45 year old hairdresser. Sean is a 21 year old male prostitute. Harry fell in love with Sean the first time he was with him a year earlier and fell harder the other 2 or so times that they hooked up. Sean walks in as a john is being murdered. He runs away from the killer and ends up where Harry is. Harry makes it his job to protect Sean from that moment on. Their relationship happened fast... real fast. But then again, so did the rest of the story. There is so much going on at one time with so many different characters that I was so eager to keep reading to see what would happen with each one.
Some of the killings are quite brutal. There are a lot of things in this book that would be disturbing to those who aren't expecting them. I mentioned that the romance between Harry and Sean is not center in this story. The warped mind of the killer is.
This was a very, VERY good book. Sure it is disturbing in a lot of places but it added to the overall story. The ending was perfect.
A very enjoyable read. I am glad I decided to take a chance on an author I've never read before. I will definitely be looking for more. This is so much different from the books I've been reading lately. That alone made me like it that much more. Definitely not what I was expecting.
And a thank you to another reviewer for pointing out something on the cover. I totally missed it until I read that review.
March 5, 2016
As I've come to expect from John Inman, this book is extremely well written with great characters and a well designed plot.
I felt like I was watching a suspense movie. It had everything, a nice hero named Harry who takes Sean under his wing and decides to protect him. A religious fanatic on a crazy-ass mission from God and intent on destruction and murder. Some hilarious and wonderful cops who manage to save the day.
Would of given it 5 stars for sure...but wanted more steamy encounters between Harry and Sean!!!
I felt like I was watching a suspense movie. It had everything, a nice hero named Harry who takes Sean under his wing and decides to protect him. A religious fanatic on a crazy-ass mission from God and intent on destruction and murder. Some hilarious and wonderful cops who manage to save the day.
Would of given it 5 stars for sure...but wanted more steamy encounters between Harry and Sean!!!
May 11, 2012
4 1/2 Hearts
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Sean is in serious trouble. His past has come back for him, but he really doesn’t have a clue who from his past it could be. When Sean flees the scene of a murder, he runs right into Harry’s arms. Harry convinces Sean to let him help and it is the beginning of a game of cat and mouse with an insane killer who will stop at nothing to make Sean pay. As the two men try to think of a way to end the game, they become what Harry had always hoped for.
This is an incredible well-written story that starts out intense and doesn’t let up until the very end. Sean is a hustler and while he dreams of having a better life, he knows that at the moment hustling pays well. Harry owns his own hair salon and is forty-five. He dreams of having a relationship with Sean, who is more than half his age. These two men come together when Sean needs protection and it is a fight for both of them to survive. The pale man is out to punish Sean. Sean caused him to commit his one sin and now he needs cleansing, he is doing God’s work, a mission that would give him absolution and nothing will stand in his way.
This book is from several POVs, from Harry and Sean’s, to the Pale man, to the lead detectives. We get a well-rounded full view of all aspects of the story and I have to say I loved it. We get the feelings of each person and the reasons behind why they do stuff. So, instead of sitting there baffled by what a person has done you completely understand exactly what is going on. You get to relate to characters that we wouldn’t normally get the chance to and it gave the author a wider scope to work with. The main story in this book is about the plan to set-up and kill Sean, the reason behind it and the murders the Pale man commits. The story of Harry and Sean is there, but it lingers in the background, only coming forward when it needs to. We also get to know the two main detectives very well and they add a bit of light relief at times.
The relationship between Harry and Sean really is secondary, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t important because seeing these two come together is really nice. Yes, at first, you doubt that Sean is being serious, but then you realize that he really does genuinely care for Harry and they fit together nicely.
With this one I am going to recommend it to those who love mystery, suspense, danger, tension, conflict, protective friends, fantastic characters, a brilliant story-line and a happy ending for Sean and Harry.
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Sean is in serious trouble. His past has come back for him, but he really doesn’t have a clue who from his past it could be. When Sean flees the scene of a murder, he runs right into Harry’s arms. Harry convinces Sean to let him help and it is the beginning of a game of cat and mouse with an insane killer who will stop at nothing to make Sean pay. As the two men try to think of a way to end the game, they become what Harry had always hoped for.
This is an incredible well-written story that starts out intense and doesn’t let up until the very end. Sean is a hustler and while he dreams of having a better life, he knows that at the moment hustling pays well. Harry owns his own hair salon and is forty-five. He dreams of having a relationship with Sean, who is more than half his age. These two men come together when Sean needs protection and it is a fight for both of them to survive. The pale man is out to punish Sean. Sean caused him to commit his one sin and now he needs cleansing, he is doing God’s work, a mission that would give him absolution and nothing will stand in his way.
This book is from several POVs, from Harry and Sean’s, to the Pale man, to the lead detectives. We get a well-rounded full view of all aspects of the story and I have to say I loved it. We get the feelings of each person and the reasons behind why they do stuff. So, instead of sitting there baffled by what a person has done you completely understand exactly what is going on. You get to relate to characters that we wouldn’t normally get the chance to and it gave the author a wider scope to work with. The main story in this book is about the plan to set-up and kill Sean, the reason behind it and the murders the Pale man commits. The story of Harry and Sean is there, but it lingers in the background, only coming forward when it needs to. We also get to know the two main detectives very well and they add a bit of light relief at times.
The relationship between Harry and Sean really is secondary, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t important because seeing these two come together is really nice. Yes, at first, you doubt that Sean is being serious, but then you realize that he really does genuinely care for Harry and they fit together nicely.
With this one I am going to recommend it to those who love mystery, suspense, danger, tension, conflict, protective friends, fantastic characters, a brilliant story-line and a happy ending for Sean and Harry.
March 12, 2019
"A cleansing was about to take place in this city. He wondered just how many souls would be swept away in the rain of God's wrath.
And his own."
Having begun reading Stephen King in junior high school, not much scares me. The beginning of 'A Hard Winter Rain' by John Inman with his beautifully descriptive writing about the man with the cold, hard, blue eyes, sent shivers up my spine. I could see the man he described in my mind's eye and even worse, I could feel his malevolence like a presence in the room with me. It might also have had something to do with the fact that religious fanatics of this ilk frighten me more than just about anything else.
Harry is a forty-five year old hairdresser in San Diego. He's had three long-term lovers in his life. He's at the point where he figures everything is downhill from here. Sean is a twenty-one year old hustler. A year ago, Harry's friends at the bar bought him Sean's services for the night and Sean, unwittingly, changed Harry's life. Harry paid for Sean twice more after that night and he can't get over his attraction to this young kid. Now, Sean has come rushing into the bar needing safety from someone who scared him. Sean believes he inadvertently interrupted the murder of one of his tricks and Sean fled with the killer chasing him. Harry is more than happy to offer to help. Neither Sean nor Harry have any idea what is about to descend upon them and change both of their lives forever.
Harry and Sean battle back and forth about whether to go to the police or not. Harry believes that Sean is safer if he just lies low to allow the cops to find the real killer. The killer, however, has a sick, psychopathic desire to torment and toy with Sean as long as possible. One tragedy after another begins to pile up leaving Sean stranded in the middle. Luckily for Sean, the two detectives investigating the murder are smart and intuitive and don't believe in coincidence. And that's a good thing because this killer is going to lead them on a merry chase before it's all said and done.
If you're looking for a sweet romance with a little drama, this isn't it. 'A Hard Winter Rain' is a thriller of the very best kind, in my opinion. Yes, there is a romantic sub-plot with Harry and Sean, but that is, by far, not the importance of this book. This book is about family, it's about faith, it's about betrayal, and anger, and hatred, and fear. And somewhere, in the midst of all of that, it's about love.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
And his own."
Having begun reading Stephen King in junior high school, not much scares me. The beginning of 'A Hard Winter Rain' by John Inman with his beautifully descriptive writing about the man with the cold, hard, blue eyes, sent shivers up my spine. I could see the man he described in my mind's eye and even worse, I could feel his malevolence like a presence in the room with me. It might also have had something to do with the fact that religious fanatics of this ilk frighten me more than just about anything else.
Harry is a forty-five year old hairdresser in San Diego. He's had three long-term lovers in his life. He's at the point where he figures everything is downhill from here. Sean is a twenty-one year old hustler. A year ago, Harry's friends at the bar bought him Sean's services for the night and Sean, unwittingly, changed Harry's life. Harry paid for Sean twice more after that night and he can't get over his attraction to this young kid. Now, Sean has come rushing into the bar needing safety from someone who scared him. Sean believes he inadvertently interrupted the murder of one of his tricks and Sean fled with the killer chasing him. Harry is more than happy to offer to help. Neither Sean nor Harry have any idea what is about to descend upon them and change both of their lives forever.
Harry and Sean battle back and forth about whether to go to the police or not. Harry believes that Sean is safer if he just lies low to allow the cops to find the real killer. The killer, however, has a sick, psychopathic desire to torment and toy with Sean as long as possible. One tragedy after another begins to pile up leaving Sean stranded in the middle. Luckily for Sean, the two detectives investigating the murder are smart and intuitive and don't believe in coincidence. And that's a good thing because this killer is going to lead them on a merry chase before it's all said and done.
If you're looking for a sweet romance with a little drama, this isn't it. 'A Hard Winter Rain' is a thriller of the very best kind, in my opinion. Yes, there is a romantic sub-plot with Harry and Sean, but that is, by far, not the importance of this book. This book is about family, it's about faith, it's about betrayal, and anger, and hatred, and fear. And somewhere, in the midst of all of that, it's about love.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
November 14, 2012
Wow - a book, I mean, a book that actually is well written with a thrilling plot! And humor! An evil madman...okay..maybe I shouldn't be so happy about that ;) A cute couple - not 100% stereotype! Funny and intelligent cops!
You get it - I liiiiiked it a lot.
First things first: This is not a m/m romance. This is a thriller first. You get a lot of insight in the mad guys head, actually the book starts with him and - expecting a m/m love story - at first I had a bit problems because I felt detached...but really, do I want to feel a connection to a killer? No...so everything is fine in my world.
Back to the thriller. It is a book that doesn't need to hide in comparison to books like written by Karen Rose or Henning Mankell. It doesn't have the grey and hopeless feeling of the Scandinavian thrillers not the nearly stereotypical alpha types in American thrillers. It is refreshingly different and yet the same class in my opinion.
Let's start with the bad guy - wow - the author did a good job. We get to know him really well and despite I guessed who he is about a third into the book (I'm good at that :D) - the way his mind worked, how he just by ignorance made his way...uff....
Then - the m/m couple, hustler and "middle-aged" hairdresser. My, my, can we get a cuter one? No seriously not and what made it special was, that despite being really a cute couple, John Inman made me believe it, believe the attraction, the character of both. Only complaint on my side was the sudden and early declaration of love.
But I liked Harry's hidden skills for example and how Sean had been drawn to the goodness in Harry from the beginning.
But my favorite pairing are actually the straight guys. Those cops were just adorable!!! They are funny - I loved their banter and I'm a sucker for humor in books - and intelligent. They were on the right track, they did make the right conclusions and still they were a step behind till the end. I wouldn't mind reading more books with them.
Additionally the author took his time to add little stories of sidecharacters - which made the book really colorful.
Well, he nearly broke my heart with the last victim. I knew he was going to be killed, that he was going to be link for the cops...but still...sigh, couldn't this one just be saved last minute?
Nobody said reading a thriller is always happy happy...I still enjoyed this one immensly.
You get it - I liiiiiked it a lot.
First things first: This is not a m/m romance. This is a thriller first. You get a lot of insight in the mad guys head, actually the book starts with him and - expecting a m/m love story - at first I had a bit problems because I felt detached...but really, do I want to feel a connection to a killer? No...so everything is fine in my world.
Back to the thriller. It is a book that doesn't need to hide in comparison to books like written by Karen Rose or Henning Mankell. It doesn't have the grey and hopeless feeling of the Scandinavian thrillers not the nearly stereotypical alpha types in American thrillers. It is refreshingly different and yet the same class in my opinion.
Let's start with the bad guy - wow - the author did a good job. We get to know him really well and despite I guessed who he is about a third into the book (I'm good at that :D) - the way his mind worked, how he just by ignorance made his way...uff....
Then - the m/m couple, hustler and "middle-aged" hairdresser. My, my, can we get a cuter one? No seriously not and what made it special was, that despite being really a cute couple, John Inman made me believe it, believe the attraction, the character of both. Only complaint on my side was the sudden and early declaration of love.
But I liked Harry's hidden skills for example and how Sean had been drawn to the goodness in Harry from the beginning.
But my favorite pairing are actually the straight guys. Those cops were just adorable!!! They are funny - I loved their banter and I'm a sucker for humor in books - and intelligent. They were on the right track, they did make the right conclusions and still they were a step behind till the end. I wouldn't mind reading more books with them.
Additionally the author took his time to add little stories of sidecharacters - which made the book really colorful.
Well, he nearly broke my heart with the last victim. I knew he was going to be killed, that he was going to be link for the cops...but still...sigh, couldn't this one just be saved last minute?
Nobody said reading a thriller is always happy happy...I still enjoyed this one immensly.
June 9, 2012
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
This is the first book I’ve read by John Inman and it definitely won’t be my last! Whew! As soon as I started A Hard Winter Rain I was immediately gripped by its suspenseful storyline and the deeply emotional connection between the two main heroes. I loved every minute of this book and truly hated for it to see it come to an end.
I’ve decided to tread carefully with this review because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Sean is a prostitute with a heart of gold. He has many dreams of his future, but is stuck with turning tricks for a living. When he witnesses a murder, Sean finds himself on the run and ends up running straight into what he hopes is the safety of middle-aged hairdresser, Harry’s arms.
For some time now, Harry has been captivated by Sean. Although Sean is a hustler and half his age, Harry dreams of having a life with him, so when Sean’s life is in danger, Harry immediately decides to do what he can to help him. Both men find themselves wrapped up in danger and must do what they can to survive and outwit the serial killer, ‘The Pale Man’. If they are able to stay alive, will they trust in the love and honesty they find in each other’s arms?
I loved this book! There are many twists and turns in the plot that I didn’t see coming. There is enough nail biting intensity throughout that kept this reader glued to my ereader from the first paragraph to the last word. I thought Sean and Harry made a perfect team and I loved watching them form a deep relationship between them. They were easy couple to like and rally behind to outsmart the bad guy. I’m a sucker for May/December romances and this one is one of my favorites.
Do not read this book in the dark! The book takes interesting points of view as the story progresses…including being inside the mind of the killer, which I admittedly loved and appreciated. For those who like a great mystery and suspense with their romance, A Hard Winter Rain easily delivers that and much more. Don’t forget to make sure you keep all the lights on in your house when you read it. Highly Recommended.
http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/
This is the first book I’ve read by John Inman and it definitely won’t be my last! Whew! As soon as I started A Hard Winter Rain I was immediately gripped by its suspenseful storyline and the deeply emotional connection between the two main heroes. I loved every minute of this book and truly hated for it to see it come to an end.
I’ve decided to tread carefully with this review because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Sean is a prostitute with a heart of gold. He has many dreams of his future, but is stuck with turning tricks for a living. When he witnesses a murder, Sean finds himself on the run and ends up running straight into what he hopes is the safety of middle-aged hairdresser, Harry’s arms.
For some time now, Harry has been captivated by Sean. Although Sean is a hustler and half his age, Harry dreams of having a life with him, so when Sean’s life is in danger, Harry immediately decides to do what he can to help him. Both men find themselves wrapped up in danger and must do what they can to survive and outwit the serial killer, ‘The Pale Man’. If they are able to stay alive, will they trust in the love and honesty they find in each other’s arms?
I loved this book! There are many twists and turns in the plot that I didn’t see coming. There is enough nail biting intensity throughout that kept this reader glued to my ereader from the first paragraph to the last word. I thought Sean and Harry made a perfect team and I loved watching them form a deep relationship between them. They were easy couple to like and rally behind to outsmart the bad guy. I’m a sucker for May/December romances and this one is one of my favorites.
Do not read this book in the dark! The book takes interesting points of view as the story progresses…including being inside the mind of the killer, which I admittedly loved and appreciated. For those who like a great mystery and suspense with their romance, A Hard Winter Rain easily delivers that and much more. Don’t forget to make sure you keep all the lights on in your house when you read it. Highly Recommended.
http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/
July 15, 2015
Just wow!
From the beginning I was already scared out of my mind!. I already was screaming "No don't get in the car!" before chapter 6! I was so sickened by the actions of Jackson, that I actually stopped reading for 6hrs to gather my wits! This was a never ending cycle of gore and mystery. Once Sean had his 1st flashback of being raped by his brother at 13yrs old, I knew it was his brother doing the murders. I got the age of Jackson mixed up. According to the black guy at the airport I thought "the pale guy" was in his early thirties. That's why I was like no it couldn't be Sean's brother he's only 5yrs older than 21yr old Sean. You threw me off very clever. But Jackson's religious obsession, and his 1st experience with his brother, he was in fact indeed ill and a sociopath, narcissistic sadist! His victims deaths were so brutal and methodical sheesh! I also fell in love with detectives Smith and McCrary, there comradery was a hoot and way to take the tense out of some of horrors of the cases piling up. Also some of the secondary characters like Sheriff Lucas, Judy, the inept deputies,and the weeble Jewish lady kept me thoroughly entertained with their funny and socially delusional dialogue. I was amazed how you worked between cases,and told stories of some of the victims in detail of how there deaths came to be and Jackson's future or present involvement. You're a awesome storyteller John. You not only stay the course, but no two scenarios in any of your books are the same. Maybe the home bases and environment are clearly the same, but each character and there lives are propelled in the story in such a way I got caught up in the core of the mystery, but I was calmed by the conclusion. Awesome read!! Highly recommended in the m/m suspense, thriller romance genre!
From the beginning I was already scared out of my mind!. I already was screaming "No don't get in the car!" before chapter 6! I was so sickened by the actions of Jackson, that I actually stopped reading for 6hrs to gather my wits! This was a never ending cycle of gore and mystery. Once Sean had his 1st flashback of being raped by his brother at 13yrs old, I knew it was his brother doing the murders. I got the age of Jackson mixed up. According to the black guy at the airport I thought "the pale guy" was in his early thirties. That's why I was like no it couldn't be Sean's brother he's only 5yrs older than 21yr old Sean. You threw me off very clever. But Jackson's religious obsession, and his 1st experience with his brother, he was in fact indeed ill and a sociopath, narcissistic sadist! His victims deaths were so brutal and methodical sheesh! I also fell in love with detectives Smith and McCrary, there comradery was a hoot and way to take the tense out of some of horrors of the cases piling up. Also some of the secondary characters like Sheriff Lucas, Judy, the inept deputies,and the weeble Jewish lady kept me thoroughly entertained with their funny and socially delusional dialogue. I was amazed how you worked between cases,and told stories of some of the victims in detail of how there deaths came to be and Jackson's future or present involvement. You're a awesome storyteller John. You not only stay the course, but no two scenarios in any of your books are the same. Maybe the home bases and environment are clearly the same, but each character and there lives are propelled in the story in such a way I got caught up in the core of the mystery, but I was calmed by the conclusion. Awesome read!! Highly recommended in the m/m suspense, thriller romance genre!
March 26, 2012
Don't you hate when a character makes an insanely dumb decision and you're left just shouting at him, "WHAT THE FUCK?!" Like when the idiot (Harry, in case you're wondering) decides to hide his new boyfriend in his house instead of going to the police, even when he's sure they don't suspect Sean anymore. Or when he KNOWS they're in danger because a crazy killer knows who he is and where he lives, and he decides that it's best if he just stays at home rather than going to hide. Because, you know, this way when the killer comes to murder them, Harry can kill him instead!
And then he proves himself to be totally and completely incompetent at fighting when the killer does appear. So basically, what. The. Fuck.
(But I was reading this with the two officers as main characters more than the idiot posturing macho-man, so it was all good.)
And then he proves himself to be totally and completely incompetent at fighting when the killer does appear. So basically, what. The. Fuck.
(But I was reading this with the two officers as main characters more than the idiot posturing macho-man, so it was all good.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2013
3.75* Interesting book--descriptions of the killers actions and thoughts pushed my buttons so much I almost started skimming those sections but managed to tough it out. This was definately more of a thriller/murder mystery than a romance, even though there was a HEA between two of the MC's. I say two because two of the detectives were such large parts of the story I almost felt like I knew them as well as Sean and Harry. I would have appreciated more romance development - I believed in Harry's feelings but was not convinced of Sean's. A follow up showing their relationship after some time had passed would have been great.
April 21, 2013
Read the blurb I have waited to read this book for fear , for the drammatic story ,because I have read by Mr Inman only books by light tones , but now, to end of book I'm not disappointed , I have found what that more I love in the his writing, in fact this was a fantastic book, tightened rhythms, amazing characters and well portrait , original and creepy story. It's true that I have felt damp and soaked to the bones for all that hard winter rain but the characters of Sean and Herry, as Jimmy and Jeff have warmed me.
March 20, 2012
This is a MYSTERY, SUSPENSE. DSP actually has it labelled as that, it has a slight romance between Harry and Sean and is from several characters POV which adds depth to the Mystery and Suspense.
A brilliant story that draws you in and keeps you reading till the end.
Just because it is M/M doesn't make it a romance, this is a mystery,suspense with romance thrown in.
A brilliant story that draws you in and keeps you reading till the end.
Just because it is M/M doesn't make it a romance, this is a mystery,suspense with romance thrown in.
July 16, 2015
This book was a surprise. First for its gritty content and then for how much I enjoyed it. The author tells a griping story, with grusome detail at times that while possibly shocking, doesn't feel like it was added for that effect alone. I was expecting a romance with an action plot and got instead a thriller with some romance, and I find I didn't mind the trade at all.
June 26, 2018
A hard winter rain
Omg it's a must read I loved everything about this book, the characters were well written the plot understandable and the ending well thought out , I love mm books but prefer when they are filled with sex and a great story hot sex is always fun
but the story is what makes you keep reading, I look forward to more books by this writer
Omg it's a must read I loved everything about this book, the characters were well written the plot understandable and the ending well thought out , I love mm books but prefer when they are filled with sex and a great story hot sex is always fun
but the story is what makes you keep reading, I look forward to more books by this writer
January 24, 2013
There are some really good authors of books with murder, mayhem, with some sex thrown in. John Inman is just one of them. He also throws in a touch of humor. This one I'll keep as a re-read.
Excellent read!
Excellent read!
October 30, 2014
why the hell the library had this as romance i do not know. romance is rather a minor subplot up against the rest.
this author puts more into minor supporting characters than some put in their leads. the plot itself didn't give me many surprises, but execution was impeccable. recommend.
this author puts more into minor supporting characters than some put in their leads. the plot itself didn't give me many surprises, but execution was impeccable. recommend.
May 18, 2012
I hope that Inman has additional stories ready to be published. I'm ready to read another one.
I loved having Jackson's POV. It was really creepy to be in his mind. People who hear god speak scare me... is it truly the word of god or a mental illness. I guess we know which one it was for Jackson. Harry & Sean were cute together & I liked that the hairdresser was not a nelly queen.
The weather was used as a prefect mood device. Both in San Diego & Nine Mile
But, to be honest, I think the story was as much about Jimmy & Jeff solving the mystery. The m/m romance angle is what peaked my interest enough to want to read the story, but it was the story of about the two police officers that kept my interest, well, that & Jackson's creepiness. If Inman writes a series, it might be better to center future works around Jimmy & Jeff and not Harry & Sean. I see another story about Harry & Sean becoming another m/m domestic romance. Lots of people write those, but a really good mystery is hard to find. I think another story with Jimmy & Jeff could be as thrilling as A Hard Winter Rain.
I recommend this and plan to read Inman again.
I loved having Jackson's POV. It was really creepy to be in his mind. People who hear god speak scare me... is it truly the word of god or a mental illness. I guess we know which one it was for Jackson. Harry & Sean were cute together & I liked that the hairdresser was not a nelly queen.
The weather was used as a prefect mood device. Both in San Diego & Nine Mile
But, to be honest, I think the story was as much about Jimmy & Jeff solving the mystery. The m/m romance angle is what peaked my interest enough to want to read the story, but it was the story of about the two police officers that kept my interest, well, that & Jackson's creepiness. If Inman writes a series, it might be better to center future works around Jimmy & Jeff and not Harry & Sean. I see another story about Harry & Sean becoming another m/m domestic romance. Lots of people write those, but a really good mystery is hard to find. I think another story with Jimmy & Jeff could be as thrilling as A Hard Winter Rain.
I recommend this and plan to read Inman again.
October 19, 2013
I started this book, expecting a "typical" John Inman novel, amazing sweet and hilarious.
That was not what I got here.. But no less an amazing story.
This is a crime story if I have ever read one.
It starts with a Religious maniac guy on a quest..killing That special sinner, that he knows all about, and not caring whom he kills on his way.
As we read we find;
A 45 year old hairdresser named Harry, that obsesses about his last BDay- present, a sweet rent boy.
The sweet rent boy, Sean, that finds himself in the middle of the killing spree as a target, and find a safe heaven with Harry, sending Harry into a load of problems and guilt.
The two police officers in charge; Jimmy Smith and Jeff McCray, two wonderful guys with a great sense of humour about almost everthing, and have each others back.
A lot of other nice and less nice co-persons here, that we love and care about here.
A wonderful story, caring and loving, but at that same time violent and gory..
For what happens throughout this story, I will love it and care about it and I will read it again..and again...just like I do with all of Mr Inmans books..
♥
That was not what I got here.. But no less an amazing story.
This is a crime story if I have ever read one.
It starts with a Religious maniac guy on a quest..killing That special sinner, that he knows all about, and not caring whom he kills on his way.
As we read we find;
A 45 year old hairdresser named Harry, that obsesses about his last BDay- present, a sweet rent boy.
The sweet rent boy, Sean, that finds himself in the middle of the killing spree as a target, and find a safe heaven with Harry, sending Harry into a load of problems and guilt.
The two police officers in charge; Jimmy Smith and Jeff McCray, two wonderful guys with a great sense of humour about almost everthing, and have each others back.
A lot of other nice and less nice co-persons here, that we love and care about here.
A wonderful story, caring and loving, but at that same time violent and gory..
For what happens throughout this story, I will love it and care about it and I will read it again..and again...just like I do with all of Mr Inmans books..
♥
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