The Truth Can Get You Killed

Paul Turner #4

by Mark Richard Zubro

The last thing that Chicago Police Detective Paul Turner wants to do on New Year's Day is investigate a murder. But when the body is that of a conservative, homophobic judge and it is found outside a popular gay nightclub, the task takes on a new urgency for him. Now Turner must unravel the threads connecting the unlikely victim to his unsuspected murder scene-and look for answers in the most unusual places.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, LGBT, Gay Fiction, Romance, Crime

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Author also writes as: Mark Zubro.

Mark Richard Zubro is an American mystery novelist. He lives in Mokena, Illinois and taught 8th grade English at Summit Hill Jr. High in nearby Frankfort Square, Illinois.

Zubro writes bestselling mysteries set in Chicago and the surrounding Cook County area, which are widely praised as fast-paced, with interesting plots and well-rounded, likeable characters. His novels feature gay themes, and Zubro is himself gay.

His longest running series features high school teacher Tom Mason, and Tom's boyfriend, professional baseball player Scott Carpenter. The other series Zubro is known for is the Paul Turner mysteries, which are about a Chicago police detective. The books are a part of the Stonewall Inn Mystery series, published by St. Martin's Press. Zubro won a Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men's Mystery for his book A Simple Suburban Murder.

Series:
* Tom Mason and Scott Carpenter
* Paul Turner

I am the author of twenty-four mystery novels and five short stories. My book A Simple Suburban Murder won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Men's mystery. I also wrote a thriller, Foolproof, with two other mystery writers, Jeanne Dams and Barb D'Amato. I taught eighth graders English and reading for thirty-four years and was president of the teachers' union in my district from 1985 until 2006. I retired from teaching in 2006 and now spend my time reading, writing, napping, and eating chocolate. My newest book, Another Dead Republican, is my thirteenth book in the Tom and Scott series which features as main characters, a gay school teacher and his lover, a professional baseball player. One of the keys in my mysteries is you do not want to be a person who is racist, sexist, homophobic, or a school administrator. If you are any of those, it is likely you are the corpse, or, at the least, it can be fairly well guaranteed that bad things will happen to you by the end. And if in my books you happen to be a Republican and/or against workers' rights, it would be far better if you did not make a habit of broadcasting this. If you did, you're quite likely to be a suspect, or worse.

Reviews

[Lily Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really sad instalment. When a homophobic judge is found murdered, Paul Turner is assigned the case. This book focused a lot on the complexities of remaining closeted - at work and in the community, or amongst family and friends. A really emotive contrast is drawn between the warmth of Paul's family and the bleak conditions of the homeless, runaway, or otherwise down and out and lonely LGBT+ characters. Despite being set in the late 90s, I felt a lot of the book was still relevant decades later, and, if anything, some things discussed in the book have gotten harder and worse.

[Noel Roach · Rating 3 out of 5]

The legal and social status of gay men and lesbians is central to both the main and several peripheral plot lines of this book. My personal lived experience in Canada as a gay man do not correspond to the world described in the novel. The story just felt wrong. I kept having to remind myself that, yes, things probably were that bad in Chicago in 1998. More problematic though is that Zubro has his characters speak in broad, simplistic ways turning them into caricatures. Furthermore this sloppy stereotyped treatment results in a plot that is inherently homophobic: murder is an expected outcome for a gay man rather than the result of flawed thinking by a specific person in a specific situation. Contrast the progression of experiences starting in childhood that lead the antagonist in the previous novel of the series to commit murder with the lack of any similar treatment here.

[Nicholas George · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was solidly written, with intriguing characters, but the heavy-handed sermonizing about gay life in the 1990s makes it both dated and more of a curio than a mystery that has any merit these days.

[Neet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Paul Turner mysteries and the one that left a lump in my throat. Detectives Turner & Fenwick or investigating the murder of homophobic judge Meade whose body was found outside in a dumpster behind a well known gay night club on New Year's Day. Judge Meade has controversial decisions regarding anti-gay legislation, could this be the reason behind his killing. Paul with the help of best friend Ian who works for a highly regarded gay publication is able to talk to people who witnessed the judge in the gay club that very night. One witness is a male stripper at the club who saw the judge staring at one of the dancers. Another is a gay teen, who seems shaky and unhinged and who Ian managed to get a job in the Federal courthouse mailroom. This young man seems so sad and alone, at the tender age of 17 he has become a hustler and seems desperate for love and approval. The young man touches Turner deeply and what happens to him ( which I won't reveal here) left me in tears.This mystery we soon discover is about closets that each gay man that in this story impose on themselves. Turner is out to a point at work but he knows fully revealing his sexuality could hinder his career on the force. This is one of the most deep felt mysteries that is a fast and good read!

[mithra · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Mark Richard Zubro.
Can't say it was my favorite mystery novel, but I really liked it! (^~^)
I was really sad when Carl died, and I loved Fenwick's personality.
And we must'nt forget the glow-in-the-dark condoms right? (^*^)

[Robear Bottomtooth · Rating 3 out of 5]

review coming

[Neet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read review from e book addition!