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Closer by Morning
Passion and love bring them together. Murder could tear them apart.
When Matt Blyth, a handsome young lawyer, joins an early morning boot camp, all he wants is to get in shape. His thirtieth birthday is approaching fast. He’s ready to throw away the past and embrace a new future. The last thing he expects is to fall in love…or become embroiled in murder.
Dale Zachary, an American actor, is stuck firmly in the closet. He spent his twenties playing good-looking jocks in bad horror films and romantic comedies. But that boy-next-door act has a limited shelf life. Dale lands the role of his career playing a sexy, psychotic killer in a major British TV series. It’s a part that could make him a star. It’s no time to fall in love, but when Dale meets Matt, the attraction is impossible to resist and they both fall hard.
Someone is killing young men in the city. A killer like no other. The murders bear an uncanny resemblance to the script Dale is shooting. A devious mind is at work. As their relationship becomes more complex, Matt and Dale find the murders intruding further into their lives. The killer is closing in on his next target. It could be either one of them…or both.
Pre-order Date: 28th June 2016
Available exclusively from Pride Publishing: 12th July 2016
General Release Date: 9th August 2016
When Matt Blyth, a handsome young lawyer, joins an early morning boot camp, all he wants is to get in shape. His thirtieth birthday is approaching fast. He’s ready to throw away the past and embrace a new future. The last thing he expects is to fall in love…or become embroiled in murder.
Dale Zachary, an American actor, is stuck firmly in the closet. He spent his twenties playing good-looking jocks in bad horror films and romantic comedies. But that boy-next-door act has a limited shelf life. Dale lands the role of his career playing a sexy, psychotic killer in a major British TV series. It’s a part that could make him a star. It’s no time to fall in love, but when Dale meets Matt, the attraction is impossible to resist and they both fall hard.
Someone is killing young men in the city. A killer like no other. The murders bear an uncanny resemblance to the script Dale is shooting. A devious mind is at work. As their relationship becomes more complex, Matt and Dale find the murders intruding further into their lives. The killer is closing in on his next target. It could be either one of them…or both.
Pre-order Date: 28th June 2016
Available exclusively from Pride Publishing: 12th July 2016
General Release Date: 9th August 2016
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2016
2 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Thom Collins
25 books154 followersThom Collins is the author of the novel Closer by Morning, with Pride Publishing. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and promptly confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.
His novella Silent Voices will be published by Pride in May, followed by the novel Anthem of the Sea, the first book in the Anthem Trilogy. He has recently finished writing the second book in a series and is making plans for the third.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age. Since taking his first cruise in 2013 he realized that sailing is the way to go.
His novella Silent Voices will be published by Pride in May, followed by the novel Anthem of the Sea, the first book in the Anthem Trilogy. He has recently finished writing the second book in a series and is making plans for the third.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age. Since taking his first cruise in 2013 he realized that sailing is the way to go.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 1, 2016
This one was all over the place. Murder mystery. Pulpy purple prose romance. A touch of horror. Told from the point of view of too many characters. Once the murderer got his own POV and it was no longer a mystery I kinda stopped caring and just finished it to see how it would all turn out. I enjoyed the first 40% a whole lot more than what followed.
November 11, 2016
Closer by Morning is a debut murder mystery for author Thom Collins. This is excellently written and one of the most intense murder mysteries that I’ve read in a while. To give fair warning, there’s a heart stopping scene where you know abuse and rape are going to take place, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
Matt Blyth is a well put together character. He’s out, he has a great job, and at times has to deal with irate clients. He seems to have his life in firm order.
Dale Zachary is an up and coming actor. He’s not out and keeps his sexual preference hidden as best he can so he doesn’t lose that big chance at becoming a star. Dale also has a twelve year old son. Dale, at some point, will have to make decisions about who he wants in his life.
The city of Durham, London is seeing a rash of murders of young gay men. Detective Constable Jamie Dench is given a chance to work in the secondary unit of MIT to investigate the murders. Not that the other characters weren’t interesting, but Jamie Dench really stood out for me. At first I thought he was going to try and create problems for Matt, but he learned to do the right thing. He faced all his emotions: jealousy, heartbreak, and anger, and then put them aside and used his skill to figure out who the murderer was. But, when the case is solved, he’s still looking for resolution. He carries guilt with him in that knowledge that maybe he could have prevented a lot of the horror that the murderer caused.
Thom Collins is an author I will definitely seek out. I’m really curious to see what he will come up with next. The only irritation I had with this ebook, which I purchased as an early release, was the editing. There were some normal editing issues which I could overlook, but there were two issue that, in my opinion, should not have been missed in editing. I don’t want to discourage anyone from purchasing this book, but I felt I needed to mention this.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach Reviews
Matt Blyth is a well put together character. He’s out, he has a great job, and at times has to deal with irate clients. He seems to have his life in firm order.
Dale Zachary is an up and coming actor. He’s not out and keeps his sexual preference hidden as best he can so he doesn’t lose that big chance at becoming a star. Dale also has a twelve year old son. Dale, at some point, will have to make decisions about who he wants in his life.
The city of Durham, London is seeing a rash of murders of young gay men. Detective Constable Jamie Dench is given a chance to work in the secondary unit of MIT to investigate the murders. Not that the other characters weren’t interesting, but Jamie Dench really stood out for me. At first I thought he was going to try and create problems for Matt, but he learned to do the right thing. He faced all his emotions: jealousy, heartbreak, and anger, and then put them aside and used his skill to figure out who the murderer was. But, when the case is solved, he’s still looking for resolution. He carries guilt with him in that knowledge that maybe he could have prevented a lot of the horror that the murderer caused.
Thom Collins is an author I will definitely seek out. I’m really curious to see what he will come up with next. The only irritation I had with this ebook, which I purchased as an early release, was the editing. There were some normal editing issues which I could overlook, but there were two issue that, in my opinion, should not have been missed in editing. I don’t want to discourage anyone from purchasing this book, but I felt I needed to mention this.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach Reviews
August 9, 2016
3.5 Star review by The blogger Girls
This story had me all twisted up. I loved the mystery. I loved the premise. I loved being wrong about the murderer and was surprised when my top two suspects were exonerated and one even ended up being a victim himself. I loved the relationship between Dale and Matt. And I was crushed for Conrad. But…
I struggled with the writing style, and I have a very difficult time reading books where every character has their own point of view. I really, really, do not like that. Now one of those people ends up being the murderer, so I understand why that person’s view was told, but too many insignificant people, in my opinion, got face time, and it took away some of my reading pleasure.
I admit the writing style almost caused me to DNF this book not once, but twice; however, I was so invested in Matt and Dale, and wanting to see how the murder mystery played out, that I couldn’t put it down. So on the one hand, it’s a great story, but on the other, the way it was written was not for me. So, yeah, I was all twisted up. But on a good note, I am always happy when the murder mystery surprises me, and in this case, the murderer was my third choice as a possible suspect and turned out to be the complete psycho I expected them to be.
Overall Impression: I liked it
This story had me all twisted up. I loved the mystery. I loved the premise. I loved being wrong about the murderer and was surprised when my top two suspects were exonerated and one even ended up being a victim himself. I loved the relationship between Dale and Matt. And I was crushed for Conrad. But…
I struggled with the writing style, and I have a very difficult time reading books where every character has their own point of view. I really, really, do not like that. Now one of those people ends up being the murderer, so I understand why that person’s view was told, but too many insignificant people, in my opinion, got face time, and it took away some of my reading pleasure.
I admit the writing style almost caused me to DNF this book not once, but twice; however, I was so invested in Matt and Dale, and wanting to see how the murder mystery played out, that I couldn’t put it down. So on the one hand, it’s a great story, but on the other, the way it was written was not for me. So, yeah, I was all twisted up. But on a good note, I am always happy when the murder mystery surprises me, and in this case, the murderer was my third choice as a possible suspect and turned out to be the complete psycho I expected them to be.
Overall Impression: I liked it
August 11, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Closer By Morning was an excellent book and I devoured it in one sitting. Matt and Dale were written well. A lot of times, the MCs in a romance/murder mystery can be flat, but Dale and Matt were great…hot, sexy, smart, and vulnerable at the same time. I liked how even though their relationship began rather quickly, it didn’t feel like it was being shoved in my face. I’m a romantic at heart, and I firmly believe in love at first sight, so I was totally on board with this.
The background characters were some of the best I’ve read. There are a lot of them, but each one has a place and purpose in the story. There is nothing confusing about them. From Dale’s ex wife and son, to the production assistant, to the gossip columnist, they’re as fleshed out as Matt and Dale.
The mystery was incredible! It’s obvious Thom Collins planned it out meticulously. I was caught up in it right away, and it kept me guessing. I thought I knew who the killer was, and I was wrong. Then, I thought I knew again, but I was still wrong! By the time I figured it out, the story was at its climax and things were happening at a rapid pace. I was shocked and amazed at the same time. It was well done. Very well done.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Closer By Morning was an excellent book and I devoured it in one sitting. Matt and Dale were written well. A lot of times, the MCs in a romance/murder mystery can be flat, but Dale and Matt were great…hot, sexy, smart, and vulnerable at the same time. I liked how even though their relationship began rather quickly, it didn’t feel like it was being shoved in my face. I’m a romantic at heart, and I firmly believe in love at first sight, so I was totally on board with this.
The background characters were some of the best I’ve read. There are a lot of them, but each one has a place and purpose in the story. There is nothing confusing about them. From Dale’s ex wife and son, to the production assistant, to the gossip columnist, they’re as fleshed out as Matt and Dale.
The mystery was incredible! It’s obvious Thom Collins planned it out meticulously. I was caught up in it right away, and it kept me guessing. I thought I knew who the killer was, and I was wrong. Then, I thought I knew again, but I was still wrong! By the time I figured it out, the story was at its climax and things were happening at a rapid pace. I was shocked and amazed at the same time. It was well done. Very well done.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
July 20, 2016
This was a very well constructed and intense murder mystery written by Thom Collins. My only disappointment was that I purchased this book from Pride as an early release and there are some normal editing issues. But two items I felt really need to be corrected. One of them was major to me because the police officer was addressed by the murderers last name. I just felt the author Thom Collins should have his work respected by the editor.
June 14, 2018
This is a really good suspense novel. Although it becomes clear quickly enough who the bad guy is, the enjoyment is in watching the murderer draw closer as the heroes struggle to figure out what's happening and deal with their own more mundane worries. Dale and Matt are lovely characters, and even though they declare their feelings quickly, it doesn't feel rushed at all. My one issue with this book was the occasional unnecessary info-dump, especially at the beginning. Overall, a wonderful thriller with just a few flaws.
May 17, 2019
Romance--eh....a bit to much insta-love, but I was happy for them.
Dale with his ex and kid were cute.
I wanted to scream when a side character refused to trust his instincts.
Slow start, but once the ball started rolling, I enjoyed it quite a bit.
One the action was over, the story just kinda summed up everything really quick. Which is fine, I don't think it would have held up my interest once the big bad wasn't there to be the big and bad.
Dale with his ex and kid were cute.
I wanted to scream when a side character refused to trust his instincts.
Slow start, but once the ball started rolling, I enjoyed it quite a bit.
One the action was over, the story just kinda summed up everything really quick. Which is fine, I don't think it would have held up my interest once the big bad wasn't there to be the big and bad.
July 23, 2018
I didn't care for all the changing points of view through out the book nor for the fact that the killer's identity was revealed at ~60% of the way through the book. I went ahead and finished it but I thought about putting it down at that point. Just not my cup of tea.
July 21, 2018
** 3.5 Stars **
August 10, 2016
Book: Closer by Morning
Author: Thom Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
I have a love/hate relationship with scary movies and stories. I live for the excitement of trying to figure out the who done it, the sitting on the edge of my seat feeling, the pounding of my heart when the bad is closing to getting the good guy. But on the other side of all that is the emotional roller coaster that’s the after effect that can last a while after the movie/story is over. I typically read more on the tame side of the spectrum of the scary/creepy stories so when this one came up I was more than willing to give it a shot.
Matt Blythe is a lawyer who meets Dale Zachary, an american actor, when he had decided that a morning boot camp is what he needed to get in shape. There was an immediate attraction between them and what starts as lust turns to more fairly quickly. Through all of the growing of their relationship there was a serial killer on the loose killing young gay men that seemed to have no connection. But one connection the public and media is willing to make was that Dale’s murder mystery TV show was the cause because the killer seemed to be copy cating the script even though the show was still in productions.
We get a host of cast of characters that each play an important role in the journey of the serial murders and even have an impact on the relationship of Dale and Matt. What I loved most about this story was the writing style of the author. Using more than just the two main characters POV’s to tell us the story, sinking the reader into the possibility of who could be the killer.
Is it someone they knew or a complete stranger? Someone from the show or an ex-boyfriend? We meet Jaime the cop that is Matt’s ex, Aaron the fuck buddy that Dale had been involved with but won’t give up so easily on trying for more, Clint the strict and gruff gym owner that ran the boot camp who lets no one get away with excuses, and Keeley the parana of a journalist that would do anything for a story. Each one gets the chance to give us a glimpse of a part of a story that we wouldn't have known otherwise.
This is less murder mystery and more sexual serial killer so the author does tell us who the killer is but not until we are more than halfway through the story keeping us guessing until that point but what this does is gives the reader a very close intimate look into the mind of the creepy serial killer. And believe me when I tell you he does a phenomenal job at doing that with purpose! And as much as no one wants direct access to those kinds of thoughts it really set the best mood of the story which was not a mild or tame murder story after getting to know the killer and the why and how they do what they do. I was in awe of this in the book and kept me at the edge of my seat while I waited for his next move towards the killers ultimate goal.
The romance part of the story is actually the complete opposite of the murder part. It was sweet romantic and hot as the same time. I think the sexy scenes were great but maybe slightly over the top but again that is a personal thing not so much something that everyone would agree with me on so it's something that I would never deduct points or stars from a story.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves this type but also those who think they don’t because it might just be the one that actually changes your mind. I will definitely be reading this author again.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://diversereader.blogspot.com/ *
Author: Thom Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
I have a love/hate relationship with scary movies and stories. I live for the excitement of trying to figure out the who done it, the sitting on the edge of my seat feeling, the pounding of my heart when the bad is closing to getting the good guy. But on the other side of all that is the emotional roller coaster that’s the after effect that can last a while after the movie/story is over. I typically read more on the tame side of the spectrum of the scary/creepy stories so when this one came up I was more than willing to give it a shot.
Matt Blythe is a lawyer who meets Dale Zachary, an american actor, when he had decided that a morning boot camp is what he needed to get in shape. There was an immediate attraction between them and what starts as lust turns to more fairly quickly. Through all of the growing of their relationship there was a serial killer on the loose killing young gay men that seemed to have no connection. But one connection the public and media is willing to make was that Dale’s murder mystery TV show was the cause because the killer seemed to be copy cating the script even though the show was still in productions.
We get a host of cast of characters that each play an important role in the journey of the serial murders and even have an impact on the relationship of Dale and Matt. What I loved most about this story was the writing style of the author. Using more than just the two main characters POV’s to tell us the story, sinking the reader into the possibility of who could be the killer.
Is it someone they knew or a complete stranger? Someone from the show or an ex-boyfriend? We meet Jaime the cop that is Matt’s ex, Aaron the fuck buddy that Dale had been involved with but won’t give up so easily on trying for more, Clint the strict and gruff gym owner that ran the boot camp who lets no one get away with excuses, and Keeley the parana of a journalist that would do anything for a story. Each one gets the chance to give us a glimpse of a part of a story that we wouldn't have known otherwise.
This is less murder mystery and more sexual serial killer so the author does tell us who the killer is but not until we are more than halfway through the story keeping us guessing until that point but what this does is gives the reader a very close intimate look into the mind of the creepy serial killer. And believe me when I tell you he does a phenomenal job at doing that with purpose! And as much as no one wants direct access to those kinds of thoughts it really set the best mood of the story which was not a mild or tame murder story after getting to know the killer and the why and how they do what they do. I was in awe of this in the book and kept me at the edge of my seat while I waited for his next move towards the killers ultimate goal.
The romance part of the story is actually the complete opposite of the murder part. It was sweet romantic and hot as the same time. I think the sexy scenes were great but maybe slightly over the top but again that is a personal thing not so much something that everyone would agree with me on so it's something that I would never deduct points or stars from a story.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves this type but also those who think they don’t because it might just be the one that actually changes your mind. I will definitely be reading this author again.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://diversereader.blogspot.com/ *
March 31, 2017
2.5 stars only because I read the whole thing.
I feel compelled to offer a warning to other readers. Not really a spoiler, as I won't say who or where in the book it occurs. There is a very bloody, violent scene in the book, which includes a brutal rape. The act itself is obscured, but not the events before or after. I have a rather strong stomach but it was disturbing even to me.
Aside from that, it really wasn't a great read. It was written technically well, apart from a number of editing errors. However the first half of the book was tedious. There was a great deal of exposition dedicated to each character with much telling and little showing. There were long sections of scenes from each MC's workplace, some contributing little or nothing to plot. There were multiple POV's, both from the MC's and from secondary characters.
Then, around 60%, the killer is revealed, including reminiscence and current thoughts. That murdered the story for me. I'd already figured out two victims early on in the book, but thought we were being diverted from guessing the killer. After that point, it was just finding out exactly where and when. The only thing I was wrong about was just one person there at the end.
I like mysteries and half the fun is trying to guess the bad guy. There was no suspense left for over 40% of the book. Just opportunities for the final mayhem. There was almost no romance, if you were looking for that. Two guys fell in love but it was barely romantic. I can't recommend this to anyone.
I feel compelled to offer a warning to other readers. Not really a spoiler, as I won't say who or where in the book it occurs. There is a very bloody, violent scene in the book, which includes a brutal rape. The act itself is obscured, but not the events before or after. I have a rather strong stomach but it was disturbing even to me.
Aside from that, it really wasn't a great read. It was written technically well, apart from a number of editing errors. However the first half of the book was tedious. There was a great deal of exposition dedicated to each character with much telling and little showing. There were long sections of scenes from each MC's workplace, some contributing little or nothing to plot. There were multiple POV's, both from the MC's and from secondary characters.
Then, around 60%, the killer is revealed, including reminiscence and current thoughts. That murdered the story for me. I'd already figured out two victims early on in the book, but thought we were being diverted from guessing the killer. After that point, it was just finding out exactly where and when. The only thing I was wrong about was just one person there at the end.
I like mysteries and half the fun is trying to guess the bad guy. There was no suspense left for over 40% of the book. Just opportunities for the final mayhem. There was almost no romance, if you were looking for that. Two guys fell in love but it was barely romantic. I can't recommend this to anyone.
April 12, 2017
I liked the idea of this book, but it had a little to much purple prose and insta love for me to rate it any higher than 3 stars.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews