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Maloney's Law #1
Maloney's Law
Paul Maloney, a small-time private investigator from London, reluctantly accepts a case from his married ex-lover, Dominic Allen. Before he knows it, Paul finds himself embroiled in the dark dealings of big business and the sordid world of international crime. The deeper he pushes, the closer he comes to losing everything he holds dear. Can he solve the mystery and protect those he loves before it's too late?
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2008
30 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 30, 2009
I really liked this book. First and foremost, it's dark, the London setting adding to this aspect even if it starts in summer; however it culminates in autumn rain which is very fitting. It's genuine suspense. The fiends are believable. The pace sometimes moves on with breathtaking speed, as with Paul's escape from Delta Egypt's office in Cairo, sometimes it just crawls on when Jade and Paul do their research at their desks, just as it is in real life. And also very believable is that Paul's toiling and moiling doesn't make him famous in the end; his tribute to solving the crime, albeit somewhat crucial, is lost beneath the work of the police.
This hero to me is a welcome change from all the superhero - like PI's who people today's bookshelves. He's just doing his job, and he is good at what he does because he is "a natural at finding out things that nobody wants to tell me" as he puts it himself. But he has his issues; starting with the trauma of his childhood, the sins of his youth, his recent mistakes. It was even fun to meet his little mannerisms like his ability to name the exact number of days, hours, and minutes since or until an incident or the rules he sets for himself like his love for whisky which he never drinks before 6 pm. Almost never. Paul is gay, a fact which is important for the plot as it leads Paul to make horribly wrong decisions, but he is not reduced to that single facet of his personality as it is often the case within the genre.However, it's perhaps that fact that allows for a depth of emotionality that would look weird on a "straight, hardboiled PI". When Paul is upset, he cries. When he is in pain, he begs. He can even be so lovesick he makes a fool of himself. Yet, he simply breaks into a building to gather information or to shoot a picture of his client's wife and her lover in a captious situation. He's a three dimensional human being I could feel sympathetic for although I didn't always share his point of view; however, his decisions and actions are completely comprehensible. Even the supportive characters are rendered equally inherently consistent, proof of the author's formidable storytelling.
This mystery/ suspense book is too good to disappear within the confines of "m/m fiction" just because its major character happens to be gay. I strongly recommend it to everyone who likes themselves a good thriller.
This hero to me is a welcome change from all the superhero - like PI's who people today's bookshelves. He's just doing his job, and he is good at what he does because he is "a natural at finding out things that nobody wants to tell me" as he puts it himself. But he has his issues; starting with the trauma of his childhood, the sins of his youth, his recent mistakes. It was even fun to meet his little mannerisms like his ability to name the exact number of days, hours, and minutes since or until an incident or the rules he sets for himself like his love for whisky which he never drinks before 6 pm. Almost never. Paul is gay, a fact which is important for the plot as it leads Paul to make horribly wrong decisions, but he is not reduced to that single facet of his personality as it is often the case within the genre.However, it's perhaps that fact that allows for a depth of emotionality that would look weird on a "straight, hardboiled PI". When Paul is upset, he cries. When he is in pain, he begs. He can even be so lovesick he makes a fool of himself. Yet, he simply breaks into a building to gather information or to shoot a picture of his client's wife and her lover in a captious situation. He's a three dimensional human being I could feel sympathetic for although I didn't always share his point of view; however, his decisions and actions are completely comprehensible. Even the supportive characters are rendered equally inherently consistent, proof of the author's formidable storytelling.
This mystery/ suspense book is too good to disappear within the confines of "m/m fiction" just because its major character happens to be gay. I strongly recommend it to everyone who likes themselves a good thriller.
April 14, 2013
Maloney’s Law by Anne Brooke is a gay romance and mystery. It’s also a dark, deep, and poetic gay romance and mystery.
I confess I love novels written in the first person and present tense, but I also know it’s quite difficult to write them well. But not, apparently, for Brooke. Her Maloney’s Law is exceptionally well-written.
Paul Maloney, a 30-year-old gay private investigator in London, takes on a lucrative assignment. It’s from Dominic Allen, the physically desirable and wealthy investor, with a wife and two children, who abruptly and coldly terminated his and Paul’s torrid 11-month affair three years and four months ago.
Paul is precise like that with dates and times. His idiosyncrasy also makes it easy for readers to know where they are in the story, especially in the scenes set in the past. That’s brought another one down upon himself when he was 19 and should’ve known better.
But what begins for Paul as the possible revival of an affair with the man he’s still in love with soon becomes a far more sinister matter. In that regard, I congratulate Anne Brooke for boldly creating a devastating development at the halfway mark in her novel.
Nor does Brooke wish to leave us with the contentment of a tale in which good simply wins and evil loses. In Maloney’s Law, as in life, it’s a mix. Dominic might be the bad guy, but he’s not all bad. We sympathize with Paul, but he’s clearly no saint.
The frosting on the cake of this novel is the writing. So Paul says, early on: “God alone knows what this man was ever doing with someone like me.” Later he ventures to ask: “When will I be free of it, this rock-hard certainty that, even when the book between the two of us seems closed, somehow, somewhere there’s another chapter not yet written?”
I thank you, Anne Brooke, for writing this story.
(As originally reviewed on Rainbow Book Reviews. Please visit http://www.rainbowbookreviews.com for other reviews that may be of interest.)
I confess I love novels written in the first person and present tense, but I also know it’s quite difficult to write them well. But not, apparently, for Brooke. Her Maloney’s Law is exceptionally well-written.
Paul Maloney, a 30-year-old gay private investigator in London, takes on a lucrative assignment. It’s from Dominic Allen, the physically desirable and wealthy investor, with a wife and two children, who abruptly and coldly terminated his and Paul’s torrid 11-month affair three years and four months ago.
Paul is precise like that with dates and times. His idiosyncrasy also makes it easy for readers to know where they are in the story, especially in the scenes set in the past. That’s brought another one down upon himself when he was 19 and should’ve known better.
But what begins for Paul as the possible revival of an affair with the man he’s still in love with soon becomes a far more sinister matter. In that regard, I congratulate Anne Brooke for boldly creating a devastating development at the halfway mark in her novel.
Nor does Brooke wish to leave us with the contentment of a tale in which good simply wins and evil loses. In Maloney’s Law, as in life, it’s a mix. Dominic might be the bad guy, but he’s not all bad. We sympathize with Paul, but he’s clearly no saint.
The frosting on the cake of this novel is the writing. So Paul says, early on: “God alone knows what this man was ever doing with someone like me.” Later he ventures to ask: “When will I be free of it, this rock-hard certainty that, even when the book between the two of us seems closed, somehow, somewhere there’s another chapter not yet written?”
I thank you, Anne Brooke, for writing this story.
(As originally reviewed on Rainbow Book Reviews. Please visit http://www.rainbowbookreviews.com for other reviews that may be of interest.)
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January 29, 2017DNF @10%
I know it's pretty early to DNF, and maybe I'll pick it back up in the future but I REALLY can't connect with the story, mostly because of the narration. The prose is leaning toward purple:
The MC just spent pages to describe himself. Like:
Also, he has the annoying habit to count time like this:
So, I'm putting it down for now. Or for good. I don't know yet.
I know it's pretty early to DNF, and maybe I'll pick it back up in the future but I REALLY can't connect with the story, mostly because of the narration. The prose is leaning toward purple:
"In the silence, I sense rather than see his lips draw on the smoky pleasure, tingling tar and need wafting into his waiting lungs.
The MC just spent pages to describe himself. Like:
"When I’m naked, I gaze at my image for a long time, trying to see myself as if I’m someone else. There are many things here that Dominic would remember: my face, thin and narrow, a throwback to my paternal grandfather; green eyes framed by short, almost black hair— a wolf on the hunt so another lover told me once; a long body, dark wavy chest hair leading down to strong, muscular legs; an average cock, not too small, thank God, though I’ve always wished it larger. Don’t we all?
Also, he has the annoying habit to count time like this:
"And five years, ten months, and five days in my job...
......................................
I’d be seeing him again— at his request— in five days’ time for an initial opinion meeting. In five days, four hours and…
So, I'm putting it down for now. Or for good. I don't know yet.
Want to read
August 28, 2016Will come back to this, probably. I didn't like the writing style, but it could be my mood.
January 6, 2017
Not a romance. Depressing. Strange tense. Even though it ended on a positive note, not my cuppa.
Want to read
January 6, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/6/2020)! 🎁
August 18, 2015
3.5 I hate when I both love and hate a book.
I enjoyed the story in this one, it was intriguing and at times had me on the edge of my seat.
I felt attracted to Paul and fell for him more and more, but I just couldn't understand why he felt so strongly over Dominic. From the little I learnt of Dominic he was a completely selfish A**hole.
While Jade played a fairly important part in this story, I felt a lot of the details like dinner with her parents was more filler than story.
The writing side of this one is really where my problems lay. It was far to wordy for me, and having Paul go off on tangents of thought left me lost as to what was going on and left me having to back track to pick up the story line thread.
I admit I had quite a few niggles with this, including Pauls detail on timing. At first it was cool but soon became annoying.
The ending also left me feeling flat. I prefer more details in my endings. I like to see the bad guys brought to justice in some way, so an epilogue would of helped me out a lot.
All that said and despite knowing that this authors writing style is probably not for me I know I am going to jump straight into the second book. Mostly because I am hoping I will get my HEA and maybe even a few clues as to what happened after book one, and partly because it was book two that caught my attention first.
I enjoyed the story in this one, it was intriguing and at times had me on the edge of my seat.
I felt attracted to Paul and fell for him more and more, but I just couldn't understand why he felt so strongly over Dominic. From the little I learnt of Dominic he was a completely selfish A**hole.
While Jade played a fairly important part in this story, I felt a lot of the details like dinner with her parents was more filler than story.
The writing side of this one is really where my problems lay. It was far to wordy for me, and having Paul go off on tangents of thought left me lost as to what was going on and left me having to back track to pick up the story line thread.
I admit I had quite a few niggles with this, including Pauls detail on timing. At first it was cool but soon became annoying.
The ending also left me feeling flat. I prefer more details in my endings. I like to see the bad guys brought to justice in some way, so an epilogue would of helped me out a lot.
All that said and despite knowing that this authors writing style is probably not for me I know I am going to jump straight into the second book. Mostly because I am hoping I will get my HEA and maybe even a few clues as to what happened after book one, and partly because it was book two that caught my attention first.
October 7, 2010
Awesome book!
Paul Maloney is amazingly one screwed person. There is nothing perfect about him, and there are times you'd want to have his head examined because he surely can make wrong moves.
This is not the typical m/m romance, in fact, it's not a romance. This is a crime drama. Paul is asked by his ex-lover to investigate a case which will unearth very disturbing events. It's also about the obsessive love the MC has for his ex-lover, and to what extent he would do for this ex-lover. Even if it means he does nothing, which ends up in a horrible consequence.
Paul Maloney narrates this story in the first person. We learn much about his dysfunctional life from the age of six into adulthood. His best friend Jade is the one defining person in his life that help keeps Paul glued together. Paul's relationship with his parents are dysfunctional. He lives in a terrible apartment. He goes through a nervous breakdown when his lover dumps him.
What surprised me the most is the change in my feelings about Dominic. As the story unfolds I realized something, in his very messed up, megalomanic psyche, I think Dominic loved Paul.
Paul Maloney is amazingly one screwed person. There is nothing perfect about him, and there are times you'd want to have his head examined because he surely can make wrong moves.
This is not the typical m/m romance, in fact, it's not a romance. This is a crime drama. Paul is asked by his ex-lover to investigate a case which will unearth very disturbing events. It's also about the obsessive love the MC has for his ex-lover, and to what extent he would do for this ex-lover. Even if it means he does nothing, which ends up in a horrible consequence.
Paul Maloney narrates this story in the first person. We learn much about his dysfunctional life from the age of six into adulthood. His best friend Jade is the one defining person in his life that help keeps Paul glued together. Paul's relationship with his parents are dysfunctional. He lives in a terrible apartment. He goes through a nervous breakdown when his lover dumps him.
What surprised me the most is the change in my feelings about Dominic. As the story unfolds I realized something, in his very messed up, megalomanic psyche, I think Dominic loved Paul.
August 19, 2016
Good read
I enjoyed this book, this is a first book I've read from the author. I enjoyed the story and the characters which made me cry, it made a change to have a realistic reaction to a death and that it just wasn't brushed passed. Would of been a 5 star but just needed a bit more informative information to really know the in and outs with some of the plots and just that little extra between relations of characters. Saying that the story gripped me and I'll be wanting to read the second book.
I enjoyed this book, this is a first book I've read from the author. I enjoyed the story and the characters which made me cry, it made a change to have a realistic reaction to a death and that it just wasn't brushed passed. Would of been a 5 star but just needed a bit more informative information to really know the in and outs with some of the plots and just that little extra between relations of characters. Saying that the story gripped me and I'll be wanting to read the second book.
August 17, 2016
This is freaking AWESOME, I wanted to punch the ex, hug Paul and I cried several times.
The writing was tight, great descriptions, loved the PI rules, and the understanding of human emotion displayed through the writing was intense
So if you love angst, a keep you on the edge of your seat plot (I read in one sitting & stayed up to late on a work night) go read
The writing was tight, great descriptions, loved the PI rules, and the understanding of human emotion displayed through the writing was intense
So if you love angst, a keep you on the edge of your seat plot (I read in one sitting & stayed up to late on a work night) go read
May 24, 2013
I very much liked this book.
The protagonist was not an easy one - he suffered from depression and didn't deal very well with tragedy and loss. But he also goes to therapy sessions and tries to mend himself. This felt realistic and made him so very likable. The side characters were simply great (Paul's parents, Jade, her family and not to forget, Dominic).
The crime plot was not very complex, but it also had a very realistic feel to it, as not the heroic PI solved everything, but only contributed a small part to the police work.
It was very enthralling to read about his obsession/amour fou and how this develops intertwined with the crime plot. His "love interest" Dominic (this is not a love story!) is also a fascinating character -
I am very much looking forward to the next story featuring Paul.
The protagonist was not an easy one - he suffered from depression and didn't deal very well with tragedy and loss. But he also goes to therapy sessions and tries to mend himself. This felt realistic and made him so very likable. The side characters were simply great (Paul's parents, Jade, her family and not to forget, Dominic).
The crime plot was not very complex, but it also had a very realistic feel to it, as not the heroic PI solved everything, but only contributed a small part to the police work.
It was very enthralling to read about his obsession/amour fou and how this develops intertwined with the crime plot. His "love interest" Dominic (this is not a love story!) is also a fascinating character -
I am very much looking forward to the next story featuring Paul.
November 12, 2015
I think it's fair to say that this book is definitely not a romance. It's dark and gritty and captivating.
I'm not generally a fan or things written in the first person but this is an incredibly well written mystery/thriller.
Paul Maloney is an incredibly complex character. It doesn't seem to matter how many layers you peal off there are always more underneath.
He's fastidious in his time/date keeping which ,although sometimes a little irritating, means you are never lost as to what is going on or when it is happening. The pace ranges from slowly debating the merits of various whisky's to break neck speed with action and adventure. It was certainly enough to keep me completely hooked.
This is my first Anne Brooke book and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely read more by her.
It's heart poundingly good.
I'm not generally a fan or things written in the first person but this is an incredibly well written mystery/thriller.
Paul Maloney is an incredibly complex character. It doesn't seem to matter how many layers you peal off there are always more underneath.
He's fastidious in his time/date keeping which ,although sometimes a little irritating, means you are never lost as to what is going on or when it is happening. The pace ranges from slowly debating the merits of various whisky's to break neck speed with action and adventure. It was certainly enough to keep me completely hooked.
This is my first Anne Brooke book and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely read more by her.
It's heart poundingly good.
December 27, 2016
So this book was a complete surprise. I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did. And be warned this is not a romance, so if that's what you're looking for then you should probably not read this.
Paul is pretty messed up. He's somewhat obsessive-compulsive; he has a thing about time. It's one of the themes in the story - he's always mentioning how much time has lapsed between one event to the next. He had a prior relationship with the client Dominic & was obsessed with him when Dominic broke things off. He becomes obsessed with the case until he solves it.
The story is quite gritty. So if graphic violence is not something easily handled, I'd advise to pass.
Although Paul is messed up, he has a rather strong moral compass & this allows him to do what he feels is the right thing in the end.
I definitely plan to read the next book.
Paul is pretty messed up. He's somewhat obsessive-compulsive; he has a thing about time. It's one of the themes in the story - he's always mentioning how much time has lapsed between one event to the next. He had a prior relationship with the client Dominic & was obsessed with him when Dominic broke things off. He becomes obsessed with the case until he solves it.
The story is quite gritty. So if graphic violence is not something easily handled, I'd advise to pass.
Although Paul is messed up, he has a rather strong moral compass & this allows him to do what he feels is the right thing in the end.
I definitely plan to read the next book.
July 2, 2013
So, not your normal mystery-romance. This story is creepy and dark. The main character who narrates is a hot mess after a break up three years previous. Really, I was hooked due to his trauma and sadness. I felt so sorry for him; it is a crazy dramatic story. There is action and violence. Some violence is heart wrenching, no one is safe in this story and no character acts how you wish. The ending is unexpected and offers little relief from several pages of intense suffering. A thriller, a mystery, a tragedy, and a romance in only a dark sense. Totally worth the read and impossible to put down. New author for me, I will be looking for more titles from Anne Brooke.
May 9, 2013
The story was well written and interesting the whole time. The plot was well developed and pulling, but I have to admit, I didn't like this writing style. I like to feel the characters, but here I couldn't connect to Paul. I really liked how this story ended considering Paul's affair with Dominic.
April 19, 2013
4 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Wow, just wow! The more I read Ms. Brooke’s books the more I’m coming to the conclusion that this author picks her characters right from the corner of the street. In this book too she has made an extremely great job with her protagonists. But it’s not just them. Every single character here is unique. I couldn’t stop thinking while reading this story that each and every one of them pulses with life, they are true if not real and able to evoke too many emotions from the reader.
Paul Maloney is the leading character here. I’ll disregard his appearance description as it has nothing on his personality. There is nothing perfect on Paul, nothing polished to a box of stereotypes. He was for me, for the duration of the book, very much alive. As the story begins you understand immediately the melancholy that surrounds him, the feeling of being lost in pain and things he can’t control. He is quite obsessive with time, memories and love. Born and raised in a family that let him go and would rather not have him, it feels as if he is constantly running after love, with love always eluding him. He might be a very smart character but here he’s quite stupid with love for the wrong man. He knows it, he tries to change it and he fails. Only when everything is literally over is this character able to move on. He quite reminded me the saying “There is nowhere to go but up, once you reach bottom”.
Dominic Gregory Allen; Paul’s ex-lover, married with two children. Paul’s doom in more ways than one. It is incredible how much I hated this character from the start of the book. I despised him, loathed him with a passion. I was prepared to the classic stereotype when an author makes the misunderstood character “lovable”, gives it absolution and pairs the two men together. Thank you, just thank you for not going there dear author. Dominic is the rich guy who will do everything and anything no matter what for money. He will probably pick a 20 pound note from saving a life, he’s that much of a shark, and he admits it. He knows who he is, what he is and doesn’t shy away from it. Funny thing is that we witness clearly how much he loves Paul. He does, however when it counts he still pick he damn money. He is a sad, sad one, quite pathetic in the end, but oddly enough I felt no pity for him.
Jade, Paul’s assistant and best friend. She is NOT the classical fag-hag even if that’s what comes in mind when you first meet her. She is smart, sensitive and stupid in love with a man that not only can’t see it, but could never possibly reciprocate. She is Paul’s right hand in this job too and his conscience when it comes to his dealings with Dominic.
Blake Kenzie, the bad guy. I have no thoughts for him. He is perhaps the weak part of this story for me. Paul should have withdrawn instantly when he met him in Cairo, but as I said, he’s quite stupid with love here.
So in this book Dominic returns to Paul’s life with a job offer that looks shady the moment he opens his mouth. This case seems easy and clean yet underneath a whole different level of crime lies. I spent the entire book trying to understand why on earth Dominic employed Paul for this. The more Paul finds out the worse the danger. But while everything he unearths are half-truths, things that make no sense the danger is real, constant life threats that are promptly being ignored and I couldn’t understand why. Thing is that Paul himself did not made a show for smarts here. Way I saw him he was mostly lucky with the discovery and Jade made the rest happen. His detective work was a bit fragile. But the story was good and suspense held you a captive till the end. Right in the middle of the book the author drops THE bomb and kills a character I would never guess she would. It was so unexpected that literally takes you by surprise and changes the whole way you view this story. Everything, everything change from that moment on and the emotions are so strong you can feel them flowing off the book.
The end was very much to my satisfaction as well. I have questions about Dominic’s money and what happened to them but I rather liked the turn it took. Although there was the note of optimism coming from Paul, that underlying melancholy that comes hand in hand with him was still there and it made me smile. And I wonder what happens next. No there is no cliffhanger here, just a promise for more.
I loved the book even if it’s a bit bittersweet, or perhaps because of it. Strongly recommended for fans of the genre.
Thommie
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Wow, just wow! The more I read Ms. Brooke’s books the more I’m coming to the conclusion that this author picks her characters right from the corner of the street. In this book too she has made an extremely great job with her protagonists. But it’s not just them. Every single character here is unique. I couldn’t stop thinking while reading this story that each and every one of them pulses with life, they are true if not real and able to evoke too many emotions from the reader.
Paul Maloney is the leading character here. I’ll disregard his appearance description as it has nothing on his personality. There is nothing perfect on Paul, nothing polished to a box of stereotypes. He was for me, for the duration of the book, very much alive. As the story begins you understand immediately the melancholy that surrounds him, the feeling of being lost in pain and things he can’t control. He is quite obsessive with time, memories and love. Born and raised in a family that let him go and would rather not have him, it feels as if he is constantly running after love, with love always eluding him. He might be a very smart character but here he’s quite stupid with love for the wrong man. He knows it, he tries to change it and he fails. Only when everything is literally over is this character able to move on. He quite reminded me the saying “There is nowhere to go but up, once you reach bottom”.
Dominic Gregory Allen; Paul’s ex-lover, married with two children. Paul’s doom in more ways than one. It is incredible how much I hated this character from the start of the book. I despised him, loathed him with a passion. I was prepared to the classic stereotype when an author makes the misunderstood character “lovable”, gives it absolution and pairs the two men together. Thank you, just thank you for not going there dear author. Dominic is the rich guy who will do everything and anything no matter what for money. He will probably pick a 20 pound note from saving a life, he’s that much of a shark, and he admits it. He knows who he is, what he is and doesn’t shy away from it. Funny thing is that we witness clearly how much he loves Paul. He does, however when it counts he still pick he damn money. He is a sad, sad one, quite pathetic in the end, but oddly enough I felt no pity for him.
Jade, Paul’s assistant and best friend. She is NOT the classical fag-hag even if that’s what comes in mind when you first meet her. She is smart, sensitive and stupid in love with a man that not only can’t see it, but could never possibly reciprocate. She is Paul’s right hand in this job too and his conscience when it comes to his dealings with Dominic.
Blake Kenzie, the bad guy. I have no thoughts for him. He is perhaps the weak part of this story for me. Paul should have withdrawn instantly when he met him in Cairo, but as I said, he’s quite stupid with love here.
So in this book Dominic returns to Paul’s life with a job offer that looks shady the moment he opens his mouth. This case seems easy and clean yet underneath a whole different level of crime lies. I spent the entire book trying to understand why on earth Dominic employed Paul for this. The more Paul finds out the worse the danger. But while everything he unearths are half-truths, things that make no sense the danger is real, constant life threats that are promptly being ignored and I couldn’t understand why. Thing is that Paul himself did not made a show for smarts here. Way I saw him he was mostly lucky with the discovery and Jade made the rest happen. His detective work was a bit fragile. But the story was good and suspense held you a captive till the end. Right in the middle of the book the author drops THE bomb and kills a character I would never guess she would. It was so unexpected that literally takes you by surprise and changes the whole way you view this story. Everything, everything change from that moment on and the emotions are so strong you can feel them flowing off the book.
The end was very much to my satisfaction as well. I have questions about Dominic’s money and what happened to them but I rather liked the turn it took. Although there was the note of optimism coming from Paul, that underlying melancholy that comes hand in hand with him was still there and it made me smile. And I wonder what happens next. No there is no cliffhanger here, just a promise for more.
I loved the book even if it’s a bit bittersweet, or perhaps because of it. Strongly recommended for fans of the genre.
Thommie
November 21, 2019
Very depressing.
August 28, 2016
Anne Brooke is one of the most versatile and luminous writers I have ever read. She writes for children, writes comedy, short stories, novellas, and full-length novels. Every single thing I've read has challenged to think differently and stretched my comfort zones. No matter what genre she is writing, she shows us that all human beings share the same concerns, the same issues, the same problems.
Maloney's Law is a beautifully written mystery. It grabbed me from the first word. It starts out with a seemingly straightforward investigation of a potential business deal. The characters have depth. They are real people, not cardboard cutouts moving about. She takes the time to give them personality, to show them in relationships in a believable manner.
One of the things that Brooke excels at is making me interested in characters that I dislike. I intensely disliked Dominic. The more I knew of him, the more I couldn't stand him. The least offensive thing he did was cheat on his wife repeatedly. He had an affair with his administrative assistant and then fired her, with a large pay-off to keep silent. Brooke is a Britsh writer and I don't know British law from the back of my head, but here in the USA we have laws against sexual harassment and I really hate it when employers initiate a sexual relationship with an employee. What's worse, Dominic was planning to have sex with his new administrative assistant. And there is worse to be said of him but I'll keep it to myself because "spoilers, sweetie."
Paul, our hero, is a complicated man with a childhood tragedy overshadowing his entire life. He and Dominic had an affair which Dominic ended because that's what he does. Dominic is a serial cheater, has short-terms affairs and ends them abruptly if he senses any sort of threat to his marriage. Paul is deeply in love with Dominic. Very deeply in love and I didn't and still don't understand it because even before I found out the worst about him, I couldn't stand Dominic and I wanted better for Paul. I was really invested in Paul. I see a lot of myself in Paul.
Paul investigates, then investigates even more deeply. Something truly horrible happens which triggers bad symptoms of PTSD. It's hard to write because I don't want to give anything away. I want readers to make the same discoveries as did I.
I won't kid you, in many ways, this is a dark book. Brooke will take the reader to places maybe the reader doesn't think the reader wants to go. But she does it so skillfully, so masterfully, writing so beautifully, that the reader will follow her into the darkness and then back out of in a redemptive kinda way.
Made the happy discovery that there is a sequel. I am so delighted by that. I can't wait to see what happens to Paul and I very much want him to find some happiness.
Brooke is not a well-known author. She deserves to be more widely known. Read her stuff, tell your friends.
Maloney's Law is a beautifully written mystery. It grabbed me from the first word. It starts out with a seemingly straightforward investigation of a potential business deal. The characters have depth. They are real people, not cardboard cutouts moving about. She takes the time to give them personality, to show them in relationships in a believable manner.
One of the things that Brooke excels at is making me interested in characters that I dislike. I intensely disliked Dominic. The more I knew of him, the more I couldn't stand him. The least offensive thing he did was cheat on his wife repeatedly. He had an affair with his administrative assistant and then fired her, with a large pay-off to keep silent. Brooke is a Britsh writer and I don't know British law from the back of my head, but here in the USA we have laws against sexual harassment and I really hate it when employers initiate a sexual relationship with an employee. What's worse, Dominic was planning to have sex with his new administrative assistant. And there is worse to be said of him but I'll keep it to myself because "spoilers, sweetie."
Paul, our hero, is a complicated man with a childhood tragedy overshadowing his entire life. He and Dominic had an affair which Dominic ended because that's what he does. Dominic is a serial cheater, has short-terms affairs and ends them abruptly if he senses any sort of threat to his marriage. Paul is deeply in love with Dominic. Very deeply in love and I didn't and still don't understand it because even before I found out the worst about him, I couldn't stand Dominic and I wanted better for Paul. I was really invested in Paul. I see a lot of myself in Paul.
Paul investigates, then investigates even more deeply. Something truly horrible happens which triggers bad symptoms of PTSD. It's hard to write because I don't want to give anything away. I want readers to make the same discoveries as did I.
I won't kid you, in many ways, this is a dark book. Brooke will take the reader to places maybe the reader doesn't think the reader wants to go. But she does it so skillfully, so masterfully, writing so beautifully, that the reader will follow her into the darkness and then back out of in a redemptive kinda way.
Made the happy discovery that there is a sequel. I am so delighted by that. I can't wait to see what happens to Paul and I very much want him to find some happiness.
Brooke is not a well-known author. She deserves to be more widely known. Read her stuff, tell your friends.
January 14, 2021
While this book was beautifully written, extremely well-edited, and filled with suspense and mystery, I couldn't find much, if anything, to like about the two main characters. Both were amoral, selfish men. Paul lacked self-esteem and self-respect - traits that were consistently demonstrated by his self-serving actions. He pined over lost love, with most of his behavior dictated by his desire to still please this other man - Dominic, an arrogant adulterer (with two children at home) who happens to be even more amoral, sociopathic, and selfish than Paul. The character development made me stop reading for a while to determine if there was a reason to continue with this book. I did continue through until the end. I finished the book feeling heartbroken and saddened by the intense losses incurred by ALL of the characters. There are no winners here. There is no HEA. There is just a faint hope that Paul can find a small glimmer of happiness in his unpredictable future.
February 4, 2021
This was difficult to read, truth be told. Primarily because of the state of Paul's mental health, which has been shaky at best since the time his sister vanished when they were children and he has had a lot of emotional turmoil throughout his entire adult life. I want things to get better for Paul--I really really do!
And Dominc's sob story about growing up poor. Cry me a river. I wanted to punch him in the face. Ha, I didn't particularly care for that character and rightfully so!
I don't understand the point of Dominic hiring Paul to investigate Delta Egypt. During his evil monologue, Dominic explains he wanted to get more dirt as a hold over Blake. That makes no sense...it's a lame ass excuse in my opinion.
Anywho, Dominic is a despicable man.
Thank goodness Paul is in therapy.
So overall, I had a difficult time getting through the entire book.
And Dominc's sob story about growing up poor. Cry me a river. I wanted to punch him in the face. Ha, I didn't particularly care for that character and rightfully so!
I don't understand the point of Dominic hiring Paul to investigate Delta Egypt. During his evil monologue, Dominic explains he wanted to get more dirt as a hold over Blake. That makes no sense...it's a lame ass excuse in my opinion.
Anywho, Dominic is a despicable man.
Thank goodness Paul is in therapy.
So overall, I had a difficult time getting through the entire book.
May 30, 2021
". . . love. It doesn't make any damn thing right."
This story is heavy! There are no happy people in it. The plot keeps you guessing but, in the middle of the book, something happens that brought back to me all the pain of losing a loved one. Was the finality of that act really necessary Ms. Brooke! I had to stop reading for a while; my heart hurt. I tried to like Paul Maloney, the MC, but could only just manage not to hate him. I can feel sorry for him but not accept his behavior. The author has created real people in ML . The characters are so true to life, flawed, not all bad, not all good, and not heroic or intelligent out of the ordinary. The writing is brilliant but for me this book was a downer. This is not a gay romance; it's a mystery whose MC happens to be gay. If you're looking for a happy ending, pass this by. There's neither an HEA nor an HFN.
This story is heavy! There are no happy people in it. The plot keeps you guessing but, in the middle of the book, something happens that brought back to me all the pain of losing a loved one. Was the finality of that act really necessary Ms. Brooke! I had to stop reading for a while; my heart hurt. I tried to like Paul Maloney, the MC, but could only just manage not to hate him. I can feel sorry for him but not accept his behavior. The author has created real people in ML . The characters are so true to life, flawed, not all bad, not all good, and not heroic or intelligent out of the ordinary. The writing is brilliant but for me this book was a downer. This is not a gay romance; it's a mystery whose MC happens to be gay. If you're looking for a happy ending, pass this by. There's neither an HEA nor an HFN.
July 13, 2014
This is not an m/m romance. Not in any shape, flavor or form. The main character just happens to be gay. It's depressing. And dark. Having picked up a bunch of Anne Brooke books and finding the others silly, light and happy-ish m/m, I expected this to be the same, and was caught by surprise. It made it tough reading.
The thing is, it's not especially memorable as an action thriller. There's just nothing likable about any part of this book, and other than the mild sympathy one feels towards the protagonist, nothing is emotionally engaging here, just a faint curiosity to see what happens next.
And the present tense is just annoying and does not do the book any favors.
The thing is, it's not especially memorable as an action thriller. There's just nothing likable about any part of this book, and other than the mild sympathy one feels towards the protagonist, nothing is emotionally engaging here, just a faint curiosity to see what happens next.
And the present tense is just annoying and does not do the book any favors.
July 25, 2016
Wow!
This book was very powerful. When I first started reading it, I was just skimming it a bit; but then a part of the story caught my eye. I then had to go back and read it from beginning to end. I am so glad I did. I cannot describe the emotions that plays out from the beginning. At first, I was hoping Paul and Dominic would find everlasting love together, but, wow, the more I read the more shocked I was to find out the depths and ruthlessness of Dominic's character, I changed my mind very quickly. Gripping story from beginning to end. Was so glad to see a follow up book that features Craig as a love match.
This book was very powerful. When I first started reading it, I was just skimming it a bit; but then a part of the story caught my eye. I then had to go back and read it from beginning to end. I am so glad I did. I cannot describe the emotions that plays out from the beginning. At first, I was hoping Paul and Dominic would find everlasting love together, but, wow, the more I read the more shocked I was to find out the depths and ruthlessness of Dominic's character, I changed my mind very quickly. Gripping story from beginning to end. Was so glad to see a follow up book that features Craig as a love match.
March 28, 2017
Well, I finished it.
Subtracting one star for present tense. Authors, don't do this! It throws me out of the story every single time.
I understand that Paul is an unreliable narrator, but part of the pleasure of reading a mystery is that the author gives me the same clues that the narrator sees so that I can solve the mystery. I didn't even know what the mystery was, much less how to solve it, until Paul flat-out told me. I found this very frustrating.
I seriously doubt I'll pick up the second in the series, though I would really like to know what happened to Paul's sister.
June 29, 2013
I would definitely recommend these books to thriller fans, I enjoyed both Maloney's Law and it's follow up The Bones of Summer - in fact of all the books I have read from this author, these are my favourites. The only problem is I still want to uncover the mysteries of Paul Maloney's past, so I hope there will be more to follow in this series! I highly recommend reading other reviews for this title as many other satisfied readers have nailed exactly what is right about this book, far more succinctly than I have!
August 20, 2009
Blew me away, a stunning mix of mystery and melodrama and one man's journey thorugh a period of his life when everything seems a struggle. It's not heavy, though there are shocking scenes and strong adult themes. Paul's charm and determination carries the book, he's a great mix of strength and sensitivity and the perfect 'eyes' for the mature plot. Written with wit and excellently clear, entertaining prose.
May 23, 2013
This book is disturbing on many levels. What has happened to Paul in the past, what happens to him in the present, and what will happen to him in the future are all brought to light in a tale of life, death, blackmail, murder, corruption and so much more.
It’s a good read, but it isn’t always a pleasant one. You’ve been warned.
Lucky's original 4 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
It’s a good read, but it isn’t always a pleasant one. You’ve been warned.
Lucky's original 4 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
March 8, 2020
This was more of a mystery / thriller rather than romance. There was very little sexy times. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The mystery was well thought out and I actually liked the development of the characters.
I actually only found this book because i needed a book for a challenge that had a mainly black cover, I am glad I found it and will go on and read book 2 in the series.
I actually only found this book because i needed a book for a challenge that had a mainly black cover, I am glad I found it and will go on and read book 2 in the series.
March 10, 2021
Just re-read this book and it was just as good the second time as the first time. It is a dark book with out a happy ending but it is a great PI book where friendship is more important than family or love. Definitely recommend reading
August 7, 2021
Great Book!!!
This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I thought it was great. It was very well written and engaging. I haven’t read a good mystery in a while and I really really enjoyed it and I look forward to reading other books by this author.
This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I thought it was great. It was very well written and engaging. I haven’t read a good mystery in a while and I really really enjoyed it and I look forward to reading other books by this author.
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