What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks #2
The Ghost Had an Early Check-Out
To live and draw in L.A.
Now living in Los Angeles with former navy SEAL Nick Reno, artist Perry Foster comes to the rescue of elderly and eccentric Horace Daly, the legendary film star of such horror classics as Why Won’t You Die, My Darling?
Horace owns the famous, but now run-down, Hollywood hotel Angels Rest, rumored to be haunted. But as far as Perry can tell, the scariest thing about Angels Rest is the cast of crazy tenants--one of whom seems determined to bring down the final curtain on Horace--and anyone else who gets in the way.
Now living in Los Angeles with former navy SEAL Nick Reno, artist Perry Foster comes to the rescue of elderly and eccentric Horace Daly, the legendary film star of such horror classics as Why Won’t You Die, My Darling?
Horace owns the famous, but now run-down, Hollywood hotel Angels Rest, rumored to be haunted. But as far as Perry can tell, the scariest thing about Angels Rest is the cast of crazy tenants--one of whom seems determined to bring down the final curtain on Horace--and anyone else who gets in the way.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2018
105 people are currently reading
880 people want to read
About the author
Josh Lanyon
225 books5,419 followersAuthor of 100+ titles of Gay Mystery and M/M Romance, Josh Lanyon has built her literary legacy on twisty mystery, kickass adventure, and unapologetic man-on-man romance.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
October 30, 2021
This was very similar to book 1 when it comes to the mystery, though I enjoyed the setting for this one more. It was perfect for this time of year.
I liked seeing Perry and Nick again. There wasn't much relationship development, at least not on page, but there were some sweet moments.
Both the story and audiobook were enjoyable enough.
I liked seeing Perry and Nick again. There wasn't much relationship development, at least not on page, but there were some sweet moments.
Both the story and audiobook were enjoyable enough.
April 12, 2019
Welcome to CrayCray Central...
It pains me to say it, but for me as a big fan of Josh Lanyon's works, this was a huge disappointment. This book is basically a rehash of The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks, only this time set in a loony bin - umm, sorry, dilapidated hotel - with characters resembling The Looney Tunes - umm, cartoon characters - and zero to none relationship development between Perry and Nick. I usually have a penchant for Ms. Lanyon's oddballs, but this was OTT and basically redundant.
As for me, Michael Pauley did a slightly better job with the narration than Max Miller in book #1, but he still couldn't save the story for me.
***2.5 Stars* and the added half star is for the Hotel California reference. ;-)
It pains me to say it, but for me as a big fan of Josh Lanyon's works, this was a huge disappointment. This book is basically a rehash of The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks, only this time set in a loony bin - umm, sorry, dilapidated hotel - with characters resembling The Looney Tunes - umm, cartoon characters - and zero to none relationship development between Perry and Nick. I usually have a penchant for Ms. Lanyon's oddballs, but this was OTT and basically redundant.
As for me, Michael Pauley did a slightly better job with the narration than Max Miller in book #1, but he still couldn't save the story for me.
***2.5 Stars* and the added half star is for the Hotel California reference. ;-)
January 15, 2019
Now this was cute!
I’m not always a fan of following an established couple through a mystery plot, since I read all this mainly for the romance, but this story had such an incredibly captivating sense of place with the mysterious Angel’s Rest hotel and its quirky inhabitants that I absolutely loved every second of it.
70 year old former horror movie star Horace Daly feels threatened. He lives with a few extraordinary tenants in a decrepit hotel and he is convinced that someone is out to kill him. However, if it wasn’t for poor art student Perry getting run over by some guys in skeleton costumes while doing sketches of the beautiful Angel’s Rest hotel, Daly wouldn’t have anybody who actually believes that the threats are real.
Perry promises Daly to investigate and brings in his PI boyfriend Nick to spend Halloween in that scary hotel, where – as usual – things are more complicated than they seem at first glance.
It’s a pretty short story that I found to be a wonderful setting for the return of Perry and Nick. I loved the creepiness of the plot and the many layers to the mystery. The ending was touching, albeit a bit cut short. I would have loved to explore Horace’s feelings a bit more, especially with THAT tragic resolution.
Still, as with almost any Lanyon, this one was definitely worth the wait!
4.5 stars!
I’m not always a fan of following an established couple through a mystery plot, since I read all this mainly for the romance, but this story had such an incredibly captivating sense of place with the mysterious Angel’s Rest hotel and its quirky inhabitants that I absolutely loved every second of it.
70 year old former horror movie star Horace Daly feels threatened. He lives with a few extraordinary tenants in a decrepit hotel and he is convinced that someone is out to kill him. However, if it wasn’t for poor art student Perry getting run over by some guys in skeleton costumes while doing sketches of the beautiful Angel’s Rest hotel, Daly wouldn’t have anybody who actually believes that the threats are real.
Perry promises Daly to investigate and brings in his PI boyfriend Nick to spend Halloween in that scary hotel, where – as usual – things are more complicated than they seem at first glance.
It’s a pretty short story that I found to be a wonderful setting for the return of Perry and Nick. I loved the creepiness of the plot and the many layers to the mystery. The ending was touching, albeit a bit cut short. I would have loved to explore Horace’s feelings a bit more, especially with THAT tragic resolution.
Still, as with almost any Lanyon, this one was definitely worth the wait!
4.5 stars!
December 24, 2018
The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks was one of the earliest Lanyon books I read, after Fair Game and the Adrien English series. I adored Perry and really liked Nick. The atmosphere of the old house full of crazies was perfectly written and eerily portrayed, and the mystery was engaging and just as zany as the people in the house. I've read that book at least three times and enjoyed it more each time.
However, it wasn't a book or a pairing that was crying out for a sequel. Even so, I was one of the ones (semi-)excited when the sequel was first announced a few years ago. But I was nervous too because so many of the JL's books lately just haven't appealed to me or haven't lived up to those earlier books, so I went into this with mixed feelings.
This was painfully average. Once again, I found myself asking "who wrote this" while I was reading it because this isn't the JL of ten years ago, or even of five years ago. The writing was adequate but there was no real sense of atmosphere or the space this story was taking place in, which is too bad because she really could've done a lot with this setting of a broken down hotel full of B-movie horror props. The characters were zany but randomly so, as if their characteristics were chosen by throwing darts at a board. They didn't play off each other very well at all, and there was so little interaction with them - or maybe they were just so forgettable - that I couldn't really keep them straight, even though this only took a little over a day to read. The mystery was all over the place and didn't even make any sense. There are just too many unanswered questions, and it felt like Lanyon was just making things up on the fly instead of plotting out the mystery elements ahead of time.
Most importantly, Nick and Perry's relationship was just there. Because they're a couple and in the same book. It was barely touched upon. They have next to no conflicts in their relationship. Nick is gone a lot because he's the low man on the totem pole at work and has to do the overnight and away assignments, but Perry's busy with work (whatever that is) and school and his paintings, so while he misses Nick it's not really an issue for him. Perry's homesick, but that's hardly touched on either. Nick misses Perry but that's just mentioned in passing. He's frustrated their rare weekend together is being hogged up with a silly mystery in an old house, but other than a couple of short conversations about it, it's also not really an issue. So there was no real development, either individually or as a couple. There was only one sex scene - interrupted thank God, because it was averagely written as the rest of this.
I have to say, I finished this and had to wonder why this story was even necessary. Maybe a lot of this could have been improved if the story had been longer, but then we'd still be waiting for it.
However, it wasn't a book or a pairing that was crying out for a sequel. Even so, I was one of the ones (semi-)excited when the sequel was first announced a few years ago. But I was nervous too because so many of the JL's books lately just haven't appealed to me or haven't lived up to those earlier books, so I went into this with mixed feelings.
This was painfully average. Once again, I found myself asking "who wrote this" while I was reading it because this isn't the JL of ten years ago, or even of five years ago. The writing was adequate but there was no real sense of atmosphere or the space this story was taking place in, which is too bad because she really could've done a lot with this setting of a broken down hotel full of B-movie horror props. The characters were zany but randomly so, as if their characteristics were chosen by throwing darts at a board. They didn't play off each other very well at all, and there was so little interaction with them - or maybe they were just so forgettable - that I couldn't really keep them straight, even though this only took a little over a day to read. The mystery was all over the place and didn't even make any sense. There are just too many unanswered questions, and it felt like Lanyon was just making things up on the fly instead of plotting out the mystery elements ahead of time.
Most importantly, Nick and Perry's relationship was just there. Because they're a couple and in the same book. It was barely touched upon. They have next to no conflicts in their relationship. Nick is gone a lot because he's the low man on the totem pole at work and has to do the overnight and away assignments, but Perry's busy with work (whatever that is) and school and his paintings, so while he misses Nick it's not really an issue for him. Perry's homesick, but that's hardly touched on either. Nick misses Perry but that's just mentioned in passing. He's frustrated their rare weekend together is being hogged up with a silly mystery in an old house, but other than a couple of short conversations about it, it's also not really an issue. So there was no real development, either individually or as a couple. There was only one sex scene - interrupted thank God, because it was averagely written as the rest of this.
I have to say, I finished this and had to wonder why this story was even necessary. Maybe a lot of this could have been improved if the story had been longer, but then we'd still be waiting for it.
December 29, 2018
This is one occasion where I actually took time to re-read the first book before jumping on the sequel. I usually don't do that because I'm not very much a re-read kind of girl. But I practically read the first book almost a decade ago, and I thought, well, I needed a "refreshing course" on Nick and Perry.
Now, I'm not sure whether THAT is a good thing to do now, after I finished. On one hand, I thought Lanyon was able to keep the same "tone" of the first book, which was impressive because, well, like I said, the first book was released in 2008.
However, this book set only 10 months after the first one, and because of that I felt like there wasn't any significant development with Nick and Perry. Nick can still be aggravatingly protective; Perry is still, well, nice. While I can see that they are still sweet to each other, but I guess I need something more. The mystery is okay but the ending is VERY ABRUPT.
Therefore, this falls only on my so-so rating. I did get my own squeeing moment though, because my name is in here, as one of the secondary characters. It feels surreal, that's for sure ^^
Now, I'm not sure whether THAT is a good thing to do now, after I finished. On one hand, I thought Lanyon was able to keep the same "tone" of the first book, which was impressive because, well, like I said, the first book was released in 2008.
However, this book set only 10 months after the first one, and because of that I felt like there wasn't any significant development with Nick and Perry. Nick can still be aggravatingly protective; Perry is still, well, nice. While I can see that they are still sweet to each other, but I guess I need something more. The mystery is okay but the ending is VERY ABRUPT.
Therefore, this falls only on my so-so rating. I did get my own squeeing moment though, because my name is in here, as one of the secondary characters. It feels surreal, that's for sure ^^
December 27, 2018
I approached this warily, seeing no need for a sequel, but having loved the first book so much -it was my first Lanyon and a genre I enjoy- I wanted to read it. And, I still don't think the first book needed a sequel. This doesn't offer anything more.
The first 20% could have been condensed into one page. I was struggling, wanting the story to progress but instead being treated to Perry telling me what Nick must be thinking then Nick's concerns for Perry... it felt heavy handed, there's no relationship development beyond repeated assurances that Perry likes sex, yet at the same time it stops us getting on with the mystery. They don't come across as a joint front.
An indifferent mystery. Perhaps the level of separation is part of that, in the first book they lived in the building while here they're outsiders. The fact the mystery seems more silly than a real concern. The solving was Perry jumping to conclusions and Nick giving a learned evaluation. No detecting. And no one involved garnered any care. Even at the ta-da my reaction was 'oh that's the end then'
And seriously when the powers off who immediately gets into an elevator? Got the feeling that was pointed out and there was a hasty acknowledgement of it a few pages later - but why would you do that?
Ah the quirky, quirky cast. They read like caricatures; there must by a psychic as there was one in the first book, lets give her rainbow hair, it'll be a way to identify her. Their personalities aren't fleshed out in the slightest so they remain pinpointed by their oddity and never feel real or amusing. Also one character referred to by his first name was suddenly being alluded to by his surname in the next sentence. Both nice four letter names. Cue confusion. The only person who sounded vaguely interesting was the Detective, wouldn't be surprised if he got a book of his own, though with this sequel taking a decade...
To me the story felt forced, there's no enjoyment to it, in the writing or reading of. There's none of the fun, the jumping at shadows or odd noises. I LOVED the first book it remains a favourite but this is instantly forgettable. It's so meh it doesn't impact the first.
There's a note that joining JL's newsletter gets you a free audio - but if it's the audio for this no thanks. Sadly I'm going to have to acknowledge JL is no longer an author for me.
The first 20% could have been condensed into one page. I was struggling, wanting the story to progress but instead being treated to Perry telling me what Nick must be thinking then Nick's concerns for Perry... it felt heavy handed, there's no relationship development beyond repeated assurances that Perry likes sex, yet at the same time it stops us getting on with the mystery. They don't come across as a joint front.
An indifferent mystery. Perhaps the level of separation is part of that, in the first book they lived in the building while here they're outsiders. The fact the mystery seems more silly than a real concern. The solving was Perry jumping to conclusions and Nick giving a learned evaluation. No detecting. And no one involved garnered any care. Even at the ta-da my reaction was 'oh that's the end then'
And seriously when the powers off who immediately gets into an elevator? Got the feeling that was pointed out and there was a hasty acknowledgement of it a few pages later - but why would you do that?
Ah the quirky, quirky cast. They read like caricatures; there must by a psychic as there was one in the first book, lets give her rainbow hair, it'll be a way to identify her. Their personalities aren't fleshed out in the slightest so they remain pinpointed by their oddity and never feel real or amusing. Also one character referred to by his first name was suddenly being alluded to by his surname in the next sentence. Both nice four letter names. Cue confusion. The only person who sounded vaguely interesting was the Detective, wouldn't be surprised if he got a book of his own, though with this sequel taking a decade...
To me the story felt forced, there's no enjoyment to it, in the writing or reading of. There's none of the fun, the jumping at shadows or odd noises. I LOVED the first book it remains a favourite but this is instantly forgettable. It's so meh it doesn't impact the first.
There's a note that joining JL's newsletter gets you a free audio - but if it's the audio for this no thanks. Sadly I'm going to have to acknowledge JL is no longer an author for me.
November 3, 2020
About a year after the events from The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks, Nick and Perry are living happily in L.A. Their quarters are rather cramped, the money is sparse, and Nick's job has drastically limited their quality time. But you know, in general, they're happy... ish. That said, the promise of a better future is in the air, so our protagonists are making the most of things.
Of course, Perry just has to stumble on a disturbing bullying scene, at a derelict and supposedly haunted mansion. What a way to spend Halloween!
I first "discovered" Josh Lanyon at a time when I had just about enough of the overly flowery language of the M/F romances. I was so excited to discover a different (much healthier) kind of relationship dynamic in "his" books, with an added bonus of a good who-dunnit mystery. The books from the Adrien English series employed these two tropes just perfectly.
So I jumped in expecting at least a few steamy sex scenes, which would be skillfully tucked into an otherwise exciting murder mystery. What I got instead, where a few lukewarm intimate moments that lasted way to little, a lot of guilt on both sides, and very disappointing murder mystery that gets solved entirely by accident.
Score: 2/5 stars
Maybe I was wrong to look for too much romance in a murder mystery, but the sleuthing aspects didn't impress me either. I'd only recommend this book for the location: an artfully rundown Gothic mansion.
=======================
Review of book 1: The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks
Of course, Perry just has to stumble on a disturbing bullying scene, at a derelict and supposedly haunted mansion. What a way to spend Halloween!
I first "discovered" Josh Lanyon at a time when I had just about enough of the overly flowery language of the M/F romances. I was so excited to discover a different (much healthier) kind of relationship dynamic in "his" books, with an added bonus of a good who-dunnit mystery. The books from the Adrien English series employed these two tropes just perfectly.
So I jumped in expecting at least a few steamy sex scenes, which would be skillfully tucked into an otherwise exciting murder mystery. What I got instead, where a few lukewarm intimate moments that lasted way to little, a lot of guilt on both sides, and very disappointing murder mystery that gets solved entirely by accident.
Score: 2/5 stars
Maybe I was wrong to look for too much romance in a murder mystery, but the sleuthing aspects didn't impress me either. I'd only recommend this book for the location: an artfully rundown Gothic mansion.
=======================
Review of book 1: The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks
January 15, 2019
Well, this was fast. It’s good to see Perry and Nick again but I would prefer to stay with them a bit longer. I really wished this book wasn’t so short.
I really appreciate that Nick and Perry work together unbothered by some unnecessary drama in their relationship. I hate it when the couple squabbles through all the book or split up over some minor issue. Luckily, this is not a case of Perry and Nick and I’m glad about it.
The book, but really it’s more like a longer novella, focuses on the suspense part. And while I find this part very interesting and entertaining, I also acknowledge that this is not the most inventive and ground-breaking plot-line. We have already seen that – a group of people living in an old house with something strange and potentially murderous going on. Yeah, just like the first book in this series. Also true with some other books from Josh Lanyon. And even though I enjoyed the story, I expected something more, something fresh probably. And with less similarities to Agatha Christie works.
As much as I like this story I’m still a bit disappointed.
May 20, 2024
Story: 4 stars
Audio: 4 stars
Good plot.. had similar vibes of the previous story, that was a large boarding house which had a bunch of oddball renters living there; this was an old hotel turned into a housing complex where a bunch of Hollywood -down-on-their-luck type people lived… A strange encounter lands Perry in the middle of a mystery and obviously Nick joins him.
Overall the story was both interesting and insightful since it also showed the growth of Perry and Nick’s relationship ❤️ Plus the best part was the audio; the narrator for this one was a huge improvement from the previous one.. 👍🏻👍🏻
Audio: 4 stars
Good plot.. had similar vibes of the previous story, that was a large boarding house which had a bunch of oddball renters living there; this was an old hotel turned into a housing complex where a bunch of Hollywood -down-on-their-luck type people lived… A strange encounter lands Perry in the middle of a mystery and obviously Nick joins him.
Overall the story was both interesting and insightful since it also showed the growth of Perry and Nick’s relationship ❤️ Plus the best part was the audio; the narrator for this one was a huge improvement from the previous one.. 👍🏻👍🏻
Read
June 2, 2019RTC.
---
SAY. FUCKING. WHAT.
---
SAY. FUCKING. WHAT.
December 28, 2018
Disclosure: I have read reviews before reading this book and the book itself was a loan from a book friend. Several more or less recent books by this author were not exactly hits for me, let's put it this way so I worried and I read reviews and I worried more and kind hearted friend offered to loan the book. Thank you Linda. I wanted to love it though, darn I wanted to love it.
I have reread the first book before starting this one as well, and what hit me this time is that I actually loved it *more* than when I read it first time around.
This one? I actually did not mind at all that the book was set so close in time (ten months I think) after the first one - I mean why not. And because the book was set so close in time I thought it made a perfect sense that guys did not really change that much or at all. Their circumstances in life changed somewhat for the better and they are together, but not their personalities. As somebody else said in the review - Nick is protective, Perry is nice. Moreover, especially after rereading the first book I realized that I was pleased with Nick, because to me he was protective, but not an alphahole - for the most part he tried to encourage and not undermine Perry's confidence when he showed it. I also found Perry to be much stronger character this time around - both in this book and the first one.
What I did not like is how similar plot of this book felt in comparison with the first one. I mean it was not rewritten to the smallest details of course, but I felt as if Nick and Perry were transported to another estate with the weird cast of characters and they were reenacting a very similar story if you look at the broad brushes so to speak.
And I reread the villain's explanation of why they ( I just don't want to reveal the gender of the villain hence pronoun "they", I do not want to imply whether there was one villain or many) were after Horace and I was still confused . That's it? or was it supposed to mean that ?
Also, maybe this would sound contradictory to what I wrote, however while I was pleased that neither Nick or Perry received personality transplant, I was disappointed that we did not learn anything new about them as people. Surely the first book did not reveal *everything* about them and there were still things to learn? I guess not.
Also, maybe this will sound contradictory
I have reread the first book before starting this one as well, and what hit me this time is that I actually loved it *more* than when I read it first time around.
This one? I actually did not mind at all that the book was set so close in time (ten months I think) after the first one - I mean why not. And because the book was set so close in time I thought it made a perfect sense that guys did not really change that much or at all. Their circumstances in life changed somewhat for the better and they are together, but not their personalities. As somebody else said in the review - Nick is protective, Perry is nice. Moreover, especially after rereading the first book I realized that I was pleased with Nick, because to me he was protective, but not an alphahole - for the most part he tried to encourage and not undermine Perry's confidence when he showed it. I also found Perry to be much stronger character this time around - both in this book and the first one.
What I did not like is how similar plot of this book felt in comparison with the first one. I mean it was not rewritten to the smallest details of course, but I felt as if Nick and Perry were transported to another estate with the weird cast of characters and they were reenacting a very similar story if you look at the broad brushes so to speak.
And I reread the villain's explanation of why they ( I just don't want to reveal the gender of the villain hence pronoun "they", I do not want to imply whether there was one villain or many) were after Horace and I was still confused . That's it? or was it supposed to mean that ?
Also, maybe this would sound contradictory to what I wrote, however while I was pleased that neither Nick or Perry received personality transplant, I was disappointed that we did not learn anything new about them as people. Surely the first book did not reveal *everything* about them and there were still things to learn? I guess not.
Also, maybe this will sound contradictory
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2019
Oh Perry! You are still one of my all time favorites MCs.
So this was way more mystery than romance which is not unusual for Lanyon but not really what I was in the mood for today.
So this was way more mystery than romance which is not unusual for Lanyon but not really what I was in the mood for today.
December 23, 2018
Heart-breakingly average after years of waiting...
After a chance meeting with terrorised senior citizen and retired Hollywood star Horace Daly, Perry enlists Nick’s help in solving the mystery of who’s trying to kill Horace set against the backdrop of a crumbly, gothic hotel.
Now. The writing, as always, is skilled. The mystery was well thought out. The romance was kind of sweet at times but lacklustre at best. There was no real character development, or growth, or anything that really made me feel... anything. Which was so SO disappointing after looking forward to this sequel for so long.
I am a huge, huge fan of Josh Lanyon and have read the majority of her back catalogue. The first book of this series is one of my favourite Lanyon books, and I was so looking forward to reading the follow up to Nick and Perry’s story. I don’t know if it’s the fact that my expectations were so high but as I turned the last page of this book, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit let down.
After a chance meeting with terrorised senior citizen and retired Hollywood star Horace Daly, Perry enlists Nick’s help in solving the mystery of who’s trying to kill Horace set against the backdrop of a crumbly, gothic hotel.
Now. The writing, as always, is skilled. The mystery was well thought out. The romance was kind of sweet at times but lacklustre at best. There was no real character development, or growth, or anything that really made me feel... anything. Which was so SO disappointing after looking forward to this sequel for so long.
I am a huge, huge fan of Josh Lanyon and have read the majority of her back catalogue. The first book of this series is one of my favourite Lanyon books, and I was so looking forward to reading the follow up to Nick and Perry’s story. I don’t know if it’s the fact that my expectations were so high but as I turned the last page of this book, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit let down.
September 23, 2019
The mystery had a (very) similar setup to the one in the first book, but what worked well with the atmosphere of a mansion in Vermont around Christmas was a bit boring in an old hotel in L.A. at Halloween.
The second half picked up a bit and I got at least more interested in the relationship aspect. Although some things () seemed to be mentioned and left there without any further development, I liked finding out more about Nick and Perry’s plans for the future and they had some sweet moments together. Despite that, I’ll never be able to read about Nick referring to Perry as “kid” or “kiddo” without cringing. I don’t care if it’s his way of acknowledging the age-gap between them, that’s just creepy.
The second half picked up a bit and I got at least more interested in the relationship aspect. Although some things () seemed to be mentioned and left there without any further development, I liked finding out more about Nick and Perry’s plans for the future and they had some sweet moments together. Despite that, I’ll never be able to read about Nick referring to Perry as “kid” or “kiddo” without cringing. I don’t care if it’s his way of acknowledging the age-gap between them, that’s just creepy.
July 24, 2019
A complementary copy was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. I just loved this. When my request for the ARC was approved I new I would need to re-read The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks so I could refresh my memory. Reading these back to back was awesome and I suggest you do the same. The power of Nick and Perry as a couple is just that much greater when you can see what they went through in book 1 to their happiness in book 2.
Perry can't seem to stay away from weird places and strange residents. This time Perry has stumbled upon a...murder plot? The assailants were dressed in skeleton costumes and had wood swords. Right? Strange. Who would try to kill someone that way? Perry can't resist the mystery or helping someone in distress so Perry agrees to spend the weekend with Horace, the eccentric owner of Angels Rest (hotel turned apartments). When Nick returns home early from a business trip, Nick is NOT going to let Perry stay there without him. There is definitely something strange at Angels Rest and Nick is going to protect/help Perry.
I don't want to spoil what happens. Let just say an alligator is involved. :) Plus a dusty moldy hotel/apartment building with a lot of old time movie memorabilia. The other residents are as I said strange and don't believe Horace has been the repeated subject of harassment or attempted murder. Horace has his suspicions of who is guilty of tormenting him, but he doesn't want to believe it's really true and hampers Nick and Perry's investigation by withholding key facts. And who is surprised by this? Not me, no sir. I totally expected this to go off the rails at the first opportunity and LOVED it! I didn't want to put this down and I can't recommend this enough. What would have made it better is if Nick and Perry had more time as a couple instead of once again facing death by "ghost," lol.
The guilt party is found out, but no clues from me! There is so much going on at Angels Rest and I wish I could see it in real life. I can only imagine the stories that place could tell. And I love old movies and seeing the old props and other things from that era would be so cool. But um, leave the alligator out of it please. :D
I give this 4.25 stars because I wish more of Perry and Nick could have been on page as a couple, not just figuring out the mystery. Which was great! The mystery kept me guessing and I thought I knew what was going on but it turns out I was wrong, and I love when that happens. Fingers crossed so hard there is another book in the series. I just hope JL doesn't make us wait another 10 years. I would wait but not patiently. <3
Wow. I just loved this. When my request for the ARC was approved I new I would need to re-read The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks so I could refresh my memory. Reading these back to back was awesome and I suggest you do the same. The power of Nick and Perry as a couple is just that much greater when you can see what they went through in book 1 to their happiness in book 2.
Perry can't seem to stay away from weird places and strange residents. This time Perry has stumbled upon a...murder plot? The assailants were dressed in skeleton costumes and had wood swords. Right? Strange. Who would try to kill someone that way? Perry can't resist the mystery or helping someone in distress so Perry agrees to spend the weekend with Horace, the eccentric owner of Angels Rest (hotel turned apartments). When Nick returns home early from a business trip, Nick is NOT going to let Perry stay there without him. There is definitely something strange at Angels Rest and Nick is going to protect/help Perry.
I don't want to spoil what happens. Let just say an alligator is involved. :) Plus a dusty moldy hotel/apartment building with a lot of old time movie memorabilia. The other residents are as I said strange and don't believe Horace has been the repeated subject of harassment or attempted murder. Horace has his suspicions of who is guilty of tormenting him, but he doesn't want to believe it's really true and hampers Nick and Perry's investigation by withholding key facts. And who is surprised by this? Not me, no sir. I totally expected this to go off the rails at the first opportunity and LOVED it! I didn't want to put this down and I can't recommend this enough. What would have made it better is if Nick and Perry had more time as a couple instead of once again facing death by "ghost," lol.
The guilt party is found out, but no clues from me! There is so much going on at Angels Rest and I wish I could see it in real life. I can only imagine the stories that place could tell. And I love old movies and seeing the old props and other things from that era would be so cool. But um, leave the alligator out of it please. :D
I give this 4.25 stars because I wish more of Perry and Nick could have been on page as a couple, not just figuring out the mystery. Which was great! The mystery kept me guessing and I thought I knew what was going on but it turns out I was wrong, and I love when that happens. Fingers crossed so hard there is another book in the series. I just hope JL doesn't make us wait another 10 years. I would wait but not patiently. <3
December 29, 2018
3.5 stars
I'm not a big fan of sequels and established couples so my rating reflects that rather than some huge literary disappointment. It was an enjoyable enough read as far as cozy crime novellas go. ; )
I'm not a big fan of sequels and established couples so my rating reflects that rather than some huge literary disappointment. It was an enjoyable enough read as far as cozy crime novellas go. ; )
February 28, 2019
Aspiring artist Perry and ex-navy SEAL turned PI Nick have moved from Vermont to California for a fresh start together, but just like in "The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks" somehow they are still managing to encounter possibly ghost-related murders in mysterious circumstances.
Perry is sketching Angel's Rest - a wonderfully creepy overgrown former hotel owned by famous horror film star Horace Daly - when he hears screams and ends up rescuing Horace Daly from three masked men wearing capes and carrying wooden swords. Kind-hearted Perry offers to help Horace solve the mystery of who is trying to kill him, and he returns for the weekend with his boyfriend Nick in tow.
Lanyon introduces us to an eccentric cast of characters living in Angel's Rest: Horace's passive aggressive cousin Sissy and her husband Jonah who firmly believe Horace is making up all these murder attempts simply for attention, a psychic, a writer, a sous chef, one of Horace's former co-stars / lover, an aging boxer who was once Horace's bodyguard ... oh, and a huge pet alligator named Wally. Combined with Horace's macabre collection of props from his horror films, Angel's Rest is the perfect setting for this engaging mystery. Lanyon gives us plenty of clues, misdirects and red herrings throughout the story to keep us readers engaged, as well as slowly giving us more depth into Perry and Nick's relationship. There's little romance but I love seeing Nick embrace Perry's strengths and the way they support each other.
The pace of the story feels comfortable as we slowly get more details about the various secondary characters and possible motives, and while the ending brings all the threads together nicely, the resolution feels a bit too rushed. If you're looking for an absolutely gripping mystery that rivets you to your chair, "The Ghost Had an Early Check-Out" is not it. But it's an engaging romp with a huge cast of odd characters and if you are looking for an easy read, it's very satisfying. 4 stars.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Perry is sketching Angel's Rest - a wonderfully creepy overgrown former hotel owned by famous horror film star Horace Daly - when he hears screams and ends up rescuing Horace Daly from three masked men wearing capes and carrying wooden swords. Kind-hearted Perry offers to help Horace solve the mystery of who is trying to kill him, and he returns for the weekend with his boyfriend Nick in tow.
Lanyon introduces us to an eccentric cast of characters living in Angel's Rest: Horace's passive aggressive cousin Sissy and her husband Jonah who firmly believe Horace is making up all these murder attempts simply for attention, a psychic, a writer, a sous chef, one of Horace's former co-stars / lover, an aging boxer who was once Horace's bodyguard ... oh, and a huge pet alligator named Wally. Combined with Horace's macabre collection of props from his horror films, Angel's Rest is the perfect setting for this engaging mystery. Lanyon gives us plenty of clues, misdirects and red herrings throughout the story to keep us readers engaged, as well as slowly giving us more depth into Perry and Nick's relationship. There's little romance but I love seeing Nick embrace Perry's strengths and the way they support each other.
The pace of the story feels comfortable as we slowly get more details about the various secondary characters and possible motives, and while the ending brings all the threads together nicely, the resolution feels a bit too rushed. If you're looking for an absolutely gripping mystery that rivets you to your chair, "The Ghost Had an Early Check-Out" is not it. But it's an engaging romp with a huge cast of odd characters and if you are looking for an easy read, it's very satisfying. 4 stars.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
December 19, 2018
Don't get me wrong; it was a good short story. Keyword short. It was nice to see Nick's love for Perry and Perry was sweet. But after TEN years between books, I read this in one work day! I just wanted it longer.
January 6, 2019
Neither better nor worse than the first book.
December 20, 2018
Short and sweet and a bit hollow
I thoroughly enjoyed The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks and this follow-up once again manages to present our beloved characters in their best light. They have not changed much and are still quite enjoyable, on their own as well as as a couple, and the story is nice (but nothing to write home about).
Yet, I was hoping for a bit more. A bit more drama, a bit more relationship development, a better glimpse into Nick's and Perry's lives and struggles and into their plans for the future. Well, maybe next time.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks and this follow-up once again manages to present our beloved characters in their best light. They have not changed much and are still quite enjoyable, on their own as well as as a couple, and the story is nice (but nothing to write home about).
Yet, I was hoping for a bit more. A bit more drama, a bit more relationship development, a better glimpse into Nick's and Perry's lives and struggles and into their plans for the future. Well, maybe next time.
December 29, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
I fell in love with Perry and Nick in their first novel, The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks. With a ten year age gap and Nick, a former Navy Seal who never fancied that he would fall in love, paired with Perry, who wears his heart on his sleeve and thinks the world of Nick, you couldn’t ask for a more delicious couple. They are as different as any two could be and yet theirs is a stable, deep abiding affection that allows little room for unnecessary worry over whether they will make it as a couple. They have a future and this novel goes a long way in solidifying that claim. But Perry is assuredly a danger magnet and Nick spends a great deal of time worrying his boyfriend may end up in trouble more likely than not.
The side characters in this book read like an Agatha Christie’s cast of who’s who and makes this novel even more delightful. With multiple people apparently having an interest in seeing Horace kick the bucket, it’s a race to the end to see who the real culprit is and why. Once again, author Josh Lanyon gives you a clever little mystery with a hint of romance and this time with a touch of the macabre. I loved this short novel and hope against all hope that we will get to see more adventures with Perry and Nick.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
I fell in love with Perry and Nick in their first novel, The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks. With a ten year age gap and Nick, a former Navy Seal who never fancied that he would fall in love, paired with Perry, who wears his heart on his sleeve and thinks the world of Nick, you couldn’t ask for a more delicious couple. They are as different as any two could be and yet theirs is a stable, deep abiding affection that allows little room for unnecessary worry over whether they will make it as a couple. They have a future and this novel goes a long way in solidifying that claim. But Perry is assuredly a danger magnet and Nick spends a great deal of time worrying his boyfriend may end up in trouble more likely than not.
The side characters in this book read like an Agatha Christie’s cast of who’s who and makes this novel even more delightful. With multiple people apparently having an interest in seeing Horace kick the bucket, it’s a race to the end to see who the real culprit is and why. Once again, author Josh Lanyon gives you a clever little mystery with a hint of romance and this time with a touch of the macabre. I loved this short novel and hope against all hope that we will get to see more adventures with Perry and Nick.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
October 27, 2023
I enjoyed it but wow it got wrapped up far too quickly and cleanly thanks to using traditional Scooby Doo-style sleuthing 😅😆
Will I read a 3rd one? (If there's a 3rd one in the series) probably not.
Will I read a 3rd one? (If there's a 3rd one in the series) probably not.
January 8, 2019
While it was a bit odd to be reading a Halloween-centric book during my Christmas holiday, I was glad to finally get my hands on this story so I wasn’t going to let that throw me off.
This story picks up about 10 months after the ending of The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks. Perry and Nick have packed up and moved from Vermont to sunny California. Perry, so he can go to art school, and Nick so he can get a job in a PI/bodyguard firm in LA. The whole mystery is set in motion when Perry, who is out drawing an old Gothic-looking hotel, hears someone being attacked and goes to help out. It turns out that the victim is an old man who was once famous for schlocky horror movies. He asks Perry to help him find out who has been attempting to kill him. Perry, who knows exactly what it feels like to not have anyone believe him (except Nick) about dastardly goings-on, agrees.
As far as the mystery in this goes…it was pretty good. Lanyon has shown to be very adapt at crafting stories that keep the reader guessing, but when looked at in hindsight make perfect sense. That was very much the case here. I would have liked maybe a bit more fleshing out of the person behind all the incidents, but on the whole I found them to work within the story.
The romance was a bit so-so, for me though. I don’t know if the chemistry was a bit off, or I just haven’t read the first book in so long that I was missing something that a reread would have made better. Either way, while I found both Nick and Perry to be decent characters, and the book did a good job of alternating povs so that we get both sides of the equation on them, as a couple they seemed a bit bland. Not bad, but not very memorable either.
I did really enjoy the rather odd cast of secondary characters in this story, though. They are a bit strange at times, and Horace–the man who owns the old hotel–can be extremely over the top, but they created a very interesting backdrop for the mystery to happen against.
On the whole…this wasn’t bad. Not top-tier Lanyon, but a pretty decent follow up to one of her lesser-known mystery novels. And after all this wait, I can’t say I was overly disappointed with what I got.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
This story picks up about 10 months after the ending of The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks. Perry and Nick have packed up and moved from Vermont to sunny California. Perry, so he can go to art school, and Nick so he can get a job in a PI/bodyguard firm in LA. The whole mystery is set in motion when Perry, who is out drawing an old Gothic-looking hotel, hears someone being attacked and goes to help out. It turns out that the victim is an old man who was once famous for schlocky horror movies. He asks Perry to help him find out who has been attempting to kill him. Perry, who knows exactly what it feels like to not have anyone believe him (except Nick) about dastardly goings-on, agrees.
As far as the mystery in this goes…it was pretty good. Lanyon has shown to be very adapt at crafting stories that keep the reader guessing, but when looked at in hindsight make perfect sense. That was very much the case here. I would have liked maybe a bit more fleshing out of the person behind all the incidents, but on the whole I found them to work within the story.
The romance was a bit so-so, for me though. I don’t know if the chemistry was a bit off, or I just haven’t read the first book in so long that I was missing something that a reread would have made better. Either way, while I found both Nick and Perry to be decent characters, and the book did a good job of alternating povs so that we get both sides of the equation on them, as a couple they seemed a bit bland. Not bad, but not very memorable either.
I did really enjoy the rather odd cast of secondary characters in this story, though. They are a bit strange at times, and Horace–the man who owns the old hotel–can be extremely over the top, but they created a very interesting backdrop for the mystery to happen against.
On the whole…this wasn’t bad. Not top-tier Lanyon, but a pretty decent follow up to one of her lesser-known mystery novels. And after all this wait, I can’t say I was overly disappointed with what I got.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
July 2, 2019
Audiobook reviewIt’s Halloween and Perry and (a very reluctant) Nick is spending it at the haunted Angels Rest hotel. The eccentric owner is convinced someone has tried to kill him every Halloween for the past few years and has convinced Perry to investigate. Perry and Nick are sceptic, but then things starts happening. Some that can be explained away by the old and run-down building, but some are more sinister. And maybe there is something to the old man’s claims after all.
This book was without a doubt entertaining and it was nice to see Nick and Perry again, to see how they fared. Not much have happened or changed since then, but it was still nice to re-visit. This book, just like the first, was mostly focused on the mystery, but I loved the sweet moments between the guys. And just like with the first book, I loved the sense of place Lanyon created. That haunted and creepy feeling was still there and it made it all a better listen.
One of my favourite parts of this book was the pet alligator. The very much alive alligator – intent on breaking into one of the apartments, and possibly have one of the tenants for a snack. Which unfailingly brings me to; who in their right mind want to live in the same house as an unfriendly alligator?? That being said it was entertaining (for me) and it for sure was different.
I’m a big fan of Michael Pauley’s, you probably know that by now. Unfortunately I’m not a fan of switching narrator in the middle of a series, especially a series following the same couple. Well, at least not when I enjoyed the first narrator, and I did enjoy Miller’s interpretation. So before even starting Pauley had a huge disadvantage. But ignoring that and focusing only on the narration of this book he did do a great job portraying the characters and the plot. Nick’s overprotectiveness rang so clear at every hint of even the slightest danger to Perry. But so did the love and connection between them.
The Ghost Had an Early Check-Out had the same feel as many of Lanyon’s mystery novels. So in that sense it doesn’t surprise or bring anything new. But you know what? I love a great murder mystery so please keep them coming.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
December 30, 2018
This was pretty good (well honestly it was pretty ok) but not great for me. The first book is one of my least favorites by this author so I wasn't expecting to be wow'd by this one but I am forever hopeful. It's mostly a mystery story and that was entertaining.
Very little development on the relationship which is what I really wanted to see. I didn't feel any connection between the two mc's in the first book but I did here. They clearly love each other and are sweet and kind to each other which I enjoyed. It wasn't filled with emotion or making me swoon though. Nick kept thinking about how bad he felt that he doesn't tell Perry he loves him and I kept waiting for him to fix that but he doesn't. I'm not really sure what the point of it all was.
One of my biggest issues will probably seem stupid to a lot of others but I CAN NOT stand how Nick calls Perry "kid" or "kiddo" all the time. First off a 10 year age gap is not that much when you're in your 20's & 30's and more importantly it's icky and creepy. I do not want to read about people having sex with each other when one is considered "the kid". Super gross to me and it was like throwing an ice cold bucket of water on me every time it came out of Nick's mouth.
The ending was very abrupt so I have no idea if there will be another book or not. I don't think I'll be reading it though if there is. Nick and Perry the "kiddo" have gone past their expiration date for me.
Very little development on the relationship which is what I really wanted to see. I didn't feel any connection between the two mc's in the first book but I did here. They clearly love each other and are sweet and kind to each other which I enjoyed. It wasn't filled with emotion or making me swoon though. Nick kept thinking about how bad he felt that he doesn't tell Perry he loves him and I kept waiting for him to fix that but he doesn't. I'm not really sure what the point of it all was.
One of my biggest issues will probably seem stupid to a lot of others but I CAN NOT stand how Nick calls Perry "kid" or "kiddo" all the time. First off a 10 year age gap is not that much when you're in your 20's & 30's and more importantly it's icky and creepy. I do not want to read about people having sex with each other when one is considered "the kid". Super gross to me and it was like throwing an ice cold bucket of water on me every time it came out of Nick's mouth.
The ending was very abrupt so I have no idea if there will be another book or not. I don't think I'll be reading it though if there is. Nick and Perry the "kiddo" have gone past their expiration date for me.
December 30, 2018
I came to this book a bit wary because I have seen mixed reviews about it and some of them by people who I usually share opinions with wasn't good. But in the end, it worked for me. I agree with some of the reviews I've read after I finished the book. The first book ended in a good point and a second part wasn't exactly necessary, but despite that, I enjoyed reading again about Perry and Nick. This book is similar than the previous one, it has the same feeling and the characters keep their voices, which I find really amazing taking into consideration that the other book was written 10 years ago, but I wish it would have been longer. I think it has some unexploited potential. I could have done with more background about the tenants in the hotel and the hotel itself, and more clues about the mystery going on. The mystery felt a bit rushed at the end. Still, I enjoyed the book a lot but I liked the first one more.
Read
August 19, 2019I LOVED the first book - The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks. It was one of the first books I read by Lanyon, and it helped turn me down the road to reading romance and mysteries starring queer characters. I have a special place in my heart for that book.
So I felt some disappointment with this long- awaited sequel. Maybe the author felt more forced to write this because it definitely feels more joyless in comparison to the first. The mystery felt tedious, most of the side characters leaned heavy on the side of Irritating, and the heart of things- Nick and Perry's developing relationship felt very backseat to the (tedious) mystery, with good swatches of the story with them being separated and hanging out with the (irritating) suspects.
This felt like more of a "book 3 in a long - running mystery series where the MCs bop from case to case with some peril mixed in with a smidge of character development to tide you over to the next book which comes out 3-6 months." But that's not the case so this book felt forced but also weightless, plus no promise for the future.
It felt inconsequential, which made me sad because the first is one of my faves. I wish more time had been to devoted to Perry and Nick. The story felt somewhat lifeless outside of the interludes of them together.
So I felt some disappointment with this long- awaited sequel. Maybe the author felt more forced to write this because it definitely feels more joyless in comparison to the first. The mystery felt tedious, most of the side characters leaned heavy on the side of Irritating, and the heart of things- Nick and Perry's developing relationship felt very backseat to the (tedious) mystery, with good swatches of the story with them being separated and hanging out with the (irritating) suspects.
This felt like more of a "book 3 in a long - running mystery series where the MCs bop from case to case with some peril mixed in with a smidge of character development to tide you over to the next book which comes out 3-6 months." But that's not the case so this book felt forced but also weightless, plus no promise for the future.
It felt inconsequential, which made me sad because the first is one of my faves. I wish more time had been to devoted to Perry and Nick. The story felt somewhat lifeless outside of the interludes of them together.
February 20, 2020
Typical Josh Lanyon mystery. A creepy dilapidated hotel, the owner an eccentric retired actor, some quirky tenants and an hungry alligator.
Unfortunately the romance between Perry and Nick got only a few pages and the ending of the story was rather abrupt.
3.5 stars
Unfortunately the romance between Perry and Nick got only a few pages and the ending of the story was rather abrupt.
3.5 stars
October 11, 2021
See, the review for books 1 and 2 of the series in 1st book.💕💕
November 3, 2023
That was a fun mystery. Fans of The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks will want to read this one.
The audio is nicely performed by Michael Pauley.
The audio is nicely performed by Michael Pauley.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews