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Boystown #12
Broken Cord
In the latest installment of the Lambda Award-winning Boystown Mysteries, it’s summer 1985.
As Nick’s personal life begins to unravel, Nick throws himself headlong into investigating the murder of a woman married to a much older, wealthy man. It appears that only her husband could have killed her, but Nick is sure that’s not what happened. Meanwhile, Rita Lundquist makes her presence known, posing a continuing threat to Nick and those around him.
As Nick’s personal life begins to unravel, Nick throws himself headlong into investigating the murder of a woman married to a much older, wealthy man. It appears that only her husband could have killed her, but Nick is sure that’s not what happened. Meanwhile, Rita Lundquist makes her presence known, posing a continuing threat to Nick and those around him.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2019
60 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Marshall Thornton
56 books629 followersThree-time Lambda Award-winning author, Marshall Thornton is best known for the Boystown and Pinx Video mystery series. Other novels include the erotic comedy The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood, Desert Run and Full Release. Marshall has an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he received the Carl David Memorial Fellowship and was recognized in the Samuel Goldwyn Writing awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 1, 2021
Re-Read - June 2021
Infinity plus stars. One of the best one in this series.
GAAAAHHHH!!! Nick!
Then I thought about the way each time a record album is played the grooves that hold the stylus get a tiny bit deeper. Grief is like that, etching its way deeper and deeper into my heart. But then, at the same time, grief is a talent, a skill, something I grow better at with each loss. It doesn’t seem like both ideas can be true, but I think they are. Even as the grief deepens, it becomes easier to carry.
I still hate Joseph! I hate him sooooooo much.
**********************************************
Infinity stars for this book
Sooooo..... Book 12 happened! And it was GAAAAAAAAHHH!
I Can't
Page one sets the mood for the whole story. It starts with a heartbreak and ends with a heartbreak.
Nick! Nick! Nick! You deserve a break.
Nick has grown so much, this is one series that gets better with each book. Marshall has remained authentic throughout this series. I am afraid to read the last book, i don't want it to be over.
The feel of the 1980s is so on point. Damn HIV/AIDS epidemic did a number on people. Seeing these characters go through that is heartbreaking. I just want them to be okay.
I sound like a broken record already, but i have to mention this again. The writing is incredible. The story flows so well and Nick is one engaging narrator. I am never bored.
I CAN'T
I HATE JOSEPH! I hate Joseph with a passion. I FREAKING HATE JOSEPH. Bu...but.. hate is a strong word. Yeah it is! I still freaking HATE Joseph.
I LOVE NICK. He is a darling.
Infinity plus stars. One of the best one in this series.
GAAAAHHHH!!! Nick!
Then I thought about the way each time a record album is played the grooves that hold the stylus get a tiny bit deeper. Grief is like that, etching its way deeper and deeper into my heart. But then, at the same time, grief is a talent, a skill, something I grow better at with each loss. It doesn’t seem like both ideas can be true, but I think they are. Even as the grief deepens, it becomes easier to carry.
I still hate Joseph! I hate him sooooooo much.
**********************************************
Infinity stars for this book
Sooooo..... Book 12 happened! And it was GAAAAAAAAHHH!
I Can't
Page one sets the mood for the whole story. It starts with a heartbreak and ends with a heartbreak.
Nick! Nick! Nick! You deserve a break.
Nick has grown so much, this is one series that gets better with each book. Marshall has remained authentic throughout this series. I am afraid to read the last book, i don't want it to be over.
The feel of the 1980s is so on point. Damn HIV/AIDS epidemic did a number on people. Seeing these characters go through that is heartbreaking. I just want them to be okay.
I sound like a broken record already, but i have to mention this again. The writing is incredible. The story flows so well and Nick is one engaging narrator. I am never bored.
I CAN'T
I HATE JOSEPH! I hate Joseph with a passion. I FREAKING HATE JOSEPH. Bu...but.. hate is a strong word. Yeah it is! I still freaking HATE Joseph.
I LOVE NICK. He is a darling.
April 2, 2019
What should I say?
It is the book #12 in the series and WE (readers who appreciate the power of WORDS) are NOT SIMPLY here, no, we are ADDICTED to this series. If you haven't YET read it, you should start today, or better yesterday.
I LOVE this book. Broken Cord is my second best (after the book #5) in the series. And I assure you, it means something, because I actually LOVE all books in the series, but this one is a gem among gems.
Without giving anything away - it is always difficult to review mystery books - there are actually two mysteries in it, the one is solved, the other one is to be continued, what means that the actual THREAD for Nick is STILL present. Or better to say, we have something to find out in the next book.
My favorite part in this book though was not the mystery part - on a side note, a mystery fan is talking - but Nick's private life/worries/concerns. And it was GRANDIOSE. The ending is BOMBASTIC. Like, WOW. And me not be able to read anything after, not be able even to considering or thinking about any book AFTER. Accept THIS ending. And it was just wow-ischly EMOTIONAL. (The ridiculous part about the ending WAS I knew it (would come), I wanted it, and WTF (shame on you, Lena, it is your fault).
I have to mention the exceptional ATMOSPHERE of the 1980s again. It was JUST right. Right in every single detail.
EXCELLENT.
It is the book #12 in the series and WE (readers who appreciate the power of WORDS) are NOT SIMPLY here, no, we are ADDICTED to this series. If you haven't YET read it, you should start today, or better yesterday.
I LOVE this book. Broken Cord is my second best (after the book #5) in the series. And I assure you, it means something, because I actually LOVE all books in the series, but this one is a gem among gems.
Without giving anything away - it is always difficult to review mystery books - there are actually two mysteries in it, the one is solved, the other one is to be continued, what means that the actual THREAD for Nick is STILL present. Or better to say, we have something to find out in the next book.
My favorite part in this book though was not the mystery part - on a side note, a mystery fan is talking - but Nick's private life/worries/concerns. And it was GRANDIOSE. The ending is BOMBASTIC. Like, WOW. And me not be able to read anything after, not be able even to considering or thinking about any book AFTER. Accept THIS ending. And it was just wow-ischly EMOTIONAL. (The ridiculous part about the ending WAS I knew it (would come), I wanted it, and WTF (shame on you, Lena, it is your fault).
I have to mention the exceptional ATMOSPHERE of the 1980s again. It was JUST right. Right in every single detail.
EXCELLENT.
July 11, 2019
What a book!!! Excellent!!! The second best after the 5th installment.
It almost gave me a heart attack the closer I got to the end 😳 I don't know why, but I was absolutely convinced that this is the last part of the series. What I need like right now is book number 13!
It almost gave me a heart attack the closer I got to the end 😳 I don't know why, but I was absolutely convinced that this is the last part of the series. What I need like right now is book number 13!
July 2, 2019
Broken Cord (Boystown 12)
By Marshall Thornton
Kenmore Books, 2019
Five stars
This is a sucker-punch to the gut. Nick Nowak is an old friend for Thornton’s faithful readers, and it is hard to see our friends suffer. For readers of my generation, it is doubly hard to re-live the 1980s in such excruciating detail. This discomfort, however, is at the core of Thornton’s power as a storyteller. The Boystown books are collectively Nick Nowak’s Odyssey, his journey through hell. I’m just hoping that there’s something bright at the other side.
There are two deaths in this book – one young, one old. One is personal to Nick, one is business, and yet he brings his whole humanity to each of them, his former inchoate anger focused, relentless in his pursuit of justice and meaning in a world that is beyond his understanding or control. Death, however, is a constant presence here, lurking in Nick’s peripheral vision like a shadow.
There are always three intertwined threads in these books: the long-arc stories, the specific murders tied to each book, and the personal timeline. Right now, Nick’s personal story is the most painful, leaving him blindsided and bereft in a way he never anticipated. He uses the other two threads – an old enemy resurfaces, gun in hand, while a complex scam ends in a baffling murder – to hold himself together, to keep moving forward professionally, even as his private world is crumbling around him.
As I’ve noted before, Thornton’s writing gets better with each installment of Nick’s tortuous path. Despite the darkness that fills this book, there is a good deal of dry humor scattered throughout. Pain – his own and other people’s – has ripened Nick. He’s not the macho Neanderthal he was in the first books. He’s a kind of broken superhero, strangely fearless and sure of himself. He’s also sensitive, aware of beauty, thoughtful and introspective. He’s a far cry from the guy we didn’t like much in the first book.
Nick is only thirty-five. I had somehow thought this series was heading toward a conclusion, but Thornton has faked me out with “Broken Chord.” Nick is now poised at the edge of a cliff, looking out over a vast landscape. How will he get to that distant place from where he stands? How will he survive?
I can’t think of a better way to make me keep reading.
By Marshall Thornton
Kenmore Books, 2019
Five stars
This is a sucker-punch to the gut. Nick Nowak is an old friend for Thornton’s faithful readers, and it is hard to see our friends suffer. For readers of my generation, it is doubly hard to re-live the 1980s in such excruciating detail. This discomfort, however, is at the core of Thornton’s power as a storyteller. The Boystown books are collectively Nick Nowak’s Odyssey, his journey through hell. I’m just hoping that there’s something bright at the other side.
There are two deaths in this book – one young, one old. One is personal to Nick, one is business, and yet he brings his whole humanity to each of them, his former inchoate anger focused, relentless in his pursuit of justice and meaning in a world that is beyond his understanding or control. Death, however, is a constant presence here, lurking in Nick’s peripheral vision like a shadow.
There are always three intertwined threads in these books: the long-arc stories, the specific murders tied to each book, and the personal timeline. Right now, Nick’s personal story is the most painful, leaving him blindsided and bereft in a way he never anticipated. He uses the other two threads – an old enemy resurfaces, gun in hand, while a complex scam ends in a baffling murder – to hold himself together, to keep moving forward professionally, even as his private world is crumbling around him.
As I’ve noted before, Thornton’s writing gets better with each installment of Nick’s tortuous path. Despite the darkness that fills this book, there is a good deal of dry humor scattered throughout. Pain – his own and other people’s – has ripened Nick. He’s not the macho Neanderthal he was in the first books. He’s a kind of broken superhero, strangely fearless and sure of himself. He’s also sensitive, aware of beauty, thoughtful and introspective. He’s a far cry from the guy we didn’t like much in the first book.
Nick is only thirty-five. I had somehow thought this series was heading toward a conclusion, but Thornton has faked me out with “Broken Chord.” Nick is now poised at the edge of a cliff, looking out over a vast landscape. How will he get to that distant place from where he stands? How will he survive?
I can’t think of a better way to make me keep reading.
February 7, 2020
This book really takes the gloves off, as Nick's personal life is unravelling in many ways. As a young gay man in Chicago in that era, everyone around him is looking death in the face in their own ways. Ross is sicker and will not be getting better, ever. Brian is positive. Nick and Joseph have put off their own moments of reckoning long enough, but now it's time to face their own futures, together and separately.
Amid the personal chaos, Nick takes on a case of murder that is likely to be a family affair. A woman married to a much older man, living with him, his two toxic adult children from a previous marriage, and her own teen son, was murdered in a highrise bathroom and everything points to the husband. But Nick was conned into providing the husband with a motive, and he resents that, and it makes him pretty sure the man was actually innocent. Nick has never been one to leave that kind of injustice festering.
And while he investigates that one, in a large way for his own satisfaction, Rita appears back on the horizon, running more scams. She hasn't changed a bit, and he knows she's holding a grudge. It's just a matter of time before her attention is likely to turn his way, unless he can track her down and get her behind bars.
This is a very personal book. The mystery is solid, but not deeply engrossing. Most of the people involved are not very sympathetic, so there's no big emotional investment in who turns out to be guilty. But it is Nick's own life, the strain that HIV/AIDS is putting on him and everyone around him, and the threat of Rita hanging over him, that carries the book forward. The mystery gets solved but the personal end is very unresolved, and I was glad that the last one is out, and that I could immediately get it and open the story.
One more excellent piece of the life story of a complex and interesting man, at a dark time in gay history.
Amid the personal chaos, Nick takes on a case of murder that is likely to be a family affair. A woman married to a much older man, living with him, his two toxic adult children from a previous marriage, and her own teen son, was murdered in a highrise bathroom and everything points to the husband. But Nick was conned into providing the husband with a motive, and he resents that, and it makes him pretty sure the man was actually innocent. Nick has never been one to leave that kind of injustice festering.
And while he investigates that one, in a large way for his own satisfaction, Rita appears back on the horizon, running more scams. She hasn't changed a bit, and he knows she's holding a grudge. It's just a matter of time before her attention is likely to turn his way, unless he can track her down and get her behind bars.
This is a very personal book. The mystery is solid, but not deeply engrossing. Most of the people involved are not very sympathetic, so there's no big emotional investment in who turns out to be guilty. But it is Nick's own life, the strain that HIV/AIDS is putting on him and everyone around him, and the threat of Rita hanging over him, that carries the book forward. The mystery gets solved but the personal end is very unresolved, and I was glad that the last one is out, and that I could immediately get it and open the story.
One more excellent piece of the life story of a complex and interesting man, at a dark time in gay history.
January 13, 2020
4.8 stars
I was reading this book with a constant feeling that we were quickly approaching the inevitable, that something was about to collapse. And it happened.
Somehow I knew that Joseph . It's been headed this way since they decided to take the test. And once again my heart broke for Nick. He seemed so lost in the end, everything was slipping away from him: Mrs. Harker, his friends, his lover...
I don't think I like Mr. Thornton much right now. And I'm very anxiously looking forward to the last installment.
I was reading this book with a constant feeling that we were quickly approaching the inevitable, that something was about to collapse. And it happened.
Somehow I knew that Joseph . It's been headed this way since they decided to take the test. And once again my heart broke for Nick. He seemed so lost in the end, everything was slipping away from him: Mrs. Harker, his friends, his lover...
I don't think I like Mr. Thornton much right now. And I'm very anxiously looking forward to the last installment.
December 8, 2019
Wow I wanna scream, this can't be it nooo...fuck man, what a cliffhanger what's Nick gonna do?.
The mystery was really good, for a moment I was thorn between two suspects but I never thought the reasons were going to come from the place they came lol. Marshall knows how to make both simple and complex mysteries that catch you no matter what. That's what I've always liked about this series. Also, sometimes Nick's personal problems overwhelm his life other times it's the case he's working on, but when it's both? Boy do need to watch out for heartbreak when it's both...
Will patiently wait for the 13th book...is it going to be the final? I hope not.
The mystery was really good, for a moment I was thorn between two suspects but I never thought the reasons were going to come from the place they came lol. Marshall knows how to make both simple and complex mysteries that catch you no matter what. That's what I've always liked about this series. Also, sometimes Nick's personal problems overwhelm his life other times it's the case he's working on, but when it's both? Boy do need to watch out for heartbreak when it's both...
Will patiently wait for the 13th book...is it going to be the final? I hope not.
July 19, 2020
Daaaaaaaamn. #10 slumped and I almost left the party, thinking the series had run its course. But #11 got back on track and this one was just TIGHT.
January 30, 2020
I have no words
March 4, 2019
The author provided me with a beta copy of this book.
I'm giving it five stars for the plot, but it left me feeling down.
Nick is working on two simultaneous meaty cases. In both he goes beyond his duty, which may not be a good thing. Meanwhile, he's neglecting his personal life. We hear almost nothing about his sort-of ward Terry, because there's just too much else going on.
Nick suffers several setbacks and losses, as do just about everyone in his home and professional spheres. I can't think of anyone who's satisfied with the outcomes of his cases or has anything to look forward to at the end of the book. There are also two unresolved threats hanging over Nick's head.
It takes place when Reagan is president, there is no effective treatment for preventing HIV positive people from developing AIDS, and no one is the US seems to be pursuing one.
I'm going to read a light, happy book now.
I'm giving it five stars for the plot, but it left me feeling down.
Nick is working on two simultaneous meaty cases. In both he goes beyond his duty, which may not be a good thing. Meanwhile, he's neglecting his personal life. We hear almost nothing about his sort-of ward Terry, because there's just too much else going on.
Nick suffers several setbacks and losses, as do just about everyone in his home and professional spheres. I can't think of anyone who's satisfied with the outcomes of his cases or has anything to look forward to at the end of the book. There are also two unresolved threats hanging over Nick's head.
It takes place when Reagan is president, there is no effective treatment for preventing HIV positive people from developing AIDS, and no one is the US seems to be pursuing one.
I'm going to read a light, happy book now.
March 30, 2019
Another excellent book in the series
I don’t want to say anything about the plot, no spoilers. I do want to say that Marshall Thornton is an excellent author. I felt so much for Nick, I thought he had it rough in the last book. I am hoping the next book in the series is as good, but maybe not so heartrending. Highly recommend.
I don’t want to say anything about the plot, no spoilers. I do want to say that Marshall Thornton is an excellent author. I felt so much for Nick, I thought he had it rough in the last book. I am hoping the next book in the series is as good, but maybe not so heartrending. Highly recommend.
November 28, 2019
I, I just don’t even know where to start with this book. I’m just stunned. Stunned. Marshall Thornton always writes a masterpiece, but he broke me with this book. I mean I am just shattered. And it ended in a cliffhanger which just destroys me even more.
I can’t give away anything in case there are those of you who haven’t read it, and I’m here to tell you if you haven’t read this series, you are seriously missing out. Seriously.
In Nick’s life, things have been unraveling and fast. With AIDS and the HIV virus on the rampage, seeing his own friends getting it is killing him. And now it’s hit even closer to home. He’s just lost his ex’s mother, which he didn’t think would bother him, but really is, and an old enemy is back in town and he’s made her very unhappy. Hell, he’s made several enemies unhappy and all of them are threatening bad stuff. One even tries to shoot him. But it’s the case he’s on that is really got him going. Because he knows the husband didn’t do what he’s being accused of. Because he supposedly met the husband and they are not the same man. Everything is falling apart around him and he is honestly completely lost on what to do anymore. And the one person he thought he could rely on, he now can’t. And he doesn’t know how to cope.
You know, I have loved seeing Nick grow and change into the man he is today. He’s been through hell and back, some of his own making, some just circumstances he has no control over. Like the whole AIDS/HIV thing. But this book, dear heaven, I wouldn’t wish what Nick is going through on anyone. It is coming at him from every direction. I mean EVERY direction. Every way he turns, something seems to be going wrong. The title of this book is very appropriate. He’s becoming so broken by things that are happening and this is one time I wish for sure I could reach through a book and hug someone. Jeez.
I’m just so stunned. The book is amazing, don’t get me wrong. Marshall is such an amazing writer, but I’m still overwhelmed by this book. I haven’t stopped crying yet. It’s a hard one. I think this is the hardest one of the whole series and that’s saying a lot. It’s worth it because the writing is so good but damn. I hope there’s a book thirteen and that it is coming soon. I can’t handle not knowing something for much longer.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
I can’t give away anything in case there are those of you who haven’t read it, and I’m here to tell you if you haven’t read this series, you are seriously missing out. Seriously.
In Nick’s life, things have been unraveling and fast. With AIDS and the HIV virus on the rampage, seeing his own friends getting it is killing him. And now it’s hit even closer to home. He’s just lost his ex’s mother, which he didn’t think would bother him, but really is, and an old enemy is back in town and he’s made her very unhappy. Hell, he’s made several enemies unhappy and all of them are threatening bad stuff. One even tries to shoot him. But it’s the case he’s on that is really got him going. Because he knows the husband didn’t do what he’s being accused of. Because he supposedly met the husband and they are not the same man. Everything is falling apart around him and he is honestly completely lost on what to do anymore. And the one person he thought he could rely on, he now can’t. And he doesn’t know how to cope.
You know, I have loved seeing Nick grow and change into the man he is today. He’s been through hell and back, some of his own making, some just circumstances he has no control over. Like the whole AIDS/HIV thing. But this book, dear heaven, I wouldn’t wish what Nick is going through on anyone. It is coming at him from every direction. I mean EVERY direction. Every way he turns, something seems to be going wrong. The title of this book is very appropriate. He’s becoming so broken by things that are happening and this is one time I wish for sure I could reach through a book and hug someone. Jeez.
I’m just so stunned. The book is amazing, don’t get me wrong. Marshall is such an amazing writer, but I’m still overwhelmed by this book. I haven’t stopped crying yet. It’s a hard one. I think this is the hardest one of the whole series and that’s saying a lot. It’s worth it because the writing is so good but damn. I hope there’s a book thirteen and that it is coming soon. I can’t handle not knowing something for much longer.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
October 9, 2023
broken cord? more like broken Alyssa 😭😭😭 never has a book been sandwiched by tragedies as well as this one.
Then I thought about the way each time a record album is played the grooves that hold the stylus get a tiny bit deeper. Grief is like that, etching its way deeper and deeper into my heart. But then, at the same time, grief is a talent, a skill, something I grow better at with each loss. It doesn’t seem like both ideas can be true, but I think they are. Even as the grief deepens, it becomes easier to carry.
April 3, 2019
It was a very emotional ride this book.
I liked the cases (and especially Teddy), the personal story so ...
I loved it, but it reminded me very much of the Henry Rios book by Michael Nava.
I liked the cases (and especially Teddy), the personal story so ...
I loved it, but it reminded me very much of the Henry Rios book by Michael Nava.
March 29, 2019
Boystown 13 NOW!!!!!!!!!!
I need Boystown 13 now to cure this incredible book hangover. Started this book at 5am. Read it nonstop to finish at 9am. Send Ross a miracle cure, or miss diagnosis Nick needs his F@## buddy, more than ever.
I need Boystown 13 now to cure this incredible book hangover. Started this book at 5am. Read it nonstop to finish at 9am. Send Ross a miracle cure, or miss diagnosis Nick needs his F@## buddy, more than ever.
January 26, 2021
I'm sorry. If you guys wanted some rec about the mysteries that Nick solves, check someone else. I'm here for the relationships: Ross, Brian, Mrs. Harker, Terry, Joseph even Franklin! I'm like plucking petals from a daisy seeing the main characters disappear. Gah. I have just one more and I'm already devasted by that ending. Is there no such thing like happiness in Nick's world? He deserves it. He really does.
June 8, 2023
The series keeps getting better and more complex. Books 10-12 of the series really develop the recurring characters as well as the main character Nick Nowak’s lives and personality. The mysteries are more engaging and complex and there are several story arcs developing through the novels but don’t interfere with essential focus of the book but do enhance its enjoyment if read in order.
For those of us who lived through the period there can be painful memories of what the characters experienced but also happy nostalgic ones as well.
For those of us who lived through the period there can be painful memories of what the characters experienced but also happy nostalgic ones as well.
June 7, 2019
This was a very solid installment - I especially liked the crime plot.
It was unusual and really interesting.
The personal development came not so surprising to me - I expected it for some time, I am not going to spoiler so let me just say, I think things in the personal relationship department for Nick will become a bit more interesting in the next book...
It was unusual and really interesting.
The personal development came not so surprising to me - I expected it for some time, I am not going to spoiler so let me just say, I think things in the personal relationship department for Nick will become a bit more interesting in the next book...
January 1, 2020
I forgot about this one, read when it came out. Oh Nick... not sure what to think.
March 4, 2020
Pretty good family-type drama/mystery on top of all the SADNESS.
:(
:)
Nick Nowak ♥
:(
:)
Nick Nowak ♥
October 7, 2019
Well shit XD this one was quite emotional for me. It started with a bomb being dropped in the very beginning and it ended with another bomb. I guess there is going to be another book since Rita thing is not resolved yet. As for Joseph, I was never sure how I felt about him (I was never a fan of his Fridays XD). I guess I started liking him in a previous book but a large part of me wants Nick to get over him and move on to someone else. I don't know if he can though (so many people he loves left him one way or another). But I guess that's why I want him to fall in love again. He seems strong enough to be able to do that XD Anyways, love this series and the author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2021
Always a pleasure to read about Nick and friends
May 7, 2019
I don't know why I thought it, but I did think this was the last book in the series, but obviously that isn't the case, which I couldn't be more happy about.
The downside of all this is that a) I'm caught up to the series and b) reading a really great book always makes the next book pale in comparison.
The downside of all this is that a) I'm caught up to the series and b) reading a really great book always makes the next book pale in comparison.
March 27, 2021
One of the weakest in the series. Nick is losing his charm.
November 25, 2019
When I started reading this book, it didn't take long to see the terrible things waiting for Nick. And they make sense. I think knowing just enough of the history and public health information from that era kinda made the whole thing that much sadder. There are spoilers to come.
Joseph and Ross have been my favorite characters in this series, so watching Nick lose them by degrees has been gut-wrenching, but he's been losing them both almost since they all came together.
Ross is dying, and HPA-23 didn't ever work.We know AZT didn't get approved for use until early 1987. The ELISA test was the last miracle waiting for Nick in that department, and for him it didn't act as a miracle. Watching him lose his best friend, and the slow winching down of the tension and panic are beautifully written and deeply absorbing, even as Nick barely grasps that his desperation is painful the folks around him.
I (almost) understand Nick's distaste for agreeing to be non-manogamous, but I've kinda hated him for being so vicious and careless about it. Joseph loves him so much, but Nick won't stop kicking him in the shins emotionally or say what's going on in his own head. And the fact that he won't just let Joseph breathe is clearly strangling their relationship. That's been the case for several books. I felt terrible watching Nick go through the last few pages of the book, but I understood Joseph's choice, and I agreed with it.Thornton's writing, while being exclusively from Nick's point of view, makes it so clear to the reader what Joseph is feeling, even as Nick ignores it.
The mystery in this book was good. Strange, but good. I liked that Nick is clearly burying himself in work to avoid dealing with the rest of his life. It gave the mystery a sort of unreal quality.
The beauty of this book is watching Nick behave as the best person he's capable of being and still get knocked down, and through all of that manage to be one of the best written protagonists I've ever encountered. He's a loving, kind, driven man who's watching his world come apart. And he just keeps moving as he grieves, just keeps trying to care for his loved ones. This series has been an incredible pleasure to read.
Joseph and Ross have been my favorite characters in this series, so watching Nick lose them by degrees has been gut-wrenching, but he's been losing them both almost since they all came together.
Ross is dying, and HPA-23 didn't ever work.We know AZT didn't get approved for use until early 1987. The ELISA test was the last miracle waiting for Nick in that department, and for him it didn't act as a miracle. Watching him lose his best friend, and the slow winching down of the tension and panic are beautifully written and deeply absorbing, even as Nick barely grasps that his desperation is painful the folks around him.
I (almost) understand Nick's distaste for agreeing to be non-manogamous, but I've kinda hated him for being so vicious and careless about it. Joseph loves him so much, but Nick won't stop kicking him in the shins emotionally or say what's going on in his own head. And the fact that he won't just let Joseph breathe is clearly strangling their relationship. That's been the case for several books. I felt terrible watching Nick go through the last few pages of the book, but I understood Joseph's choice, and I agreed with it.Thornton's writing, while being exclusively from Nick's point of view, makes it so clear to the reader what Joseph is feeling, even as Nick ignores it.
The mystery in this book was good. Strange, but good. I liked that Nick is clearly burying himself in work to avoid dealing with the rest of his life. It gave the mystery a sort of unreal quality.
The beauty of this book is watching Nick behave as the best person he's capable of being and still get knocked down, and through all of that manage to be one of the best written protagonists I've ever encountered. He's a loving, kind, driven man who's watching his world come apart. And he just keeps moving as he grieves, just keeps trying to care for his loved ones. This series has been an incredible pleasure to read.
August 30, 2022
Following a gut-wrenching diagnosis, Nick’s personal life begins to unravel once more. Unable to cope with his emotions or communicate his feelings, Nick throws himself headlong into another investigation. As is becoming a pattern in the Boystown series, I am far more invested in Nick's emotional journey through each book, as well as the subplots with his friends and loved ones, whereas the mysteries themselves I don't find particularly engaging unless they directly impact one of the characters I already care for. The plots as a whole tend to be 3* for me, then 5*+ for the emotionally complex subplots, so I end up rounding off to 4* unless the cases are particularly thematically impressive.
absolutely nothing *~*researchy*~* to see here; an ongoing reading list
1. A Study in Scarlet 2.5/5
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles 5/5
3. The Adventure of the Final Problem 4/5
4. Bath Haus 4.5/5
5. The Forest of Stolen Girls 4/5
6. The Red Palace 2/5
7. The Silence of Bones 1/5
8. Lay Your Sleeping Head 4/5
9. Carved in Bone 5/5
10. Lies with Man 3/5
11. Howtown 2/5
12. The Hidden Law 2/5
13. The Death of Friends 3/5
14. The Burning Plain 3.5/5
15. Rag and Bone 4/5
16. Pretty Pretty Boys 2/5
17. Three Nick Nowak Mysteries 5/5
18. Three More Nick Nowak Mysteries 3/5
19. Two Nick Nowak Novellas 4/5
20. A Time For Secrets 5/5
21. Murder Book 5/5
22. From the Ashes 4/5
23. Bloodlines 4/5
24. Lucky Days 4/5
25. Gifts Given 5/5
26. Heart's Desire 1/5
27. Broken Cord 4/5
absolutely nothing *~*researchy*~* to see here; an ongoing reading list
1. A Study in Scarlet 2.5/5
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles 5/5
3. The Adventure of the Final Problem 4/5
4. Bath Haus 4.5/5
5. The Forest of Stolen Girls 4/5
6. The Red Palace 2/5
7. The Silence of Bones 1/5
8. Lay Your Sleeping Head 4/5
9. Carved in Bone 5/5
10. Lies with Man 3/5
11. Howtown 2/5
12. The Hidden Law 2/5
13. The Death of Friends 3/5
14. The Burning Plain 3.5/5
15. Rag and Bone 4/5
16. Pretty Pretty Boys 2/5
17. Three Nick Nowak Mysteries 5/5
18. Three More Nick Nowak Mysteries 3/5
19. Two Nick Nowak Novellas 4/5
20. A Time For Secrets 5/5
21. Murder Book 5/5
22. From the Ashes 4/5
23. Bloodlines 4/5
24. Lucky Days 4/5
25. Gifts Given 5/5
26. Heart's Desire 1/5
27. Broken Cord 4/5
July 25, 2024
This was a pretty entertaining mystery but I felt like the resolution sort of came out of nowhere and was designed to be surprising to the reader more than anything else.
I thought the developments in the plot about Nick and his friends deciding whether to seek HIV diagnoses were well done, though Nick’s reactions felt a bit too self-aware at times. Where he ultimately wound up felt true to his character, but the book took some shortcuts to get him there. That’s been an issue for me in the last few books: Nick has changed a lot, and those changes mostly make sense, but they sometimes feel too convenient or not as well integrated into the story as they used to be. I have enjoyed watching him grow as a character, though.
I thought the developments in the plot about Nick and his friends deciding whether to seek HIV diagnoses were well done, though Nick’s reactions felt a bit too self-aware at times. Where he ultimately wound up felt true to his character, but the book took some shortcuts to get him there. That’s been an issue for me in the last few books: Nick has changed a lot, and those changes mostly make sense, but they sometimes feel too convenient or not as well integrated into the story as they used to be. I have enjoyed watching him grow as a character, though.
November 27, 2023
Death follows Nick. Death of friends, death of relationships, threats of death. My heart bleeds for Nick in this installment. Can this guy not get a break?!? He is left emotionally wrecked in this book as the unexpected happens leaving him reeling. He distracts himself by doing what he does so well. Looking for justice. His character has grown so much since book 1, where he really wasn't particularly nice. Now we've gotten to know him, he has great integrity, is fiercely loyal and kind with a sensitive and compassionate soul. He hurts deeply. Why dont I get the feeling that this series will have a HEA...........:-( Be still my crying heart
December 8, 2019
Well that’s the Boystown series finished. The whole series is addictive, the writing is so smooth and easy. The main lead Nick Novak is a complex character that you initially dislike but the author soon pulls you into the intricate nature of his character. I loved him... The thread of the cases that he investigates run through the entire series which keeps you coming back to it.
Hugely recommend #thumbsup
Hugely recommend #thumbsup
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