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Caro Mysteries #1
No Good Men
In 1934, almost everyone struggles to pay the rent, and Alex Dawson is no exception. To support his writing habit, he moonlights with his mentor Donnie as a bodyguard for the mayor. It’s dull work, until the night a handsome, golden-eyed stranger catches his eye–and both his boss and his mentor are killed when his back is turned.
Jobless and emotionally adrift, Alex vows to find the murderer before the corrupt police can pin the blame on him. But he soon discovers he’s in over his head. The golden-eyed stranger turns out to be a mob boss’s cousin, and a suspicious stack of money in Donnie’s dresser leads Alex to discover that his mentor and the mayor were involved in something more crooked than fundraising dinners and campaign speeches. As the death count rises amid corruption, mob politics, and anarchist plots, Alex realizes that the murders aren’t political or even business. This is the work of a spree killer, and Alex and his new boyfriend are the only ones who can stop them.
Word Count: 65100.
Jobless and emotionally adrift, Alex vows to find the murderer before the corrupt police can pin the blame on him. But he soon discovers he’s in over his head. The golden-eyed stranger turns out to be a mob boss’s cousin, and a suspicious stack of money in Donnie’s dresser leads Alex to discover that his mentor and the mayor were involved in something more crooked than fundraising dinners and campaign speeches. As the death count rises amid corruption, mob politics, and anarchist plots, Alex realizes that the murders aren’t political or even business. This is the work of a spree killer, and Alex and his new boyfriend are the only ones who can stop them.
Word Count: 65100.
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Published September 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 25 reviews
January 30, 2020
I’m always up for a good M/M historical and the blurb for “No Good Men” caught my eye because of its Depression era setting, right after the end of Prohibition and before the start of WWII. We get an introduction into the world of seedy nightclubs, dirty politics, and mob murders. The plot delves into a series of murders and the amateur detective efforts of Alex Dawson, unemployed former bodyguard of the murdered mayor and a freelance writer.
The author does a good job of giving several secondary characters some in-depth development, enough that we start to get a sense of the era and the dynamics of the time. However, the two main characters are very lightly fleshed-out, in particular Alex’s shadowy lover Severo Argenti (Sev) who gets little in the way of broadening his background and personality. Also, with the sex off-page throughout, it’s difficult to get a sense of the dynamics of their relationship.
“No Good Men” was very hit-and-miss for me personally. 3 stars.
Revised: After reading the second book in the series, I went back and reread this first book, and I'm upgrading my rating to 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
The author does a good job of giving several secondary characters some in-depth development, enough that we start to get a sense of the era and the dynamics of the time. However, the two main characters are very lightly fleshed-out, in particular Alex’s shadowy lover Severo Argenti (Sev) who gets little in the way of broadening his background and personality. Also, with the sex off-page throughout, it’s difficult to get a sense of the dynamics of their relationship.
“No Good Men” was very hit-and-miss for me personally. 3 stars.
Revised: After reading the second book in the series, I went back and reread this first book, and I'm upgrading my rating to 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
September 7, 2019
**I received this book from the author in exchange for a review**
Struggling writer and bodyguard for the mayor, Alex Dawson finds his work tedious, but it pays the bills and gives him time to think of his stories. Plus, he gets to work with his mentor and father figure, Donnie. Then, one night, he meets a gorgeous stranger in a club. Moments later, both the mayor and Donnie are killed by an unseen assassin.
Determined to bring justice to his mentor's killer, Alex investigates a series of assassinations and attempts. He is drawn into the underworld of the city and discovers that the mayor and Donnie were involved in something crooked. His handsome stranger turns out to be the cousin of a mob boss involved in the conspiracy. Alex has to uncover the truth before a corrupt policeman pins the crime on him, but with a growing body count and series of near misses, he may be in over his head.
I highly enjoyed this book. Alex is such a neat character. He's creative and sensitive, and he isn't afraid to be who he is. Of course, he has to hide his homosexuality since this takes place in the 1930's, but when he meets Sev, his golden-eyed stranger, he isn't afraid to let his feelings show. He's emotional and vulnerable while being strong and fearsome. I love his relationship with Daisy, a waif whose father is abusive and absent. She's really being raised by the people in the neighborhood, and I the way she interacts with everyone.
Sev is another delight. He's lethal and dangerous, just what you'd expect from a man with the reputation for being an assassin, but also a victim of his time. As an unmarried man, he's still living with his mother. His life and reputation are endangered by his sexuality, but he's smooth and cool and does what he wants. I love his relationship with Alex. You could really see how enchanted Sev was by Alex and how Alex's innocence appealed to him.
I hope people read this book because it's a delight. The characters were wonderful, the mystery engaging, and the setting was picture perfect. I could really visualize the run-down neighborhood hit hard by the Depression. I don't know if the author is planning a sequel, but I definitely would be down to read the further adventures of these two.
Struggling writer and bodyguard for the mayor, Alex Dawson finds his work tedious, but it pays the bills and gives him time to think of his stories. Plus, he gets to work with his mentor and father figure, Donnie. Then, one night, he meets a gorgeous stranger in a club. Moments later, both the mayor and Donnie are killed by an unseen assassin.
Determined to bring justice to his mentor's killer, Alex investigates a series of assassinations and attempts. He is drawn into the underworld of the city and discovers that the mayor and Donnie were involved in something crooked. His handsome stranger turns out to be the cousin of a mob boss involved in the conspiracy. Alex has to uncover the truth before a corrupt policeman pins the crime on him, but with a growing body count and series of near misses, he may be in over his head.
I highly enjoyed this book. Alex is such a neat character. He's creative and sensitive, and he isn't afraid to be who he is. Of course, he has to hide his homosexuality since this takes place in the 1930's, but when he meets Sev, his golden-eyed stranger, he isn't afraid to let his feelings show. He's emotional and vulnerable while being strong and fearsome. I love his relationship with Daisy, a waif whose father is abusive and absent. She's really being raised by the people in the neighborhood, and I the way she interacts with everyone.
Sev is another delight. He's lethal and dangerous, just what you'd expect from a man with the reputation for being an assassin, but also a victim of his time. As an unmarried man, he's still living with his mother. His life and reputation are endangered by his sexuality, but he's smooth and cool and does what he wants. I love his relationship with Alex. You could really see how enchanted Sev was by Alex and how Alex's innocence appealed to him.
I hope people read this book because it's a delight. The characters were wonderful, the mystery engaging, and the setting was picture perfect. I could really visualize the run-down neighborhood hit hard by the Depression. I don't know if the author is planning a sequel, but I definitely would be down to read the further adventures of these two.
September 26, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.75 stars
No Good Men is the first in a mystery series featuring protagonist Alex Dawson. This novel is something of a hit and miss. Alex is an interesting character, but he’s uneven. At times, he felt naive and a bit stupid and in other scenes, he acts like a trained detective. And admittedly he’s been thrown into a situation that he’s poorly prepared for so that may explain some of the awkwardness. His lover, Sev, is almost a non-entity. He serves as a go between for Alex and the mob, but he never materializes into a fully defined character of his own. The book has a host of secondary characters that are surprisingly dimensional given that half of them are dead by the end of No Good Men. It seems a shame to build characters that ultimately end up as bodies when the main characters needed so much more fleshing out.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
2.75 stars
No Good Men is the first in a mystery series featuring protagonist Alex Dawson. This novel is something of a hit and miss. Alex is an interesting character, but he’s uneven. At times, he felt naive and a bit stupid and in other scenes, he acts like a trained detective. And admittedly he’s been thrown into a situation that he’s poorly prepared for so that may explain some of the awkwardness. His lover, Sev, is almost a non-entity. He serves as a go between for Alex and the mob, but he never materializes into a fully defined character of his own. The book has a host of secondary characters that are surprisingly dimensional given that half of them are dead by the end of No Good Men. It seems a shame to build characters that ultimately end up as bodies when the main characters needed so much more fleshing out.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
September 21, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have a bit of a hard time with historical stories, but that's my own thing and not this story's fault. The whodunnit was well done and as the bodies kept piling up, it reminded me of a good Midsummer Murders episode where the last person standing was the murderer.
My only confusion lay in why everyone would actually talk to Alex (because he wasn't police), and how he was able to keep getting away with minor injuries from each confrontation. He seemed the perfect combination of naive, but able to handle himself.
The world of the story was well fleshed out and I really liked the character of Pearl. The love story was good, but felt flattened by the murder investigation plot, and the ending felt a little too wrapped up.
I have a bit of a hard time with historical stories, but that's my own thing and not this story's fault. The whodunnit was well done and as the bodies kept piling up, it reminded me of a good Midsummer Murders episode where the last person standing was the murderer.
My only confusion lay in why everyone would actually talk to Alex (because he wasn't police), and how he was able to keep getting away with minor injuries from each confrontation. He seemed the perfect combination of naive, but able to handle himself.
The world of the story was well fleshed out and I really liked the character of Pearl. The love story was good, but felt flattened by the murder investigation plot, and the ending felt a little too wrapped up.
September 21, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
This was a decent enough book but I found it very hard to get invested in either the characters or the mystery. The characters all seemed a bit like stock characters and the main characters basically fell in love immediately after meeting so for the rest of the book I was like 'why are you acting like you've been together for years you met on Tuesday??'. It's decent enough if you are just in the mood for a quick historical M/M romance though and it's very admirable for a debut novel.
This was a decent enough book but I found it very hard to get invested in either the characters or the mystery. The characters all seemed a bit like stock characters and the main characters basically fell in love immediately after meeting so for the rest of the book I was like 'why are you acting like you've been together for years you met on Tuesday??'. It's decent enough if you are just in the mood for a quick historical M/M romance though and it's very admirable for a debut novel.
September 18, 2019
No Good Men by Thea McAlistair is a well written mystery that will drop you into 1934 and the depression. The author makes you weep at how homosexuals and black folk are treated and while I guessed the murder fairly early there was enough other things going on to keep me enthralled. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more from this author and this series.
February 11, 2020
This book was given by the publisher and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This review was first posted at Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews.
I love a good classic, hard-boiled mystery, especially when the gruff detectives and down-on-their-luck PI’s end up falling for each other. There’s such a rich, fun atmosphere about the subgenre without it being too glossy or glamorized, and the gritty settings make for intense romances. Though the story here is excellent, there isn’t much sizzle to be had, barely taking things over a simmer right until the end.
In this story, main character Alex Dawson is a struggling writer moonlighting as a bodyguard who ends up embroiled in an ugly massacre at a night club, one that claims his surrogate father as well as the mayor. Though he has cops and reporters breathing down his neck, thinking he knows more than he does, he vows not to leave town until he avenges his mentor’s death. As he searches for answers, he soon meets Sev, the cousin of one of the city’s most dangerous crime bosses, and several other shady characters who definitely aren’t telling the truth.
This setting is everything I want from a 1930s crime novel. Though Alex isn’t the most interesting protagonist, his relationships are unique, and his family consists of those cobbled together by hard times and rough living. He finds solace in a socialist doctor, a precocious little girl with a drunk for a father, a shrewd and ruthless news reporter, and a glamorous crime boss who is much more than she appears. All of these characters contribute to solving the mystery, and I ended up being invested in all of their stories.
I can’t say Alex and Sev have a ton of chemistry, only because we hardly ever see them together. And if they are together, they’re asleep, on the run, or having to pretend they aren’t in a relationship. There’s not a lot of sensual or sexual attraction, and everything beyond a kiss is fade-to-black. This is one of those books that doesn’t even make it clear in the first quarter of the story who the love interest even is, so that says a lot about the romance aspect. There’s room to grow, but so far, I care more about the side characters and minor plots than I do about Alex or his and Sev’s relationship.
Though the story itself kept me interested, the characters just fell flat. I wasn’t expecting this book to be the start of a series, but hopefully, in future books, Alex and Sev are developed much further—and given a lot more to do together. I’d be willing to give them another try!
This review was first posted at Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews.
I love a good classic, hard-boiled mystery, especially when the gruff detectives and down-on-their-luck PI’s end up falling for each other. There’s such a rich, fun atmosphere about the subgenre without it being too glossy or glamorized, and the gritty settings make for intense romances. Though the story here is excellent, there isn’t much sizzle to be had, barely taking things over a simmer right until the end.
In this story, main character Alex Dawson is a struggling writer moonlighting as a bodyguard who ends up embroiled in an ugly massacre at a night club, one that claims his surrogate father as well as the mayor. Though he has cops and reporters breathing down his neck, thinking he knows more than he does, he vows not to leave town until he avenges his mentor’s death. As he searches for answers, he soon meets Sev, the cousin of one of the city’s most dangerous crime bosses, and several other shady characters who definitely aren’t telling the truth.
This setting is everything I want from a 1930s crime novel. Though Alex isn’t the most interesting protagonist, his relationships are unique, and his family consists of those cobbled together by hard times and rough living. He finds solace in a socialist doctor, a precocious little girl with a drunk for a father, a shrewd and ruthless news reporter, and a glamorous crime boss who is much more than she appears. All of these characters contribute to solving the mystery, and I ended up being invested in all of their stories.
I can’t say Alex and Sev have a ton of chemistry, only because we hardly ever see them together. And if they are together, they’re asleep, on the run, or having to pretend they aren’t in a relationship. There’s not a lot of sensual or sexual attraction, and everything beyond a kiss is fade-to-black. This is one of those books that doesn’t even make it clear in the first quarter of the story who the love interest even is, so that says a lot about the romance aspect. There’s room to grow, but so far, I care more about the side characters and minor plots than I do about Alex or his and Sev’s relationship.
Though the story itself kept me interested, the characters just fell flat. I wasn’t expecting this book to be the start of a series, but hopefully, in future books, Alex and Sev are developed much further—and given a lot more to do together. I’d be willing to give them another try!
September 11, 2019
No Good Men is about the lengths we go to for friends…and found family.
-=-=-=-
Alex Dawson is a part-time writer and bodyguard for the Mayor. On the night Alex meets Sev… a handsome, charming man with the same secret as Alex… his mentor and father-figure, Donnie is shot. Alex is immediately caught up in needing to find out who committed the murder and took away from him the only man who ever a father to him. The police seem to want to take Alex down, he’s lost his only source of income and he’s feeling very isolated.
I enjoyed the way the characters in this book are all connected to one another. McAlistair has plotted out an intricate novel with enough detail for the reader to figure out “who done it” without giving anything away. Being gay in the 1930s isn’t easy. Alex lives a life in which he spends a lot of time not acknowledging who he is.
Once Alex gets to know Sev… he realizes that things are far more complicated than he had initially thought. Sev is part of the local Mob family and Alex finds himself falling for a man he knows little about. This book has one of my favorite features! The fact that Alex and Sev are gay… isn’t THE plot… it’s simply part of their lives. While they struggle with being gay at a time when it is still illegal, the two men have embraced who they are and try to live as authentically as they can.
There are some wonderful characters in this book. There is a little girl named, Pearl in Alex’s life. She appears often when her boxer father is drunk and abusive … something that pulls up memories from Alex’s own past. One of the locals is Martin… a feisty and sharp doctor who was forced out of the medical field for reasons he keeps to himself. Vern is a quick-talking ruthless reporter (with a heart) who wants to get the story at almost any cost.
This lovely roster of well-developed characters weave in and out of each other’s lives as the mystery in this story is slowly unraveled. I loved the detail in this novel… it really gives the reader a feel of living in the 30s.
Strong 4-stars from me!
-=-=-=-
Alex Dawson is a part-time writer and bodyguard for the Mayor. On the night Alex meets Sev… a handsome, charming man with the same secret as Alex… his mentor and father-figure, Donnie is shot. Alex is immediately caught up in needing to find out who committed the murder and took away from him the only man who ever a father to him. The police seem to want to take Alex down, he’s lost his only source of income and he’s feeling very isolated.
I enjoyed the way the characters in this book are all connected to one another. McAlistair has plotted out an intricate novel with enough detail for the reader to figure out “who done it” without giving anything away. Being gay in the 1930s isn’t easy. Alex lives a life in which he spends a lot of time not acknowledging who he is.
Once Alex gets to know Sev… he realizes that things are far more complicated than he had initially thought. Sev is part of the local Mob family and Alex finds himself falling for a man he knows little about. This book has one of my favorite features! The fact that Alex and Sev are gay… isn’t THE plot… it’s simply part of their lives. While they struggle with being gay at a time when it is still illegal, the two men have embraced who they are and try to live as authentically as they can.
There are some wonderful characters in this book. There is a little girl named, Pearl in Alex’s life. She appears often when her boxer father is drunk and abusive … something that pulls up memories from Alex’s own past. One of the locals is Martin… a feisty and sharp doctor who was forced out of the medical field for reasons he keeps to himself. Vern is a quick-talking ruthless reporter (with a heart) who wants to get the story at almost any cost.
This lovely roster of well-developed characters weave in and out of each other’s lives as the mystery in this story is slowly unraveled. I loved the detail in this novel… it really gives the reader a feel of living in the 30s.
Strong 4-stars from me!
Read
September 11, 2019After I read an early draft of this book, the author kindly provided me with a review copy. I've been waiting with a fair amount of anticipation for this release. I'm pleased to say the book doesn't disappoint.
The setting is America during the Great Depression. We meet Alex, a budding writer, who's earning a crust by working as a bodyguard for the mayor. Not a job he's exactly enthusiastic about, but life gets exciting when his client and his mentor are both shot dead in a nightclub.
From then on, Alex is drawn into a more complex and dangerous series of events. Every attempt he makes to solve the murders instead makes things worse. The expected elements of a noir mystery are present, including (but not limited to): a brutal policeman, a nosy reporter, a vulnerable child and a friend who is helpful but also hiding secrets. They all feel like people with lives of their own rather than revolving around Alex's troubles. Well, maybe not the policeman, but who cares about him?
(Disclaimer: I tend to avoid reading romances.) Alex's life is made even more difficult by love interest Sev being related to the local mob boss, although sometimes that has its advantages. The romantic elements in this book between Alex and Sev were tastefully handled. There was enough detail to establish the strength and challenges of their developing relationship without being (from my viewpoint) over the top.
The writing was smooth and the descriptions evocative without being overdone. I didn't notice any typos.
Overall, an enjoyable read. If you enjoy fast-paced mysteries, I recommend this one.
The setting is America during the Great Depression. We meet Alex, a budding writer, who's earning a crust by working as a bodyguard for the mayor. Not a job he's exactly enthusiastic about, but life gets exciting when his client and his mentor are both shot dead in a nightclub.
From then on, Alex is drawn into a more complex and dangerous series of events. Every attempt he makes to solve the murders instead makes things worse. The expected elements of a noir mystery are present, including (but not limited to): a brutal policeman, a nosy reporter, a vulnerable child and a friend who is helpful but also hiding secrets. They all feel like people with lives of their own rather than revolving around Alex's troubles. Well, maybe not the policeman, but who cares about him?
(Disclaimer: I tend to avoid reading romances.) Alex's life is made even more difficult by love interest Sev being related to the local mob boss, although sometimes that has its advantages. The romantic elements in this book between Alex and Sev were tastefully handled. There was enough detail to establish the strength and challenges of their developing relationship without being (from my viewpoint) over the top.
The writing was smooth and the descriptions evocative without being overdone. I didn't notice any typos.
Overall, an enjoyable read. If you enjoy fast-paced mysteries, I recommend this one.
October 21, 2020
This was actually quite a decent period whodunit featuring a struggling author moon-shining as a bodyguard whose mentor is violently killed in a club event. This sets of a series of murders and attempted murders which draws in a curious but stoic Alex into a world of mobster racketeering, political paybacks and high-rolling socialites. I liked Alex and the older (and more suave) Sev as main characters as well as a couple of strong secondary characters . The cliff-hanger ending sets up the series ... and I'm looking forward to seeing where the author takes Alex and Sev next. 3.5 stars.
Read
April 26, 2020The novel focuses on Alex Dawson, a writer-turned-bodyguard investigating the double murder of his surrogate father and the town's mayor. I loved the depression-era setting, the rich cast of supporting characters, and the twists and turns in the murder mystery. The timing was very suspenseful, the motives and revelations fascinating, and I loved having a gay romance in the midst of an ever-growing body count. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
July 2, 2020
I did like this, 3.5*
A little slow to get going, Alex is a bit naive and young and gets thrown in to solving murders. He does seem to get pushed around by lots of people.
Sev is not massively prominent character but is crucial at times. Their relationship developed very quickly.
It does give a good insight to the desperation of the depression.
I will get book two to see how they get on
A little slow to get going, Alex is a bit naive and young and gets thrown in to solving murders. He does seem to get pushed around by lots of people.
Sev is not massively prominent character but is crucial at times. Their relationship developed very quickly.
It does give a good insight to the desperation of the depression.
I will get book two to see how they get on
Want to read
March 4, 2025Available on my Kindle app from Netgalley.
October 10, 2019
No Good Men is a historical mystery novel written by Thea McAlistair. This book piqued my interest because it’s set in the 1930s and features gangsters and a m/m romantic subplot.
Alex is in his early 20s, and working alongside his mentor Donnie as a bodyguard for the mayor. They’re at a nightclub one night, and while Alex is talking to a man at the bar during his break, the mayor and Donnie are both shot and killed.
It turns out that Sev, the man Alex was taking to, is the nightclub’s manager, and he has mob ties. The mayor’s death might also be linked to organized crime, and so Alex begins asking questions, although it is more for his mentor’s sake than for the mayor.
And of course, the mayor’s murder wasn’t an accident, or even one disgruntled citizen. As more people connected to the case are killed, it’s clear that Alex is in the middle of a dangerous situation.
Alex grows closer to Sev over the course of the book, although I must say that the romantic subplot was underemphasized. That is, other characters mention it, but there are barely any hints of affection between Alex and Sev because McAlistair prefers a rather drastic fade to black approach: in one instance, they were figuring out whose house they should go to for an assignation, and then when the next scene began, they were waking up together. I don’t mean to suggest that this book needed play-by-play love scenes like a romance novel, but I did come away feeling like I was missing something from the romance between Alex and Sev. Clearly, 1930s social attitudes contributed to Alex and Sev’s inability to be open about their budding relationship, but it did seem to be a fairly open secret amongst the secondary characters.
The pace of the book was good, with a steady flow of new developments to keep the mystery satisfying. Alex was a reliable narrator; at times, he seemed very unsure of himself, but I think this made him more reliable and authentic. Alex is bolstered by a strong cast of secondary characters, and I would have to say that my favorite was Pearl, a young neighbor. She had a preternatural ability to turn up at the wrong time, but her insatiable curiosity was delightful.
I would recommend No Good Men to fans of historical mystery. This was an interesting book, and I am looking forward to reading more from McAlistair in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Originally posted on You Have Your Hands Full
Alex is in his early 20s, and working alongside his mentor Donnie as a bodyguard for the mayor. They’re at a nightclub one night, and while Alex is talking to a man at the bar during his break, the mayor and Donnie are both shot and killed.
It turns out that Sev, the man Alex was taking to, is the nightclub’s manager, and he has mob ties. The mayor’s death might also be linked to organized crime, and so Alex begins asking questions, although it is more for his mentor’s sake than for the mayor.
And of course, the mayor’s murder wasn’t an accident, or even one disgruntled citizen. As more people connected to the case are killed, it’s clear that Alex is in the middle of a dangerous situation.
Alex grows closer to Sev over the course of the book, although I must say that the romantic subplot was underemphasized. That is, other characters mention it, but there are barely any hints of affection between Alex and Sev because McAlistair prefers a rather drastic fade to black approach: in one instance, they were figuring out whose house they should go to for an assignation, and then when the next scene began, they were waking up together. I don’t mean to suggest that this book needed play-by-play love scenes like a romance novel, but I did come away feeling like I was missing something from the romance between Alex and Sev. Clearly, 1930s social attitudes contributed to Alex and Sev’s inability to be open about their budding relationship, but it did seem to be a fairly open secret amongst the secondary characters.
The pace of the book was good, with a steady flow of new developments to keep the mystery satisfying. Alex was a reliable narrator; at times, he seemed very unsure of himself, but I think this made him more reliable and authentic. Alex is bolstered by a strong cast of secondary characters, and I would have to say that my favorite was Pearl, a young neighbor. She had a preternatural ability to turn up at the wrong time, but her insatiable curiosity was delightful.
I would recommend No Good Men to fans of historical mystery. This was an interesting book, and I am looking forward to reading more from McAlistair in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Originally posted on You Have Your Hands Full
September 19, 2019
5/5
Five Whodunit stars for this book!
I have been a fan of Thea's writing for quite some time, so when I heard she was releasing her first novel, I jumped on the opportunity. Boy was I glad I did!
No Good Men is set back in the time of the Great Depression. We follow the main character Alex Dawson, who is a writer but has had to resort to bodyguard work due to hard times. One seemingly mundane night at the Ostia, he is done with a shift of work and goes to the bar when gunshots fire.
In a heartbeat, Alex's boss and best friend are dead. With no other means of work besides writing, Alex struggles to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. Who had killed his boss and best friend? Why? And most of all, will they strike again?
This book was great through and through.
For starters, the characters were very well fleshed out and had interesting personalities and flaws. Alex believes in justice and has morals in a city where exposing secrets can cost you your life. Sev, Bella, Pearl, Martin, they were all great characters too. I loved every one of them. And Harlow? Pft! Don't get me started on that dirtbag!
The plot was intriguing to me even though I don't usually read mysteries. I mean, you've got the mob, a murderer on the loose, and a gay romance in a time where it was extremely taboo. What's not to love? The city of Westwick reflected the effects of the Great Depression and was shabby, run-down, and corrupted. A perfect portrayal if you ask me.
Lastly, I'm bringing it back to the gay romance. This really brought things together for me. Sev and Alex meet in the strangest of circumstances, and from there I was living for it! Sev has a rough past, and Alex has his fair share of doubts as what starts off as a one-nighter starts to become much more than that.
Ultimately, I truly loved this book. If you like mysteries, adventure, and a healthy dose of romance, then this book is for you! I can't wait to read more from this author!
Happy Reading!
Five Whodunit stars for this book!
I have been a fan of Thea's writing for quite some time, so when I heard she was releasing her first novel, I jumped on the opportunity. Boy was I glad I did!
No Good Men is set back in the time of the Great Depression. We follow the main character Alex Dawson, who is a writer but has had to resort to bodyguard work due to hard times. One seemingly mundane night at the Ostia, he is done with a shift of work and goes to the bar when gunshots fire.
In a heartbeat, Alex's boss and best friend are dead. With no other means of work besides writing, Alex struggles to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. Who had killed his boss and best friend? Why? And most of all, will they strike again?
This book was great through and through.
For starters, the characters were very well fleshed out and had interesting personalities and flaws. Alex believes in justice and has morals in a city where exposing secrets can cost you your life. Sev, Bella, Pearl, Martin, they were all great characters too. I loved every one of them. And Harlow? Pft! Don't get me started on that dirtbag!
The plot was intriguing to me even though I don't usually read mysteries. I mean, you've got the mob, a murderer on the loose, and a gay romance in a time where it was extremely taboo. What's not to love? The city of Westwick reflected the effects of the Great Depression and was shabby, run-down, and corrupted. A perfect portrayal if you ask me.
Lastly, I'm bringing it back to the gay romance. This really brought things together for me. Sev and Alex meet in the strangest of circumstances, and from there I was living for it! Sev has a rough past, and Alex has his fair share of doubts as what starts off as a one-nighter starts to become much more than that.
Ultimately, I truly loved this book. If you like mysteries, adventure, and a healthy dose of romance, then this book is for you! I can't wait to read more from this author!
Happy Reading!
October 8, 2019
This is another of those books I picked up on Netgalley, as I try and kickstart my reading habits again - yes, I have other stuff to finish and/or review but I thought I'd write about this one first, while it's still fresh in my memory.
No Good Men seemed like an ideal book for me, being m/m historical romance set in the 1930's. Our protagonist, Alex, is a would-be pulp novellist working as a bodyguard for the local mayor after his friend pulled a few strings, so when both the mayor and his friend are killed and the police don't seem to particularly care, Alex decides he needs to investigate. Matters are confused a little by the budding romance between him and the nightclub owner, who has a fearful reputation and ties to the area's gangsters. As Alex's investigation continues, people keep getting killed.
So far, so good. To my relatively untutored eye, the world-building seems believable enough but it's let down by the fact that both Alex and his love interest Sev are a bit two-dimensional. I don't really find myself caring what happens to either of them, let alone their relationship, and that doesn't help build any kind of tension as matters come to a head. There's also a singularly annoying child of the plot moppet variety, who exists solely to push the plot forward and also provide the final clue to the identity of the killer.
All in all, No Good Men isn't a bad first novel but the author will need to really flesh out their characters and make their readers give a damn about what happens to them if they intend to make a career of this thing.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book, which I received in exchange for an honest review.
No Good Men seemed like an ideal book for me, being m/m historical romance set in the 1930's. Our protagonist, Alex, is a would-be pulp novellist working as a bodyguard for the local mayor after his friend pulled a few strings, so when both the mayor and his friend are killed and the police don't seem to particularly care, Alex decides he needs to investigate. Matters are confused a little by the budding romance between him and the nightclub owner, who has a fearful reputation and ties to the area's gangsters. As Alex's investigation continues, people keep getting killed.
So far, so good. To my relatively untutored eye, the world-building seems believable enough but it's let down by the fact that both Alex and his love interest Sev are a bit two-dimensional. I don't really find myself caring what happens to either of them, let alone their relationship, and that doesn't help build any kind of tension as matters come to a head. There's also a singularly annoying child of the plot moppet variety, who exists solely to push the plot forward and also provide the final clue to the identity of the killer.
All in all, No Good Men isn't a bad first novel but the author will need to really flesh out their characters and make their readers give a damn about what happens to them if they intend to make a career of this thing.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book, which I received in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2019
Closer to 3,5*
This was a strange book. It does some thing really well and some things... not.
I loved the setting, 1934 USA, and the way it actually affected the characters. I can't stand historicals where you can't tell when the book is supposed to be set, since it's stripped of everything actually relevant. I enjoyed the murder mystery plot, and while it was somewhat predictable, I did enjoy the journey itself.
I also enjoyed a lot of the side characters, who felt very fleshed out, especially Bella. And while I did like Alex, there were so many times where I was just. Baffled by how stupid he was acting. I'm genuinely shocked he's still alive by the end of the book. And while I liked Sev, he was barely a full character. He was hot and kind, he was inexplicably ready to give up his everything from this random guy he's known only for a few days, and his family was with the mafia. Not a bad base, but I wish he was a bit more than the eternally supportive and understanding boyfriend with nothing of his own going on.
And speaking of, the romance felt very much insta-love. They meet, and few days later they've basically moving in and are desperately in love. What? Very soon after they first meet, Alex has a crisis of "but what if he only wants me for sex!" and? What if he does? You guys literally just met, and not under the best circumstances, you had sex once and you're worried he might not be completely in love with you yet? He does, by the way. They're both pretty much instantly in love, and while I did enjoy their relationship, it felt like there was a pretty big step missing in there.
All in all, while it had issues, it was very readable and it did make me want to check out the eventual (possible?) sequel.
This was a strange book. It does some thing really well and some things... not.
I loved the setting, 1934 USA, and the way it actually affected the characters. I can't stand historicals where you can't tell when the book is supposed to be set, since it's stripped of everything actually relevant. I enjoyed the murder mystery plot, and while it was somewhat predictable, I did enjoy the journey itself.
I also enjoyed a lot of the side characters, who felt very fleshed out, especially Bella. And while I did like Alex, there were so many times where I was just. Baffled by how stupid he was acting. I'm genuinely shocked he's still alive by the end of the book. And while I liked Sev, he was barely a full character. He was hot and kind, he was inexplicably ready to give up his everything from this random guy he's known only for a few days, and his family was with the mafia. Not a bad base, but I wish he was a bit more than the eternally supportive and understanding boyfriend with nothing of his own going on.
And speaking of, the romance felt very much insta-love. They meet, and few days later they've basically moving in and are desperately in love. What? Very soon after they first meet, Alex has a crisis of "but what if he only wants me for sex!" and? What if he does? You guys literally just met, and not under the best circumstances, you had sex once and you're worried he might not be completely in love with you yet? He does, by the way. They're both pretty much instantly in love, and while I did enjoy their relationship, it felt like there was a pretty big step missing in there.
All in all, while it had issues, it was very readable and it did make me want to check out the eventual (possible?) sequel.
September 12, 2019
2.5 stars
“Because naïve suckers like you get ripped apart.”
Yep, naïve is definitely the right word to describe Dawson. While I liked the setting and the atmosphere of the story, Dawson is way too juvenile and naïve for a man in his position. He’s too old to be acting the way he acts when he’s supposed to be believable as a part-time body guard. He doesn’t seem capable of handling any situation on his own, much less a self-appointed murder investigation. I could have bought it if he’d been 19 or 20, but from my guess work based on his guess work about Sev’s age, I think he’s somewhere between 24 and 29 years old. For someone with his hard-knock childhood and someone trying to make it during the depression where every penny is precious and hard-earned, he comes off as almost helpless.
He and Sev go from flirting in a bar to sex to full blown love in the time it takes a muscle car to go from 0 to 60mph. I strongly dislike insta-love, and that’s what this relationship was. There was no building up to something bigger, no development. The relationship needed more to be believable.
Harlow was such a cliché. The typical dumb cop who puts no effort into his investigation, just tries to bully an innocent person into confessing to a crime he didn’t commit. Harlow was a thug. I wish some effort had been made to write him into a character that broke the mold in some way so he wasn’t such a cookie-cutter character.
And I realize all of this makes it sound as though I disliked the book, but I didn’t. It was okay. Not great. Not anything I am likely to ever read again, but it wasn’t terrible.
https://boysonlybookclub.wordpress.com
“Because naïve suckers like you get ripped apart.”
Yep, naïve is definitely the right word to describe Dawson. While I liked the setting and the atmosphere of the story, Dawson is way too juvenile and naïve for a man in his position. He’s too old to be acting the way he acts when he’s supposed to be believable as a part-time body guard. He doesn’t seem capable of handling any situation on his own, much less a self-appointed murder investigation. I could have bought it if he’d been 19 or 20, but from my guess work based on his guess work about Sev’s age, I think he’s somewhere between 24 and 29 years old. For someone with his hard-knock childhood and someone trying to make it during the depression where every penny is precious and hard-earned, he comes off as almost helpless.
He and Sev go from flirting in a bar to sex to full blown love in the time it takes a muscle car to go from 0 to 60mph. I strongly dislike insta-love, and that’s what this relationship was. There was no building up to something bigger, no development. The relationship needed more to be believable.
Harlow was such a cliché. The typical dumb cop who puts no effort into his investigation, just tries to bully an innocent person into confessing to a crime he didn’t commit. Harlow was a thug. I wish some effort had been made to write him into a character that broke the mold in some way so he wasn’t such a cookie-cutter character.
And I realize all of this makes it sound as though I disliked the book, but I didn’t. It was okay. Not great. Not anything I am likely to ever read again, but it wasn’t terrible.
https://boysonlybookclub.wordpress.com
February 7, 2020
In this beautiful LGBT historical mystery set in 1934 Connecticut, aspiring pulp writer Alex Dawson just needs to catch a break: at publication, at steady employment, at a relationship whose very nature is soundly condemned by law, church, and custom. Alex is a sweetheart of a protagonist, beyond feckless hero and into his own category of naive higher-ground mentality. When in the space of a few days, his mentor is killed along with the Mayor for whom Alex is a bodyguard, Alex falls for a gangster, then the killings ramp up; soon it's clear that the killer is skillful, clever, and elusive.
Rife with the post-bootlegging culture of organized crime on the East Coast and with a moral culture totally antagonistic to same-sex involvement, along with subtle explications of classism and socioeconomics, NO GOOD MEN is a fascinating Series debut. I received it originally from NetGalley, and enjoyed it so much I purchased it.
Rife with the post-bootlegging culture of organized crime on the East Coast and with a moral culture totally antagonistic to same-sex involvement, along with subtle explications of classism and socioeconomics, NO GOOD MEN is a fascinating Series debut. I received it originally from NetGalley, and enjoyed it so much I purchased it.
September 22, 2019
I received a copy of No Good Men by Thea McAlistair via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review. I’ve always been fascinated by the 1920s and 1930s, two polar opposite decades. No Good Men does an excellent job of capturing the decay and despair of the thirties and what people will do to survive. Having the main character, Alex Dawson, be a writer enhanced the grimness of the Depression. How anyone could want to write when putting food on the table was a major accomplishment is a miracle to me. While I’m not a fan of insta-love, there were many redeeming qualities to Sev. I liked that he was more than a stereotypical mob guy, while his cousin was a great female capo. I look forward to more books in this series!
October 4, 2019
Set in 1934, this novel deals primarily with both murder mystery and homosexuality at the same time. The protagonist, Alex is a wise, soft-hearted ( I seriously feel his character and job as a bodyguard contrasts with each other) yet portrayed as someone who is an intuitive detective. The book got a lot of edd and flow. Certain chapters move swiftly with a gripping plot and then there are parts where it stretches way too much for my liking. On the other hand, the author has described the society of the 30s era, which made the book more of a socio-political rather than wholly a murder mystery. A lot of secondary characters give the storyline a cluttered look. Overall it was an average reading experience.
September 21, 2019
I have to say that I well enjoyed this book. It has quite interesting plot, maybe not very original, but still interesting enough for me.
Alex is a writer and a bodyguard. One night he meets a handsome man. The same night his boss, and his mentor died. Alex tries to find out who killed them. Sev, the man he met that night, helps him.
I liked the characters, but I am not a huge fan of "insta love". The relationship between Alex and Sev developed very quickly from bed partners to love of their lives.
The ending was good enough, mistery solved, but not very suprising.
3.5 stars from me
Alex is a writer and a bodyguard. One night he meets a handsome man. The same night his boss, and his mentor died. Alex tries to find out who killed them. Sev, the man he met that night, helps him.
I liked the characters, but I am not a huge fan of "insta love". The relationship between Alex and Sev developed very quickly from bed partners to love of their lives.
The ending was good enough, mistery solved, but not very suprising.
3.5 stars from me
October 16, 2019
All in all this was a decent book. It wasn't hard to read, but it wasn't a page turner by any means. The world seemed fairly historically accurate, though I'll admit I don't know much about the era. The action was okay, though the plot was pretty obvious. There wasn't really much mystery. The characters were a bit two-dimensional as well. I feel like if there had been a bit more time to fleshing them out it would have been a vast improvement.
November 10, 2019
Great mystery read.
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