Blackout

by Marco Carocari

Strait-laced forty-something Franco definitely picked the wrong night to get freaky. A hook-up with a hot guy on his Manhattan rooftop, and a joint he’s unaware is laced, leaves him dazed. And—if memory serves him—the sole witness to a murder across the street.

Except, the cops can’t find a crime scene or a body, and Franco’s perforated recollections and conflicting testimony leave the detectives unimpressed. When days later the mutilated body of a philanthropic millionaire is discovered, he’s not only shocked to learn he knew him, but with Franco’s fingerprints all over the crime scene, he quickly graduates from unreliable witness to prime suspect. And the random trick who could alibi him has vanished into the anonymity of the Internet.

Unsettled, and confronted with forty-year-old memories, when Franco’s father was murdered in front of him during Manhattan’s infamous blackout, a shocking revelation finally unmasks the man who pulled the trigger that night. And painting Franco the perfect suspect.

With a target on his back and time running out, the truth will set Franco free, or earn him a toe tag at the morgue.

Genres: Mystery, LGBT, Thriller, Crime, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

ebook

Published March 30, 2021

Reviews

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

You never know where a casual hookup might lead…

This really has been the year of the gay thriller—two of my favorite reads this year have been es, Daddy and Bath Haus , and while Blackout , Marco Carocari’s debut, isn’t as intense as those, it’s still a really good addition to the genre.

One night Franco decides to meet a hookup on the rooftop of his NYC apartment. They smoke a joint and get down to business, only they don’t get too far, because Franco suddenly feels weird after smoking. And in his daze, he swears he sees in a window of another apartment building a guy getting murdered by another man.

Of course, when the police arrive they don’t believe Franco, both because he appears to be on drugs (what was in that joint?) and they can’t find a body or a murder scene. But when a philanthropist’s mutilated body is found a few days later, it turns out Franco knew the man—and suddenly he’s the prime suspect. And even worse, the only person who can give him an alibi is the guy he hooked up with, and he was anonymous for a reason.

In the midst of all of this, Franco is plagued by memories of his policeman father’s murder in front of him 40 years before. When new details surface about that murder, the connections to this current crime make Franco’s guilt seem even more obvious. It’s up to him to clear his name and figure out exactly why his father was killed—if he doesn’t get killed first.

Part crime novel, part thriller, I thought Blackout was a really compelling story. It’s a little of a slow burn at first but when it gets going it really picks up steam. Definitely a terrific debut!!

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.

[PaperMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping yet amusing debut murder mystery from this author whereby MC Franco has a traumatic deja-vu experience from his failed hook-up on the roof of his apartment building. As the evidence seemingly mounts against him being the perpetrator, Franco gets further drawn into the cold-case killing of his father as he seeks to avoid the persecutory attentions of possibly corrupt NYPD detectives as well as criminal thugs from the Mafia underworld.

The plot is mainly taken from Franco's POV but somewhere along the line (midway?), we start getting POV chapters from Detective Aidan. Both these characters are well developed and I was very amused by Franco's wry/snarky bantering and inner-voice. I'm thrilled the author features a MC who's not a nubile twink but rather aged in his forties (albeit one who works out a lot) - what a refreshing change! There were also quite a few lovely supportive secondary characters (again - mainly older gay guys seeking more meaningful relationships) drawn from Franco's gay male friends/employers. An unexpected plot twist in the tale occurring late in the day completely changed my premise on the current/cold-case murders. 4.5 stars - and I'm looking forward to a proposed sequel as per the author.

[Domi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great debut from a writer I will keep my eye on in the future!
Franco di Maso may or may not have seen a murder during a disappointing sexdate on the rooftop of his appartment building. The guy he was with didn't see anything and blames it on a bad reaction to a joint.
This sets off a series of events putting him in the line of fire of the police and a killer when on top of that it brings to light secrets from the past.

A very well written book with a main character who feels real in his emotions and interactions with friends, just trying to make it through life, find someone to love and gets sucked into a situation that spirals out of his control by trying to do the right thing. Marco Carocari is juggling a couple of balls, moving back and forth from the 70's to 2016 and manages to move the story forward at a solid, logical pace ultimately leading to the explosive ending where all balls come together and you can close the book with a satisfying thud.
A must try for the character driven mystery lovers out there!

***An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

[Amber R · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a murder mystery lover then this book is definitely for you.

"Blackout" is a debut novel wriiten by Marco Carocari. The story revolves around Franco diMaso who, while living as real in his emotions, trying to smoothly go through his real life. He was on a date when he witnessed a murder in the building across the street. But when the cop asked him for details, he's surprised that his memory is completely washed off.
Smooth shifts from the main character's dreams and real life by the author made the novel readable and endorses it with the quality of being unputdownable. .
I am really looking forward to read more from the same author.

***ARC of this book was provided in exchange of an honest review***

[Poptart19 (the name’s ren) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I read this pretty much in one sitting. A pacing that wasn’t overwhelmingly intense but kept me hooked, very relatable characters, emotionally satisfying character arcs & relationships, and a good bit of dry wit thrown in—this is a debut novel, & I’m looking forward to reading more from this writer.

[What I liked:]

•I really liked Franco. He’s a good guy who sometimes makes mistakes but owns up, apologizes, & works to make things right when he messes up. He is talented & pursuing goals, but isn’t a perfectly polished, automatically successful character. That made him very relatable.

•The other characters are great! Aidan, Vince, & Gino especially. They’re funny & interesting & there for Franco.

•I loved the twisty end. I didn’t see one of the big reveals coming at all, though in retrospect it was slyly hinted at so it’s not like it came out of nowhere.

•The mystery has some complexity, with multiple characters & timelines involved. I think this helped the pacing keep high-enough-stakes throughout the story as things build & change direction.

•I enjoyed the prose, laughed at some of the banter-y dialogue, & particularly enjoyed the setting details & descriptions. I’m not real familiar with NYC but felt like I could imagine walking in Franco’s neighborhood, & hanging out in the restaurant & at Vince’s club.

•It’s always nice to have queer MC’s in a genre besides romance! (There is a tiny bit of a romance subplot but this is not a romance novel.)


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•A few side characters (but who do have significant roles) were a bit one-dimensional, particularly O’Shea. I felt like he could’ve been a bit more developed.

•It didn’t pull me out of my suspension of belief, but there are some story elements that are mildly...out there? Not unrealistic per se, but some of the fight scenes, the drugging, etc. pushed at that line of easy believability.

CW: murder, on page violence, homophobia (but it’s not a major theme), non-consensual drugging

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

The story took awhile to get started, but it moved fast when it finally did. The song mentions were fun. However, they seemed very random and would interrupt the narrative at times. Overall, I enjoyed the story and I’m glad I read it.

[Dieter Moitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been provided by the editor via NetGalley for the purpose of a review.

Franco DiMaso is your average forty-something-year-old gay New Yorker. He’s a talented photographer who cannot live on his photos alone, so makes ends meet by working in the restaurant of his best friends Gino and Carmine and also tending bar in another friend’s nightclub. He works out in the gym, and he hooks up with other guys thanks to what modern mobile apps provide. His last long-term relationship ended up in disaster some time ago, and his last lucrative photo shoot, although successful and lauded, hasn’t been followed up by any new contracts. Late one night, he meets up with an anonymous lover on the rooftop of the Manhattan flat he rents for next to nothing. The sex turns out to be quite underwhelming, probably because the joint Franco shared with his hook-up must have been laced. He has little recollection of what really happened; he isn’t even sure what he witnessed in a flat across the street is more than a figment of his imagination. But somehow he’s sure he wasn’t dreaming. No, there were two men struggling in the window, and one of them did strangle the other to death.

The police officers he somehow manages to alert despite his being so dazed are less sure, though. Mostly because there’s no body to be found. And because Franco still seems to be under the influence of the drugs. But things become stranger still. Some days later, someone breaks into the town house where Franco is living and hurts one of his landlords downstairs. This time, the two NYPD officers do believe him. More or less. Detective O’Shea, an obnoxious and homophobic drunkard, immediately inclines towards suspecting him, of course. But his partner, handsome Aidan Torrance, is more willing to believe Franco’s version. Even more so when some days later the mutilated body of a millionaire is found hidden in a corner nearby. The problem is, the same millionaire was the one who commissioned Franco’s last photo job. Moreover, Franco’s fingerprints are all over the flat where the supposed murder has taken place. And then there’s the money Franco suddenly discovers he has been bequeathed by the murdered millionaire, and Franco’s past resurfaces: his father, a NYPD officer, was killed in his presence when he was a kid. Nothing seems to add up, everything seems to be just an incredible mess all of a sudden…

If I had to summarize this book in only a couple of words, I’d say: a stupendous surprise because it’s stupendiously good. A clever page-turner plot, authentic-feeling and engaging characters, great writing style, witty dialogs, turns and twists aplenty, and a whodunnit so well constructed and multi-layered that I never saw it coming who might be the culprit. To a certain extent, the book had the feel of a film noir-classic like Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”, from which the idea of involuntarily witnessing a murder from across the street might have been borrowed. But this novel is no pale copy-pasting nor a simple contemporary remake of a well-known story. It offers so much more. I really loved this book, which I consider a must-read for any aficionado not only of M/M murder mysteries but of murder mysteries period.

Franco is a sweet and sassy young man (at forty we are still young, right?) who tries to be a good person and to live his life as best he can. I loved his repartees and his droll bantering not only with his besties (a bunch of endearing side characters who form Franco’s family so to say) but also with the police force. He is not disrespectful, but never awed or cowed by authority or money either, which made for some truly delicious scenes.

Detective Aidan Torrance comes with a past, which I discovered toward the end, and seems very wary at the beginning. Yet, it was obvious almost from the get-go that he and Franco are meant to find each other and fall into each other’s arms, investigation rules be damned. I won’t tell you if they do or not—don’t want to spoil your reading pleasure—but theirs is one of those “relationships” that add even more tension to an already tension-laden thriller. That Torrance’s partner O’Shea is simply a pain in the a**, pardon my French, amplifies this further. The ramifications of the storyline are just another thing that made me read on with bated breath. In fact they lead way back to Franco’s traumatic childhood experience when his dad was shot dead by a drug junkie whose identity was never found out.

Whatever further details I could give would be spoilers as one thing leads to another in this book, and everything is connected even though I couldn’t see why and how until the author deigned to present me with an explanation that was as unexpected as it was obvious. Everthing fell into place at last. Which is as clever as you can get when writing a thriller, so kudos to Marco Carocari for not falling into the traps of an easy or unbelievable solution nor producing a last-minute deus ex machina who takes all the blame. Enjoyable from start to end. Lovers of well-written, well-paced murder mysteries with a pinch of sass and romantic feelings, treat yourself to a copy—you won’t regret it!

[John Mainieri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Franco DiMaso is only 4 years old, in the front seat of his policeman father Frank’s car, on July 13, 1977. His father has spoiled him rotten that day, and he’s exhausted from all the fun. Dad has parked the car on Mulberry Street. Shots ring out and when Franco looks over the top of the front seat of the car, his father is bleeding out, half in the car, half on the sidewalk. Then suddenly, all electricity, all the lights in Manhattan, go out as a blackout hits the city.
Thirty nine years later, Franco is on the roof of his building, trying to enjoy a “date” with a man he met online. The weed he’s taken two puffs of has hit him hard and things are getting wonky. As he struggles to remain conscious, he spots something going on in an apartment under renovation across the street which looks very much like an assault, possibly a murder. His one night stand has taken off, and he loses consciousness. When he comes to, he’s on the sidewalk across the street and 2 cops have responded to a 911 call he doesn’t remember making. They check out the apartment where he saw the assault, only to find it empty, no sign of a struggle. A few days later, a man is found murdered nearby. Then his landlord is attacked in the apartment beneath Franco’s. Then, Franco’s DNA is found at the crime scene. And slowly, Franco’s world starts to fall apart.
Marco Carocari’s debut novel may suffer from some first novel jitters early on, but then the story kicks in and events of the night of the 1977 blackout and the night of 43 year old Franco’s blackout start to come together in a most unusual way. People who were affected by his father’s murder 39 years before start to pop up again. Family members with secrets to hide, possibly crooked cops from back then who are still on the job, a benefactor who was found dead with a startling link to Franco’s past......
The characters pop up with dizzying speed, there are some red herrings thrown in, and there may be some narrative potholes along the way, but it’s a fun read and at times, a sad one as well.
It’s a terrific first novel with twists you won’t see coming, along with some piquant observations on contemporary gay life in the big city.

[Elena Taylor]

What a terrific debut! Marco Carocari ticks off everything I love about an amateur sleuth. The main character is the kind of person I’d enjoy hanging out with. He’s funny, flawed, a little bit snarky, and does inappropriate things with hot men on roof tops.

The mystery is twisty enough to keep me guessing, but the crumbs are all there for the resolution to feel satisfying.

Jumping back and forth between past events and the current ones works effectively to create a full picture of how everything connects together.

The strongest part of the novel, for me, was the development of the characters. Even some of the secondary characters feel well-filled out and real. I like how everyone has flaws, which made them relatable and more complex. I truly enjoyed being a part of the strong community that the protagonist built for himself.

While some of the plot points require a suspension of disbelief, the ride is so enjoyable, I didn’t care. This is not a police procedural, so taking liberties didn’t bother me as it might have in a different kind of book.

I highly recommend Blackout for anyone who loves a good mystery, delightful characters, and bustling New York in the background. Congratulations to Marco Carocari for his debut, I’ll be keeping my eyes out for his next one.

To read my interview with the author, click this link: https://www.elenataylorauthor.com/202...

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

Although the book starts with an interesting premise, it took me several weeks to read the first half of this story because it didn’t grip me in the following chapters. I persevered and once I got to around the 60% mark I started to enjoy the story and read to the end quite swiftly. The overall plot idea is interesting and not too complicated.

Although Franco and Aidan are the main POV characters, there are several chapters told from other points of view. The story is not told entirely in chronological order. The backstory chapters are there to explain current events/characters and to fill in gaps for the reader.

I liked the main character, Franco. Although he was supposed to be forty-three, based on his behaviour and speech I kept imagining him to be more like twenty-three.

The story is more murder mystery than romance. Although there is a connection building between Franco and Aidan from about the mid-point we never really see it bloom.

The book I read (from NetGalley) needed another round or two of edits. There were spelling mistakes, missing words, and loads of run-on sentences.

Quite a few negative points here, but I would recommend a read of this debut book.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book 3 stars just for the music alone. When I saw Jean Carne's name pop up, I knew I was dealing with an author who took his music seriously (or at least his old school R&B music seriously). Blackout was a good read mainly because of Franco's voice. I found him very easy to follow as the main voice of the book. What I didn't find easy to follow were the many secondary characters in the book (Gino, Carmine, Vince) and the rather convoluted mystery that centered around who killed Franco's father. I think the story could have been tighter with less characters and less twists and turns about who did what. I also found some of the New York details to be a little odd. Granted, I am not a native New Yorker and only lived there for a few years, but I don't recall seeing any alleys in the city and I wonder where Officer Torrance could live on his salary that allowed him to be in a high rise with underground parking. I know he said he got the place with his ex, but he also said he was now paying for it on his own, so how could he afford it? But those minor criticisms I could overlook because I largely enjoyed the book and I look forward to reading more work by Carocari.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique thriller with a gay main character named Franco, who lives in New York City and one night witnesses a murder. Then, his life begins to unravel, uncovering some childhood trauma and Italian family drama. It reminds me of The Sopranos meets Law & Order meets Will & Grace?? It was a little predictable, but I enjoyed the ride.

Although this isn’t a police procedural, the author focuses a lot on the cops investigating the case and the turmoil within the police department, so readers might want to know that going into it. I personally started to get lost in all of the officer names because there is such a big supporting cast here. The dialogue was a little cheesy at times but it helps to lighten the tone of an otherwise serious topic. There’s also a little romance thrown in, which isn’t usually something I enjoy in thrillers. Finally, there is a lot of testosterone in this book, with almost no meaningful female characters besides maybe Franco’s mom, so that was another negative for me. Overall, I did like the plot and the set-up, but obviously had some issues with the writing and tropes.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I was quickly sucked into the plot, and invested in Franco as a character. I found myself really looking forward to picking up my kindle to continue with this story.

However, I’m reallllly not a fan of this writing style. There’s a lot of repetition bogging it down, for example, Carocari tells us three times in almost as many pages that Franco’s work is only a short walk from his flat. There’s also quite a lot of focus on small, inconsequential details that don’t really add much to the story, such as the description of his morning routine. I also wasn’t a fan of the pacing. There’s so much focus on details in the start of the book, yet the ending felt very rushed and left me unsatisfied. I would have liked less time spent on Franco’s showering and more spent on the ending.

That being said, this is a solid 3 star read. I’ll keep my eyes open for more from this author in the future. I would actually quite like to read a follow on from Blackout! I really wanted more Franco and Aidan!

[Montana Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

BLACKOUT is Marco Carocari’s debut novel and I really enjoyed it! 4/5⭐️ and a great read for people wanting to incorporate more books with LGBTQ+ representation into their TBR.

Blackout follows the rough life of 43 yr old Franco DiMaso. Franco is mid hookup on a NYC rooftop when he looks accross the street and witnesses a murder through an apartment window. When he begins to investigate, he learns that the individuals involved have ties to his police officer fathers murder that he witnessed when he was 4 years old. This novel is absolutely gripping and leaves you wanting more. There is always something new unraveling in each chapter.

I really liked the idea of two crimes that occurred decades apart being investigated simultaneously. I do think the main character should have been younger based on his lifestyle(nyc, working in bars, partying, dating apps) but was not too bothered by this. Also, the twist in this book🙌 did not see it coming at all.

I would recommend this book to people who like detective novels and enjoy family drama within crime books!

[Jill Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Franco has a rag tag band of loyal friends and thank goodness for it as he stumbles onto a murder, minus the body and the crime scene. As a high, and therefore unreliable witness, the police quickly write him off, but Franco refuses to let it go and as he continues to push and push, his familial past begins to catch up with him. After witnessing the murder of his police officer father at a young age, and the secrets uncovered during the investigation of his death, Franco is determined to remember the killer this time and bring justice to the victim.

Author Marco Carocari twists an intriguing murder mystery. The “investigation” and unraveling that ensues after Franco’s fateful 911 call will keep readers at the edge of their seats as they tour NY through the lens of Franco and his many jobs to make ends meet, as well as the explosive cops that work to undermine his “eyewitness” account.

*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher; all opinions are my own.

[Christopher W Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Blackout” is a very satisfying read: a well-conceived story arc and excellent narrative structure. Well-paced and methodical, and coherent, which is not easy to do in a story juxtaposing present day with flashback foundation-laying. The characters are well-defined and the voices in dialogue are distinct. None of those super-sleuth amateur detective or unbelievable superhero action tropes, it's a refreshing variation on detective stories and noir. This is well-researched, plausible in the seemingly unrelated but ultimately linked events. The best writing takes me where I can see the setting, feel the tension, relate to the mindset and situation. Engaging from the starting hook to the well-wrought wrap. My highest kudos: it has TEXTURE!

[Harley · Rating 1 out of 5]

To begin, I am not one to read crime mystery, but I wanted to give this title a try.

The writing style is subpar. It felt choppy and unsettling. I could tell the author often tried to sound witty or humorous, but it landed empty. The author could have done better as far as detailed writing. The details that were given were not useful, nor did they add to the plot or setting in any manner.

As far as the plot, it took about 30% into the book for anything to happen. By 50% into the book, you finally reach the part of the plot mentioned in the summary.

No, I did not finish this book. I stopped at about 55% because there are honestly many other books on my shelf and this one felt wasted.

#netgalley #blackout

[Michael Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Blackout” by Marco Carocari.
What a wonderful read. Murder mysteries are my thing and having a gay themed was right up my alley. The main character Franco is much like the rest of us just living life and trying to figure it out as he goes along when he gets caught up in a murder.
The story unfolds in New York in 2016 but travels back to Franco‘s past on occasion to give the reader more details about the present. The chemistry between Franco and Aidan the NYPD detective felt so real. So much so I was pulling for them from the very beginning.
I loved all the music references and found myself asking “Alexa” to play the song in the background while I was reading. Kudos to Mr. Carocari for supplying the playlist in the back of the book for our listening pleasure.

[Ashley Gartner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one started off a bit slow for me, it took me a little while to really enjoy Franco's character. At the beginning he's a bit bumbling, but as the story goes on, you see that he's really just a hot mess stemming from witnessing his father's murder at the age of 4. It turns out that his father was a cop, and there's questions about his honesty, and his murder was never solved. Then, Franco witnesses a murder but no one believes him. This novel is full of suspense and turns, and holy cow, I didn't see that ending coming!! By the end, I was fully invested in this mystery and I hope to see more from this author!

[Ryan Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great debut! The mystery was well paced and the characters very interesting. I was surprised at how complex the plot was for a book in this genre. I loved the structure of the novel and think the mystery really benefits from this style.
I do wish that some of the more minor characters were more developed, there were times when I felt like they could have given us much more information that was instead provided by the narrator. This could have absolutely been intentional but didn't work so much for me.
Overall I really enjoyed this one and sped through it. A great mystery with a queer protagonist is always a win for me.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest I pre-ordered this book because I thought the plot sounded like an Italian giallo movie, and although there were no black gloved killers prowling around it was an enjoyable and engrossing murder mystery where the past and the present became intertwined in a tale of greed, corruption and sex.

The story moved at a decent pace and the characters were given enough depth, although perhaps a few less people could have salt & pepper hair, making you warm (or not) to them but despite this at some parts the action lacked that dramatic tension that would have elevated the book to five stars for me.

Nevertheless, this is a solid debut that I would recommend to fans of mystery/amateur sleuth crime fiction and I'll certainly be looking out for the authors next release.

[Sam B · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF
Unfortunately, while the premise gripped me and I do want to find out what happened...I just really struggled to get into this book. Perhaps it's because the MC lived such a wildly different life to me that I just couldn't connect with him at all. I think the book was decently written but not enough happened that made me want to turn the page and continue on with this book. It's unfortunate and maybe one day I'll go back to it, if only to skip to the end to find out what happened. As it is, I just cannot continue with this book.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone can check my Goodreads list of books and discover that I don't read many murder mysteries. I bought this one because the author is a friend. I'm glad I spent the money. It's an energetic book with a nice fast pace. I liked the characters, a nice big fat extended clan of people who support each other. But most important is that I did not know where the story was going and was surprised all the way up to the end. Something I thought was really cool - an appendix that listed all the songs mentioned in the book. So - I'm waiting for the next one.

[judith butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down!!

I love police procedurals - when they're done well. "Blackout" was absolutely done well! The characters were interesting and relatable and the story was intense and intriguing. This book is character and story driven, so if you're looking for steamy MM sex this isn't for you, but if you want a thrilling story with engaging characters, you will LOVE this book! I'm looking forward to more from this author!

[Lori Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not easy to go back and forth in time in a novel, but Marco Carocari does this seamlessly in his debut novel. The characters are well-drawn and settings in both 1977 and 2016 are realistic and vivid, pulling me back in time and easing me forward again. The plot is so intriguing and suspenseful that I ditched work this morning to finish the novel. (Shhh! Don’t tell!) I highly recommend Blackout and I look forward to the next adventure with Franco.

[Michael Vilkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! I rarely review books I read, but this one I loved. It's great when the author is a magician who puts your attention "here" while slight handing a twist in the novel "there." I didn't guess the ending, and enjoyed how the story unspooled. Lots of nice cultural depictions too especially with his references to music, and clubs.

[Greg Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time really IS a charm

Wow! It's hard to believe this is the author's first novel. Finally, a story with characters who happen to be gay, live in the real world among a myriad cast of well drawn out characters. Nothing valid here! Well worth the read!

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining variation on "Rear Window" with an intricate plot and compelling characters. Looking forward to Carocari's next mystery/thriller. What particularly stands out is the lead character Franco and his network of friends. Hope to meet some again in a future novel.

[Books Forward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is thrilling from start to finish. Unpredictable and gritty but interlaced with character dynamics that make you feel invested in more than just the mystery.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good thriller. This is engaging and well-plotted with a satisfying ending. Pretty good dialog and interesting characters. Recommended.

I really appreciate the review copy for review!!