Desert Isle Keeper
Paternity Case
Paternity Case is the third in Gregory Ashe’s series of novels featuring two detectives based in the small Missouri town of Wahredua, Emery Hazard and John-Henry Somerset. These are gritty, complex stories that are practically impossible to put down once started; the mysteries are twisty and really well-conceived but at the heart of each book – and the series – is the complicated, fucked-up relationship between the two principals, a pair of stubborn, emotionally constipated individuals with a dark and painful shared history that stretches back twenty years.
While each of the six books in the series boasts a self-contained mystery, there is also an overarching storyline that runs throughout, so I’d strongly recommend starting at the beginning with book one, Pretty Pretty Boys. There’s probably enough backstory in this book for a newcomer, but if you do jump in here, you’ll miss out on a lot of relationship development and exploration of Hazard and Somerset’s history – which is absolutely integral to the series as a whole. Gregory Ashe knows how to create sexual tension so thick it can be cut with a knife; this is slow-burn romance at its finest – and possibly most frustrating! – so don’t go into this series expecting a quick HFN/HEA.
A little bit of background. Detective Emery Hazard moves back to his small home town of Wahredua after being fired from his job in St. Louis (for reasons we don’t yet know). The town doesn’t hold many good memories for him; the only openly gay kid at school, he didn’t have many friends and was badly bullied by three boys who made his life a misery for years. Of these, one is now dead, another is a broken-down mess, and the third… Hazard doesn’t know what happened to him, the charming, popular, movie-star handsome John-Henry Somerset, son of one of the town’s wealthiest families – until he turns up at his new station and meets his new partner.
Yep.
The first book sees Hazard and Somerset – who now goes by Somers – starting to work though the issues that lie between them, although it’s going to take more than an apology and the new, grudging, respect Hazard slowly develops for his new partner’s ability as a detective, and Somers’ admiration for Hazard’s intellect and his ability to work his way through complicated puzzles and construct solutions, to fix things between them. Somers is almost desperate to prove to Hazard that he’s changed – and he really has – since they were in college, but Hazard is cautious and doesn’t want to have anything to do with him that isn’t work-related. Somers is garrulous and quick to tease the much more serious Hazard, and on the surface they’ve got a bit of an ‘odd couple’ thing going on; but underneath, it’s all much darker and more complicated as the feelings that sparked between them twenty years earlier come roaring back to life.
For two books, readers have watched them struggle to adjust to their working partnership and ignore the intense mutual attraction that neither wants to acknowledge. They’ve had their heated moments, but are both in deep denial; Somers has been trying (unsuccessfully) to work things out with his estranged wife (with whom he has a two-year-old daughter), while Hazard has embarked on a relationship with a gorgeous (and much younger) grad-student, Nico Flores. Both men are involved with someone who just doesn’t ‘get’ them or understand their dedication to their job or loyalty to each other, especially Nico, who can’t understand how Hazard can bear to work with Somers considering their history.
Paternity Case opens as Hazard and Somers are getting ready to go out – on a double-date, of all things; Hazard and Nico, Somers and his almost-ex-wife, Cora. The reader already knows this is one of the worst ideas in history and a train-wreck in waiting, but before things can get too uncomfortable, Somers receives a phone call from his father, who practically orders him to the family home during the Somerset’s annual pre-Christmas party. It’s not a case, but Somers insists Hazard accompanies him anyway, and they arrive to find a very drunk – or stoned – old guy wearing nothing but a Santa hat in the middle of the Somerset’s living room. As Somers and Hazard try to find out what on earth is going on, the lights go out and shots are fired, one killing a young woman and five of the others landing in Glenn Somerset’s chest but somehow not killing him.
Naked-Santa is deemed to be responsible and is taken into custody, but both Hazard and Somers are immediately seeing things that don’t add up. And when they arrive at the hospital to discover that the suspect has been shot and killed by another detective, it ratchets up suspicions they’ve held for a while now that one of their colleagues is on the take. The hints of political corruption and intrigue that have appeared in the earlier books now become something more solid, and when Hazard and Somers are ordered to drop their investigation they smell more than just one rat. Their boss insists there’s nothing to investigate, but neither man buys that; for Somers this is personal – he might not get along with Glenn Somerset, but the man is still his father – and Hazard isn’t about to sit idly by and watch his partner self-destruct or put himself in danger without someone to watch his back.
While both characters get equal billing in the series title, the previous two books have focused a little more on Hazard as the main protagonist. Here, that focus shifts to Somers, and as he starts to unravel, readers are shown more of what lies beneath that gorgeous, wise-cracking exterior – a man who doesn’t like himself much and who is weighed down by the guilt of a terrible betrayal he wrought years ago. Mr. Ashe very deftly delineates Somers’ toxic family situation, and his insight into the power dynamics that existed when Hazard and Somerset were kids is completely on the nose. We see a different side to the normally personable, laid-back detective as the author peels away the layers to reveal the loneliness lying at his core as he is forced to face up to some painful and unwelcome truths about his long-buried feelings, and to reach some significant conclusions as a result.
Both men are guarded and not easy to understand. They talk a lot – well, Somers does – but rarely – if ever – say what they mean, and right from the start, their conversations have been as much about what they don’t say as what they do. They’re both excellent detectives; Hazard is precise and logical while Somers has the kind of emotional intelligence that makes him a really good ‘people person’ – and yet they’re both blind when it comes to each other. While the investigation is the focus of the plot, the intensity of the underlying love story permeates the book; these two are stupid in love but certain the other doesn’t feel the same, and the emotional punch the author delivers at the end is simply masterful.
The secondary cast is strongly-drawn, the plot is cleverly constructed and Gregory Ashe’s writing ranges from the vividly descriptive –
At this time of year, when darkness came early, Warhedua looked like the last place of light and warmth in a burned-out world. Ahead of them, the sodium lights dropped away until the only thing illuminating the asphalt was the Interceptor’s headlights, bluish-white, the color of fresh snow if it had somehow transformed into light.
to the lyrical –
Love isn’t a choice. Love is collision. Love is catastrophe. Somers had thought he’d understood. He thought he’d known how dangerous those words were, he thought he’d sensed how deeply Emery Hazard had upset his life.
But he’d had no idea.
There are moments of observation and insight so sharp it’s almost painful, and the circumlocutory conversations that characterise Hazard and Somers’ interactions are both completely absorbing and a masterclass in how to say something without ever actually uttering the words.
I’ve rambled on long enough, so I’ll close by saying that if you’re a fan of m/m mysteries and romantic suspense, then you’re going to want to start on the Hazard and Somerset series right away. I promise you’ll thank me later ;)
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Book Details
Reviewer: | Caz Owens |
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Review Date: | February 20, 2019 |
Publication Date: | 04/2018 |
Grade: | A |
Sensuality | Subtle |
Book Type: | Romantic Suspense |
Review Tags: | Hazard and Somerset Mysteries | male author | Male/Male romance | Queer romance | slow burn |
I’m putting this here because there’s no review for book 4 and my gosh I need to talk about John-Henry and Emery!
I read book 1 years ago and just…wasn’t that into it. Hazard is *not* a likable character, and at the time, I couldn’t get past it. But then there have been years and years of favorable reviews of Ashe’s novels and I was worn down! I read books 2–4 in about two weeks. (And Hazard is still unlikeable, and Somers and his drinking, predictable.)
But my god they finally got there and it was so, so excruciating. I don’t know if I can keep going on. Is it worth going on? There’s another series (or maybe two) with the two of them isn’t there? Just thinking about that is making me tired.
I’ve also noticed that there are emotional loose threads that didn’t get tied up or Somers and Hazard realize things about the other and don’t talk about it. Like
I’m assuming these kinds of holes are covered as the series goes on, but if not, does the author improve at not having such holes?
Another question: Does Somers continue to make “funny” (NOT funny at all) comments about Hazard’s body? That was SUCH a turn-off and I was really close to just giving up on the book. Does Ashe continue in this series and other books to scrutinize bodies in this unnecessary way (be it Hazard or other characters)? If so, I’d like to know. That’s a dealbreaker for me.
Off to find some soothing fluff.
I just realized it sounds like I don’t like the books. I like the books! Ashe is a master at slow-burn. I almost passed out from anticipation at the end of book 3 and pushed back my planned TBR to read book 4.
And romance aside, Ashe layers his crimes and the solving of them beautifully. Definitely recommend.
Honestly? It’s been quite a while since I read the first series (and yes, we’re halfway through H&S series 3 right now) that I really can’t remember. Many of the issues lying between them do get addressed, and as things stand now they’re a solid couple who are dealing with all the usual stuff that comes up in relationships – jobs, work/life balance, kids etc. – as well as all the extraneous crap that gets thrown at them!
I’m super late to the game—three years is eons ago.
I’m listening to the first book in the series, Pretty Boys, and I can already sense that the wait for these two to admit their feelings for each other is going to be excruciating. I don’t like to disparage an entire sex…but I’m sensing that all that testosterone is not going to equal = emotional honesty or romantic declarations any time soon. I’m not sure I love the narrator but I’m definitely into the story. I think with a slow burn this obvious, a faster reading pace might make me happier (you know, to get to the ‘good’ stuff :)), but I’m going to power through and listen to the end of this first book – probably. I’m hooked Caz.
Yes, the wait is pretty tortuous, but it’s worth it! Tristan James is a decent narrator, altbough not a favourite – his narrations can suffer from a lack of emotion, I find. I did a mix of reading and listening with this series – I listened to the first, read the next two and listened to the last three. Gregory Ashe’s current series is coming out on audio soon as well – book one (Orientation<.b>) in the next fewweeks, he tells me), – I’m looking forward to that.
Great summary and insightful review. I’m on book #5 And I can’t put them down. I love the combination of an excellent mystery and an interesting romance. I also liked the previous history being filled in as the story progresses. I felt some nostalgia about the high school experience. And the scene was set so skillfully that I actually looked on a map to try to find Walradua. Cang t too see what happens in book 5.
Thank you! I’ve actually just finished listening to the audio version of Reasonable Doubt (I’m reviewing for AudioGals). There’s more to come in terms of backstory (mostly for Hazard in this one) and still plenty of unfinished business and baggage to be addressed between him and Somers. This is a terrific series and Ashe’s writing is SO good – lucky for us, he’s working on a new story arc for Hazard and Somers! (His latest series – Borealis Investigations – got off to a great start with Orientation, which is also well worth reading.)
Glad you enjoyed it! IMO, the mystery in book 2 isn’t quite as good as the first, but it does set up some ongoing plot threads, and H&S are still wonderfully clueless
Ok, I finished the first book in the series and it definitely held my attention. On to book two!
Anyone reading Ashe’s other series (Hollow Folk, about the psychic)?
Ok, I’m late to the party as well but this series sounds like some of my favorites. Clicking . . .
I was a bit late myself, but better late than never, and I think the series is well worth reading :)
Late to the party, but thank you for this review and recommendation. Recently I’ve been reading a lot of queer fiction (Harper Fox, KJ Charles, Cat Sebastian, and the incredibly versatile TJ Klune), but Gregory Ashe is new to me. I’m on book 3 (this one) and have already gotten the next. It helps that they are (mostly) around 2.99 for the ebooks.. I will say that the romantic pace is excruciatingly slow, but considering the characters’ past, completely understandable. They have a lot of baggage to work through.
You’re welcome Julie – I’m pleased to know you’re enjoying the series! I recently listened to book four on audio (I’ve been reading to some, listening to some) and let’s just say that your patience will be rewarded :)
And yes, you definitely get a lot of book for the money.