A Dangerous Thing (The Adrien English Mysteries, #2) in Queereaders

Nov 29, 2012 Kelly (Maybedog) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: what-lgbtqia, where-grr-mine, how-series, what-male-protagonist, what-mm-read, what-mm, what-nerds, what-cheating

4.5 stars

Jake can be such an ass and Adrien doesn't even see it. He puts up with way more than is even believable. They've been "together" three months and in this book they finally kiss. Jake's homophobia and self-loathing is getting tiring. It's also confusing as he is inconsistent with affection. Why a guy whose been out his whole life would be willing to be with someone like Jake who doesn't even let Adrien touch him is too far fetched.

But... Lanyon is a gifted writer and this book is a jo ...more

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Oct 23, 2008 Nancy rated it liked it

Shelves: e-books, crime-mystery-thriller, gay, disability

Second in the Adrien English series. Another fun and engaging mystery that was a little more substantial than the first. The romance between Adrien and Jake grows, with all its joys and frustrations. I just wish Jake wasn't such a prick. ...more

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Aug 18, 2009 Kassa rated it really liked it

I’m going back and listening to the audiobook versions of this series and finally writing reviews for the individual books. I can’t believe I never wrote them the first time but suffice it to say my enjoyment has probably only increased since the first time I read this series. The narrator, Chris Patton, is really good and I’m often surprised by the nuance he manages to interject into the character’s voices. No question that audiobooks hinge greatly on the use of great narrators and Patton is a I’m going back and listening to the audiobook versions of this series and finally writing reviews for the individual books. I can’t believe I never wrote them the first time but suffice it to say my enjoyment has probably only increased since the first time I read this series. The narrator, Chris Patton, is really good and I’m often surprised by the nuance he manages to interject into the character’s voices. No question that audiobooks hinge greatly on the use of great narrators and Patton is a great choice. I find the books so engrossing that I literally can’t seem to stop listening. The stories themselves are solid but the narration makes them extremely difficult to put down. I’m nearly speed listening through this series.

But anyway – A Dangerous Thing is book two in the Adrien English series and it offers a tepid mystery but more importantly, much more depth to Adrien and Jake’s relationship. Here Adrien has run off to an old ranch he inherited from his paternal grandmother after Jake cancels yet another date. Not surprisingly Adrien immediately encounters a dead body as soon as he gets to the deserted ranch but the body has disappeared once he left to summon help. Thus starts his rocky relationship with the local police and Jake is summoned to untangle Adrien from his latest blunders. Because Adrien simply can’t stop himself from investigating a murder on his own, because the police are all idiots and only Adrien can solve anything, he tromps his way through suspects and increasingly complicated motives.

The murder mystery is interesting enough but I found it bland. It’s incredibly convoluted and frankly the connections make little to no sense. There are a group of amateur archeologists that are important to the story in leaving bread crumbs of details but they’re not really that interesting on their own. The various ghost stories had me zoning out and wanting to skip ahead in the narration. The eventual conclusion actually makes sense, if you can buy into all the various mental leaps and plot holes that occur to get there. That said, it’s not difficult to read and the mystery mostly sets the backdrop for some developments between Jake and Adrien’s relationship, finally.

I’d forgotten a lot about their romantic relationship so I was pleased to see how it finally progressed and the small tenderness they shared. It’s not an OTT or even very romantic relationship, which makes the quiet moments all that more meaningful. When they share an actual kiss and furthermore have sex, the scenes have weight and it’s clear these are turning points in their relationship. As a character, Adrien is incredibly impulsive, often jumping in without much thought or care and is careless about his own mortality. He’s clearly in love with Jake but cautious since he knows the relationship is going to break his heart someday even while he secretly hopes it’ll work out. This push-pull dynamic keeps the tension high since the reader, and Adrien, is never sure which way Jake will respond to any particular situation. Jake is gruff and often mysterious. The story is told from Adrien’s first person perspective so what Jake thinks, cares, or even wants is never clear. He comes across as an asshole partly because he is and partly because Adrien is so frustrated with the limitations placed on them. I know they eventually have a happy ending but it’s clear there will be a lot of drama and heartache to get there.

Overall I found the mystery portion of the book less interesting but it made a decent enough background to progress the relationship. It allowed Jake and Adrien to be isolated together and have a lot of time to work some things out and come together finally. Although not overtly romantic, I think the romance aspect was much stronger than the mystery aspect for this book. However the great narrator helped smooth over any boring parts with his excellent voice and great use of nuance. I just liked listening to him so I didn’t mind when the story would get bogged down in red herrings, irrelevant details, and silly decisions on Adrien’s part. It’s an easy story and series to recommend and especially the audiobook versions.

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Apr 09, 2009 Ethan Day rated it it was amazing

The Adrien English Mystery Series by Josh Lanyon – What do you get when you take murder, an amateur, mystery writing sleuth with a heart condition who wields his sarcastic tongue to deflect suspicion and innuendo…then mix it with a dash of romance including in a hunky cop with commitment issues, a leather fetish, who suffers from a severe case of homophobia despite being one himself? A whole lotta happy readers. I have yet to read the fifth and final book, mainly because I know I won’t have to s ...more

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Aug 22, 2010 Luna Solaris rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorite-m-m

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 30, 2008 LD Durham rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gay-fiction, m-m-romance

This review is for the ebook version.
A Dangerous Thing is just that much better as the romance between Adrien and Jake builds. It’s such a natural and real relationship they have, in all its sweet, snapping, joking, and frustrating parts.

The mystery in this book, while a little more improbable, was even more exciting than in Fatal Shadows. I was so engaged in it, and the way clues were revealed was great because you really had to be thinking.
Read the entire review at Top & Bottom Book Review ...more

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Nov 22, 2008 Jon rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorite-gay-mysteries

Fantastic second Adrien English mystery. The characterization of Adrien and Det. Riordan, both direct opposites, drives this novel more than on the surface as they discover each other and their mutual attraction despite the numerous roadblocks (the author!) thrown (throws) their way. The mystery is solid, the writing tight as any true traditional mystery should be. Love it and highly recommend!

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Jun 13, 2008 Astrid rated it it was amazing

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Jul 30, 2008 A.M. Riley rated it it was amazing

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Sep 09, 2008 Bryl Tyne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite, erotic, mystery-suspense, glbt

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Dec 08, 2008 Erotic Horizon added it

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Feb 15, 2009 Blackbook rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime, 2009, m-m

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Feb 28, 2009 Joseph-Daniel Peter Paul Abondius marked it as to-read

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Mar 18, 2009 Natsroshan rated it liked it

Shelves: mm-romance, paranormal-thriller-mystery

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Mar 23, 2009 Nichem rated it it was amazing

Shelves: recommended-reads

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Mar 26, 2009 Tracey added it

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Mar 29, 2009 Mary rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, favorites-and-rereads, mystery-intrigue, glbtq, josh-lanyon, series-sequels, ebook-and-print-editions, extra-copy, amateur-sleuth, closet-case

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