Bacchus Lair manager, David Lee provides a locale where performers can engage in their metier.
Dick Hardesty, employed as a public relations maven for Carlton Carlson and Associates along with some of his friends, regularly delight in both the ambience and the entertainment.
This begins to change when an apparent homophobic arsonist begins burning numerous of the local gay watering holes. Hardesty has recently found himself in the thankless job of helping to get Chief of Police Terrence Rourke elected to the office of state governor.
This most unlikeable, homophobic man is conjectured by the gay community to even have done away with his own gay son Patrick. Hardesty threads a fine line between his work with the Carlton Carson agency and Rouke’s possible discovery that the genius behind his highly successsful campaign is himself gay.
Patrick’s twin Kevin, married, father of a young son, pastor of a rescue mission located not far from Bacchus Lair proves an ally for Hardesty as the campaign carries through toward election day. Hardesty soon discovers he is learning more about the narrow-minded, harsh Chief than he ever hoped to know when the ‘worst fire in city history’ guts another gay bar in the Bacchus Lair vicinity.
In this inferno are lost friends of Hardesty. He is propelled into trying to find who is effecting the horror only to discover not everything in the Rourke household is as it once seemed. With the arsonist brought to the light of day, Hardesty is able to persuade Chief Terrence Rouke to take back his name from the governor’s race.
Excellent book filled with a marvelous array of characters. From the delightful drag queen Tondelay O’Tool/Teddy, the mysterious Judy Garland, and right down to the bigot Rourke these are people who catch and hold your attention.
The mystery surrounding Patrick Rouke’s supposed death, his brother Kevin and Dick Hardesty himself are all credible characters behaving in plausible manner.
The twists of plot coupled with Hardesty’s personal life situation provide the backdrop for his leaving the Public Relations firm and hanging out his shingle as a Private Detective.
Evocative of Christine Spindler’s ‘Faces of Fear’ and filled with the spine tingling chill of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the narrative is a grab the reader from the opening page and keep them interested right down to the last. The anguish of the gay community is compelling. Hardesty’s desperation driven behavior as he strives to discover what is bringing about this terror keeps the reader on the edge of the seat.
The interwoven personal issues Hardesty and his friends engage in are grist for the story.
THE BUTCHER’S SON extends to the reader a glimpse inside the mind of a hagridden, obsessed individual who begins to act upon his delusion in the most fear-inspiring manner. In a short time the reader observes how quickly controlled behavior turns to irrational, overpowering hostility and even murderous intent.
THE BUTCHER’S SON is Dorien Grey’s second mystery thriller and is the prequel to his highly acclaimed ‘The Ninth Man.’ We who enjoy thrillers are delighted to know Dorien is hard at work on the next and many more novels in this series are soon to be forthcoming.
THE BUTHCHER’S SON is a tale that will clinch you tight from the first line and will hold you fast right on down to the last page. Perceptive book and highly recommended.
Reviewed by molly martin
http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mollymartin
