Gay p.i. Dick Hardesty and his partner Jonathan take a "vacation" to New York City and become involved in a show-biz murder and backstage intrigue. Book #8 in the Dick Hardesty Mystery series.
Excerpt
We made it to the theater by twenty-til, and while the crowd hardly matched the one waiting to get into "Cats", it appeared that there would definitely be a full house. We were standing beside a tall man in a very expensive suit who would have been much more attractive, in my opinion, had he not considered it necessary to pluck his eyebrows, laquer his nails to the point of reflecting light, and opted for just a tad less makeup.
Next to him was a short, heavy set man with a full Monty Wooley beard, wearing a brown tweed jacket with suede elbow patches and a bright yellow ascot. We couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
"Why do you insist on coming to these things?" the tall one asked.
The other responded with a shocked look. "What? And miss a Tait Duncan extravaganza? Dear me, no. And I understand this one is about the sinking of the Titanic. How utterly appropriate!"
"Well," the tall one said, "he was lucky enough to have Gene Morrison choose him to produce his first new play in years."
The heavy set one responded with a derisive laugh. "Exactly! His first new play in years. Tait has an absolute penchant for taking on lost causes--hiring ex-criminals, supporting burnt-out playwrights and their B-grade pretty-boy actors--in a leading role, yet!" Suddenly, he touched his spread fingertips dramatically to his chest and assumed a wide-eyed look of mock distress. "Oh, but the poor boy's dead now, isn't he? Pity."
Professional Reviews
The Role Players
In "The Role Players", Dorien Grey demonstrates a mastery of pure fictioin writing by capturing the sights, sounds, and feelings of New York City in the 1980's. This isn'tjust a mystery to try and figure out whodunit, it's a well-crafted slice-of-history tale that draws the reader in to explore its world. Grey definitely appears to be on the path of creative growth with this work, and "The Role Players" may be his finest novel yet.
Jay A. Hartman, www.KnowBetter.com
The Role Players
Many successful mysteries have love stories at their center. Think of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane;Elizabeth Peters' husband and wife team of Emerson and Amelia; Agatha Christy's Tommy & Tuppence. Now, Dorien Grey has created another engaging couple: Dick Hardesty and Jonathan Quinlan.
It was murder which first brought these two men together. Now, in "The Role Players", another murder leads Dick and Jonathan into the backstage gossip, grudges, and ego trips of a New York theatrical propduction where Dick's hard-edged logic and tenacious curiosity are complimented by Jonathan's
childlike innocence and intuitive insights into personalities and motivations. And where love, far from being a many-splendored thing, may be the motive for murder.
Take a dash of the wit of Nick and Nora Charles, and a hint of the intrigue of "All About Eve" and you will have something of the flavor of Dorien Grey's newest mystery: "The Role Players".
Ralph Higgins, Wayves
The Role Players
PLEASE NOTE: Beth Anderson, who does freelance reviews, has her review appearing below under "Reader Reviews", though it shows as being reviewed by Dorien himself. It was not. Sorry for the confusion.
I had only read a few lines of "The Role Players" when I knew this book was going to be a smash. I actually began to smile on the first page as Dorien's gentle humor drew me in, even though this is first and foremost a murder mystery. It's not that his subjects are funny; the way he writes with subtle yet broad, meaningful master strokes.
The leading actor in an off-Broadway play has been murdered. Our hero, Dick Hardesty and his young lover, Jonathan, fly to New York to see the play staying with Dick's former lover, Chris, who is the set designer. Chris' current lover, Max, is the stage manager. Dick becomes involved in the murder investigation, not because he's looking for work while on vacation. He doesn't want to, but is talked into it by Tait Duncan,who runs the theater group. Tait only wants to know whether someone in the Whitman Theater Group committed the murder.
As always, Grey has penned a fast reading, fun mystery. This time, in addition to the mystery, we get to go along vicariously on this trip all around New York and see it through Jonathan's eyes. I loved that--it was just like being there with dear friends without contending with all the traffic.
"The Role Players" is another great read by Dorien Grey. I recommend it highly to anyone who loves a good, solid mystery.
During the 1960's a young soldier struggles with basic training, a bully sergeant and his own inner demons. A tale of struggle, redemption and survival.
Just a simple gathering of the Gay & Lesbian Activist Association of New Birch and Sipsboror (GLAABS) and we plunge down a hilarious ride to perdition.
