Review: Third You Die by Scott Sherman

Title: Third You Die by Scott Sherman
Kevin Connor Mystery #3
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Romance, GLBT
Length: 344 pages
Book Rating: A

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Finally settling down with his hunky cop boyfriend, former callboy Kevin Connor is giving up the “oldest profession” for a new career: producing his mom’s TV talk show, “Sophie’s Voice.” But when their latest guest—gay porn sensation Brent Havens—ends up floating in the East River after vowing to blow the lid off the adult film industry, Kevin returns to the world of high-stakes sex to find out: Who killed the twink who had everything?

Was it the X-rated director who exploited his star—for his own desires? The bartender boyfriend who hustled more than just cocktails? Or the eye-candy co-star who left the sweet actor for a sugar daddy?

Either way, Kevin is zooming in on one twisted plot with no shortage of drama queens. But is he ready for his close-up…with a killer?

The Review:

Third You Die by Scott Sherman is the entertaining and somewhat insightful installment of the absolutely fabulous Kevin Connor Mystery series. This clever and fiendishly witty whodunnit finds protagonist Kevin Connor settling into his new life with his cop boyfriend, Tony Rinaldi and his new job as a producer on his mom’s daytime television show, Sophie’s Voice. He once again stumbles into a mystery when gay porn star Brent Havens disappear.

I absolutely adore Kevin Connor. He is kind, caring and incredibly compassionate. Kevin is quite perceptive and non-judgmental which leads to his ability to accept other people’s kinks and sexual deviations. He has matured over the course of the series and this maturity is best demonstrated by his more cautious approach to his investigation into Brent’s disappearance.

In the midst of his search for Brent, Kevin is also dealing with his relationship with Tony. Tony is still deep in the closet and his inability to publicly admit to their relationship continues to be a source of frustration to Kevin. He still questions Tony’s commitment to their relationship and Kevin is unsure of his role in Tony’s son’s life.

Third You Die is a well-plotted and fast paced novel with an appealing cast of characters. The story is well-written and Kevin’s sharp sense of humor and caustic wit are laugh out loud funny. A lengthy suspect list keeps the reader guessing as to the killer’s identity.

But the most intriguing mystery of Third You Die is not what happened to Brent Haven. No, the biggest mystery is what is going to whether or not Tony and Kevin are going to live happily ever after. And Scott Sherman skillfully keeps that answer a secret right up until the very surprising conclusion of this wonderful installment of the Kevin Connor Mystery series.

Although Third You Die can be read as a standalone story, you won’t want to miss the other novels in this unique and refreshing series. I am eagerly anticipating the next book in this delightful series.