Read the complete first season of this thrilling, action-packed investigative suspense romance with two strong-willed detectives, an undeniable slow burn attraction, and a terrifying puppetmaster in the shadows before Season Two returns!ABOUT THIS EPISODEWhen a string of young queer men turn up dead in grisly murders, all signs point to the ex-boyfriend—but what should be an open-and-shut case is … to the ex-boyfriend—but what should be an open-and-shut case is fraught with tension when BPD homicide detective Malcolm Khalaji joins up with a partner he never wanted. Rigid, ice-cold, and a stickler for the rules, Seong-Jae Yoon is a watchful presence whose obstinacy and unpredictability constantly remind Malcolm why he prefers to work alone. Seong-Jae may be stunningly attractive, a man who moves like a graceful, lethal bird of prey…but he’s as impossible to decipher as this case.
And if Malcolm doesn’t find the key to unravel both in time, another vulnerable young victim may end up dead.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Baltimore homicide detective Malcolm Khalaji has his own way of doing things: quiet, methodical, logical, effective, not always particularly legal. He’s used to working alone—and the last thing he needs is a new partner ten years his junior.
Especially one like Seong-Jae Yoon.
Icy. Willful. Detached. Stubborn. Seong-Jae is all that and more, impossible to work with and headstrong enough to get them both killed…if they don’t kill each other first. Foxlike and sullen, Seong-Jae’s disdainful beauty conceals a smoldering and ferocious temper, and as he and Malcolm clash the sparks between them build until neither can tell the difference between loathing and desire.
But as bodies pile up at their feet a string of strange, seemingly unrelated murders takes a bizarre turn, leading them deeper and deeper into Baltimore’s criminal underworld. Every death carries a dangerous message, another in a trail of breadcrumbs that can only end in blood.
Malcolm and Seong-Jae must combine their wits against an unseen killer and trace the unsettling murders to their source. Together, they’ll descend the darkest pathways of a twisted mind—and discover just how deep the rabbit hole goes. And if they can’t learn to trust each other?
Neither will make it out alive.
more
This starts with an act of violence, in first person, so be warned.
Homicide cop, Malcolm Khalaji gets a new murder and a new partner, Seong-Jae Yoon, newly transfered from LAPD to Baltimore. They spend as much time trying to figure each other out as they do the case, but make no mistake, this book is about the case and it is as gruesome as possible. The author does a great job of establishing very different points of view and personalities as we alternate between both POV. They bond over the horror and grief of death, but this is a slow burn so don’t expect anything. Heck, I almost didn’t think this would have any erotic or romantic component at all, but we get a tease…so maybe, some day. If you like crime fiction then you will enjoy this. The case itself is intriguing. There is one body after another so we hardly get to catch our breathe. The study of the crime scenes and evidence is interesting. Every interaction they have brings them from strangers, to a police partnership that includes trust of each other’s abilities and mutual respect, albeit grudgingly and with much annoyance. I am totally sucked in now so I need the next case.
This book was written in the vein of a TV series, so this is season one, episode one. Much like my favorite crime dramas on TV, this episode tells the complete story of our two detectives tracking a killer. Also like my favorite shows, the back story of each main character is merely hinted at, and I’m sure we’ll get to know more as the season progresses. So far, I’m loving it.
This case is the first time Malcolm Khalaji and Seong-Jae Yoon meet. They are paired up by their captain to investigate the murder of a college student in the alley behind a gay bar. As the men begrudgingly work together, the case becomes that of a serial killer, one who is especially sadistic and bold. My heart breaks for the victims and the people who love them, as well as for the two detectives. Holden and Seong-Jae obviously have pasts that compel them to do this job, even as it kills bits of their souls. I love their interaction, and I want to know more about their histories.
This is an excellent and also horrific beginning to the series, and I am on pins and needles waiting for the next one. Don’t go into this expecting a romance – it is certainly not that. What it is, is a great murder mystery slash crime drama. It is violent and gory and disturbing – and it is a terrific story.