Still waters run deadly.Tom Paretski, plumber with a talent for finding hidden things, and his private investigator fiancé Phil Morrison have been hired to locate a runaway husband, Jonathan Parrot. The job seems simple enough¿until their quarry turns up dead in a canal, and a photofit of Tom¿s face is splashed all over the news, making him chief suspect.The widow, petite ex¿porn star Lilah … petite ex¿porn star Lilah Lovett, is convinced her husband was killed by his gay lover, but Tom and Phil aren¿t so sure. Worried they may have precipitated Jonathan¿s death, they¿re determined to find the real killer. But with a web of incestuous ties linking the suspects, it¿s hard to know who to trust. Especially when a second victim dies a gruesome death.
Meanwhile, with their wedding looming and them sharing a house now, Tom¿s worried it may all be too much, too fast. The last thing he needs are the mixed messages Phil seems to be sending out. They¿ll need to get back on the same track if they want to make it to their honeymoon together¿and alive.
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Tom has trouble saying No. In each book it leads to him tripping over or discovering a dead body.
Weddings! Got to love them because we get not one but two! Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself here but it’s so hard when I have been head over heels for this series. Author J.L. Merrow has lured me into to her wonderful world with her British wit and lovable characters. Tom and Phi are a great couple and the situations they, or mostly Tom, find themselves in are laugh out loud funny, mixed with mystery.
So like I said, we get two weddings. Cherry’s and of course, Tom’s. I’m not going to give either one of them away other than to say my favorite was the one the book ends on. And weddings aren’t the only thing we get twos of. Two little people and two deaths. Not of the little people of course since one of them is Darren. Can’t kill off Gary’s hubby. However, the second little people is a friend of Darren’s from his porn days. Lilah is missing her husband and she wants Tom to find him and give him a package. Simple enough, right. Of course not! It’s a mad chase through a market before Tom can finally hand over said package…only to find himself the main suspect when the runaway husband turns up dead.
Lot’s of characters in this one so it was so hard to figure out who the killer was. And was I surprised in the end? No, not really. What did have me surprised was Tom not finding the dead body. Shocker! I missed out on him once again stumbling (literally!) over a corpse. Or so I thought and let me just say EWWWW! when dead body number two comes into play. Consider yourself warned.
Back to the wedding, at least Tom and Phil’s. Sighs! However, being that this is Tom we are talking about, things can’t completely go off without a few hiccups. Plans for the honeymoon, the venue, the plans, two dads (There’s another two!) are all looming of the guys and Tom is feeling a bit overwhelmed. Did I mention the honeymoon? Snickers! Now that bit was funny and saw it coming a mile away. And of course, all this planning is going on smack dab in the middle of the guys trying to solve another mystery. Man, I love it!
Tom and Phil have come full circle now from a crush on a bully to a happily married couple. In some ways it feels like the series has come to the end and yet, there are plenty of hints about Tom’s abilities getting stronger. Will there be another book in The Plumber’s Mate Mysteries series? OMG I really hope so because I just don’t want the fun to end! But if there isn’t, it certainly ended on the sweetest note. Congrats Tom and Phil!
I received this book from The JeepDiva with the express purpose of an honest review. The opinions, contents, and rating of this review are solely mine
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Veronica –
At this point in the series we know the characters well, we know the ins and outs of their lives, and as the reader, we are just along for the ride. And a fun ride it is. Tom is something of a celebrity these days and even through Phil is the PI, Tom has been asked to investigate a man’s disappearance. Unfortunately, the man eventually turns up dead and once again, Tom and Phil find themselves trying to solve a murder.
On the home front, Tom is having all sorts of doubt and insecurities about himself and getting married. The road to the altar isn’t a smooth one but I like that Phil and Tom aren’t perfect and seeing them have to work at their relationship.
Once again with this series I’m faced with a mystery I have lots of theories about, but I didn’t really guess it right. I like that it isn’t entirely obvious who did it and that I am surprised once the truth is revealed. Or maybe it was obvious and I’m just not smart enough to see it!
Being with Tom and Phil is a blast. I love the language and Tom’s very British humour. I’ve had the pleasure this year of leisurely reading through The Plumber’s Mate Mysteries series. Lock Nut is the final book and another great story. Not sure if it is the final forever or the final book for now. I’m one reader who would happily spend more time with Tom and Phil and would love the author to write more books in this series.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Lock Nut (The Plumber’s Mate Mysteries #5) by JL Merrow to read and review.