Orientation (Borealis Investigations Book 1)

At this point, I’ve read enough of Gregory Ashe’s backlist to know that he’s going to 1. write an absolutely engaging, atmospheric, and terrifying mystery, and 2. he’s going to cripple me in the process. I’m happy to report that he has not disappointed with Book 1 in the Borealis Investigations. This series stands out with a wholly developed and unique voice, where the reader is guaranteed to get something different from Hazard and Somerset or The Lamb and the Lion, which I cannot appreciate enough as a reader, or marvel at enough as an author. Walking the tightrope of writing your true voice while also straddling the personalities of the characters, is never easy—but Ashe manages time and again.

The series centers around two private detectives in St. Louis—Shaw Aldrich and North McKinney. Business hasn’t been great since North lost his license and getting customers is now dependent on Shaw. And these two… God, does Ashe know how to write creative, hilarious, believable, and extremely detailed characters. These two have a history of friendship going back to college, but never does the reader feel overwhelmed by this backstory. In fact, Ashe is able to convey what these two mean to one another within a few sentences of sarcastic, bratty, funny as hell back-and-forth, and when Shaw and North sprinkle in further details about school, the dorms, or old boyfriends, it all makes complete sense because of how their initial interactions are conveyed.

In this respect, it’s definitely a lighter tone than that of Hazard and Somers, but as the mystery unfolds, and the onion layers of North and Shaw are peeled back one-by-one, we’re dealt another emotional blow akin to what we’re used to with an Ashe book. Matty is a good boy, a church boy, and after spending the night with a man he met at a local gay bar, he comes to the Borealis office claiming he’s being blackmailed with a sex tape and needs to hire North and Shaw. What follows is an absolutely radical mystery through the streets of St. Louis, of which I’ve never visited, and yet the imagery was so vivid and powerful I could feel the air on my skin and the light of the streetlamps blazing down overhead. The two detectives have interactions with local drag queens, members of the LGBT community, police, and more. The clues are so subtle that I could have smacked myself for missing their initial introduction, and the cast of bad guys are all completely relevant. And that finale? Did I breathe at all the entire time? Jury’s out, but I doubt I did.

I wholly recommend Orientation for the laugh-out-loud narrative and dialogue, the heart-pounding action, and emotionally devastating characters that just love each other so much and are kept an arm’s length away from their happily ever after the entire freaking book. Ashe is just an incredible author. Full stop.

The start of the Borealis series is a winner for me. I couldn’t put it down. Gregory Ashe has become my newest auto-buy.

Readers can count on a Gregory Ashe novel to tear their hearts into little tiny pieces and rebuild them practically new by the end of the story. It’s good to know that hasn’t changed from series to series. In ‘Orientation: Borealis Investigations Book 1’, we meet two investigators (Kingsley Shaw Wilder Aldrich, and North McKinney) that have been friends for about eight years, having met at university as incoming freshmen. Both men are openly gay and have started an investigation agency that helps those in the LGBTQ+ community. We find the guys are in danger of losing the agency after a bad case that leaves North’s private investigator’s license is currently suspended. They are approached by Matty Fennmore, a minister’s son in charge of youth programs, who is being blackmailed by a man who videotaped their homosexual encounter–Matty’s first. He wants to hire them to recover the videotape. North is against helping the young man, citing the need for breaking the law to recover the videotape. Shaw points out that they are desperately in of the money and North cede but dislikes Matty because of his more personal interest in Shaw. Together the men discover others are being blackmailed and further along, they come to understand their client isn’t who he says he is. North rescues Shaw but additional psychoemotional damage has definitely been done. This forms the major plot of the narrative.
It becomes clear to readers very early on that North serves as Shaw’s protector, a role he stepped into during their college days when a savage attack resulted in Shaw’s date being brutally killed and him severely injured. A serial killer dubbed the West End Slasher was targeting young gay men seven years earlier and Shaw’s attack resulting in the apprehension of the perpetrator. But Shaw is certain the wrong man is serving the sentence for the West End Slasher killings and his attack. That the real West End Slasher is still out there serves as the plot for the Borealis Investigations series arc!
Writer Gregory Ashe is generous in character development. He packs the novel well with anecdotes, jokes, past occurrences of the book’s main protagonists to give the reader a three-dimensional view of their natures, thoughts, and lives. With one book we are immersed in the dynamics of North’s relationship not only with his partner and friend Shaw but also with 1) his husband Tucker, 2) his father, and 3) his uncle Ronnie! Each relationship contributes greatly to the excellent quality of the story and the complete immersion readers will experience when digesting the novel.
With respect to North’s relationship with Shaw, we see an obvious love relationship that is way beyond what one would expect from mere friends but the writer gives readers a plausible reason why the men are not in an intimate relationship. Most have to do with Shaw who is obviously suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after surviving the West End Slasher attack. Another is the socioeconomic disparity that exists between North and Shaw. Shaw is a trust fund baby and North is a blue-collar kid that worked construction whose mother died when he was twelve. There are other clear differences between the men that result from either familial differences, societal standing, and financial disparity. These are plentiful in the storyline and contribute greatly to the credibility of the odd yet charming and endearing friendship between our protagonists.
In addition to the complex three-dimensional characters, writer Gregory Ashe is liberal in his use of text to describe the setting of his novel. The environs of St. Louis as the backdrop for his story are included to great effect. Things are so richly descriptive one feels able to easily traverse St. Louis, Missouri while visiting. Including actually street names and such just gives the narrative such a realistic, ‘lived-in’ feel, which especially the case with the Borealis offices and Shaw’s home.
All in all, there is dynamic progress with subplots within the novel that keeps the reader fully engaged. There is the teaser that is the resolution of the subplots without conclusion of the major conflict within the Borealis Investigations series arc. Both contribute to leaving the reader happily anticipating the next book. Concerning Gregory Ashe’s work, writer Dianne Hartsock said it best: “Hold on to something!” You are ABSOLUTELY right, Dianne! Hold on to something, indeed! Thanks so much, Gregory Ashe, for the pleasure and privilege of reviewing this novel.

I am a huge fan of Gregory Ashe. The North and Shaw series was just as amazing as all the others I’ve read so far. This pair got me from page one. Shaw’s quirkiness was an instant win for me. I love how Gregory Ashe creates such unique, three dimensional characters. I always walk away feeling like I’ve been best friends with them my whole life.

I swear to God that Gregory Ashe is the King of the Slow Burn! Ugh. I loved it. I loved Shaw and North’s relationship. There are a few thing that I’m on the fence about but they are too much of a spoiler to say. Great story. Can’t wait to see where it’s going next. Charlie David isn’t my favorite narrator but I still enjoyed it. No heat level. 🙁 There are some trigger warnings that should be looked up.

KU.

I *loved* this book. Mostly because it sucked me in and evoked so many emotions out of me. Laughing, crying, grief, confusion, anger, etc. And those are my favorite kind of books.

You read the blurb, so I won’t repeat it ~ but the story is an amazing mix of friendship dynamics, personal struggles, slowly revealing backstory, mystery, suspense, and a lot of shenanigans.

This is not really a cliffhanger, but it’s definitely not an HEA. Starting this book means digging in and committing to the long haul for the series. And I have absolutely no problem with that.