A Middlemark MysteryDr. Llewellyn Lewis leads a double life, as both an awkward but distinguished history professor and the more flamboyant Ramon Rondell, infamous writer of sensational historical theories. It’s Ramon who first sets eyes on a gorgeous young man dancing in a club, but Llewellyn who meets teaching assistant Blaise Arthur formally at an event held for wealthy socialite Anne de Vere, … Anne de Vere, descendant of Edward de Vere, seventeenth Earl of Oxford—who some believe was the real Shakespeare. Anne wants Llewellyn to prove that claim, even though many have tried and failed. And she’s willing to offer a hefty donation to the university if he succeeds.
It also means a chance for Llewellyn to get to know Blaise much better.
Not everyone thinks Llewellyn should take the case—or the money. Between feuding siblings, rival patrons, jealous colleagues, and greedy administrators, almost anyone could be trying to thwart his work… and one of them is willing to kill to do it.
When Anne de Vere turns up dead, the police believe Blaise is the murderer. Only the shy, stuttering professor who has won his heart can prove otherwise….
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OMG, gay romance. Sherlock Holmes. Mystery. OMG. OMFG!
Ooh ooh ooh! It’s been a long time since I was tempted – oh so tempted – to cheat and read the ending first.
Llewellyn is a history professor made a little famous by researching historical mysteries. He’s adorably awkward with a kick-ass assistant and the cutest trio of cats ever. He meets Blaise, a new grad student, at a faculty fundraising dinner and proceeds to sneezy/snort coconut all over the table and a donor- right in front of his new crush! He has so many deliciously painful moments that you just have to love him.
We get the feeling right from the start that Blaise has to be more than he seems. He’s totally charming and gorgeous and always popping up wherever Llewellyn goes. I really didn’t warm up to him until late in the story. I felt so protective of Llewellyn that Blaise had to prove himself to me before I could give him the time of day. Insert rolling eyes here. That’s how much I liked Llewellyn and this story.
The Sexy Shakespearean is a light-hearted – if murder can be described as such – witty, whodunnit that keeps you guessing until the end. I cant wait for more of Llewellyn and Blaise because I’m hooked!
*Advanced copy provided for an honest review.
Well written and the characters were great.
“The Case of the Sexy Shakespearean” by Tara Lain is an adult m/m cozy mystery that features Dr. Llewellyn Lewis, who gets caught up in a very lucrative research proposition. His alter-ego only gets a brief cameo but definitely is enchanted by the man who turns out to be a new teaching assistant at Llewellyn’s university. The prospect of proving someone else wrote the works attributed to Shakespeare is sweetened with a significant financial incentive, but the search may prove deadly.
I always look forward to devouring a new story by this talented author because I like her characters and their ability to overcome their obstacles and find someone who embraces them for who they are. I enjoyed watching the personable professor work his way through the minefield of his job and personal preferences. I would have liked a little more of Rondell’s personality to be displayed and I’m not quite sure I like or forgive Blaise yet but hopefully he will continue to redeem himself. There were great twists to the mystery and I enjoyed Llewellyn’s self-deprecation and humility that mask his incisive mind and skill. I look forward to meeting more of this author’s “beautiful boys” and watching them solve more mysteries.
A copy of this title was provided to me for review
This was a fun romance-slash-cozy mystery. The hero Llewellyn is clueless about just how lovable and interesting he really is. When he meets Blaise, who is beautiful enough to turn heads wherever he goes, Llewellyn can’t see what Blaise would see in him. Meanwhile Blaise, who is ashamed of the fact that he does have ulterior motives, falls quickly under Llewellyn’s spell. These men together are wonderful.
This book has multiple twists and turns, and there are several eccentric characters. It’s different from any other Tara Lain book I’ve read, but it is as engrossing as all her stories. I found myself immersed in the story’s mysteries, and I was hopeful that Llewellyn would find happiness.I loved this couple, and I was also very fond of Llewellyn’s three cats. I’m happy that this is the beginning of a new series, and I will grab the next one as soon as it’s available. What a great read!
Loved most of the book as it was an interesting mystery. The dynamics between the characters was first rate. I would have preferred the mystery to have gone on longer but it was still good. There were several steamy scenes but they were almost a back seat to the mystery.
As with all Tara Lain’s novels, this one zips along at an entertaining pace. I liked the characters, Llewellyn the stammering and shy professor and Blaise the outgoing and flirtatious assistant teacher. I wasn’t crazy about the Ramon Rondell character, couldn’t see the point really, and he didn’t have much to do with the outcome of the story. Nevertheless, the mystery part of the story was interesting and I really didn’t suspect who the murderer was until near the end. I like to be surprised and I was. The guys are hot together and that’s what you want from a gay romance – right? Buy it, you’ll like it.
The mystery was OK. I do wonder why this author writes M/M though because she comes across as finding anal sex distasteful?