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A review by zefrog
A Body in a Bathhouse by Brad Shreve
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
A Body in a Bathhouse is innocuous, if forgettable, book I wasn't particularly wowed by.
The premise lacks originality to begin with: down and out loner of a PI, who is also a former soldier suffering from PTSD, falls for super hot, super nice guy involved in the murder he is at first reluctantly investigating until he becomes a little obsessed by it. I feel I've followed that storyline a few times before.
Although the main characters are all well-rounded, and nice people, they are not actually particularly likeable, which takes a lot away from the M/M element of the story. The murder mystery part is decent enough but again failed to really grip me. It also felt a teensy bit... similar to? inspired by? [b:Fatal Shadows|1274861|Fatal Shadows (The Adrien English Mysteries, #1)|Josh Lanyon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1363734106l/1274861._SY75_.jpg|2815045].
Finally there is the writing; never something to hold high expectations about in a genre novel, I admit. After a worrying start (see quote below), things improve but only to reach another lacklustre level of inoffensiveness.
"Eve scowled as she combed my shabby storeroom office, with its dimmed fluorescent lighting and dark wood paneling. Stacked boxes slanted, ready to fall at any moment. A stool next to the desk barely balanced a mountain of bills on top, all stamped "past due"." (p2)
It was "ok" but I probably won't come back for more of this series.
The premise lacks originality to begin with: down and out loner of a PI, who is also a former soldier suffering from PTSD, falls for super hot, super nice guy involved in the murder he is at first reluctantly investigating until he becomes a little obsessed by it. I feel I've followed that storyline a few times before.
Although the main characters are all well-rounded, and nice people, they are not actually particularly likeable, which takes a lot away from the M/M element of the story. The murder mystery part is decent enough but again failed to really grip me. It also felt a teensy bit... similar to? inspired by? [b:Fatal Shadows|1274861|Fatal Shadows (The Adrien English Mysteries, #1)|Josh Lanyon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1363734106l/1274861._SY75_.jpg|2815045].
Finally there is the writing; never something to hold high expectations about in a genre novel, I admit. After a worrying start (see quote below), things improve but only to reach another lacklustre level of inoffensiveness.
"Eve scowled as she combed my shabby storeroom office, with its dimmed fluorescent lighting and dark wood paneling. Stacked boxes slanted, ready to fall at any moment. A stool next to the desk barely balanced a mountain of bills on top, all stamped "past due"." (p2)
It was "ok" but I probably won't come back for more of this series.