Reviewed By Liz

ISBN 978-1-880284-83-4 or 1-880284-83-9

HOT ROCKS is a Nick Hoffman mystery. Nick and his partner Stefan have returned from their Caribbean vacation and are gearing up to return to the grind of the University where they both work. But first, Nick heads for the gym, where he finds the body of Vlado, the gym’s most popular trainer, in the steam room.

Fearing Nick is the prime suspect, his co-worker and friend Juno tries to help him find the murderer. Together, they turn up suspects and motives. It turns out that Nick is the last to know about Vlado’s numerous sexual conquests at the gym and they work through the web of people these relationships connect him to. But they also discover the victim’s nationalism and disgruntled employees as they feel their way around Vlado’s life and try to determine what the true motive for his murder is.

This is the second book by Raphael that I have read and I just don’t find myself connecting with the books. I like the characters of Nick and Juno, but Stefan’s self-absorbed moodiness is off-putting. In both of the books I have read, the relationship is strained and Nick is constantly deferring to the wishes of Stefan and stifling his own needs. I don’t enjoy books in which the characters are chronically unhappy and can’t imagine reading a whole series written this way.

And while I enjoy books with literary or cultural references, they are overdone in HOT ROCKS. After a while if feels less like Raphael is writing and more like he is regurgitating the literary, video, and musical history of Western Civilization. I would prefer to read more of Raphael’s own witty writing and fewer quotes.

Favorite character? Juno, the kind of friend who is fun to be with but embarrasses you sometimes. Did I guess it? No, and neither did Nick until the last second. Will I read another? Tough question. I’m on the fence at the moment.

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007

Available at Amazon!

ISBN 0-8027-3342-5

Little Miss Evil is set on a Michigan university campus and revolves around composition instructor Nick Hoffman, his partner, and the cutthroat politics of a university. This is the fourth book in the Nick Hoffman series and things are going badly for Nick. His favorite cousin is facing a potentially life-changing surgery, he has been moved to a dungeon office, his partner Stephan’s writing career is waning, and the college has acquired a new literary shining star who is getting unprecedented red carpet treatment and causing mutinous mumblings among the faculty. Then the death threats and vandalism start.

I suspect this is a transitional book in this series – the book in which everything goes wrong for the main characters and is redeemed at the end, leading to the next (and more uplifting) book. Which makes it a little depressing to read when you aren’t already attached to the characters and pulling for them to get through the tough times. Since this is the first book I have read by Raphael, this is the situation I was in. So I would recommend you don’t start with a middle book in the series the way I did.

What this book does have is a great inside look at the academic world. The political maneuvering, backstabbing, complaining, etc., are all great and presumably what Raphael knows best as an academic himself. The cattiness and conspiracy cause glee in anyone who has worked in similar situations. This takes away time from the murder mystery, however, as the killing doesn’t take place until very near the end of the book. This is seldom a situation I have enjoyed, and I wasn’t thrilled with it here.

And my next issue with this book is a strange one. There wasn’t enough sex. You will almost never hear this complaint from me because I am not a romance reader and whenever I read anything sexually explicit I tend to look around and make sure no one is watching – just in case they have read the book and know there is SEX in it. I wouldn’t want to be caught reading that part of the book, you know. But in this book, Nick and Stephan seem like strangers. They have a long and committed relationship but almost no intimacy. I don’t want to read the detailed stuff but I expect some hand-holding, compliments, kissing, tickling, something that shows they are a real couple and care for each other. I have a suspicion that Raphael was trying to play it safe and sell books to a less tolerant but wider audience, but the characters feel flat.

Favorite character? Juno, the woman who stirs up trouble. Did I guess it? Sort of. Will I read another? Yes. Raphael came highly recommended to me and I will give him another shot.

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007

Available at Amazon!