When I was reading Scalping the Red Rocks by Greg Lilly, I enjoyed not only the murder mystery but also the relationship between two men, Derek and Topher.
Gay alert! Yes, we're talking gay murder mystery here. Instead of taking us into the bedroom of these two men, however, the focus is on their emotional connection. Another word might be romance.
I also liked how being gay was not the focus of the book. It seemed normal and accepted behavior which it should be.
Of course the setting is Sedona which has a liberal and new age feel. I've been there and have seen its beauty. It's not hard to imagine what would happen if a big development like the one Lilly writes about, might ruin the view and community for locals. With so much disapproval by community members, it might lead to, yes, m-u-r-d-e-r.
But scalped? This is my first mystery where the dead guy ends up with a final hairdo.
Derek is the new guy in town (an outsider) and wants to solve the mystery of his real estate agent's death. Actually, it's his Aunt's agent. Derek is there to help her relocate. The dead guy had ties to the development, as does Derek, so he has a personal stake in solving the crime. Plus, Derek is the one who found the body.
Lilly writes a good mystery. The ending surprised me. And about that relationship between Derek and Topher? Well, you'll have to read the book and see for yourself if something develops between them.
What's the most unusual death you've read in a mystery?
(Scalping the Red Rocks by Greg Lilly, copyright 2010, Cherokee McGhee, ISBN 9780979969461). I'm linking this review to the GLBT 2011 Reading Challenge.
