Monday 18 November 2019

#BlogTour Killer Queen by T.S. Hunter


Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Killer Queen, the fifth part of the Soho Noir series, by T.S. Hunter.

About the Author
Claiming to be only half-Welsh, T.S. Hunter lived in South Wales for much of his latter teens, moving to London as soon as confidence and finances allowed. He never looked back.

He has variously been a teacher, a cocktail waiter, a podium dancer and a removal man, but his passion for writing has been the only constant.

He's a confident and engaging speaker and guest, who is as passionate about writing and storytelling as he is about promoting mainstream LGBT fiction. He now lives with his husband in the country, and is active on social media as @TSHunter5.

Follow @TSHunter5 @RedDogTweets on Twitter, on Goodreads, Buy Killer Queen


About the book
It’s 1988. A mild summer after a turbulent political year for LGBT rights. While working as an assistant to a successful theatre director , Joe Stone finds himself unwittingly embroiled in another Murder investigation. Lexi Goode , a young , up and coming actress had her bright future cut short when she is found murdered in her exclusive top floor apartment in the posh end of Soho. Knowing that the police are as racist as they are homophobic, Joe and Russell inevitably take it on themselves to investigate what happened to the young woman.

Along the way they discover illicit liaisons , a string of admirers , a secret life that was helping to pay for the glamorous lifestyle no young actress should have been able to afford. But who would want to kill Lexi?

Finding the answer to that question put’s Joe In mortal danger and a young police officer in an awkward position.

Review
This is the fifth book in the Soho Noir series. It's a fantastic LGBTQ cosy crime series set in the 80s with characters who are just getting settled in. What Joe and Russell have in common is a discovery and exploration of self and their sexuality, and a propensity for falling into crime scenarios. It's no wonder their nemesis gives them the side-eye every time one of them falls over a dead body.

This time Joe stumbles upon the body of a young actress, who appears to have been leading a dubious double life. Is it a case of stage envy - the world of theatre can be rather deadly. Or has her secret life led to her early demise?

I think Hunter is just getting his groove when it comes to this series. The hidden Christie vibes are starting the permeate the surface of the stories.

The Soho Noir series shines a light on an important era for the LGBTQ community. The rising acceptance was cut short by the paranoia and fear caused by the AIDS pandemic, which resulted in any advancement and change in opinion about homosexuality being cut short for a long time. In that sense this is also a poignant political and sociological perspective on sexuality in that era. Hunter has created an excellent balance between crime and mystery, and social contextual development of sexual identities in this series.

It's a cosy crime mystery series - quick perfect pocket reads. I also have to note, once again because I get such joy from it, that the covers are great and the titles cause the worst case of earworm ever.

Buy Killer Queen (Soho Noir #5) at Amazon Uk. Publisher: Red Dog Press, pub date 15 Nov. 2019. Buy the ebook edition. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Red Dog Press.

Also by T.S. Hunter - Soho Noir series:
Read my review of Tainted Love (Soho Noir #1)
Read my review of Who's That Girl (Soho Noir #2)
Read my review of Careless Whisper (Soho Noir #3)
Read my review of Crazy For You (Soho Noir #4)

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