The writing style I enjoyed however the killer is reveled way to early and before anyone else so then you spend the rest of the time waiting for deceives to figure it out. Also I was expecting a romance but their wasn't any. That actually didn't bother me but wanted to let others know.

Honestly I'm not done with this author and would read more from them this just wasn't a 5 star read for me me not bad just didn't blow me away

I have a hard time finishing this book. Although I like it, I have some issues with the way the mystery was presented to us. There is a lot of POVs in this story, from the bad guys, the journalist, the detective, the victim and some others.

The first 4 chapters show us the victim, the killer, the journalist and some witnesses. In these 4 chapters, you know who is dead, how he was killed, who killed and half the motive. In the fifth chapter, you get to know the detective Kendall.

You see, the reader knows basically the whole mystery in the first few chapters. So the rest of the book we get to follow Kendall and his partner trying to solve the case. I'm conflicted about this plot device. Although I think it was clever, 'cause this way we could focus on the police procedures and see their struggle trying to find the killer. In the other hand, we know the mystery and we're just waiting for the detectives catch up to us, so it got a little boring at times.

I know the narrator by his other pen name, the one he uses for romances, so I was familiar with his voice. He did an awesome job, I love his voice and his accent. But what I most like about him is his way of show the emotions and create different voices for different characters. His pace is a little on the slow side, but I always speed up and it's perfect. He does the pauses in the right places and doesn't rush the narration, which I appreciate.

This audiobook was given to me and no review was expected of me.

This is the first story I’ve listened to/read by this author. I really enjoyed it but have to say it did require me to keep my attention on the story. Sometimes I can get the beginning of a book and then do other things while listening. This story has so much to it I found myself needing to pay full attention to be sure I didn’t miss something. There are so many side issues to the solution of why the young man was killed. On the road to this solution, I found out so much about the characters. First there is Kendall Parker. He is a homicide detective on the edge. He has so much guilt and sorrow going on that he is not able to operate as normal. His partner for five years Perelli, has plenty of his own issues. Then there is the reporter who has a past with Parker. And not to be overlooked is Parker’s partner who died, Michael. This death has a lot to do with Parker’s guilt. The story side of the dead guy leads to many more characters and events. I really enjoyed the story. It is not really a romance but the characters are so interesting that they brought out certain issues that are somewhat romancy. I would recommend this book. It kept my interest the whole way. The narrator, F.C. McAllister worked well for me. I feel he gave the life to these characters and kept me wanting to listen to what was next. I will look for more by this author. I received a copy from Audiobooks Unleashed and thank them for the chance to find this author.

4.5*
A gritty, at times uncomfortable read in the genuine murder mystery vein - no holds barred from the attack to the autopsy, the description of life for those at the bottom of society and the bigotry faced within the police force. There is no sugar coating in this book.

The start of the book gave me a feeling of impending doom as we follow Jason as he sets into place a plan to let him escape - but from who and what? Was his unlikeable treatment of Tim normal or stress related - I didn't want to get too invested in him in case he was the pretty boy of the title.
The next chapter, with the attack by Red didn't settle me at all - it was gruesomely well done - I didnt like reading it, was tense and cringing the whole time. The details of Hopper's  life were similarly grim reading and ultimately upsetting.

Then story then moved into the detective work, though Parker is a bit of a mystey himself, what accident, who is Michael and what is he to Parker.
Really engrossing writing, I could see it playing out like a TV show in my head. Answers do come to the questions, the bad guys are introduced early but their menace is a background to all going on and their reasons are gradually revealed.

Spoiler

And I did have an Ahah moment when Slade and Parker have donuts together

I don't think enjoy is the fully correct word for reading this book, some of the subject matters and descriptions too much into my eek zone, but it was certainly engrossing, it made me think a lot about the pitiful places people end up, how humans can so mistreat fellow humans. Occaisionally I found an odd pov or phrase or quick solution an issue, more so towards the end, but it is one that will haunt me for a while. I think that further rereads will just get more out of the story.

Like I said before, I love a good mystery and this was a GREAT one. I like to try to figure “who done it” while reading any mystery, and this book kept me on my toes. Some of the players were much more obvious than others, and there was a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. If you are looking for a great mystery, you can’t go wrong with Pretty Boy Dead. The police procedure seemed to be spot on, and the personal relationships were very well fleshed out.


See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2013/12/03/in-which-a-pretty-boy-dead-proves-a-threat/

This one was a disappointment. I didn't connect with any of the characters, the plot was all over the place, and it felt... disjointed. The feel I got was that the author had a lot to say, try to do it on one book, and didn't manage it.

The mystery failed to be interesting and to be the structure to hold the whole together. And, TBH, I guessed the main twist from the beginning :(

In every emotional conversation, the dialogues felt stilted, and forces. Even preachy, for moments.

I don't think I'll be reading the next one :/

This was a really great read, not a romance! Very well thought out and constructed mystery that had me guessing until the very end. Loved Kendall Parker's character, broken alcoholic gay detective buried in the closet on Atlanta's polcie force. Looking forward the Parker's next mystery.