Unprotected Love by John F. Rooney
First of all, I have probably to warn who usually reads my blog that this is not a romance and neither a gay novel. If someone wants to probably label it in the LGBT field, than maybe it could be a bisexual mystery/thriller. That is probably not a surprise for who is used to John F. Rooney’s novels, they know he is not actually a writer of gay novels, aside for a novel, The Rice Queen Spy, about a retired gay spy for Her Majesty’s secret service, who was cruelly outed and tortured
for his homosexuality. Moreover this is the third mystery in the Denny Delaney’s series, and in the previous two books, and in this one as well, Denny is happily married with Monny, and many chapters in the books start with “Denny and Monny” doing something, going to dinner, attending a Broadway show, planning a night together, both in some trendy NYC location than staying at home.
But in this novel Denny is investigating about a serial killer who is targeting young gay hustlers, and Denny becomes involved with Tim, a friend of two of the victims and an hustler himself. Not only Denny is worried about Tim since he is the only lead he has on the case, he is also worried about him as a person, and Denny’s feelings are new to him, but not unwelcome. Strange, but not something that horrified Denny, more a source of perplexity. What I probably didn’t like about Denny is that, yes, he wonders about what these feelings will imply in his relationship with Monny, but sincerely I didn’t feel like Denny was really wondering if his relationship with Monny was at risk. For this reason I think that more than gay this novel is on the bisexual field: Denny doesn’t exclude he can have feelings for Tim, but I have never questioned that he would, in the end, find a way to stay with Monny.
As many noticed, Denny and Monny have a really intense social life, and a lot of scenes in the novel take place in some real location: theatres, Broadway shows, restaurants, club, and I didn’t check all of them, but I bet they are all real and exactly in the place where Rooney located them in the novel. I think that was done with a purpose, and for two different reasons: first, to highlight the difference between the “superficial” lights of the NYC socialite, and the sordid fate fell upon those poor souls, just outside the circle of those same lights. Second to prove that Denny and Monny are a steady couple, that they have place in common, a circle of friends, shared interests… all reasons why, even if Denny could go astray for a day or two, in the end, he will always come back.
As usual, I will not comment on the mystery, that is really not my cup of tea; I can say that, of course I had my idea on who was the serial killer, mainly since I didn’t like their attitude, and in the end, I was right, but that was more something from the gut than a real “detective” job.
Amazon: Unprotected Love
Amazon Kindle: Unprotected Love
Paperback: 218 pages
Publisher: Senneff House Publishers (February 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0975275615
ISBN-13: 978-0975275610
Reading List:
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