Best Gay Mystery / Thriller: Only Make Believe by Elliott Mackle
A solid good mystery plot with just that touch of romance to make it enjoyable for a wider public. An unusual time set, the early 1950s, at the aftermath of a famous was, WWII, but also a not so “famous” one, the Korean War: usually you are used to the loss of young souls that was the WWI or the drama of the WWII, or the tragedy of Vietnam, but the Korean War? That is more for who really was there or knew someone who was there. People don’t talk about it much. Here the setting is outstanding, the feeling is that or the author did a deep research, or he was somehow involved (maybe a relative was there?).
The book is very well written, form the 1st point of view of one of the two main character, Dan. When the story starts he is already in a clandestine relationship with Bud (clandestine not cause they are married to someone else, but since Bud is in the closet, and neither Dan is very much out, homosexuality in 1950s is still a crime, and you can very well lose everything if you are found out). The previous book, It Takes Two, is about how Dan and Bud met, but I didn’t feel I was losing something about this current novel without having read that one.
In a way, the mystery had even some fun element, trying maybe to enlighten the plot, but there is a strong core represented by the political climate, and the dangerous of being gay in those times. The two men know it, and Dan is also not at his first experience, having lost a previous lover. He is now clearly in love with Bud, but that is not a reason to lose perception with the reality they are living in. That is, there aren’t really trouble between Dan and Bud, but the external world is against them.
The romance wasn’t sexy, but it was for sure warm and sweet, despite all. Like many of the real life romances I read about, love was always love, and in a way, finding happiness at that time was so difficult, that once you found it, you grasp and cling and never let it go.
Paperback: 178 pages
Publisher: Lethe Press (August 15, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590212924
ISBN-13: 978-1590212929
Amazon: Only Make Believe
Amazon Kindle: Only Make Believe
Series:
1) It Takes Two
2) Only Make Believe
More Reviews by Author at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Reviews
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