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Trowchester Blues

By Alex Beecroft

Four stars


There are few wordsmiths in the m/m romance world as elegant as Alex Beecroft.

“Trowchester Blues�� introduces us to a small fictional city somewhere far from London in the UK. There we find Michael May, a London cop forced into retirement, and Fintan Hulme, a high-end London fence, also forced into retirement.

The cop and the crook—a nice conundrum for a romance.

Thing is, and this is what makes Beecroft such a delicious writer, both of these men are gentle and generous at heart, and both of them are haunted by their pasts. I’m not sure why Michael had to be bi and not just closeted, and I don’t know why Fintan needed to like pain during sex; but these are just quirks that become part of the lovely tapestry Beecroft weaves for us, thread by colorful thread.

There are a host of little warm-hearted details that make this book better and bigger than some m/m fiction: the Chinese neighbors with the genderqueer child; the homeless teenager; the punk gay boy with tattooed knuckles; and the haughty local lady of the manor (I kept thinking of Penelope Keith from the TV series “To the Manor Born��). These are not just distractions from the core plot, they are extra ingredients that ultimately allow us a deeper understanding of Michael and Finn. They add richness and savor to this stew of personality and emotion.

Apparently this is but the first in a series of books set in Trowchester. It is surely a place I shall want to revisit.

On my TBR list - thanks Uly.

Here's the official blurb for this series:

Trowchester: it’s the fourth smallest city in Britain, and visitors sometimes think it hasn’t left the Middle Ages yet. There’s a Bronze Age barrow, a wide network of ley lines, the best tea shop in the county, and more morris dancers than you can shake a stick at. Trowchester attracts those who have been hurt and those who are looking for sanctuary from the modern world. But scratch the surface and there’s murder and mayhem aplenty. People come here to find love, but they’re forced to learn bravery first.

The release order of the Trowchester series is 1.Trowchester Blues 2.Blue Eyed Stranger 3.Blue Steel Chain, but you can start with whichever book catches your eye; they each stand alone.

I thought the idea sounded interesting, with the series based around an idyllic sort of English town. The characters in these books are all struggling to overcome some major difficulties in their lives, to move beyond their past selves toward a happier future.

And---the stories are perfectly written. I found myself instantly drawn into the plots, becoming completely involved in the lives of these characters (and occasionally getting a bit snuffly at the more touching portions of the novels, I have to admit). The moment I finished the first book I ordered the second; couldn't wait to read more. (The third will be released later this summer.)

So, I do give the first two a blanket recommendation, and am eagerly awaiting the third. From what I've read so far, I'm hoping the series will extend beyond the initial three offerings.

As for the covers, well.... They're not bad, but don't really have enough appeal, in my opinion. I really want people to be encouraged to check out these stories the instant they see the covers, and I don't think these designs do that. I'm also curious about the logo used on all three novels---a book, cup of tea, and a gun. That image doesn't really fit the tone of the stories---or in fact, any details in the first two books, so I'm not sure where that came from.

I've posted my review of book 2 (Blue Eyed Stranger) in a separate thread in this folder (what are these things--discussion theme?)

Ulysses wrote: "I've posted my review of book 2 (Blue Eyed Stranger) in a separate thread in this folder (what are these things--discussion theme?)"

Well, in theory you should probably post ALL book reviews of a series within the same folder, the one that covers the series in general. Makes it easier to follow a discussion, rather than having to look up lots of separate reviews.