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thebroadsheets's review against another edition
5.0
CURSES!! I literally could not put this down nor did I want this thrill ride to end where it did. Thank God for snow days to be honest or I wouldn't have been able to part my eyes from the page. I am desperate to read the next installment, it's ridiculous. This was so fucking awesome.
katevane's review against another edition
5.0
In this second book in the series, Henry, the conman turned FBI witness, has escaped the protection of FBI agent Mac. We learn more about Henry’s traumatic past as well as his present life at the so-called Court of Miracles. The only use his friends there have for an FBI agent is to pin his photo to a dartboard.
Henry dresses as a woman to investigate wrongdoing in a care home – but is still wondering who he really is. Mac finds himself in ever deeper conflict as an FBI agent with a crush on a cross-dressing criminal.
The Merchant of Death manages to combine broad comedy with some very dark stuff and hit the right note for both. In particular, the Shakespearean theme of identity and disguise is cleverly integrated into Henry’s own story as he tries to acknowledge what he’s been through and who he is, while wondering whether he really can get away with a short skirt.
Mac and Henry’s story continues the will-they-won’t they while the stakes in Mac’s criminal investigation get even higher. These books flow so well you barely know you’re reading.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
Henry dresses as a woman to investigate wrongdoing in a care home – but is still wondering who he really is. Mac finds himself in ever deeper conflict as an FBI agent with a crush on a cross-dressing criminal.
The Merchant of Death manages to combine broad comedy with some very dark stuff and hit the right note for both. In particular, the Shakespearean theme of identity and disguise is cleverly integrated into Henry’s own story as he tries to acknowledge what he’s been through and who he is, while wondering whether he really can get away with a short skirt.
Mac and Henry’s story continues the will-they-won’t they while the stakes in Mac’s criminal investigation get even higher. These books flow so well you barely know you’re reading.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
verabklover's review against another edition
5.0
That was soooo good! 5/5.
And that last scene where they talk about sequels is absolute gold!
And that last scene where they talk about sequels is absolute gold!
calila's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't love this, but I didn't hate it. It was a perfectly fine story. The mystery was way obvious, so it was more about the characters, who hardly interacted. This felt more like the middle of a book, instead of something that could stand on it's own as a complete book. Which maybe was the intention since this is the second of a three book series, but I hate when that's the case.
wart's review against another edition
5.0
You can read this and other reviews at Things I Find While Shelving
I received a free ARC Via NetGalley
You know how in Shakespeare dudes dress up as chicks and vice versa and nobody’s the wiser? Because Shakespeare. And then at the end there’s that giant reveal and all the characters are like “Oh, yay, I can actually marry you now!” (Or like in Twelfth Night when Olivia marries Sebastian instead of Viola even though she totally wants Viola…)
*cough* Ahem.
ANYWAY.
That doesn’t work in the real world, no matter how badly Henry wants it to or how good an actor he thinks he is (he could be De Niro and I’m pretty sure it still wouldn’t work on anybody paying attention…”It’s all right, Captain, we always knew you was a whoopsie”*)
So, something’s up in the care facility Henry’s sister is in, and she’s scared and worried and he takes it upon himself to figure this out. By dressing up as his sister. Because calling in his FBI sort-of-boyfriend-type-thing is totally not a good call! No, really. On the plus side, this fits completely with Henry’s character and his need to protect his sister, and his mild bumbling and total pride in how he’s handling the investigation is all very well done.
And of course said FBI agent, Mac, realizes something is up. And gets dragged into this whole mess right along with Henry.
And it is quite a mess.
And, no, no one really buys that Henry is a girl. (Though apparently he’s very hot as one, if Mac’s slight bias is to be trusted).
Another excellent installment. I am loving these characters so much and I cannot wait to get my hands on the third one!
*Stardust, Paramount, 2007
I received a free ARC Via NetGalley
You know how in Shakespeare dudes dress up as chicks and vice versa and nobody’s the wiser? Because Shakespeare. And then at the end there’s that giant reveal and all the characters are like “Oh, yay, I can actually marry you now!” (Or like in Twelfth Night when Olivia marries Sebastian instead of Viola even though she totally wants Viola…)
*cough* Ahem.
ANYWAY.
That doesn’t work in the real world, no matter how badly Henry wants it to or how good an actor he thinks he is (he could be De Niro and I’m pretty sure it still wouldn’t work on anybody paying attention…”It’s all right, Captain, we always knew you was a whoopsie”*)
So, something’s up in the care facility Henry’s sister is in, and she’s scared and worried and he takes it upon himself to figure this out. By dressing up as his sister. Because calling in his FBI sort-of-boyfriend-type-thing is totally not a good call! No, really. On the plus side, this fits completely with Henry’s character and his need to protect his sister, and his mild bumbling and total pride in how he’s handling the investigation is all very well done.
And of course said FBI agent, Mac, realizes something is up. And gets dragged into this whole mess right along with Henry.
And it is quite a mess.
And, no, no one really buys that Henry is a girl. (Though apparently he’s very hot as one, if Mac’s slight bias is to be trusted).
Another excellent installment. I am loving these characters so much and I cannot wait to get my hands on the third one!
*Stardust, Paramount, 2007
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