It Takes Two : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Good story
Review: The story line keeps moving; the protagonists are reasonably
well developed, as are many of the minor characters. I have never experienced the "deep South" racism as described here. I
have read about and seen items on the t.v. news, so I cannot
speak for the accuracy of the protrayal. My major gripe: why so
much emphasis upon the use of the "f" word, and for that matter,
the other profanity used? Please----don't con me with "that's
they way they talk" baloney. It is absoutely unnecessary to use
the "4-letter" words (o.k., I will grant upon occasion, yes, but
not the extent used here).

Rating:
Summary: Southern Comfort
Review: What I like about this book is how it mixes up the murder mystery with amusing but masculine characters and a true picture of the historical period including veterans returning from the war, the Ku Klux Klan, racial segregation, crooked politics, Southern conservative religion and people wtith varying motives and desires. This is a real noir picture of a typical Florida town of the period that you don't find in tourist magazine travel stories or newspapers. The homosexual elements and the crime elements in the book are neatly woven together. The sex scenes are hot, very hot, and would interest anybody of whatever persuasion, but I think the author included them to help the plot and create strong characters. I particularly like the way the main characters, Dan and Bud, care for each other even when they are at odds, even fighting drunk. They take care of each other both like a couple of buddies and a real couple, so that the reader is always chering them on. I also like Admiral Asdeck, Dan's mentor, a lot. Even though some of the deals he pulls are irregular, you can tell he cares for Dan like a son and wants him to grow more mature and accepting of the realities of life in a rough society. Any smart young man would want a father figure like Asdeck. The bar manager, Carmen Veranda, is hard to take at times but she is real believable, too. I knew people like that when I was in the Navy and believe they were funny in a sissy way but strong, too. In closing I have to say that this one of the best gay mystery novels I have read as well as one of the best gay love stories. I recommend it to all but especially to guys who want a mystery story with a lot of adventure featuring he-man type heroes who are also men who love men.