Rating: 
Summary: Good Intro to a Great Series
Review: Although this is the first novel in Zimmerman's Todd Mills Mystery Series, it's the last one I've read. And I must admit that it was wonderful to finally get the introduction to many of the issues Zimmerman brings into the later novels. If you're a fan of "Outburst", "Innuendo" and others, I highly recommend you trying to find a copy of "Closet". It will be worth the effort.Todd Mills is at the pinnacle of his career; he is in negotiations for a major promotion at Channel 7 News. The only problem is the stress in his relationship with his 4-year lover, Michael. You see, Todd is not "out," and has always done his best to keep his professional and private lives as separate as he can. Michael, however, gave him an ultimatum: me or the closet. After a lively fight, and a short time to think about his priorities, Todd decides to choose Michael. But he's too late . . . Michael has been killed. Todd is implicated in the murder, outed to the world, and forced to deal with many thoughts and feelings he's never had before. In my opinion, Zimmerman's keeping the killer's identity hidden until the last few pages is wonderful. Even though I know that all the leads, twists and hints in the novel are meant to mislead me, I always fall for them, and am quite suprised at the end. The key to these books is to suspect everyone and no one. <grin> Just as interesting is the struggle Todd faces with being blasted out of the closet all at once. Years of fearing that people will shun and hate him for who he is, the impact on his career, and not fitting into the gay community come to the surface. Not all the questions and issues are answered, but I believe Zimmerman was true to the struggle being faced, and how people learn to lean on their friends and family to help them through it. This is a wonderful book from a wonderful series. Read them one and all.
Rating:
Summary: Good Intro to a Great Series
Review: Although this is the first novel in Zimmerman's Todd Mills Mystery Series, it's the last one I've read. And I must admit that it was wonderful to finally get the introduction to many of the issues Zimmerman brings into the later novels. If you're a fan of "Outburst", "Innuendo" and others, I highly recommend you trying to find a copy of "Closet". It will be worth the effort. Todd Mills is at the pinnacle of his career; he is in negotiations for a major promotion at Channel 7 News. The only problem is the stress in his relationship with his 4-year lover, Michael. You see, Todd is not "out," and has always done his best to keep his professional and private lives as separate as he can. Michael, however, gave him an ultimatum: me or the closet. After a lively fight, and a short time to think about his priorities, Todd decides to choose Michael. But he's too late . . . Michael has been killed. Todd is implicated in the murder, outed to the world, and forced to deal with many thoughts and feelings he's never had before. In my opinion, Zimmerman's keeping the killer's identity hidden until the last few pages is wonderful. Even though I know that all the leads, twists and hints in the novel are meant to mislead me, I always fall for them, and am quite suprised at the end. The key to these books is to suspect everyone and no one. Just as interesting is the struggle Todd faces with being blasted out of the closet all at once. Years of fearing that people will shun and hate him for who he is, the impact on his career, and not fitting into the gay community come to the surface. Not all the questions and issues are answered, but I believe Zimmerman was true to the struggle being faced, and how people learn to lean on their friends and family to help them through it. This is a wonderful book from a wonderful series. Read them one and all.
Rating: 
Summary: Is it dark in here or is it just me?
Review: Emmy-winning reporter Todd Mills has the best of all worlds. He's handsome, bright (enough), successful, and he's got a gay lover who understands why Todd's sexual orientation must be kept secret. Alas, alack. Michael is murdered and Todd's closet comes crashing down on his handsome Polish head. Now Todd is the number one suspect and the police--especially hunky detective Steve Rawlins--seem content to look no further for Michael's killer. This is a decent Who Dunnit but it could have been a lot better. Dead lovers make regular appearances in gay mystery series'. Few of them ever come alive (best exception to the rule: Joseph Hansen's Rod Fleming). Michael is a ghost before he's ever dead but even so Todd does seem to get over it rather swiftly. Furthermore, the relationship between traumatized Todd and Steve Rawlins (with his own secret agenda) seems highly unlikely. Attraction, sex, sure. Maybe. But genuine caring at this stage? I think not. Better to have tantalyzed the reader by driving home one of those many wedges littering the plot, and taken time to develop this relationship in the course of the series. Final problems (big problems: too much talk, too much reflecting, too little action, too little amateur detecting. And only one possible villain. Other than these, this is an entertaining read for a dark and stormy night.
Rating:
Summary: Is it dark in here or is it just me?
Review: Emmy-winning reporter Todd Mills has the best of all worlds. He's handsome, bright (enough), successful, and he's got a gay lover who understands why Todd's sexual orientation must be kept secret. Alas, alack. Michael is murdered and Todd's closet comes crashing down on his handsome Polish head. Now Todd is the number one suspect and the police--especially hunky detective Steve Rawlins--seem content to look no further for Michael's killer. This is a decent Who Dunnit but it could have been a lot better. Dead lovers make regular appearances in gay mystery series'. Few of them ever come alive (best exception to the rule: Joseph Hansen's Rod Fleming). Michael is a ghost before he's ever dead but even so Todd does seem to get over it rather swiftly. Furthermore, the relationship between traumatized Todd and Steve Rawlins (with his own secret agenda) seems highly unlikely. Attraction, sex, sure. Maybe. But genuine caring at this stage? I think not. Better to have tantalyzed the reader by driving home one of those many wedges littering the plot, and taken time to develop this relationship in the course of the series. Final problems (big problems: too much talk, too much reflecting, too little action, too little amateur detecting. And only one possible villain. Other than these, this is an entertaining read for a dark and stormy night.
Rating:
Summary: 'Closet' helpd me out of mine
Review: I first read this book when I was 95% sure of my sexuality and trying to muster the courage to come out. It was also my first gay novel. This story of a recently outed gay man who is accused of murder gave me my first tiny clues as to what gay life is and how the coming out experience can be handled. Strange, huh? Who'da thunk it? Nevertheless, it made a real impression on me and I hold this book in special place becasue of it. The story is engaing, quickly paced and full of suspence as well as the intcracies of coming out in very public and private ways. I'll always remember the secret meeting that opens the novel as one of the most suspensful things I've read (probaly due to it's gay context and my state of mind at the time). Zimmerman keeps the mystery itslef engaging and quite difficult to solve. Although I was focused on other aspects of the story :) I was kept gussing who the murderer could be until the very end. If you're a fan of the series, you have to read this to see how it all started and if not, well this is a perfect time to get hooked. I give it 4 four stars because my state of mind when first reading it has clouded my critical eye a bit. But no matter, you are in store for a treat, in so many respects.
Rating:
Summary: 'Closet' helpd me out of mine
Review: I first read this book when I was 95% sure of my sexuality and trying to muster the courage to come out. It was also my first gay novel. This story of a recently outed gay man who is accused of murder gave me my first tiny clues as to what gay life is and how the coming out experience can be handled. Strange, huh? Who'da thunk it? Nevertheless, it made a real impression on me and I hold this book in special place becasue of it. The story is engaing, quickly paced and full of suspence as well as the intcracies of coming out in very public and private ways. I'll always remember the secret meeting that opens the novel as one of the most suspensful things I've read (probaly due to it's gay context and my state of mind at the time). Zimmerman keeps the mystery itslef engaging and quite difficult to solve. Although I was focused on other aspects of the story :) I was kept gussing who the murderer could be until the very end. If you're a fan of the series, you have to read this to see how it all started and if not, well this is a perfect time to get hooked. I give it 4 four stars because my state of mind when first reading it has clouded my critical eye a bit. But no matter, you are in store for a treat, in so many respects.
Rating: 
Summary: Todd Mills is a disappointment.
Review: I was disappointed with this mystery. I was primed to enjoy it having heard the author read from his latest book. I was hoping for a lot more from "Closet," which is the opening book in Zimmerman's gay mystery series. Todd Mills is the central character, a gay man forced to come out in his public life. Essentially, the problem I had with "Closet" is that its characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting. Perhaps this gay mystery goes over well in the midwest, but I found the characters to be bland and conventional. The dialogue is trite and lacks the hard edged quality, which I like to read in mysteries. I had trouble with Todd's idealizing his dead lover. We are expected to believe all of Todd's obervations about how profound and all-knowing his lover was without having the chance to know him for ourselves. It just doesn't wash. It becomes maudlin having to listen to Todd praise his dead lover repeatedly. In addition, the ending is a cheat. We come to find out who the killer is in the last few pages and it's not believable. Also, what proved to be irritating is Zimmerman's inability to choose anything but the most whitebread of names, i.e., Todd Mills, Cindy Wilson, Steve Rawlins, JENNY JONES, BILL BLAINE, RICK RICHARDS and the like. I find it interesting that there are so many favorable reviews for this weak mystery. Any Michael Nava mystery is a better read than this book.
Rating:
Summary: Todd Mills is a disappointment.
Review: I was disappointed with this mystery. I was primed to enjoy it having heard the author read from his latest book. I was hoping for a lot more from "Closet," which is the opening book in Zimmerman's gay mystery series. Todd Mills is the central character, a gay man forced to come out in his public life. Essentially, the problem I had with "Closet" is that its characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting. Perhaps this gay mystery goes over well in the midwest, but I found the characters to be bland and conventional. The dialogue is trite and lacks the hard edged quality, which I like to read in mysteries. I had trouble with Todd's idealizing his dead lover. We are expected to believe all of Todd's obervations about how profound and all-knowing his lover was without having the chance to know him for ourselves. It just doesn't wash. It becomes maudlin having to listen to Todd praise his dead lover repeatedly. In addition, the ending is a cheat. We come to find out who the killer is in the last few pages and it's not believable. Also, what proved to be irritating is Zimmerman's inability to choose anything but the most whitebread of names, i.e., Todd Mills, Cindy Wilson, Steve Rawlins, JENNY JONES, BILL BLAINE, RICK RICHARDS and the like. I find it interesting that there are so many favorable reviews for this weak mystery. Any Michael Nava mystery is a better read than this book.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling, intriguing and fascinating Gay characters.
Review: R.D. Zimmerman's characters live in the experiences of many a gay man or woman. The same fears and frustrations of balancing one's professional and private life are set to print eloquently in this novel. The mystery begins with the tangled web of deception woven through the life of Star reporter Todd Mills. His life on the edge of greatness tumbles in a pileof rubble forced apart by ill timed outbursts of anger, confusion, and innocence. The characters and plot speak of loss, and of guilt, the twists and turns entrap even the most cautious. To the end you really never suspect the villan. The characters are rich and well established. The representations are genuine and reflect the lives of the majority of gay persons in society. Stereotypes linger, but only as a contrast to the stark nature of the plot. Each chapter will have you yearning to read on to assist in the clean up of a very messy life. A must read
Rating:
Summary: Compelling, intriguing and fascinating Gay characters.
Review: R.D. Zimmerman's characters live in the experiences of many a gay man or woman. The same fears and frustrations of balancing one's professional and private life are set to print eloquently in this novel. The mystery begins with the tangled web of deception woven through the life of Star reporter Todd Mills. His life on the edge of greatness tumbles in a pileof rubble forced apart by ill timed outbursts of anger, confusion, and innocence. The characters and plot speak of loss, and of guilt, the twists and turns entrap even the most cautious. To the end you really never suspect the villan. The characters are rich and well established. The representations are genuine and reflect the lives of the majority of gay persons in society. Stereotypes linger, but only as a contrast to the stark nature of the plot. Each chapter will have you yearning to read on to assist in the clean up of a very messy life. A must read
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