Freeform

Rating:
Summary: formulaic grit
Review: Am I the only gay reader bored with the hard boiled dick (and I use the term advisedly) genre? Detective Sargeant Jas Anderson is his fellow cop's prime suspect when lover Leigh is brutally offed. Makes sense. Jas is a brutal guy despite his--er--softer moments. This is realistic, gritty, hard-edged...Yeah, yeah, yeah. What else is new? You can probably figure the direction FREEFORM is going simply by the direction all the others like it go. One difference: this one is Scottish (men in kilts! NOT). The dialect irritated me till I got used to it. Though not my cup of warm ale, there are so few gay mysteries, especially Scottish ones, that I say give FREEFORM a whirl. Or a skirl. Or whatever Scots do.

Rating:
Summary: A Compelling Read
Review: Dickson is particularly strong on place, and characterising strong (frequently aggressive) gay men who possess a core of uncertainty and self-doubt. He is also a weaver of intricate plots which cunningly combine the most gripping elements of the hardboiled thriller and the most stimulating of erotic fiction.

Rating:
Summary: A good read that pulls you along
Review: Jack Dickson has crafted a fine example of the detective story in the noir genre, with a gay angle to it. The gay aspect of the book is important, but it does not overwhelm the story - it's a good detective knovel first, but with a twist (and several good randy scenes). It grabs you by the lapels of your leather jacket and pulls you relentlessly along to bring you to a conclusion that is both unexpected, and at the same time pointed to throughout the book.

The dialect can make it slow going at first (at least for not non Glasgow native) but if you take time to sound out the words at first, the dialog becomes easier and easier to read. (it also helps if you think of Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons when readin dialog). A book not easily found in the bookstores, this is certainly worth the read.