Title: On the Clock
Author: Chris Owen
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Crime
Length: Novella (96pgs)
Publisher: Torquere Press (17th July 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Cort Strang is a homicide detective called to a scene where a man has been strangled with the cord from a keyboard — not a pretty way to die. The man, who found the body, Patrick Gallagher, is pretty, though. He’s also an off duty detective from Computer Crimes. The two connect almost instantly, and as Strang gets to work on finding out what led to the death of poor Mr. Dinsmore, Gallagher never seems to be very far away.
With a wealth of computer, data to wade through Strang welcomes Gallagher into his case and into his bed. Can Strang balance work and pleasure, or is his mind too divided to make either be successful?
Originally published in To Serve and Protect with Torquere Press.
Purchase Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_85&products_id=3947
Review: Cort Strang is a homicide detective who is over worked and without a partner, when he is assigned a new case, involving a man strangled with a keyboard cord, he ends up asking the man who discovered the body, Patrick Gallagher to help him. Gallagher is a detective in Computer Crimes and discovered the dead body of his neighbor, Strang catches his interest right away, and Gallagher decides to pursue the man. With a murder to solve Strang juggles the case and Gallagher, even combining the two at times but will his attraction to Gallagher distract him from finding the murderer?
This was an enjoyable read that has some great investigating and some hot steamy encounters. Strang is investigating a murder of a socially inept man, but he finds himself finding parallels in his own life. When he meets Gallagher, he takes the man up on his flirtation and ropes him into helping on the case. Gallagher and Strang strike sparks off each other and have some hot steamy encounters but Strang can’t forget the case he is working on and although he might get a touch distracted nothing will stop him for hunting for the murderer.
Strang and Gallagher have a very intense fast-moving relationship, they both like what they see so they get what they want. The murder and investigation is where the story really focused. We see the steps that Strang takes to solve the murder and the sheer determination to carry on even though he is basically investigating it by himself and he is exhausted. I found the investigation to be really well done and it had me gripped as I followed the case and seeing the threads being pulled to bring the answers to the fore.
This is a great little story that is great for an afternoon murder mystery read; eat your heart out Poirot. If you love hot sex, a great storyline and the beginning of a hot relationship than you should give this one a go.