The Disciple by Susan Laine

susan-laine-the-disciple-coverTitle: The Disciple

Series: The Wheel Mysteries 04

Author: Susan Laine

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Length: Novel (200pgs)

ISBN: 978-1-63477-662-2

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (21st October 2016)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Gus Goodwin witnesses a young man acting strangely at his occult shop—and a day later the same youth is found brutally murdered at a secluded Radical Faerie sanctuary in the mountains. Gus and his private detective boyfriend, Niall Valentine, once again find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery.

First to cross their path is Professor Alex Kittridge, Gus’s ex-boyfriend. Then into the picture stumbles Autumnsong, the biggest enigma they’ve ever encountered, to complicate the already confusing case. As Gus and Niall try to decipher the meaning of the cryptic poems left at the murder scenes, their pasts not yet laid to rest put a strain on their relationship.

Gus and Niall must uncover a slew of secrets within a spiritual group of queer social rebels before the vile killer strikes again—or the investigation could very well end up being their last.

Purchase Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-disciple-by-susan-laine-7658-b

Review: This story is part of a series and is best read in order.

Gus is suspicious of a young man in his shop; he puts it out of his mind though when the young man buys a necklace until he later receives the same necklace covered in blood. Then Gus and Niall find themselves in the middle of another murder investigation involving a spiritual religion, the Radical Faeries. Gus and Niall with the aid of Virgil Hughes (homicide detective) search out clues to the murderer’s identity before they strikes again.

This story is a great addition to the Wheel Mysteries series, we get the chance to see Gus and Niall again as their relationship grows from strength to strength and they investigate another puzzling pagan religion connected murder.

As they move forward to discover why the young man was murdered they find a connection to Autumnsong, who we’ve met in previous stories, and Autumnsong knows more than he is saying. We also meet new characters who bring some tension to Gus and Niall’s relationship and we are introduced to the religion Radical Faeries… I have to say that I enjoy discovering new-to-me pagan type religions that Susan Laine includes in her books.

The storyline is brilliant, we are led on a merry dance as the guys dig into this investigation and the reason for the murders is just so senseless that we shake our heads at the unjustness of it all. We discover that there’s a connection to all the books and the Cabal are dead centre in the middle of it all, just what are Gus and Niall going to face in the future?

I do have to hold my hands up and admit that over the series Gus has actually grown on me and I’ve come to cherish him as much as I’ve always cherished Niall, he can still be a pain in the arse with his stubborn ‘I know best’ attitude and he’s again faced with great danger after running headlong into a situation where he doesn’t stop to think about the consequences, and Niall and Gus have their first big fall out as Niall takes Gus to task. *whispers ’Go Niall, tell him like it is’*   

I recommend this to those who love mysteries and suspense, great characters, a dash of danger, an interesting investigation and a very happy ending.