Title: The Necessary Deaths
Series: The Delingpole Mysteries 01
Author: David C. Dawson
Genre: Gay Erotic Romance, Mystery
Length: Novel (200 Pages)
Publisher: DSP Publications (November 1, 2016)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.5 Hearts
Blurb: A young journalism student lies unconscious in a hospital bed in Brighton, England. His life hangs in the balance after a drug overdose. But was it attempted suicide or attempted murder? The student’s mother persuades British lawyer Dominic Delingpole to investigate, and Dominic enlists the aid of his outspoken opera singer partner, Jonathan McFadden.
The student’s boyfriend discovers compromising photographs hidden in his lover’s room. The photographs not only feature senior politicians and business chiefs, but the young journalist himself. Is he being blackmailed, or is he the blackmailer?
As Dominic and Jonathan investigate further, their lives are threatened and three people are murdered. They uncover a conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels of government and powerful corporations. The people behind it are ruthless, and no one can be trusted. The bond between Dominic and Jonathan deepens as they struggle not only for answers, but for their very survival.
ISBN: 978-1-63477-451-2
Product Link: https://www.dsppublications.com/books/the-necessary-deaths-by-david-c-dawson-321-b
Reviewer: Lisa
Review: This is a new author for me so I was a bit leery of reading his work. Never knowing what I am going to read is not my idea of fun. However I found this story intriguing. It was a bit slow on the up take but once it evens out, was at a pretty good pace
Now for the title, all I can say was that it was creepy to say the least. I was not a fan of the name to say the least. Dominic finds out that his neighbor’s son was in the hospital for a drug overdose, it sent Dom into finding out what happened. It is said that they just don’t know if it was a suicide or homicide. However it also gives him a chance at seeing Jonathan, his boyfriend. Now after the trip to the hospital and that particular talk, the story starts to speed up in pace which is a blessing to me.
Now the characters were a bit non-descriptive and too much like everyone else. Dom himself doesn’t stand out like he should. He doesn’t even come off as an actual detective or investigator to me which makes it seem strange for him to actually be doing an investigating. Now his relationship with Jonathan is dry and un-inspiring to me. I don’t care for open relationships and never will so that lost points with me. Plus Dom thought he couldn’t do any better than his boyfriend, and that was another loss. He doesn’t really stand out and I had trouble connecting.
Now the whole story was dry, a bit boring and not as thought out as it should have been. There was just too much missing for me to get into. I seemed to not be able to connect with the story what so ever, other than the humorous parts. What happened to the bad guys after all, I mean there is no ending to that part. Now the story had some great potential but failed somehow. I hate to say it but had this been a movie it would have rated pretty good but as a book it will take some getting used to it. For me however I am afraid that this book was not for me.