Dying to Play - a Mike King Mystery

What makes a good murder mystery?  Is it the mystique of keeping the killer's identity a complete secret, so that when it's revealed, it's a huge shock?  Or is it not so much the identity of the killer, but rather, the "why" instead of the "who" that really matters?  Or could it possibly be the strong characters that draw you into the story and make you care about them, regardless of whodunnit or why they did it?  Or, maybe, just maybe, it's a combination of any and/or all of the foregoing...

Well, with Mark Zubro's first (at least, I think it's the first) Mike King mystery, Dying to Play, I'd have to say a lot of those elements come into play (yeah, yeah, I see what I did there - just go with it and keep reading).  Sure, there are plenty of suspects that make the reader question the identity of the killer, but it doesn't exactly come as a huge shock when the reveal is made; moreover, while there is some mystery as to the reasons behind the crimes, the revelations are not totally surprising.  But what definitely hits the mark are the characters.

Mike King is a likeable, down-to-earth, every-day guy who happens to be a detective, who happens to be good looking, and who happens to be gay.  Yet, none of those things completely define him as a character.  He is multi-faceted, he is relatable, and he is, without a doubt, thoroughly enjoyable to follow on his investigation.  Plus, he's never quite on his own.  He has his own crew - from the ever-efficient assistant Duncan (everyone's dream of the perfect secretary!), to the master (mistress?) of disguise Georgia (male, female, young, old, she can become him/her!), to the expert strategist Jerry (who I think is my personal favorite) - and clearly could not survive without them.

In Dying to Play, King is hired to pose as a baseball player in a (very) minor league team to uncover who has been making threats to the players and trying to run the team and its owner out of the small town of Butterfield, Wisconsin.  King soon finds out that while no one in town has a huge ax to grind with the players, nearly everyone has a problem with its owner, Connor Knecht.  Rich, egotistical, and completely careless with how he treats others, so long as he gets what he wants, Knecht is determined to keep the Mustangs in Butterfield, and he wants King to uncover the stalker who seems to have it in for his team.

It doesn't take long, though, for King to discover that his undercover status is not quite so undercover (unless, of course, you're talking about the reporter ... who ends up dead ... or the baseball player ... who ends up ... well, that would be telling ... he he he).  Pretty much the entire town seems to see through his cover, but that doesn't stop him from his investigation.  And things quickly become personal when he stumbles over a body in an investigation - - and then gets shot at - - and then has the body placed in his hotel room for the cops to find - - and then is involved in a horrific bus accident.  Oh, and just for good measure, let's throw in some Nancy Drew-style foibles, such as the threatening note telling him to "Get the hell out before you die."  And there's also the high-powered players in the limousine who take him for a ride, warning him to get out of town.

Zubro weaves a magnificent tapestry here, with more than a few handful of characters, very few of whom have truly redeeming qualities, a crooked police force, a widowed local herb maker, an over-zealous reporter determined to make a name for himself, and a team of hot, young baseball players that King can't keep his eyes off of (but has to!).  And, I have to say, I love the fact that instead of "chapters," Zubro utilizes date and time to mark each chapter, which, for me anyway, helps keep things on track and makes me, as the reader, feel like I really am following along with King on his investigation every step of the way.

Thankfully, Zubro avoids the pitfall that some gay mystery authors fall into, as he does not get graphic with any of the romantic (or lustful, depending on the time) interludes, which for me, is a plus, as it keeps the focus on the mystery side of things.  I do not believe that explicit, erotic scenes are necessary to make gay fiction successful.  I think there is a place and genre for that type of writing, and there's nothing wrong with it - but when I sit down to read a good mystery, that's what I want.  And Zubro definitely delivers with this one!  I'm looking forward to reading his second book, Dying for a Thrill!

***NOTE - I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book, autographed by the author, but I can 100% guarantee that such kindness had absolutely nothing to do with the above review - the book was, simply put, really that good!

RATING:  9 leaves of lettuce out of 10 for hitting it out of the ballpark with a thrilling story, engaging characters, and more than a couple of chuckles along the way.