Going Down for the Count [Paperback]

Siegfried takes Robert back to Berlin where they plan to marry. However, strange happenings in Seigfried's mansion scare Robert, who calls across the ocean to gain advice from his amazonian lesbian buddy Monette. Michael flies to Europe and Monette follows him as someone has killed Robert's fiancé. The German police believe the visiting gay American murdered his lover in a domestic rage incident. Thus, once again the trio tries to ferret out the identity of SOMEONE KILLED HIS BOYFRIEND as they once did for Michael.

The second tale in David Stukas' humorous gay trio of amateur sleuths is a fun story that much like the first novel concentrates on the cross-Atlantic lifestyle of the heroes. The who-done-it is fun to observe, but also as with the debut novel takes a back seat (but not quite as much) to Robert and cohorts as they romp through Germany. Fans of gay amateur sleuths will enjoy GOING DOWN FOR THE COUNT, want to read the first tale SOMEONE KILLED HIS BOYFRIEND and expect David Stukas to tell the story of the murder of Monette's lover next.

Harriet Klausner

It features what seem to be Stukas' trio of main characters, vapid Michael, giantess (6'4") Monette, and waspish, bland Robert. Hedonistic Michael is rich and handsome (despite the fact that his good looks are largely the result of plastic surgery and steriods; Monette is a love-starved lesbian given to stalking Ellen Degeneres and other celebrity lesbian types. She is the "brains" of the outfit; Robert is just There. Beyond having no depth, these characters don't seem to like each other, which makes it hard for me to generate any empathy for them.

It seems to be Stukas' narrative device to start his stories in Manhattan and then to transport his characters elsewhere for the "action." In "Boyfriend" this setting was Provincetown; in "Down for the Count" the setting is -- improbably -- Germany. Well! At least Stukas' tells us the characters are in Germany. As we see nothing beyond the gay ghetto of sex clubs and bars, the setting might as well have stayed in Stukas' version of Manhattan.

Another annoying aspect of his narrative is the male characters are all (save Robert) described as being "handsome" or having "blond, chiseled features." Perhaps Stukas is allowing his personal taste in the male aesthetic to rule his attempts at fictional writing. In any case, the result is to make every character indistinguishable from, and interchangeable with, each other.

I have read reviews putting Stukas' writing in the category of "easy, summer" reading. I finished the novel in about six hours, not because I enjoyed the story but because I was aghast at what was on paper and wondering where it would all lead. Seems it only leads from page one to page 230 or so.

I hated this book so much that I returned it to the shop where I purchased it.

It may be noted that I don't dwell on the mystery of this egregious novel. The real mystery is why it was published.

I officially adore David Stukas and can't wait for next summer and the next mystery!