Rust on the Razor: A Tom and Scott Mystery (Stonewall Inn mysteries) [Paperback]

Chicago high school teacher Tom Mason and his longtime lover Scott Carpenter already had enough of a crisis to deal with. Scott, a very highly paid baseball player, has just publicly come out. Immediately afterwards, a lucrative endorsement deal is cancelled because of his revelation. However, they must forget about Scott's career problems and rush home to Georgia. Scott's father has suffered a serious heart attack.When they arrive in the rural South, it really is like entering a different world. The pace of life is much slower and the small town alternately feels charming or intolerant of outsiders. Tom quickly learns that gay people are deeply closeted in Scott's hometown. While they are visiting Scott's father in the hospital, Tom is accused of murder. This time, their lawyer back in Chicago can't save them and they are sure no local one will take the case. They have no choice but to investigate the murder in order to clear Tom's name.By this point, author Mark Richard Zubro has again demonstrated his mastery of both murder mysteries and characterization. Tom and Scott are again shown as a warm, caring, interesting couple. Since they consider themselves to be married, their lives do not revolve around sex. I especially loved the scenes where Tom's gentle sense of humor is shown. His playful teasing and affection for Scott are far more interesting to read than a sex scene. Remember, Zubro's gay detectives aren't merely boyfriends, they're married. And the richly detailed, satisfying relationship they enjoy proves it.As it happens, Tom and Scott discover that Scott's hometown is not as simple as it first appeared. Their probing deeper and deeper into the town's secrets reveals intrigues that are just as complicated as anything they would encounter in Chicago. While Tom forges on ahead to clear his name, Scott must come to terms with what this all means to him. In order to find the real killer, he will need to learn to see the people he grew up with in a new light.I found one of the best parts of the story to be when Tom and Scott are in the thick of things. They are starting to put the clues together and the suspects are getting nervous. I really liked how no one character is the obviously guilty party. Zubro always keeps me guessing right up until the very end. I think it's great that you can see that the murder takes days to solve. The solution doesn't occur to Tom in a flash. Instead, he slowly pieces together the clues and realizes who the killer is. By the time he knows, Tom has also discovered why the people involved did what they did; not merely who pulled the trigger. That's far more satisfying to me.Finally, I highly recommend this mystery to anyone who likes suspenseful, exciting mysteries that keep you guessing until the very end. Zubro has repeatedly proved that he is a master at telling a great story with realistic, well rounded characters. This mystery shows that his wonderful detectives, Tom and Scott, can solve cases anywhere they go, not just Chicago.

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Tom and Scott return to Scott's home town for a visit, and when the local sheriff is found dead in their rental car, suspicion turns to Tom. After all, he's the one who corrupted their local hero. Because he himself is suspected, Tom doesn't get to do as much as he usually does, and the book suffers a little. But all the stuff about Scott and his family is very moving.

Neil Plakcy, author of Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (An Alyson Mystery)