Genre: Mystery, Romance, Police Procedural
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Detective Everett Larkin of New York City’s Cold Case Squad has been on medical leave since catching the serial killer responsible for what the media has dubbed the “Death Mask Murders.” But Larkin hasn’t forgotten that another memento—another death—is waiting to be found.
Summer brings the grisly discovery of human remains in the subway system, but the clues point to one of Larkin’s already-open cases, so he resumes active duty. And when a postmortem photograph, akin to those taken during the Victorian Era, is located at the scene, Larkin requests aid from the most qualified man he knows: Detective Ira Doyle of the Forensic Artists Unit.
An unsolved case that suffered from tunnel vision, as well as the deconstruction of death portraits, leads Larkin and Doyle down a rabbit hole more complex than the tunnels beneath Manhattan. And if this investigation isn’t enough, both are struggling with how to address the growing intimacy between them. Because sometimes, love is more grave than murder.
The Review
Subway Slayings is the second novel in the “Memento Mori” series by C.S. Poe. I highly suggest reading Madison Square Murders first – it introduces Detectives Everett Larkin and Ira Doyle.
Everett “Evie” Larkin is an expert in the Cold Case Squad for the NYPD. His confidence and HSAM (highly superior autobiographical memory) works against him at times, and it doesn’t help that he always feels that “no one wants to know or care.” He ‘s not great at socializing or schmoozing, and while he can be very direct, it’s never his intention to be mean. He’s in the middle of a divorce from Noah Rider. Noah has been mentally abusive, and it has destroyed their relationship. He never really accepted Larkin’s HSAM, nor does he try. Because of his almost flawless memory, Larkin is doomed to always remember the tragedy of his past, and he still grieves over it.
Detective Ira Doyle is just a great guy. He’s got a good personality, is very friendly and likes to joke. He’s also an expert at the 1PP as a Forensic Artist. Each profile sketch is important to him and must be exact. He’s battling his own grief and guilt from the past, and there are still things that he will not speak of. He opens his home and his heart to Everett, who he lovingly calls Evie, and gradually changes start to happen.
As emotions run high, Everett is hiding a secret from Ira, something that developed after the Death Mask Murders. But all that will have to wait as they become immersed in a cold case that’s twenty-three years old. A young man at the time, Marco Garcia, was killed in the NY subway and his case was never solved. Now, with another death in the dark and garbage-ridden subway tunnels, a twisted world of more deaths is revealed. Will Everett and Ira be able to face the ugliness of this cold case and eventually solve it? And will Everett ever find who is continuing to provoke him?
Subway Sayings goes deeper into the heavy, raw emotions evoked by the murder case at the core of the mystery than the previous book. This one is a heart breaker, with Everett Larkin still feeling unloved, and with others perceiving him as cold and distant. Ira Doyle is his life saver. He really sees Everett that, and understands that he shows emotion in his own way.
And Everett, for his part, sees the weight of grievance that Ira carries. Everett fights with his addiction to Xanax, and Ira draws on his own experiences with his addiction with alcoholism to help him.Eventually, Everett even starts to make little jokes, and it’s all because of Ira.
Subway Slayings is also a very precise, well-plotted mystery, and Everett’s HSAM is the key to solving it. Everett has instant recall of dates and times of all situations that he’s experienced. The vivid descriptions of the dark tunnels and hiding places of the NYC subway are definitely frightening, and there’s also still homophobia in the police force that Doyle and Larkin have to deal with.
Neil Millett, from Poe’s “Snow & Winter” series, makes an appearace, providing humor and snark to balance out the seriousness of the story. It will be interesting to see how his own personal life develops in future books.
And Noah Rider provides a suitable counterpoint to Ita’s cheery demeanor. The divorce brings out Noah’s immaturity and self-centeredness, and the way he talks to (and yells at) Everett shows the mental abuse that Everett has been dealing with.
Subway Slayings is a power-packed action adventure filled with suspense and danger. I’m guessing there are many secrets to be revealed about both Larkin and Doyle. It’s an excellent read and a great murder mystery, with two very unique protagonists, an outstanding, tear-jerker of a story.
I can’t wait to see Poe has in store for the third novel, Broadway Butchery.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
