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Caloosa Club Mystery #1
It Takes Two
February, 1949. Fort Myers Florida. It started out to be such a nice day. But early morning gunfire at the Royal Plaza Motor Hotel changed all that. One white man is dead. One black man is dead. The widow of the white man has just crashed the investigation, and is waving a gun around. Barely escaping the shot that blows the window out of the car in which he is sitting is Dan Ewing, who isn't even supposed to be there. Saving his bacon is police detective Bud Wright. Bud and Dan are more than fishing buddies, but no one can know that. But their secret is just one of many in this small town. To start, Dan is the manager of the Caloosa Hotel, a class act if you're just passing through, but if you are a member of the less known Caloosa Club, Dan provides a variety of "services" club members may discreetly enjoy. This doesn't sit well with everyone in town, including the sheriff, a wealthy car dealer, the KKK, and Bud Wright, despite the fact that he's sleeping with Dan. But the car dealer is the dead white man, the black man is the husband of his wife's former maid, and the sheriff, Bud's boss seems determined to keep the investigation off track. So what does this apparent murder suicide have to do with the Caloosa? Journalist Elliott Mackle takes his wonderfully realized "why-done-it?' mystery to fascinating levels as he explores the various factions of a small southern town facing the giant implications of a rapidly changing society. Significant erotic content and salty language.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 27, 2012
3.75 stars
Before starting this book, you should have one thing in mind:
This means that if you are not prepared to leave your contemporary sensibilities aside, you might not enjoy this book. Set in racially segregated, post-war Florida, the book perfectly reflects the attitudes of the period, though not all the characters do.
Having said this, the historical accuracy and diversity of the characters are the two strongest points of this novel. Whether they are the war veterans returning to mostly unchanged America, war widows forced to struggle for survival, corrupt local authorities and businessmen, members of the KKK, performers, people of color or gay men and women trying to carve a safe place for themselves in an unfriendly world, they represent a colorful background for the love story between Dan Ewing and Bud Wright. My personal favorite was Carmen Veranda, a drag queen who entertained the American soldiers during the war. Carmen is in a long-term relationship with Tommy, a black pianist and secret political activist, and an epitome of personal courage.
Dan Ewing is a war veteran back from service in occupied Japan, where he survived the sinking of USS Indianapolis and death of his lover. He manages the upscale Caloosa Hotel and its private Club which provides gambling, drinking and companionship for various customers. He is our first-person narrator and a truly fascinating character. While reading the book he often reminded me of Casablanca's Rick. He is a curious mixture of cynicism in dealing with his business (including obviously dubious "protection") and idealism in his private life. His personal philosophy seems to be "live and let live" and he is not averse to bending a few laws if it provides a living or protection to his employees, no matter who they are. He suffers from PTSD and his war experiences, including almost miraculous finding and later loss of true love, color many of his actions. It is not a surprise that, when he finds Bud, he is willing to go to great lengths to keep him.
Bud Wright, an ex-Marine, is a police detective with far fewer scars from the war. Straitlaced, honest and loyal, Bud is much more conflicted about his attraction to Dan. He is bisexual with a stronger attraction to men and is convinced that he could leave that life if he chooses to. The affair with Dan starts as a fulfillment of Bud's teenage fantasy – his attraction to his high-school coach – but the deepening of their mutual emotions is what scares Bud to death, since he doesn't believe that a relationship is even possible. The relationship is pretty much one step forward, two steps back, especially when both of them get involved in the death of two men – one white, the other black – and some of the clues lead to Caloosa. His reticence, paranoia, prejudices and constant stepping in and out of the closet (to the selected few, mind you, there are no really out people at this time) are sometimes hard to take, but it is through Bud's character that we truly see what the life of gay people was like and what consequences they could face just because they were living their lives. There is something incredibly sad in a grown, strong man who is constantly afraid.
The mystery, such as it is, is more a device to showcase the political and social circumstances of the time and its resolution is rather lukewarm, considering the potential bomb the death of two men – one black, one white – could become. It is also somewhat lost in the narrative that jumps back and forth from past to present. The uneven pacing and some lines (such as the first one quoted in this review) suggest that Dan narrated the story at some later date and pulled me occasionally out of the story. While the chemistry between the two protagonists is palpable and the somewhat awkward sex scenes and raw dialogue added to the authenticity, I wasn't completely convinced of Bud's commitment at the end of the novel. As Dan says:
Luckily for me (and the readers who feel/will feel the same), Dan and Bud are back in the sequel – Only Make Believe – which I will be reviewing soon.
Overall, It Takes Two is an exceptional historical novel with wonderful characters which could have benefited from some focus and streamlining. It's easy to see why it was a Lambda Literary Award finalist and I recommend that you try it, whether you are a fan of historical novels or not.
Before starting this book, you should have one thing in mind:
"Florida in the late 1940s was a model of Old Testament intolerance in matters sexual, political and social."
This means that if you are not prepared to leave your contemporary sensibilities aside, you might not enjoy this book. Set in racially segregated, post-war Florida, the book perfectly reflects the attitudes of the period, though not all the characters do.
Having said this, the historical accuracy and diversity of the characters are the two strongest points of this novel. Whether they are the war veterans returning to mostly unchanged America, war widows forced to struggle for survival, corrupt local authorities and businessmen, members of the KKK, performers, people of color or gay men and women trying to carve a safe place for themselves in an unfriendly world, they represent a colorful background for the love story between Dan Ewing and Bud Wright. My personal favorite was Carmen Veranda, a drag queen who entertained the American soldiers during the war. Carmen is in a long-term relationship with Tommy, a black pianist and secret political activist, and an epitome of personal courage.
Dan Ewing is a war veteran back from service in occupied Japan, where he survived the sinking of USS Indianapolis and death of his lover. He manages the upscale Caloosa Hotel and its private Club which provides gambling, drinking and companionship for various customers. He is our first-person narrator and a truly fascinating character. While reading the book he often reminded me of Casablanca's Rick. He is a curious mixture of cynicism in dealing with his business (including obviously dubious "protection") and idealism in his private life. His personal philosophy seems to be "live and let live" and he is not averse to bending a few laws if it provides a living or protection to his employees, no matter who they are. He suffers from PTSD and his war experiences, including almost miraculous finding and later loss of true love, color many of his actions. It is not a surprise that, when he finds Bud, he is willing to go to great lengths to keep him.
"I might have said there's nothing more natural and less degenerate than sleeping next to the person you care about. But I was no crusader. I was just a man who'd run out of luck during the war, a guy who'd found out what he wanted the hard way, and who'd learned that he'd better go after it again when the going seemed right."
Bud Wright, an ex-Marine, is a police detective with far fewer scars from the war. Straitlaced, honest and loyal, Bud is much more conflicted about his attraction to Dan. He is bisexual with a stronger attraction to men and is convinced that he could leave that life if he chooses to. The affair with Dan starts as a fulfillment of Bud's teenage fantasy – his attraction to his high-school coach – but the deepening of their mutual emotions is what scares Bud to death, since he doesn't believe that a relationship is even possible. The relationship is pretty much one step forward, two steps back, especially when both of them get involved in the death of two men – one white, the other black – and some of the clues lead to Caloosa. His reticence, paranoia, prejudices and constant stepping in and out of the closet (to the selected few, mind you, there are no really out people at this time) are sometimes hard to take, but it is through Bud's character that we truly see what the life of gay people was like and what consequences they could face just because they were living their lives. There is something incredibly sad in a grown, strong man who is constantly afraid.
The mystery, such as it is, is more a device to showcase the political and social circumstances of the time and its resolution is rather lukewarm, considering the potential bomb the death of two men – one black, one white – could become. It is also somewhat lost in the narrative that jumps back and forth from past to present. The uneven pacing and some lines (such as the first one quoted in this review) suggest that Dan narrated the story at some later date and pulled me occasionally out of the story. While the chemistry between the two protagonists is palpable and the somewhat awkward sex scenes and raw dialogue added to the authenticity, I wasn't completely convinced of Bud's commitment at the end of the novel. As Dan says:
"Mixing it up isn't a relationship, Sarge. But two people who get together and plan to stay together, however they can do it, and who say they care about each other a lot, maybe even, you know, love each other, that's a relationship. And it takes two—the two of us working at it."
Luckily for me (and the readers who feel/will feel the same), Dan and Bud are back in the sequel – Only Make Believe – which I will be reviewing soon.
Overall, It Takes Two is an exceptional historical novel with wonderful characters which could have benefited from some focus and streamlining. It's easy to see why it was a Lambda Literary Award finalist and I recommend that you try it, whether you are a fan of historical novels or not.
May 22, 2010
A “who and why-done-it” mystery set in 1940s Florida, Dan Ewing is the manager of the Caloosa Hotel, which privately caters to the very special needs of its guests, and Bud Wright is a police detective whose passionate desire for Dan is in conflict with his desire to shut Dan’s business down. When one black man and one white man are suddenly killed in an apparent murder suicide, Dan and Bud find themselves up against local business, political and religious leaders as they are entrenched in one small southern town’s deeply hidden secrets.
Review by Erastes
One of the reviews I’ve seen for this book calls it a “gay romance for grown ups” and that’s not a bad assessment. It starts with an existing ‘affair’ between Bud and Dan. However, whereas Dan is happy in his skin and knows his sexuality and is comfortable with it, Bud is most certainly not. Not only is Bud a cop, and understandably cautious to be around Dan, but he’s bisexual with a preference for men, and he’s fighting it.
This is 1949 Florida, and both men were in the services in World War 2. Bud was a “jarhead” – a grunt, a marine; going where he was sent, doing what he was told to do. He’s highly decorated and not particularly unsettled by the war. Dan however, having been on the Indianapolis when it was torpedoed by the Japanese, and having spent four days drifting in a lifeboat with dead bodies and sharks all around, and no food or water–has re-occuring nightmares and no wonder! The fact that he lost the first man that he loved on that ship too, compounds his mental damage. Both men use devices to justify why they like the other–Bud calls Dan “Coach” because he reminds him of a schoolboy crush he once had, and Dan feels that, as he doesn’t have the nightmares when Bud’s around, it must mean something special.
But Bud is skittish, he’s obviously hugely attracted, and very fond of Dan, but he uses every excuse not to admit to himself that this is anything more than mutual relief. Even the language the men use distances themselves from the fact that they are in a relationship. “Mixing it up” and “fooling around” and never “making love,” or even “having sex.” Dan is a lot more pragmatic; he likes Bud, he wants Bud and he knows Bud is keen on him, and sexually attracted to him and he gets frustrated that Bud is often so dismissive and often insulting–saying he’s not a fruit and neither is Dan.
There’s a lot of Non-PC language (and attitudes) in this book, but it’s all perfectly in place. You expect people of this era to use language that would be entirely unacceptable today. But be warned if you aren’t able to read about realism in this time and place.
Another major reason why Bud is nervous of getting involved with Dan is that Dan is the manager of the Caloosa Hotel. On the outside, a prosperous and ordinary hotel, dealing with the higher end of the market, but on the inside it has a private club where anything goes, depending on what the customer wants. It’s owned by Dan’s old Admiral who picked Dan up from the whore-pits of Asia after the war and brought him home. In this position, Dan is buffered from the local law enforcement–they know what goes on, and what Dan is (and many other employees are) but the organised crime of the area keeps Dan more at arm’s length from this. Obviously Bud has a problem with this–but he also sees the corruption in his own police department and can’t decide which is worse.
Bud’s reticence and continuing resistance to Dan eventually pushes the relationship to breaking point and it’s there that decisions have to be made.
Add to all this a good sexually motivated double-interracial murder with questions on all sides: Who killed whom? Who was shagging whom? And a cast of characters both “straight laced and then some” and otherwise, camp bartenders, sexy priests and the Ku Klux Klan threatening the hotel, it all adds up to a great fast paced read with a romance so masculine you just want to smack their heads together and tell them to fucking TALK to each other. (Which of course they never do.)
Mr Mackle really writes what he knows. As a homosexual member of the armed forces, his inside knowledge rings very true, particularly dealing with the memories of Dan’s time in the navy. Highly recommended and certainly one book that needs a boost and a lot more attention. As far as I can see it’s now out of print which is criminal. Go buy!
Review by Erastes
One of the reviews I’ve seen for this book calls it a “gay romance for grown ups” and that’s not a bad assessment. It starts with an existing ‘affair’ between Bud and Dan. However, whereas Dan is happy in his skin and knows his sexuality and is comfortable with it, Bud is most certainly not. Not only is Bud a cop, and understandably cautious to be around Dan, but he’s bisexual with a preference for men, and he’s fighting it.
This is 1949 Florida, and both men were in the services in World War 2. Bud was a “jarhead” – a grunt, a marine; going where he was sent, doing what he was told to do. He’s highly decorated and not particularly unsettled by the war. Dan however, having been on the Indianapolis when it was torpedoed by the Japanese, and having spent four days drifting in a lifeboat with dead bodies and sharks all around, and no food or water–has re-occuring nightmares and no wonder! The fact that he lost the first man that he loved on that ship too, compounds his mental damage. Both men use devices to justify why they like the other–Bud calls Dan “Coach” because he reminds him of a schoolboy crush he once had, and Dan feels that, as he doesn’t have the nightmares when Bud’s around, it must mean something special.
But Bud is skittish, he’s obviously hugely attracted, and very fond of Dan, but he uses every excuse not to admit to himself that this is anything more than mutual relief. Even the language the men use distances themselves from the fact that they are in a relationship. “Mixing it up” and “fooling around” and never “making love,” or even “having sex.” Dan is a lot more pragmatic; he likes Bud, he wants Bud and he knows Bud is keen on him, and sexually attracted to him and he gets frustrated that Bud is often so dismissive and often insulting–saying he’s not a fruit and neither is Dan.
There’s a lot of Non-PC language (and attitudes) in this book, but it’s all perfectly in place. You expect people of this era to use language that would be entirely unacceptable today. But be warned if you aren’t able to read about realism in this time and place.
Another major reason why Bud is nervous of getting involved with Dan is that Dan is the manager of the Caloosa Hotel. On the outside, a prosperous and ordinary hotel, dealing with the higher end of the market, but on the inside it has a private club where anything goes, depending on what the customer wants. It’s owned by Dan’s old Admiral who picked Dan up from the whore-pits of Asia after the war and brought him home. In this position, Dan is buffered from the local law enforcement–they know what goes on, and what Dan is (and many other employees are) but the organised crime of the area keeps Dan more at arm’s length from this. Obviously Bud has a problem with this–but he also sees the corruption in his own police department and can’t decide which is worse.
Bud’s reticence and continuing resistance to Dan eventually pushes the relationship to breaking point and it’s there that decisions have to be made.
Add to all this a good sexually motivated double-interracial murder with questions on all sides: Who killed whom? Who was shagging whom? And a cast of characters both “straight laced and then some” and otherwise, camp bartenders, sexy priests and the Ku Klux Klan threatening the hotel, it all adds up to a great fast paced read with a romance so masculine you just want to smack their heads together and tell them to fucking TALK to each other. (Which of course they never do.)
Mr Mackle really writes what he knows. As a homosexual member of the armed forces, his inside knowledge rings very true, particularly dealing with the memories of Dan’s time in the navy. Highly recommended and certainly one book that needs a boost and a lot more attention. As far as I can see it’s now out of print which is criminal. Go buy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2011
Fabulous possibilities, but a real mess as far as plot and focus. Excellent historical detail, but sadly this is not enough, in my opinion, to carry the erratic pacing and lack of serious character development.
July 14, 2012
It Takes Two is a gay historical romance/mystery set right after World War II in the Southern town of Fort Myers, Florida. In his first novel, Elliott Mackle tackles bigotry against homosexuality and people of color, PTSD affecting veterans of World War II, and a 'why-done-it,' all while building a romance-in-the-making between the two central characters, Dan and Bud.
U.S. Navy veteran, Lieutenant Dan Ewing has suffered from survivors’ guilt and nightmares ever since he lost his best buddy and sexual partner of 18 months when his ship was sunk by a submarine and the majority of the men were lost at sea. In Spencer 'Bud' Wright, he finally seems to have found the man whose company helps him find solace. Unfortunately, Bud fights the reality of their attraction and relationship. Sergeant Bud Wright, veteran and ex-sharpshooter, is now a Lee County detective. He and Dan are having what he thinks of as a friendship with occasional sexual benefits. Bud is not beneath playing a little grab-ass, but a homosexual? No. He is confused and scared of the consequences, but most of all afraid 'mixing it up' with Dan might be more than just the fulfillment of a teen-age fantasy. What poor deluded Bud doesn't understand is that sooner or later Dan always gets what he wants.
Managing the Caloosa Hotel with its private club where gambling, drinking and loose behaviors are only acceptable behind closed doors becomes a dangerous proposition for Dan, especially after he inadvertently becomes involved in one of Bud's murder investigations. In a hotel room located at the edge of 'Colored Town,' two men are found shot: a colored soldier and a white man. The white man is husband to the daughter of the most influential man in town. All hell breaks loose when the white man's widow shows up and shoots up the scene, almost shooting Dan in the process. Bud and Dan get mixed up in a whydunit that involves powerful players, bigotry, the KKK, civil rights advocates, and corruption.
It Takes Two is written in the first person narrative from Dan's perspective. In Mackle's hands the first person point of view becomes quite effective as he creates a quick, intimate connection between the reader and the narrator's emotions. The result is that he reeled me in from page one. However, (and this has become one of my favorite aspects of Elliott Mackle's writing style), Bud and the secondary characters, as seen through Dan's point of view, are just as fleshed out as Dan is himself.
The story must be read and the characters viewed from a historical and not a contemporary perspective. These characters have just been through war, seen the world and experienced situations that vastly changed their lives and their points of view. Yet, with few exceptions, when they return home America remains much the same as before these soldiers went to war, particularly in places like Fort Myers. The time is right after World War II and Mackle certainly succeeds by using the right historical touches and creating an atmosphere that transports the reader to place and time. Personally, I love the way language is consistently used throughout to maximize all of the above.
Mr. Mackle utilizes the whydunit aspect of the story as a tool to enhance the historical elements, Southern atmosphere, and to develop the budding romance between Dan and Bud. Mackle also weaves in the subject of PTSD seamlessly and with authority, and by using ex-servicemen and women as central and secondary characters gives this story a wonderful military-on-leave atmosphere outside of the military environment that feels true to time and place, making It Takes Two an excellent read.
Last year, I fell a little in love with Elliott Mackle's writing style after reading Captain Harding's Six-Day War because of the way he drew me into the story, but along the way found myself falling rather hard for his characters. Fortunately for me It Takes Two was reprinted and re-released because this time I fell rather hard for both his writing style as well as with his wonderful characters -- I loved Dan and Bud! This is a book I will re-read, so it is definitely highly recommended.
Originally reviewed @ Impressions of a Reader
U.S. Navy veteran, Lieutenant Dan Ewing has suffered from survivors’ guilt and nightmares ever since he lost his best buddy and sexual partner of 18 months when his ship was sunk by a submarine and the majority of the men were lost at sea. In Spencer 'Bud' Wright, he finally seems to have found the man whose company helps him find solace. Unfortunately, Bud fights the reality of their attraction and relationship. Sergeant Bud Wright, veteran and ex-sharpshooter, is now a Lee County detective. He and Dan are having what he thinks of as a friendship with occasional sexual benefits. Bud is not beneath playing a little grab-ass, but a homosexual? No. He is confused and scared of the consequences, but most of all afraid 'mixing it up' with Dan might be more than just the fulfillment of a teen-age fantasy. What poor deluded Bud doesn't understand is that sooner or later Dan always gets what he wants.
Managing the Caloosa Hotel with its private club where gambling, drinking and loose behaviors are only acceptable behind closed doors becomes a dangerous proposition for Dan, especially after he inadvertently becomes involved in one of Bud's murder investigations. In a hotel room located at the edge of 'Colored Town,' two men are found shot: a colored soldier and a white man. The white man is husband to the daughter of the most influential man in town. All hell breaks loose when the white man's widow shows up and shoots up the scene, almost shooting Dan in the process. Bud and Dan get mixed up in a whydunit that involves powerful players, bigotry, the KKK, civil rights advocates, and corruption.
It Takes Two is written in the first person narrative from Dan's perspective. In Mackle's hands the first person point of view becomes quite effective as he creates a quick, intimate connection between the reader and the narrator's emotions. The result is that he reeled me in from page one. However, (and this has become one of my favorite aspects of Elliott Mackle's writing style), Bud and the secondary characters, as seen through Dan's point of view, are just as fleshed out as Dan is himself.
The story must be read and the characters viewed from a historical and not a contemporary perspective. These characters have just been through war, seen the world and experienced situations that vastly changed their lives and their points of view. Yet, with few exceptions, when they return home America remains much the same as before these soldiers went to war, particularly in places like Fort Myers. The time is right after World War II and Mackle certainly succeeds by using the right historical touches and creating an atmosphere that transports the reader to place and time. Personally, I love the way language is consistently used throughout to maximize all of the above.
Mr. Mackle utilizes the whydunit aspect of the story as a tool to enhance the historical elements, Southern atmosphere, and to develop the budding romance between Dan and Bud. Mackle also weaves in the subject of PTSD seamlessly and with authority, and by using ex-servicemen and women as central and secondary characters gives this story a wonderful military-on-leave atmosphere outside of the military environment that feels true to time and place, making It Takes Two an excellent read.
Last year, I fell a little in love with Elliott Mackle's writing style after reading Captain Harding's Six-Day War because of the way he drew me into the story, but along the way found myself falling rather hard for his characters. Fortunately for me It Takes Two was reprinted and re-released because this time I fell rather hard for both his writing style as well as with his wonderful characters -- I loved Dan and Bud! This is a book I will re-read, so it is definitely highly recommended.
Originally reviewed @ Impressions of a Reader
June 29, 2012
This was a book which made me fell in love with Elliott Mackle's writing. I bought the old paperback edition couple years ago from the third party seller on Amazon and when I saw that it is reissued on Kindle, I bought the ebook as well. After rereading I realized that I never reviewed it, so here is my attempt to rectify this.
Out of three books that I have read by this writer, I would say that this is probably the most romantic one. Dont get me wrong, it is also a great historical and murder mystery investigation, but while Bud and Dan do not talk about how much they love and care for each other (actually Bud talks very little about that, period, since he is not a POV character), them falling in love is very very clear for the reader and since we are in Dan's head, we can hear his feelings on that matter. They are restrained when the feelings come up, of course they will be, dont want to generalize much, but more often than not men are not much for feelings talk. The settings of Florida in the 1940s are very believable, seem very well researched, often ugly when racism and homophobia are so rampant, but it makes what Bud and Dan have and realise that it is worth keeping all the more touching and wonderful. I think this book also has one of the best portrayals of PTSD which soldier may often have coming home from war. I really really loved this book and highly recommend it.
Out of three books that I have read by this writer, I would say that this is probably the most romantic one. Dont get me wrong, it is also a great historical and murder mystery investigation, but while Bud and Dan do not talk about how much they love and care for each other (actually Bud talks very little about that, period, since he is not a POV character), them falling in love is very very clear for the reader and since we are in Dan's head, we can hear his feelings on that matter. They are restrained when the feelings come up, of course they will be, dont want to generalize much, but more often than not men are not much for feelings talk. The settings of Florida in the 1940s are very believable, seem very well researched, often ugly when racism and homophobia are so rampant, but it makes what Bud and Dan have and realise that it is worth keeping all the more touching and wonderful. I think this book also has one of the best portrayals of PTSD which soldier may often have coming home from war. I really really loved this book and highly recommend it.
April 18, 2010
Very well written book with believable characters. The period is captured vividly and scarily real, like a real good reminder of how things were in the old days. The romance between Dan and Bud is a bittersweet one, both characters are adults with a painful past. Dan is more comfortable with his sexuality and willing to take risk, he acknowledges his feelings for Bud is more than a "friendly fuck buddy", but Bud is stubborn and in denial. However, Bud's affection and his sweet nature still come through the pages, even though all readers want to knock some sense into his thick skull!
The mystery plot is a integral part of the story and it's nicely set among conspiracy, power struggle, racism and corruption. Very grim stuff but very worth to be immersed into.
The mystery plot is a integral part of the story and it's nicely set among conspiracy, power struggle, racism and corruption. Very grim stuff but very worth to be immersed into.
March 23, 2018
I debated between three and four stars for this one because it's an odd book but I liked the writing. I did have some issues with it mainly that the "mystery" that's introduced at the beginning is largely shoved aside. The book focuses more on the relationship between Bud and Dan and I wondered why the mystery was introduced at all since it was given the short shrift. I guess the author felt he needed the back story to make the main story work. Mackle is ambitious in trying to intertwine homosexuality, race relations, and the military in one novel and the approach doesn't always work. But It Takes Two is a good read and an interesting look at life on Florida's Gulf coast in the late 1940's.
August 4, 2015
FourStars
This is a well researched historical story full of colourful characters. The actual murder mystery isn’t terribly engaging (even the police detective seems to forget about it at times), but Florida in 1949 comes to life beautifully.
The more moving parts of this story involve the main character’s recent transition from army officer to civilian hotel manager. The war has left him traumatised but determined to find a life partner. The struggle for civil rights is at the centre of this story, be it for racial integration or for gay rights. Mackle’s characters are vibrant and diverse, though he has a tendency to write good guys and bad guys, ignoring the more complicated morality of most humans.
I loved Carmen, Tommy and Dan’s deliberately eccentric staff at the hotel. Dan is a great lead character, though I found him a little preachy at times. I struggled to warm to Bud which is problematic because I think I was supposed to love him.
I’ve given this four stars for some beautiful descriptive passages, a brilliant setting and great characters. The mystery didn’t really work for me. Even though readers are given enough information at the very start to figure out whodunnit, the author’s plot wandered enough that he needed to give readers the answers in a rushed, epilogue-style passage at the end of the story.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Reads.
Sarah
This is a well researched historical story full of colourful characters. The actual murder mystery isn’t terribly engaging (even the police detective seems to forget about it at times), but Florida in 1949 comes to life beautifully.
The more moving parts of this story involve the main character’s recent transition from army officer to civilian hotel manager. The war has left him traumatised but determined to find a life partner. The struggle for civil rights is at the centre of this story, be it for racial integration or for gay rights. Mackle’s characters are vibrant and diverse, though he has a tendency to write good guys and bad guys, ignoring the more complicated morality of most humans.
I loved Carmen, Tommy and Dan’s deliberately eccentric staff at the hotel. Dan is a great lead character, though I found him a little preachy at times. I struggled to warm to Bud which is problematic because I think I was supposed to love him.
I’ve given this four stars for some beautiful descriptive passages, a brilliant setting and great characters. The mystery didn’t really work for me. Even though readers are given enough information at the very start to figure out whodunnit, the author’s plot wandered enough that he needed to give readers the answers in a rushed, epilogue-style passage at the end of the story.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Reads.
Sarah
August 4, 2015
This is a well researched historical story full of colourful characters. The actual murder mystery isn’t terribly engaging (even the police detective seems to forget about it at times), but Florida in 1949 comes to life beautifully.
The more moving parts of this story involve the main character’s recent transition from army officer to civilian hotel manager. The war has left him traumatised but determined to find a life partner. The struggle for civil rights is at the centre of this story, be it for racial integration or for gay rights. Mackle’s characters are vibrant and diverse, though he has a tendency to write good guys and bad guys, ignoring the more complicated morality of most humans.
I loved Carmen, Tommy and Dan’s deliberately eccentric staff at the hotel. Dan is a great lead character, though I found him a little preachy at times. I struggled to warm to Bud which is problematic because I think I was supposed to love him.
I’ve given this four stars for some beautiful descriptive passages, a brilliant setting and great characters. The mystery didn’t really work for me. Even though readers are given enough information at the very start to figure out whodunnit, the author’s plot wandered enough that he needed to give readers the answers in a rushed, epilogue-style passage at the end of the story.
The more moving parts of this story involve the main character’s recent transition from army officer to civilian hotel manager. The war has left him traumatised but determined to find a life partner. The struggle for civil rights is at the centre of this story, be it for racial integration or for gay rights. Mackle’s characters are vibrant and diverse, though he has a tendency to write good guys and bad guys, ignoring the more complicated morality of most humans.
I loved Carmen, Tommy and Dan’s deliberately eccentric staff at the hotel. Dan is a great lead character, though I found him a little preachy at times. I struggled to warm to Bud which is problematic because I think I was supposed to love him.
I’ve given this four stars for some beautiful descriptive passages, a brilliant setting and great characters. The mystery didn’t really work for me. Even though readers are given enough information at the very start to figure out whodunnit, the author’s plot wandered enough that he needed to give readers the answers in a rushed, epilogue-style passage at the end of the story.
April 8, 2009
The Gay and Lesbian Center in NY had a book sale. You spent $5 and got to fill a bag with books. I was worried about carrying too much stuff home on the train, but I sure am glad I picked this one up.
It's ostensibly a mystery novel though not really a typical whodunnit. And the mystery was less a part of the appeal of this book then the romance that develops between the two main characters.
The book is set in Florida just after the end of WW II. Dan is a former Navy officer and Bud a former Marine. They meet at the American Legion, develop a sexual relationship, get involved in a mystery involving the KKK and eventually fall in love.
Writing about gay identity in the past from a post-Stonewall perspective is always hard, but this author seemed to have done his homework and presents a plausible scenario for how their relationship might have worked. The sex scenes were sometimes a bit awkward, although again, that may be super historically accurate as men who had sex with men that era were breaking a lot of new ground in terms of language and behavior.
All in all, an enjoyable and interesting read.
It's ostensibly a mystery novel though not really a typical whodunnit. And the mystery was less a part of the appeal of this book then the romance that develops between the two main characters.
The book is set in Florida just after the end of WW II. Dan is a former Navy officer and Bud a former Marine. They meet at the American Legion, develop a sexual relationship, get involved in a mystery involving the KKK and eventually fall in love.
Writing about gay identity in the past from a post-Stonewall perspective is always hard, but this author seemed to have done his homework and presents a plausible scenario for how their relationship might have worked. The sex scenes were sometimes a bit awkward, although again, that may be super historically accurate as men who had sex with men that era were breaking a lot of new ground in terms of language and behavior.
All in all, an enjoyable and interesting read.
January 19, 2013
Mostly enjoyable book about murder and gay romance in 1949 small town Florida. The murder, and who was involved, was rather convoluted and confusing; I still really have no idea who did it or why, so I didn't focus on that as much as I did the relationship between Dan, the Caloosa Hotel manager, and Bud, the deputy sheriff. However, that story's not without its problems too. Mostly, the problem I have is that Mackle wrote Dan a little too out of the closet for the time and the place: someone who lives in a small southern town that's run by the KKK would NOT be as open and carefree as Dan was. Bud's attitude was a lot more realistic. Also, I really didn't care for Dan's misogynistic attitude toward women, especially Bud's sometime-girlfriend Slim Nichols.
Otherwise, I liked this book and intend to keep it.
Otherwise, I liked this book and intend to keep it.
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March 29, 2016This is so hard to rate, so I'm not going to. There were things I loved and other parts not so much but at no point did I ever consider putting this down and not going back to it.
A big plus for this book is the historical aspect. Either the author lived being gay in the forces during WW2 or immersed themselves in research, I'd say the former. This part of the book was so on point and probably what had me going back for more. The characters and plot impressed me less but it was still an enjoyable read, even if I found the insertion of some of the flashbacks awkward and unnecessary.
A big plus for this book is the historical aspect. Either the author lived being gay in the forces during WW2 or immersed themselves in research, I'd say the former. This part of the book was so on point and probably what had me going back for more. The characters and plot impressed me less but it was still an enjoyable read, even if I found the insertion of some of the flashbacks awkward and unnecessary.
June 26, 2013
Really wonderfully written period novel. Multiple themed: 1940's South, PTSD, letting go, learning to live with one's self, m/m romance. There's a murder mystery, but that only serves as a backdrop. I was going to write my own review of this one, but I think that Lady*M pretty much says it all. Read hers.
January 12, 2013
A hard read for me; I never really connected with the character or the flow of the storyline. I don't think I'll read the sequel, even though I did find the Florida setting and the timeline (post WWII) to be interesting.
January 15, 2015
I enjoyed this a lot. The historical perspective was really interesting to read, and I liked the characters.
May 31, 2016
"Florida in the late 1940s was a model of Old Testament intolerance in matters sexual, political and social."
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