The Mystery of Nevermore

The Mystery of Nevermore (2016) C.S. Poe

Sebastian Snow runs an antique shop, has an in-the-closet copy boyfriend, and achromatopsia–he can’t see color and has other vision problems due to that.

When he finds a body part in the floorboards of his store, he’s drawn into a mystery, initially against his will, but later with greater excitement.

The truth was, my partner of four years, Neil Millett, also had keys and the code, but mentioning his name around cops was a bit tricky. He was a detective with the NYPD’s forensic investigations unit, and very much in the closet. So much so that the only people who knew we were living together were Max and my father. Neil didn’t want other officers knowing he was gay, and when I was twenty-nine with a heart all aflutter for a sexy detective, I didn’t mind.

I really like Sebastian as much as I dislike Neil.

Clothes shopping was stressful for me. Department stores were so bright, and there was apparently a concept of clashing colors. My idea of adding new options to my wardrobe was heading out to secondhand shops with Pop, letting him grab a dozen items in dark colors he says won’t hurt anyone’s eyes if I mix and match, then we’re out in ten minutes.

I was really fascinated by Sebastian’s colorblindness. The author put a lot of work into how these limitations would affect his life, from the many negatives (trouble dressing, issues with lights of normal brightness) to some of the positives (being able to see more clearly in the dark). The whole thing makes Sebastian a complex and interesting character.

One thing I didn’t especially love was that Sebastian was not clearly split from Neil when he has sex with Calvin (the other cop and love interest).

The mystery itself was fine. I was a little wary about Sebastian repeatedly investigating the case (and getting himself into trouble), but it was okay, and I enjoyed the whole thing.

Publisher: DSP Publications
Rating: 7.5/10

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