The Magician Murders

The Magician Murders (2019) Josh Lanyon

Jason West is in DC for a training session (and to spend time with his boyfriend Sam Kenendy) when a hit and run puts him in the hospital. Sam takes Jason out to Wyoming where his mother lives so Jason can recuperate and they two can have some time together.

“It doesn’t sound like the Sam Kennedy I know.”

Sam studied him. “Aren’t you the guy always telling me I need to learn to trust the people under me? That I need to stop micromanaging my team? That I need to learn to delegate?”

“Yes. Aren’t you the guy who said I didn’t know what I was talking about?”

“I’m sure I phrased it more diplomatically.”

“Actually, n—”

But to keep Jason from getting bored, he introduces him to a local friend who has a case involving art theft. And things go kind of sideways from there.

“There’s a question of jurisdiction between the Laramie County Sheriff’s and the Routt County Sheriff’s Office.”

“Great.”

“He basically told them to get their shit together or get off his crime scene.”

“Jesus.” Really, Sam? Jason rubbed his bearded jaw to cover what would have been an inappropriate laugh.

“I mean, we can’t do that, right?” Dreyfus sounded uncertain. “Yes, it’s federal land, but we can’t— shouldn’t—”

“No, we can’t,” Jason said.

Did I mention Sam’s mother was in Wyoming?

“You’re a nice boy. Don’t you worry. Sam and I understand each other.”

Probably not. Almost certainly not. But if it made her happy to think so, he wasn’t about to argue.

So the mystery here is interesting, as is seeing Sam and Jason actually spending time together (which they never do.) But I did have a few raised eyebrows when it came to the two of them and how things were working out.

It was more like Jason had been granted a peek into Sam’s brain, and what he had discovered seething there appalled him.

I am glad that there was a significant amount of time between that scene and Jason actually talking to Sam, because I get that he felt that in the moment, but he also knows precisely who Sam is, so I’m not quite sure why he’s so surprised.

The story does end on an unresolved note, so if you’d like to skip the lack of resolution until you have the next book, stop as soon as Jason gets back home.

It was a good story, and I have the next one lined up, but I’m reading something else first.

Publisher: JustJoshin Publishing, Inc.
Rating: 8/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• The Winter Companion » »
• « « Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists