Description:
Seattle teacher and part-time blogger Hayden McCall wakes up in a stranger’s bed alone, half-naked and sporting one hell of a shiner. Then the police come knocking on the door. It seems that Latino dancer Camilo Rodriguez has gone missing and they suspect foul play. What happened the night before? And where is Camilo?
Determined to find answers, Hayden seeks out two of Camilo’s friends–Hollister and Burley–both lesbians and both fiercely devoted to their friend. From them, Hayden learns that Camilo is a «Dreamer» whose parents had been deported years earlier, and whose sister, Daniela, is presumed to have returned to Venezuela with them. Convinced that the cops won’t take a brown boy’s disappearance seriously, the girls join Hayden’s hunt for Camilo.
The first clues turn up at Barkingham Palace, a pet store where Camilo had taken a part-time job. The store’s owner, Della Rupert, claims ignorance, but Hayden knows something is up. And then there’s Camilo’s ex-boyfriend, Ryan, who’s suddenly grown inexplicably wealthy. When Hayden and Hollister follow Ryan to a secure airport warehouse, they make a shocking connection between him and Della–and uncover the twisted scheme that’s made both of them rich.
The trail of clues leads them to the grounds of a magnificent estate on an island in Puget Sound, where they’ll finally learn the truth about Camilo’s disappearance–and the fate of his family.
My opinion:
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Devil’s Chew Toy by Rob Osler is a cozy mystery. It’s the first book from the Hayden & Friends series.
Hayden McCall, a Seattle teacher, and part-time blogger had gone to a bar. When he tried to tip a go-go dancer he was accidentally hurt. After that Camilo, the dancer, took him home to spend the night. The next morning Hayden woke up alone in that house and soon after he was questioned by the police. Camilo had disappeared and the suspected full play. For some unknown reason, the timid teacher decided to find out what happened to him. He went back to the bar and he learned about Camilo’s best friends, Hollister and Burley. The three of them step by step were uncovering a very dangerous mystery that could have cost them their lives.
It’s a very interesting book. The plot is engaging with the slow-build mystery. It is well written with lots of scenery and appearance descriptions. Half of the story is quite comedic and the other touches on some serious issues. The characters had good chemistry but they were such an odd bunch. Hayden is a short thin redhead quite shy and kind of bullied at times. Hollister is a strong-willed woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Burley is tall and built woman who no one wants to mess around her. They are nothing alike but in the end, they create a deep friendship. My favorite part was towards the end when Hayden was executing his plan.
If you like mysteries then give this book a try. I will rate it with 4 stars.
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