Foxe Tail

A Skyler Foxe Mystery, Book 1

By: Haley Walsh

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

Gay teacher Skyler Foxe thought teaching English was murder. Wait till he falls into the real thing.

Skyler Foxe is a brand new English teacher in his hometown of Redlands, CA. He loves literature, loves his students, loves his friends, especially his best friend Detective Sidney Feldman. But he doesn't love keeping his orientation a secret, afraid of the backlash in this conservative county. But will murder thrust him into unwanted limelight?

Who killed the principal's son outside a gay dance club? And what's the connection to James Polk High? Is the macho football coach or his mysterious and gorgeous new assistant coach involved? Can Skyler trust anyone at the high school when there seems to be conspiracies around every corner?

©2010 Haley Walsh (Jeri Westerson) (P)2015 Haley Walsh (Jeri Westerson)

Hot homo handling homework and homicide.

Where does Foxe Tail rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Certainly in the realm of gay-themed fiction I would rate it very highly. Often the narrators that agree to do this kind of material sound more like my grandfather than the characters they portray. The voice for this was spot-on. The writing is smart, sassy and the book also surprises you with real emotional depth. I certainly would listen to more from this series and this narrator.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Foxe Tail?

There is a moment between two of Skyler's students that really took me by surprise...and i loved it. It's always tough to talk in too much detail about a mystery - but this book has plenty of twists and turns. There is a romantic high point in an abandoned classroom between Skyler and Keith that was really hot lol.

Have you listened to any of Joel Leslie’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't - but I think he has a great energy for this kind of material. He embraces the different characters and makes them very specific and entertaining.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I love the fact that Skyler is flawed... he's not perfect. There's a conversation he has with his friend Phillip that I thought was really great in terms of character development. Walsh invests as much time in her supporting cast as she does in Skyler.

Any additional comments?

Happy to be a member of the SFC. :)

Murder She Wrote meets Queer as Folk

This is one of the most fun series I've ever read. The characters are all fun and engaging, the romance is steamy and really fresh and original. It subverts so many of the typical tropes of the genre and feels much more believable. The author creates not just a very likable cast of characters, but does the best friendships among gay men and a sense of community I've ever read.
Skyler, our hero, is a cute young teacher who stumbles onto a couple of mysteries. The main mystery is resolved, and a conclusion is reached, while the secondary mystery continues thru the next couple of book. By the time I'd listened to half the book I bought the whole series so that I continue listening without interruption.
Narrator Joel Leslie has read several books that I've listened to, and he is as always one of my favorite narrators. He gives each character their own distinctive voice that adds another dimension to the story. It's easy to forget there's just one guy doing the whole book.
Highest recommendation!

Quite funny for a mystery

Any additional comments?

This was an OK book, lots of funny bits, but also a lot of eyerolling.There are a lot of stereotypes in here and the narrator exaggerated some of them so much that it, at times, distracted me from the story.

I am so loving this series!

Would you listen to Foxe Tail again? Why?

Oh, yeah! I love Joel Leslie! He is so versatile and has given each character their own voices that make them all distinct and bring them to life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Skyler Foxe, of course! Not only is he the protagonist, he is just such a full fledged character and a fun person. If he was a real person, I'd want to be one of his friends.

Which scene was your favorite?

Not sure, I loved the whole book

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Skyler's just such a full fledged character that you really get into his psyche and know what he is feeling at all times. There is a moment that stuns at the end of the book that got me and made me want to start book 2 right away.

Any additional comments?

This is such a great and fun series, it's going near the top of my favorites list and I will definitely be listening to this series again.

Great mystery, hilarious characters.

What made the experience of listening to Foxe Tail the most enjoyable?

The narrator does a great job of creating a cast of wild characters. He really brings the book to life. Very funny.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jamie. He's over the top and full of life. And the narrator does a great job of making him crazy and caring at the same time.

Which scene was your favorite?

It's a mystery - so I don't wanna spoil it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was great to read a gay novel with a real sense of humor, strong characters and still be sexy. This book was really hot in places but most of all it's a great story. I'm looking forward to the others in the series!

Interesting and adorable characters

Any additional comments?

The characters in this book are interesting and adorable. The narrator does a good job of distinguishing their different voices and giving them personality. The mystery part of it could have been better done. There was a lot of mystery and not many clues till the end when the main character is figuring it out. The action was well paced. I liked it enough to get the next in the series.

great story but the narrator needs work

great story but the narrator needs work. his speach was very choppy and it made some parts very hard to listen to.

Good story. Good narration.

This was a nicely organized mystery with a dash of romance. The police procedures required an extra effort to suspend disbelief, but Skyler's antics are a good distraction. I am certainly intrigued by the overreaching story arc that will comprise the first three books of the series.

The narration is well performed, and Joel Leslie does a nice job of developing voices that match the characters.

Can't wait for more!

If you could sum up Foxe Tail in three words, what would they be?

Sexy, sassy, sweet.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The mystery is very well developed and you become engaged. You feel a real attachment to the characters and you are really rooting for them. The mystery is complex, but believable and the entire story is woven around a larger mystery that she carries through the first three books... so you really become invested. The romantic plot has you just as much on the edge of your seat as the danger that Skyler is in.

What does Joel Leslie bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings the book totally alive. He grabs right onto the big characters and fun energy of the writing. Skyler's friends are big personalities with and the narrator makes them very specific and engaging. His energy for the material is infectious.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

There's a trick to solving crimes. And Skyler Foxe has had plenty of tricks.

Any additional comments?

Loved this series. It was so exciting to read the kind of detective novels that I love in the vein of No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency or Miss Marple...but for it to be filled with characters that I really related to. Walsh not only makes really great characters that you care about - but she fleshes them out and truly cares. It was so exciting to read great detective fiction surrounded by characters that reminded me exactly of myself and my friends and so many people that I know and make me laugh.

great narration and story

I received this audio book in a giveaway hosted by bfdbookblog.

I really enjoyed Joel voicing the characters in different tones/voices. it made the story come alive. You could really feel the different personalities of the characters. I was entranced I really enjoyed it.

The story was enjoyable too. Skyler was a very likable characters and I liked that he had such supportive friends. Although in Rodolfo's case he came off a bit crazy at the start but he was lovely comical relief. Skyler behavior with wanting to investigate and putting himself in danger made me want to shake him really hard.

It bugged me so many questions were left unanswered but it was addressed at the end of the audio book why that was.