Paternity Case

Hazard and Somerset Mystery Series, Book 3

De: Gregory Ashe

Narrado por: Tristan James

It's almost Christmas, and Emery Hazard finds himself face to face with his own personal nightmare: going on a double date with his partner - and boyhood crush - John-Henry Somerset. Hazard brings his boyfriend; Somers brings his estranged wife. Things aren't going to end well.

When a strange call interrupts dinner, however, Hazard and his partner become witnesses to a shooting. The victims: Somers' father and the daughter of a high school friend. The crime is inexplicable. There is no apparent motive, no connection between the victims, and no explanation for how the shooter reached his targets.

Determined to get answers, Hazard and Somers move forward with their investigation in spite of mounting pressure to stop. Their search for the truth draws them into a dark web of conspiracy and into an even darker tangle of twisted love and illicit desire. And as the two men come face to face with the passions and madness behind the crime, they must confront their own feelings for each other - and the hard truths that neither man is ready to accept.

©2018 Gregory Ashe (P)2018 Tantor

I ❤️ this series

I am rooting for Hazard and Sumerset! They’re almost there, at the finish line for finding each other.

Intricate mystery

For the last couple of books I’ve been unsure about Hazard and Somerset. Not the series or books, but the characters themselves. It’s been an interesting feeling and journey that’s for sure.

In Paternity Case we get up close and personal with Somers’ family. Not only is he and his estranged wife out on a double date with his crush Hazard and his boyfriend Nico. But in the middle of dinner he and Hazard are called out on a disturbance at his parent’s home. One that soon turns deadly when his dad is shot and a young woman ends up dead. The shooter is quickly apprehended, but before he’s questioned he too ends up in the morgue – an apparent suicide. The crimes have no apparent rhyme or reason, and Somers and Emory are hindered at every turn. As more secrets are uncovered the more disturbing and dangerous it all gets.

This time around Somers got on my last nerve real quick and firmly ended way back on the dislike side of the scale. For some reason the characters in this book loves Somers, how loving he is, kind and in general a nice guy. I have to say I still haven’t seen hide nor hair of that person. I’ve only encountered the evil twin; the one that’s selfish and childish. Manipulates others for his own ends. The one that purposely hurts others because of his own insecurities and uncertainty. The one that feels sorry for himself, acts like a victim of his own life. His mother nailed it perfectly when she said:

🎧 He is completely irrational. It’s always been like this, pouting, tantrums. /…/ He’s an absolute child about anything that disturbs his perfect world.

So yeah, Somers is not my favourite person. He’s far from the worst person out there (hmm, I think I just understood why he comes across as such a great guy; because compared to the rest of people living in town, Somers is actually one of the better ones…..) but for a main character he leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t need him to be perfect, but making an effort to change would be nice.

The intricate web of lies, deceit and corruption in this small town is kind of astounding. If anyone asked me I’d tell them to run for the hills and set up camp somewhere else – at least if you’d want to keep your health and sanity. Because frankly, that town really creeps me out. For a mystery series though, it’s a good one, so much juiciness to sink your teeth in it will make your head spin.

The relationship – or whatever you call it – between Somers and Emory is one I really don’t understand. It’s one that makes them sabotage each other’s relationships, but also their own. Mutually destructive you might say. It’s neither a good or healthy one, but I still can’t seem to turn away from the oncoming collision.

Tristan James has an amazing voice and a knack for narration. If you’ve read my reviews before you might know that James is a hit or miss for me, that I have some difficulties with his monotone narration. However, for this series it kind of works – and no one is more surprised than me by that. It especially works for our two main characters. I mean there’s no great passion or emotional outbursts, that part is toned down here so it really works for James’s narration.

The ending though made the book for me in a big way. I saw a glimpse of a Somers that’s matured and putting someone else before him. It was beautiful and I hope to see much more of that guy in the next book.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

This. Book. This. Writing.

I am, once again, soothing away the pains of the world by bingeing my favorite series from its beginning. I just have to say: swoon. Swoon swoon swoon swoon swoon swoon and swoon.

"Love wasn't a choice. It was collision. It was catastrophe."

These boys have my whole entire heart.

If you haven't tried this brilliant, hilarious, and moving series, please rectify this immediately.

He's killing me ....

This series is amazing and the characters grab your heart. I want to grab these two guys and shake them till their teeth rattle!

My head and heart hurts

Once you enjoyed the first one you will love this one. The mystery is intriguing and the characters are still as flawed and frustrating and lovable as before. I was frustrated a lot of times but that's from good writing and happens with slow burns. On to book 4

great a little slow in the middle but awesome.

things I like: the suspense, the mystery, and story. the twists about who's involved in the crime or is it crimes? is it one or many bad guys? seriously kept me on the edge of my seat. awesome! the interpersonal relationships really get you drawn in and heated I mean I actually was yelling at the audiobook ! I mean I'm really invested in the characters and seriously think therapy is needed for both the main guys I mean seriously it's time. I will say that the day and time stamps should have been altered a little because these guys apparently never sleep, never heal from the terrible injuries they get, and can solve every crime in under two weeks lol but seriously worth a listen.

thinks I didn't like: the over use of the word fa**ot, it's over done it feels like it's thrown out at least once every five minutes in many cases a lot lot more. and I get that the author wants to show the nasty prejudiced hateful people and terms they use to degrade and belittle people who are different just because they can but Jesus I hope it isn't that way in thr next book. I hate how immature summers is how he treats nicko and constantly undermines hazards relationship with him it's petty. it also shows how that summers is a pathetic man child.

When your worlds collide!

A beautiful story that was incredibly well-written. I can't get enough of Hazard and Somerset and NICO!!!!!!!!! - they are wonderful. The narrator is perfect!

Christmas with a side of murder

He did it again. Small town, big murder, bigger shocks. Are hazard and somers ever going to get a break? The twist and turns in this latest book are amazing. Tristan James knocked this one out of the park!

ARRGGHHH

FRUSTRATING. That was the first word that came to mind when I finished this book. I’m in Hazard and Somerset hell! Pull. Your. Head. Out. Of. Your. Asses. How is f*cking Sherriff Bing the first person Somerset admitted to loving Hazard out loud? WTF?

And I seriously do not know if I could even forgive Somers for the sh!t he pulled as a kid. And the class of folks he gets lumped into because of the way he treated Hazard? GRRRR….

This is still a rough ride.
There is still a LOT of hate, bigotry, and homophobia in this book.
The case is gruesome.
Somerset’s mom is a piece of work.
I don’t know whether I like Nico.

I second what several people have said about the narration. It’s hard to tell people apart sometimes.

loved it, but hated Nico(spoliers)

I honestly do not know why people say poor 'Nico'. I honestly wanted to like this character but I couldn't. He was always whining like a child. It had nothing to do with Jelousy either.He believed his friend and a cop over his boyfriend. That right there made me infuriated. Emery just couldn't be mad he had to talk out his feelings and give something up his freedom his choices and its always poor Nico. There were times where I'd wish he hit a pole and die( his contant whing and needing it his way) he took all of Emerys freedom away because he was so controlling. I loved the story but this one character takes the cake it's why it's 4 stars instead of five. Honestly, I could probably write a hate story just on this child. He complains when John and Emery are together earlier, he complains when Emery is enjoying life, he complains because in his eyes Emery doesn't spend his every waking second with him. It's so infuriating that I almost chucked my phone at the wall so many times. Nico is so bad for the story it makes my skin crawl. I understand what the author was trying to make Emery see he deserved better but this just makes me wanna hit something. No matter how many times I listen or read the book whenever Nico comes up it's like a burning rage inside of me is lite and wants to be realeased.