Genre: Historical, Mystery
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Nicolas Rathe and Philip Eslingen are back, drawn together from opposite sides of the law to investigate a series of murders whose impact stretches deep into Astreiant’s underworld.
Eslingen is now a professional knife working for a prominent crimelord while Rathe is an Adjunct Point, sworn to uphold the city’s laws. By rights, they should be wary foes, but instead they find themselves sharing an investigation as well as a bed as their search takes them into the heart of Point of Knives and at its center, the Court of Thirty-two Knives, the hub of Astreiant’s underworld.
A single misstep could mean disaster, a single doubt could be the end of all their hopes.
The Review
Nicolas Rathe is the Adjunct Point, holding up the law in the city of Astreiant. He’s a private man who stays calm and patient in a world that has its dark criminal side. He works under Chief Pointmaster Monteia, and struggles with those pointsmen that take fees. He only wants to find justice. His last case was about missing children, and with help from a friend, he was able to solve it.
Phillip Eslingen was once a soldier and a Leaguer, and became a knife at the Old Brown Dog. It was a job that fit him perfectly, until the hateful people of Hopes caused trouble for him. Although Eslingen was new in the city, Nicolas helped him become a knife for a supposed crime lord, Hanselin Caiazzo. Nico has always been suspicious of Caiazzo, but has never proven Caiazzo’s guilt. Now he has to worry about Eslingen too, because he’s once again in a dangerous position. He and Eslingen grew to be friends, and after the missing children’s case, became something more. They had to be careful, not only about their relationship, which crosses a line because of their professions as Adjunct and knife.
Rathe has become involved in a double murder case. Grandad Steen has been killed and maybe robbed at the house of Dame Lulli. As Nico picks up on a blood trail, it leads him to a dead end alley, where Eslingen is kneeling over a body – the son of Grandad Steen, Old Steen. Old Steen was shot with a bird bolt.
Luckily for Eslingen, he was doing a job for Caiazzo. He was to meet with Old Steen at Bay Tree, and the man never showed up. He explains to Nico how he came to be in the alley. They find Old Steen is not alone, as “little captain” has stayed with his body.
One more Steen becomes involved in the murder case – Young Steen, son of Old Steen. Grandad Steen, Old Steen and Young Steen have always been :summer-sailors”, aka pirates. Young Steen is the Master of Soeuraine Bedarres. He had been at sea for the last six months. He meets with Rathe and Eslingen. They can only think the case has to do with business.
As Young Steen is ready to claim his father’s body, another wrench is thrown into the chaos. A women has come to claim it – Old Steen’s wife, Dame van Duiren! Young Steen swears his father was never married.
As Rathe and Eslingen work together again on a case, they find themselves going to the most dangerous part of the city: Point of Knives. Will they survive the case and the pressure of their short-lived relationship?
Scott has crafted another fantastic tale from the city of Astreiant. The first book, Point of Hopes, explained this strange city – there are several Points: Hopes, Knives, Sighs, Hearts and Dreams. The people of the city also believe in the stars, sun, planets, zodiac, solar signs, wards, horoscopes and more, and heavily depend on the Weekly Almanac, the Starsmith, birth signs, Broadsheets Horoscopes, astrologers’ predictions, alchemists and magists.
There’s a host of characters both suspicious and interesting: University Necromancer Istre b’Estorr, who has the ability to see and have his own personal ghosts; Hanselin Caiazzo; Advocate Lunele; Dead-House; Alchemist Magist; Nianne Castera; Magist Aicelin Denizard; Chief Point; Mirremany and the Court of 32-Knives; and junior adjunct Chaudet.
There are still some things I’m curious about. Eslingen is always is reading the Broadsheets and horoscopes, and he’s concerned that Rathe has never spoken of his signs. Is Rathe hiding something? There’s also romance, but it seems both are worried how it will end after the case is solved. I liked the romantic scenes that leave the readers to their own imagination – they really work in this novella. I also liked the “opposites attract” trope here – not only in their personalities, but also in their professions.
I highly recommend Point of Knives. It’s a great mystery with many intense moments, as Rathe and Eslingen put their heads together and lives on the line. There’s the questionable romance, enhanced by the snark and banter between the two men. I’m excited to read the next book, Point of Dreams. Absolutely outstanding – a thoroughly entertaining read.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.