Genre: Gay Mystery/Thriller
Length: Novel
Series: Dark Blood Saga #1
MILES FOX is a brilliant and caring doctor, who seems to have everything going for him, except that crush on his best friend, never to be requited, and that super dangerous secret he’s kept about himself since childhood, you know, the one where he has magical powers and listens to his dead ancestors in his head and shit. Or maybe he’s just crazy. Besides that, he’s doing good. That is until someone discovers his secrets, and comes after him. Miles finds himself on the run, hunted at every turn by a man who will stop at nothing to find him, take him, and rip his brain apart–literally.
This is a DSP Publications novel, so as with most the titles, romance is not necessarily an integral part to the story, which is good, because the thriller and supernatural elements were more than enough to keep me on my toes and engaged the entire story, and I think I would have felt bogged down with a heavy romance.
I loved the medical details, and if they feel authentic and spot on to you, that’s probably because the author is a medical doctor himself–cool! I happen to be a sucker for science, so if you are too, I think you’ll enjoy those aspects to this story. For a thriller, there was a surprising theme of compassion in this book, and when you consider the author is a doctor, perhaps it comes across as no surprise. Miles is a sweetheart, and a very relatable character, who strives to connect and heal not only his patients, but the world around him. His compassion reaches out to his best friend, who is straight, and even though he believes the cause is helpless, and it gives him a considerable measure of pain and regret, he remains friends with him and cares for him, and slowly… ever so slowly, works his magic on his best friend’s heart.
I can’t do a proper review without talking a bit about the bad guy of this story, and without giving away spoilers, I’d like to mention Dr. Gerald Stangl was one of my favorite parts of this book. I love a good psychological thriller for their superior antagonists (think Hannibal Lecter), and Stangl was no exception. He’s brilliant, diabolical, and certifiably bat shit crazy evil. Fantastic! I ended up feeling pretty bad for his son, Calvin, even though poor Calvin had a few screws loose too from living with this dad, and he was his own special brand of asshole. But I couldn’t help but feel that things may have been different for him, had he not grown up in that environment. It really brought the nature versus nurture theme home for me. In any case, the two made a fascinating evil duo.
Read this amazing supernatural mystery for the thrills, the chills, the diabolical bad guys, or even the science. For whatever reason you read it, you’ll love it.
Release Date: June 28, 2016. Link to pre-order on DSPP: https://www.dsppublications.com/books/dark-blood-by-caleb-james-268-b
Caleb James is one of the pen names for Charles Atkins, MD. His website: http://charlesatkins.com/caleb_james.htm
B. A. Brock is a reviewer for The Novel Approach and Queer Sci Fi. He enjoys reading, writing, running, family and food, and fills his life with bent bunk. He especially loves to discuss LGBTQ+ literature. His website is http://www.babrockbooks.com. You can find him on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/BABrockBooks.
Dreamspinner Press–Where Dreams Come True… International publishers of quality gay romantic fiction since 2007. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
DSP Publications–Off the Beaten Path. Worth the Journey. http://www.dsppublications.com
Harmony Ink Press–LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fiction. http://www.harmonyinkpress.com