Genre: Paranormal, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Duncan Muir is a renowned zoologist, but as well as being a professor at a university, he works for a society investigating sightings and attacks by cryptids.
His latest mission is to Scotland where a marine cryptid is reputedly attacking the local sheep. He takes his faithful friend and right-hand man, Potts, to assist.
However, he finds another mystery when he meets the local laird, Lachlan MacIver. The man’s taciturn reputation in the village is at odds with the man Duncan comes to know.
As their relationship develops, the mystery deepens. The cryptids are real. However, Duncan is as equally certain they are innocent of the attacks as he is that Lachlan is in danger.
Duncan must solve the mystery to protect the man he’s grown to love.
The Review
Duncan Muir is in his thirties, a young professor at the University. He strives to make his students enthusiastic as he shares his knowledge of zoological studies. As much as teaching excites him, he keeps his other field a secret.
After meeting with his friend, Matthew Goodknight, Duncan is off to his home in Scotland with his good friend Collingwood Potts. There they will investigate the mystery and the rumors behind the beast in the Loch.
History has it that the 17th century House of Beltane had bricked up its cellar to save the village from the curse of the beast. Now the new Laird, Lachlan MacIver, and his wife Madeleine are inhabiting the house, and the cellar has been re-opened. The villagers are furious with Laird, and blame him for the new attacks on the village.
Duncan has to find a way to befriend MacIver, and find out the truth about the cellar’s connection to the rumors. Will what he finds make the Villagers become more understanding about the beast? Is there really a beast in the Loch, or is it just a legend? Will the Villagers ever accept the new Laird?
And as Duncan and Lachlan grow closer, will they discover that there is more danger than just the legendary beast?
“The Beast of the Loch” has a lot of potential as the beginning of a new series – Cryptid Hunter – by Pelaam. It melds myth and Scottish lore about the beast of the Loch. There are hidden treasures, betrayal, murder, lies, mystery, suspense, and gossipy and disgruntled villagers to keep the pages turning.
There are also secrets revealed that lead to a steamy, growing relationship between Duncan and Lachlan. And there’s a little romance too with Potts and Jamie.
There are several shining secondary characters here – Matthew Goodknight, MacDougal and his sister the Cook and Sgt. Stewart. I especially like Andrew McAdams – he lends more Scottish flavor to the book. I would have liked to had more of that in the dialogue, for both the British and Scottish characters.
This is my first time reading one of Pelaam’s works, and I enjoyed it – I’m curious to see what plans Pelaam has for the next book in the Cryptid Hunter series!
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 I always 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.