Deadly Mysteries, The (series)

The Deadly Mysteries are a series of mysteries featuring detectives Tom Danzel and Stanley Korski, written by Victor J. Banis (http://www.vjbanis.com ) and published by MLR Press. Purchase at:  http://www.mlrpress.com

  Deadly Nightshade is # 1 in the series.

Take one straight cop, one gay cop, and a beautiful drag queen they nickname The Deadly Nightshade, mix them all together and things qre quickly sizzling. SFPD homicide detectives Tom Danzel and Stanley Korsky tour the city within the city - the underground world of the cross dresser and the gay clubs, hot in pursuit of a sexy serial killer who starts out blowing her johns and ends up blowing them away.

Review by Jessewave - Deadly Nightshade by Victor J. Banis

Title and Link: Deadly Nightshade
Author: Victor J. Banis
Publisher URL: MLR Press
Genre: Contemporary, Murder mystery, GLBT (M/M)
Length: Novel (228 pages)
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

THE BLURB

Straight cop, gay cop, and a woman who “isn’t real.” Tom and Stanley are on the trail of a drag queen serial killer, and along the way, they find themselves engaged in a more intimate pursuit, trying to resolve another mystery: their unexpected attraction to one another.

THE REVIEW

When Homicide Detective Tom Danzel first saw his new gay partner Stanley Korski who is described as “small for a cop, five eight max, with oversized hands and feet that gave him an almost clownish look, and a baby face … a Kewpie doll mouth, so red it didn’t look natural,” Tom wondered “how did he get on the Force in the first place? He must get carded every time he steps into a bar”. Tom on the other hand was exactly what one would expect the typical homicide detective in this story to look like – tall, very masculine, Neanderthal. His best asset? Being almost as excessively well endowed as the first victim who was often fondly referred to as “the baseball bat.”

The beginning of their partnership did not augur well for a long future together and everything that happened in the first 100 pages or so tended to reinforce the distinct possibility that their partnership would be short lived. But in the meantime…. they had a murder to solve. Turns out they had more than one murder to solve, but that’s getting ahead of the story.

“Tanya,” as the murderer comes to be known, is killing men randomly and Tom’s and Stanley’s job is to catch him before he struck again. A whole host of suspects are cleverly strewn in the reader’s path, each of whom could be the serial killer, and our two detectives have the unenviable task of sifting through all the alibis and false trails to try and come up with a probable perpetrator, while at the same time fighting their attraction to each other, not that Stanley fought very hard.

Deadly Nightshade is the first book I have read by master storyteller Victor J. Banis and what a treat it was. The dialogue is fresh, incredibly funny, and at times I could hardly contain myself because the author is skillful as well as talented as he places the reader in the middle of the action between the lead characters who could have been from different planets. It was easy to forget that it was all make believe which is the greatest compliment I can pay any author. Many of the characters in the story were deliciously crafted but “over the top” and I suspect the author was having a bit of fun at the readers’ expense. My favourite was Stanley who was really quirky, the quintessential “flaming” gay man who was hired by the department under its affirmative action program. He was such a klutz he could never get his gun out of his pocket, and was generally inept in many areas of police work, but when it counted he was there for his partner. Stanley’s character is the popular caricature of a gay man; his biggest worry when he hurt his right arm was that his injury would prevent him from whacking off since the grip on his left hand just wasn’t right.

Tom was a perfect foil. He demonstrated all the qualities expected in a jaded police officer who had been on the Force for some time, especially in terms of doing a bit of gay bashing and being totally oblivious to his missteps. He was able to rationalize anything to suit his own purpose, including getting bj’s from his partner. In many ways I was sorry for Tom who couldn’t understand why he was so attracted to Stanley because in his mind he’s definitely straight; he kept wishing that Stanley would dress up in drag, which would make his feelings toward him more acceptable. With the main action and suspects focused on drag queens, this book gave me a totally different interpretation of “chicks with dicks.” *g*

Deadly Nightshade provides an extensive view of the seedy side of the world of transgender men who perform on stage as drag queens and I learned a lot about their lifestyles. The book was well paced, the action never stopped, and the suspects kept implicating themselves in order to confound and prevent the astute reader from guessing the identity of the perpetrator. I didn’t figure out the killer until half way into the book — at times I was afraid that I might not solve the crime before the big “reveal”.

Victor J. Banis is one terrific writer and I wonder how he escaped my notice until now because he writes the type of stories I love to read – murder mysteries with a twist, tightly written prose, very funny dialogue that is sometimes ironic, and characters that are so three dimensional that I can imagine them walking into any room. If you love the genre you can’t miss Deadly Nightshade.

Now I’m off to read Deadly Wrong, the next book in this series starring my new favourite cops, Stanley and Tom. Who knew that this unlikely pair would form such a dysfunctional but excellent partnership?

  Deadly Wrong, # 2 in the series

 San Francisco Homicide Inspector Stanley Korski is on administrative leave when an old chum calls. Her brother has been arrested on a manslaughter charge. Could Stanley come to Bear Mountain and investigate. A perfect vacation, expenses paid, with no reminders of his unrequited love for fellow detective Tom Danzel. And, what danger could there be? This wasn't even a murder, just a tragic accident. Wrong, Stanley. Deadly Wrong.

Review by Jessewave - Deadly Wrong by Victor J. Banis

Title and Link: Deadly Wrong
Author: Victor J. Banis
Publisher URL: http://www.mlrpress.com
Genre: murder mystery, contemporary GLBT (M/M)
Length: Novel
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

THE BLURB

The police say “involuntary manslaughter,” but a tragic accident turns out instead to be murder, plain and simple. And San Francisco Homicide Inspector Stanley Korski, on leave from the force and his unrequited lovefor fellow detective Tom Danzel, walks right into a murderer’s web of treachery. Wrong, Stanley. Deadly wrong.

THE REVIEW

Deadly Wrong is the second book in this series starring Stanley Korski and Tom Danzel, two Inspectors for the San Francisco Police Department, Homicide Division. Stanley and Tom have broken up as partners both on the Force and personally because Tom walked away in the first book, Deadly Nightshade. He couldn’t deal with his fellow Inspectors questioning his sexuality if he stayed as Stanley’s partner after their first case was over. He knew the drill. His old friends on the Force would look at him differently, they would make snide remarks and he would be ostracized like every gay cop on the Force, so he chose the lesser of two evils, or so he thought. However, Tom doesn’t admit to being gay. In his mind he is straight with a thing for only one man.

Stanley is on leave from the Department because his Lieutenant refused to accept his resignation and suggested instead that he take a leave of absence. He uses the time to do some serious soul searching about whether he’ll continue in his chosen career as a police officer. He doesn’t feel that he has the temperament to be a cop; he’s too easily scared and, in his words, he’s a devout coward. While cooling his heels, his old friend Libby asks for his help in clearing her brother who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. When Stanley arrives in Bear Mountain the number of potential suspects is longer than his arm, and the local Chief of Police is not at all co-operative to an out of state policeman; as far as he’s concerned the case is solved and a suspect has been arrested. Stanley is up the creek without the proverbial paddle and without his partner.

The mystery is intriguing and involves a young gay man who is the local standby for every gay and supposedly straight man around. Donnie, the murder victim, is one of the most interesting characters in this book ~ even though he’s dead he’s very much alive through the excellent portrait drawn by Victor J. Banis. He is to be pitied in many ways as he never had a chance at a childhood. He was always craving attention in life and tried to get it the only way he knew how, through sex with strangers. Carl, Libby’s brother who has been charged with the crime, was Donnie’s only friend until one fateful night when they are seen arguing and fighting and Donnie ends up dead. Carl subsequently takes responsibility for Donnie’s death. However, the story is much more complex and involves other people who may have motives to kill Donnie.

Stanley tries to do his usual investigative work but he gets no help from the local constabulary, or the residents who just want him to leave, or even Carl’s other family members who would like the investigation dropped. Solving the crime is always the culmination of any good murder mystery but the pivotal thrust of this story is Stanley’s and Tom’s relationship. Tom rushes to the rescue like the cavalry as soon as he realizes that Stanley has left town and is on his own in a remote community trying to solve a murder. The dynamics of their relationship were hard to figure out in Book 1, Deadly Nightshade but in this new mystery Tom is on a mission to get his man into bed as he swoops in to save him and sweeps him off his feet the minute he finds him up to his proverbials in a bar full of bikers who are salivating at the thought of mobbing Stanley and having their way with him. This scene, and the one in the bedroom afterwards where Tom shows Stanley his oversized box of pastel colored condoms ranging from pink, to green to lavender and every colour under the rainbow were some of the best in the book.

The supporting cast were all well drawn as Victor J. Banis is very skilled in creating both sympathetic and evil characters.

Deadly Wrong was just as entertaining as Deadly Nightshade and Stanley (don’t call me Stan) who I loved in book 1 and studly Tom certainly have a thing for each other but it does not get in the way of solving crimes. In book 2 Stanley solves the crime AND gets his man, and it’s about time.

   Deadly Dreams, # 3 in the series

 Partners in peril. Stanley thinks he's being stalked- but by whom, and why? Tom is determined to protect Stanley - but from what? Or is it really Tom who's being stalked? There are clues, to be sure, but they're like trying to gather bits of mist, like chasing ghosts: words of love, left unsaid; a long ago injustice; a vanished child; a man embittered. Memories, yes, but which of them are rea? Or is it all only dreams? Deadly Dreams?

Reviewed by Bookwenches: Deadly Dreams by Victor J. Banis

Title: Deadly Dreams
Author: Victor J. Banis
Author’s website: www.vjbanis.com
Publisher: MLR Press
Release Date: May 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60820-039-9
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic and Print
Genre: Contemporary Suspense GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Tom Danzel finally agrees to move in with his sometimes-lover Stanley Korski, he knows that his time on the police force has come to an end. Even in San Francisco, one of the most gay-friendly cities in the nation, the police department is a bastion of homophobia. Even though Tom is an excellent detective, he willingly quits the force to open a private investigations firm with Stanley. Stanley can be the brains, and he can be the brawn; it’s an almost ideal partnership. Or Stanley believes it would be, if Tom would just admit his feelings for him. He thinks. Perhaps.

Before they can even take a case, life becomes complicated for the two men. The death of Stanley’s father, discovery of a brother that he never knew about, and a visit from Homeland Security just kick things off. Now it appears that someone is following Stanley, and that someone may have ties with terrorism and is certainly not a stranger to murder.

Tom sees himself as Stanley’s protector. He might not be able to say the three magic words that Stanley so wants to hear, but he is adamant about keeping the other man safe. If someone wants to get to Stanley, they’re going to have to come through Tom first. Unfortunately for the two men, whoever is following Stanley is more than willing to do just that. Over Tom’s dead body? Not a problem.

********

Deadly Dreams is the third novel in Victor J. Banis’s Deadly Mystery series featuring Tom Danzel and Stanley Korski, an unlikely pair if there ever was one. Unlike the previous two stories, which were essentially mysteries, this novel is suspense. There is no doubt who the villain is or what his intentions are. Instead, the question is how he is going to impact Stanley and Tom and what kind of carnage he is going to leave in his wake. This story is well-written and involving with an intelligent narrative and almost poetic phrasing that is very typical of Mr. Banis’s work

Although Deadly Dreams is the third book to feature Tom and Stanley, Mr. Banis keeps the characters fresh and interesting. There is absolutely no taking these two for granted. They are multidimensional characters that have so much going on in their psyches that this series could probably continue indefinitely, and we would still feel as if we are just getting to know them.

Stanley is the philosopher, while Tom is the man of action. Stanley is the butterfly; Tom is the caveman (who else would call their penis “King Kong” in all seriousness?). Their relationship seems so impossible, so doomed from the onset, that we can’t help but hope that they somehow make it work. Life and love is not easy for this pair. They seem to take two steps forward just to slide one step back, and that is part of what makes them so fascinating.

Tom is a very conflicted character. Regardless of his intimate involvement with Stanley, he still refuses to believe that he might be gay. He thinks Stanley is adorable, is an eager participant in sex with him, and even acknowledges that he has strong feelings for the man; however, a part of him holds back emotionally and even looks down on Stanley a bit for being queer. And yet another part of him is incredibly possessive of the man and devoted to keeping him free of harm.

Stanley, on the other hand, thinks he knows what he wants. But does he really? He might appear to be the injured party in much of his dealings with Tom, but there is a kernel of selfishness buried within him that causes him to make mistakes that put Tom’s to shame. When this is brought to his attention towards the end of the story, he must face some pretty painful facts.

I found Deadly Dreams to be dynamic and entertaining, and as soon as I finished it, I was eager for more. This series and these characters are positively addictive. However many novels Mr. Banis has planned (and I hope it is several more), I can’t imagine the stories ever getting stale. Granted, Mr. Banis could probably make next week’s grocery list sound poetic, because he is just that talented a writer. Book Four of this series can’t come soon enough for me; I am very interested to see what is in store next for Tom and Stanley.

  Deadly Slumber, # 4 in the series

"The House of the Dead." A pseudo Italian palazzo at the edge of the Castro, Bartholomew's Mortuary had been a bordello at one time in its checkered past, its rooms filled with bodies in lust. Now it is filled with bodies at slumber. But not all the bodies at Bartholomew's are dead, and not all the dead are sleeping peacefully. Called in to investigate, Stanley and Tom follow a torurous path that leads to depravity and death. Coffins, coffins everywhere - and one of them has Stanley's name on it. Deadly Slumber indeed.

Reviewed by BookWenches: Deadly Slumber by Victor J. Banis

Title: Deadly Slumber
Author: Victor J. Banis
Author’s website: http://www.vjbanis.com/
Publisher: MLR Press
Release Date: August 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60820-09-00
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary Mystery/Suspense GLBT
Source: P
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 5

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Something is amiss at the House of the Dead. Bartholomew’s Mortuary in San Francisco has been a family business since it opened decades ago. Catering to a predominantly gay clientele, Bartholomew’s has the reputation of providing excellent service and having funeral directors who not only are blindingly beautiful but also offer discreet physical comfort to the grieving. When a rash of criminal mischief disturbs the stillness of the mortuary and interferes with business, the director hires professional help to investigate, bringing Stanley Korski and Tom Danzel onto the scene.

Although they are hired to find the source of the trouble, Tom and Stanley uncover secrets and troubles that include suicide, a mysterious disappearance, and enough sexual indiscretion to raise the eyebrows of even the most jaded of investigators. The leads tend to cancel each other out, though, and answers are elusive. But when it becomes apparent that they are dealing with murder, Tom and Stanley know that they have a much more serious issue on their hands.

This case is not the only challenge that Stanley currently faces. Surrounded by beautiful and perpetually horny men at Bartholomew's, he must dig deep to resist the physical temptation that they offer. After the accident that left Tom permanently scarred, Stanley’s relationship with his lover is shaky enough without adding infidelity to the mix. But even when he’s trying hard to be good, Stanley is a magnet for trouble. If he doesn’t watch where he’s going, he might find himself joining Bartholomew’s clientele in their permanent slumber.

********

Victor J. Banis’s Deadly Slumber is the fourth novel in his Deadly Mystery series. It combines the ongoing tale of Tom Danzel and Stanley Korski and their mismatched relationship and an intriguing and unique mystery that will keep the reader involved and entertained and, ultimately, sitting on the edge of their seat in suspense.

Our heroes,Tom and Stanley, are an addictive duo. I’ve said in the past that Tom is the caveman and Stanley is the butterfly. Well, Tom seems to be settling down a bit with time. His eye still roves but his heart is firmly attached to his partner. Stanley, on the other hand, is suffering from quite a bit of angst regarding Tom’s accident from the previous novel as well as emotional fallout from having killed a man. While Stanley is always handy with a quote and always searching his soul, Tom is much more concrete and is the anchor that Stanley relies on to keep himself grounded. Tom knows his own mind and is comfortable and confident with his decisions.

With some series, the main characters tend to get old after a while, and the plots lean towards repetitive. Not so with Tom and Stanley and the Deadly Mystery series. Mr. Banis keeps his two heroes as fresh and interesting as they were in the very first book. In fact, they are more intriguing now, because while we now feel like we know Stanley and Tom somewhat, their relationship and their psyches are constantly evolving.

Readers will find that this story appeals to their intelligence, their emotions, and even to their sense of humor. Mr. Banis is an artist and a philosopher, and reading his work is always a pleasure for me. If you haven’t read this series, you’ve simply been missing out. Go pick up Deadly Nightshade and get cracking…I think you’ll be glad you did.

--Bobby

Deadly Silence, by Victor J. Banis, is # 5 in the series.

The Blurb: An overdose of insulin nearly kills Abe Pendleton. The hospital says it was an unfortunate accident, but his daughter, Patience, insists someone is trying to kill him, to prevent his changing his will. Patience has a twin, Prudence, stoked on drugs. And a brother, Zack, who will lose if the will is changed. And there's Farley, Prudence's one time suitor, who thought he'd be marrying into money. But the family shares dark secrets from a haunted past, and Tom and Stanley quickly discover that there is much that isn't being told. And that silence all too soon turns deadly. 

KEYWORDS: gay book, gay bookstore, gay fiction, gay literature, gay writers, gay book reviews, m/m, manlove, gay romance