Dante's Circle by Dorien Grey

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Not having the time to read much lately, I read the first book in this series, and so I know who Elliott Smith is and his background, and who is Steve, Elliott's partner, the whys and whens of their relationship. At book 4, Elliott and Steve are a steady couple, and I have to say I enjoyed reading about their "ordinary" relationship; they were extraordinary in being an ordinary couple in a romance thriller setting. Elliott, playing PI, isn't ultra-charming, uber-hot or any other superlative adjective. Maybe Steve, from what I gather, is on the handsome side of beauty, but even him, althought an artist, is struggling with a day job and with an uncertain future as newby gallery owner.

Another interesting plot device was having the victim, still alive for a good part of the book; that gave the reader the chance to know him, and in a way hating and loving him at the same time. Dante is very handsome, very talented and a total prissy diva. He is unpolite, egoist, a liar... but in the end, when he is killed, I felt pity for him, like he didn't have a chance to prove he was better than what he appeared. And then, it was a waste of talent and beauty.

Beside, all the possible culprits were nice characters, and I didn't want for anyone of them to be the murderer. And yes, when I found out who they were, again, I was sad for them, till the end I wanted a turn of the tables telling me I was wrong, but that didn't happen.

How it was possible to like both the victim than the murder? to want for both of them an impossible happy ending? that is probably the best achievement of this book and author.

Paperback: 204 pages
Publisher: Zumaya Boundless (July 27, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1612710654
ISBN-13: 978-1612710655
Amazon: Dante's Circle: An Elliott Smith and John Mystery (Volume 4)
Amazon Kindle: Dante's Circle: An Elliott Smith and John Mystery (Volume 4)

Series: Elliott Smith and John Mystery
1) His Name Is John: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/639320.html
2) Aaron's Wait
3) Caesar's Fall
4) Dante's Circle

More Reviews by Author at my website: http://www.elisarolle.com/, My Reviews