Title: Trick Roller (Seven of Spades #2)
Author: Cordelia Kingsbridge
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Publication Date: January 29, 2018
Genre: MM Romance, Mystery/Suspense
Format: eBook, Print
Length: 78,300 words / 299 pages
Rating: 4.5 Stars
synopsis
It’s the height of summer in Las Vegas. Everyone believes the serial killer Seven of Spades is dead—except Levi Abrams and Dominic Russo—and it’s back to business as usual. For Levi, that means investigating a suspicious overdose at the Mirage that looks like the work of a high-class call girl, while Dominic pursues a tough internship with a local private investigator. The one bright spot for both of them is their blossoming relationship.
But things aren’t so simple. Soon Levi is sucked into a dangerous web of secrets and lies, even as his obsession with the Seven of Spades intensifies. Dominic knows that Levi isn’t crazy. He knows the Seven of Spades is still out there, and he’ll do anything to prove it. But Dominic has his own demons to battle, and he may be fighting a losing war.
One thing is certain: the Seven of Spades holds all the cards. It won’t be long before they show their hand.
♦ Personal Thought ♦
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!!! I kinda expected but also annoyed at that ending at the same time. Those who dislike even the slightest bit of cliffhanger might want to wait until #book3 is on hand to read this. Although, to be fair, the case handled here could be perused as a independently. And it’s no less thrilling and exhilarating read than the first book!
Trick Roller is the second entry to “Seven of Spades” series; continuing from where Kill Game left off where the serial killer by the same name of the series – Seven of Spades – believed to kill himself and thus closed the case. Detective Levi Abrams and his boyfriend Dominic Russo knew differently though. And despite order from his superior, Levi continued to investigate it independently on his spare time. Meanwhile Levi and his partner were busy investigating murder of guest at a hotel that looked to be connected to other murder as well; Dominic interning at a prestigious investigation agency to learn the ropes of becoming PI. Both guys still had issues that at times rear its ugly head the most inopportune times, Levi with his anger and Dom his compulsive gambling.
The alternate POVs between the main characters displayed the inner turmoil the men had; how those could affect their actions and the way people saw them. Personally to me it delivered home the fact that both Dom and Levi only human with their strength and weaknesses; also how in tunes this couple was to one another – a whooping improvement from their earlier relationship on Kill Game (their love play also more frequent and quite graphically intense here – have a fan at the ready to cool off while reading!). I also enjoy reading the recurring characters and their interactions with the MCs. All in all, this is shaping up Dom and Levi into much more solid and steady unit than even they admitted themselves.
Once again the author cleverly weaved all the aspects of the story; deftly dropping hints and conveying the truth left and right, practically had me on the edge of my seat making whodunnit guesses along the way. Not to mention the cunning way the case(s) built and intertwined through deliberate maneuverings. Even so, it all seemed to serve as a respite or lull period before the coming storm – as proven by the escalation with the aforementioned cliffhanger. I can only imagine the next installment would start at a run the way this book ended. To say I’m eagerly (or more likely: impatiently) waiting for the next book and the mind game Dom and Levi will face is an understatement.
Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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