Canines, Crosshairs And Corpses - Angel Martinez 4 1/2 Hearts

Review written for MM Good Book Reviews

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Hades (Aiden) doesn’t know what to do, his wife has just served him with divorce papers and kicked him out of the palace, his nephews and his friend Charon (Karl) rally round to help pull him out of his misery. Tiberius (Ti) has fallen on hard times and lives on the streets, drink and depression plaguing him. Ti just wants a place to sleep undisturbed when a shambling figure disturbs him and Death finds him, who would have thought that the God of the Dead would save a life?

This is a great story of new beginnings and discovering love, mystery and a new twist with the Greek Gods. Hades has to begin a new life in the human realm when his wife wants a divorce, with the help of his ever faithful ferryman, Charon, he is encouraged to take up a new profession as a Private Investigator. His first case catches his eye when he realises that a string of murders must be connected and he begins to investigate, coming across a young homeless man who witnesses the murder of another homeless man. Ti is just trying to keep out of the cold, he doesn’t know for sure what he saw but he wakes up in a warm room with a man who says he wants to help him. Ti doesn’t know what to make of the gorgeous strange man and his scary looking friend, but he finally decides to stick around to help discover who is murdering homeless men and why.

I really loved this book with Hades as a wonderful character with a great love of dogs, Charon as a great friend and with Ti as the victim of circumstance who catches the eye of a lonely God. Hades and Ti’s relationship is a slowly progressing one, they offer each other comfort and friendship and then they take it to the next level with Hades willing to give it all up just to have Ti back. The mystery is interesting and leads to danger for Ti and has Hades calling his family for help.

It was really interesting to see how this story was woven, with Hades having to look back on his relationship with Persephone and seeing the truth of their relationship, it was really telling how Hades was more affected by the loss of Cerberus. How Hades has an instant protective instinct over the waif he finds in an alley and how he begins to open up towards the young man. Ti inadvertently seeing something he shouldn’t and now in grave danger and not even knowing it. The developing love between the two and the risks that are taken. All the characters are brilliantly written and wonderfully described, this is a great story for an afternoon of relaxation and enjoyment.

I have to recommend this to those who love updated Greek Gods, paranormal, mystery, finding love unexpectedly, new beginnings and a great ending.