This is one of the more unique books I've read this summer. If I hadn't been browsing the LGBT Fiction section of my local used bookstore a few weeks ago, I would've never heard of this series or author. The printing press is now defunct and I've never seen this on lists of LGBT genre fiction here on Goodreads, which is surprising. However, this series has been picked up for e-book format by Open Road Media, bringing it back to modern audiences, so I thought I'd give it a try.The protagonist of the Henry Rios Mysteries is Henry Rios himself, an openly gay Latino San Francisco lawyer in his late twenties who has recently quit his job as a public defender and is hoping to go out on his own. Right as he's leaving his job, he meets with Hugh Paris, a young heroin addict recently incarcerated for PCP possession--a drug he never uses. Rios definitely finds the situation fishy, and after meeting one another again, he and Paris fall in love. The happiness isn't long-lasting, however, when Paris is murdered to make it look like a suicide and Rios is left with a broken heart and a mystery nobody but he and police officer Terry Ormes want to solve. This pulls Rios deep into the dangerous world of old money, family politics, and the power of, well power in the justice system. Along the way, he rekindles a romance with a former flame.I enjoyed this book. It was a quick but intelligent read by an author who obviously knows the justice system--in this case, Michael Nava, who wrote this after graduating from law school. I absolutely loved the title and how it played into the novel's events. The characters are diverse and their interactions are well-written. I can't say I was completely taken with the plot all the way to the end, but I did like the family drama and watching the ties and feuds unfold. The thing I craved was characterization, especially with Henry. We really don't know anything about him--family, childhood, etc. We know he's a gay lawyer who has a bit of a drinking problem. I did like his vulnerability towards the end, even though the subtext was written into the story--he didn't pursue justice because he's a ruthless lawyer, he pursued it because he was heartbroken over his lover's death and needed to cope with the tools he already had.I've already purchased the next book, Goldenboy, in hard copy used on Amazon, and I'm definitely hoping to learn more about this protagonist.
4.0 of 5 stars – Good, Entertaining Start to a Classic Series.I love gay mysteries but hadn’t read any of Michael Nava yet, so I started with the first in the Henry Rios series and wasn’t disappointed. Written in 1986, it took me back in time to nearly 30 years ago in the San Francisco/Palo Alto area.I really liked Nava’s crisp style, which some thought was too spare or lacked emotion. But I liked the no-nonsense, at times gritty approach, appropriately reflecting the somewhat depressive and desperate situation of the situation and characters, and thus giving the reader the same feel. And I appreciated that, while it had a couple of relationships in it, this is not a romance novel. Just as the MC’s being gay is not the main focus, nor is the romance. It’s a mystery with a gay character and life portrayed in it, which I enjoyed and made it, I think, a bit of a departure from some of the other gay-themed novels and characters at the time it was written.The mystery itself was good but could have been stronger, since it was written in a way that even early on I suspected a couple murders and twists coming (purposeful foreshadowing or tipping his hand too much?). But I still hadn’t figured out how it all would work out, so it kept me going, as did the descriptiveness of the locales, settings, events and behaviors, and even some of the creative phrasings and comments.What also kept me engaged was the MC (Henry) being a gay, latino 30-something (not YA). As such, Nava depicted well Henry’s struggling with personal and professional issues, trying but not successfully yet finding himself, a journey I look forward to following in this series. And unlike some, I found the situations and interactions realistically and believably portrayed as similarly experienced or seen by my gay friends and me – the kind of socializing, drinking/drug use, the confused but also distancing of emotions, old boyfriends, even the one-nighter turned into quick infatuation/falling in love, and generally trying to figure things out in the gay world.For those so inclined, this can work well as a stand-alone; or for those like me, it leads nicely into whatever happens next in Henry’s life in Goldenboy.
Do You like book The Little Death (2013)?
Henry Rios is in his early thirties. a lawyer and successful Public Defender, but he has reached a crisis point in his life, he is considered by some to be burned, but his life is about to take a new direction, his latest case is to be the catalyst for the change.Henry, who is openly gay, is called to defend the handsome young Hugh Paris, a gay man on relatively minor charges. As it turns out Henry's services are not required, but that is not the end of his association with Hugh. As a result he not only finds himself emotionally involved with Hugh, but soon find himself compelled to investigate in a multiple murder mystery which nobody wants to get involved in, and up against some very wealthy and influential people. The Little Death, the first in a series of Henry Rios novels, is a well written and carefully constructed mystery made all the more appealing through the creation of the openly gay and thoroughly convincing lead character Henry Rios, a caring man with strong moral principles, and a man looking for that someone special with whom to share his life.A very successful lawyer himself, and once considered for the a United States Supreme Court seat, Michael Nava's second book in the series is Golden Boy, which is now a must read!t
—Benjamin
This is one of the best new series that I've started in some time. Not only is it a nice character study, and (what seems to me like) an accurate portrayal of the gay community during this time period, but also a great legal mystery. It's really clear that the author is actually a lawyer. The legal procedures are realistic, which is more than I can say for a lot of books in this genre. The mystery is surprising and page-turning. I plan to read the rest!Also, the narration of this book is really great.
—Casey
I'm a big fan of mystery/thriller books and this book does not disappoint. Henry Rios as the main character doggedly pursues the murder of a man he met accidentally during the course of his job as a public defender. There are twists and turns and hidden family secrets that leads to an ultimate discovery of a ploy to obtain multi millions in inheritance. Characters were well developed, interesting, and endearing. I got caught up in the store and relationships thoroughly. Still, there was a little disbelief around the feelings Rios had for Hugh. It wasn't convincing. Still, I couldn't stop reading and had to know how the ending came about.This was a well researched piece of literature. The legal aspect was well-defined but not so difficult to follow for the regular person. I wasn't able to put this book down. One thing. The ending came quickly. I didn't expect it to be wrapped up so neatly and so shortly. I guess I like my endings to be drawn out a little.
—Jules
