Ami's Hoard

3.5 stars

Pretty much introduced by it via my timeline, when my friend Didi added it to her current read. I was in a mood of mystery (having just devoured a mainstream mystery for the past week), and I thought this could be a nice option. I liked the writing, it was straightforward and smooth. No purple prose on sight. Russ was a good protagonist; in his 50s, a recovering alcoholic, I found him likable, which was important since the story was written solely from his perspective.

The mystery solving -- well, I would like it better if I was 'included' in the investigation, so to speak. Russ' empathic ability, in which he could tell people's aura (and this case was solved after Russ was able to match the aura that he felt from one of the suspects with the blackmail letter), kinda kept the clues for himself. Sure, I was able to make guesses based on Russ' interviews with potential suspects along with his own thoughts, but it wasn't the same. Having said that, the mystery itself was good, and while I could guess the perpetrator, it was always nice to know the motive behind it.

For those of you who are looking for romance, you will be disappointed. No romance in this. This is a gay mystery fiction. But, there are little seeds of attraction planted for romance, in form of a younger man, an assistant to the law firm. So maybe romance IS in the horizon for the next book.

PS: The younger man's name is Colin. Russ' last name is Morgan. Colin Morgan ♥. And my heart just goes pitter patter *lol*