“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” ― Oscar Wilde
Title: Lasting Damage (Beckett Investigations #2)
Author: R.G. Green
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages/Word Count: 200 Pages
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Blurb: Seven months after the recapture of Miles Trubett, a new murder grabs headlines in Wheaton City, IL. The police believe the case is closed—or would be if they could find their suspect. However, the victim’s brother, Kyle Overstreet, claims the police are pinning the murder on the wrong man, and he uses The Wheaton Brigade to make his views known. Fearing slander that could butcher the department if Kyle is right, Lieutenant Danny Baxter asks close friend and private investigator Tyler Beckett to look into the case.
Then threatening messages to Tyler’s lover Sean St. Claire interrupt Tyler’s investigation. With Trubett locked away and Tyler’s ex out of the picture, no suspect is apparent. Caught between helping a friend and protecting his lover, the pressure on Tyler mounts—until surprising information reveals the true danger behind the messages, and an unexpected confrontation with Kyle enables an act of revenge that could cost Tyler everything.
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Review: In this book, Tyler and Sean are still going strong seven months after the recapture of Miles Trubett. They are living in a less than fabulous apartment while searching for the perfect place to share. Tyler is sure now that Sean is the one and only man for him, but he doesn’t want to rush things like he did years ago with Scott, so he is holding his cards close to his chest.
When his friend, Lieutenant Daniel “Danny” Baxter, asks Tyler to help him quietly investigate a murder, Tyler can’t say no. With very few leads Tyler starts with the victim’s brother and unfortunately for him, this also puts him back into the crosshairs of one Madison Huff. As if that weren’t enough crap heaped on Tyler’s plate, Sean is now receiving some very ominous calls from someone posing as Tyler himself.
This is the second book in the Beckett Investigations series by R.G. Green. After reading the first book I was very excited to read the second one. The author has a knack for writing a great mystery while keeping the romantic relationship between Sean and Tyler forefront in the story. There is a great balance between the two aspects of the story, so I never feel like one portion is on the back burner. I also love how she switches from the Tyler/Sean angle to the “bad guy” angle. It is great to get to see inside the mind of the man Tyler and Mark are searching for.
R.G. Green’s writing style flows so smoothly that before you know it you are 80% done with the book and perched on the edge of your seat waiting to see what the outcome will be. I have to admit I was pretty well bamboozled right up until the bad guy was identified, and was totally shocked by what happened to our favorite couple during both storylines. I highly recommend this series if you like a good mystery, some hot smexy action between a well established couple, and some great secondary characters who steal a scene every now and then.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series, and I can only hope that a certain Ms. Madison Huff might soon get her comeuppance. If anyone deserves it, she sure does. I will certainly be checking in with Tyler, Sean, Mark, and Danny in the books to come.
You can buy Lasting Damage (Beckett Investigations #2) here:
