Title: Hidden Treasures
Series: Pinx Video Mysteries: Book Two
Author: Marshall Thornton
Publisher: Self-Published/Kindle Unlimited
Length: 226 Pages
Category: Mystery/Suspense
At a Glance: Within the setting of Los Angeles in the early 1990s, amidst bigotry and rioting, Marshall Thornton has created an intriguing and twisted murder mystery.
Reviewed By: Maryann
Blurb: It’s about a dress. A valuable blue sequined dress worn by a famed actress in a film from the 1940s. For some reason everyone thinks video storeowner Noah Valentine has it. Which might not be a big deal except that it’s connected to the murder of a prominent Hollywood costumer.
In the second of the Pinx Video Mysteries, Noah attempts to solve the mystery of the dress. To do so, he must confront a legendary film icon Wilma Wanderly, hunky police Detective Javier O’Shea, the dowager Queen of Watts and a couple of bitter ex-friends.
Review: Noah Valentine owns the Pinx Video store, and deals from day to day with employees who have diverse personalities. There’s never a day of monotony at the store, and, in fact, Noah often questions who’s really the boss. At one time, Noah was in a long-term relationship with Jeffer Cole, and he sometimes still wonders what category that relationship fell into. They were never legally married, and even though Jeffer is deceased, Noah still endures confusion and hurt, and also some blame from acquaintances who knew them. Noah just broke me. It’s hard to see him deny himself of what could be a good thing, but he was betrayed by Jeffer and now struggles, not knowing if he will have a future.
Jeffer worked as a Hollywood production designer and knew everyone who worked in the business. One particular someone is Anthony Mercer, a costumer with Mercy Costumes, who has been murdered for a classic 1940s blue sequin dress. And all of a sudden, Noah along with his best friends/neighbors, Marc, Louis and Leon, find themselves dragged into the mystery by a whole host of suspicious characters.
Detective Javier O’Shea has had his encounters with Noah and friends, and it doesn’t seem to surprise him that all clues lead him to Noah. Javier has been given the nickname Tall, Dark and Menacing, but the ‘menacing’ part is quickly changing. Noah’s curiosity, being nosy or just doing what he feels is right, gets him into all kinds of tight spots when it comes to the crime, and it’s fun to see him and his friends get involved, with brainstorming and bantering that brings humor to the story. There’s a little spark between Noah and Javier, but Noah is keeping him at arm’s length for good reasons. Noah also understands why it’s difficult for Javier to come out.
Within the setting of Los Angeles in the early 1990s, amidst bigotry and rioting, Marshall Thornton has created an intriguing and twisted murder mystery. Most of the storyline takes place in behind-the-scenes Hollywood, and he really brings that era to the fore—no cell phones, VHS and cassette tapes, and classic movies. This isn’t a story with an HEA for Noah, as there are still many issues that he faces which brings the AIDS/HIV epidemic to the forefront. The story reflects on how people with the disease were treated, the medical expenses, and not knowing how friends and family would react if they found out.
The first installment in the Pinx Video Mysteries series is Night Drop. It introduces Noah and Javier along with the rest of the cast, and is a must read. I read the two books back-to-back—both are suspenseful, well written mysteries, and heartrending as Noah’s story unfolds. I’m definitely adding Marshall Thornton to my A-list, and I’ll be watching for the next installment in this entertaining series.
You can buy Hidden Treasures here:
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