I'm excited to have the wonderful L M Somerton today, with a teaser from Rasputin's Kiss :)
Hi Jorja,
Thanks so much for having me on your blog to talk about my latest
release, Rasputin’s Kiss. Even though I’ve published several other
books, this was actually the first story I ever wrote, so it’s very close to my
heart.
“I herewith list a few of the devices which no
self-respecting detective story writer will now avail himself of. They have
been employed too often, and are familiar to all true lovers of literary crime.
To use them is a confession of the author's ineptitude and lack of originality.
(a) Determining the identity of the culprit by comparing the butt of a
cigarette left at the scene of the crime with the brand smoked by a suspect.
(b) The bogus spiritualistic seance to frighten the culprit into giving himself
away. (c) Forged fingerprints. (d) The dummy-figure alibi. (e) The dog that
does not bark and thereby reveals the fact that the intruder is familiar.
(f)The final pinning of the crime on a twin, or a relative who looks exactly
like the suspected, but innocent, person. (g) The hypodermic syringe and the
knockout drops. (h) The commission of the murder in a locked room after the
police have actually broken in. (i) The word association test for guilt. (j)
The cipher, or code letter, which is eventually unraveled by the sleuth.”
This list was written in 1928 and I’m happy to say that Rasputin’s Kiss does not fall into any
of these traps J.
Of course it’s primarily a gay bdsm romance and a detective story second, but
falling in to the cliché mire holds true of both genres. Weaving the two
together was a challenge and I really hope that readers enjoy the result. Here’s an
intro and a little snippet to tempt you…
Investigating Love - Series Blurb
Being
thrown together in extreme circumstances is not the best foundation for a
relationship. Alex and Conor must juggle the demands of their jobs as police
detectives with their personal lives. With Alex as demanding in the bedroom as
he is at work, will Conor be able to accept that submission is not weakness.
Finding out will be the most important investigation of their lives.
Finding out will be the most important investigation of their lives.
Rasputin’s Kiss - Book Blurb:
Rasputin’s kiss is lethal. He’s a ghost – killing
and disappearing into the night. With few leads and four bodies on his
conscience, Detective Inspector Alex Courtney and his team are running on empty
and it’s only a matter of time before Rasputin strikes again.
When Alex recruits a young detective to play the part of his boyfriend and provide a tempting target for a killer, he knows he is taking a huge risk. He doesn’t expect Conor Trethuan to be a perfect potential submissive. When their mutual attraction becomes more, Alex has to face the conflict between his possessive instincts and the need to push his young lover into danger.
Investigating their feelings has to come second to investigating the case. There’s no time to decide if what they feel for each other is real. With Rasputin closing in, they may not live to find out.
When Alex recruits a young detective to play the part of his boyfriend and provide a tempting target for a killer, he knows he is taking a huge risk. He doesn’t expect Conor Trethuan to be a perfect potential submissive. When their mutual attraction becomes more, Alex has to face the conflict between his possessive instincts and the need to push his young lover into danger.
Investigating their feelings has to come second to investigating the case. There’s no time to decide if what they feel for each other is real. With Rasputin closing in, they may not live to find out.
Excerpt:
They walked in companionable silence to a
small Italian restaurant just around the corner from the station and sat at a
table next to the window. The whole place was a cliché, with red and white
checked tablecloths, candles in old Chianti bottles coated with solidified
drips of wax and laminated menus that had seen better days. The atmosphere was
warm and friendly, though, and the whole place smelt of herbs and spices.
A short, rotund man bustled over and greeted
Alex like a long-lost member of his family. After effusive introductions that
seemed to include most of the staff and half the customers in the restaurant,
fresh bread with aromatic olive oil was left to tide them over while their food
was prepared. Alex ordered for both of them, watching Conor as he did. The
overt act of dominance made Conor smile wryly. He wondered if Alex had expected
him to be annoyed. A brief look of satisfaction crossed Alex’s face and that
gave Conor his answer. Conor dipped a piece of warm bread in oil and held it to
his mouth, allowing the slick liquid to spread across his lips. He took a bite
then slowly ran his tongue over his lower lip, chasing a stray drop of oil.
Alex’s eyes widened and a hint of colour bloomed on his cheeks. Conor smiled
innocently.
I think I have a
wolf in sheep’s clothing here, Alex thought to himself. Well, an
enthusiastic pup anyway. He could imagine smearing that oil in all kinds of
interesting places. It was a delight to watch Conor eat. He twirled his
linguine expertly, complimented the chef politely and smiled shyly at the
waitress who couldn’t take her eyes off him. He didn’t encourage her any more,
though, and Alex was secretly pleased about that. He bristled at the sight of
other people casting flirtatious looks at Conor. Unfortunately that seemed to
happen when anyone noticed him. Conor drew admiring glances from every woman in
the place, and jealous ones from the men they were with. Alex wanted to growl
at them, make it clear that Conor was not available, and maybe put a paper bag
over Conor’s head so that everyone would stop lusting after him. Still Conor
seemed comfortable in his company and was attentive. He wasn’t distracted by
any of the attention—in fact he seemed completely oblivious to it.
An hour, and a pleasantly full stomach,
later Alex decided it was time to let his latest recruit know what he was
really in for. Alex wasn’t looking forward to confessing, but it had to be
done. Both he and Conor had stuck to mineral water with their meals so he
couldn’t take advantage of senses dulled by alcohol, which might have made
things easier. Now they sat with tiny cups of rich, dark espresso in front of
them and there were no more excuses or distractions. Alex took a deep breath
and tried to focus on what he needed to say. Okay maybe there was still a
distraction—a beautiful, dark-haired one sitting just across the table. Alex
lost his train of thought as he admired the snug fit of Conor’s shirt, which
effectively demonstrated a nicely tapered torso. How did the man manage to make
a simple blue shirt look so fucking sexy? Maybe it was the open collar that
displayed his graceful neck, or the rolled up sleeves that revealed smooth,
toned forearms? The leather strap of his watch could so easily be a cuff,
buckled tightly…
©
L M Somerton
For the whole of March, there’s a giveaway going on
with lots of fun prizes, just click here
Buy links:
You can buy Rasputin’s Kiss from Totally
Bound at:
Or
search for the title at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance Café etc. just
search for the title.
Author bio:
L M Somerton
lives in a small village in the English countryside, surrounded by rolling
hills, cows and sheep. She started writing to fill time between jobs and is now
firmly and unashamedly addicted.
She
loves the English weather, especially the rain, and adores a thunderstorm. She
loves good food, warm company and a crackling fire. She’s fascinated by the
psychology of relationships, especially between men, and her stories contain
some subtle (and not so subtle) leanings towards BDSM.
Links
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