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Dick Hardesty has taken on many tough cases, but none have been as hard-hitting as the missing persons case he’s hired to look into. Everywhere he turns, he ends up facing a brick wall. There are simply no clues to the disappearance of freelance investigative reporter Victor Koseva, who had been working on a big story about the Holcomb Gym—which might have been why he vanished.
Victor’s sister-in-law, Elena Koseva, seems to be the only person who’s concerned about his disappearance. Not even Victor’s father appears to care—but that could be because he recently found out that Victor is gay. The police, including one homophobic detective, didn’t seem all that concerned, either, so Elena went to Dick Hardesty for help.
Hardesty’s investigation leads him to Giovanni Basino, a gay boxer out of the Holcomb Gym who’s desperate to keep his sexual preferences out of the media. He knows something about Victor’s disappearance, but he’s not being cooperative.
At his wits’ end, Hardesty pushes forward, determined to solve the case—even if no one wants him to.
The Peripheral Son is a quietly intense mystery that will keep readers puzzled right up to the end. With so few clues to go on, the case is almost impossible to solve—and that’s what will keep readers hanging in there, looking for answers right along with Dick Hardesty.
Dick Hardesty is a kind-hearted gay male with a life-partner (Jonathan) and an almost-six-year-old adoptive son (Joshua), whom they’re raising together. Their fatherly love for this little boy is truly touching, and you’ll have no doubt that the boy couldn’t have ended up in a better home. Dick is also an excellent private investigator who gets in there and doesn’t call it quits on a case for any reason. He gets the job done when many others would have dropped the case.
A novel doesn’t have to be a thriller to hold a reader’s attention, and author Dorien Grey proves it with The Peripheral Son. You’ll simply have to keep turning pages—not just because you want to know what happened to Victor Koseva but because the graceful prose will suck you in, too.
Gay fiction may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but, with its methodical detective work and easy-going pace, The Peripheral Son is a well-written, highly compelling, clean, and enjoyable mystery.
