Biceps Of Death [Hardcover]

David Stukas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2004

It ain't easy being pretty, and in Chelsea it ain't easy NOT being pretty. That's why Robert is putting himself through a gruelling work-out regime under his roommate Michael's tutelage. It takes Robert by complete surprise, though, when bodybuilding hunk Flex, gives him a cheeky kiss in the locker room and disappears off promising him more to follow. The next morning, however, Flex is found dead - murdered by the person the papers have dubbed the "bodybuilder serial killer". Now it's up to Robert, with pals Michael and Monette, to stop the killer before he strikes again...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sexy, catty and hilarious, Biceps of Death skewers everything in sight, gay or straight, as well as the cult of the body while delivering a mystery that actually hangs together." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758206305
• ISBN-13: 978-0758206305
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,999,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guy Can't Even Workout In Peace..., March 30, 2007

By 

Bigwheels1971 (Maine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biceps of Death (Paperback)

Hi, My name is Robert Wilsop. I swear to God, I was not trying to involve myself in another murder. All I wanted to do that day was work out at the gym with my best friend, Michael. How was I supposed to know that two thugs were stalking one of the trainers and that he would pull some kind of James Bond maneuver, slip some DVD in my gym bag, and tell me he would be back for it later? Well as you can probably guess, that never happened. Someone threw him off his balcony first. Now, everyone and their mother is after me because they want this DVD (Oh, by the way, you would not believe the things on it. I mean really, I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing some local televangelist dressed up in a Superman costume, being slapped around by a guy wearing a leather mask, and chaps. Michael thinks I am a prude. I think he needs Sex Addicts Anonymous). Now, I've almost been run over, my apartment's been broken into, the entire world knows that I forgot to wear underwear the other day, and the cute detective investigating the case wants to ask me out. (Normally, that wouldn't be a problem except that I finally have a boyfriend who isn't an ex-con or married). I just hope that with the help of Michael and my friend Monette, we can figure out who is trying to kill me so I can live to see gay marriage laws pass in New York someday.

I need to be honest: I love this series. There's a lot of action and I laugh all the way through the books, which is something that is really important to me. Truthfully, this book didn't hold my attention as well as the others in the series but I still enjoyed it very much. If you are looking for a humorous mystery that is a fun, quick read, look no further. Stukas is beginning work on a second series so I really hope this isn't the last I hear of this trio.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An hour and a half of FUN!, March 31, 2005

By 

Marty (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biceps Of Death (Hardcover)

Biceps of Death is another pleasurable read by the extraordinarily witty author David Stukas. I have certainly enjoyed his books for the mere reason that they are an enjoyable escape from reality. All his novels are extremely easy to read, yet thoroughly entertaining. I love the verbal aerobics that are constantly flying between the principle characters. If they were real people I'd be more than happy to congregate with them and listen to their banter in person. If you have an hour or two to spend, pick up these books. You will be delighted you did.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Biceps Of Death - A fun read, November 24, 2004

By 

TheBratCub (Minnesota, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biceps Of Death (Hardcover)

I just finished David Stukas' latest novel "Biceps of Death." It falls into my recent kick of reading gay amature sleuth novels. If you have read any of Stukas' other work you know he has no grip on reality and a very campy sense of humor. If you like the combination of a clueless gay man, a six foot amazon lesbian mystery novel buff with bright red hair, and a sexually compulsive rich leather queen, then you will enjoy all of the books in this series.

With a title like "Someone Killed His Boyfriend" (David's first book in the series), how could I not want to read that book. The title and cover promised a very entertaining and goofy look at the lives of three gay friends that find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation. This book has sex, drag queens, revenge, and very unrealistic look at gay life on the East Coast. Who knows, maybe people really do live like that?

In "Biceps of Death," Stukas has his beloved (except for Michael) characters at it again caught up in another murder. Robert Wilsop, the main character, cannot seem to catch a break when someone slips a mysterious CD into his bag at the local gay gym in Chelsea. His friend Michael, the air apparent to a pharmaceuticals company that makes creams to treat a variety of venereal infections, is helping Robert buff up for his new boyfriend. Robert and Michael unwittingly pulled into an insane murder investigation that includes some of New York City's most powerful men. Poor Robert becomes the main target in an absurd murder plot. His only help is to rely on his best friend Monnette to use here armature detective skills to save Roberts life.

Even though I enjoyed Stukas' last book, "Wearing Black to the White Party," I was not sure what else could he do with the characters. I mean how many murders can someone be involved in without being on the FBI's most wanted list? Well, I must admit he pulled it off in the new book. Stukas manages to get his main characters into trouble, and what make it work are the absurdity of the situations and the sheer dumb luck of his unlucky protagonist Robert. Although this is not the strongest book in the series, Stukas does some good character development of Robert Wilsop as well as some really great one-liners that any drag queen would die to use during her show.

I was a bit disappointed that Monette and Michael remain very one dementiial, because they really do have a lot to offer in terms of the potential richness of their characters. If Stukas puts out another book using these the same three unlucky souls, that he utilizes Monette and Michael to their fullest or he my have to retire them all together.

By the way, not everyone from the Midwest is that neurotic.