The Bottle Ghosts (Dick Hardesty Mysteries) [Paperback]

Dorien Grey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 8, 2005 | Series: Dick Hardesty Mysteries

This is the sixth book in Dick Hardesty gay mystery series. Dick is commissioned to find a missing partner who is an alcoholic and finds that several men with an alcoholic history have disappeared in the last few years. Dick and his young lover join an alcoholic's psychology discussion group to try to solve the mystery.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Grey writes for all audiences who enjoy good mystery, interesting characters and tongue in cheek humor. -- m.l.hollingshead, Angelfire

Well-plotted, engaging mystery with intelligent character development and story-telling bound to appeal to old and new fans. -- Jay Hartman, KnowBetter

highly recommended for anyone with enough courage, or even curiosity, to read with an open mind and heart. -- Beth Anderson

About the Author

Dorien Grey is the pen-name and alter ego of a former book and international gay men’s magazine editor now living in a remote and time-warped area of the upper mid-west.

Dorien Grey may have started out as the alter-ego of a lifelong book and magazine editor, but in the course of the writing of the Dick Hardesty mystery series, he’s taken on a life of his own. Most people live one life, in one time, and in one body. Dorien considers himself lucky to have no such constraints–he is Dick Hardesty; he lives in Dick Hardesty’s world, and what Dick feels, Dorien and his creator feel. All three are hopeless, gay-male romantics who share a deep rooted if offbeat sense of humor, a fascination with words, and the power of language.

Always writing with the reader in mind, Dorien considers each of his books a kind of conversation with the reader, and invites the reader to join Dick in solving the mystery. Because the clues are always there, though Dick doesn’t always recognize them, the reader is sometimes a step or two ahead of him–which is fine with Dorien.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: GLB Publishers (April 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879194732
• ISBN-13: 978-1879194731
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,148,872 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've always resented reality. It is far too capricious and too often unkind and unfair. I avoid reflective surfaces whenever possible. Being a writer allows me to create my own reality, and worlds over which I have some degree of control.

I'm an incurable romantic. I believe strongly in things which reality views too often with contempt, such as happy endings, true love, and the baic goodness of people.

The one personal characteristic in which I take great pride, and which has been my rock throughout life is that I never, ever, take myself too seriously. If one has a choice between positive and negative, why would anyone (though too many people do) opt for the negative? Life is not always kind, but it is a gift beyond measure, and one which must all too soon be given back. I really try to enjoy and be thankful for ever single day allotted to me.

For most people, children are their posterity. For me, as a gay man, it is my words which will, I hope, stand as evidence that I was here (albeit, no matter how long I may live, never long enough to suit me).

And because written words are nothing unless someone reads them, I am heavily reliant on my readers. I sincerely look on every reader as a partner and traveling companion on every journey my writing embarks on.

I invite you, individually and personally, to join me.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Winner of the WordWeaving Award for Excellence, March 7, 2003

By 

C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bottle Ghosts (Dick Hardesty Mysteries) (Paperback)

When a new client arrives in his office reporting a missing lover, Dick Hardesty's first reaction is that the guy has taken off for whatever reason. He begins his search by visiting the bars the missing man frequented. Soon Dick learns that police triage missing persons; and they relegate alcoholic, gay men to the bottom of the heap. When he questions his police contacts regarding police procedure with missing person cases, Dick gets unexpected results.

Desk rookie Marty Gresham is working on a master's degree in criminology and decides to use his work for his thesis. Gresham went back several years looking at missing persons, and discovered an unexpected pattern. Single men, ages 26 to 40, that were heavy drinkers or acknowledged alcoholics have been disappearing. Indeed, four have disappeared within the last six months. Suddenly Dick once again finds himself confronted with a crime far bigger than his initial investigation; one he cannot walk away from.

On the surface, Dick simply investigates yet another series of murders. But the subtext of the gay lifestyle, of relationships and desires, of hidden motives and concealed pain, lends THE BOTTLE GHOSTS remarkable depth. While readers will identify with secret demons, most find help or learn to live with the pain of our individual bottle ghosts. Each scene is carefully crafted with hints and red herrings enough to delight the most demanding mystery lover. Moreover, Grey's prose absolutely resonates with powerful emotion and tragic decisions, with painful need and dangerous desire.

THE BOTTLE GHOSTS provides powerful reading on a number of levels. In addition to a terrific mystery, readers are privy to Dick's personal world. As Dick's relationship with Jonathan plays out, readers are given a glimpse at a different side of gay relationships not previously explored by Grey's work. Dick no long allows, well, little dick to run his life although we are still privy to intimate thoughts of lust at times. Instead, Dick explores the world of a monogamous relationship structured by love and trust. Such a transformation does not mirror a heterosexual's expectation, and yet the similarities and differences will be as surprising and as enlightening as Dick's previous sojourns through clubs and baths. Furthermore, Dick has never had first hand experience with alcoholism. Grey's treatment of the subject is remarkably insightful. And it is these remarkable complexes that lend varied layers to this fascinating text. Consequently, THE BOTTLE GHOSTS earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Demons Of Drink, April 24, 2008

By 

British Bulldog - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bottle Ghosts (Dick Hardesty Mysteries) (Paperback)

Number six in the series sees our hero ever more grateful that he has a life partner. Jonathan continues to be sweet, innocent and just plain loveable. Not only can he cook, is kind to fish and houseplants, he also has an uncanny knack of accidentally stumbling across evidence that helps Dick solve his cases. Last but probably not least to Dick, he's also great in bed.

Alas Dick's crotch is still a little behind the times, wanting to play with all the cute men Dick encounters during the course of his investigations. Thankfully our hero is able to overrule his libido and stay true to Jonathan.

Phil, Tim, Mark and many other old friends reappear in this story. Alas although the totally gorgeous Jared is mentioned, he only gets a very minor role.

As always Grey gives us all the clues we need to solve the case ourselves. However, with so many victims and an almost equal number of suspects, all with similar motives, it isn't easy to make a guess as to who had done it. Eventually the evidence against one individual becomes overwhelming, but this only serves to ratchet things up another notch or three. A most thrilling and nail-biting conclusion results.

2 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunately the title is the best part, September 8, 2003

By 

JP Colter "JP Colter" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Bottle Ghosts (Dick Hardesty Mysteries) (Paperback)

I admit I bought this book because the title was catchy and the story description sounded interesting. The name the author uses is interesting as well, if it's real. That said, it turns out that the title actually is the best thing about the book.

I'm truly sorry that the book didn't live up to it's description. Had it, we would have had an interesting story that addressed a problem of importance to gay people - alcoholism.

Alcoholism and "bar culture" are largely the byproduct of gay culture's historical emphasis on bars and nightclubs - that's been well discussed elsewhere. It's also the simple conceit that is used as the underlying subject of this book. Unfortunately, it fails. Spectacularly, I'm sorry to say.