Closet: A Todd Mills Mystery [Paperback]

R.D. Zimmerman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Todd Mills Mysteries | Publication Date: October 6, 1997

It began with a brutal attack in a posh Minneapolis neighborhood.  And from the first killing to the next, Todd Mills was at the center of the story.  The son of Polish immigrants, Todd had changed his name and risen to the top of his field as a TV news reporter, winning two Emmy Awards along the way.  Then his world came crashing down.  Suddenly, the double life he'd hidden for so long was brutally uncovered: he was the secret lover of the first man to die.

When Michael was murdered, Todd lost everything--including a life lived as a lie.  Now he's out of the closet and under suspicion, desperately investigating the killings himself, moving through a world of gay bars, steamy nightclubs, and double identities--where the one secret that matters most belongs to a killer who will strike again . . . and again.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Closet explodes out of the starting gate. . . then relentlessly races  all the way to its shocking conclusion."
--Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Breathless pacing and virtuoso storytelling . . . Zimmerman succeeds brilliantly."
--Sandra Scoppettone, author of My Sweet Untraceable You

"R.D. Zimmerman is soon to become a household name."
--Sue Grafton

"Entertaining, intricately constructed and absorbing. . . A well-crafted mystery."
--Twin Cities Reader

"Zimmerman is a superb writer, building suspense through genuine surprises while creating believable characters."
--The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

From the Publisher

"Closet explodes out of the starting gate. . . then relentlessly races all the way to its shocking conclusion."
--Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Breathless pacing and virtuoso storytelling . . . Zimmerman succeeds brilliantly."
--Sandra Scoppettone, author of My Sweet Untraceable You

"R.D. Zimmerman is soon to become a household name."
--Sue Grafton

"Entertaining, intricately constructed and absorbing. . . A well-crafted mystery."
--Twin Cities Reader

"Zimmerman is a superb writer, building suspense through genuine surprises while creating believable characters."
--The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Delta; 1ST edition (October 6, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385320043
• ISBN-13: 978-0385320047
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,327,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 'Closet' helpd me out of mine, January 24, 2002

By 

Bruce Aguilar (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Closet: A Todd Mills Mystery (Paperback)

I first read this book when I was 95% sure of my sexuality and trying to muster the courage to come out. It was also my first gay novel. This story of a recently outed gay man who is accused of murder gave me my first tiny clues as to what gay life is and how the coming out experience can be handled. Strange, huh? Who'da thunk it? Nevertheless, it made a real impression on me and I hold this book in special place becasue of it.

The story is engaing, quickly paced and full of suspence as well as the intcracies of coming out in very public and private ways. I'll always remember the secret meeting that opens the novel as one of the most suspensful things I've read (probaly due to it's gay context and my state of mind at the time). Zimmerman keeps the mystery itslef engaging and quite difficult to solve. Although I was focused on other aspects of the story :) I was kept gussing who the murderer could be until the very end.

If you're a fan of the series, you have to read this to see how it all started and if not, well this is a perfect time to get hooked. I give it 4 four stars because my state of mind when first reading it has clouded my critical eye a bit. But no matter, you are in store for a treat, in so many respects.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So fast paced it leaves you panting & begging for more!, February 28, 2000

By 

Patrick R. Turner (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Closet: A Todd Mills Mystery (Paperback)

This is the first of the Todd Mills mysteries and it does a good job of establishing the main characters while keeping the plot tight and racing.

Todd, a star reporter at the local T.V. station, is unexpectedly outed when his lover of 4 years is killed. (Within the first 20 pages!) Todd's life crumbles around him and we get to help him pick up the pieces.

There is no room for fluffy character study in this tight narrative style. We only grow to love Todd and begin to care for the yummy detective Rawlins who is assigned to his case. The lack of character development could be offputting to some, but I can see the need for keeping the story focused.

After the funeral of Todd's lover the story picks up speed and drives for the finish. Our hero unmasks the killer in a terrific blazing finale. (Literally!)

This is definately a MUST READ!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Intro to a Great Series, January 13, 2002

By 

"govt_atty" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Closet: A Todd Mills Mystery (Paperback)

Although this is the first novel in Zimmerman's Todd Mills Mystery Series, it's the last one I've read. And I must admit that it was wonderful to finally get the introduction to many of the issues Zimmerman brings into the later novels. If you're a fan of "Outburst", "Innuendo" and others, I highly recommend you trying to find a copy of "Closet". It will be worth the effort.

Todd Mills is at the pinnacle of his career; he is in negotiations for a major promotion at Channel 7 News. The only problem is the stress in his relationship with his 4-year lover, Michael. You see, Todd is not "out," and has always done his best to keep his professional and private lives as separate as he can. Michael, however, gave him an ultimatum: me or the closet. After a lively fight, and a short time to think about his priorities, Todd decides to choose Michael. But he's too late . . . Michael has been killed. Todd is implicated in the murder, outed to the world, and forced to deal with many thoughts and feelings he's never had before.

In my opinion, Zimmerman's keeping the killer's identity hidden until the last few pages is wonderful. Even though I know that all the leads, twists and hints in the novel are meant to mislead me, I always fall for them, and am quite suprised at the end. The key to these books is to suspect everyone and no one. <grin>

Just as interesting is the struggle Todd faces with being blasted out of the closet all at once. Years of fearing that people will shun and hate him for who he is, the impact on his career, and not fitting into the gay community come to the surface. Not all the questions and issues are answered, but I believe Zimmerman was true to the struggle being faced, and how people learn to lean on their friends and family to help them through it.

This is a wonderful book from a wonderful series. Read them one and all.