Customer Reviews

Hot Spot: A Mark Manning Mystery

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Mark and his partner Neil are hosting their best friend Roxanne's wedding to a man who's a candidate for the Governor of Illinois. The wedding is a beautiful affair, hosting all the big names that the small town of Dumont, Wisconsin has to offer. And then a freak accident results in a death at the reception. While at first it seems like a tragic accident, soon evidence points to a planned murder, and the prime suspect is none other than Roxanne, the newlywed. As Mark tries to unravel the convoluted threads of this mystery, more questions than answers come to the surface, but he's determined to clear the name of his best friend, the woman who introduced him to Neil. This book is a bit more staid than the previous Manning mysteries, but with a keen eye and mind, "Hot Spot" blooms into an intellectual puzzle that leads the reader through Manning's thought processes as he sifts through the bewildering tangle. At the heart of this latest mystery is the notion of family in the lives of gay men. Not only do Mark and Neil have an adopted son (Thad, who's leaving for college as the story ends), but they also have a wide circle of close friends who are indeed equal to family members. Since Roxanne is part of this chosen family, Mark won't sit idly by and let her go through this alone. Family, whether by blood or by choice, is wholly important. And this is what makes the Mark Manning series so endearing to fans.

HOT SPOT, the sixth novel in the Mark Manning Mystery series is a tale of transitions. First, Thad Quatrain, Mark's ward and nephew, is preparing to leave home for college. Next, Roxanne Exner, Mark and Neil's best friend, has finally committed herself to matrimony to Carl Creighton. And the wedding is to be held at Mark and Neil's home in Dumont. And to top everything else off, Carl is running for political office in Illinois; a move, which if he is successful, would take him and Roxanne from nearby Chicago to the state capitol of Springfield.

Knowing Roxanne from the past books in the series, you'd expect the wedding to be a major disaster. But other than the actual joining of Rox and Carl, it takes place without a hitch. (Joke) Unfortunately, it is the reception that becomes a disaster when an elderly and wealthy Dumont matron is electrocuted in a freak accident. But was it an accident? It begins to look like homicide and the new bride is the prime suspect

As I've said before, the author keeps getting better with each book in the series, and this one is the best yet. The plot is littered with possible suspects and red herrings that keep you guessing to the very end. And other than "obfuscation" I loved ever word in it. (Another joke) Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the dust jacket illustration. The Bride of Frankenstein photo will probably attract consumer attention but it demeans the text inside.

This story is set in the same timeframe as that of Desert Autumn, the first book in the new Claire Gray series. In that book the noted stage director, Claire Gray is preparing for the opening semester of the Desert Arts College in California, which just happens to be the college where Thad is heading. (Insider information - Mark will be making a guest appearance in the second book of the series scheduled for a February release.)

The final transition has Mark and Neil alone in the big house in Dumont. Sounds pretty tame, but you know that something is going to come up soon. And it's sure to be a dozey! So far, you can't go wrong with this series and HOT SPOT will keep you up late turning the pages.

HOT SPOT is the sixth Mark Manning mystery & it is a good one! The series has developed the protagonist's coming out story over the course of the series as well as providing a good mystery. The earlier mysteries were fairly easy to figure out, but the writing and character development kept me reading. This latest mystery kept me guessing until the end! I also like the fact that the protagonist starts out the series at age 39 and ages as each book is written. It is nice to have a well written, sexy gay man in his 40's as the hero of the books.

Mark Manning is a detective not to everyone's taste, and if you start the series by reading HOT SPOT you will have missed some of the pertinent information and you'll wind up wondering how on earth Mark became the ward of Thad. But if you have read the revious five books you won't mind that some if not all of this information is being fed to you again--the series dilemma, I suppose. Mark is the editor of a smallish city newspaper and usually gets involved not because he's a snoop but to try to extricate someone who's dear to him who's being suspected of a crime. This crime is particularly difficult to solve and frankly, when I found out who the criminal was, I threw the book to the ground in disgust. I don't think even Michael Craft knew the answer to this one till he pulled the solution way out of left field. But it is a shocker! What a pity that poor long suffering Mark has only one more "case" after this one, in the fantasticly written final volume of the series. I remember meeting the late, great, venerable old Joseph Hansen author of the Brandstetter novels and asking him if there were any younger writers whose work he would recommend. "Michael Craft," he said without missing a beat.

This is the best Mark Manning mystery yet. I have read all of them and this is indeed the hardest to figure out. Just as you think you know who the killer is and why another twist is given.Bravo! The bond between Mark and his partner is strong as ever. In addition to the mystery we still get to see Mark having a life. I think this is my favorite Manning story!

This is another excellent book by Michael Craft! The book starts off with Mark and Neil preparing for Thad to leave for acting school and with them also preparing for Roxanne to marry Carl. Carl is running for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois on the Democratic ticket, so right after the wedding reception, he and Roxanne are planning to fly to Hawaii for three days, then return for a big debate. However tragedy strikes and changes their plans.

At the wedding reception, Betty Gifford Ashton, a wealthy philanthropist and cousin of the Republican candidate for Governor of Illinois, is electrocuted. Almost immediately, Roxanne appears to be the lead suspect. Mark and Sheriff Pierce do not think she could have done it, so they set out to solve the murder. Carl is soon informed that if the murder is not solved by the time of the debate, or if Roxanne is arrested for the murder, he will be removed from the campaign. The heat is on!

Mark and Sheriff Pierce work hard and come up with many possible suspects. Unfortunately, each one tends to open more possibilities, rather than getting them closer to solving the murder. However, in true Mark Manning style, Mark solves the murder just minutes before the debate starts, and the Gubernatorial running mate keeps Carl in the campaign.

This book is really fast paced and will keep your attention. I though I had the murder solved long before Mark and Sheriff Pierce, but I was wrong. Read this book! You will be glad you did!

Michael Craft is a great storyteller. Citing just three of his novels: (1) "Body Language," (2) "Boy Toy," and (3) "Hot Spot,"which should be read in this order for the best continuity, I found the novels less engaging as mystery novels and more delightful to read as well-drawn out expositions of life in the small town of Dumont, WI, where practically everyone is normal, even gays. The mysteries, qua mystery, lack the usual heightened suspense one expects from this genre. But, the diminution of suspense is more than compensated by good character development, well-structured plots, engaging personae, and a literate writing style. The fact that some of the characters are gay seems incidental and relatively unimportant, which in a idealistic fashion, is the way it ought to be. These are good people to whom the misfortune of crime occurs, and Mark Manning, the local newspaper editor and the central character, seems equipoised to solving the crime. There's no "mining" of the text with incredulous characters or situations to bring about the near-impossibility of solving the caper. Rather, through the use of intuition, inference, and critical thinking, Manning always seems to get to the core of the crime with a flair for being ordinary and going about matters in a normal sort of way in the sleepy Wisconsin hamlet. Those who enjoy up-and-close personal stories about "ordinary" people struck by "ordinary" misfortune with "mystery" as a somewhat subsidiary part of this ordinary existence will like these novels. There's nothing that is strikingly out of the ordinary. Those who want a "D'Vinci Code," on the other hand, will be sorely disappointed. I found the novels exceedingly likeable, and I was not disappointed that the mystery involved is in many ways subordinate to plot, character-development, and literate style.

What a pleasure it is to discover the Mark Manning series by Michael Craft. In so many other gay mystery series, the "hero" comes across as [weak] and maladjusted (usually with a booze problem, a drug problem, or both), but Mark Manning provides a heroic role model I can actually look up to. "Hot Spot" is a first class mystery in which Mark, a Wisconsin newspaper editor, must help clear his Chicago friend, Roxanne, of suspicion of murder (stemming from an "accident" at Roxanne's own wedding reception, held in Mark's back yard). Mark Manning is a smart, handsome, caring guy I would love to know and call a friend. I intend to go back and read all the books in this series and I can't wait for the next one to be printed.

If I were Mark Manning, I might think that I were cursed. BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO THOSE AROUND HIM. In the fifth book of the series, Mark's ward, Thad, was the prime suspect in the murder of a fellow classmate. In this one, it is longtime friend Roxanne Exner that must face the air of suspicion in the untimely (and rather gruesome) death of a Dumont philanthropist.

Besides the task of proving the innocence of his pal, Mark must also contend with Thad's impending departure for college.

Boy, is life tough!

So that the uninitiated reader can become acquainted with the book's "personnel", Craft introduces each in a way that does not distract from the story-at-hand.

Craft's attention to detail of set and character is what makes him of major appeal to his readership. Occasionally, Craft "speaks" through his protagonist Manning with a few narrative lapses on political and religious issues, the latter especially in regards to Manning's sexuality.

It works for him!

Although not quite up to par with the other five entries, "Hot Spot" is still a relaxing way to spend a hot, summer day or a crisp autumn afternoon.

For his fans, Craft pays homage to his own series in a "cutesy" paragraph that begins at the base of page 271 and concludes at the top of the subsequent one.

It'll bring a smile!

Michael Craft's Mannings mystery's only get better with each book. Hot Spot was an excellant book, fast read. This book is another that belongs in everyone's library. I can't wait for the next one. Thanks for the excellant read Michael