Customer Reviews

The Popsicle Tree (Dick Hardesty Mysteries)

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The ninth installment in the Dick Hardesty mysteries is a wonder to read. Although I have enjoyed all of the previous titles, I would have to say that the very early stories occasionally exhibited some thin spots in the plotting and the editing was at times lacking. However, as the series has matured, these shortcomings have been addressed and this latest addition should be considered "must read".

Mr. Grey's mysteries are compelling because of the richness of the plots. He always provides a large complement of fully developed secondary characters, which allows for several equally probable potential suspects to emerge naturally. I was especially appreciative of the careful attention to details in _The Popsicle Tree_ regarding the behavior of Joshua, Jonathan's nephew, who has come to stay with Dick and Jonathan as the child undergoes changes in his care providers.

I can only hope that Mr. Grey will continue to add to this series as I look forward to seeing how Dick and Jonathan will develop as their relationship matures further.

I'm too lazy too read all the Dick Hardesty Mystery and so I asked for the books where the relationship between Dick and Jonathan first started and then developed into a family with the addition of Joshua, Jonathan's little nephew.

At the beginning of this novel, Dick and Jonathan are having a pretty good "bachelor" life together: they travel, they work, they have enough money to spare and enjoy the life; nothing apparently bad, if not that Dick is not really still convinced this is the life he really wants. You can understand his indecision in the way he ogles all the pretty boys he comes upon to, even if he has a good fine boy, Jonathan, at home all for himself. Dick in a way would like to play the field, and the "ifs" are still plenty in his day-to-day routing, even if he doesn't actually follow any of them.

Then suddenly Jonathan is appointed guardian for his nephew Joshua, a four years old baby; to Jonathan, aside for the pain of losing his brother, is like the realization of his dream: he has always wanted kids, but he was not expecting for his dream to come true, and above all not so soon. But Jonathan also knows that, even if he was joking with Dirk on building a 2.5 kids family in the suburbs, Dirk is not ready, or willing, to be the other half of that dreams.

Dick in a way surprised me: I was not expecting for him to put his feelings for Jonathan in front of his own personal desire. Actually both of them do that, Jonathan not wanting to force Dick, and Dick realizing that Jonathan and Joshua are an item and that if he wants one he has to take also the other. But Dick was even more surprising in "really" accepting Joshua: for Dick is not only doing a favour to Jonathan, he really likes the kid and while it's clear that Joshua is Jonathan's responsibility, it's also clear that Dick is more than willing to share the burden.

In the end, I think that Joshua, instead of destabilizing Dick and Jonathan's relationship like the most common plot would have implied, helped on the contrary to make it stronger, giving it a chance to last that without Joshua was probably less likely; as in an old fashioned romance, the kid in question worked as cement to the relationship.

Again, the personal subplot for me was more interesting than the mystery main theme; and again I'm not really able to summarize it without spoiling the fun for the mystery lovers. Enough to say that Dorien Grey put together a good numbers of possible suspects and that me, like him, until the end were not sure of who really was the one who killed Jonathan and Dick's single mom neighbour.

If you are into murder mysteries, you HAVE to read these excellent books. I was hooked from the first chapter. Dorien Grey's characters have depth, humor, and LOTS of sex appeal!! Whether you are gay or straight, these are a fantastic read!!!!!

I was given The Popsicle Tree as a gift, although the fact that I like posicles has nothing to do with the story! That fortuitous serendipity introduced me to the Dick Hardesty series. What a treat - a well plotted mystery, a whodunit with enough clues to keep you guessing, interwoven with what at first seem to be extraneous story lines which comment upon and give greater depth to the main plot line. Solid characters, not stock figures. Most importantly, the main character - the author's voice - is more than likeable, and is allowed to grow. And tells the story as if he's a good friend, just catching yo up on old times. Now I have to start at the beginning of the series (I already have.)

I have been addicted to the Dick Hardesty series from the first page of the first book. I have purchased all of the series and have truly enjoyed every page...until now.
I am so disappointed in the direction the author is taking his characters. He has, in my opinion, turned this amazing, cutting edge mystery series into a gay cozy mystery. And as with all of the cozies I have read, the character turns into an addle brained bunch of mush...to me, this is what is happening to Dick. He now is a "family man", and though he knows he has obligations to his family, he still jumps right out there to put himself in situations he shouldn't be in. I fear that in future volumes we will lose touch with all of the colorful and interesting characters that are part of Jonathon and Dicks lives. By nature, they will have less and less in common with these characters, and they will fade into the background.
This book is very well written, and the characters are well done, but this direction is just not for me. I will not be reading the rest of the series. This saddens me, but I will not waste my time reading novels that leave me annoyed and unsatisfied.
Fortunately, I have just discovered Josh Lanyon's Adrien English series so my evenings are once again spent with characters I can enjoy and feel good about "knowing".
I'm sorry Mr. Grey, but our relationship has ended.