A FUNNY COZY GAY
MYSTERY SERIES
Book Three of the
Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama
Cruise,
published by Lethe Press
by Joe Cosentino
As a college theatre
professor/department head, I have always been aware that colleges are
rife with mystery and romance. I’ve also long be an avid reader of
cozy gay mystery novels. Sadly, very few feature gay leading
characters. So I decided to write a mystery series featuring a gay
couple as sleuths. Since coming from a very funny large
Italian-American family, I added in a huge dose of humor, and the
Nicky and Noah mysteries were born.
If you haven’t
read Drama
Queen
(Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Mystery, Best
Crime, Best Humorous, Best Contemporary novel of 2015) and Drama
Muscle
(Rainbow Award Honorable Mention) published by Lethe Press, you
should! The first two Nicky and Noah mysteries are set in an
Edwardian style university founded originally by a gay couple (Tree
and Meadow) whose name the university bears: Treemeadow College. It
is a gay cozy mystery comedy series, meaning the setting is warm and
cozy, the clues and murders (and laughs) come fast and furious, there
are enough plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the
pages turning, and at the center is a touching gay romance between
Associate Professor of Directing Nicky Abbondanza and Assistant
Professor of Acting Noah Oliver. Along the way, Nicky and Noah fall
in love, as I’ve heard the readers fall in love with them.
In Drama
Queen
college theatre professors are dropping like stage curtains and
amateur sleuths/college theatre professors Nicky and Noah have to use
their theatre skills, including impersonating other people, to figure
out whodunit. In Drama
Muscle
Nicky and Noah don their gay Holmes and Watson personas again to find
out why bodybuilding students and professors are dropping faster than
barbells. Nicky and Noah’s relationship reaches a milestone by the
end of the novel.
A few years back my
spouse talked me into going on a ten-day cruise to Alaska. We packed
our bathing suits, daywear, nightwear, and credit cards. Prone to
motion-sickness, I also packed my ginger capsules and grumbling
stomach (and mouth) and we were off. We had amazing meals (after
amazing meals), fantastic ocean views, spotted a whale waving its
tail at us, and went on a helicopter ride to the glaciers. We also
embarked on land excursions to a tramway over the mountains, a totem
pole park, a log climbers’ show, a frontier habitat, and a Native
American village. Our cabin sported a private balcony and a gay
porter who seemed excited to find a gay couple onboard ship. Onboard
ship we raised our noses at an art show, played bingo like senior
citizens on church night, gambled like card sharks at the casino, and
saw a musical revue with singing and dancing cupcakes. When we
returned home, I decided to immortalize our trip by setting the third
Nicky and Noah mystery onboard a cruise to Alaska.
So now in book
three, Drama
Cruise,
it is summer on a ten-day cruise from San Francisco to Alaska and
back. Nicky and Noah must figure out why college theatre professors
are dropping like life rafts as Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner
theatre show onboard ship starring Noah and other college theatre
professors from across the US. Complicating matters are their both
sets of wacky parents who want to embark on all the activities on and
off the boat with the handsome couple. Martin Anderson (Nicky and
Noah’s department head) and his bickering husband are also along
for the rocky ride. As in the first two books, there are a slew of
colorful, hysterically funny victims and suspects like the cruise
director who talks endlessly about her glory days as a theatre major
in college, the ship’s doctor who is looking for the secret of
life, Nicky and Noah’s porter who wants them to adopt him, and the
captain of the boat who insists he has seen the ghost of his former
sea captain. The theatre professors are equally as colorful,
including an alcoholic who believes he has seen a mermaid, a
hypochondriac looking for love, a comic with a cat of nine tails in
her closet, and a Shakespearian actor who can’t keep his hands off
his volume of the Bard—or off anyone else. And who is the
mysterious Professor Nan Joy Hassahl?
It is my joy and
pleasure to share these stories with you. So take your cabin with a
view. The ship is leaving from port. Ahoy, matey! Alaska here we
come!
P.S. – Drama
Luau,
the fourth Nicky and Noah, mystery releases in six months!
DRAMA
CRUISE (a Nicky and Noah mystery)
a
comedy/mystery/romance novel by JOE COSENTINO from Lethe Press
purchase
links:
Theater
professors and couple, Nicky Abbondanza and Noah Oliver, are going
overboard as usual, but this time on an Alaskan cruise, where dead
college theatre professors are popping up everywhere from the
swimming pool to the captain’s table. Further complicating matters
are Nicky’s and Noah’s parents as surprise cruise passengers, and
Nicky’s assignment to direct a murder mystery dinner theater show
onboard ship. Nicky and Noah will need to use their drama skills to
figure out who is bringing the curtain down on vacationing theatre
professors before it is lights out for the handsome couple. You will
be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced,
side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining third novel in
this delightful series. Curtain up and ship ahoy!
Praise
for DRAMA QUEEN, the first Nicky and Noah mystery by Joe Cosentino
from Lethe Press:
"Without
doubt the funniest book I have read this year, maybe ever"
"brilliant" Three Books Over the Rainbow
“I
cannot stop laughing. Drama
Queen is
Hardy
Boys-meets-Murder
She Wrote-meets-Midsummer
Murders, with
a side of parodic, farcical, satire.” “Who-dunits don't come more
whodunnity than this.” Boy Meets Boy Reviews
“I’m
hoping that this is just the start for Nicky and Noah. If
Jessica Fletcher could have so many murderers in Cabot Cove, why
shouldn’t the same hold true for Treemeadow College?” Scattered
Thoughts and Rogue Words Reviews
“This
fast-paced, hilariously funny, entertaining novel will have you on
the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who-dun-it!”
Joyfully Jay
“a
murder mystery, a comedic romp, an investigative caper, and a love
story all rolled up into one nifty little novel” The Novel Approach
“I
am not used to reading books that make me snigger out loud, but in
Drama Queen
Joe Cosentino has struck a great balance between his use of tongue in
cheek humour and a compelling mystery which we want to see solved.”
Divine Magazine
“I
love this story, just the right mix, of fun, hilarity and mystery in
the mix. The storyline is fresh and well thought out, and the dynamic
of the characters is through the roof! Bike Book Reviews
Praise
for DRAMA MUSCLE, the second Nicky and Noah mystery by Joe Cosentino
from Lethe Press:
“reading
these books is like watching a fabulous comedic, murder mystery,
action, adventure, romantic film.” “I was giggle snorting and
laughing so much I had to stop reading. Joe Cosentino's writing is
absolutely flawless. He's a master storyteller and will keep you
guessing and utterly riveted until Drama Muscle's highly satisfying
ending. This is an absolute gem of a book, and series.” Divine
Magazine
“Book
1, Drama
Queen was
always going to be a hard act to follow with its belly ache laughter
approach but in this “smirkathong” – yes I was smirking
throughout the book, my top lip still aches – the author succeeded
in delivering another comic classic!” Three Books Over the Rainbow
“a
perfect balance of humor and romance into a continuously twisting
plot.” “Cosentino will keep you entertained and guessing until
the very end.” 3 Chicks After Dark
“As
with the first book, there are laugh out loud, completely funny
sections. And enough of the mystery and suspense that keeps me
reading” “I look forward to the next story” The TBR Pile
“laugh
out loud funny” “Readers will be on the edge of their seats
waiting for the killer to be revealed.” “As a romance, readers
will love seeing Nicky and Noah settling in to living together in
their Victorian home.” “I highly recommend this series.”
Joyfully Jay Reviews
“This
is a wonderful addition to the series! I fell in love with Nicky in
the first book and he just gets better. Filled with humor and action.
Noah evolves in this story, his character grows into a more mature
yet still adorable sidekick to Nicky. They are perfect together, in
detective work and in family situations. I hope that there are more
to follow.” Crystals Many Reviewers
“This
book is a comic romp that simultaneously celebrates and lampoons a
mash-up of genres: the bloodless murders (in this case six) of Agatha
Christie and her ilk, the screwball movie mysteries of Nick and Norah
Charles (it's Nick and Noah here), and the simile-rich voice-overs of
film noir-- all updated for a gay context.” Elisa Rainbow, Rainbow
Awards
About the Author:
Bestselling
author Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite Mystery, Humorous, and
Contemporary Author of 2015 by the readers of Divine Magazine for
Drama Queen.
He also wrote the other novels in the Nicky and Noah mystery series:
Drama Muscle
and Drama Cruise
(Lethe Press); In My Heart/An
Infatuation & A Shooting
Star, A
Home for the Holidays, The
Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland
(Dreamspinner Press); Cozzi Cove:
Bouncing Back, Cozzi
Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out
Cozzi Cove series (NineStar Press);
Paper Doll, Porcelain
Doll, Satin
Doll, China
Doll, Rag
Doll (The Wild Rose Press) Jana
Lane mysteries; and The
Nutcracker and the Mouse King
(Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting
roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce
Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason
Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a
college in upstate New York, and is happily married. Joe was voted
2nd
Place for Best MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’
Choice Awards for 2015, and has won many Rainbow Award Honorable
mentions including for Drama
Muscle. Upcoming novels are
Drama Luau
(fourth Nicky and Noah mystery) and Cozzi
Cove: New Beginnings (fourth
Cozzi Cove beach novel, NineStar Press).
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Amazon:
Author.to/JoeCosentino
Excerpt
of DRAMA CRUISE, the third Nicky and Noah mystery by Joe Cosentino,
Lethe Press
Noah
and I left the lounge and took the all-glass elevator down to the
main
level,
marveling at the enormous circular marble stairway opposite us.
Noah
took my hand and squeezed it. “I’m so glad we’re doing this,
Nicky.”
“Whatever
floats your boat,” I replied kissing his cheek.
Kissing
my sideburn, Noah replied, “You
float my boat.”
I
grabbed his bottom as we came out of the elevator. “I wonder what
happened
to Jeff. We need the star’s confidant character.”
“He
probably hasn’t gotten his sea legs yet,” Noah replied with
compassion
as
usual. “We can check on him later.”
We
looked at the various stores, restaurants, and four-piece wind
orchestra
serenading
us.
“What
do you want to do now?” Noah asked.
“You
know what I want
to do.”
I put my arm around Noah’s welcoming
shoulders.
“However, I told Martin we would meet him and Ruben at the pool.”
Noah
sighed in ecstasy. “Ah, whiling away the afternoon at the pool. I
could
get
used to this, Nicky.”
We
walked up the grand staircase, which rivaled the set from Gone
with
the
Wind. In our cabin,
we changed into bathing suits—form-fitting for Noah
and
baggy for me. After a quick elevator ride down, Noah and I sat
poolside.
We
marveled at the azure sky morphing into the aqua ocean rolling away
to the
turquoise
pool, all reflected in Noah’s gorgeous eyes.
Noah
held my hand. “I feel like I’m in heaven, Nicky.”
“Wherever
you are is heaven for me.” I kissed his hand.
“Can
we stay here forever?” Noah asked as he settled deeper into his
overstuffed
chaise.
I
sipped my lemonade. “Enjoy it now. Treemeadow College owns us come
September.”
“And
don’t you forget it.” Martin Anderson served us a late afternoon
snack
of
triple decker grilled veggie sandwiches with sweet potato fries and
spinach
salad
from the outdoor buffet. Short, thin, and pushing seventy, my mentor,
department
head, and best friend sat on the chaise lounge next to me and
motioned
for his husband to join him on the next chaise. Ruben Markinson,
the
CEO of a large gay rights organization and Martin’s taller half,
followed his
husband’s
prompting.
“Don’t
you two look spiffy?” I said like a teenage son with his parents on
the
beach.
“What
a change to be out in the sun. It’s glorious!” said Martin.
“Amen,”
added Ruben.
Martin
said, “Though we had to spend a half hour putting on sunscreen.”
Noah
and I grinned at Martin and Ruben’s matching attire: enormous
beach
hats, floor-length white terry cloth robes, and fluffy slippers.
“Is
your cabin all right?” asked Noah, always concerned about others.
“How
was lunch in the dining room?” I asked, pulling out Noah’s nuts
(the
nuts
on his salad—since he’s allergic).
Martin
waved our questions away like mosquitoes at a picnic. “Everything
is
fine.” His brown eyes doubled in size as he unleashed them behind
his giant
sunglasses.
“Tell me about the rehearsal.” As producer, Martin was in charge
of
approving our contracts with the cruise line and securing our
costumes and
props
for the dinner theatre production. However, as always, Martin’s
main
interest
was gossip.
I
answered, “Noah is terrific as Cheyenne’s young paramour.
Cheyenne is
the
perfect temptress of mystery.”
Martin
put his small hand over my mouth. “I’m sure everyone is
wonderful.”
He
slid to the edge of his chaise. “I want the dirt. How are the cast
members
getting
along…or not getting
along?”
When
I hesitated, Ruben said, “You’d better tell him, Nicky. If you
don’t,
this
trip will be hell for me. Besides, you know he’ll get it out of you
sooner or
later
anyway. So let’s make it sooner and enjoy the beautiful day.” He
winked at
Martin.
0 comments:
Post a Comment