Marshall Thornton was one of our lovely guests recently! To hear his episode and learn more about his work, check out Episode 136: Enjoy What You Enjoy!

REVIEW

This book is the first in the Pinx Video Mystery series, and is a fun read, a murder mystery set against the backdrop of the LA Rodney King riots, and the first in a new series of Pinx Video mysteries.

Okay, those things sound as if they should be mutually exclusive, but bear with me. Noah is the engaging owner of Pinx Video, a store close to where the riots were taking place, but luckily, not close enough to be damaged by them. A distance acquaintance is not so lucky, however, so when his charred body is found in his burned out shop, the natural conclusion is to assume that he is an unfortunate victim of looters.

Set in the early 1990’s, when video stores were still thriving and LA is going to hell in a handcart, store owner Noah is too curious for his own good, but questions have to be answered, and he seems to be the only one wanting to answer them. Gradually, he uncovers a murky plot involving corrupt cops, redneck villains and a photographer blackmailing clients with kinky photographs. It’s all deliciously prurient and seedy, yet Noah seems coated with Teflon as he bravely asks searching questions to potentially lethal people.

I loved Noah’s private life, the support he has from friends as he continues to recover from his own tragedy, and the tight community surrounding him in Silver Lake. He is complimented by warm characters that don’t outshine him in any way, even though he is an unassuming hero; not too handsome, or too bright, just an everyday Joe trying to get by after the death of his partner. He is also like a dog with a bone when it comes to solving a mystery, and the way the author weaves the story around him, throwing up red herrings, tying together a potentially convoluted plot, makes for a page-turning read. The denouement is satisfying as well, balanced and not too “shock and awe.” I had kind of worked it out before that, but Noah’s journey to the truth was compelling and entertaining. I look forward to the next book in the series.

BLURB

It’s 1992 and Los Angeles is burning. Noah Valentine, the owner of Pinx Video in Silver Lake, notices the fires have taken their toll on fellow shopkeeper Guy Peterson’s camera shop. After the riots end, he decides to stop by Guy’s apartment to pick up his overdue videos, only to find Guy’s family dividing up his belongings. He died in the camera store fire—or did he? Noah and his downstairs neighbors begin to suspect something else might have happened to Guy Peterson. Something truly sinister.

The first in a new series from Lambda Award-winner Marshall Thornton, Night Drop strikes a lighter tone than the Boystown Mysteries, while bringing Silver Lake of the early 1990s to life.