This is the 3rd book in the Detective Heath Barrington Mystery series. I have not read the previous two books, but that did not hinder my understanding of this book. It is 1947 Heath and his partner, Alan are planning a relaxing weekend away in Chicago, but rather than relaxation they find a dead body at the Edmundson Hotel. Local police feel this is a random killing, but Heath feels this was planned murder and he is going to prove it. The author was quite good and giving the 1947 vibe which I totally appreciated. I am giving this a 3.5 star review rounded to 4.

I really enjoyed this story. It is nice to see Heath and Alan as an established couple managing to sustain their secret relationship.

In this story, a weekend trip to Chicago turns into a murder mystery weekend when a local tailor is murdered. Mr Blount is no ordinary tailor though and Heath and Alan manage to solve the mystery despite the ham handedness of the local police.

The story is set in the 1940's and the author's storytelling took me right back to the 1940's and I could see the live bands, dancing and fashion styles of that time in my mind. It made it a very pleasurable reading experience.

This is the third book in the series and my favourite so far. The big reveal at the end reminds me of the big reveals of Hercule Poirot and Ms Marple and I like that style of mystery.

All in all this is a solid murder mystery which kept me guessing until the end. I had my suspicions but it was so good not to know who did it until the story told me.

I am looking forward to the next one. I think this is a good series with a solid detective couple who care for each other even if the time they live in does not care for them. Role on the next book!

Copy provided by Bold Stroke Books via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

When I first started I didn't realize this was the second book in a series. that being said it read well as a stand alone. It was an quick read and an enjoyable mystery.

The third book in A Detective Heath Barrington Mystery Series is probably the most romantic sequel until now. Ironically, it is probably the reason why this sequel is the most difficult to rate for me. Because even if I enjoyed the writing style and the old-fashioned atmosphere of the criminal novel that David S. Pederson masters perfectly, his attempt to bring more romantic mood in the plot failed.

In the third book we accompany Heath Barrington and his friend police officer Alan Keyes on their private trip to Chicago. They need time for themselves. Sightseeing and clubbing in the most upbeat locations Chicago are on the program. They enjoy their time, get to know new people, strike up new friendships. Nothing else really happens in the first part of the book.

At around 50% a sightseeing weekend turns into a work for Heath, he and his friend become involuntary participants of a insidious murder. It is where the mystery investigation a là Agath Christi (again) begins. And where David S. Pederson is good at. As well as at the final match: a classic salon mystery ending. All characters are gathered together and our Hercule Poirot Heath Barrington presents us a murderer on a serving tray.

All in all it was a good crime novel if you enjoy this kind of classic murder mystery. My complaints are the dialogues between Heath and Alan. The kind of private conversation you won't to be a witness of. Yes, it is an old-fashioned style mystery, but the main characters are not THAT old to talk THIS way, and it is not Victorian England, but just Chicago in 1947. The two talk like they are at least 80 year old, married for 50 years and still don't know each other at all. Very awkward.



Probably a good example that not every mystery with gay characters necessarily has to be a MM Romance.

Death Checks In transported me to a giant game of clue and I was entertained. I love that this book is set in the past as it carries the air of formality in the vein of Mad Med. I love our protagonists and the development of their relationship. I'm looking forward to other books by this author.

Death Checks In by David S. Pederson is the third book in this series but I will say that because I did not read the other two, I did not feel that I missed anything other than maybe a few minor detail about the protagonists. This is a story about a couple who want to get away for a few days. Heath Barrington, a Detective and his partner, Alan Keyes travel to Chicago in 1947 and rwas Alize very quickly it is not going to be peaceful and quiet as they had hoped. As the story gets to a slow start we do get to a point where Victor Blount, a store owner, is found murdered. Of course Heath must investigate. It is at this point that book picks up pace and becomes more interesting. You learn little of the partnership between the gay couple ohe than their life seems like a dull married couple. I am not sure if that is what the author intended and then wanted the murder mystery to spice it up..... Either way I would say this story was good but not great. I would like to read another one of Pedersons books to see if the problem actually lies with me, which very well could be the case.

Thank you to the author as well as netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.


3 stars ⭐️ Out of 5

I did not care for this one. I didn’t read the first two as I didn’t realize this story was part of a series, but I don’t think I will be reading the others. I liked the mystery portion and investigation. I didn’t like that the sex/intimacy portions were off page. I wanted that closeness as they feel more like best buddies other than lovers.

Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this book. It's a murder mystery that's very entertaining and a good read. I understand that the book is one of three but one can read it as a stand alone. It was my first but not my last book of this author. I loved the twist at the end of the story where the detective figured out the suspect

This is book 3 of a murder mystery series, but it reads perfectly as a stand alone.

Set in 1947, two gay detectives plan a weekend away where they can relax their guard and enjoy each other's company. What struck me right away is how the two men speak to each other. It's early, post WWII, so the dialogue sounds old fashioned to someone reading from the 21st century. Because there's no outward shows of affection - there can't be, in that day and age - the two men come across as very good friends as opposed to appearing as a couple. I found this whole setup fascinating yet sad compared to the world we now live in.

Nearing the halfway point of the book the murder mystery kicks in and the detectives scramble to solve the case. Working outside of their jurisdiction, they gather a handful of suspects and aim to eliminate them one by one. I can't say I was too surprised by the reveal, but I sure enjoyed the journey to it.

Honestly,this reads as more of a classic than a modern murder mystery. It surprised me with it's tone and setting.

Hi, I'm really sorry, but the 'bruck bruck' part of this tale nearly caused me to lose the will to live. Seriously? Thanks for allowing me to try it, but I can't finish it and I don't think a DNF review would be fair.

Detective Heath Barrington and Alan Keyes are in Chicago for a sightseeing weekend and encounter a crime while staying at the Edmundson Hotel. Store owner Victor Blount is killed and while the Chicago police believe this to be a random crime, Barrington is convinced it is premeditated murder and get involved in the case.

I enjoyed the first two books in the Detective Heath Barrington Mystery series - Death Comes Darkly and Death Goes Overboard - where in each story, the suspects are a ready-made group, i.e. family members brought together to an isolated country estate or people on a weekend cruise aboard a small steamer. In "Death Checks In," the author needs to first gather a random group of suspects (the hotel's assistant manager, a band singer and her partner, a female traveler staying at the hotel, etc.) and therefore the murder doesn't occur until 40% through the novel.

The pace feels very slow until the murder mystery kicks in and then the story moves along nicely as the mystery (and the resolution) really held my interest. Where the book doesn't work for me is in the area of character development of the main characters as well as the supporting characters. We learn little about Heath and Alan's relationship and their dialogue feels very stilted throughout. Any sex happens off-page; that is not to say I feel the story <i>needs</i> graphic sex, but there is little tangible chemistry between the two and at times they read more like work friends than romantic partners.

Finally, since both Alan and Heath are Milwaukee law enforcement officers, it just feels like a real stretch that a Chicago detective would let them have as much input into a case that is out of their jurisdiction.

While I enjoyed the mystery here, the lack of depth in the characters and the awkward dialogue throughout didn't work for me. Also the pace of the story is elegiac until the mystery begins. 3 stars for "Death Checks In" but I am looking forward to the next Detective Heath Barrington mystery.

Chicago, 1947. Milwaukee Detective, Heath Barrington and partner, Alan Keyes, are taking a long weekend holiday in the Edmonton Hotel. It will be a chance to be away from prying eyes and to be just “…two fellas out on the town having a gay old time”.

Unfortunately, the holiday takes a less than romantic turn when the creepy Victor Blount, gentleman’s outfitter, is found murdered.

Barrington and Keyes have met all the suspects, apart from the random burglar-murderer favoured by Detective Wilchinski of the local police. Barrington works it all out, and the denouement comes at a gathering in the hotel ballroom.

This is the third in the series about a pair of gay policemen in post-WW2 America. I read and greatly enjoyed the second, “Death Goes Overboard”, but felt this one was less successful.

The murder took a long time in coming, just over 40% through, and not all of the lead up was very informative or interesting. There is not much by way of development in Barrington and Keyes’ romantic relationship, although there is nothing wrong with the fact that they come over as a rather dull, established “married” couple. The mystery element is untaxing and Keyes should not have found the solution unduly surprising.

Overall, a quick read, light in romance and mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the digital review copy.