The Bar Watcher

GAY MYSTERY NOVELS

# 3 OF THE DICK HARDESTY SERIES

THE BAR WATCHER
DORIEN GREY

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Reviewers' Comments:

THE BAR WATCHER
by Dorien Grey
reviewed by Denise Pickles, Mary Martin Book Shop, www.marymartin.com.au/crisep.html

September 9 2004

It was a pleasure for me to be able to renew my acquaintance with the writing of Dorien Grey as well as his gay protagonist, Dick Hardesty, so soon after reading THE BUTCHER'S SON.

Dick Hardesty quit his employment with the public relations company for which he was working in THE BUTCHER'S SON. Now he has set himself up in business as a private investigator - he enjoys solving puzzles. His personal life leaves a lot to be desired, as he frankly admits to his readers. He is going through his 'slut phase', sleeping with anyone who attracts him even though he may not remember their name the next time they meet.

While business is gradually picking up, in large part because of referrals from the Bar Guild, who had benefitted from his work in the first novel, Hardesty still has plenty of free time on his hands. When Barry Comstock, owner of the bath house Rage and sometime pornographer and actor, contacts Dick, requesting his help with an unspecified problem, the investigator is happy to assist.

Once Dick actually meets Comstock, he is rather less happy. The Rage owner is a rude, unpleasant and intolerant fellow. He has been receiving threatening 'bitch' letters. He needs to know the identity of the writer and prevent threats to his precious person becoming a reality.

Hardesty is called upon by Comstock's lawyer partner to investigate a murder. Not long thereafter another murder, similar to the first, in which a gay man who has been extremely unpleasant to gays is the unhappy corpse, occurs. While the investigator is not unhappy to have such men removed from the community, he is less than content at the means by which they have been eliminated.

Dick meets Jared, a delivery man of superb appearance as well as brain - he is working on his Ph. D. thesis. Jared offers his help in the investigation as he is in a position to question bar staff all over the town. Jared offers other services - although not a relationship - as well, and Dick accepts all offers.

As the body count mounts, it becomes obvious to Dick that someone is present in bars when some men are made the butts of others cruelty as the murder victims are always people of a similar stamp to Comstock, who just happen to exhibit their sadistic tendencies in crowded bars. But how will Hardesty sort through the crowds of gay men in order to arrive at the perpetrator?

The reader needs to have a sharp eye to discern the murderer in this opus. There are, be warned, red herrings swimming through the plot. Grey does nothing to decrease my admiration for his inventiveness and writing ability. His characterisation is, once again, eminently credible and his ability to include shocks is undiminished. Once more, a word of warning: be prepared for scenes of explicit sex - although one supposes that modern readers are well equipped to cope with these regardless of their own orientation.

One trusts 'Mr. Grey' has many more plots in store for mystery fans.

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The pseudonymous Dorien Grey continues his string of winners with a new murder mystery, The Bar Watcher, another in his Dick Hardesty series. This time Hardesty is confronted with a slew of mysterious murders taking place in and around the gay bar scene.
One murder is enough, but when Hardesty is suddenly confronted by several, and then starts seeing connections among them, he swings into action in a well-written, quick paced novel that you won't want to put down. When he finally figures out the surprise identity of the serial murderer-- and his motives--it's almost too late. But once again he gets through the scrape with his neck still attached to his head somehow.
The Bar Watcher sports the same kind of lively writing that Grey gave to his previous two novels in this series, The Butcher's Son and The 9th Man. Well worth the read---and the ride!
Christopher Todd, The Letter (Louisville)

Dorien Grey has done it again! The Bar Watcher is the third in this exciting series of thrillers featuring the amiable Dick Hardesty. Grey's characters continue as entertaining and credible as those found in his two previous works. Many of the old company as well as many of the old familiar haunts reappear here in this narrative. Hardesty and his chums are a likeable lot; it is like watching old friends to read another in the series. The Bar Watcher is a fast paced, action filled tale filled with duplicity, characters you love to hate, and others you have to like in spite of themselves.
Writer Grey has again brought us one of his excellent ‘grab the reader from the opening line and hold them tight right down to the last paragraph' works. Dialogue between the characters is fluid, filled with tumult and plausible. The promise of the narrative is fulfilled by Grey's attention to detail. The reader comes away with a sense of having been in Hardesty's neighborhood, and working right alongside Hardesty as he unravels this baffling case.
Watch those red herrings. Writer Grey has moved beyond crafty and is getting down right sneaky in his presentation of those little roadblocks! Happy to know Dorien is already working on the next in the series. Keep 'em coming! Excellent read, highly recommended.

--- m.j.hollingshead, www.angelfire.om/ok4/mollymartin

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All of us have read books by authors who suffer from 3rd Book Boring Syndrome. For those of you who have been lucky enough to escape exposure to this up until now, allow me to explain.
Frequently, an author becomes extremely popular after their first book. The publisher quickly rushes the second book into print, and general consensus of the reading public is that this new book, though entertaining, doesn't live up to the potential established in the first. In an effort to hopefully stave off the rush of extra copies to the bargain bins of the chains, the publisher shoves yet another book onto an unsuspecting public. This usually tanks due to an incredibly boring plot or a general feeling of having been rushed
. Don't believe me? Caleb Carr's follow-up to The Alienist, entitled The Angel of Darkness, didn't reach NEAR the sales of the first. We won't even discuss the 3rd Book Boring entitled Killing Time, an appropriate title if ever there was one. Examples abound. However, a truly talented writer such as Patricia Cornwell, Virginia Lanier or Robert Parker can usually avoid such a trap. I'm pleased to be able to add another name to that list.
Dorien Grey brings back his protagonist Dick Hardesty in The Bar Watcher (GLB Publishers, ISBN #1-879194-79-1) for his third foray into the mystery world (see his previous appearances in The 9th Man and The Butcher's Son, both published by GLB Publishers) and once more hits the ball out of the park. Dick Hardesty is up to his eyebrows in trouble again. A local gay bathhouse, known for it's discrimination against people who don't fit the runway model or gym bunny type, becomes a murder scene when the former porn-star-turned-owner is found dead. Not that he'd be missed much, judging from his reputation as being something of a jerk, to put it politely. Hardesty is hired by one of the co-owners to investigate the murder.
When other contemptible gay men start getting offed around town, Hardesty starts to see a connection between the crimes…or is there? His own judgment is a bit clouded, as his hormones are currently running his life. How do you solve crimes when you can't decide which of the three men you're having sex with you actually want? Hardesty calls in one of these partners, a beer delivery driver (and darn good in bed) to help him keep tabs on the local bars. When said driver becomes a major suspect, Hardesty realizes he's going to have to put the testosterone on hold if he intends to survive his investigation.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Dorien Grey is without a doubt one of, if not THE, best gay mystery author to appear in a very long time. Once again the mystery is incredibly well crafted and flows with considerable ease. This is yet another of his books to be thoroughly consumed, whether you are gay or straight. Hardesty is one of the most likable protagonists to come along in ages, and Grey infuses him with a sense of humor and hysterical outlook that are not to be missed. If you're a mystery fan, do not miss the opportunity to discover Dorien Grey.
GLB Publishers has succeeded in bringing to readers' attention a very talented writer who definitely is worth the discovery. The Bar Watcher not only escapes 3rd Book Boring Syndrome, it also cements Grey's reputation as an extremely able mystery author who is certain to see much success in the future.

--- Jay Hartman, Reviewer, www.knowbetter.com

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Someone is "taking out the garbage" of the gay community, targeting the gratuitously cruel and unkind. Though Dick strongly empathizes with the killer, he is hired to find him, leading him through a maze of suspects, clues, and red herrings. Number 3 in the Dick Hardesty series sees our gay private investigator hard at work solving another case of a serial killer targeting the gay community.
Dick's humorous monologues are as enjoyable as always. Three of my favorites were: "There's a definite difference between having a big prick and being one, but in Comstock's case he qualified in both," and "What could be bought for a song ten years ago would now require a full-scale opera." And when Dick chastised himself for talking to his body parts, "Jeezus, how many people do you know who have conversations with their crotch?"
As would be expected, there are links between this story and those that have gone before. Most are very welcome. Dick's circle of friends, his job and the area where he lives and works. However, one connection I wanted to see, news of Ed Greyley from The 9th Man, was totally absent. Even a clue would have been nice.
I know it's deliberate that we don't know what Dick looks like. Though I'm not sure why we don't know. Mostly it's fun to guess. As Dick is often hit on, he's obviously attractive.
Murders are not the only deaths which take place. The increasing number of people dying from the as then unknown AIDS is an ominous dark spectre that haunts these pages. I commend Grey for his treatment of this subject. Dick's sense of helplessness, anger at the lack of action by the authorities and gay community leaders, strikes exactly the right note.
For me, the ending was more satisfying than in The 9th Man. It's difficult to say why without giving away details. All I can do is urge the reader to buy this book so they can see what I mean.
Review by British Bull Dog

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