I think if you are a fan of black and white films you should probably enjoy it much more.

An old fashioned mystery, easy to follow, that though partly tends to be stilted.

A complex plot and a well paced story but I just didn’t warm to the characters. This is set in the 1940’s and being gay is something you get blackmailed for. Detective Barrington is being blackmailed and is unsure how to proceed in a way that saves his job, his lover but still stops the criminal. The developments are all credible and the ancillary characters are excellent and the ending is well drawn. I couldn’t put my finger on what I felt was missing but maybe I couldn’t identify with the period or the place. I would certainly give David Pederson another try as his writing is faultless.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Fantastic!!!

Detective Heath finds himself embroiled in a mysterious case of murder of a man who was blackmailing him. Desperate to uncover the truth, protecting his own secrets, Heath is out to prove he is innocent. Piecing together the clues, with Alan’s help they eventually discover that some of the suspects aren’t all they seem, and that this murder is indeed more mysterious than they could have imagined.

This was brilliant! The mystery and the thrill of the plot made for a most exciting crime read with lots of clues and all that charm of the 1940s detective mystery scene. I adored the narrative and the air surrounding the story, especially where Health and Alan’s personal lives were concerned. They very much had to hide all they were to one another but the reader caught glimpses and got to intimately experience some of these moments when the two of them were alone.

Death Overdue is the fifth book in the A Detective Heath Barrington Mystery series and as this was my first. I don’t usually read Male loving Male fictions, so this was also a first for me but I am totally sold on this series. I very much loved it and found myself gripped not only by the exciting plot but also the charming characters. And this also had a little women loving women hint too which was a nice surprise. All of the characters each brought their own unique personality to the story and charmed me in their own way.

Heath is a lovely character, so charming and charismatic. I believed him every step of the way, and he was smart in uncovering clues and piecing together bits of the mystery. He was tactful, very observant and picked up on hints and theories that I couldn’t have even guessed. It was just little things, but he didn’t disappoint in adding a touch of class to this wonderful story.

I very much look forward to reading more in this series, and will definitely pick up the previous books to learn more about Heath and Alan. Definitely, a fan! You can really tell that David has put such effort into the character research and profiles, and even the plots, making you feel really personally connected. I really can’t recommend this enough and loved this story so much!

This is a most interesting addition to an enthralling series, featuring a gay detective and his policeman partner in late 1940's Milwaukee. Although this works fine as a standalone, I would urge readers to start with "Death Comes Darkly" and follow the developing story of Heath Barrington and Alan Keyes. It is good to see that books in the series have been nominated for LAMBDA Literary Awards and I hope that eventually the author will be a winner.

Here attempted blackmail features in Heaths"s life. This was a common and frightening theme in the lives of gay men. I remember how shocked I felt in the relatively liberated 1970's when it emerged after his death that a family friend who was an eminent legal and political figure, honoured by Queen Elizabeth II, had been blackmailed because of his sexuality.

When Heath's blackmailer is found murdered there are complicated situations and relationships to be investigated before a solution is found, a solution which many will find surprising.

Do read this thought-provoking novel. The historical setting is well-handled without overpowering the story, and the relationship between the two policemen continues to be sensitively and realistically-portrayed.

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

Pederson's latest book, set in Milwaukee in the late 1940's where homosexuality was still illegal, is his best to date. Detective Heath Barrington has a very personal stake in the case as the murder / mystery involves a man attempting to blackmail Heath over his relationship with Office Alan Keyes.

We really get a sense of how difficult it was to be a gay man in this period of time, always on guard and never sure of anyone's motivations. Heath inserts himself in the middle of a murder investigation where he needs to solve the case without making anyone in the department aware of the blackmail and why he is being targeted.

The author, as always, does an exceptional job with the time period and gives us all the little details that make 1948 spring to life. The characters here are nicely fleshed-out and we also get some insight into what life was like for queer women as well. The array of suspects keeps our interest as Heath works through the clues and slowly resolves the case, giving us a bittersweet ending.

This book works for me because we got a more personal view of Heath and Alan's relationship as well as a keen view of societal attitudes. 4.5 stars for "Death Overdue."

Part of the Detective Heath Barrington series set in Milwaukee 1947.
Heath is being blackmailed by the Police Station janitor Larry Crowe who had been married to Heath’s cousin Liz.
Larry is blackmailing Heath over his relationship with Alan Keyes - this would have been scandalous in the forties. He wants 500 dollars or else he will tell their secret.
Heath meets him on the Saturday afternoon afterwards he gets drunk , only coming round on the Sunday morning feeling awful and not remembering anything about the previous evening.
Alan phones to tell him that Crow is dead.
Heath and Alan set out to find the truth which hopefully means Heath didn’t kill him - luckily there’s are several other potential suspects, including Heath’s cousin Liz. and the local librarian.
Slow paced and old fashioned thriller , in step with the time it is set. The fear that homosexuals had of being discovered and outed is handled well.