Phoenix Rising by Theo Fenraven

Title: Phoenix Rising
Author: Theo Fenraven
Cover Artist: Anne Cain
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Amazon:
Genre: Paranormal M/M, Mystery/Suspense
Length: novella/176 PDF pages
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Review Summary: An unexpectedly delightful shifter story which is steeped in Greek mythology but with a modern twist.

THE BLURB

New York City homicide detectives Artemis Gregory and Rachel Wayland are first on the murder scene of a beautiful young  gay man, the third victim of a serial killer dubbed the Moon Killer by the department. Their investigation leads them to Talis Kehk, charismatic lead singer of the rock group Phoenix Rising. As the next full moon approaches, Artemis and his partner uncover clues that lead straight to Talis—even as Talis, exhibiting behavior Artemis finds strange indeed considering the circumstances, uses every means possible to keep Artemis close.

Artemis could never fall in love with a murderer, could he? Innocent or not, Talis has a secret… and it’s about to change Artemis’s world forever.

THE REVIEW

How does a homicide detective deal with the fact that he could be involved with a murderer? That’s the question facing Artemis Gregory who, with his partner Rachel Wayland, is investigating three homicides of young gay men. According to Interpol these murders could be part of a string committed all over the world, which would mean that the perpetrator, called the “full moon killer” because he only killed his victims during the first night of the full moon, was a serial killer. The police report showed that all of the victims had sex with their killer before they died, but strangely there was no violence on their bodies other than a few scratches; also there was no motive. The only clue left at the scene of the last crime in addition to semen was a feather from no known bird. Most important, the medical examiner could not establish a cause of death.

Rock singer Talis Kehk, frontman for Phoenix Rising, was charming to Artemis when they met and seemed to have no concerns about being a murder suspect. He actively courted Artemis despite the fact that he had many secrets. Despite his job of being one of the lead detectives responsible for solving the case Artemis was drawn to Talis to whom he felt an overwhelming attraction. He was ripe for the plucking because at 33 he had no personal life and spent all of his time working which was the main reason his last lover broke up with him a few months ago. He was concerned that his feelings for Talis were compromising his professional ethics, however he didn’t have much time to reflect before he was kidnapped.

And what about the phoenix who had lived for a thousand years? I thought that Theo Fenraven did a great job bringing such a mythical being to life but you may have difficulty with a bird shifter.

The other characters who I thought deserved mention were Artemis’s female partner Rachel who was not portrayed as a bitch or something worse, as seems to be the norm more often than not in M/M romances. I loved how well crafted her character was and the camaraderie and humour between her and Artemis were evident as they were friends in addition to being partners. Also, I really liked Talis’s personal assistant Ammon, an unflappable individual who was fiercely loyal to his master and regarded the job of protecting him as his reason for being.

I think this is the first book that I have read by Theo Fenraven and I was engaged from beginning to end because of the author’s ability to thrust me into the story in a way that made me feel as if I were a part of it. I liked his writing which was very direct as he provided the facts about the case in a way that respected my ability to decipher them without a guidebook.  He  breathed new life  into a tale about a mythical creature that we’ve all probably read – a phoenix with tears that heal, who ultimately dies but was reborn from the ashes and flames. If you know your Greek mythology you will appreciate how the author took this story and gave it a modern twist by showing the personal conflicts experienced by Talis and Artemis and how they were resolved. I loved the rich prose and dialogue and cultural mosaic of the different countries especially Kathmandu, Nepal which brought another dimension to the story.

This book will be of interest to readers who can suspend disbelief because Phoenix Rising is steeped in mythology going back thousands of years, but the author was able to mix present day with ancient lore and make both resonate.

Note: There’s a scene with one of the protagonists having ritualistic sex with someone other than his intended lover, so if this sort of thing turns you off you may wish to pass on this book.

The  MCs were well crafted and sympathetic and I enjoyed both characters as they struggled with ethical decisions and choices, especially Talis who had a special purpose in life and was powerful beyond belief, but at the same time had the bittersweet knowledge of how fleeting his time and life were, which made him vulnerable. I would have rated this book higher but it seemed to me that the murder investigation became somewhat derailed after Artemis was kidnapped.

Definitely recommended.