Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Murder, magic and a day at the races…
The City of Astreiant is full of fair goers for the annual fair and the Dog Moon dog races are one of the main attractions.
So a young noble going spectacularly bankrupt in a way that results in rules changes and widespread anger, a couple of suspicious deaths and former soldier Philip Eslingen suddenly finding himself the owner of an unproven racing dog couldn’t be happening in a worse conjunction for Adjunct Point Nicolas Rathe.
Once again, lovers and partners Nico and Philip must navigate magic, murder, love and politics to save their beloved city from itself. Throw in new pet ownership and a job offer for Philip from Prince Coindarel in his new city guard and what more can their stars hold for them?
The Review
Before the tea is even warm, Adjunct Point Nicolas Rathe has his hands full. Newly appointed apprentice Lievreth Maeykin, working the night shift, has an important message for Rathe – the typical circular with the chief point seal and signature from Fair’s Point.
Aardre Beier is missing, and that’s not normal for this time of year. The phrases taken from the Pointswoman’s Handbook were formal. Rathe looks over the names of the friends-at-law and circumstances of the appeal for Beier.
The friends-at-law are all dog trainers or veterinarians, and their concern is not that Beier hasn’t been seen at the usual places, but that there were no broadsheets from the man in the moon-month before the Dog Moon races. That was worthy of notice, and of enough concern to have Chief Guillen Claes of Fairs Point have a circular drafted. Of course, this is also important enough to share with Rathe’s Chief Trijn of Point of Dreams.
The dog races are an important event at the Fairs, and so it’s it was strange that Beier is not to be found. The man is an eccentric rarity – a trained astrologer who has focused his skill on the art of dog racing. He casts veterinary horoscopes for breeders and trainers, and has published pamphlets on the fine art of handicapping.
Before Rathe knows it, Points woman Sohier shows up with the news of a body found at the Belles, a theatre that he and Enslingen have frequented in the past, where the doors have locks and not just curtains. Rathe is glad that the body was not found in a box they had used. Almendes the theatre doorkeeper of the Belles, explains the entire cleaning and closing process, and can’t see how someone would have snuck in.
The alchemist explains that there have been too many suicides in the last month and Fanier blames Matter of Malifiliatre. Malifiliatre had been grinding the Astreiant’s courts for almost a decade, since the last soueraine died childless.
The corpse at the Belles is Jero Corsten, a trainer and vet of the Yellow Dog. He poisoned himself before the great Fairs dog races. Wanting to claim the Corsten case, Rathe goes to Fairs to face the Chief of Fairs Guillen Caes.
Scott has penned another fascinating novel with Fairs Point. She goes deep into the subject of dog racing and all the expertise that goes into it. There are trainers, staff and owners that get involved in the races, and each plays a specific role. There are so many interesting ideas in this novel.
Nico and Phillip are fascinating characters, always leaving a little mystery about themselves. My curiosity is always piqued when it comes to Nicolas Rathe, as he never shares his astrological sign or horoscope with Phillip. Phillip is always reading his own signs and horoscopes from the broadsheets.
Even the little terrier Sunflower has his own horoscope. I really like that Sunflower was brought into this series. The little dog brings out a warmth between Phillip and Nico, a moment that touched the heart. The intimate relationship between Phillip and Nico grows a little more in each story.
I highly recommend Fair’s Point, part of Scott’s Astreiant series – with each new novel, this series reaches new heights. Start with Point of Hopes – it’s really worth reading to get to this point in understanding Nicolas Rathe and the charming Philip Enslingen.
Scott’s next novel is Point of Sighs. Review coming soon.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
