Apidae by Xenia Melzer (Arthropoda #3)

Title: ⟫ Apidae

Author: ⟫ Xenia Melzer

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ No good deed—or good record of solving crimes—goes unpunished.

Detectives Andi Hayes and George Donovan of the Charleston PD are on vacation. Or at least they are until they are called back for an emergency: find Chief Norris’s missing son.

Fortunately, Andi’s insect spies lead him right to little Tyler Norris, who is safe and sound.

Unfortunately, along with the chief’s son, they find twenty-five corpses, victims of a serial killer who’s gone unnoticed for over a decade.

Chief Norris promptly cancels Andi and George’s vacation and assigns them as lead detectives on the case. Physical evidence leads them to a mental health facility where some of the victims received treatment, but Andi’s gift—his usual secret weapon—fails him. Promising leads and shady suspects all turn out to be dead ends, and they’re running out of time. Because the killer isn’t going to stop at twenty-five victims—and Tyler Norris has just gone missing again….

Review: ⟫ This book took things in a direction that I truly wasn’t expecting and I’m still not sure how I feel about it.

By now, the relationship between Andi and George is becoming more complex – so much so, that they are attending the equivalent of couple’s meditation classes and George has pretty much moved in. And yet, there is still nothing physical between them. Well, initially at least.

This look into the private life of Chief Norris could have gone in so many different directions and I was delighted with where it went. It was nothing at all that I was expecting and yet perfect.

The addition of more people to their ‘team’ was intriguing – after all, so much of what makes them a success in solving crimes is working together and hiding Andi’s secret How were they going to be able to continue doing that when they were working with so many other people?

Once again, the murder mystery was an important part of the story, but ultimately this was about relationships, finding out that you’re not alone, and bringing Andi and George to a larger area. And I was all the way here for it. It’s so difficult to review this book without spoiling things and I appreciate the ability to get into this without knowing too much because it made the impact of the things that happened that much more special.

I am sad that this is the last book in the series so far, but feel really lucky to be able to immerse myself in George and Andi’s world for three books in one go. Really chuffed that I got to read this ARC and can only be pleasantly surprised that Xenia Melzer is managing to make these books more and more special the further along we go.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Eruca by Xenia Melzer (Arthropoda #2)

Title: ⟫ Eruca

Author: ⟫ Xenia Melzer

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ There is no crime without witnesses

When Detective George Donovan and his eccentric partner, Detective Andi Hayes, need a break from their gruesome job, a hike seems like just the thing.

Unfortunately, the job catches up with them when they find three dead men in a lake.

When the promising clues dry up, George and Andi turn once more to Andi’s “gift”—but this time things aren’t so easy. Andi’s mysterious talents are growing stronger, making it harder to block out the barrage of information and taking a toll on his physical and mental health. The cryptic clues his informants offer are even more bizarre than the case itself. And the more they discover about the victims, the more uncomfortable the investigation becomes.

Torn between catching a killer and serving justice, between George’s career and Andi’s sanity, the detectives have their work cut out for them if they’re going to solve these murders.

Review: ⟫ Book two in the series, and the relationship between George and Andi is growing closer – through necessity, George often takes care of Andi and it’s this that forms the backbone of the story. Yes, it’s another murder mystery,with twists and turns aplenty along with hassle from the chief, but it’s the growing partnership that is the real story.

Andi is learning to rely on George and is alternately terrified/pleased. He doesn’t want to turn out like his grandmother – bitter, alone and unloved – but at the same time, George isn’t planning on staying in Charleston and what happens to Andi when George leaves?

George is beginning to realise that what he feels for Andi is more than a traditional partnership, and if that’s the case, how does he leave? But if he doesn’t leave, does that mean giving up on the career he’s spent his life working on?

Eruca is a very strong follow-up to the first story in the series, building on the strong foundation and bringing the reader further into Andi’s world. His relationships with Shireen and Evangeline, the way his gift is changing, and George all make for a fascinating read. Again, this is a book you need to concentrate to read and it is so intriguing seeing further into Andi’s gift and how it’s manifesting and changing. The frustration of wanting the two men to talk to each other is actually mitigated by the fact that they both have really good reasons for not talking – how do you define a relationship like theirs?

I adore when George talks to his brother and must admit, I would love to see what’s happening in his life. I can’t say I mowed through this book but that’s because I would sometimes go back and reread some bits to be sure I’d picked everything up. I really enjoyed reading this and was pleased to know that I didn’t have to wait for book #3.

Arthropoda by Xenia Melzer (Arthropoda #1)

Title: ⟫ Arthropoda

Author: ⟫ Xenia Melzer

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ An Andi Hayes Murder Mystery

Detective George Donavon doesn’t plan to stay in Charleston long. Skeptical and by-the-book, he’s on the fast track to the top, and he won’t let anything derail his career. Especially not Andrew Hayes, his grumpy, awkward new partner—and not the chief’s secret order to find out how said partner solves even the most difficult cases.

George and Andi can’t agree on anything except their mutual dislike, but when three dead girls turn up at a storage unit, they must put their differences aside before the suspected trafficking ring claims another victim.

There is no crime without witnesses. Andi knows George suspects his always-right “hunches” point to corruption, but he doesn’t care. All that matters is catching a killer… and keeping his secret. But with leads on this sprawling conspiracy drying up, he has no choice. He just can’t let his partner find out how he’s getting the information.

Andi’s on the verge of losing his life, his mind, and his career. He could take George down with him…

If the violent criminals who are always one step ahead don’t get to them first. 

Review: ⟫ I picked this book up because GRR were offering the third book in the series as an ARC and I like to try to read any previous titles, and I am so glad that I did.

Firstly, I would say that the ‘romance’ takes a very back seat in the series, an is non-existent in the first book. This is a police procedural with a supernatural twist and it would be unfair to judge it as anything else.

George Donavon has a very clear career tragectory in mind and Charleston is a small step on the ladder to success. His new chief asks him for a favour and there’s no reason for him to say no – and it always helps to have people owing him favours.

This favour means that he looks into his partner perhaps a little closer than he might have otherwise, and thus begins his complete and utter fascination with Andrew Hayes.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Andi, but his secret actually completely blew my mind. Like, how wasn’t he completely and utterly insane? The plot moved swiftly, was well written and the growing professional relationship between George and Andi was really interesting and I found myself completely hooked. It is an intense read and you have to concentrate so that you don’t miss things, so much so that it wasn’t until near the end that I realised that there really hadn’t been anything resembling romance in the story at all. I loved it – was absolutely fascinated, and extremely pleased to realise that there were two more books just waiting for me.

I would say go into it with an open mind and be prepared to be thrown off track, confused and then obsessed with this series.