Fatal Shadows
Contemporary Mystery, Amateur Sleuth

One sunny morning Los Angeles bookseller and aspiring mystery author Adrien English opens his front door to murder. His old high school buddy (and employee) has been found stabbed to death in a back alley following a loud and very public argument with Adrien the previous evening.

Naturally the cops want to ask Adrien a few questions; they are none too impressed with his answers, and when a few hours later someone breaks into Adrien's shop and ransacks it, the law is inclined to think Adrien is trying to divert suspicion from himself.

Adrien knows better. Adrien knows he is next on the killer's list.

Read the excerpt

"I love humor in a story and I found this to be a fast, fun, and witty mystery. There is a bit of sex in this story, but it doesn’t dominate the book. This is truly a mystery with some romantic and sexual overtones. I enjoyed this book and characters so much, that I’ll be reading the next two in the series. I can’t wait to see what, if anything, happens between Adrien and Jake."
S.A. McDermott for Rainbow Reviews

"I was so taken with the end of this book that I immediately picked up the second and started it, and believe me, it’s even more delightful. I can’t say too much because it would utterly ruin the ending of this one. I think you’ll like these books… very much! "
Squashduck Reviews

"Funny, filled with great thumbnail characterizations...a thoroughly satisfying read."
Eden Embler, I Love a Mystery

"Even though this is a gay mystery, the sexuality angle is not in your face. It's a mystery about people who care about one another and how evil can live and fester before it manifests itself. The narrative flows smoothly; the characters are well developed. And the ending was absolutely perfect." 
Maddy Van Hertbruggen, AboutMystery.com 

"Josh Lanyon writes spare, fluent prose and the dialogue rings true. The plot is quite involving and readers will be intrigued by a budding relationship which, amateur sleuth that I am, I suspect may develop in future books of the series."  
Marian Hussenbux, I Love A Mystery"Josh Lanyon is one of those authors who, regardless of the story, always tells a captivating tale that draws the reader right in. In A Vintage Affair I was quite surprised at the turn taken fairly early on but then that Ìs one of the things I enjoy when reading anything by Josh Lanyon; definitely a twist or two to keep the reader eagerly engaged."

May 2012, Just Joshin'
Trade paperback
Amazon
CreateSpace

2007, MLR Press
Trade paperback
Revised.
ISBN: 0-979-31104-7

Fatale Schaduwen
(Dutch edition of
Fatal Shadows)
2011, Merc Books
E-book
Buy this book

COLLECTIONS


The Adrien English Mysteries
2007, Loose Id
ISBN: 978-1-59632-465-7
E-book edition
Revised.
Comprisng "Fatal Shadows" and "A Dangerous Thing."

2000, Gay Men's P:ress
Trade paperback
First edition
ISBN: 1902852095
Out of print.

2006, JoshLanyon.com
Revised pdf edition.
Out of print.