A question about the Hilary Tamar books

[alias_sqbr]

So I just read Thus was Adonis Murdered and really enjoyed it except for the ending, which I found so deeply unpleasant I don't want to read any more of the series unless I can be sure the rest don't do anything similar. I know some of you have read them?

**** SPOILERS ***

So presumably none of the others will end EXACTLY the same way, because that wouldn't be much of a murder mystery series.

But they may do the same broad thing: Introduce characters whose lives are A Little Shocking And Unconventional but the main characters are fine with it, and that's all well and good until we get to the reveal where it turns out that Shocking Unconventionality led directly to the murder.

CSI did this constantly and I have very little patience for it, especially when the Shocking And Unconventional Thing That Leads To Murder is something like queerness.

I know there's other sympathetic queer characters in the book, and a vague queer vibe to the protagonists (especially Hilary) but the murderers are the only people actually in a same sex relationship and I just...really don't like the trope.

So, does it happen in the other books? Like, it turns out the murderer/victim dynamic was a result of being poly or trans or kinky or Secretly Jewish or something? It doesn't really help if it's like...innocent trans person is killed by mean bigot, they're still dead. The Weird Thing being something less connected to oppression like being a furry(*) or something is better but a warning would still be good.

(*)Trying to remember what the equivalent of furries was in the 80s/90s. I guess they did have furries, there just wasn't the internet to make them so visible. ...no self you do not want to look up the history of furries for a throw away example...

Comments

[skygiants]

The only other book where something similar to this happens is the last one, which is also the saddest one; it's not quite the same (there are several murders, and the one in question is accidental) but the chain of events and Tragic Misunderstandings is definitely tied in to the queerness of one of the major characters. But as far as I can remember The Shortest Way to Hades and The Sirens Sang of Murder should be perfectly fine!

[alias_sqbr]

That's really good to know, thank you!

EDIT: Would I be ok just reading those two? Eg there's no Unexpected Cliffhangers etc.

[skygiants]

Oh, absolutely. Each book is very much stand-alone.

[alias_sqbr]

That seemed likely but you never know! Thank you :)

[dalmeny]

Thanks, I had exactly the same question after reading the first one, and so hadn't started the second.

[alias_sqbr]

Glad to be of service :)