Books like 'A Mean Season'
Readers who enjoyed A Mean Season by Marshall Thornton also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery romance mlm lgbtq crime sad whodunit hard-boiled
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The Magnolia Murders by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEverything old is new again in love and murder. Work together, live together, and play together is the name of the game for Royce Locke and Sawyer Key. But one of those things changes when Chief Mendoza taps Sawyer to lead the newly formed cold case unit. His first task: solve the Magnolia Murders that spanned three decades and suddenly stopped in 2000... -
![The Innocent by C.J. Bishop]()
The Innocent by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Clint and the boys “clean house” after discovering a small dangerous operation of child sex traffickers, they find themselves pulled into a nightmare of unparalleled proportions where children are nothing but “merchandise” and the depth of depravity and abuse reaches beyond human comprehension. Note: This is an M/M romance and should be read by readers 18yo and above only... -
![The Mystery of the Spirits by C.S. Poe]()
The Mystery of the Spirits by C.S. Poe
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAntique dealer Sebastian Snow and homicide detective Calvin Winter have been happily married for a year and a half. In that time, there’s been nary a mystery in sight, and for a recovering sleuth like Sebastian, nothing more compelling than the curiosities that pass through his shop is exactly the kind of life he needs... -
![Somebody to Cherish by April Wilson]()
Somebody to Cherish by April Wilson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTyler and Ian are embarking on their new venture as private investigators. After they solve their first case, they celebrate by taking a road trip to Key West. Their objective: fun and relaxation in the sun. Unfortunately, fate has something else in store for them. When a guest at the hotel where they're staying goes missing, they can't just sit by and do nothing... -
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![Shades of Darkness by Nicky James]()
Shades of Darkness by Nicky James
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSix years ago, an unforeseen incident turned Rory Gallagher’s life upside down. Now, he lives in darkness, fearing the sun, fearing light altogether. Rory has developed Heliophobia. As a creature of the night, Rory has learned to adapt to his unusual lifestyle. He draws comfort from shadows and safety from the nighttime hour... -
![The Evening Wolves by Gregory Ashe]()
The Evening Wolves by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEvery victory comes at a cost. The trail has gone cold. For months now, Emery Hazard and John-Henry Somerset have been trying to find something—anything—that might help them uncover the truth about the criminal organization operating out of the Cottonmouth Club. But every lead has turned out to be a dead end, and every step forward has cost them two steps back... -
![Good Vibes Only by Gregory Ashe]()
Good Vibes Only by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJust vibing. Good Vibes Only is a collection of short stories from Iron on Iron. It includes the “All the Feels” Jem and Tean get settled in their temporary new home. This story is set after The Face in the Water . “Add Me Back” Theo and Auggie (especially Auggie) spend time with their new friends. This story is set before The Girl in the Wind . “Adulting is Hard” North and Shaw are.. -
![Christmas Panther Style by Annabella Stone]()
Christmas Panther Style by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTheir world was turned upside down... With booms, kabooms, and bullets flying after a mad dash across continents on a rescue mission in a plane painted like Santa's sleigh. Join some friends old and new as they chase the enemy none of them ever wanted. One of their own... -
![Killer Honeymoon by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
Killer Honeymoon by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHoneymoon, happily ever after, and…homicide?Newlyweds, Royce Locke and Sawyer Key, embark on a honeymoon road trip where their biggest threat should be dodging drunk tourists on golf carts. But their arrival on South Bass Island lands them in the middle of a contentious battle between lifelong islanders and a property developer who won’t accept no for an answer... -
![Crocus by Amy Lane]()
Crocus by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSaying “I love you” doesn’t guarantee peace or a happy ending. High School Principal “Larx” Larkin was pretty sure he'd hit the jackpot when Deputy Sherriff Aaron George moved in with him, merging their two families as seamlessly as the chaos around them could possibly allow... -
![Suspicion by Eden Winters]()
Suspicion by Eden Winters
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLucky “Simon Harrison” Lucklighter left behind his criminal past to become one of the best agents in the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. He’s found a committed partner in fellow agent Bo Schollenberger and built a life. Now, enemies within the SNB and a friend’s betrayal leave him nowhere to turn—not even to his mentor. His boss’s life, the future of the SNB, and Lucky’s career depend on him... -
![Best Man by C.J. Bishop]()
Best Man by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSome are brothers. Some are friends. All are the best. As our couples turn to the special people in their lives who were there for them during the worst of the worst, and extend their honored requests, the Phoenix family begin to make room for a new member who may be holding back the truth of how badly he was abused. Note: This is an M/M romance and should be read by readers 18yo and above only... -
![School of Fish by Amy Lane]()
School of Fish by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJackson Rivers has been learning how to take care of himself so he can be there for Ellery Cramer, but after eight weeks of healing, body and soul, he’s itching to get back to work. Finally Ellery gives him a simple task: pick up a file on a kid who probably didn’t commit murder but who refuses to participate in his own defense.Nothing is ever that easy... -
![Fish in a Barrel by Amy Lane]()
Fish in a Barrel by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJackson and Ellery face their toughest case yet—against the criminal justice system itself.Jackson Rivers and Ellery Cramer have worked difficult jobs before, but usually it’s getting the facts that’s the problem. For their newest client, the trouble isn’t finding the truth—it’s corruption at the highest levels of the justice system... -
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![The Strangest Forms by Gregory Ashe]()
The Strangest Forms by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWatson is dead. Holmes is alone. And Jack is desperate.Sixteen-year-old Jack Moreno is managing to hold his life together. Barely. After a terrible car accident leaves his father unable to work, Jack makes ends meet by dropping out of school and covering his dad’s custodial shifts at a school for troubled teens, high in the Wasatch Mountains... -
![Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild by Gregory Ashe]()
Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“First Dates”A prequel to The Lamb and the Lion books, this short story shows Jem and Tean as they are set up on blind dates—with disastrous results.“Cheap Seats”Jem and Tean go to the movies. Jem insists it’s an epic bromance date. Tean insists they’re just casual acquaintances... -
![A Fault Against the Dead by Gregory Ashe]()
A Fault Against the Dead by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDrugs. Sex. Murder. And, if they can squeeze it in, graduation.When Auggie Lopez returns to Wahredua for his senior year of college, he’s excited about the future: he’s growing his brand as an influencer, he’s almost done with school, and he’s building a life with his boyfriend, Theo... -
![Boys' Night Out by Gianni Holmes]()
Boys' Night Out by Gianni Holmes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsZak After what happened to me, I just want to move on, live my life with my men. But sometimes to move forward, you must go back. Even when you don’t want to. Booker Everything should be fine. I have my two men. I have my club, but I don’t have peace of mind. What happened to Zak…I thought I could let it go. Turns out I was wrong. I want blood. I want my pound of flesh... -
![The Old Wheel by Gregory Ashe]()
The Old Wheel by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBlackmail. Breakups. Boys. Trouble always comes in threes.Life is different for Jack Moreno. Good. Definitely good. Well, better, anyway.He’s back in school (although classes are harder than he expected). And his dad is healthy (which means he’s worrying again about things like Jack’s curfew and, oh yeah, grades)... -
![The Death of Friends by Michael Nava]()
The Death of Friends by Michael Nava
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWinner of six Lambda Literary awards, the Henry Rios mystery series is iconic. Originally published during the darkest years of the AIDS epidemic in the gay community, The Death of Friends received extraordinary praise both as a mystery and an eloquent work of witness... -
![Deadly Lover: Special Edition by Jocelynn Drake]()
Deadly Lover: Special Edition by Jocelynn Drake
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNew Expanded Content for Deadly Lover!Justin Mallory is an assassin. But he’s really a good guy.He has years of bad decisions to make up for, starting with agreeing to join the CIA after being recruited out of the Marines. No reason to add more black marks to his soul.Now he chooses the jobs and he works always alone. It’s safer that way, and he can make sure the good guy always wins... -
![Gunnin' For Love by C.J. Bishop]()
Gunnin' For Love by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsClint and Axel’s new and vulnerable relationship is shaken to the core as Clint blames himself for Shay and Cory’s fate. Struck with the reality of his mistakes, Clint must make a choice that threatens to devastate Axel’s heart... -
![Malik's Redemption by Annabella Stone]()
Malik's Redemption by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEx- Mossad agent Malik Dahan has lived for years in the shadows, straddling the very fine line between his own moral code and the missions his assassin role required. Two years ago, refusing an order from Mossad's Operations Base near Glilot Junction on the west end of Tel Aviv put him on a collision course with Team Panther... -
![The Sheltering Tree by J.R. Lawrie]()
The Sheltering Tree by J.R. Lawrie
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe heart of Alastair Harding's life is his duty. Becoming the first gay chief of the Metropolitan police has required certain sacrifices, but Alastair made them willingly. If his life now lacks human connections, he can't exactly complain—and it's a little too late for regrets.Jay Fieldhouse knows all about sacrifice, too... -
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![Thunder and Lightning by Patricia Logan]()
Thunder and Lightning by Patricia Logan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJarrett Evans and Thayne Wolfe have been partnered in the ATF for nearly two years and their love and commitment to each other has grown over time. Now faced with one final challenge, the boys are headed to Arizona to help Thayne’s mom, stumbling headfirst into a brand new case... -
![Blue on Blue by Dal Maclean]()
Blue on Blue by Dal Maclean
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom Lambda Literary Award Finalist Dal Maclean After three years working as a private investigator, newly reinstated Detective Inspector Will Foster still holds himself responsible for the death of an officer under his command. But he’s returned to the Met bent on redeeming himself and that means bringing down gangland boss Joey Clarkson... -
![Wicked Games by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
Wicked Games by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRyder Jameson and Lucien Clarke have a complicated past: Ryder conserves art; Lucien steals it. Their love-hate relationship spans six years and two continents and has endured multiple heists. Hoping to restore his tarnished reputation, Ryder returns home to Cincinnati to accept a position at an acclaimed museum... -
![Beloved by the Boss by Leighton Greene]()
Beloved by the Boss by Leighton Greene
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsM/M Mafia Romance It’s good to be the Boss. That’s what I thought my whole life.Now I am the Boss. I’ll shoulder that responsibility with my beloved husband beside me. As long as I have Finch, I can handle whatever life throws at me.But what they say is true: Be careful what you wish for.My Family has been decimated. My allies are few. I’m holding onto power by a thread... -
![Rough by Reese Knightley]()
Rough by Reese Knightley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter circling around each other for so long, are they ready to take it to the next level? Mason can admit that he’s had the hots for rough and gruff Gage Hillcrest for well over a year now. Only Gage is bossy and overbearing as all hell. Not to mention that Gage is a closed book and Mason doesn’t know anything about the man... -
![Tied Up in Steele by Annabella Stone]()
Tied Up in Steele by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSteele Givens doesn’t do relationships and he knows better than to fall for a man he rescued during a CIA Operation; but then he’s never been a ‘follow the rules’ kinda man. He always swore he’d never drag someone he cared about into a world of danger. But what do you do, when danger stalks him anyway? Kalon Roberts wanted to move on. He’s done with danger and Black Ops Operators... -
![Dax by Silvia Violet]()
Dax by Silvia Violet
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTravis is my friend's little brother.I'm supposed to keep him safe. To be a man he can trust. But I haven't seen him in years.When he turns up hurt and needing a place to stay, protection is only one of the things I want to offer him.Because Travis isn’t a kid anymore. He’s all grown up now. And the way he looks at me tells me he feels the heat rising between us... -
![Disarming My Destiny by Taylor Rylan]()
Disarming My Destiny by Taylor Rylan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsUS Marshal Bishop Jones has known heartache unlike someone his age should. After losing his only parent, he’s found himself completely and utterly alone with only his dog for company. Working long hours and being new to the area doesn’t give many opportunities for him to get out and meet someone. Veterinarian Xander Garrison has devoted his life to four-legged critters... -
!['Nother Sip of Gin: A Sinners Gin Anthology by Rhys Ford]()
'Nother Sip of Gin: A Sinners Gin Anthology by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor Crossroads Gin rock stars Miki, Damien, Rafe, and Forest, life is a Möbius strip of music, mayhem, and murder. Through it all, the sweet, hot moments between tours with lovers, friends, and family keep them sane, healthy, and happy. This Sinners collection features short stories spanning the entire series, from before the first note to after the lights go out... -
![A Thief in the Night by K. Sterling]()
A Thief in the Night by K. Sterling
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLong ago, Romance was ruled by rakes. The time of the ton came to an end and rakes gave way to new, more modern heroes. What if there were still some rakes left in the world? What if they were every bit as devastating and irresistible as the rakes we’ve loved and longed for but modern? K. Sterling believes there are still some rakes out there and their time has come. The rakes have returned... -
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![Fire and Obsidian by Andrew Grey]()
Fire and Obsidian by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Carlisle Deputies Novel Can a couple be more opposite than a thief and a cop? Or do they have more in common than they think? Mattias stole to survive. He was damn good at it. But there’s no such thing as a victimless crime, and when he saw how his theft hurt people, he resolved to change... -
![Smoking Gunn by Tatum West]()
Smoking Gunn by Tatum West
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJamie:I only have two rules: I don’t tangle with anyone who wants a relationship. And I’m the one who decides when it’s over.The guys I see are quick and dirty—that’s what I want. I keep my head down and my heart to myself. The only person who sees the real me is my daughter, and I need it to stay that way.My life is small, and the guys at my new job hate me—and they’ve got plenty of good reasons... -
![Let Me Remind You by Gianni Holmes]()
Let Me Remind You by Gianni Holmes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat happens when a man you can't remember has more memories of you than you have of yourself?Clay's football career is brought to a halt after losing his memory in an accident. When he moves back to San Diego, he hopes familiar surroundings will bring back his memory. He doesn’t expect to be slapped in the street by the most interesting guy he's never met before... -
![Secret by E.M. Leya]()
Secret by E.M. Leya
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn a world filled with evil, Kasey and Noam play a part in making life safer for those around them. Working on opposite sides of the law, and using their own methods, they take down the criminals who prey on the most innocent victims. Kasey’s life is focused on saving others. He's protected the innocent for as long as he can remember... -
![North and Shaw: Out of Office by Gregory Ashe]()
North and Shaw: Out of Office by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNorth and Shaw: Out of Office is a collection of short stories. It includes the following: “Bad Boys at the Radio Girls” Radio Girls is a lesbian bar. A group of straight guys thinks it’s funny to crash. North and Shaw are hired to take care of this problem (and they try not to fulfill the white savior stereotype while doing so). This story takes place before Orientation... -
![Follows with Intent by Gregory Ashe]()
Follows with Intent by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKeeping your eye on the prize isn’t always a good thing.Nico knows he’s difficult; he has the string of exes to prove it. But staying sharp was the only way to stay safe in the cutthroat world of modeling, and it turns out, graduate school isn’t any gentler. Career first. Boys…later.Jadon knows he’s burning out; his partner at the Metropolitan Police is more than happy to remind him of that fact... -
![Sinner Like Me by Avril Ashton]()
Sinner Like Me by Avril Ashton
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSyren Rua finally has what he’s always wanted. He’s settled into a life with his Marshal and the daughter they’re raising as a couple. Everything he’s been through, all the pain and dark memories, brought Syren this far, and he’s in a wonderful space. Happy and loved. Which is why he never sees the approaching danger until it’s too late... -
![ABEL TRILOGY by C.J. Bishop]()
ABEL TRILOGY by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings19-year-old Abel Sims - hot, sexy stripper - is a favorite at the gay strip club The Phoenix. Having no family but his 16-year-old sister, Savannah, and coming from the streets - The Phoenix club has become his home, the other boys his close-knit family. Abel doesn't trust the outside world and is content to remain within his safe haven... -
![Slip and Slide by Patricia Logan]()
Slip and Slide by Patricia Logan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsATF special agents, Thayne Wolfe, and his partner, Jarrett Evans, have gotten into sticky situations in the past but nothing prepares them for the daunting task of being loaned out to a coal mine in West Virginia where Jarrett’s grown up. Investigating a deadly mining explosion may be the end of them yet... -
![Creed by Athena Steller]()
Creed by Athena Steller
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSammyI want to be hurt. I want to be a baby. I’ve never found someone who understands that I need both until the night I’m kidnapped and told to save the life of a hitman.CreedI’m a cold-blooded killer. I’m a soft Daddy. Sammy healed my body and only he has ever reached the heart I’d incased in ice.Together, we shouldn’t work but we do... -
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![Simple Justice by John Morgan Wilson]()
Simple Justice by John Morgan Wilson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFollowing the death of his lover and a scandal involving his Pulitzer Prize-winning article, crime reporter Benjamin Justice has fallen into a hazy, alcoholic reclusiveness, hiding out in the West Hollywood neighborhood known as the Norma Triangle. He is called back to the world of the living by an unexpected, and unwelcome, visit from Harry Brofsky, his former boss... -
![Guns Blazing by Andrea Smith, Eva LeNoir]()
Guns Blazing by Andrea Smith, Eva LeNoir
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBook 2, "Black Balled" Series My name is Lloyd Ledbetter and I am the best lawyer New York criminals can buy. My obsession to detail is their saving grace. I'm focused, determined and one-track minded. Nursing my broken heart for the last few months, I've stayed away from anything that could resemble a relationship. Until Luke Gunner... -
![Vanished by Carter Quinn]()
Vanished by Carter Quinn
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHenry Cooley has good friends and a good life. He’s secure in his job and his relationship. He and Tom, the love of his life, are about to celebrate their twenty-first anniversary as a couple. Their son, CJ, is in his second year at Cal Arts. Henry's only problems are his growing dissatisfaction with his job and the fact that Tom's parents still hate him, even after all these years... -
![Sweet Spot: The Petit Mort Stories by Josh Lanyon]()
Sweet Spot: The Petit Mort Stories by Josh Lanyon
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor less than a dollar a piece, sample five deliously bittersweet novelettes, ten to twelve thousand words in length, each story a standalone and complete in itself. The Petit Mort stories are framed around a mysterious Tim Burton-esque chocolate shop known as Sweets to the Sweet, which acts as a catalyst for the unfolding and often peculiar romances... -
![Goodnight My Angel by Sue Brown]()
Goodnight My Angel by Sue Brown
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCallum Ross has a tough decision to make. After years of working for the covert ops agency in the UK and owning his own security firm in the US, he’s forced to choose between the business he loves, and the new relationship with his partner, Josh Cooper... -
![Murder on Milverton Square by G.B. Ralph]()
Murder on Milverton Square by G.B. Ralph
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAddison Harper is abruptly summoned to Milverton at the behest of an abrasive lawyer. He plans to be in and out, back to the city lickety-split. Instead, he finds himself charmed by the small town with its delightful and eccentric residents, not to mention the rather easy-on-the-eye Sergeant Jake Murphy.Despite the rocky start, Addison admits he’s had a pleasant day out...
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