The First Quarto Series by Gregory Ashe

"The Slightest Folly" shows Auggie and Theo (who uses his first name, Daniel, in this story) before they get to Wahredua. The title is from As You Like It, and the full quote is: "If thou rememb’rest not the slightest folly / That ever love did make thee run into, / Thou hast not loved." I hope this story gives you a glimpse into their backgrounds and offers a fun starting place before the events in the first novel.

Auggie is starting his first year at Wroxall College. It's a punishment, and he's determined to make his way through the year, prove himself, and earn the right to go back home.Theo is a grad student recovering from a terrible car accident. He's lost his husband and their daughter, and he's trying to figure out how to keep going... moreAuggie is starting his first year at Wroxall College. It's a punishment, and he's determined to make his way through the year, prove himself, and earn the right to go back home.Theo is a grad student recovering from a terrible car accident. He's lost his husband and their daughter, and he's trying to figure out how to keep going.When both are tangled up in a murder, though, they have to set their personal problems aside and work together-first to clear their names, and then, when the killer turns his attention on them, to survive.But what might really kill them is finishing a seminar together on King Lear. less

When Auggie Lopez returns to Wroxall College, he’s determined that his second year will be different from the chaos he faced as a freshman. He’s living in the Sigma Sigma house, he’s got a good group of friends, and his social media presence is growing. Meeting a hot older guy on move-in day is just the cherry on top. All he has to do now is avoid getting dragged into another murder... moreWhen Auggie Lopez returns to Wroxall College, he’s determined that his second year will be different from the chaos he faced as a freshman. He’s living in the Sigma Sigma house, he’s got a good group of friends, and his social media presence is growing. Meeting a hot older guy on move-in day is just the cherry on top. All he has to do now is avoid getting dragged into another murder.That last part, though, turns out to be easier said than done, especially when Auggie’s ex-roommate, Orlando, asks for help. Orlando’s brother Cal has gone missing, and Orlando wants Auggie to find him.Auggie knows he’ll need help, but recruiting his friend—and crush—Theo is not as straightforward as he expects. While Auggie was gone for the summer, Theo has started dating someone, and neither Theo nor Auggie knows how to handle the shift in their relationship.Finding Orlando’s brother dead only makes their situation more complicated. Although the police are quick to write off the homicide as a drug deal gone wrong, Auggie and Theo aren’t so sure, and Orlando begs them to keep investigating. To learn the truth, Auggie and Theo will have to untangle a web of lies while keeping each other safe from a killer who is determined to stop them.As Auggie and Theo dig deeper, they realize that Cal was a stranger even to the people who thought they knew him. And Auggie and Theo both begin to fear that they are also strangers to each other. less

A murdered coach. His missing daughter. A sadistic killer.After a summer apart, Theo and Auggie reunite at the beginning of another school year, determined to make a relationship work in spite of their age difference—and other obstacles. When Wroxall College’s athletic director strongarms Theo into tracking down the school’s missing football coach, though, Theo is determined to keep Auggie safe no matter how much Auggie hates it; Theo has lost too much already... moreA murdered coach. His missing daughter. A sadistic killer.After a summer apart, Theo and Auggie reunite at the beginning of another school year, determined to make a relationship work in spite of their age difference—and other obstacles. When Wroxall College’s athletic director strongarms Theo into tracking down the school’s missing football coach, though, Theo is determined to keep Auggie safe no matter how much Auggie hates it; Theo has lost too much already.Everywhere Theo and Auggie go, someone seems set on stopping their search. First, a masked man attacks them and steals important financial paperwork. Then a small-town cop tries to run them off. Even the football players seem determined to keep their silence. And the deeper Theo and Auggie dig, the more they suspect that something much darker is taking place.An attack on Auggie’s roommate raises a terrifying possibility—that the killer has targeted Auggie as his next victim. Theo and Auggie must hurry to uncover the truth before the killer can silence them, but even if they succeed, the pressure of the investigation and the danger to Auggie’s life may shatter the fragile bond they are building. less

Drugs. 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. Then Auggie gets a phone call from Howard Cartwright, Theo’s ex—and Cart tells Auggie he’s being framed for murder... moreDrugs. 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. Then Auggie gets a phone call from Howard Cartwright, Theo’s ex—and Cart tells Auggie he’s being framed for murder.As Auggie and Theo begin to look into the death of a local parole officer, they realize something isn’t right. A gang of armed men almost catches them while they’re searching the victim’s home, a threatening message spray-painted on the victim’s home suggests a personal vendetta, and everyone wants to know about a missing cache of money. The trail leads Auggie and Theo into the dangerous world of the Ozark Volunteers—the local white supremacists who control the region’s drug trade.After Theo and Auggie are attacked at home, they learn that the stakes might be much, much higher: someone is determined to put a stop to their investigation, no matter what it takes. And the killer, Theo and Auggie suspect, is hiding behind a badge. less

Pics, or it didn’t happen.Thuggiana is a collection of short stories connected to The First Quarto. It includes the following:“The Slightest Folly”This prequel provides a glimpse into Auggie’s and Theo’s lives in high school. It takes place before They Told Me I Was Everything.“As School-Boys from Their Books”A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of They Told Me I Was Everything.“The Woodsong Fog”A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of Yet a Stranger... morePics, or it didn’t happen.Thuggiana is a collection of short stories connected to The First Quarto. It includes the following:“The Slightest Folly”This prequel provides a glimpse into Auggie’s and Theo’s lives in high school. It takes place before They Told Me I Was Everything.“As School-Boys from Their Books”A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of They Told Me I Was Everything.“The Woodsong Fog”A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of Yet a Stranger.“We Fools of Nature”Theo and Auggie go on a float trip. This story is set after The Fairest Show.“Thuggiana”Auggie takes the gang on a private, overnight ghost hunt in an abandoned prison. This story is set after A Fault against the Dead.Please note that the first four stories were distributed previously in various formats.“Thuggiana” is exclusively available in this collection. less