Book Review: The Back Passage by James Lear

Thoroughly enjoyable.  This book very clearly makes the point that gay historical fiction needn't be po faced, full of deep meaningful literary merit and serious as hell.  This is a romp, from start (hero found groping his friend in an understairs cupboard) to the finish which I won't spoil. Imagine how I squeed when I read the first page and found that it was set about 10 miles from where I sit right now, on the North Norfolk coast in 1925.

( Spoilers afoot Watson! )

So all in all, recommended.  I dislike asking an author for a sequel, but, in Mitch, he has a character who could cheerfully go on to other gay mysteries.  I shall go and seek Lear's other works now, and will look forward to his next.  A nice afternoon's read, which got me hot and made me smile too.

And really - any writer who uses whence and glabrous is always going to win my heart...