WL's Mainstream Gay Book Reviews - 63. Death Claims by Joseph Hansen (Mystery) Book 2 of 12 in Dave Brandstetter Mysteries

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/920057.Death_Claims?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=T8a4R2nhDH&rank=3

This book feels like a standard plotline in today’s reading: a man murdered on a beach, then it leads to the seedy side of Hollywood and theater actors’ illicit relationship. Written in 1973, this book was a pioneer in these simple tropes. While I am not a fan of the story’s plot or the tragic outcomes for all the LGBT characters, there’s a lot to be said about classic storytelling. As the second book in the series, it helps you as a reader understand the writer’s style and what drives his main character along with the plot. If you are a fan of the main character, you will enjoy reading this book.

Length: It is 170 pages and 5 hours 32 minutes on audible, it is very easily read in a short sitting. The mystery is entrancing and you will be left guessing as to who is guilty of what by the end.

Plot: John Oates is found dead near a beach by his young lover April and his son Peter Oates is considered the primary beneficiary of his life insurance. However, Peter is missing. Upon this event, Dave Brandstetter, an insurance investigator/main character, begins to unravel the mystery of John’s death. He investigates various avenues from April’s association to the rare book circles to Hollywood’s elites. As he learns of John Oates’ life from his drug abuse to his unfriendly relationship with his son, the evidence seems to point to Peter being the murderer. However, unexpectedly, Peter would turn himself in and claim responsibility for the murder. Through misleading trials and false herring from Peter Oates’ life as a small-time stage actor to Hollywood producers and actors, who were familiar with Peter, we learn that Peter is not a murderer, but rather, he’s a closeted young gay actor trying hard to make it in the business. We also meet Peter’s A-list actor friend, Wade Cochrane, who was shocked and vehement about Peter’s innocence. At the end, when Wade wants to confront Dave with the truth regarding Peter and what he knew, he is fatally shot by the true murderer.

Review: On one hand, it was an interesting plot that kept me guessing. On the other hand, I hated what Joseph Hansen did in this book with Dave Brandstetter and his unflinching need to reveal the truth. This obsession with truth ended in the death of an innocent man, the wrongful jailing and ruin of another, and ultimately a tragic cycle of bitterness for all involved.

Peter Oates is a sympathetic closeted gay character, but he wasn’t explored or fleshed out as much as he needed to be. As a reader, I don’t want to be treated to a murder suspect, who I should be sympathetic to by offhand references and insinuations, especially someone who suffered so much. Peter not only faced the rejection of his father, but he also had a relationship with Wade, who in many ways felt like a “Rock Hudson” stand-in. I am not sure how well-known his sexuality was in the 1970s, but I wanted more background on that to give me a human character rather than the prop of an innocent man admitting to a murder he didn’t commit.

Another problem is the meandering plotlines, I get it, it’s necessary to misdirect a mystery reader into not finding out the real murderer. However, did I really need to know about the life of the poor theater gay director, the wealthy Hollywood producer, or the rare books that April’s shop deals in. Too many side-plots and details hinder a reader when there’s no reason for them to exist. Anton Chekov’s rules on how you organize a story with necessity being the aim for all elements were not followed.

For the good point, I actually liked digging into Dave and Doug’s relationship that started at the end of Book 1. They were not really in love with each other rather it felt like they both had lost their real loves, then settled with the closest gay man they could find (For Dave, it was either a damaged gay adult or an underaged queer teenager). It was a bad match for them both and you can tell neither man felt their needs were addressed, just settled. It was a subtle relationship issue, but I did appreciate it and I know it’s important to LGBT readers, who try to find a semblance of normalcy in the 1970s lackluster outings. It’s a good concept and I liked the interpersonal issues here as they felt realistic.

However, despite the good subtle points about the main character’s development, I am not a fan of the meander plots or the main suspect’s lack of depth. A mystery is meant to endear itself to me as a reader, I want emotional stakes on a good character. What Death Claims did was present a murder mystery with too much unnecessary detail and a prop that was meant to be a character.

Rating: 2.75 out of 5, I know Joseph Hansen can do better and has done better, but this was a very bad mystery story. While I can appreciate the main character development, I can’t enjoy the story.