A Fault Against the Dead

The First Quarto, Book 4

By: Gregory Ashe

Narrated by: J.F. Harding

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.

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.

©2022 Gregory Ashe (P)2023 Gregory Ashe

Fantastic Installment of a Great Series!

This is definitely NOT a standalone!

Loved getting with Theo and Auggie again and how they always seem to get into the middle of a hellishly dangerous situation.

Amazing narration!

Another great installment

This is the fourth book in The First Quarto series featuring my favorite dysfunctional couple and things have finally come to a head. On a side note, if you plan on listening to GA’s crossover series, Iron on Iron, (and you should) listen/read this book first. The Face in the Water happens AFTER events in this book. No major events, but it clarifies Theo and Auggie’s storyline. The first book mainly focuses on on Jem and Tean, but I digress.

In this installment we get the extra special glimpse into Theo and Auggie’s families with wildly differing experiences. Loved seeing another side of Auggie’s oldest brother, although I really feel for the guy. We also get the reemergence of Cart, Theo’s missing ex-boyfriend. Cart has not fared well as an ex police officer and is being framed for murder and the boys try to help. Of course, it all goes terribly wrong with life threatening consequences. It also leads to exposing Theo’s deepest fear about their relationship and for a change it’s Theo that is hit with the dumbass bat. Auggie comes into his own agency.

In classic GA style, there are several red herrings and corrupt police officers. The boys get assaulted a bit more than usual and one comes close to dying. The mystery is solved but there are still unresolved issues at the end. But it was a very satisfying end for our couple, but their struggle goes on.

J.F. Harding gives another A+ performance. He is really amazing.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

So many feels!

I took a while to listen because when I read the book and it had so many feels! I needed to get into that mindset. The audio was just as good! The narrator was great always a 5 star for me! Same with the author I just love his book. His characters are so great and the mysteries are always so interesting!!

I’m not a re-reader but. . .

I had already read this book in print (digital?) format and usually, I would not revisit. However, Gregory Ashe is one of my favorite authors and JF Harding one of my favorite narrators. Together they have been magic. Still magic with this latest/last book of this series. The banter between the main characters is as entertaining as always. The pain with their relationship and personal struggles still makes my heart hurt. I especially enjoyed the ancillary characters in this book: Fer and Cart are priceless. And not least is the engaging mystery. And can I say how impressed I am with this author that he can weave Shakespeare into this story? That’s some next level writing, IMO.

Love Theo and Auggie

This is a big year for Auggie and Theo with both of them finishing their varying college degrees. For Auggie this is the last step before he and Theo can leave the backwards small town of Wahredua and move to California where Auggie can finally find the fame and fortune he has been seeking since the beginning of the series. For Theo, however…

In my last review, I talked a little bit about how the age and experience differences affected both Theo and Auggie. Auggie seems to be more adjusted and is just going for what he wants now. Theo hasn’t gotten over feeling like he is a burden to Auggie. He’s older and been through a devastating loss. His daughter is in a hospital for full time care, and he is a recovering addict. For Theo, he isn’t sure he is the best thing for Auggie’s future, if only he could bring himself to communicate that fact.

Having read a different series by this same author, I was certain that Auggie and Theo would make it together. The relationship dramatics still made me a little crazy, though. In the middle of them trying to figure out where their futures would take them, Theo’s deceased husband’s parents decide to move and take his daughter with them to a state that isn’t part of either his or Auggie’s future plans. Theo is strained beyond belief and Auggie really steps up to help keep the young girl he’s come to care about as well, right where she is. Despite Theo and his former in-laws treating him like a child, Auggie really pulls through. I can’t say that I wasn’t really mad at Theo in that scene, let me tell you.

On top of everything else going on for these two, Theo’s closeted ex calls from jail to ask for help proving his innocence in the murder of a police officer. Like all the mysteries that this college TA and student have been dragged into, there are so many twists and turns. And yes, there is violence. My co-reviewer and I texted about how we wondered how Auggie and Theo have been survived all that the author has thrown at them. John Henry Somerset who has been a pretty stand up police officer to this point looks is becoming a little unreliable for help. Lender, the dirty cop who has mostly hurt but helped them out of a few sticky situations, also appears in this book. Now I’m eager to re-listen to the Hazard & Somerset series to see their future selves.

Over the course of the rest of Auggie’s senior year the mystery resolves itself piece by piece. Dirty lawmen are abundant and Auggie’s brothers get wrapped up in their mess, and in the end the bad guy isn’t really punished. It’s enough that Auggie and Theo are alive and Cart’s name is cleared. There is no complete sense of satisfaction but there is 100 percent relief.

In the end, it was a good book and a great series. The author really knows how to blend a mystery and a slow burn romance. These guys work for their happy ending and it makes for a rewarding experience. The narration by J.F. Harding was the icing on the cake.