Domestic Animals

Hazard and Somerset: Arrows in the Hand, Book 3

By: Gregory Ashe

Narrated by: Tristan James

Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Sometimes, the most dangerous animals are the ones you let inside.

When a man hires Emery Hazard to track down a teenager who, he claims, robbed him, Hazard isn’t convinced. The story has holes in it, and the client seems eager—too eager—to keep the authorities from getting involved. But Hazard is willing to play along; he suspects something much darker is going on, and he wants to know what it is.

Then his husband, John-Henry Somerset, connects the boy in question to an ongoing suspicious death investigation, and both men realize they’ve stumbled upon something much more complicated. There are too many loose threads: missing money, stolen jewelry, a husband back from the dead, and a string of violent assaults on men paying for sex. And there are too many people with their own agendas.

After Hazard’s client turns up dead, though, the pressure is on. The killer isn’t done yet, and the closer Hazard and Somers come to unearthing the connection between the victims, the greater the danger. They find themselves in a race to uncover the truth before another victim is claimed—and, if Somers is really lucky, in time for him to plan the perfect Valentine’s Day.

©2022 Gregory Ashe (P)2022 Gregory Ashe

Just gets better and better

This series, and this book in particular, really shows the growth between Somers and Hazard. It’s incredible to see.
“I’ll pick you up again and again. Forever. Lord knows you’ve done it for me.”

This is the kind of series that just builds on your love for these characters, and of course the new additions! (I might be a little too invested in a teenage relationship)

Read & Listen

I love to read these stories. I can't wait to see the new mystery, the growth in the characters, and the all around mess that is Hazard. I seriously love Hazard! But to listen to Tristan James give live to Hazard - le sigh! It's such a great thing. I grab each of these stories as they come out. I was just thinking should I start from the beginning again. They are just that good! You won't be disappointed.

Thrilling Mystery

Loved it. The story rilled me up. Tristan's preformance is great. Good going. Thank you.

Great

I like the series but a little more loving. Between the couple would be great

I'm so involved with these characters.

So I have read these Hazard and Somerset stories from the beginning and I'm here for it. However, I'm the first to admit that it can be somewhat cringe worthy at times. Only because I could see this being someone's real life so I feel like I'm invested in a dramatic reality show. Which I'm not a fan of reality shows but I love these characters.

The mystery part of it is not always straight forward and I can't always say this or that person is the killer or guilty party. I think that is just part of what has me addicted to these stories.

Coming from my family I cannot relate to Colt's behavior at all. We would never be allowed to speak to our parents like that or behave the way he does or people would have been waking up looking at the roof of a church and people giving the family their condolences for the loss of our lives. But again this is a fictional story and apparently some kids do talk to their parents that way.

The bottom line is that these characters are so well written and so believable that even if I wanted to I could not stop reading or listening to these Hazard and Somerset stories. This book was no exception. It is an excellent addition to the series.
Great story and great narration.

complicated plot

📖 Story comment: Good pace, the usual complex plot and likeable (but frustrating) characters.
Another interesting and complicated plot. I'm a different generation to Colt and find his behaviour... cringe worthy, as is Hazard's over-protectiveness. The usual relationship struggles are there, John-Henry's professional struggles are still there, but as always Hazard and Somers come out the other side a stronger unit. This book - as with all the others certainly isn't an easy listen, but I keep hanging in there.

🎧 Narrator comment: Personally I love Tristan James as a narrator. He suits these characters, he has good timing and inflections and brings the characters to life, ramping up my frustrations with them through the roof - Good Job!.

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📌 Where does it fall on my personal scale? 6
• 1 not my thing • 2 didn't like the narration • 3 didn't keep my attention • 4 was good, but once was enough [3⭐] • 5 enjoyed it [4⭐] • 6 will listen again if i'm in the mood for the narrator [4⭐] • 7 goes on the "re-listen" list [4⭐] • 8 kept me up past bed-time [4.5⭐] • 9 recommended to family/friends [4.75⭐] • 10 own it in all formats [5⭐] • 11 keep a copy with me at all times [5⭐]

Fantastic continuation to this series

absolutely love these characters, the author brings them alive with each book. thank you.

Intense story! Hazard and Somers getting better~

OMG. This story was so full of twists and turns I really couldn't predict WHO did what. Gregory Ashe tackles some tough issues-teen prostitution, and sex trafficking. and hardest of all -teenanger angst! Two separate crimes presented to each individual, end up becoming joined once H&S put a few clues together.
Colt has drama and takes it out on Hazard. John Henry tries to play mediator, but Hazard plows right over him as usual. And let's not forget that it's getting to be Valentine's Day!
Tristan James is perfect as these two, I always feel like they are my friends when I listen to his narration.
The dance and dancing? Perfect, made me cry in the best way. All in all a wonderful addition to the Arrows series. Kudos!

It hurts so good!

God, this book is amazing! Of course it is, but it's also painful to read.

This time, Hazard's case end being mixed with the maybe accident, maybe murder that John is investigating. But as the investigation advances things get more and more complicated. And suddenly, is not just another case because Colt right is in the middle of it.

But that's not all. John is not having a good time, to say the less: he's getting a hard time at the station with a homophobic official but also with Palomo and Dulac, who don't seem the be able to make their partnership work. If that wasn't enough, Dulac is acting in an irresponsible way at work, Yarmark has chosen him as his mentor and gives him homework. And, of course, his father has requests. Very shady ones, to help the only woman on the city council to get out of a citation.

“I’m not talking about a speeding ticket. I’m talking about an encounter, John-Henry. One of your officers interrupted her in the middle of an…indiscretion.”

Somers had to blink his way through that one. “She’s not married, Father.”

“With a gentleman who is compensated for his companionship.”
*dies laughing*

And he's failing at planning Valentine's Day date. And then, when he gets home he feels just... so overwhelmed. By everything.

There was laundry to do. Dinner to make. Lunches to pack for tomorrow. He’d need to spend time with Evie. He’d need to put in time with Colt, trying to figure out what had gone wrong and how they could make it right. And then Hazard would want to talk. About the kids, of course. And about the case. And then sleep; if they were still up after ten, it would be a miracle.

John is unravelling and he seems incapable of stopping it or asking for help.

And Hazard is not helping, he is having his own issues about parenting. He tries, but... he can't help to look at Colt's problems through the lens of his own adolescence; he gets scared and then, he lashes out. And Colt does the same.

So things are... hard. For everybody. There are moments in which I want to grab them and shout at them because, argh! But I also want to hug them and protect them from the world *sighs*

And I was SO angry with Dulac in this book. He is NOT my favourite, that's for sure, but here? Here he was this... absolute irresponsible child! He really needs to grow up. He keeps putting John in difficult situations, flaunting their friendship at the station and abusing it. He, I didn't want to hug. Punch him in the face, more likely.

And then, there are those moments. Moments in which you can see the love between Hazard and John, between Cody and Hazard, and Cody and John. Cora and Evie, Hazard's mom... all the people who make their little family, all there for them, ready to offer whatever they need.

And the mystery was terribly complex, full of false starts and red herrings, and yet when the solution comes... it's perfectly logical. I loved it, it was so, so good!

Do you need me to say that this is a recommended read? Because it is, a most recommended one. And if you haven't read yet any book in this series, I envy you. I wish I could read Pretty Pretty Boys for the first time again and get to know Hazard and Somers all over again :D

EDIT: The second time it felt as intense and gritty as the first one. Somers' struggles are at the centre of the story and it's easy to understand how he got into such a mess. But Hazard's battle isn't very subtle, either. His difficulties to separate his own experiences from Colt's are adding kindle to an already combustible situation and his almost constant anger makes me for moments scared and for moments sad.

And Colt... *shakes head* to me, he's the hardest character to like, mainly because he has brought so much mayhem to Hazard and Somers' lives. Yes, yes, I know! He's a traumatized teenager, I get that. But he seriously needs therapy. Like NOW! Because most of the (terrible) mistakes he makes come from the mistrust and the low self-esteem that his biological father has beat into him.

The case is... horrible. Wonderfully plotted and brilliantly complex but... those kids... *sobs*

Yeah, this arc hits me Every. Single. Book

Parenting, Murder and Teenagers

This is the third book of the 3rd Hazard & Somerset series You don’t have to read the previous two series to enjoy this series, although you will get more out of the story, you do have to listen to this series from the beginning to understand what is going on. There are some references to the previous series, but not many.

When we last left our couple, they had become foster parents to a teenage boy, Colt. The last book focused a lot on John’s relationship with Colt, or lack thereof, and his dedication to protecting his family. There was lots of teenage angst and bad behavior.

In this story, there is STILL lots of teenage angst and bad behavior and both John and Hazard struggle with the “joy” of parenting a teenager. As the parent to two teenagers, I feel their pain. Although thankfully I don’t have to solve a murder while doing so. John is also having second thoughts about being Chief of Police, as some of his officers are a mess and also behaving badly. John being John, is bottling everything up until it explodes in an unhealthy way.

The murder mystery is a series of twists, turns and red herrings that once again had me guessing until the ending “twist.” But this is really a story focused on John, Hazard, & Colt’s relationship with each other and navigating those choppy waters. Hazard is trying but really needs parenting classes. His over protectiveness is really over the top. If I tried to pull any of that with my teenagers, they would be in court petitioning for emancipation.

Tristan James puts in another great performance. He is really such a joy to listen to. A++++

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