Lay Your Sleeping Head

The Henry Rios Mysteries, Book 1

By: Michael Nava

Narrated by: Thom Rivera

A completely revised edition of the first Henry Rios mystery, The Little Death, Lay Your Sleeping Head introduces Michael Nava’s singular protagonist, gay Latino criminal defense lawyer Henry Rios. Rios, beset by personal and professional problems, begins a passionate affair with the black sheep heir to a great California fortune who tells Rios an improbable tale of murder and sexual predation in his wealthy family. When the young man is found dead of an apparent drug overdose, Rios begins an investigation that ultimately reveals much more than that his lover’s death was murder.

One reviewer said Lay Your Sleeping Head “retains all the complexity and elegance of the original novel but deepens the themes of personal alienation and erotic obsession that both honored the traditions of the American crime novel and turned them on their head.”

©2016 Michael Nava (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Absolutely Fantastic

This book was so very good. Henry Rios is a realistically flawed young man. The plot intricately layered with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. This isn’t your regular mm or gay romance novel. There is romance here but the real story is the mystery, how it affects a Henry and how he solves it. Amazing start to a series and the narrator was perfect.

Fantastic Read

One of the best books I’ve read and just can’t believe I did not read it sooner. Definitely hard to put down.

Fascinating

Absolutely excellent, both narrator and writer. Thom Rivera does an incredible job. Can't wait for more!

A mystery to the end

Great mystery surprises throughout and second guessing what is the truth and who are the good guys and the bad.

Loved It

I don't have any experience with the previous version of this first novel in the Henry Rios Mystery series by Michael Nava. I've recently come back to the mystery genre and found that a couple of Mr Nava's books were on sale and whispersynced. I also read a good bit of M/M romance, so I decided to give the mystery/romance combination a try.

Henry works for the public defender's office for all the right reasons: he wants to help his clients receive justice. Because of his strong sense of right and wrong, he is burned out by the injustice that is meted out. He meets Hugh Paris, a recovering junkie who has a dark past. Henry and Hugh become lovers before Hugh is found dead. Henry is convinced it is murder and not accidental.

The character of Henry Rios is exactly what I love about a legal mystery. Henry is a regular guy trying to figure life out. Someone who is flawed, but still a good person at heart. He and Hugh are like lonely, lost little boys that have finally found each other to love. Watching Henry's personal journey of finding love and finding the killer are equally satisfying. I have a few more Michael Nava novels that I almost can't wait to dig into.

Narrator Thom Rivera performs the novel excellently. He brings all of Mr Nava's characters and action to life.

Highly recommended.