The Rational Faculty

Hazard and Somerset: A Union of Swords, Book 1

De: Gregory Ashe

Narrado por: Tristan James

Three months have passed since Emery Hazard and John-Henry Somerset faced a madman and lived to tell about it. Three months have passed since Emery Hazard resigned from his job as a detective.Three months can be too long and too short, all at the same time.

On Halloween, a professor at the local college is murdered in his apartment, in front of dozens of witnesses. Then, the killer disappears. Somers is assigned the case and a new partner. While Somers investigates the murder, Hazard struggles to find purpose in his new freedom. Despite his decision to stay away, he finds himself drawn to the case. But he’s no longer in the police force, and in the small town of Wahredua, not all of his former colleagues are happy to see him investigating another crime.

When the sheriff’s son and husband go missing, though, the case becomes more complicated than either Hazard or Somers had expected. And soon, they learn that someone else is manipulating events in Wahredua. Someone who is very interested in Emery Hazard.

©2019 Gregory Ashe (P)2020 Gregory Ashe

Great !!!

Loved the mystery. Cliffhanger naughty. Thank you for writing about what happens to our bodies when we have depression.

Glad their story is continuing

I listened to the first Hazard & Somerset series and was excited that the author was going to continue their story. For a quick recap Hazard was a police detective who returned to his hometown and was partnered with his former bully/crush, Somerset. Somerset was a closeted bisexual officer who had a lot of feelings and regrets about his past with Hazard but he was also married with a child. Over the previous series they solved several crimes, took on white supremacists and corrupt cops, and eventually they found themselves single and falling in love. It was a great series but after their last case ended Hazard was forced to leave the department in order to stay with Somerset.

So this story takes place pretty much right after those events. I feel like the books should be read in order, at least in their individual series. You might be able to get away with starting this series with an established couple without reading the first series, but I still recommend that you do. Hazard is not just left jobless after the first book, he also seems to be dealing with some PTSD and a case of depression. The beginning of this story is kind of hard to listen to, not in the way that means you don’t enjoy it, but hearing Hazard explain how many steps it takes him to get from one room to another and how he is “content” to be at home while his boyfriend works. He sits in the dark and loses time until Somerset comes home. There is definitely some angst.

Somerset knows something is wrong but he is reluctant to say anything. I have no real explanation why, but I suspect that in general, men don’t really enjoy talking about feelings. Meanwhile he is stuck learning to work with a new partner and they get a new murder case. The murder involves a professor at the local college that served as a backdrop for several investigations in the previous series, and it looks like it will continue to in this series. Things take a turn when a young man asks Hazard to privately investigate the situation as well. Hazard ends up stepping on Somerset’s feet when his investigations yield more results. A lot of tension develops leading to a blow out fight, and then a long needed discussion about their personal issues.

The mystery is really good and many people seem suspect before it is revealed that there is more going on, and someone is pulling strings behind the scenes. Also, beyond the murder investigation, Hazard receives a mysterious message – “Do you like games?” Young gay men start to disappear and though at first Hazard believes it is part of the murder investigation we learn there might be a serial killer on the loose as well. The investigation delves into anti-fascist protesters that push things to the extreme as well as a renamed white supremacist group from the first series, Bright Lights. I foresee there to be a lot of clashing between the two groups in the future. I think the author definitely makes these books relevant to what is happening in our world the last few years. I am glad the two men were able to work through personal issues to leave things at a happy for now for them and eagerly look forward to how listening to the next book.

Mystery wrapped in an after the HEA MM romance

I was given a free copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review
This is the first book of a new series that is a continuation of the Hazard & Somerset series. There are 6.5 books in the first series. These are Hazard and Somerset’s origin story with an amazing mystery woven into their journey. They have a long and tortured journey to their HFN.

This series is the Not So HFN adventure of their relationship, while they try to solve a series of mysteries, overlapped by a very disturbing ongoing mystery. Gregory Ashe is a wonderful storyteller and writer; I really got wrapped up in this story. He throws in a bunch of red herrings, leaves what I think are clues, and just leaves one wanting more. Although at times the story drags a little as Hazard tries to come to grip with his new life and Somerset is kind of selfish at times IMHO. I also wanted to smack both when they were being particularly dense to the other’s feelings. But that is what makes it so realistic and relatable. Through it all, their love and commitment to each other shines through and I am really invested in how they navigate what promises to be choppy waters in the books ahead.

There are at least 5 more books in the series, 3 are out in audio already. I REALLY hope they will all be made into audiobooks because, OMG Tristan James! He is one of my all-time favorite voice actors. I may or may not have bought audio books just because he is the narrator, who can say. He brings life and love into these men, and all the supporting roles like no other. I can’t wait for the next one.

Another Great Hazard & Somerset Mystery

‘The Rational Faculty’ by Gregory Ashe with first rate narration by Tristan James, like everything by Mr. Ashe is a great listen.

I listened to this audiobook after reading the first book in the series. Clearly I’d missed some important developments in the relationship between John-Henry Somerset and Emery Hazard, but Ashe cleverly explained what had happened in the interim.

Again, the plot was complicated and, again, I had focused in on someone who turned out not to be the murderer. I won't say more to avoid inadvertently including spoiler. Suffice it to say that the important thing to remember is ‘Someone is very interested in Emery Hazard’

Even though I have a general understanding of what happened in ‘Transposition’ the second book in the Hazard and Somerset series, I will definitely go back to it.

It's definitely worth listening to

I have all of Gregory's books as ebooks and I am also no collecting his audiobooks as I love listening to them when driving. The book is very well written and the story kept me listening. Tristan James is an excellent narrator and he excels with this story.
Highly recommended.