A Queer Kind of Love: A Pharaoh Love Mystery

by George Baxt

Book Overview

Gay, black and proud--and like no other homocide detective in the history of the NYPD--Pharoah Love finds himself in the middle of a most baffling case. Someone with a serious grudge is knocking off... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1883402018
• ISBN13: 9781883402013
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Otto Penzler Books
• Length: 279 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A laugh out loud mystery!

George Baxt delivers a brilliant Pharoah Love mystery with A Queer Kind of Love. Pharoah is a black, gay NYPD detective. He's also one of the top detectives on the force and completely out, irreverent and flamboyant. This latest mystery is a bit darker than most of George Baxt's writing, as Pharoah confronts tough choices presented by some of his oldest friends and betrayal by others close to him. But Pharoah deals with the conflicts and confrontations with his usual wit and style regardless of the turmoil inside him.While parts of the ending could be predicted by the sharp observer, the book was not predictable. And the final twist of the book is definitely one of the 'laugh out loud' moments.I highly recommend this book. It was a real treat.

A different kind of book

Pharoah Love is a detective for the NYPD. However, he is also black and gay. The parts of this book that I liked the most were about him and the kind of person that he is. His character is very well-developed, and can probably be related to several people you know. His sarcasm and wit are refreshing and well-sculpted.The whole plot, to me, was almost secondary. He investigates the murder of twin performers. The almost predictable ending did not take away, though, from my enjoyment of reading this book. Check it out today.

Love's Labor Is Not Lost!

Witty, creative, and clever! Three apt descriptives of George Baxt's "A Queer Kind of Love." In this book, Baxt presents detective Pharoah Love of the NYPD, black and gay. We are off for a roller coaster ride in this one as Love mixes it up with the Mafia, , luxurious brothels, and a very straight partner. This Manhattan mystery is full of excitement, surprises, and plenty of laughs, although, of course, the scenario is certainly no laughing matter! Love's partner, Albert West, isperfect counterpoint (although predictable) and the "sounding board" he provides is Dr. Watson to Sherlock (well, in a way!) or Lewis to his Morse. The case goes back to Love's past--his old friend Marco Salino finds that his lieutenants are being killed off, one by one, This pursuit of truth and justice takes many turns through some very crazy, yes, zany, avenues before it's "wrapped up." This is a fun read--different, but fun. Baxt is to be credited with the dexterity he shows as hegambols from situation to situation as his "not so straight-laced" protagonist gives us a treat! (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

Pharoah Love returns . . .leaner, meaner, and better

In "A Queer Kind of Love" George Baxt returns to what was one-time his most outrageous character--Detective Pharoah Love of the NYPD. However, there has been a change--and one for the better. No longer does Love cavort around the crazy Hollywood types which seemed to be overdone and almost over-powered the main character in the series' earlier volumes--Madeline Cartier, her family, and Sweet Harriet are all gone. The crime under investigation is in the present--there is no hint of a decades old mystery to be solved. In this book, he is on the mean streets of Manhattan facing both his past and his inner demons, his fellow detectives, and the social implications of being gay in the age of AIDS--and the crime he is solving is not bizarre, but horrible. This is a tougher Love than the earlier books allowed the reader to read and understand. We also learn about his past and how he got his name and why it is misspelled. In short, he becomes more solid than in the first three volumes. The other characters seem to be more realistic and their pain can be felt by the reader. This does not stop Baxt from having some fun with certain of the Russian characters and their accents--and, of course, Love's own cocky (no pun intended) attitude to his own partner. The book also has a violent edge to it that was missing in the earlier novels. This allows Baxt to show the harsh side of Pharoah which was only hinted at in the earlier novels. The opening shoot out is both well-written and appalling while the last few pages are more bloody than anything else I have read from Baxt. After reading "Topsy & Evil," I suspected that I would not give Baxt and Love another chance. However, in this adventure, Baxt has allowed me to see that he can overcome the problems of the older books and recreate a daring and different detective.