The P'Town Murders: A Bradford Fairfax Murder Mystery

by Jeffrey Round

When circuit party boy Ross Pretty succumbs to an overdose of Ecstasy, his death is ruled accidental. That is, until former lover and top-level secret agent Bradford Fairfax comes to Provincetown. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560236620
• ISBN13: 9781560236627
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Haworth Press
• Length: 223 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Entertaining with Inconsistent Editing

The book's protagonist, Bradford Fairfax, is a likeable character, the storyline is different and intriguing and the Editorial Review and Product descriptions are fairly accurate. The book is a good read. It has a very nice mix of humor, empathy, jealousy, intrigue and character development. There are several touching and endearing moments in it and the pacing throughout the book is very well done. I feel the inconsistencies lie primarily with the publisher, not with the author nor with the work. The book was published by Haworth Press which is probably the source of the story's inconsistencies. Haworth Press doesn't publish very much fiction. This book could have used stronger editorial input from an editor well-versed in fiction. There is a conversation (paraphrased) where one character says to another, "I study with a Rimpoche; it rhymes with ricochet." Obviously, a character who is part of this conversation will know what the word could rhyme with. A better way to let the reader know how the word is pronounced might be: "I'm studying with a Rimpoche," she said. "Ricochet? What's that?" he asked. She laughed. "Rimpoche, it sort of rhymes," (or something similar.) There are many other areas of the author telling rather than showing the reader things, things an experienced fiction editor would catch and discuss with the author. The main character seems attracted to a certain type of man; muscular, slightly older, masculine in appearance and action, yet he winds up in the company of someone completely opposite. Not that this doesn't happen in real life, but I found this aspect of the character puzzling; there weren't enough examples of Fairfax being attracted to both types of guys to make this comfortably believable. Additionally, the threatening situations the hero finds himself in seem implausible considering who he is. An espionage professional shouldn't wind up in so many obviously easy-to-avoid circumstances. I often wondered if Brad got his spy training from Maxwell Smart. And several times, the way out of a tough spot is pure "deus-ex-machina." Without giving too much away, I think this is especially illustrated by the discovery of an unusual antidote for a bizarre poison being easily discovered in an unfamiliar environment. Better, more knowledgeable editing could have really polished the story. One of the most distracting features of the book itself is the copyright information which appears at the bottom of the first page of every single chapter of the book. I had a difficult time ignoring this odd practice, which I don't recall having come across before. I got tired of seeing it by Chapter 3. All this being said, though, do not hesitate if you are considering reading "The P'Town Murders". The story is different and entertaining, the characters are likeable, the setting is beautifully described and Mr. Round has a natural talent for narration. I would read another book in this series should one come out

Murder Strikes in Resort Town

I owned a house and cottage in Provincetown for ten years and have been going back as a visitor every year since so I was fascinated by the title. This gay novel is a mystery with some love interest toward the end. Bradford Fairfax is an agent for a hush-hush security agency, and he goes to P'Town to investigate the suspicious death of a former lover. It's a rather complicated plot. Author Jeffrey Round describes Cape Cod as "the peninsula that curled back toward the mainland like a scorpion's tail." And there are human scorpions loose in his tale as well. A phrasemaker at times, Round says "each gay man stormed his own inner Bastille breaking down the barricades for liberty and love." Strange people are aswim in the town and the book, Red herrings wash ashore, and it is not until the final pages that the killer is revealed. Your guesses may go awry. It's melodramatic and will call for a willing suspension of disbelief. If you're holed up in the dunes of P'Town, this book can provide a couple of afternoons of diversion while you're waiting for the tide to turn in your favor.

Secret Agent in P'town

Round, Jeffrey. "The P'Town Murders" The Haworth Press, 2007. Secret Agent in P'Town Amos Lassen and Literary Pride Bradford Fairfax is a hunk. He is also a secret agent who is partly James Bond, partly Sherlock Holmes and partly Quincy. More than all, however, is that he is a man who must be dealt with. Provincetown has long been a gay resort but the P'town that we get here is one full of greed, murderous jealousies and disappointments. It is also a great setting for a new mystery novel by Jeffrey Round, "The P'town Murders". When a circuit party boy named Ross Petty dies because of an ecstasy overdose, his death is ruled an accident but along comes Bradford Fairfax, a complicated, human, sensitive and very seductive secret agent who decides that Ross was murdered and feels that the crime was committed by Hayden Rosengarten. Rosengarten is wealthy and has an evil mind but he also suddenly is found dead. This is just the beginning of a string of deaths and Brad must solve the series of puzzling murders. At the same time he learns of a plot to murder the Dalai Lama. Brad begins to wonder if the murderer is someone he knows and almost loses his own life trying to solve the case. His boss, Grace, who has given him leave to go to P'Town informs him of the plot of the Dali Lama and is concerned that the two cases may be connected. Brad's next assignment is to guard the visiting religious leader on his visit to America. As his list of suspects grows, the book gets wilder and wilder. The characters in the book are wild and original and the story is true escapism. It is a great summer read and if you like mysteries, this one is great fun. I loved the flamboyant list of murder suspects and I fell in love with Brad Fairfax. He solves the murder, of course, and falls in love and saves the Dalai Lama. (I hope I did not spoil it for you). The author has created a wonderful gay detective. He fits no stereotype; he is charming, handsome, human and complicated and a real man. He leads a glamorous life and he is just like any one of us. There is great humor in the book and it is touching as well. Provincetown comes across as a gay Disneyland and does not come across as it usually does. The list of suspects for the murder a real treat and just great fun. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

A gay secret agent hits P-Town!

Bradford Fairfax is a hunky 31 year old gay man with an interesting profession: he's a secret agent for a largely-unknown international organization that safeguards global security. When he unexpectedly gets an anonymous call that his ex-boyfriend, Ross, had died of a drug overdose in Provincetown MA, a gay-centric beach resort, he gets permission from his boss, Grace, to take time off to make the funeral arrangements, under a Power of Attorney that was drafted when they were both together. Upon arrival in "P-Town," Brad stumbles upon another dead young man, whom he later finds had the same snake tattoo as Ross. A local "drag queen" entertainer who knew Ross advises Brad about a connection to an infamous guesthouse/brothel, run by a greedy crook hated by most of the locals. Brad decides to check out the place incognito, and nearly loses his life doing so. As additional murders occur, Grace hints there could be a connection with his next assignment, which is to safeguard a visiting Dalai Lama from an assassination plot, and Brad has to wonder if one of his new acquaintances could be involved. Is it Zach, the cute twink he bedded once before and still holds his interest? Or perhaps it could be Perry, a former employee of the guesthouse/brothel who had expressed a need for revenge against one of the deceased and knew at least one of the others. Then there is Johnny K, the guesthouse owner's burly bodyguard and partner in crime. Author Round spins an excellent mystery with some original and unusual characters. Obviously, the story is a bit "out there," as good escapist stories tend to be. My only critique is that the flow of the book seems a bit uneven, with most of it rather slow and prodding (and prone to the author going off on tangents describing back stories and scenes that turn out to be of no consequence), while the final third of the book seems rushed and short on even basic detail. The titling of the book suggests Round is planning sequels in the series, which I would definitely check out when available. I give this one four stars out of five.

Kudos for Mr. Round

Jessica Fletcher Meets a gay 007 An agent belonging to the Box 77 International Espionage Agency is called to Provincetown to retrieve the his ex boyfriend's body. While making funeral arrangements, he stumbles into a series of murders that involve a flamboyant list of suspects as only P'town can provide. In the end, he solves the murders, falls in love, and saves the life of a religious dignitary. Not bad for a fairy with a license to kill. Great, light, and entertaining read!