Whistling in the Dark

By Tamara Allen

New York City, 1919. His career as a concert pianist ended by a war injury, Sutton Albright returns to college, only to be expelled after a scandalous affair with a teacher. Unable to face his family,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590210492
• ISBN13: 9781590210499
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Lethe Press
• Length: 340 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

One hell of a lovely book

Whistling in the Dark is one hell of a lovely book. Possibly one of the best m/m books I've ever read. Definitely the sweetest, most engaging romance I've ever read. I don't even like historical m/m novels, because they're usually set when homosexuality was a crime punishable with severe penalties. Since the story opens with Sutton being picked up (wrongly) for public indecency and forced to spend the night in a police cell, it's clear the author doesn't intend to gloss over real world consequences. But even so, I loved this story and am torn between shouting about it from the virtual rooftops and getting you all to buy it, and sitting down and reading it all over again, even though I really don't have time for that right now. Let me tell you about the bad points of this novel. ... Right, now let me tell you about the good points. In short, everything. The writing is engaging, well-edited and literate. The author gives us a lovely feel for New York a few months before the start of Prohibition, with so many young men back from the War to End all Wars, and a society still terrified by the ongoing flu pandemic which took millions of lives. Yet she does so lightly and deftly, so we never feel we're being subjected to a history lesson, but rather a peek into the real lives of real people. She skilfully gives us a wealth of period detail, along with dialogue that is both natural and authentic. Even without the characters and the plot, this novel would stand out for the handling of its setting. But the characters and the plot are also masterly. We are introduced to Sutton and Jack, so very different in background and approach, but both broken and grieving after their war experiences (and for Jack, losing his parents in the flu epidemic as he was on his way home from France.) Both are delightful. Jack is cocky and brash, broke, charming, queer - and suffering shell-shock, with crippling insomnia and nightmares. Sutton, one of nature's true gentlemen, his dreams of a musical career dashed by injury and shame, emerges from his privileged cocoon and the rejection he faced when his sexual proclivities were discovered, and finds his true place in the precarious yet engaging world of Jack's emporium and his fledgling radio shows. He too has scars from the war, more than he even realises. It's a reminder of what terrible things we do to young men when we send them abroad to kill and see others killed. The story's a bit country mouse and city mouse, for sure, but it's not belaboured, and the growth happens for both of them, as does the healing. This is a story about friendship, and love between friends, as much as that between lovers. The other characters shine with goodness and their own quirky natures - Harry, the emporium's manager, acting in loco parentis to the unstable and perpetually indebted Jack; Ox, their faithful and sweet-natured man of all work; Esther, the waitress who gives Sutton his first break, and comes to play an important role in thei

Charming, delightul, heartwarming and uplifting!

This is one beautiful novel. My only regret is not reading it earlier. With a lot of M/M romance drowned in sex and erotism, Whistling in the Dark is a lovely breath of fresh air. The setting of the era after WW1 in NY city is unique and richly depicted. Being gay in this era is taboo but the writer manages to inject a bright optimism in the atmosphere. As for Sutton and Jack, these 2 young men scarred badly by the war really shine and grow in the story. It is so easy to fall in love with the naive, romantic yet courageous Sutton and the flamboyant and effervescent yet tormented Jack. You just wish the 2 boys to overcome their struggles and be happy together. Their developing romance is pure charm, delightful and most heartwarming. As for the cast of supporting characters they are all well developed, each one a distinct personality. The plot itself is most unique and refreshing and keeps me paging down till the very end. Kudos to the writer for her first effort and I hope she does not keep us waiting long for her next gay romance. No qualm about getting this one in print too.

Stunning first novel

Every once in a while I'll read a book that will literally sweep me off into another world and hold me there, in a magical trance. WHISTLING IN THE DARK is one of those novels, and while reading it, I began to feel that I had no business being a writer as nothing I write will ever compare. Tamara Allen uses a very light touch to show the New York City of 1919 as she recreates a post-war Mecca vividly describing the birth of prohibition, jazz, and radio stations; underground homosexual parties; automats; shady loan sharks; and two psychologically-damaged soldiers, Jack and Sutton, who find salvation in one another. The very long novel has a feel of Americana, but without the overly cheery optimism. What is so fascinating to observe, is how these two characters warm up to each other. The pace is deliciously slow and as they get to know each other, it never once feels staged, nor does the reader feel telegraphed ahead where there relationship is headed. It took great restraint to allow these characters to develop separately before they finally came together romantically. I shan't spoil you by telling you how it happens, but the circumstances that lead up to their first kiss, is one of the most unique and imaginative plot twists I've ever encountered. Though the novel certainly deals with some dark and serious issues, the overall tone is buoyant and charming and I had a silly grin on my face though most of it. The myriad of supporting characters are well-drawn and there was the full range of good to bad. The only thing I will say that is even remotely negative is that I counted five straight characters that knew about the love affair between Jack and Sutton and were completely supportive of it. It's possible. Not likely, but possible. Also, this book has got to hold the record for the number of times the word "sandwich" is used. That's not a complaint, just a playful observation. There were so many sandwiches consumed in this book, I felt positively stuffed. WHISTLING IN THE DARK is a truly remarkable first novel and a beautiful and poignant romance that deserves to be read and savored by anyone who appreciates good gay fiction. So please read it, then tell all of your friends to read it too. Mark R. Probst

One of the best books I read in 2008

Sometimes a novel and its characters grab you so much that you can't put it down. 'Whistling in The Dark' is exactly that sort of book. Well written, amusing, moving, it gives an atmospheric picture of post WWI New York. Best of all is the portrayal of the two leading men, both struggling in different ways to come to terms with their time serving in Europe and the very different world they returned to. Their blossoming romance is a constant delight, the humour and affection they have for each other a real pleasure to read. This isn't a story which is just rose-tinted, though. The hardships and difficulties facing veterans, returning home to a time of great uncertainty, aren't skipped over. Jack Bailey and Sutton Albright have a lot to overcome but they grow together while overcoming it. These two are now a permanent fixture in my mind, very believable characters in a a hopeful, heart warming story.