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Excerpt from Russian River Rat:
Tim awoke to the smell of smoke from a wood-burning stove and remembered where he was… in Nick’s bed in Monte Rio. He opened his eyes to the dim light of late afternoon. The last rays of sun filtered through the silhouettes of redwoods outside the bedroom window. Tim yawned and tried to bring his hand to his mouth, but it wouldn’t move. His gaze moved up the length of his arm and focused on his hand. Both wrists were tied to the bedposts with wide bands of leather.
Russian River Rat
E.B. Boatner – Lavender Magazine
Book Three of Abramson’s Beach Reading series finds protagonist Tim Snow’s beloved Aunt Ruth moved to San Francisco, and Tim himself finally in love with the perfect man. Oh, really? Tim and Nick begin the “If he really loved me, he’d call first” dance, against the background hum of murder and intrigue, plus the ongoing lives of the wonderfully quirky denizens of Abramson’s Snow’s Castro. Then, Tim finds more anomalies in Nick’s background: a Big Easy cop cousin who turns up as the drowned body fished out of the Russian River, and lurkers from the past out to destroy… whom? Abramson can tie more complicated knots and entangling nets than a 19th-Century sailor, his catch prolific and entertaining. Don’t mind that temperatures are falling (especially back in Tim’s native Minnesota) “Beach” is a state of mind, and Beach Reading can be done as enjoyably under an electric throw by the fireside as slathered in SP 40 by the lapping waves.
RUSSIAN RIVER RAT
Bob Lind
Echo Magazine
Twinkish, late 20’s Castro waiter Tim Snow is trying to adapt to a long distance relationship with Nick Musgrove, who operates a big florist/garden center in the Russian River area north of San Francisco. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it also makes for occasional miscommunications, jealousy and frequent worries about each other. Tim’s Aunt Ruth, who moved to San Francisco after visiting Tim here, is settling in as well, bartending at the same restaurant at which Tim works, and dating a successful older man. When the paper reports a possible murder near Nick’s home, and Tim gets one of his vivid possibly-clairvoyant dreams that suggests Nick may be in danger, the couple reunite at Nick’s cabin, not knowing that the killer could be watching their every move.
This third in Abramson’s “Beach Reading” series continues to develop and provide background on these realistic, emotionally complete characters, while involving them in another outstanding, riveting and suspenseful mystery thriller. While I would recommend reading all of the books in order, for the full effect, each one can also stand alone as a great read. Abramson paints a wonderful picture of the diverse yet cohesive, supportive Castro community, and I can’t wait until his next book to take me back to them. Bravo … five warm sourdough stars out of five!
RUSSIAN RIVER RAT
By Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas)
5.0 out of 5 stars Once More with Tim Snow, November 3, 2009
What a great character mark Abramson gives us in Tim Snow and it is good to have him back for a third time. Tim now thinks he has found the man to complement him–a handsome guy with his own business on the Russian River. Mark now has his Aunt Ruth with him, a wonderful partner and everything should be going well for him but…….
Tim begins to have dreams that bother him and his boyfriend is showing signs that he is less than perfect and suddenly both men come into contact with men from their past who could cause trouble and even death. And that is all I am going to say about the plot so as not to spoil anything for any prospective reader. I will, however, mention that Abramson lured me in with his first book “Beach Reading” and cemented me in “Cold Serial Murder” so it was up to him to make sure that I would not be let down by “Russian River Rat” and I certainly feel he passed the test beautifully.
Abramson is quite a writer. His characters are drawn beautifully and his plot here is carefully thought out. He pulls us in and does not let go even after we close the book. Not many can do that to me.