Criminal Past

4.5 stars

This one had me on the edge of my seat, dragging my hands down my face, repeating “oh god, oh god, oh no” for so very long near the end. Loved the suspense, though I did find one aspect of the plot a bit nonsensical once everything unfolded.

These guys are so deeply flawed, yet so perfect for each other. I'm looking forward to reading the next series about them.

RE-READ/RE-LISTEN 8/25/21 – 8/28/21I can't believe I did it. This is a hard one physically and emotionally for the MC and I confess I skimmed some parts. My heart couldn't take it. Having said that I'm glad I didn't skip this one in my re-red and I think I understand why the author had to take Emery & JH on this harrowing episode. For Hazard it's the logical, if unexpected, conclusion to the journey begun on [b:Pretty Pretty Boys 36623175 Pretty Pretty Boys (Hazard and Somerset, #1) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511094676l/36623175.SY75.jpg 58383961]. As for Somers, this sojourn in Hell, very much aligns with a Judeo-Christian sense of crime and punishment, which wouldn't be an alien concept to him and perhaps unconsciously welcome, atoning for the past, wearing the hair shirt, doing the penance. He can now move on. **** FIRST READ/LISTEN 1/23/20 — 1/26/20 **** Whew, what a ride!The long and short of it is that I loved this arc in the Hazard & Somers story. Is it perfect? Not exactly, but this isn't The Paris Review, just what I enjoy, and enjoy it I did. Even when I was shuddering from sympathetic pain.[b:Criminal Past 41103639 Criminal Past (Hazard and Somerset #6) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1533944202l/41103639.SY75.jpg 64217590] delivers on the promise made at the very beginning of [b:Pretty Pretty Boys 36623175 Pretty Pretty Boys (Hazard and Somerset, #1) Gregory Ashe https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511094676l/36623175.SY75.jpg 58383961]. Emery Hazard has returned to his hometown of Wahredua, MO ostensibly to get justice for the first boy he ever loved, who committed suicide after being brutalized and putting the past to rest. It won't go quietly or as [a:William Faulkner 3535 William Faulkner https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1615562983p2/3535.jpg] wrote: “The past is never dead. It's not even past.”. This is an idea that suffuses the whole arc. In every volume [a:Gregory Ashe 1179529 Gregory Ashe https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1561907752p2/1179529.jpg] has laid out a case that to some degree propels forward not only Hazard & Somers's relationship, but the overarching case of corruption in the upper echelons of Wahredua society. In this book it all comes together. IMO the strongest part of this series has always been the development of the relationship between the MC. Emery and John-Henry are fully formed and distinct individuals, with rich back stories, histories, quirks, and interests. Their behavior, past and present, is logically motivated, and I loved that though they've become a couple, they're still themselves, their histories still mark them. Somers overtly, believes/fears that his past actions are unforgivable and Hazard has tried to use the shield of reason & logic to protect himself to the extent that he's almost frozen in time. Fear not. GA, for all that he seems like a bit of sadist with all that he puts these guys through, is also big hearted enough to allow them to start to heal and love each other in the way they probably always would have if we didn't live in a f**ked-up world. Their interactions with each other, Hazard with Evie, Somers trying to ease the way with honey, Hazard stubbornly refusing to play the game, all of it seeped under my skin. Emery & JH are characters that I think of as existing in the real world, I might run into one of them at the market. I'm happy to know them.*********The imperfect part? There's the "small town / big hell" trope, which I have no direct experience of living in a small town, but so far every resident of Wahredua, other than Cora, Hazard, and Somers, seems to be ... unappealing. If that's the case they should start packing ASAP. The level of violence visited on the MCs in the space of two days almost reaches baroque heights, their resilience is a matter for medical journals. The omniscience, omnipotence, and endurance of the villains, particularly one tweaker, seemed a bit much. Also my vicious heart wanted more of a comeuppance for the villains, but you can't have everything.