A Shot in the Dark: A Twitten Mystery (A Constable Twitten Mystery)

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On top of all of that, the way religion played into this story was one of the rare exceptions to my rule of not loving religious themes. They share the common thread of substance abuse and photography, but their journeys before that, Ely growing up in Orthodox Judaism, and Wyatt as a trans man (seriously, the way transness is looked at/explored in this book alone makes it worth it), are so interesting and given so much depth. I feel strongly that we (trans people) have the right to exist in this world in peace just like anyone else. This book is well constructed, there is a sense of immediacy that moves the story though in fact there is not a ton of action, and the dialogue crackles with authenticity.

An added perk is that this is the first in a series, and so the reader can get in on the ground floor. despite her best efforts it seems intent on coming at her from every quarter, manifested in relics from a religious history she still surreptitiously guards close to her heart. And made you empathize with not only the main characters, but the family and friends that were affect as well.

Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. He has rather lived off this event, which was made into a film and we meet up with him, six years later, enjoying a pleasant and delusional existence as a minor celebrity. He despairs at Corbyn’s intellectual emptiness yet also finds himself out of sympathy with the centre-left and their aggressive moral certainties.

I think it’s important to remember that while these characters deal real problems, they are in fact characters- meaning they may not depict the journey of all who have similar struggles or storylines.

but he also realizes that Twitten could help him win the “Policeman of the Year” award that he so very much desires.

The book served up some topics that weren't super familiar to me like religious trauma and addiction, but made those topics feel accessible enough for me to follow those parts of the book. Wyatt and Ely have shared one night together and their desire doesn't go away, they are both very attracted to each other but they're not /in love/ yet. Kicked out his own fraught family when he comes out as trans while in the military when that was not allowed and is dishonorably discharged Wyatt sinks into the embrace of alcohol and drugs. They both have family estrangement issues, although for very different reasons, and that adds a layer to their shared experience of addiction.And it's even more annoying when, after Constable Twitten is despatched to the theatre for the night, he sits next to a vicious theatre critic who is promptly shot dead part way through the opening night of a new play. The way Lee explored not only the personal toll it took, but the way it affects relationships was amazing. But when Wyatt Cole walks into the classroom, Ely realizes the man she just spent the night with is her teacher. A Shot In the Dark is Victoria Lee's adult debut, a contemporary romance that I know will get people complaining that it is not fluffy or light enough. My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of A Shot in the Dark in exchange for an honest review.