| Title | : | Pressure Head (The Plumbers Mate #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1619212587 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781619212589 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 226 |
| Publication | : | First published September 18, 2012 |
To most of the world, Tom Paretski is just a plumber with a cheeky attitude and a dodgy hip, souvenir of a schoolboy accident. The local police keep his number on file for a different reason—his sixth sense for finding hidden things.
When he’s called in to help locate the body of a missing woman up on Nomansland Common, he unexpectedly encounters someone who resurrects a host of complicated emotions. Phil Morrison, Tom’s old school crush, now a private investigator working the same case. And the former bully partly responsible for Tom’s injury.
The shocks keep coming. Phil is now openly gay, and shows unmistakable signs of interest. Tom’s attraction to the big, blond investigator hasn’t changed—in fact, he’s even more desirable all grown up. But is Phil’s interest genuine, or does he only want to use Tom’s talent?
As the pile of complicated evidence surrounding the woman’s murder grows higher, so does the heat between Tom and Phil. But opening himself to this degree exposes Tom’s heart in a way he’s not sure he’s ready for…while the murderer’s trigger finger is getting increasingly twitchy.
Warning: Contains a flirtatious plumber with hidden talents, a cashmere-clad private investigator with hidden depths, and an English village chock full of colourful characters with plenty to hide.
Pressure Head (The Plumbers Mate #1) Reviews
-
A bitter indictment of Britain's uniquely vicious history of homophobia and the inevitable results thereof—cunningly disguised as a cozy, cuttingly funny, hedgerow-piercing murder mystery with romantic m/m elements and a publican tour.
Also, two cats named Merlin and Arthur. Obviously.
The shame of the UK in this regard is well-documented—as is ours. But I find it especially poignant given the remarkable maturity and leftward-leanings of the current political milieu.
They're pretty good about this stuff—now. But not always. Not in time for Alan Turing.
So when I'm reading a book like this one, and I begin to notice that everything—nearly everything—hinges on the friction between the perception of homosexuality, and the reality—well, a boy takes notice.
Tom's hip was crushed by a car. On account of running away from an angry mob of schoolboys. Led by the school jock.
Which is some majorly fucked-up shit to find, innit, tucked between the lines of the sweet-natured Jessica Fletcher paperback you choose to read during your afternoon tea and biccies, is what I'm saying, here.
Even the title is a crafty double-entendre, referring both to Plumber Tom's dowsy, water-whisperer ESP and the force that builds up inside a person who discovers that they are born into a life—before they even have words for what they are—firmly athwart their family, their social circle, and their own desires.
Athwart the universe.
Like poor Merry. About the saddest creature you ever saw.
A priest. With fusty, 50s LGBT lit and some heartbreaking old letters in a shoebox under the bed, and—well, whatever—a gangbang fetish.
What happens to him is no accident; it's clearly of Merrow's ultimate design, and a good illustration of her point.
Which is then sneakily wrapped-up in a riotously funny light-romanze caper set in a country English village?
And that's another thing: it is pretty funny, you know, despite the grim bones of the thing.
So that is why I hereby raise a pint in Ms. Merrow's honor, for a job well-done, but also because:
Highly recommended. -
"Course, you might get on all right with him. He's one of your lot, not that you'd know it to look at him."
"What a plumber?" I asked innocently.
"Piss off. And he's not a bloody psychic either. He's queer, all right? And if I catch you two canoodling on police time, I'm taking pictures and bunging them on the Internet."
"I'll try and control my raging homo desires," I said as dryly as I could.
After reading and loving
Muscling Through I was looking forward to another very good story written by the talented J.L. Merrow. As it was, she did not disappoint at all. Then again, I find it quite interesting that both books struggle with the same shortcomings—at least from my point of view.
Overall it was a real pleasure to read Pressure Head. I totally dig the author’s excellent writing, her sense of humor and the Britishism. Her characters are quite unique and Tom is so priceless and well-drawn. He made me smile time and again. The guy is a bit snarky which made him all the more multilayered as well as endearing to me. Furthermore, the plot is well-developed, the dialogue is witty and hilarious and the writing is very enthralling.
(…)"You should put it on your business cards--Tom Paretski, the pocket-sized plumber. No job too small."
"And again with the height jokes. What do you have on yours? Phil Morrison, the muscle-bound moron?"
"Now, come on--that's a poor effort. How about Private Dick--the biggest in the business?"
I grinned. "So is it, then?"
His turn to say, "What?"
"The biggest. Come to that, is it private, or can anyone apply?" I took another forkful of plaice.
(…)
"They can apply," he said at last. "Doesn't mean they'll get the job."
What did not work for me, though, was the lack of chemistry and build-up. The sex scene is way better than in Muscling Through, however, I’ve had a hard time to imagine these two guys together, as in having a loving relationship. In fact, I felt that there was a lack of "relationship development". While the story mainly revolves around the murder mystery these two guys were so not tuned to the same wavelength. I have to wonder if I am the only one who didn’t “feel” it. Bitching at one another is all right as long as it doesn’t kill the chemistry. And boy, did they bitch from the get-go. Furthermore, I would have liked to get to know Phil a bit better. Even at the end of the story, he remained a mystery to me--sort of. I really can’t claim to know him but on the other hand, he is a great hunk, definitely delicious and a sight for sore eyes.
Despite my minor issues Pressure Head is a very worthwhile and entertaining read. If you are a fellow m-m lover and you haven't read anything by J.L. Merrow, then it's time to give her a try. Enjoy! -
4 Stars
This was a solid start to a series I just know will become a favourite of mine given further exposure.
I love a good whodunit mystery and I love me some barely-there paranormal elements in what is essentially a straight forward contemporary setting. Pair these themes with some truly fantastic writing and a riveting slow-burn romance between two childhood-enemies-turned-adult-lovers, and you have yourself a really engaging read.
Tom Paretski is a plumber with a special knack for finding hidden things. His unique ability is practically a sixth sense, one in which Tom uses often when called upon by his cop buddy to assist in solving tricky cases.
When a local woman goes missing and is presumed murdered, Tom is asked to help find her. His involvement in the case should be over after he leads the authority’s to her body, but when Tom (re)meets Phil Morrison, the private investigator working the case who just happens to be Tom’s childhood crush/biggest tormentor, the two find themselves entangled, both professionally and personally, as they fight a complex attraction while working together to solve a murder.
I loved the pacing of this story, particularly where the character and relationship growth was concerned. Tom and Phil are both very complicated and real individuals, and I appreciated that their relationship dynamic, both past and present, was one that was intricately layered and slow to bloom. There wasn’t all that much “romance” happening here, yet, but the little moments we did get I absolutely adored. The potential for an epic love story was very apparent to me and I can't wait to see how this unfolds in the larger series.
The mystery portion definitely kept me interested, too. I found myself examining and cross examining every secondary character I met, in a vague attempt to solve the murder before Tom and Phil did, and even though I wouldn’t say this was a complex mystery, it still held me fully engaged and kept me guessing for the majority of the piece.
I’ve now read three stories by Merrow (I’ll get to more, don’t you worry) and what continually stands out to me the most is her unique style of writing, particularly in terms of the immersive atmosphere she creates in her settings and the authentically British voice she gives her characters. A strong sense of person and place is always very important to my overall enjoyment when I’m reading and Merrow has nailed this every single time I’ve cracked open her books, which will ensure I keep coming back for me. -
Midsomer Murders with M/M sex, yay!
I'm late to the party with this book, so everyone else has already covered my main points.
I could have done with a tiny bit more sex, actually. Specifically it was the end scene that didn't live up to my expectations: as
Anna says, if this is #1 in a series then it's great as it is, but if it's a standalone then it was unsatisfying to get no . (EDIT: yes, apparently there's going to be a book 2, so yay!)
As
Daniel discusses, the first-person POV is horribly mangled in the drunk scene. You can't narrate coherently while recounting your own drunken dialogue, and if you're telling the reader about the sexual attraction between you and the other MC you can't be oblivious to it. Otherwise, fabulous narrator. Love him. Wanna hug him. After a shower, though.
And finally, as
Tiya points out, Phil is not as well developed a character as Tom, and I'm not 100% convinced they should end up together. I'm not even sure why Tom is attracted to him. The guy bullied you mercilessly and caused you great physical pain and long-term suffering, he's an arrogant asshole to you, but you want to have sex with him because he's hot? Really?
Despite my teeny qualms I have to give this a five, because I stayed up till 4am to finish it. That's booklove, folks.
EDIT: Actually, I give the story a 4.4, but I'm adding .6 for Four Candles. Classic! -
3.5 stars
I rate the story slightly lower than few friends of mine for a purely personal reason. As an ESL, I grew up with American English (thanks to the TV shows and movies I watched). Other variety of English is a bit difficult for me to follow.
Unfortunately, this was the most British book from J.L. Merrow to-date, and I was having a difficult time to thoroughly enjoy it because I couldn't understand the lingo. It doesn't reflect the quality of the writing, in any way. I reduce ratings for mainstream books too, if I found it difficult to enjoy due to the British flair (case in point, my own
review for Ben Aaronovitch's
Rivers of London).
The book is more mystery than romance, in my perspective -- as Phil drags Tom along to find hidden secrets that people keep, in order to find out the real murderer of a woman, and saves the boyfriend from jail (who happens to be someone both Tom and Phil know from high school). They act on the attraction don't come until about last 1/5 of the book.
I like the mystery. I'm in the mood for one -- having struck with so-so romance -- and mystery thriller has always been my first love with books. I like the surrounding -- from the secretive vicar, to the abused wife, to Tom's best friends. They're all fun to read. Then of course, Tom himself, as the main narrator, is all around nice guy. His knack of a talent, to find hidden things is pretty awesome :).
I like Phil too, actually. I know that he comes like he's angry with Tom all the time, like he is resentful to what Tom has in life, but I also have a soft heart for grumpy characters.
The downside though (aside from the heavily English flair) is that I don't believe in their romance just yet. I feel that Phil still keeps a lot from Tom -- and the fact that the story is written with 1st person doesn't help. What about Phil's stance that feels bitter about marriage, for instance. Especially . It is not throughly explored.
I end up wondering about what Phil sees in Tom. Is it just because of the guilt? Or because of some nostalgic high-school memory? Because that couldn't be good for present relationship, could it?
So, while the mystery is good to follow, but the romance is not fully satisfying. For me, it will be okay if there's no promise-of-romance between the characters. But there is, and that part is the one that doesn't deliver. -
This book was my first read in 2016 and I have to say that I had a really great time reading it! I am a huge fan of stories that combine crime solving with romance and this one hit all the right buttons, considering the story also contained enemies-turned- lovers theme which is one of my most favorite themes and had a paranormal aspect as well. I also really like characters that suffer from certain disabilities, or characters that are all grumpy on the outside and soft in the inside. Keep in mind that this is one of those stories that the crime and mystery elements are much stronger than the romance. Most of the story took place when the main characters were interviewing different suspects and witnesses, so you have to actually like this kind of story to begin with.
This isn’t a simple story. It actually explores very dark themes regarding homosexuality that are sadly a reality in many parts of the world. This story has a medium as the main character and yet I found it realistic enough. "Pressure Head" was a very funny story yet had very dark undertones hidden in the depth. Even the title has several meanings and isn’t what it seems at the surface. I found the story very well-written and the mystery was well-crafted. The culprit wasn’t obvious in a very annoying way and there were many red herrings. I really liked the British setting of the story, although as a person only familiar with American English, I had some trouble understanding some of the British phrases and slang.
I liked all the characters and none of them was stupid or annoying. I couldn’t help but sympathize with most of the characters and I loved both main characters. I think Tom and Phil had a lot of chemistry and I enjoyed every scene that included both of them. Tom was sometimes a little judgy but a human character is supposed to have flaws and I liked how he would change his opinion after actually getting to know people. I also liked how Phil was lass approachable than Tom despite his line of work and Tom’s friendly manner was both nice and believable. Tom’s dark and witty sense of humor was just hilarious! Movies and books hardly make me laugh and yet, this book managed to make me laugh really hard several times! The sarcastic and witty bickering between the boys was really fun and the two cats named Merlin and Arthur were just icing on cake.
I would have liked more time invested in the romantic relationship between the main characters. There was a lot of delicious sexual tension and a childhood bully becoming a lover is a very tricky theme and I wasn’t really surprised at the lack of intimacy. After all, the main characters have a very painful history with obstacles that are not easy to overcome. I found it realistic that the two of them couldn’t put all the bitterness and resentment behind, and would lash out at each other every once in a while. Certain wounds never heal and even a small poke can have devastating results.
Which is why I was disappointed that their relationship wasn’t explored in depth. I simply wanted to know more about their inner feelings, especially many questions regarding Phil’s true feelings weren’t answered and his love for Tom or the depth of it, wasn’t really explored and his character needed a lot more poking. Then again this is the first book in a series and I think the author has left certain developments for the next books.
Overall, "Pressure Head" was a very enjoyable read. I stayed up till 3 am to finish this book so I can’t give it anything less than 5 stars. I highly recommend it, if you like all the themes and elements I mentioned at the beginning of my review. -
When Tom is called upon to help find the body of a missing girl he runs into an old high school crush who is also his high school bully, Phil Morrison. Tom is surprised by the sudden blast from his not too fond past, but then absolutely shocked when he is told that Phil is now openly gay. The reunion of the two old high school classmates is not a friendly one and Tom can’t wait to find this girl and escape from Phil. But Phil is a private investigator and has been hired by the missing girl’s family to find out what has happened to her, so Tom doesn’t exactly escape him…
Pressure Head was a lot of fun to read. I loved Tom. He’s smart, funny, charming, a flirt, and sarcastic. He’s my kind of guy. I loved that he was a normal guy with a normal job of a, Plumber. I love a good mystery and I love them even more when they involve psychics, ghosts, and in this case, Tom’s special gift of being a finder.
I really like Phil as well. He is guilt stricken over the things he did to Tom is school. Especially over the accident that involved Tom being hit by a car. Eventually him and Tom start working together and lines get crossed and a relationship blossoms. I loved that even though they obviously have feelings for each other it isn’t rushed. It’s not insta love. The relationship develops in a pace that I appreciated.
The mystery was light and not too heavy. There was quite a bit of odd characters that made some excellent suspects. The reverend was a special kind of creepy. I loved Gary and Darren though and Tom’s cats.
If you’re looking for a light mystery with a great cast of characters then this is a read for you. -
I want a plumber like Tom Paretski. The ones I've dealt with so far were either trying to rip me off or grope my ass. Or both. And they never call me 'love.'
I want a PI like Phil Morrison. Because he's got class, he knows how to dress, and he cares about his clients. He's not half bad to look at, either.
And I need to read more of J.L. Merrow's work. Few other m/m authors manage to have such irresistible narrating characters without sacrificing the story or the plot or the side characters.
Recommended. -
Review posted at
The Armchair Reader.
4.25 stars
Yay for another novel by JL Merrow!!! She's one of my favorite authors, and as I told a friend recently, I'm almost nervous when I start reading each successively published novel because I've loved them all so much there's bound to be one that disappoints me. Thankfully, that wasn't the case here and I ended really really thoroughly enjoying this latest offering by a really wonderful author.
Tom Paretski is a plumber with a secret -- he's got a knack for finding things. It's a bit like dowsing, he can hone in on hidden things, things that have deep emotion attached to them like guilt or shame. Sadly, lost and hidden things include people, and we meet him as his friend on the force Dave, calls him in to look for a local missing woman. Tom's in for more shock than seeing another dead body, however, when a ghost from his past shows up at the scene as a private investigator hired by the family of the murdered victim.
The last time Tom saw Phil Morrison was when he and his cronies stepped up their high school bullying a bit too far. Tom still lives with the scars of that physical and emotional trauma and seeing the man ten years later dredges all those feelings back up. It doesn't help that he's just as attracted to the man as he was back then and it certainly pisses him off that the man is apparently as big of a homo as he is, and completely out of the closet. Phil has an attitude as well, one that might rival Tom's perpetual snark and their verbal blows start almost immediately. Phil doesn't believe in his gift, but he needs Tom's help anyway. They both have vested interest in making sure the current suspect gets treated fairly and together, they might be able to get the answers they need to find the real killer.
Merrow has a knack for slyly mixing genres that really works for me. This story is for all intents and purposes a contemporary mystery romance, with the exception of Tom's gift. That is perhaps the reason Tom's gift isn't given center stage. Though we first get to know him through his gift, it's often presented as rather unglamorous and second rate to pounding pavement detective work. We get to know Tom as if the gift is just a quirky peccadillo that comes in handy during his plumbing work. Though it does get used, and is central to the plot, the different focus and misdirection worked well to show Tom as an ordinary guy who is rather in over his head in this whole mess.
I really liked Tom. He's a strong character that has a real moral compass amid the corrupt characters that stock the story. In a way, he's retained his innocence beneath his jaded veneer, which contrasts nicely with Phil, who harbors rather a lot of guilt and shame over his past. I appreciated that they both came across as assholes every once and a while, trying to work through their shared history (or at times ignore it).
The mystery worked well for me, though hardcore mystery fans might find the story lighter than they're used to. Much of the story is focused on detective work, but a lot of the focus is on the relationship between Tom and Phil in the midst of it. I was a little disappointed that we didn't hear what happens to a character that showed up early in the story that I felt rather sorry for, and of course, I could have really done with more of the smexxin from these two because they are sizzling together!
So, once again, I loved this offering from one of my favorite authors and as always look forward to whatever she publishes. This one is definitely recommended. -
What do you get when you have a plumber as your MC. . .
and a grizzly private investigator. . .
engaging in an enemies to lovers romance. . .
that's set in a quaint and sleepy English Villageof the Damned. . .
where. . .
including a cat. . .
and all kinds of shenanigans are afoot. . .
that result in a million and one (or maybe just three) questions about whodunit. . .
but the whodunit was sufficiently mysterious that I was entirely clueless as to whodunit until it was obvious whodunit which made me feel like a noob for not getting whodunit much earlier than I did. . .
So lemme ask you again. What do you get?
I'll tell you.
You essentially get a m/m version of. . .
which is totally and utterly. . .
and therefore means you should definitely read it . . . OR ELSE.
-
Insufficient groveling RUINED this book for me. If it hadn’t been for that, I would have have been all over this series — I loved Tom’s voice, I loved the setting, I loved everything. Except for that one unforgivable, insurmountable thing:
-
Wow. So good.
This book is so fun. I mean, really, really fun.
And fast-paced. J.L. Merrow has a huge fan in Natasha Snow, that's for sure.
This is the old enemies to lovers trope, which I love, and it's done so tastefully well. She avoids a lot of other tropes in her writing, straying from relationship norms that I find in a lot of M/M romance novels.
I love Tom. I love that he's not your typical gorgeous character in romance novels (although he is gorgeous). I think it's quite hilarious that he's always kind of dirty, doesn't seem to do laundry, and has a blue collar job. I find it refreshing. Plus, he's absolutely hilarious.
And who couldn't love Phil? Tall, dark, and handsome. And grumpy, of course. Mustn't forget the grumpy.
The relationship between these two characters is so snarky, it's hilarious. I loved when they were starting to "work" together and always seemed to bicker. It's like they were almost friends, but still had so much unsettled air between them.
And god, there is so much sexual tension in this book. I love that Merrow made me wait. Like, really wait for it.
Would rec. Super find. Weeeeee! -
~PH BALANCE!!!~
Firstly, let’s start out by talking about that amazing cover. I just love it so much, it is just so light and fun just like the book. J.L Merrow is a master at making me laugh, and falling head over heels for her characters. She has taken a spot as one of my fave authors, my go to when I want a fun read with a side of hot loving.
Tom Paretski isn't your ordinary plumber he also has a talent for finding hidden things, stuff hidden out of guilt or hiding a dirty secret. The talent first made an appearance when he was a young boy and found the body of a little girl, not the most ideal experience for a young boy but it is a gift that comes in handy. So, when the cops can’t find something they call in Tom. He finds himself searching for a missing woman and the outcome isn’t a pleasant one. Now it seems his town has a got a killer on their hands, and to make things a little worse for him. He runs into his high school crush and bully. Phil is still as gorgeous as ever but seeing him, the past comes rearing its ugly head.
Now Phil has need of Tom's little finders’ keepers’ skill, and the men begin an investigation of their own. It’s a surprise they got anything done, when they fight like cats and dogs, and constantly butt heads. Underneath all their bitching, the sexual tension was crackling and I kept thinking "so when are you guys gonna get naked already?"
Seriously, this book is a lot of fun. The murder-mystery was done well and kept me guessing up to the end. The highlight of the story is the town folks; I kept anticipating who would be next on Phil and Tom's list of suspects. The slow developing relationship between Phil and Tom was nice to read about, but I found myself getting frustrated with both their attitudes. I understood that they had old hurts to get pass, but man did they take their time >.<
Overall, I really liked it and enjoyed the variety in characters a lot. J.L has a gift in introducing new characters and having them play some part whether it is small or important, (that’s no small feat). So yes, please do check this one out, lots of mystery (I kept it all mysterious), surprises, and most of all fun. -
I loved this book.
The characters were not only believable but fun.
Tom was a lovable little guy. He kept me chuckling with his thoughts and verbal responses.
Phil was more tricky to understand. He was frustrating at times and deserved a smack or two, but I did feel the chemistry between them even when Phil was being a right plonker. I would of liked a little more background on Phil, as I felt there was more to his life than we learned.
The murder mystery was intriguing and left me guessing till the end. The cast of characters were all entertaining and realistic not a know-it-all or prettily perfect dainty female amongst them.lol.
The focus on story and not sex was another win for me.
Another book to add to my favourite shelf. Although being a Britt and living near St. Albans I guess I could be a little bias lol.
ETA Just as much fun second time around. I really love Tom and Phil
ETA Still a funny read, with plenty of intrigue. One of the best bits for me is that these guys are not picture perfect. They have flaws and in Toms case short comings lol.
ETA See above -
This is complicated, when I started reading I was ready to start shooting from the hip but then I read on and stopped and thought and it is not so simple to ‘judge’. Thank God that Merrow just gave me the story and did not try to tell me what to feel.
Yes this a ‘simple’ whodunit but the people this wraps around are not simple, rather complicated with all kinds of shades not just the grey ones.
I would like to read more about this cast, there is lots more to explore, delve into. -
Great mystery from one of my favourite authors. Pressure Head is narrated by Tom Paretski, plumber extraordinaire, charmer of old ladies, and high school bully survivor, who has a weird ability to find things (and people) who are lost. He's called in by the local police to find the body of a young woman. Also at the scene is his past tormentor (Phil), now a PI, who has been hired by the girl's parents to help find the killer. Phil persuades Tom to use his ability to help him solve the case.
Tom's narration is a pleasure to read. Cheeky and vulnerable in turns. He makes a great amateur detective and was totally believable as he gets sucked into the lives and dramas of the suspects. Phil is much less likeable. He stays fairly distant and angry throughout the story. Never really able to get over the guilt for his part in Tom's childhood abuse, and to me he actually seemed to resent Tom for his happiness and ability to get on with life. There is some sexual tension there and I wanted them to get together (which they fainally do at about 80%) but the ending leaves a lot of their relationship unresolved.
This story would have to have the most British flavour of all her books. Slang, quaint characters, and corner pubs abound. The mystery also has a definite British flair. I could have been watching a slightly edgier version of Midsomer Murders. I would absolutely LOVE a sequel or series with these characters. Something like Kaje Harper's Life Lessons series or Haley Walsh's Skylar Foxe series. Surely the author can't leave Tom and Phil as they are now? It felt unsatisfying and all I can say is, I want MORE! -
A mystery that stays true to the Merrow formula. Which is a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the Merrow book in question. Pressure Head was a lovely read though, with nice characters, a steadily-paced crime scene investigation and that delightful Britishness that sends little thrills of excitement through me every time (sorry Lo-Lo, I know I'm being daft but I just can't be bollocksed :D).
Of course, the 1.02 sex scene was bland and awkward as I've come to expect with this author, just as there was little UST. But in this case the sarcastic banter between the MCs and the names of the cats made up for that. -
What a little gem. This was a fresh, funny mystery romance that was an absolute pleasure to read. The story is narrated by Tom Paretski, gay plumber and sometime police " consultant " in so much as he has always had a gift for ' finding ' lost things, in this case he is asked by his policeman friend Dave to help find a missing girl. Tom finds her dead body and whilst at the scene is confronted by a blast from his past in the person of his nemisis from his schooldays - Phil Morrison, tall, blonde and gorgeous, now turned Private investigator hired by the girls parents to help find her. Phil and his homophobic friends had tormented Tom as a teenager so there is no love lost between them. Even though Phil treated him badly, Tom had always had a bit of a crush on him so its a revelation to Tom to find out that Phil is now out and proud and apparently a changed man. It turns out that they have a mutual friend involved in the case who was engaged to the girl and of course is now a suspect, so Phil, not really believing in Toms gift but thinking he knows more than he's saying, asks Tom to help him exonerate their friend. And so starts a clever, witty murder mystery with a set of memorable, extremely likeable characters and tons of style!
Toms narrative was really funny - full of witty repartee and snarky banter - and when he and Phil are together you can feel the tension and attraction that they are both afraid to act on. The best thing about this story is the fact that they don't act on the attraction until the end of the book so there is very little in the love scene department but this is still a sexy, sensual love story, because the slow build up causes the type of ST that sizzles so that when it finally happens its awesome and hot. What a great change to have a m/m romance that isn't fuelled by mind numbing explicit in your face sex! The mystery in itself is filled with loads of red herrings and quirky suspects and will keep you guessing right till the end. Toms friend Gary and his boyfriend Darren - a truly inspired creation - had me in tucks. Read it and you'll see why. Genius! Tom is an absolute sweetie and a real charmer and Phil may come over as the strong silent type but you just can't help falling for both of them and rooting for them to get their HEA.
This really is a fabulous read, I can't Reccomend it enough. I hope J l Merrow gives Tom and Phil and the gang a series or at least a follow up because there is definitely more mileage in these fantastic characters. Do not pass this one by. -
First I want to say that I had an amazing time with Tom! I love him! He is smart, funny... well he is the soul of this book!
I like Phil too, though I would like to see him begging for forgiveness... but "water under the bridge" as my "friend" Tom would say!
The plot is very light and intelligent... the mystery is interesting and captivating!
I think the ending was a bit rushed, it would be nice to see a little more of their relationship... but March is not far away... and I can't wait for the second book!
-
What I liked most about this book was Tom, the story is from his POV so his voice is very distinctive and full. He's such a fantastic character. Sadly, Phil is very much a mystery and remains that way until the end still leaving a lot of questions as to his history and his movtivations and we end up with more of a HFN.
The story was so good, I really, really enjoyed it. Tom is a plumber who has had the ability to find things, hidden things, all his life. He sometimes uses this ability to help a friend on the police force. It's during one of these favors that Tom reconnects with an old tormentor from his school days, Phil.
Tom used to crush on Phil but that all ended when Phil and his gang of like-minded thugs taunted Tom and their bullying eventually lead to Tom being involved in a car accident and breaking his pelvis. There are a lot of unaddressed feelings because of the accident, guilt and attraction being the front runners.
I loved the back and forth antagonism between Tom and Phil. It definitely made for a fun read but as a result the actual romance part of this suffered quite a bit. Which is too bad, I love the chemistry here but I just needed something from Phil's POV to make this more balanaced and more than a one-sided attraction on Tom's part. I felt he deserved more from Phil, even one more paragraph added to the end of this book would have left me feeling on more solid ground with these two characters.
Phil is a very complex character and he has a lot of emotions boiling under the surface but he's just too much of a dark horse. It's never good when the secondary characters like Gary, Dave, Darren, and Merry are richer and their motivations are clearer than Phil's. Still, this is worth it just for Tom, who has an inner voice that is just so sweetly sarcastic and loveable. I just enjoy Merrow's writing so much. I've been waiting for this book for a bit, worth the wait but I just wish we could have gotten a HEA. -
Thank you so much Secret Santa for the prezzie!
-
⭐️ 4 Stars ⭐️
Dave’s a great bloke, and I love him dearly, but not like that. Dear God, never like that.
✰ ✰ My Lazy Review - look this book has been out since 2012 ✰ ✰
Pressure Head is one of those books that I read back in, Dear Lord, 2012? NOPE, that can't be right. . .at least 2014? Anyway I read PRESSURE HEAD back in the day, but completely forgot about it / wasn't that excited about it. However, I'm not really sure what younger Julia was doing way back when because this book was so much fun! PRESSURE HEAD reminded me of an extremely British version of
P.S. I Spook You. Which honestly that should tell you everything you need to know about this book!
In lieu of an actual review I'm just going to include my favorite quotes from the book because -
✨ I be lazy like that!✨
SO, without further ado. . .
✰ ✰ Here be my FAVORITE Quotes ✰ ✰ + some thoughts 😅
🕵️♂️✨ - PRESSURE HEAD was extremely bantery and I loved it. Tom and Phil (which by the way are some of the most boring any-bro names I've ever heard) had such great rapport that I couldn't help but look forward to all of their scenes together. Essentially when these two weren't awkwardly avoiding the landmine that was their childhood they were hilarious together.
No skin off your pretty little nose.” What? “Did you just call me pretty? Pretty?” “Strike a nerve, did it? Sorry. I meant to say, ‘your rugged, manly little nose.’” “Arse.” “All right, you’ve got a rugged, manly little arse too. Happy?”
🕵️♂️✨ - And speaking of banter while Tom couldn't out banter say Rain Christiansen from the
Spectral Files series he could definitely hold his own. Tom was such a fun MC who I couldn't help but love. From his talent for finding lost things, to his adorably awkward friendship with Dave, to the way he's just a nice guy, I really grew to love Tom and his very British humor.
Was lying to a vicar in his vicarage as bad as lying in church, or only as bad as any other lie? I’d have crossed my fingers, but I didn’t want Jesus thinking I was taking the mick.
🕵️♂️✨ - I'd say my second favorite character after Tom was not his love interest Phil, but his friend Gary. Man Gary was freaking funny and the way him and Tom both are there for each other but also aren't afraid to "take the piss out" of each other was so fun to watch. Honestly if this whole book was just an origin story of how Tom and Phil became friends I'd bee 100% okay with that.
Straight, is he? Never mind, darling—just flash him one of your cheeky smiles, and you’ll soon have him joining the sisterhood and eating out of your underpants.” “Sounds a bit gross, that. And what sisterhood would that be?” “Sisters of Sodom, of course, what else?” Gary beamed. “I’ve got that on a T-shirt somewhere.”
🕵️♂️✨ - So, this might've been cheating but I did skip ahead to the 5th book and check out reviews. . .NOW after doing that I probably won't be continuing with this series (also only book 1 was on KU sooo. . .). One of the main complaints in other reviews was the fact that Phil only seemed to want to be with Tom out of guilt (he was a bit of a wanker to Tom in HS). However, since I've only read book 1 and only have book 1 Phil to judge I left PRESSURE HEAD with warm feelings towards him! I think Phil was an interesting character who I was intrigued by. He had some funny moments that I enjoyed and he kept up with Tom's wit nicely.
“I did fucking hate you, okay? I hated the things you made me feel, made me want . . . Christ, don’t you realise I didn’t have a bloody clue I was gay until I noticed you drooling over me after games? I wanted to fucking kill you for making me feel that way.”
okay my attempt to not include at least some thoughts failed. . .#sorryNotsorry
✰ ✰ Closing Thoughts!! ✰ ✰
PRESSURE HEAD was a fun MM romance that I enjoyed. It was extremely British (what can i say i have a fondness for extremely British books), had all the banter, it was a fun murder mystery, and had decent sexual tension. While I wouldn't say this is my all time favorite "M/M murder mystery romance" I still really liked it! I'm glad I gave it a second chance after all these years and if the rest of the series was on Kindle Unlimited I'd give it a read. So, if you're in the mood for an extremely British murder mystery romance then I say check out PRESSURE HEAD by
J.L. Merrow.
He folded his arms, but it didn’t come across as a defensive gesture. It came across more as a just in case you’ve forgotten the size of my biceps gesture. I hadn’t forgotten, but the reminder didn’t hurt one bit. -
This book is a funny, cozy whodunit with soft-boiled undertones.
(Why, yes, I did just google “types of mysteries”—thank you for noticing. :))
I liked that 2 major parts of the plot occur within the first chapter.
-Tom finds a dead body and
-Tom meets up with the deliciously granite-like Phil.
Phil is a former school fellow, now a PI, who coped with his own homosexuality by bullying Tom. Luckily for us, the murder forces them together (I love it when that happens) and they spend the rest of the novel dealing with their mutual attraction, as well as the friction caused by their past, & solving the murder. (Warning: the romance is rather subtle, or even non existent, depending on your tastes, & there is little sex.)
Merrow didn’t make their attraction too easy. There was no obvious solution — no, you’re hawt, let’s immediately forget the past & fuck! — both Tom & Phil know that giving into their attraction & even forming a relationship will probably cause more problems than they solve. (But for more on that, you'll have read the next novel,
Relief Valve.)
As much as I loved all the funnies, romance and mystery--my favorite part of this book is Reverend Merry. Big spoiler His story has really stuck with me. Ok, even mentioning Merry has made me a bit blue....
But oh! Look! Tom/Merrow is being funny:
He looked like he kept himself in shape the old-fashioned way, with long walks in the countryside in between rounds of golf and persecuting small furry animals.
Yep, that's cheered me right up.:) -
Right. This was a bit of a bitch to rate since I thoroughly enjoyed it but not exactly for the reasons I wanted to.
The blurb does a great job of summing up the important stuff in the book so I won't get into it. What I will get into are the things that worked and those that didn't for me.
The shit that worked:
Tom Paretski. Another awesome Merrow narrator, but I wasn't expecting any less. Tom is a great friend, a competent plumber, and a bit of a ladies' man. What I mean is as snarky and belligerent as he is when talking to people he doesn't want to, he can sure turn up the charm when dealing with a woman. And he has them in spades. The snark and belligerence, I mean, not the women. Especially when talking to his former bully Phil Morrison, Tom has the makings of the perfect old and angry "get off my lawn" guy. One who has questionable hygiene.
Sorry, Tom, but you really need to change your shirts more often than you actually do.
His narrative is also funny and British and filled with inappropriate thoughts and cheeky self-reflection. While I've always imagined Al from
Muscling Through talking like Tom Hardy in RocknRolla and Tim from
Hard Tail like the many film incarnations of Hugh Grant, I think Tom is a bit like Ron Weasley.
The supporting characters. A motley but complementary group of awesome that I wanna relocate in my neighborhood. You have two male cats, the slim, sleek Merlin and big ginger Arthur.Personally, I think he's [Merlin] gay. He's always rubbing up against Arthur as if he'd like them to be more than just good friends. Fortunately Arthur's too thick to notice.
You also have an old gossip-y church lady, an ethereal beauty who almost made Tom want to be straight, an overweight cop who pines for his wife, the muggle version of Madame Maxime of Beauxbatons (physically at least), a loud and charming best friend and his boyfriend who used to be a star in dwarf porn, and a culprit I didn't see coming but should prolly have.
The storytelling. Funny and charming. Classic Merrow.
The shit that kinda worked:
Phil Morrison. Yup, our other MC didn't do as much for me as I really wanted him to. I liked him fine, but I didn't fall for him and I'm still not convinced that he and Tom should end up together. He started out at turns apologetic and impatient, mostly on the topic of the bullying. The apology was expected, but the impatience wasn't and I appreciated it. It made him more likable and human. He's a decent guy now so he knows he has to say sorry, but groveling is out of the question.
I lost the like, however, when he started showing interest then pulling back, interest then pulling back with Tom. The reason was explained later, but he could have just dealt with it earlier since it got to a point where I was actually hoping for a surprise MC that Tom ends up with instead.
The mystery. You weren't hit over the head with the whodunnit but the narrative and flow of the story was engaging enough to make you want the answer to the question. I liked how there were clues thrown in earlier but were neither too obvious for me to have figured the whole thing out easily nor too vague that the reveal came as a huge surprise.
The shit that didn't work:
The romance. There wasn't that much chemistry in the first place. Add to that the fact that the story focused more on the mystery plus you have these scene stealing supporting characters, I ended up not caring as much when they got together. Not saying that it wasn't hot, though, cause oooh boy they heat up those sheets, baby. But I can't help but feel like they should be with other people.
This is still a pretty solid Merrow installment and if I had known that the mystery might overshadow the romance, I'd have gone in prepared and be less disappointed. The funny narrative and wacky supporting cast make the experience all worthwhile, though, and definitely one that you should not miss.
Oh and
this was playing in my head while I was reading the book. The Kinks and J.L. Merrow, you guise.
ETA:
I also just wanted to give a shout-out to the cover. It is awesome. That is all.
Thanks to Samhain Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
3.5*
Tom is a plumber with very special skills.
And this story starts out right away with you seeing him in action! I thought that a very clever and interesting twist!
The romance really took a backseat and honestly I wasn't overly happy with that part of the story.
Tom is great, and I really liked him and his friends are a hoot, the mystery wasn't too difficult for me to figure out, but it was fun getting there.
The ending of the story felt a bit 'unfinished' to me, but probably for the reasons I mentioned above in the spoiler, I needed just a bit more to be satisfied.
I can see where the British slang might be a problem for others, but it was ok for me. -
This book features another great narrator MC from JL Merrow. Tom is funny, snarky, kind and self-aware. He had a painful and life-changing trauma in his past but he has very little self-pity and has made a life he's content with. The British idioms were in full force and I personally love the flavor they lend to the book. The mystery is well presented, although not too hard to figure out, and the supporting characters are great. The touch of paranormal works well and doesn't overwhelm the book or force any suspension of belief.
As always when a book is written from one POV, it is harder to get to know the other MC. Phil was appealing, but a little closed off and still a bit of a mystery at the end of the book. I thought that Tom was quick to put aside what had been a very violent and fact-based dislike of Phil. I was looking for more angst between the characters over their mutual past. But the narration had a lot of charm and the well-rounded story made this book a pleasure to read. -
A pesar de ser en primera persona lo he disfrutado un montón porque Tom me ha parecido un personaje muy gracioso y además, tiene una pareja de gatos llamdos Arthur y Merlín, ya sólo eso es un punto a favor. Punto en contra, es una serie y detesto las series, a favor, se lee rápido y es muy entretenido, plus porque la relación de ellos no es un instalove y queda mucho por saber, especialmente de Phil y su pasado y qué es lo que realmente siente por Tom. Habrá que ir a por el siguiente!
-
I enjoyed this book the second time around. Funny how that works.
-
Everybody should know that I LOVE this author. Also, ahem, British English is almost a different language, but it's what I learnt (see?) in school, so where did it go? Oh, you, Americans, you corrupted me from the mother tongue!
Where do I start?
The cats, Arthur and Merlin. I adored the little beasts, and they were treated properly, and I realised (see?) that I can tell if an author has ever interacted with a cat, because they'll tell you about those things that make cats what they are: fluffy despots.
Tom Paretski. I loved everything about him. He's so relaxed and so down-to-earth, solid and reliable like what you would expect from your favourite (see?) plumber. He only has this peculiar talent: he can find water, people and hidden things. This is what makes him a precious tool for the police and that's how he meets Phil, school bully/crush, and now gay private investigator.
As you can imagine, the reunion is a bit awkward. Tom didn't finish school and walks with a limp after being run down by a car while running away from Phil and his gang. You can imagine his surprise. Phil is still handsome, but he's removed and the interaction with Tom doesn't always go smoothly.
The (light) mystery plot is prominent and it allows Tom to display his talent, which is not only supernatural, but also personal: he's a real charmer, he's good at making people open up to him and putting them at ease. Phil seems almost the opposite. He wears a sort of armour (see?) and doesn't allow people to come too close. After a while you understand that there's a core of guilt and grief that he masks.
I wouldn't say, as I saw many reviewers complain, that the romance is rushed or sacrificed in the story. The seeds of attraction were already there since the school days and they sprout before our eyes with the colours (see?) of maturity, or with the weight of past baggage. There are also interesting nuances: Tom, who's from a rich family, seems to have climbed a bit down the social ladder, while Phil, who's from a poorer family, seems to be more wealthy and also a bit resentful of riches. Since we don't know Phil's mind - the book is narrated in 1st person - we only see the monolith and can barely guess the cracks.
Well, I was saying earlier of how the investigation shows Tom's peculiar talent. It also takes us to a tour of Tom's community and we get to see the places where he hangs out and to meet a wonderful bunch of seconday characters, from Tom's best friend Gary and his new lover and ex-porn star Darren to the police investigator Dave, and all the clients and people, in quick vignettes that mix up all possible up-bringing, personal histories and wealth.
It was truly entertaining, I breezed through it, I laughed many times, and was happy. Is J.L. Merrow writing a sequel? Yes, pretty please. -
I made a bound-to-grow list of what I favour the most in J.L. Merrow’s stories :
- the front seat in her characters’ head
- her chameleon gift
- her language
- her unlikely couples
- her cats
No item was missing in Pressure Head. The romance and murder solving plots were simple but well done and I enjoyed them mostly because I got to witness them firsthand from Tom’s POV : fast paced thoughts, mordant, kindness and slight short-sightedness
It is a sharp and fun read that you will leave with a bouncing step.
