Sunset Lake

A closeted reverend, his BFF(aka longterm secret boyfriend), the BFF's elderly aunt, the reverend's teenage nephew and his BFF are spending the summer preparing for the opening of the new church camp. Throw in the minister's brother the cop and it sounds like the opening of a bad joke but Sunset Lake is no joke. John Inman has once again showed his knack for death and danger with this incredibly well written murder mystery that may not be as creepy as some of his tales but it has it's fair share of gruesomeness to keep the reader leery of what awaits them on the next page.

Brian, the closeted minister, and Sam, the BFF/secret lover, are definitely a well suited item. I can understand why Brian is closeted and weary about being himself. Personally I don't think he gives his family enough credit but it isn't just his family, his biggest fear is his congregation and the church hierarchy and the possibility of them taking the church from him. I'm not a gay man so I can't speak from experience but I'd like to think if I was in Brian's place and my congregation couldn't accept me for who I am then I don't think I'd want to be their minister. The truth is for Brian it really comes down to being ready and only he can make that decision, which Inman really helps you see that through the minister's inner monologue.

As for Sam, I don't know as I could be as patient as he has been but what I loved most about this was the author didn't go the cliché route in having Sam pressure Brian to come out. Some authors go the way of an ultimatum for the sake of the drama element but Mr. Inman did not and that made Sunset Lake even more entertaining for me. Now that's not to say Sam is happy and content to be the secret lover but he understands Brian needs to be honest with himself, his family, and his parishioners at his own pace. Just how long Sam is willing to wait is something you'll have to read for yourself😉 but I will say that the lack of an ultimatum made for a welcome change.

Now let's talk murder. WOW! DOUBLE WOW! and WOW AGAIN! When evil comes to the little community of Nine Mile, it really comes full force, perhaps not in quantity but the quality of the evil is definitely not for the faint of heart. That's not to say Sunset Lake is the book equivalent of an 80s slasher flick but it's not pretty either😉. I obviously won't say who did it but I will say I was wrong in my guessing and theories up until about 5 or 6 pages before the reveal. Sunset Lake will keep you wondering, keep you intrigued, and keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

In my reading experience a limited number of authors, no matter how good they are, are true storytellers. What the difference is you ask? Well in my mind a storyteller not only pens a great read but puts you in it, makes the reader feel as if you are right there witnessing everything, if you turn left on the street corner on your way to the post office you'll run into character A, you'll see character B drive by when you step out to get the mail, and you'll do everything you can to avoid character C when you spot them coming out of the cafe😉. Sunset Lake is a perfect example of why John Inman is a storyteller and though it may seem kind of a creepy story to feel you are right there in the middle of, it definitely adds an extra layer of amazing-ness and "Oh crap I didn't see that coming". This is not a new release for the author but it did just recently come to my attention so if you are like me and missed it four years ago, be sure to give it a look-see because it is definitely a creepy romantic gem worthy of your time and money.

\"In a minute, he would rap at my door, and another day of lies would begin. Lies to the world around us, not to each other. Yet somewhere deep in the back of my mind, back where the guilt was blackest, I had begun to suspect even our truths were lies. They had become a way of life, you see. Those lies. I could only wonder how long Sam would continue to abide us living them.\"
I didn't really like Brian very much in the beginning. I understood him, but I didn't like him. I understood how his very small town was absolutely everything to him. A small farming community with wholesome values, simple lives, and a strong sense of family. I understood why he came back there to be the town's Methodist minister, and I understood what that meant to him. I didn't like him because he hurt Sam every time he rejected him, subtly or not. I empathized with Sam wanting to leave and go somewhere they could be together. And again, I understood Brian's reticence. But I didn't like it.
The horror of the murders is just that. A true horror. Each of these women is murdered in a vicious, disgusting manner, with the killer posing their bodies after the fact. I'll admit the author has a gruesome imagination. Brian's brother, Boyd, is the county sheriff, and he's got nothing. No motive, no evidence, no nothing. Bumpkis, as the people of Nine Mile would say. Then there's a reprieve, at least from the murders, and it's during this time that Brian discovers what Sam and his aunt have known. Jesse, Brian's nephew, and his best friend Kyle have been best friends since they were small boys, and it appears they've followed in Brian and Sam's footsteps, falling in love. And then Kyle's dad disappears, and signs indicate the murderer is back.
This sleepy little town with its simple, plain people and wholesome values had harbored a sociopath gone unseen by everyone until it was too late. I was in absolute shock when the author revealed the murderer to me. I couldn't believe it. What was even more profound was the resolution and the ending. John Inman has completely blown me away by 'Sunset Lake'. I can not begin to recommend it enough, especially for lovers of mystery, suspense, and drama.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

Gut wrenching, heartbreaking, thought provoking and spiritual are all words to describe this book. John Inman is an amazing writer, he so easily captures a mood or a moment so clearly and truthfully you have no doubt that these are real people who you can empathize with and feel for.
The story is set in a small farming community somewhere in the Midwest, God's country. Bryan is a Methodist minister with a secret, and a well developed sense of snark. I loved Bryan, although at times I wanted to smack him upside his head. He could be so intelligent and understanding one minute and completely clueless the next.
The murders take place over a long hot rainy summer while Bryan, his best friend Sam, Sam's Aunt, Bryan's nephew Jesse and Jess's friend Kyle are getting the Methodist Summer Camp ready to open in August. Sam is a wonderful man and I don't know how he waited for Bryan so patiently for so long. I don't think I could have done it.
The location and the weather are as much characters in the story as the open letter are. The peace of the lake set against the horror of he murders; the heavy rains and violent storms help create that oppressive atmosphere you feel growing as the deaths pile up.
I figured out who the killer was early in the story, only because I have reads hundreds of mysteries and this reminded me of a pretty famous one. Not that there is any similarity between the two, just the thought of that one sparked an idea which lead me to a suspect and once that happened there are plenty of clues scattered through the ot the story. This didn't detract anything from the book, I keep reading to see how the truth would play out and how everything would be resolved. I admit I cried when the truth was revealed, so many emotions, so much pain, yet a chance for a better future. Read the book, it is so very very good.