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The Blue Moon Cafe
by Rick R. Reed
Category: Erotica/Gay-Lesbian Erotica/Dark Fantasy
Description: Someone--or something--is killing Seattle's gay men. A creature moves through the darkest night, lit only by the full moon, taking them, one by one, from the rainy city's gay gathering areas. Someone--or something--is falling in love with Thad Matthews. Against a backdrop of horror and fear, young Thad finds his first true love in the most unlikely of places--a new Italian restaurant called The Blue Moon Cafe. Sam is everything Thad has ever dreamed of in a man: compassionate, giving, handsome, and with brown eyes Thad feels he could sink into. And Sam can cook! But as the pair's love begins to grow, so do the questions and uncertainties, the main one being, why do Sam's unexplained disappearances always coincide with the full moon? Prepare yourself for a unique blend of dark suspense and erotic romance with The Blue Moon Cafe, written by the author Unzipped magazine called, "the Stephen King of gay horror." You're guaranteed an unforgettable reading experience, one that skillfully blends the hottest romance with the most chilling terror... Genres: Gay / Dark Fantasy / Shapeshifter / Werewolf / Suspense / Thriller / Voyeurism / Exhibitionism / Public Places
eBook Publisher: Amber Quill Press, 2010
eBookwise Release Date: November 2010
 
9 Reader Ratings:
Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [291 KB]
Words: 64717
Reading time: 184-258 min.
"5 Nymphs!...A dark thriller that takes you on a psychological journey into the killer's psyche...The characters are very realistic. The well-defined plot profiles a serial killer's distorted mentality, a killer who has the instincts of a wolf...The amazing Rick R. Reed presents...layer upon layer of thought-provoking, as well as petrifying, clues...A dramatically potent suspenseful story illustrated with an unnerving realism. This is a dark, fierce, murder mystery, interwoven with the emotional turmoil of the frightening unknown danger, in addition to an unstable relationship. This is an exhilarating macabre fright saga at its most outstanding."--Chocolate Minx, Literary Nymphs Reviews
"4 Stars!...While The Blue Moon Cafe has many romantic elements woven throughout the story it is the horror elements that make this story shine. With strongly written characters, many of whom could be the 'bad guy,' I wavered back and forth over whom I thought was the guilty party. Not only will the suspense keep the readers enthralled, but the author's ability to bring across the terror in such vivid detail is sure to remind readers of authors like King and Koontz...For those interested in the romantic element of this story, author Rick Reed brings the readers an unusual love triangle in characters Thad, Sam, and Jared..."-- Lydia, Rainbow Reviews "...Fans of werewolf tales may think they know what's going to happen next but they'll find themselves being proven wrong again and again...Has just enough deviations from the usual formula to keep the reader guessing and the story taut. The parts of the novel seen through the killer's eyes are a fluid, eloquent description of aroused, heightened, animalistic senses...I've always congratulated myself on being able to figure out way in advance whodunit and how something is going to end. Not this time! Up until the moment the killer is unveiled, I vacillated between one suspect and another. I was wrong about the ending, also. So chalk up two for Mr. Reed...descriptive, leisurely moving...A paranormal thriller but it is also a story of choices both good and bad, acts of commission and omission which can bring about either happiness or tragedy."--Tony-Paul de Vissage, Tony-Paul.com "4.5 Rating!...A blend of the believable and the fantastic, and the werewolf that preys on Seattle is as frightening as any that I have encountered recently. This is not your usual fluffy werewolf of romance but a creature bent on death and revenge, and it is rendered even more threatening by the fact that we see the results of the wolf's carnage more than we see the wolf itself...Well-written and interesting, and I found myself immediately involved in the life of the main character, Thad...The romance portion of the story is sweet and somewhat tragic...The resolution of this story is more complicated than your usual romance happily-ever-after. Overall, this is a bittersweet but satisfying story with a quite successful blend of romance and horror. I enjoyed it and found it well worth my time."--Bobby, BookWenches.com "5 Cups!...Coffee Time Reviewer's Recommend Award!...Reading The Blue Moon Cafe is like stepping out into the woods on a dark night, hearing nothing but the mysterious sounds, and then feeling as if you are being watched by something big, dangerous, and hungry. Mr. Reed has a way of describing this story with a twisted and creepy voice that leaves you feeling haunted...This is one book that you will not want to put down and is best read with all the lights on."--Danielle, Coffee Time Romance & More "4.75 Stars!...Throws us straight into horror territory as we are taken into the mind of a killer...There are two story lines that run through this book and intermingle. The first is that of Thad and his love-life....I thought this part of the book was handled well...The second storyline of the book was in the horror story of the creature who is killing the gay men of Seattle...Much of the horror is psychological. I was sitting on the edge of my seats a few times riddled with tension as I waited to see what was going to happen. As a big horror fan, this was just ideal for me. I also liked the portrayal of the creatures, and it was particularly effective when we were taken into the mind of the creature...If you like horror and want to read a strong, well-written, character-based book chock full of suspense, romance and tension, then this book is for you. I enjoyed The Blue Moon Cafe a great deal and highly recommend it."--Jenre, Reviews By Jessewave "...In from the get-go because of the characters, particularly the protagonist, Thad Matthews...There are also some particularly tense and well-written scenes from the werewolf's point of view while stalking its prey. Reed takes you into the killer's psyche, and you feel its need, not only to feed, but to relish the terror it causes. Reed knows how to build suspense and keep the reader hanging on the edge of his/her seat. There were parts I couldn't read fast enough to find out what would happen next...Combines suspense with an erotic love story and moves along at a fast pace. If you like paranormal stories, you will most likely love this one. If you're like me and shy away from them, you might give this one a try. It has a lot to offer."--Alan Chin, Gay/Lesbian Fiction Book Reviews
He's hungry. He eyes the full moon above him through a caul of blood red. The moon shines as brightly as the sun, warming and energizing him, heightening his senses. He "sees" with all of them, but smell predominates. Before him, the streets of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood stand out in sharp detail, silvery and shimmering from the moon's light, making it easy to track potential prey. And in the air, everywhere, are scents--beer, cigarette smoke, the pale fishy tang of Elliot Bay to the west, car exhaust. But underlying all of this is sheer bliss. He lifts his snout to savor it: the aroma of human flesh...and blood. Blood pulsing in the bodies of hundreds of carousers out for a Friday night revel, coursing in and out of bars, heedless and unwary, celebrating the beginning of the weekend. Their heat, movement, voices, and--most of all--scents give him a paradoxically hungry and deliciously tingling feeling of anticipation deep in the pit of his gut.
His leathery black nose quivers, pulling the scent inside him, where he can savor it. His pale gray-furred ears point up to the moon, alert, listening for the sound of a man alone, one that's ripe. He wants to howl, but knows that such displays will draw attention to him as he sits, panting, in an alley behind a Vietnamese restaurant, shuttered for the night. Already a pair of men clad in jeans and tight T-shirts have wandered by and peered into the shadows the alley provides for him, wondering about him.
"Jesus!" One of them said. "Would you look at that? What is that? Some kind of dog? It's huge!"
His friend had leaned over, farther into the alley, far enough for the creature to catch the scent of the man's sweat underlying the cologne with which he polluted himself. It had made his mouth water, his stomach growl, and made him eager to pounce... But he knows he must be patient. The night affords plenty of time to hunt. Reward must always be balanced by careful calculation of risk.
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