I've been reading the entire five-part Bellingham Mysteries series in one go - to try to get the feel of a big book from this excellent suite of novellas. I wanted to really spend time with the characters, not just visit them like episodes in a mini-series (which is really what this is, come to think of it).The last two of the books, "One Man's Treasure" and "Birds of a Feather," seem to take us to the end of our relationship with Peter Fontaine and Nick Olson. As in the rest of the series, there are themes to each book. "Treasure" is the vaguest of the themes, but it seems to deal with the idea of what is valuable to an individual, what drives him or her. The trash/treasure dichotomy is the energizer. In "Birds," there is literally an issue of birds, but the theme of the book is really about how people are like/unlike each other.And all that makes sense because, as I figured out pretty quickly here, none of these books is really about the plot. The mysteries are all sort of fun - and all of them involve the quirky community of artists in Bellingham, Washington, "the city of Subdued Excitement." (Snicker) What the mysteries are really there for is to create a backdrop for us to study the evolving relationship between stoic ex-army Nick; and impulsive, nosy journalist Peter.Throughout the series, we get to know a wide range of quirky secondary characters - some of them, like Peter's friend Evangeline, and Bradley, the son of Nick's late lover Walter, appear recurringly. Evangeline is a bright note of flaky support; Bradley is a dark point of anger and bitterness. These characters amplify what we know about the two men and how they grow to understand each other. I think I'd love living in Bellingham if these guys were friends.That these two men love each other is established in the first book. Why and how they love each other is the point of the rest of the series. Never in a romance series have I encountered such a leisurely, affectionate, and gently profound study of two gay men and why they actually make sense as a couple. Neil Plakcy does this in his "Mahu" series (set in Honolulu); but Kimberling has written an unusual treat for those of us for whom relationships of depth and durability really matter. One Man’s Treasure by Nicole Kimberling is the fourth book in the very entertaining Bellingham Mystery series (named after its vivid setting of Bellingham, Washington State, USA). The books are written as stand-alone mysteries, so you can easily jump into the middle of the series with this one. However, to appreciate the subtle evolution of the relationship between the two main characters, you should read the books in consecutive order.This series features an opposites-attract theme in the pairing of stoic, no-nonsense artist Nick and excitable journalist Peter. In this book, our heroes’ thoughts turn to marriage, or at least long-term commitment, which means negotiating the conflict between Nick trying to look out for Peter’s safety, and Peter having the freedom to pursue his sometimes risky investigative reporting. As with previous books, the highlights of the story include (1) gentle satire toward the flamboyantly eccentric population of Bellingham and (2) Peter’s habit of “writing up” commentary of his ongoing actions in heroically imagined news stories.The story opens with Nick and Peter reluctantly helping a friend with her food booth at an outdoor fair. When an acquaintance drops dead right in front of them, they are startled to say the least. Peter immediately uncovers hints of possible murder by poisoning. The suspect list includes several artists and assorted weirdos whose motives are hard to fathom. With the help of a police officer with her own agenda, Peter starts investigating. Meanwhile, he and Nick search for a meaningful way to take their relationship to the next stage of commitment.Val for AReCafe
What do You think about One Man's Treasure (2012)?
