Review: I see dead people
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 2, 2014
Among the Living is the first novella in the Psycop series, the beginning of everything, the starting point of an amazing saga that compresses several genres, including erotic romance, sci-fi, thriller, paranormal and suspense. Wow. Not an easy task and so wonderfully done. Here we meet Victor Baynes “Vic” the half of a paranormal investigation unit otherwise known as a “Spook Squad”. He is able to talk to dead people and even see them sometimes which is particularly useful as he investigates homicides. He’s a quirky character. Besides and because of his PRN habilities, Vic is quite neurotic and snarky, addicted to pharmaceuticals that allows him to escape the haunted ones when he’s overwhelmed, and not very successful in the dating department. Also, he has not sense of style whatsoever and is forever soiling his clothes and buying replacements in cheap stores. Not a clotheshorse our boy. But oh so lovable.At his non psychic partner’s retirement party and while under the influence of one too many pills, he meets another “stiff”, Jacob Marks and they engage in a little tryst in a bathroom. Jacob is his opposite, non psychic, super hottie, very built and dressed to the tenths. Shortly after, Vic is called to a crime scene where he’s nonplussed he can’t catch any “vibes” from the victim. From then on we get to know other important people in the Psycop’s universe, like Gutierrez, who was supposed to be his new partner and also Jacob’s spook partner. All of them come together, one way or another in the investigation of an apparent serial killer preying on gay men.The book is written from Vic’s POV in a very straightforward prose, no “purplerism”, no overuse of adjectives/adverbs. There are not “astonishingly aquamarine orbs” in Ms. Castillo Price writing. Thanks all the Gods and Goddesses in Valhalla for that. The focus is both in the characters and the plot, which is extremely original, innovative, humorous,  uber sexy and absolutely captivating. The suspense is tightly wowen and the story is fast paced.It took me about two years to start reading JCP’s books in spite of them being highly recommended all over. Sci-Fi was never my thing neither PRN so I was quite skeptic and couldn’t be bother to try it. Finally, I gave up and read this one. Let me tell you, it was lurve at first page. Hi, I’m a JPCholic and I don’t want to be cured. Ever.  I’ve read almost everything she has published and of course I started with this cool, awesome series.Up to now, there are seven books ( the first three are novella length) and several more free short stories than you can download for free, including one of Vic & Jacob  before they actually met each other. This fantastic, amazing universe starts here and slowly grows and develops. Book after book we get to know more about them, their backround, their life stories as we witness the development of V&J; ‘s romance while they fight their way solving the most befuddling and weird of cases. And it only gets better.Jordan Castillo Price is in my not so humble opinion, the Queen and Supreme Goddess of m/m suspense romance, up there in the  fiction authors’ Olympus. Her books are a must for any smart reader who appreciates gay fiction but not exclusively. It’s just great fiction, among the best at the risk of sounding hyperbolic.If you wonder why I gave 4 starts instead of 5, just only because this is the first one in a long series, a little taste of what it’s to come. Psycop is a 5+ read. Say no more.