by Joe Cosentino
As Nicky might say, I’ve been happier than a closet gay politician tapping his foot in a public men’s room stall, writing the popular Nicky and Noah mysteries series. I’ve laughed out loud at Nicky and Noah’s antics, cried at their sorrows, felt romantic with them, and been shocked in each novel by whodunit. It’s been a blast watching Nicky and Noah’s love for each other grow as their family grows.
Their best friends, Martin and Ruben, continue to crack me up and move me. Long-suffering Detective Manuello, sassy theatre department office assistant Shayla Johnson, and the multitude of hunky suspects in each book have entertained me beyond words. I adore the cozy settings in the novels, exotics travel locations, and riotous shows within the novels. It’s been such fun sifting through the clues and red herrings until Nicky ingeniously solves each mystery. Nicky and Noah and their theatre troupe family have become my family. Treemeadow College has become my college. Readers tell me they feel the same way. However, all good things come to an end, and so does this series with Drama King, book eighteen.
For those of you who haven’t yet ventured to the land of Nicky and Noah (and you should!), it’s a gay cozy mystery comedy series, meaning the setting is warm and cozy, the clues, and murders (and laughs) come fast and furious, and there are enough plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning (as Nicky would say) faster than a priest lassoing an altar boy with his rosary beads. At the center is the touching relationship between Professor of Play Directing Nicky Abbondanza and Associate Professor of Acting Noah Oliver. We watch them go from courting to marrying to adopting a child, all the while head over heels in love with each other (as we fall in love with them). Reviewers called the series “hysterically funny farce,” “Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys,” and “captivating whodunits.” One reviewer wrote they are the funniest books she’s ever read! Another said I’m “a master storyteller.” Who am I to argue?
For this eighteenth mystery in my Nicky and Noah mysteries series, Nicky, Noah, and their theatrical troupe at Treemeadow College stage an original musical production of the King Arthur legends entitled, Knights in Tights. In my version, King Arthur (Nicky) and the gorgeous knight Lancelot (Noah) are star-crossed lovers due to Arthur’s mail-order bride Guinevere (played by their best friend and department chair Martin). Also, in my play within the novel, Martin’s long-suffering husband, Ruben, is Merlin who in the final moments of the show sets all right (or left), and King Arthur marries his beloved Lancelot. Nicky and Noah’s son, Taavi, is cast as Young Arthur. His wife Sloane, a transexual, plays the mysterious Lady of the Lake. Martin and Ruben’s son, Ty, is Arthur’s bastard (pun intended) son Mordred, and Martin’s sassy office assistant, Shayla, is cast as the cunning Morgan le Fay. Detective Manuello comes along for the ride as Pellinore, the knight with the Holy Grail (he found at a gay bar). Nicky and Noah’s dog, Asterisk, and his husband, Tag, are cast as King Arthur’s dogs Cavall and Glassic. Noah’s niece from Scotland, Lairie, plays the scheming Isolde. Ty’s girlfriend, Shinelle, is also back as the stage manager.
The Knights of the Roundtable are played by hunky newcomers to the series. So, when play reviewers drop like knights’ tights, there are plenty of suspects—not to mention sweet romance. As Nicky would say, if you read this novel, you’ll have more fun than a kid in Florida saying “gay.” You’ll also get to see how this cherished series ends!
For those of you who haven’t yet ventured to the land of Nicky and Noah (and you should!), it’s a gay cozy mystery comedy series, meaning the setting is warm and cozy, the clues, and murders (and laughs) come fast and furious, and there are enough plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning (as Nicky would say) faster than a Republican governor removing Democrats from the voting rolls. At the center is the touching relationship between Professor of Play Directing Nicky Abbondanza and Associate Professor of Acting Noah Oliver. We watch them go from courting to marrying to adopting a child, all the while head over heels in love with each other (as we fall in love with them). Reviewers called the series “hysterically funny farce,” “Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys,” and “captivating whodunits.” One reviewer wrote they are the funniest books she’s ever read! Another said I’m “a master storyteller.” Who am I to argue?
The premiere novel, Drama Queen, was voted Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Novel of the Year! Subsequent novels won many Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions and Favorite Book of the Month awards: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, Drama Oz, Drama Prince, Drama Merry, Drama Daddy (novelette), and now Drama King.
As a past professional actor and current college theatre professor/department chair, I know first-hand the hysterically funny antics, sweet romance, and captivating mystery in the worlds of theatre and academia. The Nicky and Noah mysteries are full of them! I know you’ll laugh, cry, feel romantic, and love delving into this crackling new mystery novel with more plot twists and turns, as Nicky would say, than a Jehovah Witness at a new apartment complex.
I’m more excited, as Nicky would say, than a Proud Boy storming the Capitol, to share this eighteenth and last mystery in the series with you. So put on your cape and crown, and head to the magical land of Camelot for murder, mayhem, and of course a happy ending (no pun intended)!
And drop me a line. I’ll share it with Nicky and Noah! JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Drama King (the 18th Nicky and Noah mystery)
a comedy/mystery/romance novel by JOE COSENTINO
mybook.to/DramaKing
smashwords.com/books/view/1431705
barnesandnoble.com/w/drama-king-joe-cosentino/1143858612?ean=2940166089755It’s summertime at Treemeadow College and the living isn’t easy. Theatre professors and adorable couple Nicky, Noah, and their thespian troupe stage an original musical adaptation of the King Arthur Legends entitled, Knights in Tights. Queens blissfully shout, “King me,” until critics drop like their scathing reviews. Once again in this novel, our favorite thespians will need to use their drama skills to catch the killer before their crowns spin—around their throats. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining eighteenth mystery in this delightful series. It’s a royal riot! So, hurry to your seat. The stage lights are coming up in Camelot on a king on the down low who pulls his long sword out of a tight stone, knights of the roundtable craving a circle jerk, a half-fairy son with a daddy complex, more men in tights than in a Promise Keepers’ convention, and murder!
Praise for the Nicky and Noah mysteries:
“Joe Cosentino has a unique and fabulous gift. His writing is flawless, and his plot-lines will have you guessing until the very last page, which makes his books a joy to read. His books are worth their weight in gold, and if you haven’t discovered them yet you are in for a rare treat.” Divine Magazine
“a combination of Laurel and Hardy mixed with Hitchcock and Murder She Wrote…
Loaded with puns and one-liners…Right to the end, you are kept guessing, and the conclusion still has a surprise in store for you.” “the best modern Sherlock and Watson in books today…I highly recommend this book and the entire series, it’s a pure pleasure, full of fun and love, written with talent and brio…fabulous…brilliant” Optimumm Book Reviews
“adventure, mystery, and romance with every page….Funny, clever, and sweet….I can’t find anything not to love about this series….This read had me laughing and falling in love….Nicky and Noah are my favorite gay couple.” Urban Book Reviews
“Every entry of the Nicky and Noah mystery series is rife with intrigue, calamity, and hilarity…Cosentino keeps us guessing – and laughing – until the end, as well as leaving us breathlessly anticipating the next Nicky and Noah thriller.” Edge Media Network
Connect with Joe:
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_CosentinoAmazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
An excerpt of Drama King, the 18th Nicky and Noah mystery novel, by Joe Cosentino
I discreetly raced down the hallway and booked it into Noah’s dressing room, where I found my wonderful husband sitting at his makeup table. “I laid out lunch for you on the end table, Nicky.”
I gazed at Noah’s culinary creation: warm beet and farro salad with a blackberry vinaigrette, carrot ricotta tart with pesto and pine nuts, pheasant chestnut zucchini skewers, and peach banana cocoa souffle for dessert. “Noah, you outdid yourself!” I gave him a kiss on the cheek, sat on the (appropriately) pink loveseat across from the end table, and began devouring lunch with a pear plum kiwi smoothie chaser. I garbled between bites, “This is delicious.”
“Just like you.” Noah sat next to me, resting his head on my shoulder. The room was full of the scent of his luscious strawberry shampoo.
After we shared a kiss full of pesto, I said, “I hope you didn’t eat the pine nuts.” Noah is allergic to all nuts—except mine.
“Of course not.”
“Good.”
“But thank you for worrying about me.”
“Always.”
We kissed again.
I asked, “Have Taavi, Sloane, Asterisk, and Tag eaten?”
“They’re finishing up their lunches in Sloane’s dressing room. When I left, Nicky Jr. was on Sloane’s lap with Asterisk and Tag holding the bottle to Nicky Jr.’s lips. Our dogs wouldn’t leave the baby’s side until he drank all of his formula.” Noah kissed one of my sideburns as I chewed. “So, what did you find out?”
“About what?”
“Our cast members—while you were spying on them.”
“I told you, Noah, I don’t spy. I observe.”
“Potato potahto.”
“Don’t make me skewer you with my skewer, Noah.”
“Later.” He kissed my nose. “Tell me the scoop.”
After I swallowed a mouthful of pheasant, I said, “Ty and Shinelle seem to like our niece Lairie.”
Noah clapped his hands. “I’m so glad Lairie is making friends.”
“They may be more than friends.”
“What do you mean?”
“I could be wrong—”
“My own Sherlock Holmes? Never.” Noah giggled.
“Can it, Watson.” I slapped his bubble butt. “Ty and Shinelle seem to be attracted to Lairie.”
“Lairie is probably a novelty to them. They’ve probably never met anyone from Scotland.”
“I guess so.”
Noah fed me a tart. “What else did you discover about our merry troupe?”
“Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre Bernardo Anita and his graduate assistant Wang Fong seem to be at war.”
“That isn’t good.”
I nodded and avocado dribbled onto my plate. “And our students aren’t fairing any better.”
“Do tell.”
“Nathan Masterson is interested in Tevye Perchik who is interested in Beau Babcock who is interested in Nathan Masterson.”
Noah gasped. “Nicky, we have our own soap opera!”
“Let’s hope the drama stays on the stage during our press conference in the greenroom tomorrow.”
“Who’s coming?”
I replied between bites, “The theatre reviewers from the Vermont Victory: Albert and Rose McAfee, their sons Hugo and Conrad, and Rose’s mother Mae.”
Noah grinned. “The family that reviews together stays together.”
“They can be tough reviewers, but they review every show in Vermont. So, I’m hoping some wining, dining, and press interviews tomorrow evening will soften them up before opening night.”
Noah nodded. “I made gourmet finger foods and stored them in our refrigerator. We can bring them to the theatre tomorrow. Taavi, Sloane, and Lairie agreed to help set up.”
Shinelle knocked on the open door. “We’re back from lunch, professors.”
“Thank you, Shinelle,” Noah said.
I mumbled the same with my mouth full. After Shinelle was gone, I wiped my mouth with the pink silk napkin Noah had placed on my knee. Then I handed him my empty pink China plate. “Thank you for the wonderful lunch, Noah. See you on stage, Lancelot.”
“I’m right behind you, Arthur.”
“That’s a switch.”
We shared a chuckle.
As I headed out of Noah’s dressing room, I thought about our cast and crew—wondering if one of them was a murderer.
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