Review: Fair Game by Josh Lanyon (All's Fair #1)

Fair Game is the first book in the All's Fair series by Josh Lanyon and was originally published in 2010. When my request to read and review the sequel was approved on NetGalley, I knew I had to read its predecessor to provide some foundation on the lead characters and what their respective backgrounds were as individuals and then as a couple. The novel's premise can't help but grab your attention and if you're a fan of a good mystery like I am, then this is definitely one book that may catch your interest and leave you craving for more by the end. ^.^

Elliot Mills' life has changed since he was shot in the line of duty nearly a year and a half ago. He lost his job as an FBI Special Agent, refusing to spend the rest of his law enforcement career relegated to desk duty, and is now working as a professor at Puget Sound University. He still bears the scars of that ill-fated shooting, what with his knee acting up more times than he count. The one thing he tries not to think about too much is Tucker Lance, his fellow FBI Special Agent and former lover, because doing that hurts more than he'd like to admit.

When a student from PSU goes missing, Elliot's father asks him to look into the case as a favor to the boy's parents who happen to be close family friends. Elliot is hesitant but agrees and what appears to be a simple matter of a young man leaving home because his father can't accept his sexual preference spirals into something more after yet another PSU student disappears without a word. With everything going on and Elliot acting as a consultant in the first case and as the university's liaison in the second, he finds himself needing to work with the FBI agent-in-charge who happens to be none other than his ex, Tucker Lance, and dealing with the unwanted attention of a possible stalker or the very person involved in the disappearances.

Fair Game was an exciting mystery novel with a hint of romance. The true heart of the story is in trying to figure out if the disappearances are simply cases of students leaving home and school or if there's something more sinister afoot. The back and forth between Elliot and Tucker provides great sexual tension that makes the story even better because of the history these two share and the fact that they're sharing information with one another while trying not to delve into the less than ideal manner in which their relationship ended.

Anyone looking for a good mystery, suspense thriller, or romantic suspense novel should give Fair Game a more than fair shot because the writing is excellent, the story draws you in, and the characters are flawed but interesting (because do we really want perfect characters that tend to be boring?). The fact that it took four years for there to be a sequel surprised me but hey, I'm not complaining (though it's possible fans of the book from four years earlier are chomping at the bit for the release of the sequel). I'm just a happy camper that I read this and will be reading book two next. ^.^ Fair Game gets 4.5 stars! ♥

Date read: 09 November 2014

Learn more about the prolific Josh Lanyon here.

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