Mystery buffs of all sexual persuasions will find much to amuse in Stukas's third novel (after 2002's Going Down for the Count) to feature gay straight-arrow Robert Wilsop and his narcissistic sidekick, Michael Stark. The boys are looking forward to Rex Gifford's Red Party, which promises to be even bigger than the White Party on the gay party circuit, but soon after arriving in Palm Springs, they learn that their host has been receiving threatening letters. Could the sponsors of the White Party be jealous? After surviving a falling palm tree aimed at his bedroom and an exploding gas grill, Rex ends up an electrocuted corpse floating in his swimming pool. Fortunately, Robert's best friend, 6'4" lesbian Monette, shows up in time to help solve this and a second murder. The author provides plenty of suspects and a plausible enough crime scenario, which will leave most readers as bewildered as Robert is, until Monette reveals the truth. But the campy antics of the principals, plus the interplay between the long-suffering Robert and the shallow Michael, supply the most interest. Fans will be glad to see Robert hook up with teddy-bear cute Marc Baldwin, who bravely lures the killer to his house at the climax, though they'll have to wait until the next installment to see whether the romance survives Robert's return to New York. (Aug. 5)
