Second You Sin

In Sherman’s less than satisfying sequel to 2008’s First You Fall, which won the 2009 Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Mystery, New York City male hustler Kevin Connor must figure out who’s “murdering the most beautiful male prostitutes in New York.” As Connor struggles to put together the pieces, the whodunit aspect of the plot increasingly takes a backseat to Connor’s love life and offbeat encounters with his clients. Dozens of pages go by without any reference to the chain of suspicious deaths at all, let alone any sleuthing. The amusing, extended interaction between Connor’s mother and a bigoted talk-show host is completely incidental to the main story line involving a right-wing politician. The author’s gift for comedy compensates only in part for the predictable resolutions of the mystery and the lead’s personal problems. (Oct.)