Devil's Chew Toy

Devil's Chew Toy is a fast-paced mystery with lots of action and laughs. The humor came from the characters, who are definitely quirky, but they almost always remained realistic and they are people I’d love to know.

The book had a lot of warmth and respect for its characters; it appreciated their weirdness rather than making them the butt of a joke. Finally, the mystery was tricky with plenty of twists. Highly recommended for a fun read that combines mystery with humor reminiscent of a screwball comedy.

This is my first ever Quozy, a sub-genre Rob Osler defines as a queer cozy mystery. For decades, cozy mysteries have brought to mind curious little old ladies or deeply thoughtful straight men with droopy mustaches. Devil’s Chew Toy spins that trope, giving us Hayden McCall, a guy who isn’t as interested in solving a mystery as he is in finding the dude he almost had a perfect date with. As for the strait-laced assistant…that person doesn’t exist here. Hayden teams up with the missing man’s dog plus his larger-larger-than-life lesbian BFFs, making the book hilarious, heart-warming, and profoundly satisfying.… show more.

This lighthearted mystery stars a young gay man who is a teacher and part-time blogger in Seattle. Hayden finds himself caught up in a bizarre mystery when a one-night stand (cuddling only) leads to a disappearance, and Hayden takes responsibility for the missing man’s dog. I loved the quirky characters, who had me grinning throughout the story. Despite how unique they are, they remained realistic, and they were people I would love to know. The book appreciated their weirdness rather than laughing at them, treating the characters with warmth and respect. Added to that, the mystery was tricky with fast-paced… show more.