Brief Encounters

Title: Under the Bridge
Author: Geoff Knight
Length: 7,400 words (30 pdf pages)
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Genre: m/m contemporary mystery
Rating: B

Blurb: 

Ten years ago, a lone killer murdered Dylan Sanders’ best friend and lover, Kayne Kellerman. It was the third in a series of murders that had taken place across the country, each with the same setting:

A foggy night.

A remote bridge.

A victim unaware of the danger lurking beneath the rickety boards.

Ten years ago the killer known as the Troll was caught and convicted. But tonight he walks free.

Tonight, Dylan Sanders, the only survivor of the Troll’s attacks, will return to the scene of the crime. To confront his demons. To put his nightmares behind him. To wash away the memory of that terrible night once and for all.

Review:

I will first put a notice, that this falls more into the category of gay literature and not romance, as there is no traditional HEA.

The story uses flashbacks, combined with present day action, to let us know how we got to the present point. While out at a party ten years ago, Dylan and Kayne were out in the woods, when a serial murderer known as “The Troll” killed Kayne and nearly killed Dylan. A local police deputy stopped him and rescued Kayne. Eventually it came out that Kayne and Dylan had been lovers and Dylan was shunned by the town, but the deputy took him in and they soon became lovers.

Dylan’s therapist believes that he needs to face the bridge to get over his past, and while his lover is not keen, he agrees. While they are out there, they find out the murderer has been released and skipped out on parole and is near them. Dylan’s worst nightmare comes true, when he is once again attacked by the murderer. I’m not going to reveal what happens next. Dylan is not killed, but he doesn’t get a HEA either. It’s hard to discuss the story without revealing the plot.

I was entirely caught up in Dylan’s story and his stress and the trauma from not only the original attack, but how everyone behaved toward him. He was treated so badly by the town. Even ten years later no one wanted to believe that the football star could have been gay and been the one who was killed rather than Dylan, who was just a guy. The ending surprised me, although I probably should have figured given the amount of TV I watch, but it met its intended result of taking me off guard.

I would like to see the next step for Dylan and how his life changes and if he can move on after this last experience. If you are looking for something rather creepy and suspenseful and don’t mind that it’s not a traditional romance, I would recommend this.