Pride Month is just around the corner, so what better time to suggest one of my favorite ongoing book series, Beachouse Studios by C.W. Rogers. (Yes, it's explained why there is one "h" in "Beachouse" in the first novel.) With the third book Threesome out on May 31, you should be reading this queer murder thriller, which has become one that I can't put down.
Beachouse Studios follows Ry Thompson, a young model who wishes to start over from the secret old life he has personally burned down and left behind. He joins the titular adult film studio hoping for parties and fun (and he finds it's actual work). This is all run by the new producer, Dan Sebring, who has been brought in by the owner, John Balsinger, to stop the studio from bleeding money. However, unknown to everyone, Dan is there for a different mission, living a double life of his own. As Ry and Dan's worlds become more involved, pulling in others like the moral compass freelance editor, Emily Griel, and the kind voice of reason model, Tim Martinez, everyone in Beachouse Studios is impacted in a twisted series of events that lead to a murder.
This series is unapologetically queer, with the majority of the cast falling under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. As the series progresses, it does become more diverse, adding an enigmatic trans character and a powerhouse woman in Angela Harrow (one of my personal favorite characters). However, the focus is mostly on the lives of gay men.
While I have read thrillers and murder mysteries before and am queer myself, I haven't come across a blend of these topics and genres together which adds a new lens to the story. Most of the stories about gay men I've read have been from female or non-binary creators. Having an openly gay man tell this story brings an authenticity to the characters and their perspective.
Book one, the titular Beachouse Studios, introduces the cast as it starts building the mystery of what's actually happening behind the scenes. It doesn't waste any time opening on the first page with "THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE MURDER." The rest of the novel are the steps and twist to get us to that fateful night.
However, it's the characters that carry these novels. It is a character-driven story, which is the biggest strength of the series. These are very real, messy people, and I mean messy in the best way possible. I lost track of how many times Ry made me want to shake him and tell him to stop making dumb choices, but that's part of what makes him intriguing as one of the protagonists. He makes real change and then backslides in the worst moments, which is very true to real life, as personal change is rarely linear. The main characters are all intriguing, leaving me wanting to know what they do next.
This is clearly apparent in the second entry, Second Shoot, which thankfully picks up right where the incredible cliffhanger of book one left off. I should probably state somewhere in this review that C.W. Rogers is a friend of mine, which does not have sway on this review. I would love these books if I didn't know him. When book one ended, I immediately messaged him, screaming because the cliffhanger was that big. Thankfully, you don't have to wait for months like I did, as Second Shoot is already out.
The second entry of the series navigates the fallout of the murder and begins to build on the narrative twists. While book one has the heavy load of setting up the five book series, Second Shoot get to let it rip, the pace fast and unrelenting until the final moments. Still, the characters we've grown to love by now are never lost as some come together while other break apart or isolate themself. Trusts are built and shattered in heartwrenching fashion.
This brings us to the third entry out on May 31, Threesome, which I'm about 60% through the advanced reader copy at the time of writing.
If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, this is the one for you. It's where the thriller part kicks up with the introduction of a new villain who has been pulling strings in the background since the opening pages of Beachouse Studios. He is by far the Moriarty of this story and comes in like a lightning storm, adding a major charge to the series. With book three acting as a bridge, ending the arc of the first two novels while setting up the back half of the series, Threesome has been my favorite so far.
Beachouse Studios gets better and better with every single novel. I truly love these characters and genuinely want them to be okay. If you're looking for a queer series for Pride as well as wanting to support an indie author, don't sleep on this one.
You can buy all of Beachouse Studios on Kindle Unlimited, with Threesome starting exclusively there on May 31. If you're not a fan of Amazon, books one and two are also available on Kobo and Barnes & Nobles. Threesome will join these platforms in the fall after its Amazon exclusive run ends.