Aaron’s Wait An Elliot Smith Mystery
Dorien Grey
Zumaya Publications

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Dorien Grey’s Aaron’s Wait An Elliot Smith Mystery brings the reader under the spell of Elliot and his ‘friend’ John once more; if that is, an unseen entity can be called a friend.

Reader’s first met Elliot and John on the pages of Grey’s His Name Is John An Elliott Smith Mystery. The recently deceased John as well as Elliot Smith himself were not at all sure where they were, or how they had gotten there. Elliot finally realized he was in a hospital room, and someone who is not there sits in the chair beside his bed. If you have not yet read; you may want to pick up a copy.

And now, Elliot’s life is filled with his business, buying and refurbishing of properties in Chicago, his family, sister and her detective husband and their children as well as the Elliot and Cessy’s parents who are primarily spending their old age in travel, and his almost partner Steve, and, John who still can not be seen is nearby.

Artist Steve has discovered a great old structure to paint, and as he begins sketches and walk about of the building he learns the edifice is for sale. The older couple owning the apartment building need to move, the husband’s health is poor.

Talking with the couple Elliot learns the building is nearly empty despite being in perfectly nice, although now the former splendor condition as when it was first built. An offer is made, and accepted, the sale is underway when Elliot visits Mrs Reinerio, the only resident remaining in the site, other than the Wolinski’s, the owners who are quickly packing to leave. It is then that Elliot discovers he has just purchased a haunted building.

From that point we follow Elliot and his construction team as they work to renovate the building to its original state, and John’s work to learn who the entity is remaining in the building, and how he has come to not make the crossing most do at the time of death.

Steve and his artist’s eye leads to a wonderful canvas portrayal of the site; complete with a shadowy figure in the apartment window where Aaron Stiles had lived with his partner Bill. Aaron died 4 years ago, of a heart attack, brought on by a broken heart says Mrs Reinerio. As Mrs Reinerio relates it; Aaron’s life was filled with sadness, his only living relative a homophobic brother and business woman sister­-in-law reviled Aaron and his gay leanings. That revulsion did not go so far as to turn down monetary help offered by Aaron during his lifetime.

As Elliot juggles work, his family and relationship with Steve; John and Elliot work to discover just what happened with Aaron’s partner Bill.

Grey's brilliance as a novelist progresses with each new thriller he creates. As always Writer Grey provides a well crafted, fast paced, action driven account filled with deceit, greed and treachery all created through unforgettable writing skill. Setting features specificity to draw the reader into the sequence of events, a full cast of credible characters move the tale along, and a marvelously complex plot certain to tickle the fancy and pique curiosity of the most demanding reader are all part of Grey’s writing.

With each new book Writer Grey proves his growing accomplishment as an excellent author well capable of creating unique characters to feel affection for, some to despise and all designed to add to reader enjoyment.

John and Elliot, a most unlikely duo, are appealing, attention-grabbing and interesting, the interchanges between living and entity shown in italicized words add much to the narrative.

As the final paragraphs are examined the reader closes the cover having a sense of having been struggling right along with Elliot as he works with John to unravel the mystery, keep his sis at bay and get that new building renovated.

Watch those red herrings. Writer Grey continues moving beyond crafty and down right sneaky to add tingle and trickery in his presentation of those little stumble blocks.

A superb addition to the home library, Grey’s Aaron’s Wait An Elliot Smith Mystery is sure to be read and enjoyed alike by straight and gay reader’s who take pleasure in a touch of whimsy, pain in the neck but lovable family members, and the inexplicable along with down right good writing when enjoying a definitely NOT run of the mill 'whodunnit.'

Happy to know Dorien is already working on the next in the series. Keep 'em coming Dorien!

Happy to recommend Dorien Grey’s Aaron’s Wait An Elliot Smith Mystery 5/5 stars.a