Why Stop At Vengeance

Donald Strachey #14

by Richard Stevenson

A young African living in Albany is bent on avenging the death of his former lover back in Uganda at the hands of a gay-hating mob. When John Suruma tries to hire PI Don Strachey to burn down the church of an American missionary who promoted Uganda's harsh anti-gay law, Strachey recites a Chinese proverb---"If you set out on a journey of revenge, dig two graves"---and says he has a better plan. But does he? For soon Strachey himself is a victim of the kind of religion-inspired violence gays and lesbians are struggling against across the African continent.

Genres: Mystery, LGBT, M M Romance

248 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2015

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Richard Stevenson is the pseudonym of Richard Lipez, the author of nine books, including the Don Strachey private eye series. The Strachey books are being filmed by here!, the first gay television network. Lipez also co-wrote Grand Scam with Peter Stein, and contributed to Crimes of the Scene: A Mystery Novel Guide for the International Traveler. He is a mystery columnist for The Washington Post and a former editorial writer at The Berkshire Eagle. His reporting, reviews and fiction have appeared in The Boston Globe, Newsday, The Progressive, The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's and many other publications. He grew up and went to college in Pennsylvania and served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia from 1962-64. Lipez lives in Becket, Massachusetts and is married to sculptor Joe Wheaton.

Reviews

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: homophobia, descriptions of violence against LGBT peoples in Uganda and Kenya, including rape and torture.

So, Donald is getting crazier in his old age, isn't he? He's still running around like he's in his forties even though the guy has to be twice that age by now. ;) And he's getting more vigilante too, though I can't say I really blame him this time around as this case hits closer to home than most, in part because some actions in an earlier book come back to taunt him and also because violence against gays is always going to effect him.

This was a tough one to read at times. The vile spewing from the holier-than-thou evangelical hypocrites was too much to stomach at times, and it was only Don's snarky regurgitation of that nonsense and knowing he'd eventually find some way to make them all pay that got me through it. It's over the top and unbelievable on many levels, but I'm willing to overlook that for the sake of a deserving revenge fantasy.

I did have to roll my eyes at Don torching the arsonist's Harley. Have you learned nothing, Donald? and I'm getting rather annoyed every time east Asia is mentioned. Clearly, Stevenson has a thing for the place and enjoys going there, but stop fetishizing it, bro. That's gross. Also not sure what to make of the depiction of the Ugandans in this story. John and Odongo have plenty of reasons to be angry and want to take extreme measures, but I did feel like they were maybe a bit too naïve at times. It got a bit repetitive. Mopee was hilarious though. He might be a stoner but he knows an opportunity to steal 20 million dollars scot-free when he sees one.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that I still get to spend time with Don and Timmy after all these years, even if this particular story was a little convoluted and ultimately kind of anti-climactic. But there were many scenes that reminded me of classic, Third Man Out-era Don Strachey, and it's so nice to read old-fashioned, gumshoe novels like this where the plot hinges on actual detective work rather than technology or the modern marvels of policing. You won't find facial recognition software or digital fingerprints anywhere near a Strachey story, and there's something comforting about that. 35 years on, and Strachey is somehow still a refreshing voice in the mystery genre.

[Ed Noonan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grateful for this fun series

Grateful I rediscovered this series. I followed in the 1990's and lost track rediscovering it last month and quickly catching up with the fun and insight of maybe the best character in gay detective fiction. Hope aka Stevenson will publish again.

[Antonella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I'm all against bigotry, and it is important to denounce the role evangelical US churches have in exporting or reinforcing homophobia. Still, I don't like stereotypes, and the villains in this case are quite stereotyped. Also now and then the tone is too preachy. The Russian connection is somehow strange, and in general Don doesn't behave professionally (going to visit the Pastor with his real car, trusting Dupree when he didn't want that his client trusts him?).

If someone is not into politics is it difficult to know what from real life and what not. Museveni is the president of Uganda and the country did want to introduce death sentence for gay people in 2009. The ''softer'' version of the law, Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, was then approved by the Parliament end of 2013, but was annulled 2014 by Uganda's Constitutional Court. Sketchy US psychologists and preachers were really involved in the debate about homosexuality in Uganda. And many gay and lesbians were murdered.

Although James Watt, US Interior Secretary 1981-1983, appointed by Ronald Reagan, was blatantly anti-environmental, he did not say that we do no need to protect the environment because Jesus will return to attend to all that ;-).

[CoffeeTimeRomance andMore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time and again Don questions his approach in dealing with Chip and his cronies, and I have to say I agree. The act he puts on as a middle-man for an anonymous donator is way overdone. I have no doubt that atrocities like these occur, but this story almost seems to make a joke of it. Sincerity and a little edge of your seat danger would really make this story much more believable and exciting.

Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really liked all of Mr. Stevenson's books that I have read. I have only one problem with this book: the relentless reminders of all the atrocities that the the villains have committed. It was so heavy-handed and wasn't moving the story forward. I fact it slowed the pace down so much, I almost stopped reading it. I would have preferred more development of some of the minor characters, like the vets who guarded his house. That being said I look forward to the further adventures of Donald Strachey.

[Drianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don and Timmy are like my beloved crotchety gay uncles I visit every couple of years. They always have a new heavy-handed cause they're working on, and Uncle Don's ethics are a little flexible (in the service of the greater good), but it's always so nice to see them.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out my review at http://www.lambdaliterary.org/categor....