Reporter Peter Fontaine works for a small town free weekly newspaper, but is ready to broaden his horizons. When asked to investigate a local establishment, he doesn’t find anything tangible to use against the owner, but he does find himself in the middle of a murder scene. And while this isn’t the best way to get a closer look at Nick Olson, the man who visits him nightly in his dreams, it definitely supplies an opportunity to gain face time.

Having his picture splashed across a front page is undesirable to Nick, unless it promotes his career as a painter. He knows that dating Peter could open him up to unwanted publicity, but he cannot deny their attraction. What are the chances that an unseasoned investigative reporter will solve the question of who murdered the town’s local art professor?

Nicole Kimberling brings suspense and mystery to us in Primal Red. Peter has a wonderful sense of humor, and an impeccable sense of integrity. He decides that becoming a well-known reporter isn’t as important as taking the time to be accurate and get the story right the first time. Nick is trying to rebuild his life after the press tore his world apart, so he’s skeptical about interacting with Peter. However, when he finally let down his guard enough to really see Peter the man, not the reporter, he couldn’t help but to gravitate towards him. I’ll admit I had no clue who actually murdered the professor. There was so much going on I completely forgot to play amateur detective to piece the clues together. This is definitely a good book to pick up if you enjoy male-male relationships tossed up with a bit of mystery.

Reviewed by: NeNe