Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Goes Unpunished is the second book in the Maverick Insurance Mysteries series and picks up directly after the events of No Good Deed.
Perry’s life changed forever when he tried to do a good deed and save a stranger being attacked on a dark night. Perry became a victim himself and now lives with a traumatic brain injury, as well as other physical ailments. His mind doesn’t work like it used to when he was studying to be an astrophysicist and Perry is grateful to work the night shift at Maverick Insurance as a custodian. Things are also looking up, as his relationship with Detective Nate has turned into something Perry hopes will be around for a long time. But Nate has reservations about Maverick Insurance, especially after another attempt is made on Perry’s life.
Perry and Nate finally get their schedules to align and are on the best date when Nate’s partner calls and Nate is sent to another murder investigation. Both Perry and Nate know of the victim and Nate is forced to interview Perry’s best friend, Gayle, down at the police station. Perry and Nate’s time together isn’t lining up due to their work schedules and they are both feeling the strain. Trouble keeps finding Perry, however, and when a suspect in the murder investigation threatens Perry, Nate’s protective instincts become even fiercer. There are also new developments at Maverick Insurance, but Perry’s brain injury makes it difficult to remember everything and there are secrets at work that Perry really needs to be aware of.
I really liked the first book in this series, No Good Deed, and I enjoyed getting to know Perry. Perry put himself in a terrible situation with assailants he knew nothing about and his life is forever changed. Detective Nate never forgot Perry after the attack and, when the men meet again, Nate is not letting Perry get away.
The men are trying to date and spend time together, but their schedules make it difficult. Perry works nights and Nate is always working and always exhausted. The author does a great job of showing how Nate’s job is all consuming and, while Nate likes his work, he is desperate to spend more time with Perry.
The book largely revolves around the murder investigation that Nate and his partner are assigned to. The suspects take them deep into the victim’s life where Perry is connected through several layers of separation. The writing is good and the mystery is well done, but I kept wanting to spend more time with Nate and Perry and with Perry at Maverick Insurance. There is a whole story there that started in the first book and that is what I am most interested in. When those scenes are on page and Perry is interacting with the staff at Maverick, that’s what holds my attention most, but that was not the focus here. The details that are given do push that part of the story along, but I really wanted more from that storyline as the series is named after Maverick.
The side characters are great and the relationship between Perry and Nate is also great, but I even started to feel the strain of their constant separation. I like this world and the characters and do hope that the next book will offer more for Perry’s direct story.
