A new crime novel has hit out shelves this week and fans are describing it as “gripping”. Winter by former political science professor H.N. Hirsch is a crime fiction with diverse lead characters.
Hirsch’s Winter is the fourth book featuring the crime-solving duo Bob and Marcus. The first novel in the series, Shade, is set against the backdrop of 1985 Boston, where Marcus, a sharp-minded assistant professor at Harvard, finds his world upended when one of his students is murdered. Enter Bob, the murdered student’s summer roommate. As Marcus and Bob work together to untangle the mystery, a deeper connection forms between them—one that blossoms into a loving relationship. When Bob finishes law school, the couple relocates to San Diego, where Marcus joins the faculty at a University of California campus while Bob begins his career as a lawyer.
The series spans decades, with each of the four installments leaping forward in time. Shade is set in 1985, and Winter, in 2004. Through the evolving lives of Bob and Marcus, the novels trace not only a personal love story but also the broader cultural and political shifts shaping the lives of gay men in America. Hirsch’s Bob and Marcus mystery series is filled with complex characters, colorful locations and plenty of thrills for anyone who loves a good whodunnit.
Winter begins on a quiet Saturday afternoon during Christmas vacation, University of California San Diego Professor Marcus George stops by his campus office to retrieve a student’s assignment. What he finds instead is the dead body of an outspoken, overbearing colleague—disliked by many—and immediately, the words of his partner, attorney Bob Abramson, echo in his head: “You never want to be the person who finds the body; it makes you suspicious from the get-go.”
In the chilling new murder mystery Winter, Marcus becomes entangled in a murder investigation and reluctantly finds himself playing amateur sleuth. Meanwhile, Bob is coping with a family tragedy and, as his 40th birthday approaches, faces personal demons as well.
Drawing upon his own 40-year career as a professor of political science and law-related courses, Hirsch weaves real-world historical and political context into the fabric of the characters’ lives, as Bob and Marcus face their most difficult challenges as a couple.
N.N. Light gave the book five stars and said in their review: “Winter is a gripping murder mystery I thoroughly enjoyed. The descriptive narration pulls the reader into the story. As the mystery unfolds, H N Hirsch’s writing skills are unmatched. The investigation is realistic and intricate with a fairly large list of suspects.”
Winter by H.N. Hirsch is available to buy on Amazon now.