The Man In Black is a wild west thriller with a gay romance. It’s fun, engaging and at times gripping. We follow the young protagonist, who has named himself Simon Shaw, as he pursues his dream of joining an outlaw gang.
Simon is a wonderful protagonist. He is naive in many ways, but has a clear vision of the future he wants and who he wants to be within it. Like many queer people, he is resisting the path that is seemingly laid out for him and following the only path he can think of that allows an escape.
This story is well researched with plenty of immersive world building. It’s cinematic at times! This, along with the suspense of the mysterious murders, will draw you into a book you will struggle to put down. (But please do put it down occasionally, it’s long and you need to eat!).
This book gets five stars from me! I love LGBT+ representation in genre fiction and this is a great example.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Francis O'Sullivanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngFrancis O'Sullivan2023-10-18 11:42:552023-10-19 14:02:41The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Francis O’Sullivan
The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Jessica Stone
So to start off this review I will say I have literally NEVER read a western book, but I adore western movies, and that’s what this author did with this book. Reading it was like watching a western film. This author managed to do it all, a little western action, some mystery and intrigue, romance and a little slice of life.
I was thoroughly impressed with this book, the world building and character building that was takes place in this book was done in such a way that rather than be confused of overwhelmed with so much information it all flows together cohesively. I will admit I started out slow it took a good 12 chapters for me to get deep in, but by the time I realized this book had me enthralled I was 5 hours deep.
I enjoyed the down to earth quality’s of the main character “Simon”, I felt myself relating to his questions about what life is supposed to be and the monotony of everyday repetition in a comfortable situation, wondering and knowing more adventure and just, life is out there waiting for me/him/us. He’s a very deep, thoughtful character and listening to his thoughts and worry’s was enthralling.
The romance was soooo good, not too thick and over consuming as some books are and the build and relationship growth to the romance makes it feel very authentic and not rushed, so that was very refreshing, this romance in general was just wonderfully refreshing. I also thoroughly enjoyed the mystery that this author threw in, the kinda of “who done it”, feeling is one of my favorite parts. The intrigue of not knowing who or what is causing these murders, while the main characters navigating this new life, and love and realizing that life can be much more complicated and wild then even he had imagined.
Well if I keep going with my review I might rival this book as far as length goes, but in all seriousness, I highly recommend giving this book a shot, don’t give up, because it does get VERY good. Well done L.R Liverpool! I look forward to digesting more of your work!
The Man in Black, L.R. Liverpool, Review, Itsy Bitsy Book Bits, Romance, Thriller, M/M, Jessica Stone, October 2023
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jessicahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJessica2023-10-16 18:20:592023-10-19 13:49:30The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Jessica Stone
I almost did not give this book a chance due solely to the length – I rarely read books this long anymore, I am glad i decided to give it a go. It took me a while to really get into the story, but if you can give it a little time to draw you in, it is totally worth it. The characters had great depth, the storyline keeps you entertained, and once you’re interested, you may well find yourself reading every chance you get because you want to know how the story ends.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Sarah Kinghttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSarah King2023-10-16 00:57:142023-10-19 12:41:33The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Sarah King
This book has such amazing character and world building. I felt like I could get lost in the world, and like the people there we so well thought out, it made the easy to identify. While this book isn’t something I’d normally read, I thought it was a great story. It’s a bit slow to start in my opinion, but it was a great read, none the less. I do recommend this book if you like a book with western theme, a little romance and mystery.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Manda Kellyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngManda Kelly2023-10-14 21:35:542023-10-19 07:29:08The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Manda Kelly
The Man In Black By: L. R. Liverpool Review by: Susan Ratchford 5 Stars
Admittedly at first I was intimidated by the sheer size of this book, that all changed once I started to read The Man In Black. The visuals were stunning and the emotions were beyond gripping! I absolutely loved how she split the book into three segments. It helped with the overall length and flow of the story! It really helps you grasp the changes and struggles Fenimore James or should I say Simon Shaw goes through! The tone was also wonderful, it goes beyond being transported back to the old west. I truly felt like I was sitting around a campfire listening to him tell me his life story, both the ups and the downs. Almost like listening to stories from your grandparents! It was absolutely mesmerizing! I could picture every scene, every outfit, as if I was in the saloon! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Ms. Liverpool! I highly recommend giving this book a try!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Susan Ratchfordhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSusan Ratchford2023-10-13 22:29:532023-10-19 07:29:33The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Susan Ratchford
I absolutely loved the innocent and quite naive young man, Fenimore James from the get go. He’s lived his young life in one place in the comfort of his parent’s home yet he wants more. He wants the life described in books or the papers. He’s dreamed of leaving his home, living life in the road, embarking on one journey after another, meeting new people yet feels something is holding him back. His name. At his core he feels his name is not a true fit and does not represent who he really is.
This incredible story finds Fen bravely choosing to leave home, Along the way he joins in with a group or gang of folks and changing his name. As most often do, he finds himself questioning his decision of leaving his hometown and every decision made since he left.
When he finds members of his gang being murdered he finds himself perplexed. Then dealing with his internal personal feelings about someone close he struggles.
Mystery, struggle, murder, romance and life’s many perplexities makes this complex story a winner in my eyes. I cannot wait to see what else the author had in store in the future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Darlahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDarla2023-10-13 21:29:422023-10-19 07:20:20The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Darla Yocom
This is a very long book. Don’t let that throw you off of it though. There is a lot packed into this story. There is so much detail into each of the characters mentioned in the book. You really begin to feel like you know the characters and have actually met them. The story is very well written and it has both very intense moments and relaxed moments. It is quite the fantastic book and I am glad to have chose it despite the length! There is a lot more I could say about this book, but I will leave it to you to read to find out more.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Crystal Brehanthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCrystal Brehant2023-10-12 19:44:132023-10-16 14:25:00The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Crystal Brehant
The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool is a great thriller romance.
Fenimore James, a naive dreamer, flees his home and travels to the west to become Simon Shaw, a renowned bandit. His fantasies of glitzy heists are quickly dashed, though, when he joins the notorious Red Evans gang and finds himself caught up in a bizarre game where gang members are mysteriously being killed off one at a time by an unknown pursuer who leaves cryptic marks scarring their bodies.Fenimore’s waking hours turn into misery as he starts to doubt his own sexuality and finds himself falling in love with a fellow male gang member whom he had just recently dreaded and detested. While the Man in Black, a strange dream character, keeps him up at night.
Every page had you hanging on every sentence and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. It is a very unique story with even compelling people. The story really transports you into this world. I couldn’t put the book down.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Shadel Ayerbehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngShadel Ayerbe2023-10-12 02:17:292023-10-16 14:17:44The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Shadel Ayerbe
This book was ok for me. I’m not really into the western themes or some of the other themes of the book. I thought the story was engaging but I didn’t connect with it. It was a little long for me and I did have a hard time getting through it. If you are someone that is into this genre, you would probably enjoy it. The characters are well done.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Trish Annhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTrish Ann2023-10-11 08:31:462023-10-16 14:19:46The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Trish Ann
Fenimore James had the simple farm life but always thought that being an outlaw would be a much more exciting life. He decides to leave his family, change his name to Simon Shaw, and his appearance. All the fun he thought he would be having is short lived when someone is taking out his gang one by one. Simon also battles with himself when he starts liking a man he feared. So much happens within a year for him. This book was great. It was different than I thought, highly recommend.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Amelia Stansellhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAmelia Stansell2023-10-10 05:03:002023-10-10 09:02:25The Man in Black by L.R. Liverpool – Review by Amelia Stansell
Naive dreamer Fenimore James runs from home and goes west to become a famous outlaw––Simon Shaw. However, his fantasies of glamorous robberies quickly evaporate as he joins the notorious Red Evans gang and finds himself in the middle of a strange and bloody game, where gang members are suddenly being murdered one-by-one at the hand of a mysterious pursuer, who leaves cryptic signs scarifying their bodies.
To complicate matters further, Fenimore’s waking hours become torture, when he begins questioning his own sexuality, finding himself falling head-over-heels for a fellow male gang member, whom he hated and feared just recently. While his nights are plagued by a bizarre dream figure––the Man In Black.
Meanwhile the boss of the gang slowly gets paranoid, starting to suspect that the killer is someone among his own men…
WARNING: The Man In Black is an LGBT thriller and mystery that contains violence, occasional foul language, and adult sexual situations.
Lily has been writing short stories to entertain her friends since her teen years, and before coming to pen her own novel, she helped her writer friends with research for their fiction and non-fiction. She is a collector of all things dogs, and Balto & Togo, an animal shelters volunteer, a history buff, a vintage trinkets and toys enthusiast.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/326351625_538400041595659_8359119517095386767_n.jpg1168740itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2023-10-10 00:05:412023-10-23 21:08:14The Man In Black by L.R. Liverpool
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