Tom Paretski is a plumber with an unfortunate name--his step-granddad was Polish, and customers continually marvel at Tom's fluent English--and a family that's still rather posh. Tom might have gone to uni if his schoolmate bullies hadn't terrorized him into running into the street and getting hit by a lorry--resulting in eight months of surgeries and therapy and no time to study for his A-level exams. A decade later Tom's philosophical about it; he's had an inexplicable gift for finding water, which helps him on the leak trail. It's also good for lost or hidden things. The more guilt associated with the secret hiding place, the stronger Tom can sense it, like a beacon of shame. And, his pal on the detective unit sometimes calls Tom in, on the down-low, if there's a big search on.

It's how he reunites with his chief childhood bully, Phil Morrison. Phil was a London cop, but now he's returned to their hometown to set up a business in personal investigations. Phil doesn't believe that Tom just stumbled across the body of the woman he'd been hired to find; he assumes Tom must have had inside information, info that could help his clients--the parents of the deceased girl and her devastated boyfriend--find peace and justice.

Tom isn't best pleased to find Phil on his tail, or that he still, unwillingly, find Phil to be handsome. He wants to hate Phil for the part he played in Tom's nightmarish bullying, and eventual injury. Phil though it was just boys-being-boys, but he's sensitive enough to recognize that Tom's understanding of the situation back then was very different from his own. And Phil admits a very serious level of respect for Tom, who was out and not-so-proud back at school. Phil suffered a lot of insecurity in those days, having been closeted himself, and a welfare family. Tom seemed smug, and posh, then, Phil thought, but only because Tom was afraid to get close to anyone and be pounded. Interesting that both men had a secret hankering back in school.

Now, however, Tom's proved his valuable skill to Phil, and Phil's taken to bringing him along in his investigations of the murder. It gets really dicey when they learn the victim had some issue within the church--where she volunteered in the budgets office. Lots of suspicions are being made about her boyfriend, a recovering addict, too. And it seems the only person with sufficient motive may have been the vicar, who's hiding with his rather sordid past of wild sex parties.

The combinations of characters really bring this story to life. Tom's casual English and affable nature win over some of the most recalcitrant of witnesses. I loved the banter, and Tom's sharp wit. The enemies-to-comrades-to-lovers angle worked out well, with appropriate delay and catch-up. And outrage, on the part of Tom's pals and family; they all have a poor opinion of Phil from that school days. It's interesting how fastidious Phil is about his clothing, car and flat--that he makes a great effort to look the part of the successful man, to distance himself from his impoverished childhood. Meanwhile, Tom, who was raised in a middle class family, has a workingman's profession. So there's some interesting class themes explored, as well as redemption for both Tom and Phil, for their bad childhood behavior. Their romance is sweet and catches Tom by surprise, in a good way. Expect a little bit of sexytimes, when they finally get on the same page, I've read two other books in this series and highly recommend them all.

This was a light mystery romance with a bit of paranormal, exactly the kind of thing I was looking for last night. Luckily its the first in a series, because the "relationship" between Tom and Phil was not as fulfilling as I might have wished - which is acceptable in a series but not in a stand-alone novel. Tom seems to have forgiven the once deeply closeted Phil pretty quickly -- though the depth of Phil's guilt and sadness over his earlier actions is beautifully expressed. In any case I look forward to seeing their relationship grow!

The mystery aspect was handled lightly, though I had decided I wanted the culprit to be who it was as soon as I met the person. I did feel sorry for the creepy vicar; his life was unpleasant. Definitely reading more!

I thought this was an entertaining start to a series. I never read the original book so I'm not if this was changed in any way or not. I thought the mystery was good and I liked both of the MC's. The romance was subtle but lovely.



**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

More mystery than romance, this series starter wasn’t your typical whodunit. Tom and Phil get under each other’s skin and get on one another’s nerves but they do form a formidable sleuthing team of sorts. There’s also this underlying tension, which isn’t all due to their dark past as teenagers, that made me anticipate what the heck was going to happen next and who would be the one to initiate or steal a kiss. I had a feeling why Phil treated Tom the way he did when they were schoolmates, though that doesn’t excuse his bad behavior. Now, as far as the mystery is concerned, I was kept on my toes and while I did figure out who the perpetrator was, it took me a good long while to whittle my list of suspects down. Pressure Head was a good start to a fab series that I hope will have a great, long run and gets four stars. ♥

Pressure Head was previously published, but I missed the series the first time around. Not sure what's been updated since the first go around, but regardless, I fell in love with Tom from the first chapter. ;) Phil? Well, let's just say he now has the potential to grow on me...

This book was full of things I love in a book. A solid mystery with a bit of danger, a paranormal aspect, a complicated relationship with potential for romance and a fair amount of humor.

Tom's got a pretty good relationship with the local police and Phil basically has a good relationship with pretty much no one. He's a bit prickly to say the least, but that doesn't stop Tom's attraction to him. It doesn't erase from his memory what happened when they were both younger. The thing is, it turns out the attraction goes both ways.

Regardless of the attraction, this wasn't an instant love kind of story. There was a lot that Phil had to make up for and there were times that Tom felt like he was just being used for his "gift". He was used to finding whatever was "lost" and going back to his real job. It didn't take Phil long to realize that Tom's talent could be a huge advantage during the whole investigation process. In some cases he discovered more than he bargained for.

I'm so glad that this series continues. The next book in the Plumber's Mate Mysteries line up is Relief Valve. I personally can't wait to see what J.L. Merrow has in store for Tom and Phil next.

I’ll say upfront I read this story years ago when it was previously published. It’s been close to five years or more, and honestly, my memory faded quite a bit as to everything that happened—not because the story itself wasn’t memorable but because shortly after this one came out a lot happened in my life, and, unfortunately, a lot of books I read before that time were kind of pushed back in favor of dealing with my new normal. When I saw it was up and being republished, I immediately snapped it up because though I couldn’t remember everything that happened, what I did remember was absolutely loving it. I am so glad I did, because reading this one again was such an absolute pleasure for me in reexperiencing the wonderfully crafted tale.

How much do I love this book? Let me count the ways….

The plot. How amazing is it to have a plumber by trade who has this knack for finding things; a gift of divination, if you will? Utterly brilliant. Or at least the way this carefully crafted tale is delivered. Mind you, they aren’t usually lost things. They are hidden things. And water. And sometimes people. Tom can sense secrets people don’t want others to find or know about, and in his unique case, water, which makes him a pretty fabulous plumber to have come around. Mostly what he senses is more or less harmless. Water leaks (of course), porn stashes, expensive jewelry, love letters… But sometimes his gift can be used under more dire circumstances. Like finding dead bodies. In this case, after his pal in the police requests his services in finding a dead body, Tom’s path ends up converging with Phil’s—Tom’s former bully and a now out-and-proud, gorgeous private investigator who thinks Tom’s particular talent can help him track down the murderer and, in turn, save Phil’s friend from falsely taking the fall.

Tom has got to be one of my favorite characters. He is perfectly fashioned and, in my opinion, an amazing choice in narration. He carries the story with his keen observations wrapped in witty humor and life experiences. He’s relatable and an average guy (mostly), with a peculiar gift. People can’t help but be drawn to his outgoing personality and charm. I love how he is so expressive with his emotions. He is quirky, endearing, and intelligent, though not in a bookish or educational sense. He has great logic and instincts and is an observer of the human character.

Now, a wee bit about Phil, a source of both angst and passion to Tom. He is far more subdued, and his emotions are often hard to read, often keeping himself wrapped in a blank mask, only allowing bits and pieces of emotion to leak through. Generally, when he does reveal something, it is expressed in anger, though it’s clear more is going on underneath. The waiting for it to finally reach its breaking point was oh-so-sweet torture. He is not as developed as Tom, but as this is the beginning of a series, this is not altogether unexpected. We get just enough to be intrigued by what happens next with him.

What about the romance? Tom and Phil’s past and current interactions together create a wonderful push and pull, and keeps you wondering when and what will finally give the final push to make them both face their feelings. Their attraction is vivid but mixed with so many other emotions to wade through: guilt, doubt, anger, suspicion, and sadness. They share humor, but it is often tinged with uncertainty as they try to navigate their history and truly see who they are in the present. What I found so amazing is that despite the slow-burn and romance being a main plot point, somehow it didn’t detract the focus from the mystery, yet it didn’t take a backseat either. It’s expertly woven in with just the right amount of tension, and producing a fantastically balanced romantic suspense, but don’t expect a ton of sexy times. This is just their beginning, and they have a lot of crap to get through before they finally give in to that attraction, which is something this particular reader is all for, especially when I know there are more books in a series to explore the relationship.

As for the mystery—top notch delivery. So many possibilities are thrown out there that it was difficult to make my own theories on who was the actual murderer. This was seriously imaginative, and I truly enjoyed following the two as they ran around trying to uncover the truth through what was hidden for the people in Melanie Porter’s life. The amount of shenanigans Tom gets himself into trying to sneak around and find what hidden truths, and what to do when things went awry, keeps things interesting and gives it an almost believable feel. Tom has no idea what he is doing, is clearly uncomfortable poking his nose around people’s houses and searching for their shame, and is completely hysterical in his thoughts. Reading Tom think on his feet, and make excuses, and explain his odd behavior had me cracking up constantly.

If you couldn’t already tell, I loved this entire story to pieces. Pressure Head is a cozy little mystery wrapped in an amazingly humorous and intriguing little package, and is highly recommended!

3.5*

In one word I'd say this book "goofy"
and I mean that in a good way.
There's some things that are like "what?" and even though there's a murder investigation going on, the characters could be a bit silly.

I do think it's a bit far-fetched for a plumber to be a "nose" for the police, finding things like dead bodies. I also thing the book is very "wordy". Phil would ask Tom a question, and Tom would ramble (in his head) and by the time he answered you forgot what the question was and would have to back track.

All in all I think it was a pretty good book.
Tom's BFF, Gary, was probably my favorite character. I'm also glad Dave got his HEA

I was immediately curious about Pressure Head based on the premise alone: a plumber who has an affinity for water, uses his “gift” that causes him to be drawn to “hidden things” to find clues—and dead people. Tom won me over quickly, his funny (and often snarky) observations combining with his inability to keep himself out of trouble to make him a generally lovable character. As the sole narrator, his perspective did a lot to counter the more significant issues that I had with the other MC, Phil, and trusting Tom with his own choices made the romantic aspects of the story easier to accept as the narrative progressed.

Despite such an intriguing framework and Tom’s winning personality, I never felt the same for Phil. While it is absolutely true that people change, and that Phil was right to apologize for his role in the worst parts of Tom’s past, his “second chance” got off to a bad start for me, some of those negative traits seeming to have stuck with him into adulthood. He is at once dismissive and controlling, and engages in some victim blaming that didn’t endear him to me. I understand the likely intent, though—we have to do better collectively to accept others as they are. I did like Phil more by the midway point, however, and it’s hinted that we’ll learn more about him in the future, which I’d like to see.

Something that I enjoyed tremendously about Pressure Head was the cast of secondary characters, Tom’s best friend Gary and his new boyfriend Darren, most especially. These two are among my favorite characters ever, I think, and I was delighted each time they made an appearance—particularly during their post-service discussion outside a local church. Others, including Edith and Pip, also threatened to steal every scene they’re in, and allow Tom to shine even more as an incorrigibly charming flirt. And although theirs isn’t a comedic presence, Merry the vicar and Graham Carter are differently powerful entities that left a strong impression in their own right. Of course, the cats—Arthur and Merlin—have to be given their due, as well.

What Pressure Head lacked in romance it made up for in the whodunit itself. It’s a mystery, after all, and Merrow serves up a good one here. Not overly complex, it doesn’t try too hard while being highly entertaining at the same time. There were some parts that didn’t quite work, and one tragedy, specifically, that crushed me, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching Tom put the pieces together. I also liked the effect his persistence had on both Dave and Phil’s nerves.

Funny, often sweet, and sometimes over-the-top, the aptly titled Pressure Head was a good introduction to what I hope will be a solid collection of mysteries. Tom is a wonderful narrator, and, while I was never fully convinced about how he and Phil fit, I found it to be extremely easy to be on his side. In the end, it was enough just to want Tom to be happy. With the addition of some truly remarkable secondary characters, Pressure Head shines on many levels. Having missed their initial release several years ago, I’m enjoying myself a great deal so far, and am looking forward to seeing what else Tom and Phil get up to next.

There were some things I really liked about this book and a few things that frustrated me a bit. I really enjoyed the mystery of this story and thought it was very well done. The romance however was a bit odd. I never really believed the connection between Tom and Phil. It was all a bit awkward and every time they would start to connect one would say something that the other would take the wrong way and they'd blow up at each other. There was a lot of tension between the two of them but I didn't feel like it resolved itself - it just disappeared and they decided to have sex with each other. The relationship was an extremely slow burn and until the very end it was more about sexual desire then anything else IMO. The pacing is a bit slow but as I mentioned I did really enjoy the mystery and although I figured out the motive very early on it didn't take away from the enjoyment of watching Phil and Tom solve the mystery. I hope that in the future we get to know more about Phil. We were given a few bits of information about his past but really not enough that I connected with him as much as I did Tom. I want to know more about him and understand him a bit better. It's hard to buy into the relationship since Phil still has so many barriers up and hasn't really let Tom in.

Still overall I enjoyed this and I'm curious about where this relationship will go. I also liked the mystery and while I felt this was more mystery than romance since it's the first book in a series I'm okay with that. I'll read the next book to see where this one goes.

It reads a bit like Sherlock in a way, only with fewer deductions and more psychic powers. I love stories where people are reunited after years apart, especially if they didnt get along before. Along with a decent mystery and a nice cast of side characters, this book was a win. I look forward to reading the rest in the series.

The first thing that captured my attention was the lovely, authentic feeling setting in English town near London. The character's vocabulary and accents were on point to make the setting even more authentic, and I really loved that. I love reading books set in the UK or Europe instead of the usual North America, and it's perfect when the feeling is authentic and there won't be American English mixed in.

The relationships between characters were interesting in the beginning. Tom's a plumber with a knack for finding things and sometimes he helps police to find hidden things - such as missing woman. When he finds Melanie, who turns up dead, he also meets Phil Morrison, a private detective and Tom's school bully from the past. Tom gets tangled up with the investigation, when Phil asks his help to find out if the suspects are hiding anything. There's plenty of bad blood and past hurt between Tom and Phil at first, and it's captivating to see how they can mend and possibly get over the hurt they both held in their hearts from the past. Overall the characters were fascinating; Tom's gentle, witty, and really friendly to everyone, and Phil's more reserved and seems to believe the worst of people compared to Tom's more positive view of humanity. There's also plenty of interesting supporting characters, such as police man Dave and Gary, who are both Tom's friends, and everyone else who Tom meets while investigating Melanie's murder.

Pressure Head is a captivating mystery, which kept me turning the pages faster, with a budding romance and complicated relationships. I'll definitely pick up the sequel as soon as it's published! If contemporary mystery with a slice of romance and forgiving is your thing, then I highly recommend picking Pressure Head up. And hey, give it a chance either way, it's a great start for a series! It's funny and mysterious, and in many ways so real.

I read Pressure Head when it was previously published and liked it then. Luckily, the tweaks made in this edition made the book just a smidge better. Another good read from Merrow.

Extremely cute start into an interesting mystery series. I absolutely love this author's quirky and witty writing style that transforms perfectly into Tom's own unique voice.
I also love that even though Tom does undoubtedly has a gift it doesn't feel too much like fantasy.
The romance was maybe a tad frustrating at times but that's probably because it was only book 1 and Phil and Tom still have some way to go ;)