This was an entertaining read. I liked the writing style and I enjoyed both the characters and the plot.

I snatched up the opportunity to catch up with Tom and Phil and the merry band of eccentric characters that make this series one of my favorites. I got more Phil, more Darren, more Gary, more Cherry and best of all more Tom, because he truly is one of my favorite characters in the history of…ever. I really could gush all day about this series and, more than likely, I have gushed a time or two. Blow Down kept up with the standard set so far and did not disappoint at all.

Picking up on the tail-end of book three, Heat Trap, Tom is now a bit of a local celebrity and finds himself doing his sister a bit of a favor, using his special talents for a…well, not friend but someone Cherry wants to remain on the good side of. Unfortunately for Tom, it brings him smack dab in the middle of another murder mystery, one that has him square in someone’s crosshairs. All the while they are planning his and Phil’s nuptials and figuring out all the crazy little things that come along with getting married—like the whole last name debacle.

There are two things that truly stood out to me in Blow Down and that made this installment so enjoyable—One: There is more focus on Tom’s abilities, seeing as is it almost the center of the entire situation, mostly due to his newly minted, sort-of celebrity status. It was interesting to read how some people feared it for all the wrong reasons, while others were intrigued by it. There were also questions and some additional hints thrown out there. I’m looking forward to reading what it is in store next, and where the gift will lead, because it seems there may be more than he knows he is capable of.

Second: Tom and Phil’s relationship for me has been amazing to read over the course of the series. Their progression has been slow but believable. They don’t magically change and become different people but in each book, there is growth to them and their bond. Yes, they still argue and their insecurities are there, but their overall communication has matured. Additionally, each new book uncovers more about Phil and the reasons why he is the way he is and why he behaves the way he behaves. At first, I wasn’t sure if I even liked him, but now I am totally team Phil and Blow Down offers a little more insight to his relationship with his ex, Mark, and how that contributed to his current behavior.

There was quite a variety of secondary characters that surround this new murder which JL Merrow just seems to have a knack for writing. I love the quirkiness and uniqueness to every character Tom interacts with. One of my favorite things in a murder mystery is to try to guess whodunnit and why before the baddie is revealed. In this case, though I eventually put together who the murderer was, it took me much longer to discard the other possibilities and even still, there were some twists that made me question whether I had figured it out or not.

I, for one, cannot get enough of this series. I loved catching up with Tom, Phil, and all the amazing characters brought to life through JL Merrow’s talented writing, and I cannot wait for the next book’s release! I can’t recommend the Plumbers Mate Mysteries enough. Trust me, though, don’t jump in here. None of the books should be read as a stand-alone. To get the full understanding of Tom and his talents, as well as all his interpersonal relationships I suggest a reader start at the beginning with Pressure Head.

Several months have passed since Tom Paretski got engaged, saw his best friend married, found out his “Dad” wasn’t really his biological father, and became the resident hero by saving a barmaid from dying in a fire. Now something of a minor celebrity thanks to news coverage exposing his psychic “gift,” he’s in demand for more than his plumbing skills—this time finding himself obligated to unearth a stolen necklace for a recently-wed, high-ranking member of the local diocese (who nobody seems to like very much). At least his life’s not boring.

As was the case with the previous titles in the series, Blow Down begins with the discovery of a corpse. Poor Tom’s knack for finding dead bodies hasn’t subsided at all, and has once again placed him in the crosshairs of a murderer. With multiple suspects all capable of rampant greed, hatred of the deceased, or both, this was an interesting crime for Tom and Phil to crack. Although, in truth, I had more fun waiting to see what they, and the other returning characters would do than I did trying to puzzle out the mystery itself.

One aspect of the earlier stories I wasn’t sure about, but which I thought was among the most enjoyable parts of Blow Down was Tom and Phil’s relationship. While they’re still learning about each other outside of their shared past, I found the teasing, protectiveness, and fondness that’s so evident between them to be endearing. In fact, the entire narrative is more affectionate than its predecessors, yet it maintains the familiar and comforting level of snark that has so strongly contributed to the personality of the series as a whole so far.

Though I wasn’t able to get quite as wrapped up in the mystery of Blow Down as I was in the previous stories, it moved things along just fine. Despite the entirely new group of characters introduced for the purpose, there were somewhat limited options when it came to the sinister narcissism that seemed most indicative of the killer. While there’d be no story without the whodunit, it felt more like a vehicle for everything else that’s going on with Tom, rather than the objective of the narrative.

Having missed the original publication of The Plumber’s Mate Mysteries, I admit that it has been nice to read them so closely together. As someone who is unfamiliar with St. Albans, I found it necessary to refer to a map to better understand the geography of Blow Down, but I enjoyed doing so very much. Similarly, there are a lot of colloquialisms that I had to look up, and I had fun with those, as well. Overall, Tom and Phil have grown on me over the course of the series, and I’m looking forward to the conclusion of their journey a great deal.

Well, there’s nothing like saving a few lives to bring you some unwanted notoriety which is exactly the pickle that Tom finds himself in at the beginning of Blow Down. He’s doing a favor for his sister Cherry by providing his services to a ‘friend’ only it’s not his plumbing skills that come into play. Whoopsie! To make matters worse, Mrs. F-M does not exactly have an endearing personality as she has him 'searching' for a hidden neckless. Next thing you know Mrs. F-M has talked him into volunteering for a local Harvest Fayre, which of course she is the organizer. Oh boy! And once he gets there, instead of helping as a server, she has put him in the program as a psychic. OH NO!

HAHAHAHA!!! Poor Tom. All he wants to be is a plumber, but his special talent just keeps getting in the way. This time around it’s for a necklace good ole Mrs. F-M has him searching her step-daughter’s room for. Not there and when Mrs. F-M turns up dead, found by yours truly, the search for the missing necklace intensifies. Tom and Phil get hired to find the necklace, but the killer is very determined otherwise, and the race is on to find the necklace before the end up the killer’s next victim.

This was quite the busy and informative book. Not like it wasn’t hard enough with wedding plans, last names decisions, and deciding where they are going to live but now Tom gets to meet the future in-laws. Phil’s family is…well, it explains a lot. Things are rather rocky at best until Phil’s sister bring up the subject of Phil’s dead husband and a hint as to why things went south. Uh oh! That certainly spiked Tom’s curiosity but he wasn’t going to ask. Nope. Not one bit. *Whistles tunelessly*

Killers, family and wedding plans oh my! Blow Down was non-stop entertainment of which I love every minute. Tom, Phil, his cats and everybody else are what have made The Plumber's Mate Mysteries series hands down my favorite this year. I can not wait to sink into the next book!


reviewed by Jac

I'm happy to say that Tom redeemed himself for me in Blow Down. It's not that I disliked him in Heat Trap, he just kind of disappointed me. He was back to the fun-loving "real" guy that I've grown to really like and that's a good thing. It's always fun when a character doesn't take himself too seriously and that's one of the things I like most about this series, so it was great not spending a good portion of this one wanting to knock some sense into him ;)

The twists and turns in Blow Down kept things interesting - not to mention the danger that Tom found himself in more than once, without even really trying. Add to that the family issues from both sides and this installment just makes this series even more entertaining. I fell in love with Phil and Tom all over again.

The next book in the series is Lock Nut and I can't wait to see how these two get through their wedding stress - hopefully without any snags and in one piece - but I have a feeling that that's wishful thinking ;)

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This was such a comfort read! I loved the complete ‘Englishness’ of this gentle mystery. More Midsomer than Rebus, home counties plumber Tom finds himself inadvertently involved with a murder at a church fete.

This time, thee cast of characters and suspects includes a bishop and a colourful cross section of English society. I enjoyed the careful observations and the somewhat subtle social commentary.

Tom and his PI fiancé, Phil, are attempting to solve the murder while also planning their wedding. Tom and Phil’s low angst and low drama relationship is sweet but these two are settled and solid and there isn’t much heat or even much romance in this story. Tom and Phil work well together and I like them as a couple.

This is a fairly slow murder mystery. It was an easy, relaxing read. While it is the first book I’ve read in the series, it stood alone well. I have to admit that I didn’t guess the whodunnit, but the plot is well crafted and I should have. I loved the characters and the sense of place (there’s some great property porn here!). I look forward to reading the earlier books in this series.

The Plumber's Mate Mysteries continues to be a series that I love, and each installment surprises me positively, Blow Down included. It was engaging all the way around, the mystery was ever so captivating - in fact, there were so many viable suspects of who the murderer was that it was hard to guess who it was, which makes it a great mystery. And of course, Tom and Phil's relationship developed even more and there were so many moments that just made my heart flutter! It was impossible to put the book down and it made me loose a lot of sleep, because I kept turning the pages instead of sleeping.

I love how Tom and Phil compliment each other, both in their relationship and in the story. Tom's humour, witty and friendly approach is balanced with Phil's more reserved and cynical approach in life. It's a great mix that works so well for them, but also for the story as it makes everything so complete. Phil's also more confident compared to Tom, who has anxieties about setting a wedding date, deciding about surnames and choosing living arraignments. That's also the aspect that makes the story feel so real, because life is not a fairy tale where some anxieties don't go away just because a couple is happily engaged. And of course the complicated family relationships, especially on Tom's side of family, makes it harder for him to actually make plans for the wedding.

Blow Down was everything I was expecting it to be; a brilliant installment to a series that I love. It's a page turner mystery with a huge dash of romance and relationship developed with humour and witty characters. It's simply a stunning story, which left me yearning for more. I can't wait for the last book of the series!

Oh man I liked this one so much more than any of the others in the series. It's like the author has finally figured it out, except she's written way too many books for that and it shouldn't take four books into a series for me to feel like the series is starting to get good unless it's the author's first series. I know these were published before but I don't think this is her first rodeo. Anyway, what I liked in this book was that the couple communicated. A lot of my frustration with the first books centered around how the characters just didn't talk to each other. They'd talk to one or two other characters but not to each other, drives me crazy. Also, and this is a weird one, but the main character is a plumber but in prior books he's constantly canceling appointments to solve crime. You can't have a thriving business if you keep flaking that will get around.

Now (in)famous for his psychic abilities, Tom the plumber stumbles over another body at the harvest fair. I enjoy these lighthearted romantic suspenses set in suburban Hertfordshire following along as Tom navigates life with a psychic gift that’s more like a curse while dealing with quirky family and friends, a complex relationship, and his work escapades. Slow-moving, humorous, but engaging!
Review

Blow Down is book four in the Plumber’s Mate Mysteries. It’s a series that works best in order since the mystery is only one of the elements of a surrounding, ongoing story.

Tom has the whole engagement settled, but now he’s getting antsy whenever anyone brings up actually setting a date, planning a wedding, moving in together, children… yeah, he’d rather talk about a stopped up toilet job. But, at the moment, he gets help distracting everyone when he stumbles, literally, over a dead body and he and Phil are off to find the killer before Tom ends up resting in permanent peace next to the awful woman who was the victim.

I think this series requires the reader to appreciate the slow and gentle pacing of a cozy mystery. Like others in the series, there are sharp, intense moments when murder or threats to Tom and Phil occur, but for the most part, it meanders through Tom’s life. He can get stuck on something in his head, angsty and snarky, but he and his surrounding friends, family, and suspects are a lot of fun.

It’s not all just larks. Tom’s still sorting out what it means to be the proof of a parent’s infidelity, if he can survive the big ‘meet the in-laws’ moment, and also has a few worries when he considers if Phil is over his past relationship. Plus, he’s not winning friends as he investigates a murder.

The mystery was low key. I cottoned to the suspect soon enough though the motive and actions were confusing enough to have me doubt my guess once.

In summary, this was another fun entry in the series. I enjoy the lightly, engaging book for a good entertaining read. I would recommend this one and the series to those who enjoy m/m romantic suspense and cozy mysteries.

My thanks to Riptide Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blow Down (The Plumber’s Mate #4) by JL Merrow

Reviewed for Netgalley

Review contains spoiler to the ending of Book 3.

Cheers to JL Merrow for including a reference to Shergar in this book. You don’t often hear about the ill-fated horse on this side of the pond. For those not in the know, Shergar was a famous Irish racehorse who was stolen for ransom, but when the plan went south, the thieves murdered poor Shergar. Nice to see the poor fellow hasn’t been completely forgotten.

Blow Down is the fourth book in Merrow’s The Plumber’s Mate series, and Tom Paretski and his odd ability to find what is hidden has returned, and it isn’t long before Tom once again finds himself tripping over a dead body. As he and Phil begin trying to solve the murder, the situation gets drastic when Tom nearly becomes the next victim. As is par for the course with the series, the usual cast of characters returns in an entertaining and page turning murder mystery.

I adore Tom, but, forget the dodgy hip, he needs a stronger backbone. He gets pushed around by everyone. His clients, his sister, even his fiancé. When that dreadful Amelia made him do a psychic show at the local charity event, had I been in his plumber’s boots, I would have told her where to shove it, grabbed Phil, and left. And when he and Phil were having a row a bit later regarding a lunch with the creepy Lance, why doesn’t Tom remind Phil that it was Phil who insisted that he attend the lunch? Ever notice how often Phil does that? Makes me wonder how Tom has any time left for his plumbing business.

Remember who showed up on Tom’s doorstep at the end of book 3? His biological dad, Mike Novak. Pretty significant character if you ask me, yet I had to read through 15 chapters in Blow Down before mention of Mike finally came up, and I just kept wondering, why isn’t this being mentioned at all? Did Merrow forget how she ended Book 3? I really felt like this was a part of the series that should have gotten quite a bit of ink in book 4, but instead it was brushed over. Obviously, Tom isn’t the take-charge sort in these situations, but it’s rather odd that Cherry is that one who has to pressure him into reaching out to Mike. Perhaps the next book in the series will address Tom’s daddy issues.

Blow Down is every bit as entertaining as the previous books in there series. I do hope future books will find Tom trying to do a bit more with his psychic gift. Perhaps with a little effort he could prevent some murders instead of solving them. I think Merrow should advance this story line with Tom before the plot begins to get stale. He can’t be an only slightly psychic plumber forever!