Although it took a minute to engage me, once the hook was set I was in it until the last page. I found it challenging to keep track of all the characters and their “politics” but it’s all laid out by the author prior to the conclusion.. Most times I was inside the protagonist’s head! Definitely would recommend !

Flawed, fatal, fabulous! This book was amazing and will stay with me for quite some time. Bronze is a great character that I hope to encounter again his trials and thought processes are detailed here in such a way as to drag you along for the ride. I became another character in the book, one that felt confused, scared, and invested in what was happening but also unaware of where the story was headed. Stick with this one, I think you’ll be glad you did

Thanks to #netgalley, #pulplit (the publisher) and the author for this arc to read.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and pulplit

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Take an assassin on the loose and a soft boiled detective on the case. The city is in chaos as the reason as to why a crime will take place. I found it a bit slow paced at the beginning which seems to slow down the plot. I was not as impress as I thought I would be in this story.

A genuine treat for fans of the classic detective novel. The writing is precise, the characters are sharp, so much intrigue and mystery. Colin Krainin has made a fan out of me!

This was such an enjoyable read! It shouldn't be judged by its slow beginning. I almost made that mistake, but once the author introduces the diverse cast of characters and sets the stage for murder, the story takes off like a rocket.

We follow Bronze, a former investigative journalist turned private detective, as he navigates through a seemingly simple case that quickly spirals into something much more complex. With a troubled past and a battle against alcohol addiction, Bronze's journey is both captivating and relatable. Alongside our protagonist, we meet Iris, the eccentric writer, Bruce, his loyal childhood friend, Roth, the determined detective, and the Kopes, a wealthy yet eccentric family. As the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place, the pace picks up and the writing becomes truly mesmerizing. I loved the development in the characters for sure! The plot unfolds cleverly, keeping you hooked until the very last page.

I devoured this book in just two days, and it transported me to the nostalgic world of 90s detective noir with its impeccable writing and captivating character development. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

In a market saturated with "thrillers" designed to keep the attention of those with a sixth grade reading level, Blood and Mascara is a delight. Unapologetically razor sharp and intelligent, I was riveted from the first chapter...what a delight Bronze and Iris were to encounter.

This book should be wearing a fedora.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review and I will be looking for much, much more from Mr. Krainin.

Washington DC in 1997 is the setting---it's where a PI with a troubled past spends his time trailing cheating spouses and trying to cope with his past, living in the basement apartment of his landlord, a romance writer who has no romance of her own. The city is where rich old men think they can get away with anything, including murder. It's the city where it seems a paid assassin killed a man connect to a young, up and coming congressman and is now after anyone connected to the dead man, including the PI who was following the wife of the dead man. Very intriguing story.

This book took me forever to read because I was bored. The noir detective vibes and settings were there and I loved the atmosphere of each scene, but I just didn’t care about the characters enough. The plot was interesting but then I continued to get confused. The literary aspect was interesting but potentially necessary to keep up the noir-ness but all of this just did not work for me.

Bronze is a PI in 1990's Washington DC. He lives in the basement of Iris, a writer. Bronze is a lovely noir Investigator, handsome and charming and a little bit in love with every woman he meets.
A prominent congressman is murdered after Bronze has witnessed him in bed with his client's wife. Bronze contacts Roth, the police officer in charge of the case, and helps him with the investigation. The story is told from the perspective of Bronze, Roth and Iris. There's a complicated plot involving political families, corruption, and an assassin on the loose. The writing is really dreamy, it reminds me of James Ellroy. I enjoyed reading this. I look forward to more from this author. Recommended.

3-3,5 stars, I cannot make up my mind just yet.

Told from the POVs of different characters, this is both a noir and a psychological study.
Unlike many other readers, I did not mind the pacing. The characterisation, the mood setting and the overall themes were 4-4.5 stars, yet the plot was a 3 stars for me. Bronze was very curious.

Overall, it was enjoyable and I recommend it. I am eager to read more by this author and I will revisit this book soon to enjoy the paragraphs I liked one more time,

This book just wasn't for me. I struggled to keep reading and skipped whole sections where the characters, at key junctures, veered off into metaphorical or philosophical meanderings that did nothing to move the plot forward. The characters were interesting but the whole book was so painfully slow that I could barely finish it. Not recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Pulp Lit for an advanced reader copy.

I really enjoyed the pace of the book and the characters were very engaging. Some the the description is beautifully done and I enjoyed it a great. Many thanks for the ARC.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Unfortunately I really struggled with this book. The author uses SO many descriptive words and phrases, that it makes it really difficult to follow the plot. I found I was skimming more than reading because it was so tedious to get through all the adjectives and descriptions. I’m sure it is just a style difference, and this wasn’t my style.

i flew through Blood and Mascara. my favourite thing about this book was the writing - it is quick, choppy, and sharp. there are some clever lines in here, and the pace of the writing allows the story to unfold like a film. in a series of swift vignettes, Colin Krainin uses the perspectives of several different characters very effectively to create intrigue. Bronze and Iris were fascinating characters, and i kept turning the pages to find out how everything was connected. while Bronze's narration can get wearying/repetitive initially, the other perspectives help to snap the book out of tedium and propel it to the next plot point, and the next, and the next. Krainin manages to transport the reader back in time - Blood and Mascara feels like a 90s-pulp-thriller, complete with themes of sex, violence, and Americana. i loved the descriptions of each new character; Krainin's imagery is maddeningly precise. the plot is satisfying, but the writing and the characters are what made this one extra-enjoyable for me. overall, a tense, fast-paced ride (that i discovered thanks to Netgalley, via whom i caught an ARC). i really enjoyed this one.

I wanted to like this book more than I did even though it kept my interest as I couldn't tear my eyes away from the violence and confusion. Protagonist Bronze is an Olympic star in judo but now turns his attention to fighting crime. When many prominent men are found murdered, he realizes there is a bigger problem than he imagined and vows to rectify it. His landlady, Iris is a best-selling author who decides she'll turn to romance next and has no idea she'll get caught up in this deadly web of politics and lies. And then there's the unnamed "Assassin" who apparently loves his job; when all of these things collide, there's hell to pay!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Review of eBook

Private detective Bronze Goldberg’s current case involves documenting the indiscretions a beautiful woman has involved him in the murder of a congressman . . . and placed him in the sights of a relentless assassin.

Although Bronze is blissfully [?] unaware of it, his landlady, romance novelist Iris Margaryan, is secretly I love with him.

And she may hold the answer to an essential mystery in Bronze’s past.

=========

Set in the 1990s, this story is told from the points of view of three main characters: Bronze, Iris, and Roth. Dark and gritty, the strong characterizations are a high point in the telling of this noir tale. Bronze Goldberg’s troubled past, revealed in flashbacks, is particularly relevant to the person he has become.

Unexpected revelations keep readers guessing. Bringing together the murder mystery with scandal and unscrupulous politics gives the story a very smarmy vibe. As the telling of this tale takes some surprising twists and turns, readers are likely to find themselves speculating as the characters work to solve the mystery.

Sadly, the overuse of a particularly objectionable expletive and the repeated, unacceptable use of a revered name for a swear word is likely to offend many readers and, therefore, lowers the rating for this book.

I received a free copy of this book from pulpit and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#BloodandMascara #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley & Pulp Lit Publishing for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️


Wow, 'Blood and Mascara' is a total thrill ride! I mean, I thought I was in for a typical noir mystery, but this book is so much more. It's like a punch to the gut - it's dark, gritty, and unapologetic. And Bronze Goldberg? He's a total badass with a heart of gold (even if he doesn't want to admit it).

I loved how the story twisted and turned - just when I thought I knew what was going on, BAM! Another surprise. And the setting? Washington, DC in the 90s is the perfect backdrop for this tale of corruption and deceit.

What really got me, though, was the characters. They're so complex and multidimensional - even the "bad guys" have a depth to them that makes you wonder what makes them tick. And the ending? I won't give it away, but let's just say it's a total mind-blower.🔥🔥🔥

The book had a slow start, but no matter how confused and lost I felt, I just couldn’t stop reading. The pace didn’t start picking up until about halfway through, and I consumed the rest of the story rather quickly.

I loved the noir detective vibes, but felt like there was too much going on at one time. The flashbacks were sporadically placed in the middle of present day chapters that had me rereading most parts wondering what’s going on. Also, there were a lot of characters to keep track of which made me stop to reacquaint myself with who’s who.

Overall, I enjoyed the storyline and the characters but wished to get a glimpse into more of Iris’ writing. I’m wondering if she would collaborate with Bronze in writing a memoir, or if she would go out on her own and write a love story that would exemplify the relationship between her and Bronze.

I read this book quite quickly, and even though it was a slow-paced thriller, I really enjoyed the eccentricity of the characters and how the plot and story developed. I believe it's a good book that will be successful with readers who love this genre and are drawn into the whole story.