A Light in the Darkness

Forced to return home, he must face his family, his past, and the one man he could never win over.

Growing up the gay son of a wealthy, conservative mayor in a small town, Max Talbot learned early on that charm and manipulation were his best tools for survival. Now he uses those skills to con rich people out of their money. Sure, some may call that unethical but he sees it as helping them spend their money on something other than themselves for once.

Between running a bar and managing a ranch, Mike Carter barely has the energy to breathe, let alone deal with Max's games. But when Carter finds the body of his high school bully and Max's onetime best friend on his property, he no longer has a choice.

After the police rule the death an accident, Max decides to investigate, dragging Carter along with him. What they uncover goes deeper than they could have imagined and pulls them headfirst into a conspiracy that could tear the whole town apart—if it doesn't kill them first.

A Light in the Darkness is the first book in the Polaris Mysteries series, a mystery with glimmers of romance. It features a small town murder mystery, a snarky con man, a cinnamon roll bartender, an overly protective big brother, and bucket loads of sexual tension.
Note: While there is a HFN ending and the main mystery plot is resolved within the book, there is an overarching mystery that will encompass the series, and the relationship between the two main characters will develop throughout.