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WORK TITLE: Where Death Meets the Devil
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 9-Dec
WEBSITE: http://www.ljhayward.com/
CITY:
STATE: QL
COUNTRY: Australia
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
| LC control no.: | no2018031879 |
|---|---|
| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/no2018031879 |
| HEADING: | Hayward, L. J. |
| 000 | 00720nz a2200193n 450 |
| 001 | 10695067 |
| 005 | 20180313073005.0 |
| 008 | 180312n| azannaabn |n aaa c |
| 010 | __ |a no2018031879 |
| 035 | __ |a (OCoLC)oca11237570 |
| 040 | __ |a UOr |b eng |e rda |c UOr |
| 100 | 1_ |a Hayward, L. J. |
| 370 | __ |e Australia |2 naf |
| 372 | __ |a Fantasy fiction |a Romance fiction |a Pathology |2 lcsh |
| 374 | __ |a Authors |a Scientists |2 lcsh |
| 375 | __ |a females |2 lcdgt |
| 377 | __ |a eng |
| 670 | __ |a Hayward, L. J. Where death meets the devil, 2018: |b title page (L.J. Hayward) |
| 670 | __ |a ljhayward.com, 12 March 2018: |b (As a pathology scientist, blood and medicine is a big part of my life. First book, Blood work. Has moved into romantic suspense.) |
PERSONAL
Born December 9.
EDUCATION:Attended college.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Pathology scientist and writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
L.J. Hayward is a writer and pathology scientist based in Queensland, Australia. She has written volumes in the fantasy genre and books for an LGBTQ audience.
Blood Work, Demon Dei, Rock Paper Sorcery
In 2014, Hayward released Blood Work, the first volume in her self-published “Night Call” series. The book’s protagonist is Matt Hawkins, a vampire slayer. He and his partner, Mercy, are known as Night Call. The fashionable Mercy is a vampire herself, but she has found a way to tame her urges for human blood. A dangerous vampire is hunting Matt, and a private investigate named Erin McRea is searching for him, as well. Meanwhile, Matt deals with anger management issues in therapy.
Matt, Mercy, and Erin return in Demon Dei. It appears that Matt has driven the crew of vampires out of town and is in a period of relative calm. However, his life becomes more exciting when he agrees to help Erin solve a murder mystery that may involve supernatural elements.
Matt and Mercy again work for Erin in Rock Paper Sorcery. The job pits them against a rowdy group of footballers and a sorcerer called Dev.
Where Death Meets the Devil
A spy named Jack Reardon and an assassin named Ethan Blade are the main characters in Hayward’s 2018 novel, Where Death Meets the Devil. The two are initially adversaries, but they come together against a common enemy named Samuel Valadian. Over time, Jack and Ethan recognize their attraction to one another, and a romance between them develops.
Where Death Meets the Devil received favorable assessments. A reviewer in Publishers Weekly commented: “Fans of tense action and smoldering romance will appreciate the emotional connection between Jack and Ethan.” The same reviewer added: “There’s plenty of chemistry.” A contributor to the Dear Author website remarked: “The story was a wild ride. Even though half of the chapters were basically one long flashback, it worked perfectly.” Devan Huff, critic on the Nautical Star Books website, noted that Jack and Ethan “are drawn to each other in a way that is both tender and scorchingly hot. The romance is definitely secondary in this suspense novel, but it is beautifully written.” Huff concluded: “L.J. Hayward is a fantastic writer. The plot is intricate but well thought out and totally believable. There are twists and turns in both the plot and the romance that have you eager to read more without being totally unbelievable. … Where Death Meets the Devil is incredibly well written with amazing character and plot development.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, January 29, 2018, review of Where Death Meets the Devil, p. 175.
ONLINE
Dear Author, http://dearauthor.com/ (March 22, 2018), review of Where Death Meets the Devil.
L.J. Hayward website, http://www.ljhayward.com/ (June 14, 2018).
Nautical Star Books, https://nauticalstarbooks.com/ (March 11, 2018), Devan Huff, review of Where Death Meets the Devil.
L.J. Hayward has been telling stories for most of her life. Granted, a good deal of them have been of the tall variety, but who’s counting? Parents and teachers notwithstanding, of course. These days, the vast majority of her story telling has been in an honest attempt to create fun and exciting ways of entertaining others (and making money).
As such, she is still a mad (always provoked!) scientist in a dungeon laboratory (it has no windows. Seriously, the zombie apocalypse could be going on outside and she’d have nary a clue) who, on the rare occasions she emerges into the light, does so under extreme protest and with the potential hazard of bursting into flames under the southeast Queensland sun.
Website http://www.ljhayward.com/
Twitter @lj_hayward
Bio and Recommendations
Hi! I’m L.J. Hayward and I’ll be your author for this biography.
I’ve been telling tales (some of them of the tall variety) for most of my life. The first book I ever produced was about Easter, as I recall, and was written in crude pictographs. In my defence, I reckon I was about three. Stapler-binding was the format of choice (way, way before the advent of the e-book). First story with words (and pictures) was about a trip to the moon, in which I included the exhaustive research I did on the matter by saying it took three days to get there. Sadly, the trip was cut short when a puddle of blood (!! – quite gory for its day and age) was discovered on the moon, so the characters had to leave before the murderous aliens found them. Nail bitting stuff!
Beyond that, I don’t recall exactly when I began to think seriously about writing. I always enjoyed a creative writing exercise in high school, but hated scientific writing in university. Not enough room for drama or humour or unicorns. But even before I began writing stories down, I was writing them in my head. Serious writing started around the mid-twenties. Good writing started a couple of years later. Even better writing is still in progress.
As a pathology scientist, blood and medicine is a big part of my life and, naturally, have an influence on my writing. My first book, Blood Work, had its origins in how blood behaves in transfusions (vampires drinking blood is basically a transfusion, right? Right.).
Of course, recently I've moved into M/M romantic suspense, with the publication of Where Death Meets the Devil. I'm blaming Manna Francis's Administration series for hooking me into the wonderfully wide and diverse realm of queer fiction. It's a genre pool I plan on wallowing in for good long while. ;)
Short Stories
I've had a few shorties of the horror and fantasy variety published (in the long distant past). To have a bit of a look at them, check the Short Stories page.
It isn’t just writing, either. I’ve always been a rabid reader. Yes, rabid. Try to take my book off me, I dare you.
I can’t recall an age where I haven’t wanted to read. An inherited trait, passed down from my father, he even introduced me to fantasy greats like Terry Pratchett and Terry Brooks. Primed, I went off in search of just about every fantasy book I could get my hands on. Just to be contrary, however, I didn’t discover Lord of the Rings as a youngster. Further contrarily, I didn’t particularly find it enjoyable when I did read it, many, many years later.
Since knowing what a person reads is like knowing them, here’s a little list of my favourite books, in no particular order…
Storm Front - Jim Butcher. Why? It introduced me to Butcher and the idea urban fantasy didn't have to be all tough, sarcastic chicks kicking butt and taking names. It could also be tough, sarcastic guys kicking butt and chewing gum.
The Wasp Factory - Iain M Banks. Why? Because! Seriously, that's really all that needs to be said. A freaky, cool, terrifying, funny (don't admit that in polite company) romp through the psyche of an under-aged serial killer. Seriously. Because, dude.
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint Expurey. Why? Because! Seriously, that's really all that needs to be said. The perfect cure for The Wasp Factory. Heartbreaking, pure, beautiful.
Mind Fuck - Manna Francis. Why? A seriously different take on a dystopian future and perfect example of subverting a reader's expectations by not giving them what they expect but making them love it all the same. (I'm also recommending this one next door)
Pawn Of Prophesy - David Eddings. Why? Yeah, it's dated now and rather YA in content and execution, but for a first time ever fantasy, it's perfect. It introduced me to the genre and it's safe to say without Eddings, I wouldn't be writing this now, and you wouldn't be reading it.
Picture
And because I like telling people what's good (or at least what I like and why), here's some recommendations, in no particular order . . .
Nick Moseley
Nick's The Brackenford Cycle is a great example of British, humorous urban fantasy. Funny, witty, dorky Pommy characters, they've got it all. The first book, Location Location Damnation, introduces Trev, an estate agent and freshly-minted possessor of the Sight, a gift/curse that will forever change his life.
Alexis Hall
Alexis writes beautiful, funny, sweet, heart wrenching books about beautiful, funny, sweet, memorable characters who inhabit the breadth of LGBTQ spectrum. From the amazing Spires stories to the wonderfully imaginative fantasy of Prosperity stories, this is some of the best writing I've encountered.
Ian Tregillis
Had no real idea what the Milkweed Triptych was going into it, but wow. An alternate history set in WWII where the Nazis have superhumans and the Brits have magic. The ideas and writing caught me instantly. Tregillis is now one of my 'immediate buy' authors.
Manna Francis
Manna's Administration series was what solidified me an M/M reader. A futuristic dystopian series set in Europe, where a cataclysmic war has forced radical social revolution. The Administration, a totalitarian government, has absolute power of Europe and torture is a legal investigative process. These books are M/M but it's the world and characters that set it apart.
Brandon Sanderson
One of the few fantasy authors I really, really enjoy these days, Sanderson always has a unique take on magic and the uses of power, shown perfectly in this series. For me, these books have it all--amazing world building, great characters, intriguing plots. Epic in the true sense of the world.
Nick Harkaway
Everything of his I've read has been brilliant--if you like funny, intelligent, quirky, deep, amazingly written. If I don't leave it there, I'll just gush. Honestly.
JL Merrow
Another M/M author who writes funny contemporary gay romance and not-so-funny but equally lovely contemporary gay romance. I know whenever I open one of her books, I'll be swept away and charmed and hours will have passed by the time I'm ready to put the book down.
QUOTED: "Fans of tense action and smoldering romance will appreciate the emotional connection between Jack and Ethan."
"There's plenty of chemistry."
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Print Marked Items
Where Death Meets the Devil
Publishers Weekly.
265.5 (Jan. 29, 2018): p175. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Where Death Meets the Devil
L.J. Hayward. Riptide, $19.99 trade paper (381 p) ISBN 978-1-62649-717-7
In this complicated romantic thriller, a spy and an assassin work both with and against each other as they deal with the secrets and lies inherent in their work. Jack Reardon is an SAS soldier turned undercover agent for the Meta-State, an intelligence-sharing operation of several nations in Southeast Asia and the Antipodes. He spent over a year infiltrating villain Samuel Valadian's paramilitary organization only for his cover to be blown by Ethan Blade, one of the world's top assassins. Once Ethan explained his reasons--and the two of them teamed up against Valadian, saving each other's lives in the process--Jack slowly started to trust his unlikely ally. A year later, Jack has recovered from injuries sustained during the escape from Valadian's forces and is ready to resume work as usual--and then Ethan turns up out of the blue and promises to reveal a mole within Jack's agency. Hayward ratches up the suspense in this action-packed piece, with constant twists and betrayals on all sides to keep things unpredictable. The gradually mounting sexual tension between the leads, which explodes into scorching sex, adds another level of energy to the story, while parallel narratives of past and present allow surprises to be revealed at opportune times. Fans of tense action and smoldering romance will appreciate the emotional connection between Jack and Ethan; there's plenty of chemistry and a great setup for future books. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Where Death Meets the Devil." Publishers Weekly, 29 Jan. 2018, p. 175. Book Review Index
Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A526116546/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=6d9daf20. Accessed 23 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A526116546
2 of 2 5/23/18, 10:34 PM
QUOTED: "The story was a wild ride. Even though half of the chapters were basically one long flashback, it worked perfectly."
REVIEW: Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J.Hayward
SiriusA- Reviews / B+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsspy action/thriller/ m/m romantic elements10 Comments
Recommended Read
Jack Reardon, former SAS soldier and current Australian Meta-State asset, has seen some messy battles. But “messy” takes on a whole new meaning when he finds himself tied to a chair in a torture shack, his cover blown wide open, all thanks to notorious killer-for-hire Ethan Blade.
Blade is everything Jack doesn’t believe in: remorseless, detached, lawless. Yet, Jack’s only chance to survive is to strike a bargain with the devil and join forces with Blade. As they trek across a hostile desert, Jack learns that Blade is much more than a dead-eyed killer—and harder to resist than he should be.
A year later, Jack is home and finally getting his life on track. Then Ethan Blade reappears and throws it all into chaos once more. It’s impossible to trust the assassin, especially when his presence casts doubts on Jack’s loyalty to his country, but Jack cannot ignore what Blade’s return means: the mess that brought them together is far from over, and Ethan might just bring back the piece of Jack’s soul he thought he’d lost forever.
Review:
Dear L.J. Hayward,
I bought this book mostly because I found the blurb intriguing. I have skimmed a couple of reviews and couple of book buddies liked it but I literally bought it couple of days after the book was out. And I was so glad I did, because this was some very entertaining wild ride and I thought it was well written too.
Please note readers that I thought this was first and foremost spy action/adventure story. I guess you can call it a thriller too. I did not think it was a romance even though I believed in the romantic connection between Jack and Ethan, and I believed that if they choose to work on their relationship they may end up being in one in the future. In this story both men were being very VERY busy with spy/assassin investigative stuff and even though they could not escape their attraction towards each other, the relationship stuff took a back seat.
The book begins with Jack being caught by the bad guy (mobster) whose activities Jack was supposed to investigate and did investigate for some time and report to the organization Jack worked for (Australian Meta State). Alas, as the blurb tells you Jack finds himself in torture chair, and Mr. Valadian (the mobster guy who Jack was investigating prior to his cover being broken) is clear that he is going to torture and eventually kill him. In fact Mr. Valadian calls in the man to the room who will allegedly be doing the torturing and killing, and this man’s name is Ethan Blake.
Instead of showing readers what happens, however, the story jumps forward almost a year. Jack is back home, recovering from whatever he endured back in the desert and still not fully back to active duty within his organization, because his director allegedly is still not sure that Jack is ready to go back. Suddenly Ethan shows up in the office of the Meta State. He would only talk to Jack and would only surrender to him, and the situation for Jack just went from bad to worse or did it?
From that point forward, the timeline of the story is divided between NOW and THEN. For example we have the chapter 5 which also labeled NOW and then the chapter 6 is labeled THEN and so forth and so on till the story ends in the present.
As I stated previously I thought the story was a wild ride. Even though half of the chapters were basically one long flashback, it worked perfectly for me as a reader because the writer kept me guessing as to what really occurred between Jack and Ethan a year ago and how it would influence the events in the present. I was glued to my seat and yes, eventually I flipped to the end and looked at the ending because I could not stand all the tension. Although because I looked at the last page only it did not help me much with getting rid of all that tension and it was a good thing.
I really do not think I can tell you much about the action plot because I would have to talk spoilers, however, I can say this. Jack works for a fictional spy agency and the people who work there are supposedly white hats, or at least grey hats. However so many things were not as they seemed to be from the first glance. There were events in the book that I thought were over the top, but they made sense to me in this specific fictional world. It also probably helped that the agency is fictional ( actually I should say I think it is fictional), so I could shrug almost everything off by saying I have no idea how this or that may happen in real life.
I can also tell you that I found both Jack and Ethan to be fascinating characters. As I said in the beginning, I absolutely believed in their connection even though I did not think the integrity of the action plot was compromised. I am not an easy sell on fictional assassins at all, but here the author somehow made me like Ethan which was not a small feat. The beginning of the love story between them ends on the very tentative HFN.
Grade: B+/A-
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Sirius
Sirius started reading books when she was four and reading and discussing books is still her favorite hobby. One of her very favorite gay romances is Tamara Allen’s Whistling in the Dark. In fact, she loves every book written by Tamara Allen. Amongst her other favorite romance writers are Ginn Hale, Nicole Kimberling, Josephine Myles, Taylor V. Donovan and many others. Sirius’ other favorite genres are scifi, mystery and Russian classics. Sirius also loves travelling, watching movies and long slow walks.
→ Sirius
QUOTED: "are drawn to each other in a way that is both tender and scorchingly hot. The romance is definitely secondary in this suspense novel, but it is beautifully written."
"L.J. Hayward is a fantastic writer. The plot is intricate but well thought out and totally believable. There are twists and turns in both the plot and the romance that have you eager to read more without being totally unbelievable. ... Where Death Meets the Devil is incredibly well written with amazing character and plot development."
Love Good Suspense Novels? Read Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J. Hayward
March 11, 2018 by Devan Huff Leave a Comment
Posts feature books that may have been provided at no charge & may be sponsored. Post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on links.
If you love good suspense novels, I just finished reading a phenomenal action romance story that I highly recommend. Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J. Hayward is truly an amazing story that kept me glued to the book from start to finish. Jack Reardon, former SAS soldier and current Australian Meta-State asset, meets Ethan Blade while tied to a chair in a torture shack. A year later, Jack is home and finally getting his life on track but the mess that brought them together is far from over. If you love romantic thriller novels, read Trick Roller by Cordelia Kingsbridge.
Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J. Hayward
Purchase Links: Amazon
Love Good Suspense Novels? Read Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J. Hayward
Title: Where Death Meets the Devil
Series: (according to the author there will be 2 more books in this series)
Author: L.J. Hayward
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (January 5, 2018)
ASIN: 3327 KB/355 pages
Genre: M/M, Contemporary, Crime, Mystery, Suspense
Length/Format: 3327 KB/355 pages
Heat Rating: 3
Star Rating: 5
About L.J. Hayward:
Learn more about L.J. Hayward by checking out the author’s website or following along on Twitter.
Other Books by L.J. Hayward :
Blood Work (Night Call Book 1)Demon Dei (Night Call Book 2)Rock Paper Sorcery (Night Call Book 3)
Book Blurb:
Jack Reardon, former SAS soldier and current Australian Meta-State asset, has seen some messy battles. But “messy” takes on a whole new meaning when he finds himself tied to a chair in a torture shack, his cover blown wide open, all thanks to notorious killer-for-hire Ethan Blade.
Blade is everything Jack doesn’t believe in: remorseless, detached, lawless. Yet, Jack’s only chance to survive is to strike a bargain with the devil and join forces with Blade. As they trek across a hostile desert, Jack learns that Blade is much more than a dead-eyed killer—and harder to resist than he should be.
A year later, Jack is home and finally getting his life on track. Then Ethan Blade reappears and throws it all into chaos once more. It’s impossible to trust the assassin, especially when his presence casts doubts on Jack’s loyalty to his country, but Jack cannot ignore what Blade’s return means: the mess that brought them together is far from over, and Ethan might just bring back the piece of Jack’s soul he thought he’d lost forever.
Love Good Suspense Novels? Buy this one now on Amazon!
Where Death Meets the Devil Review:
This is the first book by L.J. Hayward that I have read. I can honestly say that it was a fabulous story that had my nose stuck in the book for the entire weekend. If you love good suspense novels, I highly recommend you purchase this one. While it is listed currently as a standalone mystery novel, the author has commented on Goodreads that there are two more books coming in this series. This romantic suspense story doesn’t end in a cliffhanger but it is definitely a ‘happy for now’ with plenty of room for more action and intrigue.
The Summary
Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J. Hayward is listed as a gay romance novel, however, the focus of this book is definitely the mystery. Jack is a government operative who meets Ethan while tied to a chair in a torture shack. What follows is a well thought out suspense novel that takes place in two time periods. Chapters alternate between THEN (a year ago) and NOW. You essentially are reading two stories, the initial government operation that drew Jack into a crime boss’s lair and the more current story that takes place in the present as Jack and Ethan try to figure out where the internal threat to Jack’s agency is coming from. This isn’t mindless reading. You need to follow the timeline as well as the plot to get the full picture of what is taking place. I can promise you that it is worth every bit of attention you give to it.
The Characters
Ethan is a mystery. For most of the book, you really don’t know who’s side he is on. Good guy? Bad guy? I actually think it is something in between. Without giving away any spoilers, he is basically playing both sides of the fence to complete his real mission, which you learn more about as you dive into the book. You get glimpses of the real Ethan but they are deeply hidden beneath fake layers of detachment and conniving intelligence. In the end, I came to truly love this character.
Jack is former military and current government operative. He is a phenomenal agent who is amazing at his job. Jack has learned to compartmentalize things…although he struggles to keep the filing cabinet in his brain from overflowing and completely exploding everywhere. He bounces between almost trusting Ethan and cursing his very existence. At the beginning of the book, he starts out being very regimented but as the story goes on, he seems to learn how to fly by the seat of his pants.
The Romance:
I loved the relationship between these two men. They are sort of enemies first who come to rely on each other out of sheer desperation. Even when they finally give in to their attraction, they are unwilling to admit it means more than just releasing some much needed tension. But, deep down, they are beginning to trust one another and are drawn to each other in a way that is both tender and scorchingly hot. The romance is definitely secondary in this suspense novel, but it is beautifully written and I loved the sort of happy for now you get at the end. Remember, the author is coming out with more books in this series so there is no marriage and a white picket fence at the end but you won’t be disappointed!
The writing
Honestly, L.J. Hayward is a fantastic writer. The plot is intricate but well thought out and totally believable. There are twists and turns in both the plot and the romance that have you eager to read more without being totally unbelievable. There are some things in the story (mostly technology based) that are a bit beyond what I think is ‘real’ and leans more towards science fiction but who knows, maybe are military is way more advanced than I think it is! Where Death Meets the Devil is incredibly well written with amazing character and plot development. I am waiting very impatiently for the next two books in this series!
Love Good Suspense Novels?
Read Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J. Hayward
Where Death Meets the Devil