Prepare to be emotionally sucked in!

I think Nicky James's words and Nick.J Russo's interpretation are solid gold!

I love complicated broken characters that are forced out of their comfort zones by loud and proud beautiful looking men. Diem is surly, growly, distant with the heaviest traumatic baggage ever, and when he asks Tallus for help on a case good lord is he ever sorry. The more Diem tries to run the more Tallus latches on, he really, really wants to be in the center of this case.
Nick does an amazing job bringing Diem to life, such a gravelly, growling voice, this big bear of a man's life is heartbreaking. The push and pull between the characters is full on, the will they or won't they leaving me anxious.

As for the case, what started out as a simple case of a cheating husband turns into a web of how's and why's, that finale is so exciting, so well pulled together. Excellent writing.
I'm so excited for more from this unlikely duo, I need to dive more into Diem's mind.

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Fantastic!!

Wow!!! I’m in awe of Nick J. Russo!! He did an amazing job narrating this story! I love how Diem and Tallus sound, I have an amazing time listening to this audio! Tallus is excited to be helping Diem again but for Diem is the contrary, he doesn’t know how to show him how he is feeling and that frustrated him. Tallus is just adorable!! I love him to pieces! He is the thing that happens to D. This was an absolutely insane case! Talk about skeletons in the closet! Highly recommend it!

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Fantastic combo of romance & mystery

Skeletons in the Closet gets Nicky James’ new romantic suspense Shadowy Solutions series off to a great start. It’s a spin-off of her popular Valor and Doyle stories in which the author continues her winning combination of intriguing, twisty suspense and sexy, emotionally satisfying romance with a new and compelling central couple.

It’s been six months since Tallus Domingo fell (literally) into PI Diem Krause’s life (in the prequel, Invisible Scars) and helped solve a case, and Diem has deliberately avoided him ever since. But now, he needs Tallus’ help with another case; his current client is a widow who wants Diem to find proof her late husband was cheating on her, and he doesn’t have the people skills (read: has NO people skills) that will enable him to question the right people. Of course, it turns out to be a much more complicated case than either of them expects as the clues and red herrings begin to pile up.

Nicky James has a real talent for creating damaged yet loveable characters, and Diem Krause will break your heart. It’s very clear that there’s much more to Diem than meets the eye, that he’s been badly hurt and that he’s used to being alone with no-one on his side or in his corner. Tallus longs to know what happened to make Diem the way he is and he knows Diem is strongly attracted to him, despite not wanting to be, but Tallus doesn’t push; or at least he doesn’t push Diem to talk about his past, but he does encourage him to use his words and share his thoughts about the case.

The story is written in alternating first person PoV, and in Diem’s chapters we get to learn more about his past and about what makes him tick; about his constant battle with anxiety and negativity, how scared he is of messing things up, how little he thinks of himself, and just how difficult he finds social interaction. By contrast, Tallus is charming, chatty and confident, making them a classic ‘odd couple’ whose differences not only compliment each other but also turn out to be a winning combination as far as the case is concerned. And as they spend time together working the case, they start to take small steps forward in their personal relationship as well. Diem very obviously has a long way to go if he’s to overcome at least some of his inner demons and move towards having a healthy relationship, but what comes through very strongly here is just how hard he’s trying, for Tallus’ sake. Every little moment of shared humour and/or understanding they share means so much because of just how difficult it is for Diem to let his guard down, even a little – and I loved that Tallus recognises and appreciates the effort behind it.

I enjoyed the cameo appearances from Valor, Doyle and Fox here – I always like getting to see beloved characters through someone else’s eyes, and I rather enjoyed the different perspective. Diem (an ex-cop) clearly has history with them and they’re not exactly besties; they’re suspicious of each other and territorial about their cases. This also highlights the different way Diem has to work because he doesn’t have the same resources available to him as they do.

Nick J. Russo delivers a brilliantly characterised and wonderfully nuanced performance; the deep, growly tones he uses to portray Diem are perfect, and the warmth and good-humour he injects into his interpretation of Tallus fit him to a T. He absolutely nails the deepening emotional connection that is growing between the pair – Tallus’ gentle teasing hits exactly the right note – and all the secondary characters are clearly differentiated and easy to tell apart.

Nicky James + Nick J. Russo is a winning combination, and I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the next book in the series

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Praise the master

Story: I swear there is some sort of magic involved in Nicky James writing!
The start of the spin off series had me by the throat and wouldn't let go. This is definitely a binge, one - seating book you won't want to put down.
Nicky James has sold me on same couple series which were not my favorite before. Now, I am a huge fan, especially of her take on them! I love how much thought and care is put into developing the connection between the MCs. There are no shortcuts necessary and the deep dive we get into their emotions and psyche is amazing, especially since the author does not take on easy personalities. We get to meet complicated men with plethora of life experience and pain under their belt.
On top of that we get a great mystery that keeps you guessing until the end in a very good, classic suspense fashion.
I need more! Yesterday!
Narration: Great voice acting! WIth two such different MCs it's no easy fit to switch between the voices, but the performance is really top notch!

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Diem & Tallus Outstanding 💖

OH...... WOW........ Truly and Utterly Outstanding simply blown away by Skeletons in the Closet by Nicky James its simply awesome love book and in audio with narration by Nick J Russo it's so brilliant the way he brings Diem & Tallus to life you're taken on this mystery journey with them it pulls you in doesn't let go full of twists and turns a rollercoaster of a ride its magnificent can't wait for more in series recommend so much. 💖

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Brilliant story and narration

Nicky James and Nick J. Russo are a brilliant combination and this book proves it again.
Nicky James is a very good writer. I love her wonderful writing style and the characters she develops in depth. The story is written in the first-person perspective, alternating between Diem and Tallus, which allows you to get to know them both well.
On the outside, Diem seems aloof, grumpy and cold, but the more you learn about Diem's life and his past, the better you understand him and why he acts the way he does. I really liked Diem and every now and then you hear about heartbreaking moments in flashbacks.
Tallus is exactly the opposite. He's likeable, open and talkative and he knows how to deal with Diem's silence.
Diem has turned his back on the police and works as a private detective. On his new case, he asks Tallus for help and the two make an unusual combination that works surprisingly well. The energy and rapport between the two is very different to that of Aslan and Quaid, but no less interesting.
The case they are both working on requires patience at first, as there is a lot of observation involved. But it quickly becomes interesting with surprising twists that are not predictable. The combination of tangled suspense and a sexy romance with lots of emotion captivated me from start to finish. I couldn't put the audiobook down.
I love running into protagonists from previous series, which is why I was happy to see Alsan and Quaid again.
While Diem and Tallus make progress in the investigation, the steps they take in their relationship are very small by comparison, but each step forward feels like a small victory.

Nick J. Russo did a brilliant job as always. He nailed Diem with deep tones perfectly, as well as Tallus, who always seems cheerful and fun.
Nick J. Russo also portrayed the emotions very well and brought the story to life.

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Plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting

Tallus is very much a people person. He’s vibrant, self confident and enjoys to banter and be flirty. Even though there’s been some misery in his past it doesn’t stop him from being true to himself.
On the opposite end of the scale is Diem who is a very tall burly grump with absolutely no social skills. He dislikes his personal space being infringed upon and struggles with intimacy, affection and any type of physical contact. It takes some time before we learn some of the reasons behind his daily struggles and his feelings of inferiority and I have to say that my heart broke, especially with his constant negative inner monologue battling against what he truly desires.

These two complex and well developed characters first came together in very embarrassing circumstances (see the prequel Invisible Scars) and are now investigating what at first appears to be a fairly simple case but soon morphs into so much more. There’s lots of twist and turns as the suspect list and the victim list increase in this engaging and intriguing mystery. It all comes together in the end but not before some dangerous moments for both Diem and Tallus.

This is very much a slow burn with minimal steamy moments. It doesn’t finish with an HEA or an HFN but I’m eager for more in this series as I can’t wait to see all the layers these two superbly written characters have be slowly stripped away.

I loved everything about this audiobook and Nick J Russo gives a very nuanced performance in this engaging mystery. He makes it very easy to distinguish between the main and secondary characters and certainly maintains the accents/tones/cadences for each throughout the entire performance. Once again the combination of this narrator and this author is spellbinding and makes for a fantastic listening experience.

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Complex characters and great plot

Can’t wait for the next one. Lots going on. Fabulous narration. Absolutely recommend this one. Very rare I give 5 stars

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fantastic story and narration

nick j russo brought this story and the characters perfectly and the narration sounded just like I pictured the characters sounding like

I was so hooked and so into the story and I felt every word and every intense moment

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The start to Tallus and Diem's investigations!

Nicky James is my favorite romantic suspense writer, and this book proved that she can work magic with any combination of characters--even a pairing as unlikely as Tallus and Diem. The two of them had a completely different energy than Az and Quaid, but their case had the same engaging twists, turns, and misdirects to keep me hooked as they hunted for clues to solve the mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the lives of these characters, and because this is the very beginning of Diem and Tallus's journey as partners there's still so many secrets waiting to be unpacked from each individual's backstory. I can already tell that Diem is going to be one tough nut to crack, but the glimpses I've gotten of his upbringing so far are downright heartbreaking. I may have been on the fence about his gruff, grumpy attitude to Tallus in the prequel story, but this book showed me just how hard it is for him to interact socially with someone he finds attractive. I have to give Tallus credit--he took all of Diem's stoic grunting and silence in stride, not letting it stop him from diving feet first into the case. His abundance of energy was a contrast to Diem's more reserved nature, but somehow that combination opened a lot of doors for the two of them. Diem protested any time Tallus declared them partners, but there was no way he could have solved this case on his own.

In between the long stakeouts and elaborate charades to trick their way into accessing private information, Tallus and Diem took some baby steps forward in their personal relationship. I can tell that Diem still has a long road in front of him to banish some of his inner demons and embrace a healthy relationship, but he was trying his hardest for Tallus in this book and both he and I noticed the effort. I'd give this book a 2/5 steaminess level, but each moment Tallus and Diem shared felt really meaningful because of how hard-fought it was for Diem. Tallus really is the perfect guy to help ease Diem out of his shell and keep his heart safe, and I can't wait until both of them realize that. When things started heating up in their case, Diem and Tallus had each other's backs--and let me tell you, things got dicey in the last several chapters. I never saw that twist reveal coming, and what an explosive resolution it turned out to be. Things may have ended off on a somewhat quiet note for Tallus and Diem but I'm already eager to see how Tallus will wiggle his way into the next case Diem takes on. I think Diem may actually be coming around to the idea of Tallus joining him on more investigations, and I can't wait to see what that means for the two of them in and out of the office!

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