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Bestselling author Joe Cosentino won Divine Magazine’s awards for best mystery novel, best humorous novel, and best contemporary novel of 2015. He is the author of the Jana Lane mysteries: PAPER DOLL, PORCELAIN DOLL, SATIN DOLL, CHINA DOLL, and the upcoming RAG DOLL (The Wild Rose Press); the Nicky and Noah mysteries: DRAMA QUEEN, DRAMA MUSCLE, and the upcoming DRAMA CRUISE (Lethe Press); the Cozzi Cove beach series: COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD (NineStar Press); the romance novellas: IN MY HEART anthology (AN INFATUATION and A SHOOTING STAR), A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, and THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND (Dreamspinner Press); and THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). As an actor, he has appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married.
Reviewed by Java Davis for Readers' Favorite
Drama Muscle by Joe Cosentino is the second book in the Nicky and Noah mystery series. The series follows Nicky and Noah, drama teachers and lovers, who teach at Treemeadow College, a small New England college. The first book in the series, Drama Queen, took place in the college's Theatre Department, which was a natural fit for this sleuthing couple. Drama Muscle takes place in the Bodybuilding Department. The premise is that the annual student bodybuilding competition needed some pizzazz, so they asked the two theatre professors to stage a show. One by one, students and faculty involved with the competition start dropping dead. Once again, Nicky and Noah are asked to investigate on behalf of the college, especially since they are "seasoned investigators" from the first book.
The murder plot was moved along a tad clumsily by Nicky's incessant eavesdropping, including quite a bit of voyeurism. The part of Cosentino’s Drama Muscle that kept me reading was the continuing love affair between Nicky and Noah, complicated by an extended stay from Noah's parents, Bonnie and Scott Oliver. They have no problem with their son's gay lifestyle, but want Noah to get married to Nicky and settle down. Bonnie is charming, continually sending photos of their trip to her friend and neighbor, Judy. The book ends on a high note, with a party and three engagements, but whose? I would definitely continue to follow this series, especially if Nicky’s parents make an appearance.
