Winter, H. N. Hirsch’s fourth Bob & Marcus Mystery, is getting raves from all quarters—even Great Britain! And in the center of the media world, New York City, from NewYorkTrend/NYC journal:
Diverse protagonists are making waves in the murder mystery genre, and H.N. Hirsch is leading the charge with a captivating new installment in his crime-solving series. Winter, the latest novel from the former political science professor, centers on a devoted gay couple—Marcus George and Bob Abramson—who find themselves pulled into a murder investigation on a quiet college campus.
Set during Christmas break in 2004, Winter opens with Marcus, a professor at the University of California San Diego, discovering the body of a controversial colleague in his office. Suddenly, his partner Bob’s past warning rings true: “You never want to be the person who finds the body.” As Marcus becomes tangled in the case, Bob is reeling from a personal loss and the looming milestone of his 40th birthday.
Blending murder mystery with nuanced character development, Hirsch offers more than just a thrilling whodunnit. Drawing on his four-decade academic career, Hirsch gives the story a rich layer of political and historical context, while also exploring the evolving dynamics of a long-term same-sex relationship. The result is a series that is as emotionally engaging as it is suspenseful.
Hirsch introduced readers to Bob and Marcus in his 2020 novel Shade, set in 1985 Boston. Over four books—including Shade, Fault Line, Rain, and now Winter—the series follows the couple across decades, tracing their journey from Harvard to Southern California, with each installment jumping forward in time.
Critics have praised the series for its intelligent plotting and deeply human characters. Jean M. Redmann, author of the award-winning Micky Knight mysteries, calls Bob and Marcus “a gay Nick and Nora, a couple you’ll want to spend time and solve mysteries with.”
Winter not only delivers a tightly wound murder investigation but also continues a groundbreaking series that centers love, loss, and identity in a genre traditionally dominated by straight protagonists. Hirsch’s novels offer a fresh take on classic crime fiction—and readers eager for diversity and depth in their mysteries will find plenty to savor.
Reviews
Meanwhile, back in England . . .
The Table Read Magazine (“the best entertainment eBook magazine, UK”) describes Winter as “a chilling new mystery where love and murder collide. A quiet Saturday afternoon on a nearly deserted university campus spirals into a complex murder investigation. This chilling novel blends suspense, personal drama, and historical context, as the crime-solving couple confronts a killer—and their own vulnerabilities.”
And Molly Toolan wrote in UK’s Daily Express: “In the chilling new murder mystery Winter, Marcus becomes entangled in a murder investigation and reluctantly finds himself playing amateur sleuth. . . . Through the evolving lives of Bob and Marcus, the novels trace not only a personal love story but also the broader cultural and political shifts shaping the lives of gay men in America. Hirsch’s Bob and Marcus mystery series is filled with complex characters, colorful locations and plenty of thrills for anyone who loves a good whodunnit.”
Here in the States, Lavender magazine’s E. B. Boatner, writing his “A Word in Edgewise,” starts out, “The fourth Bob & Marcus mystery so perfectly and fully fulfilled the “You won’t be able to put this down!” claim that upon finishing, I immediately reached for the first of H.N. Hirsch’s four: an excellent four-score summer read.
Read the full review of all four books in the series on Lavender magazine.
Meanwhile, PaperPhoenixInk did a delightful and wide-ranging interview with the author about the new volume, his inspirations, likes and dislikes, and little-known (except to his former students) facts about him.
And N. N. Lights Book Heaven offers Hirsch yet another 5-star review of a book in the Bob & Marcus Mystery series. “Winter is a gripping murder mystery . . . Hirsch’s writing skills are unmatched. . . . But Winter is so much more than a mystery. The two main characters, Professor Marcus George and attorney Bob Abramson, are what drives this story. It’s been wonderful watching their relationship grow over the years. They are a gay couple who love each other dearly. Their experiences as a gay couple in society is reflective of the political landscape and changing viewpoints. The characterization of these characters throughout the book is insightful and add depth to the overall story. If you’re a mystery reader and looking for your next binge-read, pick up Winter.“
And from the Midwest Book Review (also published on Donovan’s Bookshelf, where you’ll need to scroll down), Diane Donovan writes, “Readers . . . will be especially satisfied to see the injection of moral and ethical quandaries that lead Bob and Marcus to re-examine their own ideals and decisions. . . . Hirsch takes the time to present ordinary gay family life experiences as well as tense encounters, creating a delightful interplay between personal and professional developments that impart a sense of relief from action-packed scenarios.
Bob and Marcus built a fire and listened to some old jazz records, with Zelda at their feet. Bob laid his head in Marcus’s lap on the couch.
“Come on, old man, let’s go to bed,” Bob said after a while, pulling Marcus up from the couch. “I’m going to ravish you.”
Hirsch’s blend of the gay lifestyle with investigative quandaries and unexpected outcomes gives Winter a multifaceted feel fully in sync with previous Marcus and Bob experiences. [T]heir latest challenge continues to buffet their relationship, grow their personalities and values, and immerses them academic intrigue that draws the duo into danger.
Packed with unexpected twists, a host of characters who each hold their own special interests and possible connections to events, and family life that moves in different directions, Winter is a thought-provoking saga that draws from the start and concludes with a cliffhanging bang.