Death & Pride
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Darkness envelopes the city like a
shroud; arching street lamps barely
illuminating the inky black asphalt
roads below. A chilling fog rolls in,
distorting all images within its grasp.
Through this murky night the Lure
emerges, dark and forboding. The
men who frequent this shadowy
environment personify the night;
moody and mysterious. This eerie
environment is their world. The bar,
although well known, does not
identify itself; men who hunt here
know it and it silently calls to them
Tonight, a dark, brooding man,
dressed mostly in leather, stands
at the corner, staring down the
silent street, waiting, his mind aflame,
body tense, eyes fixed on the large,
black doors. Over the past several
days, desires had been growing inside
of him, angry desires that needed to
be satisfied. These overpowering urges
had drawn him here to this place. He
pulls the leather jacket closer around
him against the chilled air. There was
only silence surrounding him; no cars,
no people, just elongated shadows.
Time passes and still he waits.
Entering the bar was usually not an
option for him, he liked to wait outside,
searching the growing crowd of men as
they exited to find just the right one,
but this night the urge was so power-
ful and the night so chilled that he
could no longer wait. In the late
night hour he starts walking
through the mist, his footfalls
echoing loudly on the cobble-
stone street. He moves
deliberately, each step
calculated and measured.
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Book Details
About the Book
Death and Pride centers on the frantic search for a serial killer in the weeks prior to the annual Gay Pride Parade in Greenwich Village, NY. All the victims, attractive, young men were found naked and thrown in dumpsters or in alley-ways in the Village. Police have only one clue to go on; fibers found in the beard stubble of the victims. Lead investigator, Alan Barlow's fears intensify as the body count rises and the date of the parade nears. He is no closer to finding the killer than at the beginning of the investigation. At the same time, Todd Winslow meets and falls for Stephan Vogel, a hot leather man he met while serving on the Pride Committee. Todd's ex, Joe warns him to be careful while in the city and with Stephan. At first Todd laughs it off, but when he sees the posters of the suspect he knows he has cause for concern, but not for what he thinks.
With only days to the parade, a young man enters the Police Station and relates a horrifying story about a bondage encounter he'd recently had with a man who closely resembled the police composite. After staking out the bars and gym mentioned by the witness, Barlow narrows his search. With a photo from the gym Barlow and his men locate and try to apprehend the suspect, but he disappears in the crowds in the Village.
About the Author
G. Burgess started his writing career as a poet. His work in this field won him election as a Distinguished Poet in the International Society of Poets. He has also been awarded several Editor's Choice Awards. He began taking writing classes, studying under noted mystery writer Jane Waterhouse. With her encouragement he went on to finish and publish his first novel, Dead of Winter.