Dark Tide Paperback – September 16, 2014

Greg Herren is one of the best writers of gay fiction today. While many of his books take place New Orleans where he lives, Dark Tide is a departure. Ricky has gone to Alabama to be a lifeguard hoping to make some money for college. Once there he discovers that there is a mystery as to what happened to the previous guard who vanished without a trace. He soon comes to realize that there are secrets in this little coastal town and they can add up to danger. Once again Herren demonstrates is great talent for spinning an intriguing tale.

High school competitive swimmer Ricky takes a job lifeguarding at the Mermaid Inn in a small Gulf Coast town for the summer before college. He meets some nice people and some shady characters, some of whom may have played a role in the mysterious disappearance of the likable lifeguard from the previous summer. It proves to be a mystery that Ricky becomes compelled to solve, even at the risk of his own life.I was uncertain what to expected from this novel by Greg Herren - my first read of his. At times, the novel almost seems heading into supernatural thriller territory, with the nightmares and portents, but it is definitely a mystery. Ditto, I was under the impression from comments that there were gay elements involved in the story, but the sexuality of the central character does not really become evident until well into the novel. Herren has a good attention to detail and atmosphere. He describes the small town and the denizens that the central character meets throughout in vivid detail. Similarly, the nightmares that understandably plague Ricky are pretty creepy.The central character is appealing and his motivations and reactions are understandable. The supporting characters are nicely outlined and (like Ricky) we are completely uncertain who can actually be trusted and who is hiding sinister secrets. There is a mid-book revelation that definitely took me by surprise. Ricky goes where angels fear to tread and often seems naive and vulnerable, but keeps us rooting for him and no one can say he is not gutsy.If I have any complaints about the book, they are minor. The book is told from Ricky's POV, but strangely hides details from the reader that Ricky is aware of already to maximize the shock of the revelation. It seems a bit of a trick, but since some of the revelations are unexpected, I will give it a pass. The ending seems a tad abrupt to me and I was actually curious to see what characters like Cecily, Alana and some of the other town residents thought after the fact, but Herren fails to give us an epilogue. Other than that, I would highly recommend the novel and am seeking out more of his work.

Certainly not Greg Herren's best work, nonetheless atmospheric. I'll admit I'm a sucker for Herren's Chance MacCloud character and the New Orleans in which he lives and works. This book wasn't that. Not bad but it was too crude an attempt at atmospherics and "darkness"... the whole creepy inn on the Gulf Coast just wasn't plausible to me.

WOW! This is a great book..:) Greg takes you on what I thought would be the story of a young man with a sense of adventure in a small town for a summer job. It turns into the young man not really knowing who he can trust, but wanting to do the right thing. I am glad to say he does do the right thing and we learn the grit and determination of Ricky that makes you cheer for him. I can't recommend this book enough!

Another homerun by Greg Herren. I am a big Herren fan and will read all his efforts as I have never been disappointed with any of his books. A must read for those caught up in mystery gay romance!

If you're a fan of Greg Herren, you won't be disappointed. If you're new to the author, this is a great way to get to know him. The premise of the book, young man seeks position as lifeguard in coastal village to earn money to supplement his college swimming scholarship. Enter the employer and his attractive but distant niece, who may or may not be hiding a secret; another lifeguard, missing since last season; a shady fitness guru and professional wrestler; and a questionable auto mechanic; all tied up with an ancient Indian legend. Excellent character development. The plot builds slowly, as does the reader's anticipation. Though I might have liked a little less time spent on the early development and more leading up to the plot twists that seem to jump out toward the ending chapters, I spent two very enjoyable evenings engrossed in this story... and, I have to admit, I had a nightmare or two about mermen, too.

Not the typical Herren that I was expecting... I had questions at the end of the book... I should send him a note with my questions.

Greg Herren writes consistently good novels with strong characters and this novel follows the same vein.

Usual I like this author, so I was looking forward to read this book.His other books did have murders in it, but this had nasty taste in the story.If you have not read his other books you might like it.