Madison Square Murders cover art

Madison Square Murders

Memento Mori, Book 1

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Madison Square Murders

By: C.S. Poe
Narrated by: Kale Williams
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About this listen

Everett Larkin works for the Cold Case Squad: an elite - if understaffed and overworked - group of detectives who solve the forgotten deaths of New York City. Larkin is different from others, but his deduction skills are unmatched and his memory for minute details is unparalleled.

So when a spring thunderstorm uproots a tree in Madison Square Park, unearthing a crate with human remains inside, the best Cold Case detective is assigned the job. And when a death mask, like those prominent during the Victorian era, is found with the body, Larkin requests assistance from the Forensic Artists Unit and receives it in the form of Detective Ira Doyle, his polar opposite in every way.

Factual reasoning and facial reconstruction put Larkin and Doyle on a trail of old homicide cases and a murderer obsessed with casting his victims’ likeness in death. Include some unapologetic flirting from Doyle, and this case just may end up killing Everett Larkin.

©2021 C.S. Poe (P)2021 C.S. Poe Crime Mystery Police Procedural Romance Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Detective Cold Case Murder
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NYPD Det Everett ‘Grim’ Larkin works in the Cold Case Squad and he’s wound pretty tight. His misjudged marriage is on the rocks, his eidetic memory only seems to remind him of the horrors he’s seen, and despite his stunning looks, his abrasive personality alienates him from his colleagues. He’s good at his job but failing at life. Skeletal remains and a death mask, found in Madison Square Park after a storm, bring him into the orbit of forensic artist Det Ira Doyle, whose charm, whiskey-soaked voice, and genuine warmth and flirting both enchants and unsettles Larkin, putting further pressure on his marriage. The two team up to solve a case involving multiple historic murders.

I thoroughly enjoyed this wintery police procedural with a potentially sunny romance. Larkin and Doyle are a classic grumpy / sunshine couple and both characters are well fleshed-out. The case was enthralling with some suspenseful moments—very satisfying! There were no sex scenes but did Larkin cheat on his husband? You’ll have to judge that for yourself. It was a grey area for me and I had some sympathy for the husband. 🎧 The smooth-voiced Kale Williams did a great on the audio, I especially loved his whiskey tones for Doyle! Looking forward to the rest of the series!!

Brilliant police-partner murder-mystery romance!

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Love the two characters the author has created. One is hyper intelligent and the other dashing and witty.

Looking forward to the next book to see how the romance develops against the background of crime. Love the little cliff hanger to wet your appetite for the next book.

If you loved this book here are my Audible recommendations ⬇️

Love crime + MM romance with a side of witty protagonist that will keep you chuckling 👉 check out "Curl up and Dye" series by Aimee Nicole Walker and "Spectral Files" series by S.E. Harmon.

Love MM romance + sexy detectives 👉 check out "Hazard and Sommerset" series by Gregory Ashe, "Nothing Special" series by A.E. Via, "Zero Hour" series by Aimee Nicole Walker and my all time favourite is "Bitter Legacy" by Dal McLean plus sequels which is one of the best whodunnits I've read.

Love MM Romance + cold cases 👉 check out "Spectral Files" series by S.E. Harmon and "Badlands" Series by Morgan Brice.

Love MM Romance + slow burn over a crime series 👉 check out "Hazard and Sommerset" series by Gregory Ashe

Cold cases + slow burn MM romance

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I absolutely loved this book!

The story kicks off with Everett Larkin, a detective with the Cold Case Squad - a small, elite team tasked with solving New York’s forgotten murders. Larkin isn’t like the other detectives: he’s neurodivergent, hyper-observant, and blessed/cursed with near-perfect recall. When a storm in Madison Square Park uncovers a crate with human remains and a Victorian-style death mask, Larkin is paired with Detective Ira Doyle from the Forensic Artists Unit. Doyle is Larkin’s complete opposite and yet, from the beginning it’s obvious they have chemistry.

This book perfectly balances police procedural with MM romance:
💀 A gripping murder mystery with creepy historical details
🧠 Sensitive representation of neurodivergence and mental health
💔 An honest look at grief, woven into the story in a way that’s deeply moving
👨‍❤️‍👨 A slow-burn romance that is worth the wait

I loved how their relationship unfolded gently but meaningfully throughout the book, with hints at something deeper building across the series. Doyle’s flirting was perfection; he had me giggling every time.

The writing is sharp, the descriptions visceral and the emotional depth made me feel connected to the characters. The MCs are layered in a way that makes you want to keep peeling them back.

Larkin is a compelling MC; his internal struggles and coping strategies felt authentic and respectfully written. The exploration of Larkin’s grief was so well done and added depth to his story.

Madison Square murders is an intriguing mystery and a slow-burn romance that will sneak up on you and steal your heart.

The basics:
POV - third person, single
Angst - medium
Spice - 1/5
Slow burn
Novel, 299 pages
Book 1 of the Momento Mori series
Narrator - Kale Williams

What to expect:
Building trust
Cops
Emotionally repressed MC
Forced proximity
Grief
Grumpy x Sunshine
Hurt/Comfort
MC with Hyperthymesia/Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM)
MC with OCD
MC takes mental health medication
Mental health themes
MM romance
Mystery
Neurodivergent MC
Opposites attract
Past trauma
Police procedural

Larkin & Doyle have my heart

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Really nice book. I read and listened to Madison Square Murders and it’s thoroughly enjoyable in either version. Kale Williams adds a pitch perfect delivery of Everett and made Doyle supportive in the best possible way.

Got Me Out Of A Reading Slump.

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This was a great intense read, with an odd way of getting in the head of a highly intelligent somewhat troubled person. A very different story but most enjoyable

A very interesting story

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Great start to the series. I enjoyed this book and have already downloaded the next in the series. Good story, well paced and hard to put down. Narration was excellent. I can't wait to see how Everett and Doyle's relationship grows. Highly recommend.

5 Stars *****

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Story. Narration. Characters. Ugh. Everything. So. Fecking. Good!

Doyle and Larkin will be with me forever.

Utterly fantastic

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