Black Moon by Elle Keaton Blog Tour

One corpse, two corpse, old corpse, new corpse.

Summer is sliding into fall, Mat and Niall have a wedding to overthink.

A body is discovered floating in the harbor, this time it's the missing ex-Piedras Marine officer Duane Copper.

Who, aside from Niall, wanted Duane dead? He's been on the run for months, why would he turn up dead now?

A killer is loose on Piedras and Mat will do whatever it takes to keep those he loves safe.

So will Niall.

Black Moon, third in the Hamarsson and Dempsey series, is a dual POV following Sheriff Mat Dempsey and now Private Investigator Niall Hamarsson as they grope their way to a happily ever after.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Hamarsson & Dempsey series!
For book one, Conspiracy Theory, click HERE.
For book two, Long Shadow, click HERE.

 

 

Book 3
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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

 

 

Niall glanced at him and growled, “I hate that sweatshirt.” He wasn’t a huge football fan, and Mat only wore the sweatshirt when he wanted to get a rise out of him. So, he complied.

Mat waggled his eyebrows. “I can take it off, if you like.”

“If you don’t take it off, I’ll take it off for you,” Niall warned.

“Is that a promise or a threat?” Mat teased.

“Both.”

Niall turned the stove down and covered the chili—it could simmer while he took care of business. “I don’t know why you bothered getting dressed.”

He padded across the floor, closing the distance between them. With a smirk on his handsome face, Mat retreated until his back met the wall behind him and he could go no farther. Niall crowded in against him, caging Mat in with his larger body. Lowering his head, he nipped Mat’s ear before tracing a line with his tongue down Mat’s neck to the juncture with his shoulder, where he bit down—not hard enough to leave a mark, but hard enough for Mat to feel it. Niall needed to claim him, to make sure Mat remembered whose he was. That even when Niall was away he was thinking about Mat. Loving him.

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Black Moon is the third book in Hamarsson & Dempsey series. I love it when an author writes about the same couple in a series so we can see them not only wooing each other but getting together and having some happiness, and that is what we get with this series.

Matt and Niall are living together and planning a wedding when another body turns up in the harbour. So, as with the previous books, we get romance and a murder mystery. A mystery that sees Niall against sticking his nose in where he technically shouldn’t be. He knows he shouldn’t but does it anyway. Just thinking about it makes me smile. But my favorite thing in Black Moon is when Niall says I love you. I just melt. With Niall’s history those words mean so much, you know how deeply he cares for Matt, how he’d do anything for him.

I loved Black Moon because it gave me a great mystery and a bit of danger and action and more romance and a few pretty hot scenes too. It was great to return to Piedras Island and all the interesting people and of course, Fenrir the dog too. I just love this couple and this series.

 

 

ELLE KEATON hails from the northwest corner of the US known for, rain, rain, and more rain. She pens the Accidental Roots series, the Never Too Late series, and the soon be published Hamarsson and Dempsey series, all set here in the Pacific Northwest. All Elle's books feature hot mm romance with the guarantee of an HEA. The men start out broken, and maybe they end up that way too, but they always find the other half of their hearts.

Elle began publishing March 2017, now she has ten books out. Fall 2019 Elle is adding a third series, Hamarsson and Dempsey, also set in the Pacific Northwest. H&D will focus on a single couple as they navigate the treacherous waters of romance and police work.

Elle loves both cats and dogs, Star Wars and Star Trek, pineapple on pizza, and is known to start crossword puzzles with ballpoint pen.

Connect with Elle

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: The Highway to Elle

 

 

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Black Moon (Hamarsson & Dempsey #3) by Elle Keaton to read and review for this tour.

Long Shadow by Elle Keaton Release Blitz

Niall’s known nothing but betrayal. All Mat wants is Niall’s heart; what will it take for him to coax Niall in from the cold?

Mat's connection with Niall is tenuous. One step forward, two steps back. Since that night on the beach Niall's been avoiding Mat like a bad case of the flu—which, ironically, most of his deputies have come down with. What will it take for Niall to believe Mat wants him for who he is?

Mat's overworked, Niall's unnerved, and then things really go sideways.

Will a killer destroy everything before Niall realizes they are stronger together than apart?

Long Shadow is a dual POV about a broody introvert and a somewhat patient Sheriff. Mat will have to prove to Niall he's the man for him. The Hamarsson & Dempsey series follows the same couple as they find their way to their happily ever after.

Book 2
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

He paused at the guardrail, his hands jammed into the pockets of his jacket for protection from the cold. As he stood at the end of the road, the fog began melting away, slow at first and then faster, until he could see all the way across the water to the mainland crouching in the distance. Niall took a deep breath of the salt-laden air, filling his lungs, then released it. As he stared out at the dark silhouette of land, something unnameable inside himself loosened a bit further, a nearly tangible click into place. Piedras felt right.

Niall didn’t feel like an old-timer, but he did have a history on the island; he existed here as more than a bitter homicide cop. Some islanders—like Mat Dempsey—even seemed to want him there. Most of the residents seemed to accept Niall’s presence, and the few who whispered behind his back… well, that’s the way things had always been.

And, he thought as he breathed in and out again, more than likely the camper was no big deal. He was making a mountain out of a molehill—something his grandmother used to say quite often. There was likely a perfectly good, lawful reason the owner was driving around the island and only using facilities when they were less likely to run into other inhabitants.

The cop in him protested. Niall tried to ignore it.

His thoughts drifted further afield, as the fog continued to fade, to the sexy and very available Sheriff Dempsey. Mat seemed to see right into Niall’s soul and never once flinched—he actually thought he liked Niall. Mat was something Niall had never had in his life, or not often, anyway. Mat represented family, safety, commitment. Given everything Mat had done since Niall had come back to Piedras, it should be easy for Niall to trust him. But he couldn’t find the off switch for the little voice inside that pinged a warning every time he and Mat got close.

It was, however, proving difficult to stop thinking about him.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Niall has put his Seattle apartment on the market and is planning to stay on Piedras Island and rebuild on his grandparent's land. Mat is determined to let his gently budding romance with Niall unfold at Niall's pace, but it isn't easy.

Mat is stretched to the limit at work with sick deputies, someone setting fires around the island, and suspicion that the guy running the marine rescue might be fiddling the books. Meanwhile, Niall needs to find somewhere new to live, he has received a mysterious package, and he is a little obsessed by an RV he keeps seeing around the island.

The story is rolling along nicely and then one incident ratchets up the action and emotion. We are presented with several mysteries during this story and some are resolved, but not all. I love the way the mysteries unfold because we learn what is happening as the characters do and it is not obvious at all who did it.

Long Shadow is outstanding. The mix of mystery, action, and romance is just what I want and it was wonderful to be back with Niall and Mat – it made me happy. This is my ideal m/m romance. Beautiful, understated romance between two strong imperfect men, combined with mystery and action in a small town setting. I feel like the story was written just for me and I love it.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
The second book in this series is just as dark and atmospheric as the first. Set on a small island in the Pacific Northwest, the story is part crime serial and part romance.

For me, this was a painfully slow read. The main character, Niall, struggles with communication and remains emotionally closed off for most of the book. Mat is a little better with communication but not much better with emotion. And he’s still pretty closeted for most of the book. The result is a careful, tentative non-romance that drove me a little mad at times. The actual crime aspect of the book doesn’t really become obvious until the second half of the story. When I started chapter 12, I realised that I wasn’t sure what the actual crime focus of the book was going to be. The second half of the book is more satisfying as both a crime novel and a romance, but my attention wandered far too much in the first half.

This isn’t the kind of crime novel readers can solve alongside the detectives. The plot wanders and there aren’t enough clues to lead readers to the whodunnit before Mat and Niall figure it out. Like the first book, only the immediate crimes are solved in this story. I found that the series story arc wandered in this book to the point that I’m not entirely sure where it’s going.

There are some elements of this book that worked for me. I love the setting and I enjoyed the quirky island residents. Mat’s family provides the warmth that the two male leads are lacking and there are a few subplots that I quite enjoyed. Overall, I feel like the problematic pacing and plotting made it difficult for me to engage with the story. If I hadn’t agreed to review it, I’m not sure I would have made it past the first few chapters.

Also Available in the Hamarsson & Dempsey Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Conspiracy Theory Blog Tour.

Elle hails from the northwest corner of the US known for, rain, rain, and more rain. She pens the Accidental Roots, Never Too Late, Hamarsson and Dempsey, and the Home in Hollyridge series, all set in the Pacific Northwest. Elle’s books feature hot mm romance with the guarantee of a happily ever after. The men start out broken but they always find the other half of their hearts.

Elle loves both cats and dogs, Star Wars and Star Trek, pineapple on pizza, and is known to start crossword puzzles with ballpoint pen.

Connect with Elle

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
The Highway to Elle Facebook Group


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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Long Shadow (Hamarsson & Dempsey #2) by Elle Keaton to read and review for this tour.

Conspiracy Theory by Elle Keaton Blog Tour

Years of grueling police work have left Niall Hamarsson jaded and disillusioned with life… although it’s likely he’s been that way all along. The last straw lands when the DA refuses to try a case Niall worked for years to bring to justice. Within hours he finds himself heading to the only place he’s ever been able to call home—a place he knows he doesn’t belong.

Mat Dempsey returned to Piedras Island after his father’s death. These days he’s Island County’s sheriff. He’s happy enough, even if moving home from San Francisco effectively forced him back into the closet. Mat’s well-ordered universe collapses when a local’s body is discovered floating in the cold waters of Hidden Harbor’s marina. All hell breaks loose in the community, and accusations fly… all coinciding with Niall Hamarsson’s return.

Niall and Mat have a history, and it’s not one Mat’s proud of. He owes Niall an apology, even if it means getting down on his knees. However, Mat’s first priority is investigating the murder before his community tears itself apart and he may have to ask the aloof Niall Hamarsson for help.

Push apart, pull together, yes or no... The chemistry crackles between them but will the two men be able to put aside their pasts and embrace a future?

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
The flow of Conspiracy Theory is wonderful. It meanders along and we spend time with both Mat and Niall individually as they deal with the goings on in Piedras Island in a week that turns out to be much busier than Mat is used to in the cold of February. They are each dealing with different events in their days and it was fun trying to figure out if and how all these things were connected and if they were even connected at all.

During dealing with murder, arson, and random dead sheep, Niall and Mat find themselves repeatedly in each other’s paths. Niall is an emotionally distant man; he does not allow people to get close to him, but Mat is stubborn and persistent in just the right way. He is able to give Niall help when he needs it the most.

Conspiracy Theory is superb and is a contender for my favourite book of 2019. I loved the mystery, the happenings on the island, and the romance that we get a taste of. This story is the sweetest, slow-burn romance I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading and it is clear that this is just the beginning. The next instalment of Hamarsson and Dempsey’s story is due out in Spring 2020 (US) and it can’t come fast enough for me.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is a slow and atmospheric crime story set on an island in the Pacific Northwest. It’s the story of Mat, the island sheriff, and Niall, a Seattle detective who returns to the island when his life in Seattle becomes overwhelming. While Mat is deeply connected to his family and his community, Niall does his best to keep to himself and avoid people. But Niall might be the only person on the island who can help Mat with a spate of crimes across the island.

This book has a melancholic Scandi Noir feel to it. Niall is a perfect Scandi detective – he’s antisocial, borderline alcoholic, and his back story is as dark as gets. The book is as much about Niall, his place on the island, and his history as it is about the crimes Niall helps Mat investigate. Mat is a little bit too much of a chirpy, small town American to fit the Scandi feel to this series, but he balances Niall and provides readers with one character who is easily likeable. The relationship between these two is an intense slow burn and this first book ends with an almost happily for now (HFN). The romance in this book is probably a bit too slow for me and I almost wonder if the story would have worked just as well without a romance storyline.

For a murder mystery, the pace of this story is almost painfully slow. Readers get to know the island’s residents in colourful detail and all of Mat and Niall’s relationships are scrutinised carefully. The story works better when it is observing characters and relationships than it does when trying to build suspense or intrigue. It’s only at the end that readers start to understand the novel’s title. I’m never sure how I feel about cliffhanger series. This first book ties up a few of the mystery threads but it leaves more questions unanswered. Overall, I love the setting for this story and I really enjoyed the characters. I love the sense of atmosphere the writer brings to the book, but I think the series needs a bit more action if I’m going to stay invested to the end.

Oh, and one final note. I read this pre-publication so I'm hoping this copyediting error will be picked up before publication. Niall is from a Norwegian family and he constantly refers to his mother's parents as Mormor and Farmor. This translates as mother's mother and father's mother. It should be Mormor and Morfar. The error occurs over and over and I grew more irritated each time. Urgh.

Author, photographer, rare Pacific Northwest Native, Elle grew up in Seattle, WA., with the Cascade Mountain range to the east and Olympics to the west. Less than two hours northwest lie the majestic San Juan Islands. To the northeast is the Methow Valley and the scrub deserts of Eastern Washington. Geography ripe with material.

A graduate of Western Washington University, Elle has a BS in biology which taught her to be tenacious. The closest she has come to biology since then is having two kids. Like an experiment or something. She’s lived in four states (none of which were gaseous), London England, and Hong Kong; always knows what time it is, and has no problem finding parking even in the most difficult places. Cannot balance a checking account.

Elle's series Accidental Roots, mostly set in the Skagit Valley of Western Washington, will make its debut spring of 2017. Storm Season is tender, sometimes irreverent, full of nosy neighbors and help when the hero didn’t think he needed it. Writing has always been a passion but not something she was able to take seriously until recently. Now her head is full of ideas and not enough time in each day.

Connect with Elle

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Conspiracy Theory (Hamarsson & Dempsey #1) by Elle Keaton to read and review for this tour.