Out-Foxed

Title: Out-Foxed (Skyler Foxe Mysteries #3)
Author: Haley Walsh and Joel Leslie (Narrator)
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 13th 2015
Genre(s): M/M Contemporary Mystery
Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
Reviewed by: Belen
Heat Level: 3 flames out of 5
Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Blurb:

Skyler breaks it off with Keith, a teacher is murdered and a student might be involved through some twisted football initiation; Just another week at James Polk High.

Distraught at being outed, Skyler breaks it off with Keith, but they’ve got other problems. Protesters have gathered at the school and the school board has called a special disciplinary hearing. And as if that weren’t bad enough, Alex is getting into fights and skipping class. Might he be responsible for the murder of a teacher? Did Coach Carson send the boy to do the dirty work out of some twisted football initiation? Skyler knows it all has to stop, and he and his friends are on the trail to find a murderer and discover once and for all what is happening at James Polk High.

One of the things that has made listening to these stories, even at their most maddening (Really, Skyler? Jumping into danger AGAIN?) has been Joel Leslie’s thoroughly entertaining, dramatic and slightly OTT (in all the best ways) narration. Leslie captures each of the character’s unique “voice” and personality and splashes it all over for us to enjoy.

In the final installment of the original mystery trilogy we find Skyler distraught at being outed by Keith at the end of Foxe Hunt (with good reason). Whereas the outing seemed unintentional and romantic at first blush it turns out Keith had ulterior motives for doing it (without once considering the consequences for Skyler). So now, Skyler finds himself in hot water with irate parents and there are protestors at the school, and there’s even an emergency school board meeting called to discuss the possible ramifications of Keith and Skyler’s actions! It’s a mess.

Then there’s the murder of one of James Polk’s teachers, and Skyler feels compelled once again to stick his nose where it doesn’t belong and investigate. Even though he’s been told not to. By everyone.

As if all that wasn’t enough, two of Skyler’s favorite students, Rick and Alex, are having major problems: Rick’s been pulled out of JPH and sent to a Catholic School, leaving his boyfriend, Alex, to spiral out of control, getting into fights and skipping class.

This storyline led to my biggest problem with the story, to be honest. Skyler’s seeming disregard to the reality of how bad his situation actually is, on a lot of fronts, but mainly his job as a teacher. His job is being threatened and an emergency School Board meetings has been called, but he’s leaving students in charge of class and running all over the campus investigating the murder or running after Alex? Are you kidding me?! Every time it happened I cringed and yelled.

Of course, Skyler bumbles his way to finding clues the police and FBI miss, and helps to solve the case in the end with almost dire consequences! Which made me happy. Though it’s the end of the trilogy…which makes me sad. But, wait! There’s more hijinks with the S.F.C. and even more TSTL live moments to come for Skyler? Yay!

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