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Frank W. Butterfield
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The Beloved Bach (A Nick Williams Mystery Book 28) Kindle Edition

by Frank W. Butterfield (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 113 ratings
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Saturday, October 20, 1962

Nick and Carter are on their way to New Orleans to track down a missing father.

When they arrive, Carter is in hog heaven, surrounded by the sights and sounds of New Orleans jazz up and down Bourbon Street. He even gets to sit near the stage as one of his favorite musicians leads the band with his swinging clarinet and impish smile. "Mack the Knife" never sounded so good!

That night, Nick has one of his dreams. He meets his great-grandfather, Griffith Williams, and learns a new word: bach. It's a Welsh term of endearment for a younger person, such as a great-grandson.

Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, one of Nick and Carter's operatives has broken out of the county jail after turning himself in for killing a man.

The district attorney, of course, believes that Nick is behind the escape. As does the mayor, the governor, and, of course, the Examiner.

Before long, Nick is once again seated at the defense table in Superior Court for the County of San Francisco.

This is their third try. Will the prosecution finally be able to lock him up at the state prison down in Soledad?

Or will Nick, with the help of his team of brilliant lawyers, be acquitted a third time?

Find out in the exciting conclusion to this three-book arc that's all about what happens when a father, who has abandoned his family to find his fortune, finally has to come to terms with his past.

The tale starts with The Derelict Dad, followed by The Shifting Scion, and concludes here with The Beloved Bach.

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  1. Book 28 of 39
    A Nick Williams Mystery
  2. Print length
    260 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 3, 2019
  6. File size
    4673 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07MF6TP5T
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (January 3, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 3, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4673 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 260 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 113 ratings

About the author

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Frank W. Butterfield

Frank W. Butterfield

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Frank W. Butterfield, not an assumed name, loves old movies, wise-cracking smart guys with hearts of gold, and writing for fun.

Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.

Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.

After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof motel with superior water pressure that was built in 1947.

While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.

Visit http://frankwbutterfield.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
113 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

silvia
5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner with one small complaint
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book wraps up a storyline continued from the last few books and starts out with Nick and Carter reuniting a father and son in New Orleans. Upon their return to San Francisco, Nick is accused of obstruction and aiding/abetting the escape of a criminal. Suddenly Carter is called out of town to be at the side of his critically ill mother. Nick is on his own through the hearings all the while his beloved and him need to lean on each other from afar. My heart broke for them as they comforted one another through tearful phone conversations.

I love Nick and Carter. I love this series. I just can’t get enough of them and their boundless love for each other. There is innuendo and talk, but no sex in this mystery series. If that’s what you prefer in an mm book then this is not the series for you. As for me, I don’t miss the sex at all because the writing is superb.

But there was one small complaint. Republicans bad, Democrats good, is a song and dance that is thrown in my face day after day with all the media saturation and I’d rather not have to read about it in one of my fave series too. But although it is irritating it’s not enough to keep me from reading all this brilliant author has to offer.
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Ulysses Grant Dietz
4.0 out of 5 stars This series gets richer and more subtle with each passing volume.
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
This volume in the never-ending series of the adventures of two gay men in the bad old days is for us devotees. While full of incident, it is discreet and low key. An outsider might feel lost, in spite of all the background information Frank slips into his narrative. There is a court hearing, involving a bitter, closeted gay man aiding and abetting Nick’s enemies. Nick and Carter are separated for the first time in their years together, and that’s kinda important. But the real thing this book does is threefold:
• It reminds us that Nick wants only to seek justice for his people.
• It reminds us that Nick and Carter have created a family that, quite happily, includes their actual biological families. They are never alone.
• It reminds us that Nick sees dead people, in particular, relatives. Nick’s fascinating dreams, always hosted by his great-uncle Paul Williams, are very clearly more than dreams. Nick and Carter haven’t admitted as much openly, but they both know. This big of magic taps into something very deep inside me.

The year is 1962, and against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis (which I do not remember; I was only seven, and apparently this fear was kept from me by my parents – who, by the way, had voted for Nixon) we see Nick and Carter facing a major family crisis, even as they seek to reunite a long-estranged father and son and face yet more injustice at the hands of conservative politicians.

The most earth-shaking development is, however, the fact that Nick and Carter hire the first straight guy ever for their expanding security firm. It all happens so quietly that you might not notice. The second most earth-shaking thing is the repeated introduction of the word “gay” to Nick’s more traditional vocabulary – introduced by a young Louisiana boy in the context of the gay bar scene in the Big Easy. See? Earth-shaking isn’t necessarily an earthquake in these books. This is Frank Butterfield’s delicate touch.

I can say no more, but that I love these guys and these books. We will grow old together, it seems, and that’s fine (I have a head start but, apparently, I will relive my life through Nick and Carter’s lives). As a side note, I have recently been to the Café Lafitte in Exile in New Orleans – with our straight nephew who, in this modern world, has lots of gay friends. Also, Nick and Carter stay at the Hotel Lowell in New York City. I’ve been there. I learned to love escargots as a teenager at The Passy, an elegant French restaurant in the Lowell. It’s where my father proposed to my mother in 1940.
2 people found this helpful
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Geoff Whitwell
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book in the series
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2019
Verified Purchase
I love these books so much because the characters in them are real. They react to events the way I think most of us would. Nothing is forced or not quite right. Despite the detail you never get bogged down in the plot. It all makes perfect sense and to be honest I have to read them in one sitting. There is always enough towards the end of each book to tease you about what on earth is going to happen next. I now eagerly await the next episode of Nick and Carters incredible journey. The might be fictitious but you can’t help feeling you somehow know them.
3 people found this helpful
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Leigh
5.0 out of 5 stars The Great Beyond
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2019
Verified Purchase
A great read, of course. A wonderful mix of characters and history. Loved it. A good Nick-fix.

The headline is appropriate. Once you read the book, you'll see why.
3 people found this helpful
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Lannie
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Story
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2019
Verified Purchase
As always this Author, has written a great book. This story has a great storyline, and it was well written.
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Xanlthorpe
4.0 out of 5 stars Tensely Played
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2019
This third book in the story arc deftly ties up almost all the story threads. Sam’s remains active, if a bit hidden. And Louise’s outcome has yet to be decided. The courtroom scene was less contentious than I expected, and about right. Looking forward to the next book.
One person found this helpful
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Justanotherreview
5.0 out of 5 stars The mystery's tied up but the consequences live on
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2019
Oh Sam. He is such a gentle soul and a brilliant investigator that it’s easy to forget that he has a past in Eastern Europe and most of his connections in SF are unsavory characters, many of whom are in the mob. After all, he was so traumatized by killing DeVille that he wandered around in a daze before settling at the beach. Yet, Sam’s darker side is still there and he escapes from jail with no sign of how he did it. Nick is certain he won’t be found. Nick’s probably right.

By now, the DA has abandoned his vendetta against Nick but boom, the mayor has taken up the sword. So Nick is being arraigned for obstruction charges after all. Underlying it all are political machinations which give us a glimpse into current events of the time.

Meanwhile, Carter’s mother in sick in NY and Carter has to be there. I’m sure they have been separated before but rarely. It is interesting to see how they deal with it – both manage to be vulnerable and a source of strength for the other at the same time. I’d expect nothing less from these characters.

The consistency of Nick and Carter through 28 books is a remarkable feat of writing. To do that while developing the characters and moving the story beyond just a “mystery of the month” series. makes it a rare achievement indeed.
5 people found this helpful
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Susan Reaves
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2019
This book is the third in a three story arc within a twenty eight books (so far) series. Run, don't walk, back to the first book and catch yourself up, if you haven't already been following Nick and Carter. Excellent, as usual. I love escaping into the past that is present for the residents of this series.
2 people found this helpful
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