Drama Merry (the 16th Nicky and Noah mystery) audiobook
by Joe Cosentino,
performed by Brian Cheney
Listen to a sample of the audiobook at:
Spring and romance blossom at Treemeadow College when theatre professors Nicky, Noah, and their thespian cohorts stage an original musical adaptation of Robin Hood entitled, Why the Merry Men Are So Merry. Things are very merry indeed until some Merry Men drop like tights after a drag show. Once again, our favorite thespians will need to use their drama skills to catch the killer before their tights are in a knot—around their throats. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining sixteenth novel in this delightful series. It’s a gas! So hurry to your seat. The stage lights are coming up in Sherwood Forest on a Robin in the hood, a sheriff with a bulge in his tights, a not so little Little John, a Friar Tuck drag queen, more Merry Men than in the back room of a family values’ convention, and murder!
Praise for the Nicky and Noah mysteries:
“Joe Cosentino has a unique and fabulous gift. His writing is flawless, and his plot-lines will have you guessing until the very last page, which makes his books a joy to read. His books are worth their weight in gold, and if you haven’t discovered them yet you are in for a rare treat.” Divine Magazine
“a combination of Laurel and Hardy mixed with Hitchcock and Murder She Wrote…
Loaded with puns and one-liners…Right to the end, you are kept guessing, and the conclusion still has a surprise in store for you.” “the best modern Sherlock and Watson in books today…I highly recommend this book and the entire series, it’s a pure pleasure, full of fun and love, written with talent and brio…fabulous…brilliant” Optimumm Book Reviews
“adventure, mystery, and romance with every page….Funny, clever, and sweet….I can’t find anything not to love about this series….This read had me laughing and falling in love….Nicky and Noah are my favorite gay couple.” Urban Book Reviews
“Every entry of the Nicky and Noah mystery series is rife with intrigue, calamity, and hilarity…Cosentino keeps us guessing – and laughing – until the end, as well as leaving us breathlessly anticipating the next Nicky and Noah thriller.” Edge Media Network
“Superb fun from start to finish, for me this series gets stronger with every book and that’s saying something because the benchmark was set so very high with book 1.” Three Books Over the Rainbow
“The Nicky and Noah Mysteries series are perfect for fans of the Cozy Mystery sub-genre. They mix tongue-in-cheek humor, over-the-top characters, a wee bit of political commentary, and suspense into a sweet little mystery solved by Nicky and Noah, theatre professors for whom all the world’s a stage.” Prism Book Alliance
“This is one hilarious series with a heart and it just keeps getting better. I highly recommend them all, and please read them in the order they were written for full blown laugh out loud reading pleasure!” Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Interview with Joe Cosentino, author of Drama Merry,
the 16th Nicky and Noah mystery/comedy/romance novel
now also an audiobook performed by Brian Cheney
Joe Cosentino, welcome on the release of the sixteenth audiobook in your award-winning and popular Nicky and Noah gay cozy comedy mystery series, Drama Merry.
Thank you. I’m sweet sixteen!
You have many other series too. What do you like about writing this series?
As Nicky might say, I’m happier than a conservative politician taking Democrats off the voting rolls when I write this series. It’s been such great fun watching Nicky and Noah’s relationship grow as their son grows, laughing at the antics of their best friends Martin and Ruben, visiting cozy Treemeadow College over the seasons, traveling all over the world, and of course reveling in the exciting murder mysteries. The settings have become like home. The characters are my friends and family. Best of all, I can combine my love for theatre and cozy mysteries.
Why Drama Merry as the sixteenth novel?
Who doesn’t love Robin Hood with his adorable hat, tight green tunic, and of course the bulging tights? It’s no wonder the Merry Men were so merry. And during these times when billionaires don’t pay taxes, taking from the rich and giving to poor makes a load of sense to me. I’ve watched and rewatched Erroll Flynn as Robin Hood in the classic movie. And I equally adore the newer movies: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Robin and Marian, The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, Robin of Locksley, and of course the hilarious Robin Hood, Men in Tights.
I notice this novel is set back at Treemeadow College.
Many of the novels, like this one, take place in Vermont, a cozy state with green pastures, white church steeples, glowing lakes, and friendly and accepting people. Fictitious Treemeadow College (named after its gay founders, couple Tree and Meadow) is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery with its white Edwardian buildings, low white stone fences, lake and mountain views, and cherry wood offices with tall leather chairs and fireplaces.
Tell us a bit about the plot—no spoilers.
The sixteenth Nicky and Noah mystery novel has Nicky, Noah, and their theatrical troupe back at Treemeadow College staging an original musical production of Robin Hood entitled, Why the Merry Men Are So Merry. Murder and hilarity ensue as the five Very Merry Men chorus members are murdered.
It’s great to see our favorite characters back.
Of course! In my very merry version, Robin Hood (Noah) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Nicky) begin as adversaries and end up as lovers. Wouldn’t it be nice if feuding world leaders would do that? Also in my play within the novel, Maid Marian is played by Nicky’s best pal and department chair Martin Anderson. Martin’s long-suffering husband, Ruben, is Friar Tuck (a drag queen). Nicky and Noah’s son, Taavi, is Will Scarlet, and his wife Sloane, a transexual, plays Maude Lindsey. Martin and Ruben’s son, Ty, is minstrel Alan-a-Dale, and bumbling Detective Manuello comes along for the ride as (not so little) Little John. Even Nicky and Noah’s dog, Asterisk, and his husband, Tag, are cast as Merry Stud and Tail-wagger. The rest of the cast members are hunky newcomers to the series, so there are plenty of victims and suspects—not to mention sweet romance. As Nicky would say, if you read this novel, you’ll have more fun than a conservative politician owned by a big corporation destroying the environment.
Who are the new characters/suspects/victims for book sixteen?
Things heat up pretty quickly between the assistant professors playing Merry Men David of Doncaster and Arthur a Bland: exotic and muscular Count Choreo and adorably stocky Pierce Falsetto. The same holds true for the theatre majors cast as Merry Men Gilbert Whitehead and Reynold Greenleaf: lean city boy Bass Jazzy and incredibly hunky country boy Spin Vibrato.
This is your sixth Nicky and Noah mystery audiobook collaboration with opera singer and actor Brian Cheney. What do you like about working with him?
Brian really brings the stories to life. Brian does an amazing job creating the voices and emotions of over twenty characters in each audiobook! He also sings beautifully! Not to mention, but I will, that Brian understands my wacky sense of humor, and he has the perfect comic timing for this series. When listening to the audiobooks, you’ll feel as if you are right there in the story with the characters.
Why do you think there aren’t many other gay cozy mystery series out there?
Most MM novels are erotica, young adult, dark thrillers, or supernatural. While that’s fine, I think we’re missing a whole spectrum of fiction. In the case of the Nicky and Noah mysteries, they include romance, humor, mystery, adventure, and quaint and loveable characters in uncanny situations. The settings are warm and cozy with lots of hot cocoa by the fireplace. The clues and red herrings are there for the perfect whodunit. So are the plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning over faster (as Nicky would say) a priest teaching an altar boy how to genuflect in front of him. No matter what is thrown in their path, Nicky and Noah always end up on top. At least Nicky ends up on top, which is just fine with Noah.
When you wrote Drama Queen, did you envision this as a series?
Totally. Though each book has its own complete story and ending, I wrote the first three books together. When they were so popular, I kept writing.
For anyone unfortunate enough not to have read them, tell us the titles of the series.
Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, Drama Oz, Drama Prince, and now Drama Merry. Drama Daddy and Drama King will also be available as audiobooks soon.
How can your readers get their hands on the audiobook of Drama Merry and how can they contact you?
The purchase links are below, as are my contact links, including my website. I love to hear from readers! So do Nicky and Noah. I tell them everything!
Thank you, Joe, for interviewing today.
It was my pleasure. As a past professional actor and college theatre professor/department chair, I know first-hand the hysterically funny antics, sweet romance, and captivating mystery in the worlds of theatre and academia. The Nicky and Noah mysteries are full of them! I know you’ll laugh, cry, feel romantic, and love delving into this crackling new audiobook (as Nicky would say) with more plot twists and turns than a Mormon with five wives. I’m more excited (as Nicky would say) than a Catholic adoption agency discriminating against gay families to share this sixteenth audiobook in the series with you. So don your tunic and tights, wave your arrow, and meet me in Sherwood Forest! I promise you a happy ending!
And I love to hear from readers. So drop me a line via my website. I’ll share it with Nicky and Noah!
Merry Men Sing and Dance in Tights in the Audiobook Release of Drama Merry, the 16th Nicky and Noah mystery novel, by Joe Cosentino, performed by Brian Cheney
Don’t you just adore musical theatre? What better way to tell a story than with performers in colorful costumes engaging in heightened dialogue, melodious tunes, and creative dancing in front of elaborate sets? The orchestra swells with catchy tunes. The energy between the actors onstage and the audience in the theatre house is electrifying. There is nothing better than “another opening, another show” as handsome chorus boys sing, “you’re the top.”
I’m also a huge Robin Hood fan, supporting Robin’s motto of merry men in tights living in the wilderness and helping the poor.
So when it came time to write the sweet (pun intended) sixteenth Nicky and Noah mystery novel, I decided Nicky, Noah, and their theatrical troupe at Treemeadow College would stage an original musical production of Robin Hood entitled, Why the Merry Men Are So Merry. In my very merry version, Robin Hood (Noah) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Nicky) begin as adversaries and end up as lovers. Wouldn’t it be nice if feuding world leaders would do that? Also in my play within the novel, Maid Marian is played by Nicky’s best pal and department chair Martin Anderson. Martin’s long-suffering husband, Ruben, is Friar Tuck (a drag queen). Nicky and Noah’s son, Taavi, is Will Scarlet, and his wife Sloane, a transexual, plays Maude Lindsey. Martin and Ruben’s son, Ty, is minstrel Alan-a-Dale, and bumbling Detective Manuello comes along for the ride as (not so little) Little John. The rest of the cast members are newcomers to the series, so there are plenty of victims and suspects—not to mention sweet romance.
The story is so alive and vibrant, I couldn’t wait for the audiobook release, which is finally here! This is my sixth Nicky and Noah mystery audiobook collaboration with opera singer and actor Brian Cheney. Brian really brings the stories to life. Brian does an amazing job creating the voices and emotions of over twenty characters in each audiobook! He also sings beautifully! Not to mention, but I will, that Brian understands my wacky sense of humor, and he has the perfect comic timing for this series. When listening to the audiobook, you’ll feel as if you are right there in the story with Nicky, Noah, and the other characters.
For those of you who haven’t yet ventured to the land of Nicky and Noah (and you should!), it’s a gay cozy mystery comedy series, meaning the setting is warm and cozy, the clues and murders (and laughs) come fast and furious, and there are enough plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning (as Nicky would say) “faster than the blackmailing of a closet gay politician.” At the center is the touching relationship between Professor of Play Directing Nicky Abbondanza and Associate Professor of Acting Noah Oliver. We watch them go from courting to marrying to adopting a child, all the while head over heels in love with each other (as we fall in love with them). Reviewers called the series “hysterically funny farce,” “Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys,” and “captivating whodunits.” One reviewer wrote they are the funniest books she’s ever read! Another said I’m “a master storyteller.” Who am I to argue?
The premiere novel, Drama Queen, was voted Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Novel of the Year! Subsequent novels won many Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions and Favorite Book of the Month awards: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, Drama Oz, Drama Prince, Drama Merry, Drama Daddy, and Drama King.
As a past professional actor and college theatre professor/department chair, I know first-hand the hysterically funny antics, sweet romance, and captivating mystery in the worlds of theatre and academia. The Nicky and Noah mysteries are full of them! I know you’ll laugh, cry, feel romantic, and love delving into this crackling new audiobook with more plot twists and turns than a soap opera during sweeps weeks. So put on your tights, be merry, and head to Sherwood Forest for murder, mayhem, and of course a happy ending (no pun intended)!
And drop me a line via my website. I’ll share it with Nicky and Noah!
About the Author:
Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite MM Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery novel. He is also the author of the remaining Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, Drama Oz, Drama Prince, Drama Merry, Drama Daddy, Drama King; the Player Piano Mysteries: The Player and The Player’s Encore; the Jana Lane Mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll; the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Moving Forward, Stepping Out, New Beginnings, Happy Endings; the In My Heart Anthology: An Infatuation & A Shooting Star; the Tales from Fairyland Anthology: The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland and Holiday Tales from Fairyland; the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Anthology: A Home for the Holidays, The Perfect Gift, The First Noel; and the Found At Last Anthology: Finding Giorgio and Finding Armando. His books have won numerous Book of the Month awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions. As an actor, Joe appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Jason Robards, and Holland Taylor. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Goddard College, Master’s degree from SUNY New Paltz, and is currently a happily married college theatre professor/department chair residing in New York State.
Website: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
About the Narrator:
Brian Cheney, hailed by KUSC Los Angeles as the “next great tenor”, protégé of legendary tenor Jerry Hadley, has gained international acclaim for his portrayal of characters such as Radamés in Aida, Don José in Carmen, Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Rodolfo in La bohème, the Duke in Rigoletto, and Canio in Pagliacci. “It is tenor Brian Cheney as the brave painter Cavaradossi who really blew me away. Cheney has that terrific tenor sound: the power, richness, and vocal color of a high baritone combined with ringing, awe-inspiring high notes” (Stage and Cinema.) Highlights from last season include Mr. Cheney’s creation of the role of Victor Frankenstein in the world premiere performance of Gregg Kallor’s Frankenstein in New York to critical acclaim and his National Philharmonic debut as the tenor soloist in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass and West Side Story. “Cheney’s ringing tenor voice carried well in the stone catacombs, conveying the fear that the deep bass sound of the monster summoned. And as the section of the sketches went on, Cheney’s voice bloomed to match the action and threats of the creature.” (Operawire) Recent engagements include Radamés in Aida with Virginia Opera, Antonin Scalia in Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg with Toledo Opera, and Salute to Vienna performances in Miami, West Palm Beach, Nashville, and New York City (Lincoln Center). In audiobooks, Mr. Cheney performed several Nicky and Noah Mystery novels, All the King’s Men by Scott Leddy, Swarm by Guy Morris, The Last Ark by Guy Morris, and Pressure by Barry Napier. www.briancheneytenor.com
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