Darian Winter is settling in as a new instructor at Birchwood Academy, an exclusive boys’ prep school in New England. As a reasonably open gay man with two devoted moms in a same-sex marriage, Darian has to be careful in the school’s formal and somewhat conservative atmosphere. One morning, he is jogging near the campus pond when he comes across a shocking scene: Timothy Pryor, an 18-year-old student taking a gap year at the school, is floating dead in the water. Timothy stood out at Birchwood for many reasons, and none of them involved his academic prowess. Wealthy, brash, and completely at ease with his sexuality, Timothy routinely bragged of having affairs with students and faculty members alike. Now someone has murdered him right on school grounds—and Darian might be the prime suspect thanks to his sexuality and his familiarity with the victim. Soon the quiet campus is abuzz with law enforcement personnel, including the town’s dour but undeniably attractive sheriff, Arthur “Argo” Sullivan. Though Darian is outraged when Argo seems to consider him a suspect in Timothy’s death, he soon discovers that the sheriff, like almost everyone at Birchwood Academy, is hiding a shocking secret. While Darian struggles to figure out exactly how the various strands weave together, another death jolts the small community. If he can’t work out the answer in time, he knows there will be more.

With the murders at Birchwood Academy thankfully behind him, Darian Winter hopes to enjoy the rest of fall and winter working on his relationship with the unpredictable but undeniably sexy Sheriff Argo Sullivan. Things seem to be going perfectly until a near-tragedy causes him to reconsider everything he thought he knew about Argo and the connection between them.

Now that his relationship with Sheriff Argo Sullivan is back on track, Darian looks forward to introducing him to his two mothers during his holiday break from teaching. Unfortunately, their romantic getaway to Florida soon turns out to be anything but relaxing. As soon as they arrive, Darian is shocked to find his family in disarray. Gabrielle Duval, a wealthy hotel owner, has given one of his moms a prestigious job and seems to have more on her mind than just business. Thanks to her meddling, the atmosphere at home is toxic with secrets, suspicion, and even talk of divorce. Before long, things go from bad to worse when Darian and Argo find Gabrielle murdered after a confrontation at a swanky holiday party. With the local police on the verge of arresting one or both of his moms, and Argo far from his own jurisdiction, Darian must solve yet another murder if he has any chance for a happy ending of his own. And speaking of domestic drama, what exactly is the reason for Detective Stuart Lanislaw’s special interest in Argo?

After surviving the harrowing events of their Christmas getaway to Florida, Darian and Argo hope to enjoy a peaceful conclusion to Darian’s first year of teaching at Birchwood. Unfortunately, along with the first buds of spring come new complications...and maybe a new murder, too. First, Birchwood’s librarian vanishes after his car plummets into a storm-swollen river. Next, a troubled student runs away from campus, but is he the pursued or the pursuer? Worst of all, another body turns up at the original crash site. Darian and Argo believe all three cases are connected…but how? Also stressing Darian out is the “important discussion” Argo keeps wanting to have with him. So far, they’ve been interrupted every time they start to talk. Then again, depending what the issue is, that might actually be a good thing. Is Argo thinking about putting their relationship on hold again? Does Darian really want to know? Note: this cozy mystery contains scenes of male/male romance, but there is no explicit sexual content.

With his first year of teaching behind him, Darian heads into summer with two goals. One is to finish moving into Argo’s house so he and the sexy sheriff can start their new life together. The other is to write a scholarly book he hopes will bring him tenure and advance his career at Birchwood Academy, the prestigious boys’ school where he works. To that end, with Argo in tow, he takes off for a week at the Midsummer Gay Writer’s Retreat, a workshop led by a controversial but reclusive author who is determined to make a literary comeback. Unfortunately, their getaway turns out to be far from relaxing. It’s bad enough that Stuart Lanislaw, a visiting Florida detective, seems a little too interested in renewing his acquaintance with Argo. Worse, the retreat is soon boiling over with conflict, resentment, and jealousy both personal and professional. When one of the guests ends up dead, the local police brush the incident off as a bizarre accident. Argo and Darian aren’t so sure. With tensions and other violent incidents on the rise, the two must swing into action to prevent another tragedy. Note: this story contains scenes of male/male romance, though there is no explicit language or description.

Darian is once again forced to postpone moving in with Argo when Rufus Baine, a descendent of the controversial nineteenth-century poet he’s been researching, invites the two of them for a visit. At the estate, Darian finds a library full of intriguing documents that will enable him to write a groundbreaking biography. Unfortunately, he also finds the family on the brink of bankruptcy thanks to a recent swindle and a mysterious disappearance. For this reason, not every member of the household is thrilled to have Darian and Argo on the premises, poking around and exposing their long-guarded secrets. Soon another guest shows up: Jereth Starr, a celebrity psychic seeking material for his popular podcast. When he conducts a late-night ghost hunt despite Rufus’s outraged objections, it’s not just Darian’s plans for a quiet weekend that go out the window. It’s Jereth himself. Though the psychic’s death seems to be a tragic accident, Argo can’t help feeling it has some connection with the earlier embezzlement. Then there’s an unsolved murder from 1895, which many blame on Wilfred Baine, the poet Darian is studying. Thanks to a toxic combination of bickering siblings, an obstinate lawyer, and possibly a vengeful ghost, his hopes for a career-advancing book will go up in a puff of ectoplasm if he and Argo can’t crack all three cases before someone else ends up dead.

A new school year has begun, and the crisp autumn air promises not only a spectacular foliage season but an exciting new phase in Darian’s life. He’s starting his second year of teaching at the prestigious Birchwood Academy and has recently moved in with his partner, Sheriff Argo Sullivan. Changes have come to campus, too, though not all of them are welcome. Darian’s two new colleagues seem competent and dedicated, but why are they really at Birchwood? Meanwhile, a secret student group has been meeting in an abandoned building on campus. Rumors swirl of strange rituals, sinister intentions, and even a possible stalker. When two students turn up with mysterious injuries they refuse to explain, Darian braces for trouble. Sure enough, he soon discovers a murder victim in an underground stone chamber, surrounded by bizarre occult-style symbols. Suspects include two of Darian’s most promising students, several of his fellow teachers, and even Birchwood’s headmistress and her mysterious houseguest. Darian knows that if he doesn’t help Argo crack the case quickly, some members of the Birchwood community might not survive the fall semester.