Reading Indie: Deviant Behaviors 1-3 by Adan Ramie

According to my Kindle downloads page, I purchased Book 1, Maladaptation, back in October 2015. I read about 50% back then, and for some reason the book got buried under a pile of other reading. I suspect my constant library binge reading had something to do with it, as I was determined to get as much play out of the Kansas City Library as I could.  When my library card finally expired, I came back to find that Ramie completed two more books in the series and given them all cohesive covers. I jumped back in!

This is the start of monthly Indie book reviews. I may do them more frequently, but I figure an indie a month is a good goal I can hopefully meet. To view Adan Ramie's Amazon Author page, click the image above.

The three books in this trilogy share some common characters, but they could be read as stand-alone novels, which is a plus. I recommend reading them in order if you're in it for the series, however, just so you know the back story in all of it's glory. Also, the three together work well as a box set or as three parts of a longer novel as they are close together in time-frame and share multiple characters.

All three books, especially books 2 and 3, involve hard-drinking detective Harry Thresher. We are only introduced to her in Maladaptation, but as you read further, you'll find that she's the center of the universe that Ramie builds. With her unruly pony-tail and tomboy behaviors, Harry is tough-as-nails when we first meet her. She softens throughout the series, though, and that softening is one reason why I hope this goes beyond a trilogy. 

I need more Harry Thresher in my reading life. And more Busy, too.

Without giving spoilers, I will say that the book hits on several buttons--the complex Harry is someone it will take us many more novels to know fully. In Book 2, we get a tiny sliver of information about her childhood, and I hope we see more in future books. Book 3 sheds a little more light on her past, but only in terms of helping to explain her guardedness as an adult. 

As a recommendation, I can tell you this without spoilers:

• If you like strong female leads, Books 2 and 3 will work well for you.
• Book 1 is far more about Ruby and Lee. Those characters and/or those close to them appear in all three books, but know that Book 1 is far more Lee's story than anyone else's (at least that's how I read it). There's plenty to be mined there, and I see there are some Lee Barsten short stories floating about.
• Be aware that even if you're a black coffee drinker that you might find yourself wanting a latte or fussy coffee drink. I tend to drink it black and bitter, but by the end of Eager Observer I was armed with caramel-flavored stevia and cream for my iced-coffee.
• Comps or other characters who remind me of Harry: Kay Scarpetta (if she was a cop), Jacqueline Daniels (if she were gay), Harry Bosch (if he were female). The character is certainly not a copy of these others, but if you like those books, you might enjoy Cluster B and Eager Observer.
• Maladaptation review by The Lesbian Review.

You can sign up to be part of Adan Ramie's Constant Readers club/newsletter group on her site. When you sign up, it looks like you'll get a free copy of her novel Set Up: Moving On #1​.

As an indie, my goal is to read more indies. And, if you want a chance to win some free stuff from Adan, me, and many other indie lesfic writers, I hope you'll join us September 30, 2018 for a Facebook party! Click below for the event page.