Chicago Blues, Bk2 of Medicine for the Blues trilogy

by Jeff Stookey

Part of the Medicine for the Blues series:

Acquaintance, Bk 1 of Medicine for the Blues trilogy
Chicago Blues, Bk2 of Medicine for the Blues trilogy
Dangerous Medicine, Bk3 of Medicine for the Blues trilogy

Editions:Paperback - 1

ISBN: 9781732603615
Size: 6.00 x 9.00 in
Pages: 271

Jimmy Harper arrives in Chicago with the Diggs Monroe Jazz Orchestra, seeking fame and fortune. Instead he descends into the jazz underworld where he becomes entangled in dark dealings with a sinister mob boss and in an erotic affair with a black drag performer. In this unfamiliar world, Jimmy begins to question whether he can trust anyone, even his old band members. The trilogy Medicine for the Blues explores the complexities of gender and sexuality through the historical lens of the early 1920s. Chicago Blues follows Book 1 Acquaintance. The story continues in Book 3 Dangerous Medicine .

Genres:

Gay Lit, Historical Fiction

Tags:

Gay, M-M

Reviews:Cara on Goodreads wrote:

wow. Wow. Wow. Okay I feel inadequate to write this review because I am so blown away by this book and want so badly to do it justice and I don’t think I can. I read a lot. A LOT. I strayed out of my normal comfort zone with Jeff Stookey’s first book, “Acquaintance” and since I really liked that one, I was eager to see where Jimmy’s life would take him since he left Carl behind. I expected it to be good, but I was wrong – it was GREAT! In my opinion this second book was even better – more streamlined, but also covered a lot of thrilling action – criminal, sexual, musical— but also has such a distinctive ‘literary’ flow and feel – lyrical and not cheesy or classless, even in the midst of scenes that were a tad more ‘bawdry’ (putting it mildly). There is a feel of sophistication and glamour that perfectly captures the spirit of the times, gangsters and all. And I am hard pressed to think o f a character more addictingly heartbreaking than Eric/Erica. Extremely bittersweet ending but I like where it is headed to next in book 3.

Mark Schultz on Amazon wrote:

I positively enjoy the style and quality of writing that comes from the heart and pen of Jeff Stookey. He has such an amazing eye for details in this historical fiction. You can't help feeling like you are sitting in a speak-easy listening to jazz.
His scene-setting is marvelous, dialog and action are impeccable. Everything seems so real.
I give this book 5 stars! It’s so good.

About the Author

Exploring the lives of two gay men in the 1920s, Jeff Stookey had to learn to see through eyes that were not familiar with a post-Stonewall world. These characters were figuring out homosexuality, just as he had, growing up in a small town in rural Washington State. He studied literature, history, and cinema at Occidental College, and then got a BFA in Theater from Fort Wright College. In 1992 he retrained in the medical field and worked for many years with pathologists, trauma surgeons, and emergency room reports. This background led to the creation of the character Carl Holman MD, while a deep dive into gay history and Oregon’s past shaped much of the rest of the trilogy. A novel writing class at The Attic Institute and more than a year with two different creative writing groups helped him bring this story out of the closet. Stookey has lived in Portland, Oregon, for many years with his longtime partner and their unruly garden.