Review - By the Book by G.B. Gordon

Fresh out of school and working his first full time accounting job, Ben wants to make a good impression. When he starts seeing large discrepancies, he thinks he’s found something significant, even if it is in the company’s favor. Ben takes what he’s found to his boss, who isn’t the sharpest stick. The boss says he’ll take it to the owner, but then ends up dead, execution style, a few days later. FBI Special Agent Nick and his team get called in when the gun used to kill Ben’s boss is linked to a cold case. He’s excited to have a new lead, but unprepared for the intense reaction he has to the young man who is a witness, if not a suspect. Nick can’t risk getting too close to Ben, despite their obvious mutual attraction.

“By the Book” is a crime drama with a very slow burn romance. It’s the criminal investigation that drives the story. Ben won’t stop digging into the accounts, trying to discover who is behind the money laundering operation, but the more he digs, the more danger he’s in, and it’s up to Nick to protect him. It’s the tension this creates that keeps the two men from acting on their urges, as well as the professional integrity Nick tries to maintain.

The story is alternately told from both Ben and Nick’s point of view. Ben is a charming nerd who has a real talent with numbers. As we get to know his past, we can understand why he is so persistent in wanting to pursue things. You might not agree with all the ways Ben chooses to handle things, but you can understand why he makes those choices.

Our first impression of Nick is as a hard-nosed FBI agent, but as we learn about his privileged upbringing and sexual escapades, it appears he’s not as disciplined as he might seem. Nick’s resistance to Ben’s advances is very understandable, although we can probably all agree he doesn’t handle it very well, which adds to the tension of the story.

“By the Book” is available from Amazon (commissionable link).