"Janus could not recognize most of the items before him, which he instinctively knew was a bad sign. He finally let his hand fall on an item he recognized, a hunting crop, and held it up toward the light. It was stiff, in the manner of whips used by carriage-drivers; the leather upon it was soft. Michael took the crop from his hand, rose to his feet, and swished the whip through the air for a moment before bringing it down, hard and accurate."
Michael is an ex-prostitute, which means that nobody in polite society wants anything to do with him. He believes that the only way to help other male prostitutes is to make their working conditions bearable. His friend Janus is an upper-class gentleman who believes that his duty to the gods requires him to fight against sexual immorality. Now Michael wants Janus to help him run a house of prostitution.
This novel is the first volume in Michael's House, a historical speculative fiction series set in a Progressive Era slum. Male friendship and gay love intertwine in this multicultural series based on life in America during the 1910s, a time when society seemed as stable as ever, though it was about to be turned topsy-turvy.
VOLUME CONTENTS
"The New Boy." Running a business seemed a simple enough matter: you learned what the patron wanted, and you forced an employee to satisfy his needs. Then along came the new boy.
"Offstage." Michael's House is facing ruin -- unless one of the partners falls back on old ways.
"Blurred Lines." Michael has survived poverty, prostitution, and the loss of love, but not even his partner may be able to help him overcome the latest challenge.
"Historical Note."
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