Edwards, Hank. “Vancouver Nights”, Lethe Press, 2010,
The Return of Charlie Heggensford
Amos Lassen
This is the third book about Charlie Heggensford that Hank Edwards has published with Lethe Press and together they are a wonderful pair. I always look forward to a Hank Edwards title as he combines erotica with a good story and thereby provides us with a good read.
Charlie grew up on a farm in Idaho and later moved to Los Angeles and became a fluffer for hire. (great job if you can get in). Edwards wastes no time with this book and on page one, the erotica already begins. Charlie and Rock Harding (a porn star that Charlie is crazy about) start the novel off with a sensitive coupling that will have you turning the pages rapidly (and then finding another hot scene). However Rock goes on tour to the Netherlands and what can a man with a high sex drive do? Exactly—Charlie busies himself taking care of others (and himself). Quite naturally Charlie’s life brings about trouble and so much of it that his boss, Kinita Jones tells him to take a vacation. Charlie heads for Vancouver with its new scenery and new men (new to him, at least).
Bearish Brent Harrington, an ex-porn star and friend, lives in Vancouver where he owns a pet store but it is not long before Brent and Charlie become involved in a series of break-ins at Brent’s shop. It seems that wherever Charlie goes trouble follows and Charlie heated things up when he took the place of a member of Brent’s bowling team who could not make the matches and Charlie not only bowls but he manages to find a way to have sex with almost the entire alley. Meanwhile back at the shop, it seems that Charlie looks very guilty regarding the break-ins so he decides to take the investigation over himself and takes us to a happy ending.
Many times erotica will take us away so it is fun to have some that is realistic and I suppose that is what I like about Hank Edward’s writing—he never loses sight of reality and his plots take place in the context of a larger story. Likewise his characters are not so far out that they can’t be believed. I have often wondered why he doesn’t try his hand at non-erotic fiction and I have said that before. Sitting down to read Hank Edwards is like sitting down with an old friend (who has had a wonderfully erotic life). He is a good writer who always gives us a good story with totally believable characters.
