✨ CHARACTER INTERVIEW ✨

An Interview with Noah Oliver
from Joe Cosentino’s Drama King,
the 17th/last Nicky and Noah mystery
now an audiobook performed by Brian Cheney

Noah, you are truly the Watson to Nicky’s Sherlock Holmes.

Elementary—that Holmes and Watson were a couple. (smile)

Congratulations on the release of the eighteenth audio book in your award-winning and popular Nicky and Noah mystery series.

Thank you. The books span a decade. Nicky and I look exactly the same (smile).

Since the readers can’t see you, tell them what you look like.

Nicky says I’m tall, with silky golden blond hair, true-blue eyes, milk and honey skin, and a body he loves to hold all night long. Nicky is tall with dark hair and sexy long sideburns, a cleft chin I love to kiss, Roman nose, emerald eyes, and a muscular body thanks to the gym on campus (he calls a torture chamber). And Nicky has a huge heart. Oh, another of his organs is huge. And that’s just fine with me. (smile)

Tell us about Drama King, the eighteenth and last mystery in your popular, award-winning series.

It’s all about Nicky and me! In the novel, our theatrical troupe at Treemeadow College stage an original musical production of the King Arthur legends entitled, Knights in Tights.

As usual, calamity ensues.

Sure, it’s a Nicky and Noah mystery novel! In the show within the novel, King Arthur (Nicky) and the gorgeous knight Lancelot (moi) are star-crossed lovers due to Arthur’s mail-order bride Guinevere (played by our best friend and department chair Martin). Martin’s long-suffering husband, Ruben, is Merlin who in the final moments of the show sets all right (or left), and King Arthur marries his beloved Lancelot. Our son, Taavi, is cast as Young Arthur. His wife Sloane, a transexual, plays the mysterious Lady of the Lake. Martin and Ruben’s son, Ty, is Arthur’s bastard (pun intended) son Mordred, and Martin’s sassy office assistant, Shayla, is cast as the cunning Morgan le Fay. Detective Manuello comes along for the ride as Pellinore, the knight with the Holy Grail (he found at a gay bar). My niece from Scotland, Lairie, plays the scheming Isolde. Nicky and Noah’s dog, Asterisk, and his husband, Tag, are cast as King Arthur’s dogs Cavall and Glassic. Ty’s girlfriend, Shinelle, is also back as stage manager.

Who are the new characters in book eighteen?

The Knights of the Roundtable are played by hunky newcomers to the series. Associate Professor of Musical Theatre Bernardo Anita is cast as Knight Perceval. The Latino’s muscular body, dark hair and eyes, and olive skin set his adorable graduate assistant Wang Fong’s heart aflutter. Wang (Knight Kay), a deaf performer, also enjoys the fact that Bernardo is a CODA (child of deaf adults). Theatre majors bodybuilder Nathan Masterson (Knight Tristan), wealthy Tevye Perchik (Knight Gawain), and Dracula lookalike Beau Babcock (Knight Bedivere) form an interesting love triangle. When play reviewers drop like knights’ tights, there are plenty of suspects—not to mention sweet romance. As Nicky would say, if you read this novel, you’ll have more fun than a Republican-appointed Supreme Court member taking away LGBT, workers’, environmental, women’s, and voting rights. You’ll also get to see how this popular series ends!

Who was your favorite new character?

Graduate Assistant of Musical Theatre and our choreographer Wang Fong is a sweet, warm, and adorable deaf performer cast as Knight Kay.

Which new character do you like the least?

All of the McAfee family of play reviewers (the victims-smile).

Which new character is the sexiest?

Theatre major Beau Babcock (Knight Bedivere) has long dark hair, large molars, and an enormous package (but not as impressive as Nicky’s-smile).

And now Drama King is also available as an audio book performed by Brian Cheney.

Brian is the definitive audio book interpreter of the Nicky and Noah mysteries. As a gifted actor and audio book performer, Brian brings each character (over 20 of them!) to life perfectly. As a comedian with perfect timing, Brian embodies the Nicky and Noah comic timing and spirit like no other. Finally, as an amazing opera singer, Brian sings the titles of the songs (in the musical within the book) beautifully. Not to mention (but I will) that Brian really understands the cozy whodunit genre and performs it with panache. Brian is so much like Nicky that I love him too!

What makes the Nicky and Noah mystery series so special?

Nicky and me! Actually, it’s a gay cozy mystery comedy series, meaning the setting is warm and cozy, the clues and murders (and laughs) come fast and furious, and there are enough plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning, as Nicky would say, faster than a Mormon getting out of his magic underwear. At the center is the touching relationship between Nicky and me. You watch us go from courting to marrying to adopting a child, all the while head over heels in love with each other. Reviewers called the series “hysterically funny farce,” “Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys,” and “captivating whodunits.” One reviewer wrote they are the funniest books she’s ever read! Another said Joe is “a master storyteller.” Who am I to argue?  Even though Nicky and I tell Joe everything to write.

How are the novels cozy?

Many of them, like this one, take place in Vermont, a cozy state with green pastures, white church steeples, glowing lakes, and friendly and accepting people. Fictitious Treemeadow College (named after its gay founders, couple Tree and Meadow) is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery with its white Edwardian buildings, low white stone fences, lake and mountain views, and cherry wood offices with tall leather chairs and fireplaces.

For anyone unfortunate enough not to have read them, tell us the titles of the novels in the series.

The Nicky and Noah mysteries are Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, Drama Oz, Drama Prince, Drama Merry, Drama Daddy (novelette), and now Drama King.

What do you like about the regular characters in the series?

I love Nicky’s never give up attitude and sense of humor in the face of adversity. He’s genuinely concerned for others, and he’ll do anything to solve a murder mystery. He’s also a one-man man, and I’m proud to admit that man is me. I make the perfect Watson to his Holmes. I’ll admit I have a large heart and a soft spot (no pun intended) for others. I also enjoy using improvisation to create the wild and wonderful characters for our role plays to catch the murderer. I think it’s terrific how Martin and Ruben throw riotous zingers at each other, but they’re so much in love. You don’t see a lot of older gay characters in books nowadays. Our sons Taavi and Ty fit perfectly into our world of thespian crime-solving.

How about your parents?

I get a kick out of my mother’s fixation with taking pictures of everything, and my father’s fascination with seeing movies and television. I also love how my father is a bit of a ham and an amateur sleuth like Nicky. As they say, men marry their fathers. Nicky’s mother’s mafia ties and church Bingo addiction are also a riot. Both sets of parents fully embrace their sons and their sons’ family, which is refreshing.

I’m sure Joe has been told that the books would make a terrific TV series.

Many many times! I would love to see The Nicky and Noah Mysteries on television. Come on, TV producers, make your offers! Joe has written a three-hour teleplay of the first novel (Drama Queen) and treatments for the remaining novels!

This book ends in a wallop. Is it the last book in the series?

All good things come to an end. It seems this is the end of the series. And what an ending!

How can listeners get their hands on the Drama King audio book, and how can they contact you?

The purchase links are below, as are Joe’s contact links, including his web site. Nicky and I love to hear from readers via Joe! He tells us everything you say about us!

Thank you, Noah, for interviewing today. My pleasure. I know you’ll laugh, cry, feel romantic, and love delving into this crackling new mystery with more plot twists and turns than a past Republican president’s bankruptcies, affairs, and fraudulent foundation and university (as Nicky would say). I’m more excited than a banker at 3pm (as Nicky would say) to share this eighteenth audio book in the series with you. So put on your cape and crown, and head to the magical land of Camelot for murder, mayhem, and of course a happy ending (no pun intended)!

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DRAMA KING Audiobook

DRAMA KING (a Nicky and Noah mystery)
Nicky and Noah mystery 18/last by Joe Cosentino
now also an audio book performed by Brian Cheney

Formats: E-book, Paperback, and Audiobook
Release Date: eBook/October 1, 2023 & Audiobook/May 22, 2024
Length: 231 Pages / 7 Hours 16 Minutes
Cover Art: Jesús da Silva
Language: English
Genre: MM, contemporary, mystery, comedy, romance, theatre, musical theater

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Blurb

It’s summertime at Treemeadow College and the living isn’t easy. Theatre professors and adorable couple Nicky, Noah, and their thespian troupe stage an original musical adaptation of the King Arthur Legends entitled, Knights in Tights. Queens blissfully shout, “King me,” until critics drop like their scathing reviews. Once again in this novel, our favorite thespians will need to use their drama skills to catch the killer before their crowns spin—around their throats. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining eighteenth mystery in this delightful series. It’s a royal riot! So hurry to your seat. The stage lights are coming up in Camelot on a king on the down low who pulls his long sword out of a tight stone, knights of the roundtable craving a circle jerk, a half-fairy son with a daddy complex, more men in tights than in a Promise Keepers’ convention, and murder!

Praise for the Nicky and Noah Mysteries

“Joe Cosentino has a unique and fabulous gift. His writing is flawless, and his plot-lines will have you guessing until the very last page, which makes his books a joy to read. His books are worth their weight in gold, and if you haven’t discovered them yet you are in for a rare treat.” Divine Magazine

“a combination of Laurel and Hardy mixed with Hitchcock and Murder She Wrote… Loaded with puns and one-liners…Right to the end, you are kept guessing, and the conclusion still has a surprise in store for you…the best modern Sherlock and Watson in books today…I highly recommend this book and the entire series, it’s a pure pleasure, full of fun and love, written with talent and brio…fabulous…brilliant” Optimumm Book Reviews

“adventure, mystery, and romance with every page….Funny, clever, and sweet….I can’t find anything not to love about this series….This read had me laughing and falling in love….Nicky and Noah are my favorite gay couple.” Urban Book Reviews

“For fans of Joe Cosentino’s hilarious mysteries, this is another vintage story with more cheeky asides and sub plots right left and centre….The story is fast paced, funny and sassy. The writing is very witty with lots of tongue-in-cheek humour….Highly recommended.” Boy Meets Boy Reviews

“Every entry of the Nicky and Noah mystery series is rife with intrigue, calamity, and hilarity…Cosentino keeps us guessing – and laughing – until the end, as well as leaving us breathlessly anticipating the next Nicky and Noah thriller.” Edge Media Network

“A laugh and a murder, done in the style we have all come to love….This had me from the first paragraph….Another wonderful story with characters you know and love!” Crystals Many Reviewers

“These two are so entertaining….Their tactics in finding clues and the crazy funny interactions between characters keeps the pages turning. For most of the book if I wasn’t laughing I was grinning.” Jo and Isa Love Books

“Superb fun from start to finish, for me this series gets stronger with every book and that’s saying something because the benchmark was set so very high with book 1.” Three Books Over the Rainbow

“The Nicky and Noah Mysteries series are perfect for fans of the Cozy Mystery sub-genre. They mix tongue-in-cheek humor, over-the-top characters, a wee bit of political commentary, and suspense into a sweet little mystery solved by Nicky and Noah, theatre professors for whom all the world’s a stage.” Prism Book Alliance

“This is one hilarious series with a heart and it just keeps getting better. I highly recommend them all, and please read them in the order they were written for full blown laugh out loud reading pleasure!” Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

About the Author

Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite MM Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery novel.

He is also the author of…

• the remaining Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, Drama Oz, Drama Prince, Drama Merry, Drama Daddy, Drama King;
• the Player Piano Mysteries: The Player and The Player’s Encore;
• the Jana Lane Mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll;
• the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Moving Forward, Stepping Out, New Beginnings, Happy Endings;
• the In My Heart Anthology: An Infatuation & A Shooting Star;
• the Tales from Fairyland Anthology: The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland and Holiday Tales from Fairyland;
• the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Anthology: A Home for the Holidays, The Perfect Gift, The First Noel;
• and the Found At Last Anthology: Finding Giorgio and Finding Armando.

His books have won numerous Book of the Month awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions. As an actor, Joe appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Jason Robards, and Holland Taylor. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Goddard College, Master’s degree from SUNY New Paltz, and is currently a happily married college theatre professor/department chair residing in New York State.

Find Joe Cosentino on the Web

About the Narrator

Brian Cheney, hailed by KUSC Los Angeles as the “next great tenor”, protégé of legendary tenor Jerry Hadley, has gained international acclaim for his portrayal of characters such as Radamés in Aida, Don José in Carmen, Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Rodolfo in La bohème, the Duke in Rigoletto, and Canio in Pagliacci.

“It is tenor Brian Cheney as the brave painter Cavaradossi who really blew me away. Cheney has that terrific tenor sound: the power, richness, and vocal color of a high baritone combined with ringing, awe-inspiring high notes” (Stage and Cinema.) 

Highlights from last season include Mr. Cheney’s creation of the role of Victor Frankenstein in the world premiere performance of Gregg Kallor’s Frankenstein in New York to critical acclaim and his National Philharmonic debut as the tenor soloist in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass and West Side Story.

“Cheney’s ringing tenor voice carried well in the stone catacombs, conveying the fear that the deep bass sound of the monster summoned. And as the section of the sketches went on, Cheney’s voice bloomed to match the action and threats of the creature.” (Operawire) 

Recent engagements include Radamés in Aida with Virginia Opera, Antonin Scalia in Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg with Toledo Opera, and Salute to Vienna performances in Miami, West Palm Beach, Nashville, and New York City (Lincoln Center).

In audio books, Mr. Cheney performed Drama Christmas (the 11^th Nicky and Noah mystery novel) by Joe Cosentino, Drama Pan (the 12^th Nicky and Noah mystery novel) by Joe Cosentino, All the King’s Men by Scott Leddy, Swarm by Guy Morris, The Last Ark by Guy Morris, and Pressure by Barry Napier.

Find Brian Cheney on the Web