cover image GAY BLADES

GAY BLADES

Ben Tyler, . . Kensington, $23 (294pp) ISBN 978-0-7582-0017-4

After successfully skewering ego-driven Hollywood (Tricks of the Trade) and salacious reality TV shows (Hunk House), Tyler sets his sights on the backstabbing world of traveling ice-skating exhibitions and delivers an entertaining all-gay version of All About Eve. Hunky former Olympic hopefuls Garry Windsor and Jay Logan have landed in the cheesiest of traveling ice shows, Gold on Ice (also known as "the drain" because it sucks talent into oblivion), after Garry was fired from the American Skating Society (A.S.S.) for being gay, and Jay ended his competitive career years ago with a poor showing at the Nationals. The two form a friendship with Gold on Ice's star attraction, levelheaded bronze medal winner Amber Nyak (the Mary Richards of the skating world) and slowly begin to increase the quality of the skating and production. The improved ice show starts attracting larger crowds, media attention and a youthful, innocent skater wannabe, Tag Tempkin. Before you can say "Eve Harrington," Tag's hero worship routine has snagged him a part in the show, and then the kid gloves come off. So do the shirts and pants as Tag leaves no fly unzipped on his quest to headline the show and sideline his competition. Fans of Tyler's shamelessly seductive blend of fast-paced action, ruthless characters and hard sex will gobble up this high-caloric bonbon. (July 8)