Discover new kitchen selections
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$3.99 with 67 percent savings
Print List Price: $12.24

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Jackson Marsh
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Deviant Desire (The Clearwater Mysteries Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Jackson Marsh (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 303 ratings
The Victorian East End lives in fear of the Ripper and his mission to kill rent boys.

The Ripper casts a long shadow in the fearful streets of the Victorian East End as he preys on vulnerable rent boys. Among them is Silas Hawkins, a nineteen-year-old struggling to survive the harsh realities of life on the streets with his best friend, a Ukrainian refugee, Andrej.

Little does Silas know his fate is about to take a dramatic turn when he meets Archer, a captivating and affluent young viscount.

Archer, Viscount Clearwater, stands as a beacon of hope amidst the gloom, living a double life as an adventuring philanthropist and a homosexual in a society that shuns his true desires. When Archer suspects the Ripper's gruesome murders are a twisted ploy to draw him into a deadly confrontation, he risks his reputation and life to thwart the madman's reign of terror.

In a world where secrets must be guarded and lovers protected, Archer and Silas embark on a thrilling and perilous journey, one that will lead them to their greatest adventure yet—love.

Set in an imagined London of 1888, "Deviant Desire" blends mystery, romance, and adventure into a captivating narrative. This debut novel introduces readers to "The Clearwater Mysteries" series, where themes of loyalty and love, bromance and friendship intertwine in a society where homosexuality is a criminal offence.

Prepare to be swept away by the whirlwind of instant attraction, passionate romance, and the relentless pursuit of justice in this compelling series by Jackson Marsh, hailed for his meticulous research and unconventional storytelling. Say goodbye to clichés and embrace a tale filled with rich character development, authentic dialogue, and unpredictable plots that will leave you yearning for more.

"Deviant Desire" delivers a powerful mix of mystery, murder, and love, inviting readers to immerse themselves in a world where the heart's desires dare to defy societal norms.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 10
    The Clearwater Mysteries
  2. Print length
    305 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    March 7, 2019
  5. File size
    2.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 10 books in this series.

Customers also bought or read

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  9. Man By The Pool
    Kindle Edition
    $5.99
  10. Drink the Wild Air
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  11. The Mentor of Wildhill Farm
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  18. 1892 (The Clearwater Tales Book 1)
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  20. Nikias
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  21. The Men From Echo Creek
    Kindle Edition
    $5.99
  22. Snowball in Hell
    Kindle Edition
    $8.99
  29. Bobby: A Life Worth Living
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
Next page
Loading...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07PH15H6R
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 7, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 305 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 10 ‏ : ‎ The Clearwater Mysteries
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 303 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Jackson Marsh

Jackson Marsh

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jackson Marsh is an award-winning author, composer and lyricist. His novels mix bromance, history and facts with thrilling plots, and mainly revolve around gay characters. Originally from the UK, he now lives in Greece.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
303 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers enjoy the story of this historical mystery, with one review highlighting how the underdog triumphs in the narrative. The writing quality receives mixed feedback, with several customers finding it overdone.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

10 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the story of the book, finding it an enjoyable mystery with a good twist on a trope, and one customer particularly appreciates how the underdog triumphs in the narrative.

"I loved this book! Everything about it was perfect...." Read more

"A well-wrought story, masterfully written. Marsh avoids the markings of less experienced writers...." Read more

"...When I find one that is as historically accurate and intriguing as this one I'm forced to write a review...." Read more

"...The background story was interesting enough to keep me involved through the whole thing - I love a good twist on a trope (or historical story) even..." Read more

4 customers mention "Writing quality"2 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some finding it overdone and difficult to read.

"...He also respects the readers' intelligence by not needing to write at the top of each chapter the name of the character whose point of view we are..." Read more

"This not-easy-to-read novel offers insight to tuff times for “the poor, lower class youth in historical London, but the story becomes so..." Read more

"...Stylistically, this is very well written. The prose is engaging and realistic for the setting/period, and it has some great dialogue and characters...." Read more

"...The sex was...meh. Mostly fine, but the weakest writing - as opposed to the weak plotting - in the book, graphic though it was...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Shannon M.
    5.0 out of 5 stars EXCITING AND COMPELLING
    Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book! Everything about it was perfect. I adored Silas, Fecks, Thomas and Archer, all so different from each other, but such great chemistry together.
    I search Amazon for hours looking for MM books set in the Victorian Era. The way they spoke back then just goes straight to my heart. This is one of the best I've found, and what an ending! WOW!
    Dear Mr. Marsh: I would love to read a back story prequel on Simon Harrington, the guy who was apparently All That and a bag of chips. Three men fell deeply in love with him, fought viciously over him, and two of them went insane because of him. That's a story I'd love to read.
    Helpful
     Report
  • John U
    4.0 out of 5 stars I'm in!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I plan to read the rest of this series, although I thought Archer and Silas fell in love too fast. Fecks was a delight. Dangerous time to be 1) gay or 2) poor. But both? I know I wouldn't have survived.

    Good start. Time to begin book 2....
    Helpful
     Report
  • B Toan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ripped (heh-heh) right through it!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A well-wrought story, masterfully written. Marsh avoids the markings of less experienced writers. He doesn't feel the need to bring us up to date by writing pages of back story, but rather lets us discover more about the characters as we grow to care more. He also respects the readers' intelligence by not needing to write at the top of each chapter the name of the character whose point of view we are now following. He has the skill as a writer to make it perfectly clear, without the appearance of having just taken a college writing course.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Dirty Old Lady
    5.0 out of 5 stars O bother, now I've got a new author to follow
    Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I read too many m/m romances for my own good. When I find one that is as historically accurate and intriguing as this one I'm forced to write a review.

    Most m/m historical romance is fantasy, but this author writes from a perspective that realizes what actual horrors could happen to gay men prior to the 21st century. And still spin the story into a HEA with the grace of a flamenco dance.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Bix
    3.0 out of 5 stars Rounding up from 2.5
    Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    First, the positives:

    Stylistically, this is very well written. The prose is engaging and realistic for the setting/period, and it has some great dialogue and characters. Speaking of the period, it was obviously intensively researched, which I will never not appreciate. The background story was interesting enough to keep me involved through the whole thing - I love a good twist on a trope (or historical story) even more than I love a good mystery, so the Ripper-hunting-rentboys was right in my wheelhouse.

    Now, the...less positives (spoilers ahead, but I'll try to keep them soft):

    Though I loved the characters individually, I never once felt they gelled *together*. Which is very disappointing in a romance. This, I think, is a problem of pacing. I read another review which mentioned the insta-love between Silas and Archer and, in hopes the reviewer was the nitpicky sort, discarded it, but it turned out to be absolutely on the money. Archer (the viscount), and Silas (the rentboy) meet each other all of twice - both times in rather impersonal fashions - before they realize they're in love. (Note: when I say 'impersonal' I don't mean 'for paid sex'; I mean, 'for interviews where there are several people at the table'.) Before this, the writer took the time to build up such a sense of involvement between Archer and Thomas (his first footman), and a sense of sexual interest between Silas and Thomas, that I thought he was setting up a poly relationship between the three men. And then, BAM: Silas and Archer see each other, and it's all over. They are In Love. Honestly, this nearly ruined the story for me, and I genuinely can't understand why Marsh went there. Simply having Archer and Silas think to themselves how impossible it is to love someone after meeting them twice doesn't excuse the writing of it.

    And in regards to Thomas, Marsh could have easily established an abiding friendship between him and Archer, without the sexual element, and perhaps a flirtation between him and Silas (given Silas' profession), and the book would have been so much stronger for it. But this threw the relationship dynamics completely out of whack. I kept getting the sense that Marsh had a lot of ideas but, upon editing, had cut the wrong ones. Thomas was a great character; Silas, just as good; Archer, my least favorite. All three of them in the same room...a convoluted mess, but one that could have been very cool if done right.

    (While I'm on the subject of convoluted messes, let me insert here that the plot I was so eager to read, which was introduced so well, fell apart to such a degree I felt like I was staring at a mosaic someone had taken a sledgehammer to. There was an overwhelmning abundance of red-herringed 'clues' about the Ripper, most of which were introduced only to be dismissed with a handwave four paragraphs later. There was no set up for the "twist ending". None. To be fair, I think Marsh *tried* to set it up in one instance, but missed the mark entirely. I think some writers just honestly don't *know* what makes a good plot twist, and mistakenly write an out-of-nowhere ending in an attempt to do it; it's in the establishing of breadcrumbs that you can look back upon with wide eyes that makes a proper plot twist. Little or big moments to which the readers can return and shake their heads at themselves for having not cottoned on.)

    The sex was...meh. Mostly fine, but the weakest writing - as opposed to the weak plotting - in the book, graphic though it was.

    I wanted to like this more; it was just too contradictory. Smart, interesting characters who make wholly stupid decisions (looking at Archer in particular, who served in the Navy but also comes out of this frequently making decisions that a 12 year old would make?), mediocre sex, a romance that could have been fantastic Marsh had put as much effort into it as he clearly did with research but that fizzled because he didn't, bland spaces where twists might have helped and twists introduced where they were unnecessary - and on top of all that, unbelievably, Marsh leaves us with a cliffhanger.

    I won't be finishing this series. But the writing itself (excepting the sex) was good enough to keep me reading this book, and for that alone it deserved a couple of stars.
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • kybob
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this story. The characters and the plot remind me of the stories of Charles Dickens. The main characters, save the butler and the murderer, are folks you'd want as friends. The message about the need for change in a class divided society is still relevant. The mystery and the romance drive are fun and a good setting for the message.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Not going to lie I was a little Leary about this, but as I started reading, I immediately fell in love. Definitely looming forward to reading more of this series
    Helpful
     Report
  • Karentwilson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Happy forever after
    Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I stumbled into this book on Facebook and I am delighted that I did. The characters are rich with honor and heart. This is a historical mystery and heroes abound. I love a story where the underdog triumphs and I love a sweet happily ever after romance. This book has it all, for me. Now, on to the next book, Twisted Tracks by Jackson Marsh.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Anna Krystyna
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent storytelling
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on August 10, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    With this story Jackson Marsh gripped me from the start in which our hero Silas is still, literally, in the gutter, with no idea of what's to come. Marsh writes a splendid combination of character study, adventure/mystery and romance. He not only creates a band of enticing main characters, but beyond their bubble the rest of his Victorian London struggles and thrives. This distinctive sense of place and time and Marsh's visually evocative writing style enables you to immerse yourself in this fictitious world.

    Furthermore, I love his characterization. He uses multiple POV, bringing to life not only the MC's but also important side-characters, and he gives each character his attention and his time, granting richness and depth to the story. I particularly enjoy his use of dialect, which stresses the different backgrounds of the protagonists. The romantic My Fair Lady-like concept worked for me, as I really rooted for brave, resilient, vivacious Silas, and who'd be better for him than daring, generous Archie. The mystery was good too, with just enough hints to give you a chance at guessing the culprit. The mystery solving proces with each of our heroes, including forces-to-be-reckoned-with Thomas and Fecker, playing their essential parts was a delight in its own right.

    On to the next part!
    Report
  • Brian Boru
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great easy read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Wasn't sure what this book would be like but its a great easy read. First book starts with a gay Jack the Ripper story but the characters move on and they are all different, interesting and developed. Victorian high life and low life, it's all here. There's a lot more to come after the first book so I start the next as soon as I finish one. Just have to find out what happens next. The plot is well thought out, as pieces fall into place and you progress through the series. I'm now on book 4 and enjoying every bit of it.

    UPDATE Just started book 5 and its as good as the rest but as 4 came to a natural pause, I've just read 'Banyak & Fecks' which is a prequel and sets the scene for a lot of things to fall into place later so was probably a good point to read it.
    Report
  • li cran
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muck and more of olden times
    Reviewed in Italy on June 16, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Lots of the sheer grime, despair, and street life in London, theoretically around the times of Jack the Ripper. Also, clear contrast with the upper echelons of society in that era, and the particularly difficult problems of inequality, in more than one sector of everyday life. Interesting re-interpretation of the Ripper, rent boys instead of rent girls as victims, and intriguing mystery around the entire affair.
    Nicely researched ambience descriptions, both in the depths of the poor sector and the heights of the nobs, with the creeping fog as real as the rampant prejudice
    Report
  • anonymous
    5.0 out of 5 stars Slow burn, but sweet
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on May 22, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Slow burn, but sweet. Nice world building of the time and interesting characters. Like it enough to order the next book in the series.
    Report
  • Scott
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    It’s a great spin on the Jack the Ripper story, it is a great read, but it got a little flat in areas, but can’t wait to read on to the next book
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report