Death on Duval Street is a murder mystery involving Fantasyfest, a drag queen, a tent revival, a gay NYPD detective, a novelist, and the uniqueness of Key West, Florida. Or, The Bone Collector meets In the Garden of Good and Evil. Jay Morrison, a novelist, helps Perry Savant, a retired, gay, New York City detective, in order to solve the murder of a popular, local female impersonator during the FantasyFest parade on Halloween. With an evangelical tent revival in town, the police, and most of the gay community, determine that what they have on their hands is an obvious hate crime … or is it? The police department in Key West, is not equipped to solve homicides, especially one that generates as much publicity as the murder of cross-dresser and female impersonator Brian Silver. Police chief Fatima Sax recognizes her shortcomings and asks Perry Savant, a retired NYPD chief of detectives, to help her in her investigation of this murder. Unfortunately, Perry is struggling with a serious case of HIV/AIDS. So he enlists the help of Jay Morrison, a writer of historical novels, to help him with the leg work necessary in any investigation. And he recognizes that Jay’s research skills could be invaluable to this particular crime investigation. The problem these two men face is that the newspapers from Key West to Jacksonville are all calling the murder a hate crime; and they are suggested it was executed by one of the militant Christians in town for a major tent revival. The clues lead to the revival evangelist who has a past connection to the murdered man. The gay community becomes disenchanted with the lack of progress by the police and cause a riot leading to the destruction of the revivalist’s tent. But the investigation uncovers a seedy relationship that has gone bad. In the climactic conclusion the murderer is discovered to be someone who is not who (or what) everyone else thought.
