Title: The Femdom Felony
Author: Thomas Moffatt
Publication Date: March 16, 2020 by Compelling Tale Publishing
Genres: Thriller
Protagonist Gender: Male
On the surface, The Femdom Felony may seem like an odd read, an unusual mix of genres and subjects, but it's precisely the kind of book I wished we saw more of in the market. Thomas Moffatt has crafted a mystery/thriller that deals with alternative energy and climate change on the one hand, and an erotic thriller that deals with marginalized communities and social stigma on the other. It's not a book about BDSM and LGBTQIA communities, but one that naturally and sensitively incorporates them into the story in the same way other authors weave in sports fans, computer geeks, fashionistas, or the differently abled.
Jay is a happy, well-adjusted masochist with a good job in the IT field who just happens to spend 3 days a week as a live-in submissive to a dominant woman known as the Catwoman - or did, because by page 2 we find out she's dead . . . and he's a suspect. And that's where our story kicks off, searching for answers as to who killed her and why, which naturally involves attending several BDSM functions to question those who saw her last, and which eventually branches out into the world of energy and climate activism through people who cross communities. And that is a perfect example of the inclusivity here - the BDSM community isn't pigeonholed or siloed as something else, a group of freaks or deviants who stand alone, but as just another community that incorporates friends, neighbors, and colleagues from all walks of life.
The element of climate activism is really the only place where Moffatt allows himself a little commentary, with observations about the dangers of mining and the fact that wide swaths of sun-drenched lands would be perfect for solar farms, but the province chooses not to use them. Even that is soft commentary, however, and he fairly explores the impact of climate and energy on those in the province who depend on the industry for their livelihoods.
When it comes to the truth of who is behind everything, it's not a simple matter of any one group being all good or all bad, but about there being bad actors in all communities. There are no stock villains or cartoonish archetypes here, just normal people living their lives who are sometimes too passionate about certain causes and do the wrong things for what they feel are the right reasons.
My only complaint about the book was that, for all that I liked him, Jay is forced a bit too much into the role of cold, cool, calm action hero. The emotions I would have liked to see, the grief over the death of his Mistress and the frustration of being a suspect, losing his job, and being ostracized by his colleagues, are underplayed. Similarly, even for a masochist, he bounces back from injury far too quickly/easily - the flogging sessions alone would leave me stiff and sore the next day, never mind . .. well, some of the things that happen to him near the end of the book that I can't spoil.
Finally, to get back to the femdom aspect of The Femdom Felony, Moffatt does a fantastic job of exploring that community with some BDSM scenes that are played for narrative/dramatic value rather than erotic titillation, while still managing to convey the excitement and intensity to the reader. It's a well-rounded, truly inclusive book, and I'd love to see more like it.
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀
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