Under Cover Up – Summary

On the surface, Dashiell Ledger has everything: a coveted home on Boston’s Commonwealth Avenue, a meteoric rise in finance, and the kind of polish that makes him appear untouchable. But beneath the flawless exterior lies a man who has carefully curated every detail of his life—except his heart.

Enter Marco Morelli, a gifted contractor from one of Boston’s most traditional Italian families. Called in to renovate Dash’s new home, Marco expects blueprints and deadlines, not chemistry. What begins as banter over outdated wallpaper and chandeliers slowly evolves into something more—a connection neither man anticipated, and both struggle to define.

Surrounded by families with deep expectations and legacies to protect, Dash and Marco find themselves caught between worlds: one built on money and appearances, the other bound by loyalty and silence. As friendship edges into something riskier, the stakes rise. Every stolen glance, every late-night conversation, pulls them closer to a truth that could upend not only their lives but the powerful circles they inhabit.

Under Cover Up is not just a romance—it’s a witty, high-stakes love story about authenticity, secrecy, and the courage to claim joy when the world would prefer you keep it hidden. With crackling dialogue, layered characters, and a backdrop of Boston’s elite, the novel delivers equal parts intrigue, humor, and heart.

At its core, this is a story of two men learning that sometimes the hardest thing to renovate isn’t a house—it’s the life you thought you had to live.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tom Burns
Email: thomasbburns@gmail.com
Facebook: thomas.burns.71
Instagram: @artoftb

Debut Novel Under Cover Up by Tom Burns
Love, Lies and Alibis – Hiding in plain sight.
PALM SPRINGS, CA — September 2025 — Artist and writer Tom Burns makes a compelling literary debut with the release of Under Cover Up, a bold, emotionally layered novel that braids together love, identity, and secrecy against a backdrop of power, scandal, and family loyalties. The book is available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions.
Inspired by a real-life relationship and set in the high-stakes worlds of East Coast finance and organized crime, Under Cover Up follows the unlikely romance between Dashiell Ledger—the son of the FBI’s Boston Director—and Marco Morelli, the charismatic heir to a traditional Italian-American family with long-whispered ties to the mafia. What begins as a private, exhilarating connection soon collides with public scrutiny and inherited expectation.
When their relationship is thrust into the spotlight, the fallout is swift and unforgiving. Under the glare of the media and mounting pressure from both families, Dash and Marco must decide whether to protect their reputations or risk everything for a love that could dismantle the worlds they were born to uphold. As secrets surface and loyalties are tested, the men confront a single, searing question: What is the price of living—and loving—openly?
With razor-sharp dialogue, vivid atmosphere, and a propulsive plot, Under Cover Up brings a fresh, heartfelt voice to contemporary LGBTQ+ fiction. Burns captures the breathless intensity of a clandestine affair as it strains against the boundaries of legacy, duty, and public judgment—delivering a story that is at once intimate and sweeping.
“What happens when the FBI falls in love with the mafia?” says Burns. “Under Cover Up is about impossible choices, family loyalty, and the magnetic pull of forbidden love—and the courage it takes to make yourself visible when invisibility feels safer.”
About the Book
Under Cover Up is a smart, timely, and emotionally resonant novel about identity, desire, and the consequences of secrets—both the ones we keep and the ones kept for us. As Dash and Marco navigate the intricate politics of their families and careers, they discover that truth can be both a weapon and a lifeline. Burns confronts the costs of silence and the transformative power of authenticity with empathy, humor, and cinematic pacing.
About the Author
Tom Burns is a writer and artist whose creative career bridges visual and literary storytelling. A longtime painter and the former publisher of ARTWORKS Magazine, Burns brings a finely tuned eye for nuance and emotion to the page. He splits his time between Palm Springs, Carmel, and Cape Cod. Under Cover Up is his debut novel. He is currently at work on his second novel, Lost in L.A., drawn from the time his art world collided with his film world.

Publication Details
• Title: Under Cover Up
• Author: Tom Burns
• Release Date: September 2025
• Formats: Paperback, Kindle
• Publisher: Independently Published
• ISBNs: 979-8-9995135-0-2
• Genres: Contemporary Fiction / LGBTQ+ Romance / Suspense
• Availability: Amazon (print and Kindle)
Media & Review Copies
For press inquiries, interview requests:
Tom Burns
Email: thomasbburns@gmail.com
Phone: 831-238-4115