The characters from the Nathaniel trilogy and the cast from the Peeper trilogy come together in Ron York's latest novel, Charlie's Encore.

For the first time, Charlie's, Bellwood's original gay bar, is faced with competition as Peggy struggles to keep it open. At the same time, Mike's interior design business is threatened as a former business associate joins with one of Mike's Bellwood "family" in a vendetta to take over his business. Set in the present day of pandemic and political unrest, these actions against Mike and his adopted family start to escalate into more ominous threats.

Mike's significant other, Ricky (from Nathaniel & the Midnight Movers), enlists his own Hillmont "family" to help. Diana (King Peeper series) and the gang are still mourning the deaths of Jim & Jeff as they come to Bellwood to help.

The two "families" unite in an effort to protect Mike and save Charlie's bar from closing.