The Disaster Gay Detective Agency

by Lev A.C. Rosen

From award—winning, critically acclaimed crime writer Lev Rosen comes a punchy, hilarious mystery—thriller. Meet the disaster gays: They're messy. They're queer. And they're about to solve a murder… Or die trying.

Brandon is a hopeless romantic. So when a handsome stranger named Jon checks in at the hotel he works at and invites Brandon to his room, Brandon ignores the advice of his crew—a group of loveable and messy queer twenty—somethings—and accepts. What follows is a tale as old as time: they hook up, Jon promises to text, Brandon falls in love, and Jon ghosts. Case closed—or is it?

When Jon checks out early, leaving behind a bag of belongings and his cellphone, Brandon takes the phone and sets out to find him, thinking that this must at last be his Cinderella story.

But he gets more than he bargained for when he witnesses a murder—and sees Jon fleeing the scene.

Determined (and not in over their heads whatsoever), Brandon, Ollie, Nicole, and Ian decide to solve the mystery of the murder and uncover Jon's true identity…they just have to figure it out before a target falls on their own backs.

Genres: Mystery, Queer, LGBT, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 2, 2026

About the author

LEV AC ROSEN sometimes is sometimes known as L.C. ROSEN. He is the author of books for all ages.

Reviews

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 2.75 stars ✰

“Love is stupid a lot of the time.”

I would not say that this was quite a disaster, but it certainly left much to be desired. I haven't read a Rosen​ novel since 2022, but I thought this might be a fun change of pace. I can't say I had a nice time exactly, but it was a quick read - just marred by some complaints. I did not mind that it was a quadruple multi-perspectives. ​🙆🏻‍♀️​ But, I ​did​ mind that I had to read particular scenes from each perspective, so as to better comprehend what exactly transpired between certain characters. It was exhausting and did not alleviate the reading.

​The ​blasé​ way in which the mystery was dismissed and even depicted --- ​I would not say irked, but it did not feel realistic. Which, yes, fine, I've seen more unbelievable things, but even the way the pieces aligned did not make much sense to me. ​Let alone a narrative that was included without preamble, and I was left wondering if it belonged to a book or some inner dialogue, until it was finally revealed to be something else entirely. ​A break in the format would​ have made it less confusing, rather than misguiding.​ 😣

“The more you interrogate a bad decision, the harder it becomes to justify.”

​​The diverse representation ​in the cast is strong​, it was just difficult to like or even care for any of them. Brandon​, who fell in love too easily and then behaved so flippantly, ​Nicole who aspired to be more appreciated, but still could be a bit snappish, ​Ian who carried a lot of bitterness over their breakup, but still acted rather oddly, all things considered, and ​Ollie who wanted them just to be a group again, with his valiant, but often times one-tracked efforts.

I liked how each of the four friends were willing to go out on a limb to help each other out​ - even if for bizarre reasons​ - but I also felt that their dynamic was very mean-spirited. ​They had good intentions, but it was flaked by their thoughts that weren't all that nice.​ 😕 I did not get a friendly vibe from any of them, with some of their selfish antics clouding their good sense​.

“What do you want your life to be?”

There is​ still a little something that everyone can connect and relate to.​ ​The​ desire to change and embrace a new side of oneself from this strange happening was portrayed convincingly.​ Despite this bizarre coincidence that they all escaped unscathed, it still gave them a chance to find themselves along the way. 🥺​ Love is a confusing thing, ain’t it? I just wish the writing style and tone could have been more impactful or even engaging. ​And maybe a little less chaotic!​

Sometimes i​t felt like I was on spin cycle, the way the characters kept popping in and out, repeatedly cuz of the repetitiveness of a scene, that ​I would get confused as to if the plot is progressing or I'm yet again reading another take on a scene, not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times!​ 😵‍💫 That's ​a lot​ of unnecessary action that just could have been condensed in a tighter way​ to be a more compelling read.

[Lance]

E-ARC generously provided by Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

So glad to have this galley!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.

I’ve loved Lev AC Rosen’s books for a while now, and seeing he had a new contemporary mystery I knew I needed to get my hands on it. And this does not disappoint! It’s such a delightful, chaotic mess of a book, and I love the main characters so much.

Brandon is a gay Jewish man living in New York and working for a hotel on overnights. One evening this hot guy checks in and flirts with Brandon. Even though it’s against policy, when Jon calls down asking for a towel, Brandon is ready for it to take a porno turn - which it does! But the next day, Jon has checked out early, leaving behind his bag and a cell phone. Brandon snags the cell phone, thinking he can make it into a Cinderella moment by finding Jon and returning the phone. He ropes his best friends in, but instead of returning the phone, Brandon witnesses a murder!

There is so much chaos going on with each of the four friends. Ollie is a trans man still reeling from the death of his father while being a dog walker and house sitter for rich people. He also loves true crime podcasts, so when he witnesses the murder with Brandon, he thinks this is a perfect opportunity to start his own podcast - but first they have the solve the mystery. Nicole is a Black lesbian lawyer who used to be big into activism, but the job and demands have ground her down where she doesn’t even think she can go out with the cute barista because the partners may talk, but maybe she can become a high profile crime lawyer like Ellen. Ian is nonbinary drag queen slash bookstore employee who is always so angry, and has spent the last year hate-stalking their ex who cheated on them and periodically keying his car. The four of them try to be there for each other, but also have so much of their own mess going on, getting roped into possible spy shenanigans forced them closer than they’ve been in a while.

I had so much fun with this, and Rosen’s writing is so engaging. My biggest complaint was how a lot of stuff felt repeated between POV shifts, especially with the way the text conversations were used to situate the timeline. I understand the intent and execution, but across four perspectives, it would start feeling repetitive reading the same chat over and over again. That aside, this was an absolute delight and I especially loved that it was so bonkers and chaotic. I really hope there’s going to be more cuz I already love Brandon, Ian, Nicole, and Ollie so much!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually hate books that are written from more than two POVs, and even then, much prefer books written with just one main character or at least in third person. Had I realized the format the author chose, I would have passed on the book, which would have been a horrible mistake. This was an amazing mystery, and I am so upset that there aren't more books out in the series. I hope to see a million more books in this series!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review: The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was a quirky, amusing read with a lot of heart. I really appreciated the diverse cast of characters — it was refreshing to see such a wide range of personalities and identities represented. The humor landed well in many places, and there were moments that genuinely made me laugh.

One thing I especially enjoyed was the strong sense of friendship throughout the story. The characters clearly had deep bonds and truly had each other’s backs, which added warmth and emotional grounding to all the chaos. That found-family dynamic was one of my favorite aspects of the book and made the characters easy to root for.

That said, the story didn’t always keep my attention completely. While the premise was fun and the banter entertaining, the pacing dragged at times and I found myself less engaged in certain sections. There were moments when it felt like the story was building momentum, only for it to slow again before fully pulling me back in.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with humor, representation, and strong friendships at its core — just not quite as gripping as I hoped it would be. Still, readers who enjoy LGBTQ+ stories with a comedic, character-driven focus will likely find a lot to like here.

[Jenn Massey Hesler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one started so strong. Group of LGBTQ+ friends end up wrapped up in a dangerous mystery after they witness a murder. I love a found family in NYC and parts are really funny. The last 1/3 of the book though there is a lot of repetition. Like literally dialogue and texts are repeated multiple times. It took away from the momentum of the plot and made the book feel long. Still was a fun read! Their 20-something chaos was delightful and liked the multiple POVs.

3.25/3.5 rounded down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for this advanced copy. Pub date 06/02/2026.

[Moon Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

I was a fan of Lev AC Rosen’s books when I was younger so getting this contemp mystery as an ARC was pretty exciting! It was a quick read and I genuinely enjoyed it. The characters are great, the plot is absolutely wild and the writing is accessible and entertaining.
My only complaint is the fact that we got the same scene from every characters point of view. It bored me and each pov added nothing to the last in my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

[Trisha]

One of my favorite authors!! I can't wait to read this!!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Calypso]

This was fun! RTC

[Nrosenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley and this is my honest review:

This really pleasantly surprised me! I knew it would be a fun read, but it was actually really good too!! Fun characters, an engaging plot, and some laugh out loud moments. I loved these truly disaster gays. I was a bit skeptical seeing there were four POVs, but all the characters had distinct feels and developments. I really liked seeing scenes from multiple perspectives. Was there true character development? Not really since they are all still complete disasters at the end. But, disasters with self awareness.

Really hope we see more of these characters in the future. Excited to see what Rosen can do with this mad little world he created.

[Cat Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was a fun, quick read that began with a lot of promise but lost steam in the second half.

The novel opens with Brandon, one of our four POVs, having a one-night-stand with a hot guest at the hotel he's working in. Brandon is a die-hard romantic and falls in love with the idea that this man might be his soulmate, so when the guest checks out early leaving a few things behind, Brandon keeps his phone and decides to find him and return it to him. He's aided in that quest by his besties (and our other three POVs): Ollie, a trans man and true-crime-podcast addict; Ian, a non-binary drag queen slash bookstore employee; and Nicole, a workaholic black lesbian lawyer, working her way up the corporate ladder. In the process of finding Brandon's mystery man, the friends witness a murder and stumble into some pretty serious crime shenanigans while navigating the demands of life and love and friendship.

The lifestyle of this group is miles away from mine with their edibles and the drag show brunches and the whole US/NYC vibe, but I found each character relatable in some way. Rosen has done well in providing the interiority of his characters, and I sympathised a lot with Nicole's bitterness over being overlooked at work, with Ollie's loneliness and listlessness, with Ian's anger, and even with Brandon's hopeless romanticism (initially--more on that below). Each character is drawn vividly and they complement each other. Their friendship isn't perfect, and the characters' flaws are sometimes glaring, which made it all the more real and relatable.

The novel spends, at first, equal time on the mystery as well as the characters' lives. As they try to work out where the mystery man is, we get to know these characters and learn about the other people in their lives as well as their circumstances. Rosen handles this fairly large (and equally diverse) secondary cast deftly. There's humour and banter, dogs and a group chat. It's fun! Then the crime happens and the tension ratchets up as a villain with a tattoo appears on the scene.

However, this is where the book began losing me. The balance between the mystery and the characters' lives tipped over towards their daily routine. We had chapters about their meeting people, arranging a date, talking to customers in the bookshop, reaching out to an ex etc etc, all the while not making any significant investigative progress. I like to follow clues and to figure things out myself but here the mystery plot was sidelined in favour of the interpersonal relationships of the group. The other thing that really annoyed me around that point was Brandon's inability to accept his "soulmate" might be some dodgy criminal. (and then I was annoyed with Ollie enabling him.) It felt completely childish to be so vehemently "but perhaps there is another reason why [something terrible and suspicious] happened" for a man he had a quickie with for half an hour. The idea he'd look for him at first made sense. But after the murder and the rest happened, it made Brandon look incredibly deluded to the point that I'd stage an intervention.

My final and more serious complain is the repetition. The friends would have a text exchange and then we'd see parts of it repeated in a few more chapters. Initially it was fine; the text was brief and it served to anchor us to what everyone was doing at the same time. But in the second half we had repetitions of an entire scene. We saw the exact same thing, pages and pages of it, happen from four POVs, each one adding a little to the scene but nothing that was crucial to the story. We also had a random POV inserted at some point. The formatting made it seem like it was one of the main characters, until it was clear that it wasn't. The ending held no surprising solution to the mystery, or suspense, or even the tension from earlier. (I will say, though, I'm VERY much into that new ship that appeared towards the end).

In short, if you're after a typical murder mystery with clues and suspects and plot twists, this might disappoint. However, if you're into reading about a diverse queer group of people in their 20s in NYC, struggling with identity and love and discovering who they want to be, with maybe a sprinkle of a mystery thrown in, then you'll love this.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Rosen book and I liked it.
It was a bit complicated to read with all four of them getting their own chapters and many scenes/text messages getting repeated. But I loved the story.
Hopeless romantic Brandon falls in insta-love with a hotel guest and then crimes and whatnots happen and our chaotic Fantastic Four try to find out what is going on and who are the bad people here. While trying to survive all that plus life and friendships and relationships and expectations and hopes and fears!
It could've been edited a tiny bit better or written with a bit more interesting/detailed/exciting/moving et cetera content and not so many repetitions - but I really enjoyed reading this.
Funny, crazy, exciting, chaotic, queer, adorable, mysterious. Wouldn't mind getting a series about those four with their own Detective Agency!

click ►HERE - to buy the book!

[Mvm · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Disaster Gay Detective Agency is a fun, heartfelt mystery centered on friendship as much as crime. Four friends have stayed close after college, bonding over a standing weekly brunch and a genuine commitment to showing up for one another.

Brandon, who works nights at a hotel, is a romantic at heart and very much hoping to find love. When he hooks up with a guest named Jon, Brandon believes it could be something real—until Jon checks out early the next morning, leaving behind a bag and his cell phone. Brandon manages to return the bag, but the phone feels more personal, and he becomes determined to track Jon down himself. He recruits his friends for help: Nicole, a former activist now buried in her career as an overworked lawyer; Ian, a drag queen who works part-time in a bookstore and also happens to be Brandon’s roommate; and Ollie, a dog walker with a deep obsession with true-crime podcasts. Together, this well-intentioned group of misfits sets out to find Jon—only to stumble into witnessing a murder that is somehow, definitely, connected to him. What follows is an engaging story full of missteps, humor, and chaos, balanced by genuine warmth. At its core, this book is about chosen family, loyalty, and how far friends will go for one another, even when they have no idea what they’re doing. A fast, enjoyable read with heart, laughs, and just enough mystery to keep things moving.

The only real downside was the occasional repetition when the same event was shown from multiple friends’ viewpoints. While the intention was clearly to give each character their moment, these sections sometimes felt repetitive, and the added perspectives didn’t always deepen the story.

That said, this is a minor complaint in an otherwise entertaining book. Overall, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency is a solid mystery and an enjoyable, character-driven read, with plenty of humor woven throughout. The friendships are the real highlight, and the laughs along the way make it well worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving this honest, personal, and unbiased review.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to publisher for the ARC! All thoughts are my own. This comes out on June 2nd.

The Disaster Gay Detective Agency by Lev AC Rosen is funny, fresh, clever, and memorable. It follows a group of four queer friends - Brandon, Ian, Nicole, and Ollie - who find themselves at the center of a deadly crime after Brandon - against the advice of his friends - sleeps with a man staying at the hotel where he’s concierge.

I can’t overstate how much fun this book is! I was entertained throughout and ate it up, from the ridiculous drama to the campy humor. I loved all four of our main characters (even if Brandon was frustrating at times - though that was definitely on purpose) and thought Rosen did an excellent job balancing four distinct POVs. There were a lot of side characters though which at times felt overwhelming or confusing, especially during the pivotal game night scene. I do have an issue with how that scene was written. Rosen wrote it four times so we got each of our core four’s POVs. I understand that they were all doing something important to the plot, but not enough changed to truly warrant having to read it four times in my opinion. I think Rosen could have found a way to show us the important moments without essentially copy-and-pasting the scene four times back to back.

I really liked that the novel ends with the mystery solved and the characters having learned crucial lessons while still leaving it open for a sequel. I would love to follow Brandon, Ian, Nicole, and Ollie in more installments!

Picking up this book was definitely a risk and I probably never would have if I didn’t get the ARC for free at work because I had serious issues with Rosen’s Evander Mills mystery series. I think this book has shown me that I much prefer his humorous writing over his more serious stuff.

[Phoebe Wilkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been one of the craziest most funny thrillers I´ve read in a while. And I´m so in for it.

This is not a common romance, and not a common murder mystery either.
The story follows a group of friends (loved the rep here, we got people who´s gay, lesbian, trans and non binary) who get entangled in what I can only call a spy movie turned real when one of them, Brandon, hooks up with one of the guests of the hotel he works in, and then the guy dissappears only leaving his phone behind. After some clues (I won´t say illegal events *ahem*), they find the guy is implicated in murder.

Now, a few things to say. There four POVs here, one for each of the friends. And it´s quite useful because each has their own troubles and thoughts, in regards of this investigation they´ve decided to do. Downsides of this is that, perhaps in the last 50 pages or so, there are a bunch of scenes that repeat themselves (author tries to repeat the less possible, but there´s no avoiding the repetition, since all characters were there at the same place and time, and for the exception of a couple of things, they lived the same).
It didn´t bother me that much, this, though. Mainly because I cannot imagine how could you have done those scenes without repetition, given the way this book is been narrated since page one.

Anyway. More things: Loved the humor and the quirky characters (people who isn´t who you think they are, are my favorites). The big reveal was exactly as I imagined (that is, over the top ridiculous on purpose).
This is my first time reading this author and I got no doubt I´ll be reading more :D

[Whitney Villmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will be a spoiler free review to encourage you to read! This! Book!!

I checked NetGalley daily looking for this book because I couldn't wait for it to come out to read it. But let me tell you, that won't stop me from buying it for myself and others when it does.

First of all, let's talk about the title and the cover. I've never added a book to my TBR so fast. This was a love letter to the queer community. There was so much representation not just in the main characters but most characters in the book. It was funny and charming and creative. I absolutely fell in love with the detectives and I felt like a part of their friend group. Ollie, in particular, was my favorite. He's the friend that always sees the positive and never forgets an important detail. I just loved him.

The characters had very relatable issues they struggled with. No one was one dimensional. They were flawed but still accepted each other and encouraged one another to grow. Even when there was conflict, the foundation was strong enough that they could communicate and work through what came up. Plus there was an endless amount of humor which was a big part of their communication and my enjoyment of this book!

You don't have to be a member of the queer community to appreciate and enjoy this book. Honestly if you love a great mystery that will make you laugh and keep you engaged, this is for you. I highly recommend giving this a read whenever you are able!

[Y.N.]

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Press for the eARC

2,75/5

"The disaster gay detective agency" is my first book by Lev AC Rosen. I was curious, especially because I want 2026 to be a year full of lighter reads, with queer characters. I must say, I expected a bit more than what I was given.

Now, it does deliver on the easy and quick read side. With colourful characters and a silly (in a good sense) plot. What it had failed to do was make the characters interesting or engaging, and to deal well with the mutliple povs. Yes, sometimes revisiting a scene from a different pov works, but it is tricky. And when we have the same scene FOUR times, in does became nerve grating.
On the characters' side, there are interesting bits. They are not perfect, far from it. Some are too easy to fall in love, other have big anger issues, one is loosing himself in edibles, and the last one is loosing herself in work. Their friendship is there, but it is not always nice. In fact, I sometimes wondered why they still kept in contact. A flawed character or friendship is nice ! But I need something nice in the mix, a sense of mutual respect. I didn't fully get it here, and so it made reading a bit tenuous at times.

As for the plot, it is well sketched in the synopsis. Brandon has a hookup with a hotel client, the client disappears and Brandon tries to find him, subsequently entangling himself in not so nice circles (he doesn't go deep, mind you, but he does get closer to violent teams and government stuff). The way the plot tied to one of the other character's work felt too easy, but it did the job.

Don't expect a nice ending on the romantic love part, by the way. it didn't bother me, but it must be known.

[Ayra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This could have been so good! I really enjoyed the plot and the mystery mixed with the humorous aspect. HOWEVER the characters were so unlikable it was rough. I loved the diversity of the characters and their unique personalities, but they were all so annoying. We have Brandon​, who fell in love immediately after a one-night stand and then continuously defends a man who might be a killer. ​Nicole, who focused so hard on her career she had no life whatsoever and always looked down on her friends. Ian who was very clearly still in love with his ex and stalked them to no end. And Ollie, who had no ambitions and couldnt grow up.

I did not mind that it was a multi-perspective story, but I ​did​ mind that I had to read the game night scenes from each perspective with barely more details added. How many times am i gonna read the exact same dialogue over and over again?? I think the author would have done a lot better at keeping the readers engaged if they had switched between POVs/scenes within the same part rather than restarting the same thing again with new characters.

It was a fun read and overall the plot was enjoyable but i wouldnt reach for it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Disaster Gay Detective Agency by Lev A.C. Rosen is an absolute delight, and I am very grateful to have received an ARC from NetGalley.

Let us get this out of the way first. If you cannot tell by the title, this book is for the girls, the gays, and the theys. As a card carrying member of that demographic, I can confidently say this was a refreshing palate cleanser after slogging through a few cozy murder mysteries that were… not great. You know the ones.

This story follows a chaotic, lovable group of friends who accidentally stumble into becoming detectives. The mystery itself is fun and approachable, especially if you are not a hardcore murder mystery purist. Personally, I was far more invested in the characters, their dynamics, and the questionable decisions they made along the way. Watching them spiral was half the joy.

Is it perfect? No. There is a lack of communication trope that had me yelling “just TALK to each other” at the page. That said, the charm, humor, and heart more than make up for it. By the end, I was fully on board and absolutely interested in continuing the series.

⭐ 4.5 stars
For readers who want a cozy, chaotic detective story with queer joy, friendship, and vibes for the girls, gays, and theys.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who’s part of a majority queer, 12 person group chat, I knew exactly what I was getting into when I picked up this book. My friends and I have, on occasion (allegedly), been known to cyberstalk a person or two. Or three. 🙃

I enjoyed the multiple-narrator structure, though it did begin to feel repetitive at times, particularly when certain passages were reused verbatim across perspectives. That said, I found the characters genuinely likable, and I could see many of my own friends reflected in their messy, chaotic (and slightly unhinged) energy, which ultimately made for comforting and relatable reading.

While the plot itself isn’t especially groundbreaking, the novel’s strength lies in its queer representation and point of view rather than in narrative novelty. Readers seeking high stakes tension or laugh-out-loud comedy may find it subdued, but those who enjoy queer friendship dynamics and Nancy Drew–esque sleuthing will likely find it entertaining.

Overall, I wouldn’t say I was obsessed, but I did have fun.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me review this ARC!

[CJ Enfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐️s rounded up.
‘But it was so good to feel like he was special. He starts to cry again a little, collecting beer bottles, and Nicole wordlessly hugs him tightly, and then Ian and Ollie surround him too. He’ll be okay.’

I had a great time reading The Disaster Gay Detective Agency!! I found it so easy to be able to connect with the characters and understand each of their personal perspectives on the situation as it unfolded.


***Sort of spoilers ahead?***




I really liked the bit nearer to the end where you were getting the same scene from all the different perspectives, and you could see how each character had their own unique voice. It was very interesting to pick up on the few times (I believe intentionally) that they didn’t mention certain things. For example, at one point, Nicole apparently screamed “Oh, shut up, Ollie”, but this isn’t shown/said in her perspective, and yet it is in both Ollie and Ian’s.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC!

[Jordan Stash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC of “The Disaster Gay Detective Agency.”

This was my first read by Lev AC Rosen and I was thoroughly entertained, but I didn’t love the story. It was fun, campy, silly, but I needed something more.

First, I loved that the 4 main characters all represented a different identity (gay, lesbian, transgender, and non-binary). This gave each of them their own little flare and personality.

The story itself was highly entertaining and kept me intrigued until the end, but it felt a little choppy and disorganized. It also felt drug out and overwritten, specifically towards the 70~% mark. I found myself getting bored with reading the same thing for 4 chapters in a row from a different character’s perspective.

Overall, I didn’t hate this book, but it was very middle of the road for me. It was entertaining, but the story didn’t feel very cohesive or organized in a way that made it flow properly.

[Heather Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! It was messy and chaotic. The found family vibes and diversity in the cast were amazing. I loved how willing they were to help each other out, even if they didn't agree with each other's decisions. I feel like there's something here that everyone can relate too. That made it easy to connect with these characters. The only thing I didn't like was because of how the POVs are done, each character has their own, some things became repetitive. You see the same group chat messages pop up. There's a party scene towards the end that's done from each of their perspectives and I found myself skimming most of those chapters when I realized most of it was exactly what I read already. Overall, this was a quick, fun read. If this becomes a series I would gladly read more!

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for my eARC!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a bit unsure how to review this one. I’ve loved Rosen’s previous books and recommend them. I liked some of these mixed-up characters and the way they stand up for each other, and I really liked Ollie’s mom, always ready to support her son’s next venture. This was a bit like Little Rascals taking on a mystery investigation, with a bit of Golden Girl snark . . . promising. I learned about the Kinsey scale — had to look it up.
I did, however, find the texting and Rashomon-like repetition of scenes confusing and disruptive of narrative flow, motivating me to put down the book. I did return to see what would happen, and I’m glad I did, to enjoy the satisfying conclusion, with hint of a possible second adventure?
The book comes out in June . . . one could fill the wait time reading LAVENDER HOUSE.

[lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read "Emmett" and "You've Goth My Heart" by this author so I knew when I saw this title I wanted to read it immediately. It did not disappoint! I absolutely LOVED this book! It had everything - suspense, mystery, love, found family, and so much heart. It was also hilarious! I found myself laughing out loud several times. I also loved how we bounced around to the different POVs throughout the book. It made me really care about each character although Brandon was insufferable at times - I still loved him. The ending was just perfect and set up the friends for a sequel that I hope and pray happens. I really want to keep up with these characters. I especially want love for Ollie - I wanted to give him a hug throughout the whole book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a mystery with fantastic character development. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

[Caroline Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read both adult and young adult fiction. The cover of this novel gave me the impression it was going to be YA. I quickly discovered it was adult or perhaps new adult. That aside, I was immediately drawn into the world of this adorable group of friends who find themselves unwittingly tangled up in a crime. I was thoroughly entertained by the humour, suspense and mystery and felt invested in the love lives of the characters. I could definitely see this becoming a series.

I did have one problem which was big enough to keep this from being a five star review from me. The descriptions of events as seen from each character's point of view failed for me due to the enormous degree of repetition...whole paragraphs which I had already read in previous chapters.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Shelly Cerullo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly this is a 3.5 I’m rounding up to a four because I’m just so CHARMED by these characters! I mean. They also reminded me that you couldn’t pay me enough to be back in my mid20s, but god, I’ve met all of these people before. Some of them were my close friends, some of them I hated, but everyone was so real, it was a delight. But I will also say that the amount of repetition in the plot from different POVs is the reason I can’t just give it an unqualified four. Did this maybe start off life as a screen play that needed to get fleshed out to make it into a novel? Because I would watch the HELL out of this as a feature film, and it honestly feels like the medium the story wants to be told in.

(This is an honest review given in exchange for an advance copy.)

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this author's Evander Mills books, so I was eager to read this contemporary story. And on the whole, I liked it. The numerous POVs posed a bit of a challenge—I sometimes got mixed up between a couple of them. And by the time I'd read the party scene from the umpteenth perspective, I was more than done with it. (I'm not sure I could have come up with a better way to handle delivering all that information to the reader, but it didn't entirely work for me.) Quibbles aside, though, this definitely kept me turning the pages, and if it turns into a series, I'll gladly read book two.

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

[Nate Elune · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is just plain fun. Okay, plain gay fun. The characters are fun and ridiculous and believable and you want them to be your friends, too. Their flaws are obvious - in fact, the plot hinges on them! - but they are so lovely for those flaws. The plot is also fun and ridiculous and mostly not believable but truly in the most fun kind of way! It's really all in the title, which I think brilliantly reflects exactly what you're going to get in the book.

A special mention goes to Heart-Eyes, my favourite side character. He is delightful in every way.

Would 100% suggest this for a fun, gay mystery with nice diversity.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thursday Murder Club meets Clue featuring a tight knit but messy group of young queer folks trying to figure out early adulthood. I struggled with the pacing at times; there are 4 POVs and on more than one occasion the exact same slice of time was recapped through each POV in short succession. It felt halting when really what I wanted was more momentum to be pushed forward into the mystery. However, I overall had a good time with this and would be happy to pick up another book with these same characters if Lev AC Rosen makes this into a series.
(I'm still giggling at the line about Kinsey 2 being the most menacing Kinsey type ... true maybe but like, rude!)