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The Disaster Gay Detective Agency
From award-winning, critically acclaimed crime writer Lev Rosen comes a punchy, hilarious mystery-thriller. Meet the disaster 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 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.
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 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.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Lev A.C. Rosen
18 books1,290 followersLEV AC ROSEN sometimes is sometimes known as L.C. ROSEN. He is the author of books for all ages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews
June 9, 2026
Honestly, this was such a silly read 🙂↕️
And I guess I needed a silly read because I had so much fun with it 🙂↕️🤭
Tbh, it’s not the kind of book I’d actively recommend. There’s a pretty high chance you might get bored 😭 But if you’re looking for something light, chaotic, and downright silly, then this might just work for you 🙂↕️
Also, the mystery wasn’t that great either 😭 It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting 😭 But it gave me all the funsies, so no complaints 🙂↕️
This book really lived up to its title 🤭 and I absolutely loved it. All the disaster, chaos, and ridiculousness 😭 It just gets me going lol.
I don’t have much else to say 😭 So yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶♥️
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｡𖦹°‧⌛ ⋆✴︎ 🔍 ˚｡⋆ pre-read ｡𖦹°‧⌛ ⋆✴︎ 🔍 ˚｡⋆
My last two mystery reads were DNFs 😭 and I desperately want a good mystery now. I hope this doesn’t disappoint 🫂♥️
And I guess I needed a silly read because I had so much fun with it 🙂↕️🤭
Tbh, it’s not the kind of book I’d actively recommend. There’s a pretty high chance you might get bored 😭 But if you’re looking for something light, chaotic, and downright silly, then this might just work for you 🙂↕️
Also, the mystery wasn’t that great either 😭 It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting 😭 But it gave me all the funsies, so no complaints 🙂↕️
This book really lived up to its title 🤭 and I absolutely loved it. All the disaster, chaos, and ridiculousness 😭 It just gets me going lol.
I don’t have much else to say 😭 So yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶♥️
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｡𖦹°‧⌛ ⋆✴︎ 🔍 ˚｡⋆ pre-read ｡𖦹°‧⌛ ⋆✴︎ 🔍 ˚｡⋆
My last two mystery reads were DNFs 😭 and I desperately want a good mystery now. I hope this doesn’t disappoint 🫂♥️
March 28, 2026
The author is new to me, but when I found it on NetGalley, I thought it would be a good reading match. The book started off quite well. Loved the tension with the guest and the hotel employee. Crossing the lines and turning into a clandestine meeting to hook up was hot and fun. The friendship among the main characters and all their POVs was a good change of pace. And even figuring out where/how the hot guest disappeared to was intriguing. But somewhere after that, it went off into a few unexpected areas and I struggled to stay focused. This can happen when much of the book isn't narrative but text messaging et al. I understand newer generations may have more of an affinity for that type of communication -- heck, I text all day long -- but I'm more a purist in my reading. I want a story that unfolds through narrative and real dialog, and I don't want to have to stop and think about the sub-context of a text or the missing scene descriptions. Might be purely my reading type! But I liked the characters and the plot and will look at another of the author's books before deciding if their is a good match for style and reading preferences!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2/5 ⭐
this is the first time i've read anything by this author, and let me say it was... okay. honestly, i didn't really like the way this story was written, and there were even moments when i just got bored and thought about dnf it.
at first, it really caught my attention because the plot seemed interesting to me. it’s about four friends: Brandon, Nicole, Ian, and Ollie. We start from Brandon's pov, and that’s where the plot begins—in a hotel where he works, and he ends up sleeping with Jon, a guest staying at the hotel. they exchange numbers, and the next day Brandon texts him because, according to him, he fell in love at first sight and found him attractive. however, Jon doesn’t reply to his messages, and Brandon thinks the guy is in danger because when he found Jon’s phone—which he’d left in the hotel room—it directed him to an exact location. so he calls his friends to come with him, and they accidentally witness a murder in real time.
it sounds interesting, yes, but what i didn’t like is that we see the same thing from each character’s different povs, making it repetitive and forcing me to read the same lines twice with absolutely nothing new being added, so that got boring.
tbh, it was meh. the only reason i didn’t stop reading was because i rlly wanted to know how the story ended, but i did not like that either😕😕 so yeah...
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pre-read:
another arc i need to catch up on before its release date aaa!!! this looks fun so let's see
this is the first time i've read anything by this author, and let me say it was... okay. honestly, i didn't really like the way this story was written, and there were even moments when i just got bored and thought about dnf it.
at first, it really caught my attention because the plot seemed interesting to me. it’s about four friends: Brandon, Nicole, Ian, and Ollie. We start from Brandon's pov, and that’s where the plot begins—in a hotel where he works, and he ends up sleeping with Jon, a guest staying at the hotel. they exchange numbers, and the next day Brandon texts him because, according to him, he fell in love at first sight and found him attractive. however, Jon doesn’t reply to his messages, and Brandon thinks the guy is in danger because when he found Jon’s phone—which he’d left in the hotel room—it directed him to an exact location. so he calls his friends to come with him, and they accidentally witness a murder in real time.
it sounds interesting, yes, but what i didn’t like is that we see the same thing from each character’s different povs, making it repetitive and forcing me to read the same lines twice with absolutely nothing new being added, so that got boring.
tbh, it was meh. the only reason i didn’t stop reading was because i rlly wanted to know how the story ended, but i did not like that either😕😕 so yeah...
──── ୨୧ ────
pre-read:
another arc i need to catch up on before its release date aaa!!! this looks fun so let's see
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
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 it 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.
“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 it 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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
E-ARC generously provided by Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Unhinged, incredibly camp, and just the right amount of hilarious, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency is exactly the kind of riotously funny romp you'd expect from the title melded together with some of the most excellent character work I've seen in recent memory.
4.5 stars. Unhinged, incredibly camp, and just the right amount of hilarious, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency is exactly the kind of riotously funny romp you'd expect from the title melded together with some of the most excellent character work I've seen in recent memory.
Did Not Finish
March 23, 2026DNF at 24%.
I’m a huge fan of Lev AC Rosen’s Evander Mills series, a HUGE fan, but somehow the pacing in this story just didn’t work for me. Even though the short chapters moved quickly, the same moments kept repeating, and that’s something I’m not a fan of. Rather than pushing through and ending up giving it a low rating, I decided to DNF.
I’m a huge fan of Lev AC Rosen’s Evander Mills series, a HUGE fan, but somehow the pacing in this story just didn’t work for me. Even though the short chapters moved quickly, the same moments kept repeating, and that’s something I’m not a fan of. Rather than pushing through and ending up giving it a low rating, I decided to DNF.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was excited to get offered this ARC, as I enjoyed the Evander Mills book I read (reminder to self: read more of that series) and I was curious to see how Rosen wrote a contemporary. Unfortunately, this just wasn't for me. Way too quirky and shenanigan-filled for my tastes, one of those books where every single character makes the worst possible decision at every single opportunity, which makes it hard to invest in the idea of them being smart or even, you know, functioning adults.
That said: the book was very well-written and cleverly resolved (even if, in order to reach that clever resolution, we had to stagger through hundreds of pages of dumb decisions and incomprehensible behavior); and while I might have dnf'ed it were I not stuck on airplanes/ in airports all day -- not that I don't have a couple hundred unread books on my kindle, but traveling always induces a kind of petulant inertia in me, such that the prospect of picking a new book was a greater hurdle than just pushing through -- the fact that it managed to mostly hold my attention despite airplanes/ airports is testimony to Rosen's pacing and skill. If you like hijinks, great queer rep, hopeless friend groups, and characters doing stupid shit that makes you feel like a fucking genius by comparison, then you'll probably enjoy this. If, on the other hand, the much-maligned (by me) Last Picks series pushed up against your "how much 'quirkiness' can I endure before I throw my e-reader against the wall" threshold, then: run, friends, run!!!!
I got an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
That said: the book was very well-written and cleverly resolved (even if, in order to reach that clever resolution, we had to stagger through hundreds of pages of dumb decisions and incomprehensible behavior); and while I might have dnf'ed it were I not stuck on airplanes/ in airports all day -- not that I don't have a couple hundred unread books on my kindle, but traveling always induces a kind of petulant inertia in me, such that the prospect of picking a new book was a greater hurdle than just pushing through -- the fact that it managed to mostly hold my attention despite airplanes/ airports is testimony to Rosen's pacing and skill. If you like hijinks, great queer rep, hopeless friend groups, and characters doing stupid shit that makes you feel like a fucking genius by comparison, then you'll probably enjoy this. If, on the other hand, the much-maligned (by me) Last Picks series pushed up against your "how much 'quirkiness' can I endure before I throw my e-reader against the wall" threshold, then: run, friends, run!!!!
I got an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2026
Rating: 2.5 ⭐️
Thank you to Sourcebooks Audio and Libro.fm for the gifted listening copy.
The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was ultimately a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” This was a goofy, madcap mystery packed with colorful characters, over-the-top situations, and plenty of chaotic energy. The audiobook narrator absolutely committed to the performance, leaning into the fabulousness of the story in a way that made the listening experience genuinely entertaining.
For me, though, the book never quite found the balance I was looking for between the mystery and everything else. The romance and sexual content often took center stage, and I found myself wishing the investigation had been given more room to breathe. As the plot unfolded, I also struggled with some of the leaps in logic and felt there were a few too many plot holes for me to fully buy into what was happening.
The closest comparison I can make is to a Chuck Tingle novel. It shares that same delightfully wacky, anything-can-happen energy, but instead of horror, this is very much a cozy mystery with a dash of romance. If that sounds appealing to you, there’s a good chance you’ll have more fun with this than I did.
While this author’s style ultimately wasn’t a great fit for my reading tastes, I can absolutely see the audience for it. Readers who enjoy campy mysteries, larger-than-life characters, queer found-family vibes, and stories that prioritize fun over realism may have a wonderful time with this one.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Audio and Libro.fm for the gifted listening copy.
The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was ultimately a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” This was a goofy, madcap mystery packed with colorful characters, over-the-top situations, and plenty of chaotic energy. The audiobook narrator absolutely committed to the performance, leaning into the fabulousness of the story in a way that made the listening experience genuinely entertaining.
For me, though, the book never quite found the balance I was looking for between the mystery and everything else. The romance and sexual content often took center stage, and I found myself wishing the investigation had been given more room to breathe. As the plot unfolded, I also struggled with some of the leaps in logic and felt there were a few too many plot holes for me to fully buy into what was happening.
The closest comparison I can make is to a Chuck Tingle novel. It shares that same delightfully wacky, anything-can-happen energy, but instead of horror, this is very much a cozy mystery with a dash of romance. If that sounds appealing to you, there’s a good chance you’ll have more fun with this than I did.
While this author’s style ultimately wasn’t a great fit for my reading tastes, I can absolutely see the audience for it. Readers who enjoy campy mysteries, larger-than-life characters, queer found-family vibes, and stories that prioritize fun over realism may have a wonderful time with this one.
June 6, 2026
A fun, chaotic little gang.
A twisty spin on a a detective team.
Fun and surprises the whole way.
My first read by Lev Rosen, won't be my last. I love the flow and pacing of this book, and the characters are people I would actually love to hang with.
When Brandon meets a handsome stranger while working a hip NYC hotel- sparks fly quickly and a sexy romp ensues.
So how very awkward when his hook up Jon doesn't return his text- MORE AWKWARD??- he then flees a murder scene before their very eyes.
Together with his besties Ollie, Nicole and Ian, they will sort out this mystery and tend to Brandon's broken (and confused) heart.
Thank you to the author and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy, I loved it!
A twisty spin on a a detective team.
Fun and surprises the whole way.
My first read by Lev Rosen, won't be my last. I love the flow and pacing of this book, and the characters are people I would actually love to hang with.
When Brandon meets a handsome stranger while working a hip NYC hotel- sparks fly quickly and a sexy romp ensues.
So how very awkward when his hook up Jon doesn't return his text- MORE AWKWARD??- he then flees a murder scene before their very eyes.
Together with his besties Ollie, Nicole and Ian, they will sort out this mystery and tend to Brandon's broken (and confused) heart.
Thank you to the author and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy, I loved it!
January 11, 2026
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!
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!
June 2, 2026
The title should have been a clue. If the term “disaster gay” irritates you (although normally you hear the term “disaster bisexual”, so, erasure), then this is not the book for you. Furthermore, the title is a misnomer: this book is a pilot episode with no detective agency, even metaphorically, and more than that, it’s a goddamn spy novel. This is a caper novel that triggers so many pitfalls that author Lev AC Rosen spends most of the book digging his way out of them, featuring staggeringly unintelligent decisions on the part of his ensemble, and an approach to story structure that is frequently exhausting.
Hotel concierge Brandon is an inveterate romantic, constantly falling in love with men who don’t feel the same way. When a one night stand with a guest results in an early checkout with the guest’s phone left behind, Brandon goes on the hunt. Helping him on his quest are Ollie, a gummy guzzling dog walker, Nicole, a workaholic lawyer, and Ian, a drag queen and book shop clerk with anger management issues. When, instead of finding the guest, Brandon witnesses a murder, the entire crew is plunged into chaos.
This sort of book depends on several elements to work: brisk storytelling and compelling (or entertaining) characters. Rosen’s chapters are the sort of length that would not matter in a book that was not split into quadrants, but this is not a story that jumps around. As such, you get the group chat between the characters regurgitated every chapter, albeit sometimes with some editorialising from the currently featured player. These play-by-plays of their lives are never interesting and often you have to ask if these characters even like each other. People drift from their college friends all the time, but they replace them with new circles and move on with their lives. Rosen has arrested the quartet’s development not for any real psychological reasons but simply from narrative convenience.
It doesn’t help that most of the novel’s progression is reserved for the Ian chapters, which almost always end on a cliffhanger. For all of the group chats, no one shares important information with each other, choosing instead the “gentle ribbing” banter that gets old fast. Periodically we’re treated to an interstitial for a mysterious unnamed fifth character, but these parts are so poorly integrated that they catch the reader off guard almost every time; there should either be more or fewer of them. For a book that takes place over a relatively short stretch of time, it certainly drags itself out, and never understands that mystery and espionage aren’t quite the same thing.
The insult compounds itself in the later stages, when Rosen is trying to bring things to a head but has hamstrung himself through the choices of having four separate focal characters and making all of them long. When the game night that has been threatened throughout the book is finally staged, we have to read through it four times, with the dialogue reproduced almost in its entirety — very little elision here — and the only points of difference being when the characters finally branch off from one another. At a time when you would most want momentum, the book grinds to a halt.
On top of this, this is the moment that Brandon chooses to snap, but in a way that makes it clear that his mentality is dangerously unstable rather than that his friends — damaged though they all are, in a pseudo-literary fashion — have treated him wrong. What’s supposed to be funny comes off as sad, and to top it off we have to read the exact same meltdown four times. It’s not a cathartic moment, and there’s no release: it’s just the complete realisation of a delusion that up to this point had only been threatened. Of all of the paper thin characters in The Disaster Gay Detective Agency, the nominal prime protagonist proves to be the worst of them all.
By the time we escape that horrible gathering, Rosen shifts for the first time to zippy chapters as if he knows that he’s against the clock if he wants to get the book done within 400 pages. At this eleventh hour The Disaster Gay Detective Agency finally feels like the caper that Rosen wanted it to be. It’s a classic feel that hearkens back to the double, triple, and quadruple crossing plots of countless pseudo-cosies of yore, but it’s too little, too late. And, on top of that, it’s too silly to count.
Rosen’s previous mysteries were all period pieces. The Disaster Gay Detective Agency is painfully au Courant. Maybe that means that it’s for people with a modern sensibility, who enjoy characters who can’t manage to form the semblance of a functioning person between themselves. But if that’s the case, why are they always watching The Nanny? This is a pilot novel; although the plot is resolved, it’s merely setting up a franchise. There are so many choices that were made in the construction of this novel that are the real mystery. This book can’t be recommended in good conscience, even if a quarter (half, if we’re being generous) of its title ends up being true. Not every book needs to be elegant, but most of them shouldn’t be as thrown together as this one.
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by Poisoned Pen Press for review.
Hotel concierge Brandon is an inveterate romantic, constantly falling in love with men who don’t feel the same way. When a one night stand with a guest results in an early checkout with the guest’s phone left behind, Brandon goes on the hunt. Helping him on his quest are Ollie, a gummy guzzling dog walker, Nicole, a workaholic lawyer, and Ian, a drag queen and book shop clerk with anger management issues. When, instead of finding the guest, Brandon witnesses a murder, the entire crew is plunged into chaos.
This sort of book depends on several elements to work: brisk storytelling and compelling (or entertaining) characters. Rosen’s chapters are the sort of length that would not matter in a book that was not split into quadrants, but this is not a story that jumps around. As such, you get the group chat between the characters regurgitated every chapter, albeit sometimes with some editorialising from the currently featured player. These play-by-plays of their lives are never interesting and often you have to ask if these characters even like each other. People drift from their college friends all the time, but they replace them with new circles and move on with their lives. Rosen has arrested the quartet’s development not for any real psychological reasons but simply from narrative convenience.
It doesn’t help that most of the novel’s progression is reserved for the Ian chapters, which almost always end on a cliffhanger. For all of the group chats, no one shares important information with each other, choosing instead the “gentle ribbing” banter that gets old fast. Periodically we’re treated to an interstitial for a mysterious unnamed fifth character, but these parts are so poorly integrated that they catch the reader off guard almost every time; there should either be more or fewer of them. For a book that takes place over a relatively short stretch of time, it certainly drags itself out, and never understands that mystery and espionage aren’t quite the same thing.
The insult compounds itself in the later stages, when Rosen is trying to bring things to a head but has hamstrung himself through the choices of having four separate focal characters and making all of them long. When the game night that has been threatened throughout the book is finally staged, we have to read through it four times, with the dialogue reproduced almost in its entirety — very little elision here — and the only points of difference being when the characters finally branch off from one another. At a time when you would most want momentum, the book grinds to a halt.
On top of this, this is the moment that Brandon chooses to snap, but in a way that makes it clear that his mentality is dangerously unstable rather than that his friends — damaged though they all are, in a pseudo-literary fashion — have treated him wrong. What’s supposed to be funny comes off as sad, and to top it off we have to read the exact same meltdown four times. It’s not a cathartic moment, and there’s no release: it’s just the complete realisation of a delusion that up to this point had only been threatened. Of all of the paper thin characters in The Disaster Gay Detective Agency, the nominal prime protagonist proves to be the worst of them all.
By the time we escape that horrible gathering, Rosen shifts for the first time to zippy chapters as if he knows that he’s against the clock if he wants to get the book done within 400 pages. At this eleventh hour The Disaster Gay Detective Agency finally feels like the caper that Rosen wanted it to be. It’s a classic feel that hearkens back to the double, triple, and quadruple crossing plots of countless pseudo-cosies of yore, but it’s too little, too late. And, on top of that, it’s too silly to count.
Rosen’s previous mysteries were all period pieces. The Disaster Gay Detective Agency is painfully au Courant. Maybe that means that it’s for people with a modern sensibility, who enjoy characters who can’t manage to form the semblance of a functioning person between themselves. But if that’s the case, why are they always watching The Nanny? This is a pilot novel; although the plot is resolved, it’s merely setting up a franchise. There are so many choices that were made in the construction of this novel that are the real mystery. This book can’t be recommended in good conscience, even if a quarter (half, if we’re being generous) of its title ends up being true. Not every book needs to be elegant, but most of them shouldn’t be as thrown together as this one.
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by Poisoned Pen Press for review.
June 7, 2026
This book takes "disaster gays" to a whole new level. The sheer chaos the characters are capable of is both extremely entertaining and beyond frustrating, leaving me wondering if I truly enjoyed this book or if I was watching the mess like it was a reality show I kind of hated but couldn't look away from.
I've been a long-time fan of Lev Rosen's books, and he's proven to have a lot of range when it comes to genre and tone. While I have loved a lot of his books, that inherently means I'm bound to not enjoy everything on the same level. This one is sort of middle-of-the-road for me.
The story immediately drew me in, and I loved the cast of characters. I knew the story was going to be over the top, and I did enjoy that for the most part. It made for a really fun adventure, one that had me laughing a couple of times. Towards the ending things became too ridiculous for me, though.
My actual issue wasn't with that, but with the pacing of the book. When the perspectives changed, and they changed a lot, there would be a lot of overlap in everything that happened, especially in the second half. The repetition became very annoying, because the story kept losing its steam through it.
While this wasn't a true favourite for me, I would still like to read the sequel that the ending hints at - I had enough fun to still feel curious.
I've been a long-time fan of Lev Rosen's books, and he's proven to have a lot of range when it comes to genre and tone. While I have loved a lot of his books, that inherently means I'm bound to not enjoy everything on the same level. This one is sort of middle-of-the-road for me.
The story immediately drew me in, and I loved the cast of characters. I knew the story was going to be over the top, and I did enjoy that for the most part. It made for a really fun adventure, one that had me laughing a couple of times. Towards the ending things became too ridiculous for me, though.
My actual issue wasn't with that, but with the pacing of the book. When the perspectives changed, and they changed a lot, there would be a lot of overlap in everything that happened, especially in the second half. The repetition became very annoying, because the story kept losing its steam through it.
While this wasn't a true favourite for me, I would still like to read the sequel that the ending hints at - I had enough fun to still feel curious.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
June 7, 2026
Quitting at chapter 9. These are the most annoying goddamn people in the world and I cannot stand hearing about what they think for another second. My fault—it says disaster in the title. The author wasn’t kidding. If these were real people, they’d be the worst people you know.
May 28, 2026
The Disaster Gay Detective Agency had all the makings of a book I should have loved: a messy queer friend group, a murder mystery, chaotic amateur sleuthing, and plenty of humor. The premise is easily the strongest part of the book, and I genuinely enjoyed the diversity of the cast and the overall chaotic energy. There were moments where the humor and personality really worked for me, and I could absolutely see why this setup would appeal to readers looking for a quirky, campy mystery.
Unfortunately, the execution never fully came together for me. The biggest issue was the narrative structure, which relies heavily on repeating scenes from multiple POVs. While that style can sometimes add depth or tension, here it mostly made the story feel repetitive and slowed the pacing considerably. I also found it difficult to stay invested in the large ensemble cast because the constant perspective shifts kept interrupting the momentum instead of building it.
Overall, this ended up being a pretty middle of the road read for me. There’s definitely potential here, and I appreciated the representation and unique concept, but the writing style ultimately made it hard for me to stay engaged. A fun idea with some entertaining moments, but one that never fully delivered on its promise for me personally.
June 7, 2026
It's possible that I might've liked this book slightly better had I been more in the mood for it, but I doubt it would've been by much. Would not recommend.
From the title of the book, I assume that the friend group portrayed in this book is supposed to be "disaster gays," but they were a hot mess in a way that was not only unlikeable, but which felt like stereotypical gay characters from sitcoms and TV shows from the early 00s.
The mystery plot is ridiculous, except it doesn't manage to be funny enough to dismiss as intentional hijinks.
Instead of working to provide additional clues or perspective, writing events from each of the characters' viewpoints makes the book incredibly redundant to the point that sections feel copy/pasted 3-4 times.
From the title of the book, I assume that the friend group portrayed in this book is supposed to be "disaster gays," but they were a hot mess in a way that was not only unlikeable, but which felt like stereotypical gay characters from sitcoms and TV shows from the early 00s.
The mystery plot is ridiculous, except it doesn't manage to be funny enough to dismiss as intentional hijinks.
Instead of working to provide additional clues or perspective, writing events from each of the characters' viewpoints makes the book incredibly redundant to the point that sections feel copy/pasted 3-4 times.
June 5, 2026
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was very cute! Not quite YA, but not fully Adult either, the book mostly seems interested in being cute and funny. It's over the top, but not too silly--the plot is goofy, but the characters are grounded enough to avoid turning the whole thing into a parody, which I appreciated! Its greatest strength was undoubtedly its characters and their dynamics.
So on the one hand, the 4 POVs (and a half-ish!) were an amazing opportunity to develop everyone fairly equally. And while the cast can feel like a bit of a representation bingo at first sight (gay hopeless romantic Jew, nonbinary Korean-American drag queen, transmasc Mexican-American hippie, Black lesbian workaholic), everyone from the main cast ends up feeling really endearing.
My biggest gripe is that some exchanges/scenes are repeated over and over again, across multiple POVs. While I can see the author made efforts to avoid redundancy, reading the same dialogue two, three, four(!) times just isn't very sexy. It becomes frustrating, even, when those repeated scenes don't match from one chapter to the next This issue peaks during the climax, where the drama reaches an all-time high and had me on the edge of my seat! Only for that excitement to deflate like a soufflé when I realized what I was in for. Despite the author's attempts (to have fun with the new perspectives, play around with details, etc.), the characters' inner voices weren't distinct enough to make reading the same information over and over again entertaining. So in the end, this section turned out to be very tedious.
That said, that high tension reached really high! I was thoroughly engaged in the characters and their well-beings. The mystery was interesting throughout, and even if I did not get everything I wanted , I can only see great potential for possible sequels. I'd honestly be very happy to spend more time with the messy gay detectives. Overall, this book was such a good time, I really enjoyed it!
I thought The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was very cute! Not quite YA, but not fully Adult either, the book mostly seems interested in being cute and funny. It's over the top, but not too silly--the plot is goofy, but the characters are grounded enough to avoid turning the whole thing into a parody, which I appreciated! Its greatest strength was undoubtedly its characters and their dynamics.
So on the one hand, the 4 POVs (and a half-ish!) were an amazing opportunity to develop everyone fairly equally. And while the cast can feel like a bit of a representation bingo at first sight (gay hopeless romantic Jew, nonbinary Korean-American drag queen, transmasc Mexican-American hippie, Black lesbian workaholic), everyone from the main cast ends up feeling really endearing.
My biggest gripe is that some exchanges/scenes are repeated over and over again, across multiple POVs. While I can see the author made efforts to avoid redundancy, reading the same dialogue two, three, four(!) times just isn't very sexy. It becomes frustrating, even, when those repeated scenes don't match from one chapter to the next This issue peaks during the climax, where the drama reaches an all-time high and had me on the edge of my seat! Only for that excitement to deflate like a soufflé when I realized what I was in for. Despite the author's attempts (to have fun with the new perspectives, play around with details, etc.), the characters' inner voices weren't distinct enough to make reading the same information over and over again entertaining. So in the end, this section turned out to be very tedious.
That said, that high tension reached really high! I was thoroughly engaged in the characters and their well-beings. The mystery was interesting throughout, and even if I did not get everything I wanted , I can only see great potential for possible sequels. I'd honestly be very happy to spend more time with the messy gay detectives. Overall, this book was such a good time, I really enjoyed it!
Read
June 3, 2026This is a book for people who love the Knives out movies, completely ridiculous over the top plot and characters- but just too over the top ridiculous for me.
The beginning of this had me hooked, Brandon who’s working in a hotel having a steamy night with a guest who then just seems to disappear somehow. The beginning of a mystery, a chase and exposing crimes.
To be honest the more I read the less I was interested because while I loved all the characters and how diverse this cast was, it just were too many POVs that told the exact same situation over and over again. Especially the last few chapters were so repetitive I kept skipping huge parts of them.
The story got more and more ridiculous (especially Brandon) and the characters became too stereotypical for me too.
If you’re into a comedic murder mystery - 100% the book for you, just too much for my taste.
The beginning of this had me hooked, Brandon who’s working in a hotel having a steamy night with a guest who then just seems to disappear somehow. The beginning of a mystery, a chase and exposing crimes.
To be honest the more I read the less I was interested because while I loved all the characters and how diverse this cast was, it just were too many POVs that told the exact same situation over and over again. Especially the last few chapters were so repetitive I kept skipping huge parts of them.
The story got more and more ridiculous (especially Brandon) and the characters became too stereotypical for me too.
If you’re into a comedic murder mystery - 100% the book for you, just too much for my taste.
May 13, 2026
Disaster Gay Detective Agency is a contemporary queer mystery about a group of friends who find themselves way over their heads. After Brandon sleeps with a guest staying at the hotel where he works, he becomes convinced he’s found true love this time. So when the man suddenly disappears and leaves his phone behind, Brandon is determined to have his Cinderella moment by returning it. Unfortunately, after tracking him down, Brandon and his friends witness a murder and Brandon’s mystery man fleeing the scene. Now being followed by another mysterious tattooed stranger, the group must figure out what’s really going on before they end up becoming targets themselves.
This book is unfortunately pretty messy in both structure and characterization. I know Rosen can write because I’ve read and loved several of his previous books, but this one felt like it needed more work. One glaring issue was the repeated scenes from multiple POVs. Revisiting the same event from different perspectives can work when each viewpoint adds new emotional context or reveals new information, but here many of the scenes felt too identical to warrant the repetition. Reading essentially the same scenes four times in a row quickly became repetitive rather than insightful, and it slowed the pacing considerably.
There are also a few strange interludes inserted throughout the novel that felt completely out of place at first. I initially assumed they were excerpts from some noir mystery book one of the characters (who works at a bookstore) was reading, but that turned out not to be the case. They eventually do connect to the larger story, but it took me nearly half the book to understand their purpose, which made those sections feel more confusing than intriguing.
That said, I did appreciate the diversity within the cast. Brandon is a hopelessly romantic gay Jewish man and the primary instigator, Ian is a sharp-tongued nonbinary Korean American drag queen obsessed with his ex, Ollie is a trans man working as a dog walker and housesitter to the wealthy who becomes the group’s main investigator, and Nicole is the exhausted, workaholic Black lesbian lawyer trying to keep everyone grounded. Their personalities created some genuinely funny moments, and the banter occasionally made me laugh out loud.
At the same time, though, the group dynamic didn’t entirely work for me. While the characters clearly cared about each other deep down, they often came across as strangely hostile friends. There were a lot of mean-spirited comments, dismissive attitudes, and constant irritation directed at one another that made their relationships harder to buy emotionally. Still, when things truly mattered, I never doubted they would show up for each other, which helped redeem some of the messier interactions.
Unfortunately, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency didn’t work nearly as well for me as the author’s previous books.
*Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC via NetGalley
This book is unfortunately pretty messy in both structure and characterization. I know Rosen can write because I’ve read and loved several of his previous books, but this one felt like it needed more work. One glaring issue was the repeated scenes from multiple POVs. Revisiting the same event from different perspectives can work when each viewpoint adds new emotional context or reveals new information, but here many of the scenes felt too identical to warrant the repetition. Reading essentially the same scenes four times in a row quickly became repetitive rather than insightful, and it slowed the pacing considerably.
There are also a few strange interludes inserted throughout the novel that felt completely out of place at first. I initially assumed they were excerpts from some noir mystery book one of the characters (who works at a bookstore) was reading, but that turned out not to be the case. They eventually do connect to the larger story, but it took me nearly half the book to understand their purpose, which made those sections feel more confusing than intriguing.
That said, I did appreciate the diversity within the cast. Brandon is a hopelessly romantic gay Jewish man and the primary instigator, Ian is a sharp-tongued nonbinary Korean American drag queen obsessed with his ex, Ollie is a trans man working as a dog walker and housesitter to the wealthy who becomes the group’s main investigator, and Nicole is the exhausted, workaholic Black lesbian lawyer trying to keep everyone grounded. Their personalities created some genuinely funny moments, and the banter occasionally made me laugh out loud.
At the same time, though, the group dynamic didn’t entirely work for me. While the characters clearly cared about each other deep down, they often came across as strangely hostile friends. There were a lot of mean-spirited comments, dismissive attitudes, and constant irritation directed at one another that made their relationships harder to buy emotionally. Still, when things truly mattered, I never doubted they would show up for each other, which helped redeem some of the messier interactions.
Unfortunately, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency didn’t work nearly as well for me as the author’s previous books.
*Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC via NetGalley
June 4, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the Evander Mills series by the same author, so when I requested The Disaster Gay Detective Agency, I was sure it would be a slam dunk. No one is more surprised than I am that my experience with it was almost the exact opposite.
Meet Brandon, Ollie, Nicole, and Ian: a group of college friends who find themselves caught up in an espionage plot after one of them makes a more-than-questionable decision. The plot is extremely outlandish, and you’ll need to suspend your disbelief in a big way. But I could have overlooked all of that if it weren’t for the characters.
We get a POV from each of them, with the occasional fifth perspective thrown into the mix, and I can’t say I liked any of them. They range from mildly irritating (Nicole and Ollie) to downright insufferable (Brandon and Ian). With a few exceptions—mainly Nicole—they’re all childish, immature, and behave in ways that feel completely at odds with everything happening around them. Worst of all, they weren’t even funny.
My other main issue was the pacing. Having four different POVs makes the narrative feel uneven and, at times, repetitive. This becomes especially apparent during the final third of the book, when we have to read the same scene (and quite a long one at that) across four different chapters. If I’d had to read about that game night one more time, I might have thrown my Kindle against the wall.
The mystery element is also fairly predictable and not particularly well developed. To make matters worse, the story ends without providing answers to what felt like one of its central plot points.
Maybe my expectations were simply too high because of how much I enjoyed the author’s previous books, but sadly, this one was a major miss for me.
I loved the Evander Mills series by the same author, so when I requested The Disaster Gay Detective Agency, I was sure it would be a slam dunk. No one is more surprised than I am that my experience with it was almost the exact opposite.
Meet Brandon, Ollie, Nicole, and Ian: a group of college friends who find themselves caught up in an espionage plot after one of them makes a more-than-questionable decision. The plot is extremely outlandish, and you’ll need to suspend your disbelief in a big way. But I could have overlooked all of that if it weren’t for the characters.
We get a POV from each of them, with the occasional fifth perspective thrown into the mix, and I can’t say I liked any of them. They range from mildly irritating (Nicole and Ollie) to downright insufferable (Brandon and Ian). With a few exceptions—mainly Nicole—they’re all childish, immature, and behave in ways that feel completely at odds with everything happening around them. Worst of all, they weren’t even funny.
My other main issue was the pacing. Having four different POVs makes the narrative feel uneven and, at times, repetitive. This becomes especially apparent during the final third of the book, when we have to read the same scene (and quite a long one at that) across four different chapters. If I’d had to read about that game night one more time, I might have thrown my Kindle against the wall.
The mystery element is also fairly predictable and not particularly well developed. To make matters worse, the story ends without providing answers to what felt like one of its central plot points.
Maybe my expectations were simply too high because of how much I enjoyed the author’s previous books, but sadly, this one was a major miss for me.
June 8, 2026
Thank you so much, Sourcebooks Audio, for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.
This one was hard for me to rate. I have conflicting emotions.
On one hand, I enjoyed the pacing and the story as a whole. I thought the premise was really fun. However, I found myself very annoyed along the way, mostly at Brendon. His ridiculous, repetitive, obsessive behavior was unhinged, and not in a good way. I swear , If I hear "prince charming" and "glass slipper" one more time...
Also, the format of telling each of the scenes four times from each of their perspectives, was quite cumbersome and I found myself fast forwarding through a lot of them. It really felt unnecessary that we hear the exact same reaction/ response/quote four times. I feel like the book could have been cut in half without hurting the integrity of the actual story.
The audio production was great. The narration gave each of the gang a very unique voice and there was no question who was talking. It was also fun to listen to the chapters told by John/Connor as they were narrated in a very different style. I did love the ending and felt like the last chapter was satisfying.
Overall, I would say 3.5 stars. In the grand scheme of things, it was more annoying than interesting.
This one was hard for me to rate. I have conflicting emotions.
On one hand, I enjoyed the pacing and the story as a whole. I thought the premise was really fun. However, I found myself very annoyed along the way, mostly at Brendon. His ridiculous, repetitive, obsessive behavior was unhinged, and not in a good way. I swear , If I hear "prince charming" and "glass slipper" one more time...
Also, the format of telling each of the scenes four times from each of their perspectives, was quite cumbersome and I found myself fast forwarding through a lot of them. It really felt unnecessary that we hear the exact same reaction/ response/quote four times. I feel like the book could have been cut in half without hurting the integrity of the actual story.
The audio production was great. The narration gave each of the gang a very unique voice and there was no question who was talking. It was also fun to listen to the chapters told by John/Connor as they were narrated in a very different style. I did love the ending and felt like the last chapter was satisfying.
Overall, I would say 3.5 stars. In the grand scheme of things, it was more annoying than interesting.
June 3, 2026
4.5 stars
If you are looking for a unique, fun mystery, then this is the book for you. I love Rosen's Evander Mills historical series, so I was eager to read this book. The tone and the characters are much different in this contemporary humorous mystery, but the writing is again excellent.This book is about a diverse group of queer friends, who remain close after going to college together, but don't yet have their lives figured out yet. Ian is a bookstore worker and drag queen, Nicole is an overworked attorney, Ollie is a dog walker and house sitter grieving his father, and Brandon is a hotel concierge who is always looking for his Prince Charming.
The book begins with Brandon falling for a gorgeous hotel guest, risking his job to be with him. When the man disappears, Brandon tries to find him, setting off a series of events which put him and his friends in danger. The narration alternates between each of the friends with hilarious group chats mixed in which adds to the fun and helps the reader get to know each character even better. The characters and the plot are quirky, complicated, and fun. The ending is unexpected and has me eager for a sequel!
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
If you are looking for a unique, fun mystery, then this is the book for you. I love Rosen's Evander Mills historical series, so I was eager to read this book. The tone and the characters are much different in this contemporary humorous mystery, but the writing is again excellent.This book is about a diverse group of queer friends, who remain close after going to college together, but don't yet have their lives figured out yet. Ian is a bookstore worker and drag queen, Nicole is an overworked attorney, Ollie is a dog walker and house sitter grieving his father, and Brandon is a hotel concierge who is always looking for his Prince Charming.
The book begins with Brandon falling for a gorgeous hotel guest, risking his job to be with him. When the man disappears, Brandon tries to find him, setting off a series of events which put him and his friends in danger. The narration alternates between each of the friends with hilarious group chats mixed in which adds to the fun and helps the reader get to know each character even better. The characters and the plot are quirky, complicated, and fun. The ending is unexpected and has me eager for a sequel!
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
Read
June 4, 2026There was a lot to love here: the emphasis on friendship, the shenanigans, the dogs! And even the weirdly soft bad guys. Overall I had a really good time!
But the repeating scenes from different characters' POVs was a big detractor. At first it was just annoying but in the last bit it genuinely took away from the tension and made me so frustrated. I understand what the point of this structure is but it didn't land well enough to be worth the distraction it caused.
Still a solid read!
But the repeating scenes from different characters' POVs was a big detractor. At first it was just annoying but in the last bit it genuinely took away from the tension and made me so frustrated. I understand what the point of this structure is but it didn't land well enough to be worth the distraction it caused.
Still a solid read!
May 27, 2026
*3.5 stars
I had very high hopes for this, as I'm a big fan of Rosen's works. However, this fell a bit flat for me. Getting the perspective of each character was a good way to get to know them, but it was really annoying to get the same time-frames from each perspective, especially when they are all together and things get repetitive. Sure, you get a little more insight to that character's feelings about that moment, but I don't think we needed EVERY perspective each time. Overall, it's got Rosen's signature humor and wit and (mostly) likable characters, but I didn't fall in love with the gang like I'd hoped (although I do really love the love interest who helps them carry out their plot...icon. It seems like the end sets this up for a possible sequel, and I think if it did well enough, we would get one, but looking at other reviews...it's unlikely, and I'm honestly okay with that. Will absolutely pick up more from Rosen though!
I had very high hopes for this, as I'm a big fan of Rosen's works. However, this fell a bit flat for me. Getting the perspective of each character was a good way to get to know them, but it was really annoying to get the same time-frames from each perspective, especially when they are all together and things get repetitive. Sure, you get a little more insight to that character's feelings about that moment, but I don't think we needed EVERY perspective each time. Overall, it's got Rosen's signature humor and wit and (mostly) likable characters, but I didn't fall in love with the gang like I'd hoped (although I do really love the love interest who helps them carry out their plot...icon. It seems like the end sets this up for a possible sequel, and I think if it did well enough, we would get one, but looking at other reviews...it's unlikely, and I'm honestly okay with that. Will absolutely pick up more from Rosen though!
June 10, 2026
Maybe I'm the wrong audience for this book, but it seemed to be a lot more about vibes and shenanigans than any real substance - the friendships that supposedly tie this group together are just so passive aggressive and toxic, the mystery and resolution were underwhelming, and overall, it was just meh.
June 6, 2026
I’m a big fan of this author’s EVANDER MILLS series and was excited to see what he would do with a contemporary story. Unfortunately, I didn’t love it. The silly characters weren’t so bad, but the structure of the book was maddening—and it would have been easy to fix. Multiple text conversations and entire scenes are repetitively offered from multiple POVs without there being any additional information gained, so forcing the reader to take in the exact same information four times to no apparent purpose. The book could have probably been 40% shorter without these duplicated scenes.
There’s a setup for a sequel but I really hope the author doesn’t repeat the story structure.
There’s a setup for a sequel but I really hope the author doesn’t repeat the story structure.
June 8, 2026
3.5**
I liked our characters and their need for chaos. However the writing style got repetitive. With all the characters getting their own POV sometimes the same event would be seen four times. It really slowed the pacing down.
The mystery of it was fun, so was the ending.
I liked our characters and their need for chaos. However the writing style got repetitive. With all the characters getting their own POV sometimes the same event would be seen four times. It really slowed the pacing down.
The mystery of it was fun, so was the ending.
June 12, 2026
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Poison Pens Press.
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.
Unfortunately, this book felt quite messy in both its structure and characterization. I did appreciate the diversity within the cast. Brandon is a hopeless romantic gay Jewish man and the main instigator of the group; Ian is a sharp-tongued nonbinary Korean American drag queen who is still hung up on their ex; Ollie is a trans man working as a dog walker and housesitter for wealthy clients who ends up becoming the group’s main investigator; and Nicole is an overworked Black lesbian lawyer trying her best to keep everyone grounded.
Their personalities led to some genuinely funny moments, but the group dynamic did not fully work for me. Even though it was clear that these characters cared about each other deep down, their friendships often came across as oddly hostile. I also found the format of retelling each scene four separate times from each character’s perspective to be very cumbersome. It felt unnecessary, and I found myself skimming through many of those repeated sections.
The story also relied too heavily on characters simply explaining things rather than actually showing them investigating. That being said, I did appreciate the queer representation and the diverse cast of characters. I would still be open to giving Rosen’s other books a chance, but this one simply did not resonate with me.
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.
Unfortunately, this book felt quite messy in both its structure and characterization. I did appreciate the diversity within the cast. Brandon is a hopeless romantic gay Jewish man and the main instigator of the group; Ian is a sharp-tongued nonbinary Korean American drag queen who is still hung up on their ex; Ollie is a trans man working as a dog walker and housesitter for wealthy clients who ends up becoming the group’s main investigator; and Nicole is an overworked Black lesbian lawyer trying her best to keep everyone grounded.
Their personalities led to some genuinely funny moments, but the group dynamic did not fully work for me. Even though it was clear that these characters cared about each other deep down, their friendships often came across as oddly hostile. I also found the format of retelling each scene four separate times from each character’s perspective to be very cumbersome. It felt unnecessary, and I found myself skimming through many of those repeated sections.
The story also relied too heavily on characters simply explaining things rather than actually showing them investigating. That being said, I did appreciate the queer representation and the diverse cast of characters. I would still be open to giving Rosen’s other books a chance, but this one simply did not resonate with me.
June 4, 2026
Thank you to Sourcebooks Audio for the gifted audiobook copy of The Disaster Gay Detective Agency by Lev AC Rosen
This was such a fun, entertaining mystery that had me hooked from the very beginning. The author delivers a quirky, chaotic, and thoroughly enjoyable story filled with a cast of queer misfits that I couldn't help but root for, even when they were making me want to scream at them! The mystery itself kept me engaged throughout, balancing intrigue, humor, and moments that made it incredibly easy to keep listening.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the found family dynamic among the characters. They were messy, flawed, and often completely disastrous, but that's exactly what made them feel so real and likeable. Their interactions brought so much personality to the story. The humor felt natural and added a lighthearted charm that complemented the mystery perfectly.
That said, there were definitely a few characters whose choices irked the life out of me. More than once I found myself frustrated by decisions that felt avoidable or unnecessarily complicated. However, even those moments contributed to the overall experience, as the characters' imperfections made them feel authentic.
The audiobook format was especially enjoyable, helping bring the larger than life personalities and witty dialogue to life. The pacing kept things moving, and I found myself eager to see how both the investigation and the characters' personal journeys would unfold.
Overall, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was a delightful blend of mystery, humor, and queer found family chaos. While some character choices tested my patience, the entertaining cast, hilarious moments, and engaging mystery more than made up for it.
*Fav Character: Ian
*Fav Quote: “We saw someone’s peach get blasted!”
*Fav Scene: The Peach Blasting. The Blue Dot. IYKYK
This was such a fun, entertaining mystery that had me hooked from the very beginning. The author delivers a quirky, chaotic, and thoroughly enjoyable story filled with a cast of queer misfits that I couldn't help but root for, even when they were making me want to scream at them! The mystery itself kept me engaged throughout, balancing intrigue, humor, and moments that made it incredibly easy to keep listening.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the found family dynamic among the characters. They were messy, flawed, and often completely disastrous, but that's exactly what made them feel so real and likeable. Their interactions brought so much personality to the story. The humor felt natural and added a lighthearted charm that complemented the mystery perfectly.
That said, there were definitely a few characters whose choices irked the life out of me. More than once I found myself frustrated by decisions that felt avoidable or unnecessarily complicated. However, even those moments contributed to the overall experience, as the characters' imperfections made them feel authentic.
The audiobook format was especially enjoyable, helping bring the larger than life personalities and witty dialogue to life. The pacing kept things moving, and I found myself eager to see how both the investigation and the characters' personal journeys would unfold.
Overall, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency was a delightful blend of mystery, humor, and queer found family chaos. While some character choices tested my patience, the entertaining cast, hilarious moments, and engaging mystery more than made up for it.
*Fav Character: Ian
*Fav Quote: “We saw someone’s peach get blasted!”
*Fav Scene: The Peach Blasting. The Blue Dot. IYKYK
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