The Disaster Gay Detective Agency

 

This is what happens when a hopeless romantic refuses to take the hint.

Brandon works the night shift at a hotel and falls in love at the drop of a hat, so when a handsome guest named Jon invites him up, he ignores every warning from his friends and goes for it. They hook up, Jon promises to text, Jon ghosts. Classic. But when Jon checks out early and leaves his phone behind, Brandon sets out to return it and find his happy ending, and instead witnesses a murder, with Jon fleeing the scene.

This one is all about the characters, and that’s exactly why it works. Brandon just wants to be loved and keeps dragging everyone into trouble chasing it. Ian is so over romance that stalking their ex and keying his car has become a hobby. Nicole is a workaholic lawyer who’s put her whole life on pause until she makes partner. And Ollie is floating through grief over his dad with the help of some edibles and his dog-walking gigs, just wishing the group still had time for each other.

The full-cast narration is fantastic. Four narrators meant the alternating POV chapters each got their own distinct voice, which gave the whole thing extra pop. It’s fast, it’s funny, it’s occasionally sweet, and it never pretends to be more than a good time. If you love a found-family mess, a queer mystery with real laughs, and a thriller that comes with a side of chaotic friendship, this is your pick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to Sourcebooks Audio for the gifted listen. The Disaster Gay Detective Agency by Lev AC Rosen is out now.

If you enjoyed this review, you might be interested in The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick.

About the Author

Bestselling author Lev AC Rosen writes books for all ages, including the Evander Mills series, which began with the Macavity Award-winning Lavender House and continues with The Bell in the Fog and Rough Pages. His most recent young adult novels are Emmett, Lion’s Legacy, and Camp. Rosen’s books have been nominated for Anthony and Lambda Awards and have been selected for best-of lists from the Today show, Amazon, Library Journal, Buzzfeed, Autostraddle, Forbes, and many others. He lives in NYC with his husband and a very small cat.

For more news and information about Lev's books, visit his website and follow Lev on Instagram.