The first in the Andy Mills’s series, Lavender House is perfect for fans of a historical fiction smoky detective story with grit, but also featuring a queer main character. So many of the stories do not touch upon the homophobia and queerphobia within these shadowy detective stories. Lavender House does not shy away from a community whose very existence is ‘criminal’. What that means for them in their lives – the secrecy and hiding – but also what kind of justice they can even obtain.
We all deserve a place without secrets, where we can be open, the moments of happiness playing out on our faces. Lavender House not only highlights the fragility and danger of their existences, but also the moments of love and community they find. In and of itself, this is a mystery story with swirling motivations, heartbreaking discrimination, and care. It’s one of the few ‘whodunnit’ where I thought, “do I even want to find out who is guilty” because of this family that has been created in Lavender House. But the pay off and mystery is worth it!
We all deserve a place without secrets, where we can be open, the moments of happiness playing out on our faces. Lavender House not only highlights the fragility and danger of their existences, but also the moments of love and community they find. In and of itself, this is a mystery story with swirling motivations, heartbreaking discrimination, and care. It’s one of the few ‘whodunnit’ where I thought, “do I even want to find out who is guilty” because of this family that has been created in Lavender House. But the pay off and mystery is worth it!