Compelling

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samjey Avatar

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I picked this up and couldn't put it down until I had reached the conclusion.

This isn't my usual preferred genre, but I read someone describe Lavender House as a queer Knives Out, and I knew I needed to read it. The author really captured the 50s noir feel of some of the classic detective stories, which i really wasnt expecting but ultimately enjoyed. It drew me in right from the first paragraph.

The story was good, not a lot of twists and thorns, mostly a whodunit. It was the characters that really made the book. Every single one was interesting and complex (not always likeable, but ultimately - mostly - loveable).

I had a great time reading this mystery, and when the final twist was revealed, I literally gasped out loud. Good stuff.

Because this book centers queer characters in 1950s America, there are several slurs, fairly intense scenes of violence directed at LGBTQ people, and just a general casual air of bigotry and trauma that can be very uncomfortable and should be known about prior to reading.