Thrilled to read another mystery following private investigator Andy Mills! The second in the series finds Mills diligently investigating a blackmail scandal against the backdrop of the Lavender Scare. There’s an eclectic and interesting cast of characters, broken hearts, and romantic tension. All the good things!
The very best part of this series is the queer history that provides such meaningful context for the plot. The Lavender Scare isn’t talked about as often as it should be, and I learned so much from Rosen’s deep and sensitive exploration of how this period in time impacted the LGBTQ+ community.
Parts of the plot are predictable, especially for an avid mystery reader, and I think the characters that Mills is trying to protect with his investigation are relatively ‘meh.’ The family in the first book are far more interesting and engaging, especially the dynamic between them all. That being said, the character of Lee, a performer from the bar that Mills works out of, is so well written and charming that I wish they were a real person.
I’m looking forward to another visit to Andy Mills in the future even though this one didn’t land quite as well as the first.
The very best part of this series is the queer history that provides such meaningful context for the plot. The Lavender Scare isn’t talked about as often as it should be, and I learned so much from Rosen’s deep and sensitive exploration of how this period in time impacted the LGBTQ+ community.
Parts of the plot are predictable, especially for an avid mystery reader, and I think the characters that Mills is trying to protect with his investigation are relatively ‘meh.’ The family in the first book are far more interesting and engaging, especially the dynamic between them all. That being said, the character of Lee, a performer from the bar that Mills works out of, is so well written and charming that I wish they were a real person.
I’m looking forward to another visit to Andy Mills in the future even though this one didn’t land quite as well as the first.