The Disaster Gay Detective Agency by Lev AC Rosen

The Disaster Gay Detective Agency (try saying that three times fast) is a crime novel drenched in LGBTQ+ representation and I am psyched. The four main characters are a black lesbian, a non binary character, a trans man and a twink. The whole book absolutely lives up to the title and is a riot, start to finish.

The story starts with Brandon, a hopeless romantic working in a hotel, who hooks up with a guest and is ridiculed by his friend group. So far, so normal. The mystery deepens when said guest leaves early, without his belongings including his phone and the number on file calls someone suspicious. A different guy turns up claiming to be him, collects the backpack and Brandon decides to hold onto the phone. He enlists the help of his friends, claiming his one night stand was a special connection and thinks it will be romantic (and not at all stalkery) to turn up and return the phone directly.

What follows is a string of bad decisions by all four friends, told from their point of view in turn. It’s funny, fast paced and intriguing. Re-reading the same text messages does get a little old but realising what’s happening from a different perspective really works so I’ll forgive it.

The real selling point of this book is how you somehow care about every single character in the book. From a toddler who visits the queer bookshop, to the girl at the coffee shop and even the ‘bad guy’ who shoots people for a living, in a short amount of time the reader is drawn into their world and hopes they succeed in life. That’s a real talent.

I want the love lives of our main four to be less complicated. I’m deeply suspicious of random, innocent side characters for no reason other than protective instinct. I didn’t know how it would end but I wished deeply for it to be happy. I want Brandon to find true love. I want Nicole to hook up with the coffee girl and find a less stressful job. I want Ian to move on from his ex. I want Ollie to find purpose. This is such good writing and I am here for it.

Basically, the book is a hilarious, hot mess from start to finish. It ends perfectly, lining up a second book without robbing the reader of a satisfactory resolution. I hope to have the privilege of reviewing the second one. Heck, I hope to review a whole series. This book was fantastic in a spirit soothing and compassionate way. No notes.

Written By: ivetafox
Favourite Game – Long Live the Queen || Favourite Film – Sweeney Todd || Favourite Book – Wuthering Heights
About: Ivy is a disabled, autistic writer from the UK, passionate about inclusive gaming. When not reviewing, she can be found writing short stories and micro fiction or reading the latest gothic novel.
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