Set in 1952 San Francisco, Lavender House is a very atmospheric 'locked room' mystery featuring a queer found family.
Lavender House is the grand and secluded home of Irene Lamontaine, matriarch of the famous soap company that bears her name. It's not only the lab where she creates new soap formulations, it's also the only place where she can be her true self with her wife Pearl and other members of their LGBTQIA family. When Irene suddenly dies, Pearl seeks out Evander Mills to investigate. It's safe to invite him into their secret life because he's a (former) police officer who was recently outed during a gay club raid. Jobless and homeless, Mills signs on and is amazed at the freedoms available within Lavender House, something he yearns for in his personal life.
After it's determined Irene was murdered and external parties are cleared, Mills investigates members of the household and discovers all sorts of secrets. Did someone within Irene's carefully assembled inner circle have the motivation and means to end her life?
While many readers compare this novel to the film Knives Out, I didn't make that connection. For me, this was less about the mystery and more of a commentary about American society's history of hostility toward queer people, specifically in a place that's important to LGBTQIA rights and activism. It bothered me that Mills was quick to flirt/kiss/have sex with every gay male character in the story, making him one-dimensional and reinforcing a negative/outdated stereotype.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Vikas Adam whose narration was spot-on to set the tone for the novel. Thank you to Forge Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the review copies of this unique historical mystery.
Lavender House is the grand and secluded home of Irene Lamontaine, matriarch of the famous soap company that bears her name. It's not only the lab where she creates new soap formulations, it's also the only place where she can be her true self with her wife Pearl and other members of their LGBTQIA family. When Irene suddenly dies, Pearl seeks out Evander Mills to investigate. It's safe to invite him into their secret life because he's a (former) police officer who was recently outed during a gay club raid. Jobless and homeless, Mills signs on and is amazed at the freedoms available within Lavender House, something he yearns for in his personal life.
After it's determined Irene was murdered and external parties are cleared, Mills investigates members of the household and discovers all sorts of secrets. Did someone within Irene's carefully assembled inner circle have the motivation and means to end her life?
While many readers compare this novel to the film Knives Out, I didn't make that connection. For me, this was less about the mystery and more of a commentary about American society's history of hostility toward queer people, specifically in a place that's important to LGBTQIA rights and activism. It bothered me that Mills was quick to flirt/kiss/have sex with every gay male character in the story, making him one-dimensional and reinforcing a negative/outdated stereotype.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Vikas Adam whose narration was spot-on to set the tone for the novel. Thank you to Forge Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the review copies of this unique historical mystery.
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