Lavender House by Lev Ac Rosen

Summary:

Set in 1952, Lavender House is home to recently deceased Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap company. The house is also a safe space where its residents don’t need to hide who they are. However, this means they have to be careful who they let in. Evander Mills just got fired from the San Francisco police for being caught in a gay bar. Understanding the situation Andy is now in, Irene’s widow seizes the opportunity to hire him to investigate Irene’s death. Drawn in by the prospects of a new job, a new case, and possible a new way of living, Andy finds himself staying at Lavender House uncovering, not just a possible murder, but also secrets, money, jealousy, and family drama.

My Thoughts:

I was having trouble getting into this audiobook but then I realized I hadn’t changed the speed the way I usually do when listening to books. Once I found my speed, I loved it! 

It’s the perfect murder mystery with an LQBTQ+ twist and it’s the first novel I’ve read that I think fits the genre of noir fiction. 

The story is not fast paced but it’s interesting all the way through. The whole idea of Lavender House is unique and I could picture it so clearly.

There are some scenes that could be triggering and some content warnings for this book. Some of the violence and choice language were hard to hear but it stayed true to what the book was about.

The were parts of the ending that were predictable and others that were not so much. Overall, I think the book was a genuinely good read!