goolaina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
krisalexcole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Outing, and Grief
Moderate: Police brutality, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Gun violence, Sexual content, Child abuse, Animal death, Infidelity, and Vomit
andloveistoolong's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Outing, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Confinement, Child abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, Animal death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Medical content, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Addiction, and Suicide
jitterbun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The book also does explore the benefits and hardships of living a secret double life. Lavender House serves as both a sanctuary and a prison to its residents, and best intentions often wind up manifesting into hurtful actions.
Many people call this book a 'queer Knives Out" and would agree with that assessment. The characters' flaws make them fun to watch and there are a lot of fun elements in their interactions.
Graphic: Police brutality, Homophobia, and Hate crime
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Murder
monnibo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Outing, Death, Murder, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Hate crime
Minor: Death of parent and Death
genny's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The reveal wasn't surprising...at all. It made sense, but it was a little anticlimactic. The book feels a tad too short; it needed more of the sinister scenes
Spoiler
, like Andy discovering the rat in the soapGraphic: Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Police brutality
Moderate: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Confinement and Sexual content
kharlan3's review against another edition
Graphic: Abandonment, Police brutality, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, Murder, Confinement, Suicide, and Hate crime
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Minor: War, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual content
This is a creepy murder mystery with tons of period accurate homophobia. Also,Spoiler
rodents, poison, shaming of sex work, and attempts at gay conversionforeverinastory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow loved this!! What a book.
Lavender House is a 1950’s murder mystery. Evander Mills has been recently outed and forced to leave his job as a detective. Andy is struggling with his new reality. When he’s approached by Pearl who has a job for him, he begrudgingly accepts. Then he arrives at the estate, Lavender House, and he’s shocked to see queer people living authentically. As Andy continues to investigate, Lavender House changes his mind about many things, but will he catch the killer before he can open himself up to a new idea of life?
I loved this book!! I need it to be a series because I am so ready to jump in with Andy as he investigates crimes for queer victims. This book was incredibly gripping and while I didn’t always agree with Andy, I found his motives believable and poignant. Also who could I not love Andy, we share a name 😌. I listened to the audiobook through Libro FM and I cannot recommend the narrator enough. Vikas Adam also narrated parts of The Charm Offensive and A Dark & Hollow Star and is now officially on my favorite narrator list! Overall, I loved seeing this mystery unravel and I would highly recommend it!
Graphic: Police brutality, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Blood, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, Grief, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Alcohol, and Suicide
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Biphobia, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Sexual content
patricktreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The twists in this were everything. The discussion of hard to acknowledge topics like homophobia and police brutality was also a very important and well felt piece. It was made a part of the story and not just a plot point on the side.
Please not content warnings before reading. This mystery is deep and can be triggering.
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Violence, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
- LAVENDER HOUSE is a wholly unique book: murder mystery, gothic tale, queer historical fiction, and explorations of how much you're willing to give up for safety, along with what you owe others vs looking out for only yourself.
- Every time I opened this book the world around me completely disappeared and I sank fully into Lavender House and the people in it. Each character was fighting their own internal battles and I felt for them all.
- I think avid mystery readers will probably figure out whodunnit, but even once I got it, I was still on the edge of my seat watching it all play out.
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Outing, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content