The Disaster Gay Detective Agency may have been about investigating a mystery, but it left me wondering if I was experiencing Groundhog Day.

⸻

⸻

💜 The Premise

Lev AC Rosen’s The Disaster Gay Detective Agency follows four queer best friends—Brandon, Ollie, Nicole, and Ian—who unexpectedly find themselves investigating the disappearance of Brandon’s mysterious hotel guest turned love interest. Equal parts mystery, comedy, romance and found family, the novel offers an entertaining premise with a cast of characters that immediately won me over.

⸻

🌈 The Dynamic

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its wonderfully diverse cast of characters. Brandon, Ollie, Nicole, and Ian each have distinct personalities, careers, flaws, and life experiences that make them feel like fully realized individuals rather than stereotypes. Their friendships are genuinely the heart of the novel, and I enjoyed watching how each character brought something unique to the group dynamic.

Beyond its broad LGBTQIA+ representation, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency also explores conversations that aren’t often featured in mainstream fiction. One character discusses identifying as a Kinsey 2, introducing the Kinsey Scale as part of a thoughtful conversation about sexuality. It was a concept I hadn’t encountered before, and I appreciated learning something new while still feeling like it fit organically into the story.

⸻

⏳ Pacing & Progression

At first, I really enjoyed the rotating POV structure. I’m not typically a fan of books with so many perspectives, but here it initially felt like I was seeing the friend group through four different lenses. Each chapter revealed another facet of their personalities and relationships, helping me understand not only each individual character but also how they fit together as a group.

Unfortunately, that same storytelling structure ultimately became my biggest frustration. Each time the narrative shifted to another character, it frequently rewound the timeline and replayed scenes I had already read. Conversations, text message chains, and even major events were often repeated from multiple perspectives. By the time I reached the game night sequence, I realized I had essentially experienced the same scene four separate times. Rather than building suspense, the repeated rewinds slowed the pacing and pulled me out of the mystery. I found myself wishing each new perspective had spent less time revisiting familiar moments and more time moving the investigation forward.

I also tried using NetGalley’s text-to-speech feature, which worked surprisingly well. However, I do think the repeated scenes and text message conversations became even more noticeable when listening, since I couldn’t simply skim material I had already read.

Despite my frustrations with the pacing, I genuinely liked spending time with these characters. Their friendships felt authentic, the humor landed, and I appreciated the inclusive representation throughout the novel. While the repetitive structure ultimately kept this from becoming a favorite, I would happily spend more time with this group in a future mystery—hopefully one that trusts the reader to remember what happened the first time around.

⸻

✨ Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for an LGBTQIA+ mystery with found family, humor, and a memorable cast of characters, The Disaster Gay Detective Agency is worth checking out. Just be prepared for a storytelling structure that may either enhance or hinder your reading experience, depending on your tolerance for overlapping multiple POV.

I walked away loving the characters far more than I loved the storytelling structure.

⸻

🔥 Rating & Spice Level

⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5 Stars)  

🌶️ Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️ (2/5)

⸻

📚 Where to Read

👉 Pick up a copy today!

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.