Book Summary:

Detective Evander “Andy” Mills once thought his life was over. While it has changed quite drastically from the life he once lived - he has started to find a place for himself. This is thanks largely to the community around him.

Andy can support this community by solving the mysteries and murders that the police ignore. Take his latest case, which begins as a simple (but troubling) case of blackmail. It doesn’t take long before it gets much darker.

My Review:

If you love mystery novels with a side of historical fiction and loads of LGBTQ+ characters, you’ve got to check out the world of Andy Mills. The Bell in the Fog is the second novel in this series, and I am here for it.

I first fell in love with this series with Lavender House - but I think I loved The Bell in the Fog even more. Here, the characters have been given a chance to grow, and boy, did they. Andy’s backstory, in particular, seemed to blossom within these pages, and I can’t wait for more.

The mystery in this book immediately sucked me in. It was layered and nearly impossible to predict - in the best way possible. Likewise, the secondary characters help flesh out this world, making it feel alive. I don’t think this series would be the same without them.

Long story short, The Bell in the Fog is the perfect follow-up for this series, and I’m already counting down the days to the third novel (Rough Pages, estimated release of October 2024).

Highlights:
Historical Mystery
Murder Mystery
Detective Series
LGBTQ+

Loved this next addition to the series. I love reading about Andy and the mysteries that he gets caught up in, as well as the fact that it is set in the Bay Area, which is my home.

I love this series so much! The characters are so rich and well-developed, and I am so emotionally invested in their stories. I'm glad some of the characters from Lavender House made an appearance, though I will say I missed that setting a lot from the first book. It's nice to get to see Andy's world broaden a bit; you get to see more of his life outside of Lavender House, and get a better idea of what he was like before everything turned upside down in the first book. The mystery is well written, and there are definitely breadcrumbs if you know how to look for them, which I love! I really love this series and I'm excited that there are more to come. Definitely recommend for mystery lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I enjoy this series! I really love the characters, mysteries, and LGBT representation. This was another solid mystery and progressed the main character's arc along.

It's rare that I like the sequel to a book more than the first but this is one of those rare occasions. I am really growing to love Andy. This mystery didn't really feel as fleshed out as the last novel but I think the overall story just felt so good to read. I can't wait for the third book to be released.

A new case for our favorite queer detective Andy Mills!

This was another wonderful story in this series as Andy encounters people from his past and he tries to gain the trust of the community around him. The mystery in this kept me guessing and I was convinced that about six different people were guilty. But Rosen knew that and was one step ahead of me each time.

It was so great to see characters from the first book show up and weave seamlessly throughout the story. I hope Rosen writes at least ten more books. The new Agatha Christie and Poirot. I could read these forever.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy of this title.

I really loved this sequel. I hope we get more books in this series.

This book suffered from too many cooks in the plot kitchen. I loved the first in this series, but this one felt very scattered to me, as we had multiple mysteries going at once. The main character and his detective agency is a big win for me though and I loved getting to visit him again!

I am SO enjoying this series! I really hope that Rosen continues it, because I am here for ALL of the Andy Mills books. ALL. OF. THEM.

I've read a few queer books, set in the 1950s, and these ones, to me, feel most accurate. It could also be the difference between these being books about a working class PI and the people that he naturally hangs around with, and the other (that's coming to mind right now) is more about upper class folks. There is a diversity of characters that feels accurate to me, though I truly don't actually know that much about the 1950s.

This book has a blackmail storyline, which I think would have been quite common at that time. There are also the police raids and constant fear hanging over everyone of being found out. I really enjoyed seeing Andy become more of himself as he becomes a more integral part of the queer community he's living in, and that he's able to let go of some things in the past and let himself have something good.

I will be eagerly awaiting more Andy Mills books, please Lev, PLEASE!

**4.5 Stars**

Thanks to NetGalley and to Tor Publishing and Forge Books for for the eARC copy of this book. My opinions are my own. This book dropped this past October.

“The Bell in the Fog” is the 2nd in the Andy Mills series following “Lavender House” that I gave 5 stars back in January.

“The Bell…” is queer historical mystery novel set in San Francisco in the early 1950s. Andy Mills is a former police officer for the San Francisco Police Department, fired for getting caught in a “delicate” situation in the bathroom of a gay bar, turned private eye for the queer San Fran community. LGBTQ+ people couldn’t go to the police when crimes were committed against them during that time because police either ignored them or treated them terribly.

Andy set up shop in rooms above The Ruby, a popular gay bar. One night he is stunned to find James, his ex from his days in the Navy, sitting in his office with a case for him. Someone is blackmailing him with indecent photos of him that were taken on the sly. He is also in a high-ranking military position and if the photos come out, his career would be ruined.

Andy takes the case, even though he’s concerned over the attraction that he still feels for James, and discovers that the case goes deeper than he expected, when a dead body turns up.

Chock full of representation of all kinds… White, Black, Jewish, Asian, Gay, Lesbian, Male and Female Impersonators.

The historical aspect of this series is what makes them so good. Rosen has done his research and he’s so adept at intertwining his mystery with real historical events. You’ve probably heard of the Red Scare, but have you heard of the Lavender Scare? Look it up, it’s real.

Where I found “Lavender House” to be a slightly gritty cozy novel, I thought “The Bell in the Fog” leaned more towards the noir side of the genre. Rosen has said that we should be at least getting two more books in this series, which I’m thrilled about.

And even though I received an eARC of this book, I did buy a physical copy because I love this series so much.

I’m giving this 4.5 stars.

3⭐️

<b>Most people don’t really think it’s a crime to kill a criminal—and all of us are criminals to the rest of the world.</b>

Andy Mills is now a full time queer detective trying to bring justice to the types of people the cops don’t care about. When an old flame turns up at Andy’s office door asking for help because he’s being blackmailed, Andy takes the case and discovers more than what he bargained for.

This book was enjoyable, and I love the premise, but I wasn’t quite as excited or enthralled by the story line like I was with the first book.

Andy works in San Francisco as a private detective, but his new business isn’t doing too well. When you are a gay former Navy serviceman and cop, people tend to not trust you, especially with their personal, private and sometimes dangerous, problems. When someone from his past needs help, Andy finds himself not only navigating a potentially dangerous case, but navigating past feelings. James, Andy’s ex who is still serving in the Navy, is being blackmailed with pictures that could not only lead to his removal from the Navy, but could also lead to prison time, or worse. Andy soon discovers that this case of blackmail extends way beyond James, and some are willing to do anything to protect themselves and their reputations.

The Bell in the Fog was a book that interested me based on the synopsis I read, and while the basic story is good, it took way too long to get there and was a little anticlimactic; I was hoping for a better mystery. That being said, I feel as though this is an honest novel, portraying the realities of gay life and culture in the 50s. The characters’ feelings, reactions, and beliefs–both gay and straight–were not glossed over, creating an accurate representation of the times. I just wish this novel wasn’t such a slow build and was more eventful.

THE BELL IN THE FOG by Lev AC Rosen

THE BELL IN THE FOG is a compelling mystery, one I didn’t want to put down, so I finished it way too fast and am already missing it. The suspenseful tale was enhanced with stunning descriptions of San Francisco and honest, serious social history.
Navy life on the mine sweeper the Bell meant facing death daily but being free to live and love. Civilian life in the ‘50s was far from free and tolerant, but Evander “Andy” Mills is trying to build a life as a P.I., hoping to help people but finding it hard to earn trust. A shadow from his past involves him in a case of blackmail, missing persons, painful memories, threats, and danger, but he’s also finding people to trust and be trusted by.
This is the second in the series, so you could read LAVENDER HOUSE first if you wished, but you wouldn’t have to. I liked Andy and friends more and more as this book progressed; I hope you do as well.
Personal reflection: I recall hearing the “security risk” excuse for actions against gays in the service and government. I was too young at the time to see that if gays were not treated as pariahs, there’d be no fear of blackmail and no security risk. We’ve come a long way, but we’ve further to go.

I loved "Lavender House" SO MUCH that when I saw its sequel was available on NetGalley, I scooped it right up. Lev AC Rosen has an unbelievable gift for cultivating such a sense of place and time with his writing, and dipping into his version of 1950s San Francisco with former police officer-turned-PI Andy Mills and his friends and found family is just as excellent a trip here as it was the first time around. Following Mills as he is faced with the convergence of ghosts from his past and the life he's trying to rebuild for himself in the present, this is a tightly-crafted mystery with a notable thread of dry humor, unabashed heart, and really lovable characters. I can't wait for the next installment in the series, and I can't wait to see where Rosen takes this wonderful cast of folks.

PI Evander “Andy” Mills keeps an office above Ruby’s, a mixed gay bar, where both men and women seek love and community in homophobic 1952 San Francisco. He’s hired by his ex, James, a closeted Navy officer, to track down photos taken clandestinely of James and a rentboy cavorting together in a hotel. Only four days remain before the blackmailer publicizes the images and ruins James’s life, a time limit which serves to intensify the tension. Andy is both aided and hindered by drag king femme fatale Helen, who used to be good friends with both men back in their Navy days.

I guessed one of the twists pretty far in advance, although the majority kept me guessing until the carefully-played reveals near the end. Overall the pacing is well done. An outsider in the gay world because he used to be a cop and an outsider in the straight world because he’s gay in an era intensely hostile towards queer people, Andy is a fascinatingly queer take on the usual solitary, noir detective. Interestingly, by the end of the story, he manages to gain the trust of his community and even get together with a cute new love interest, making him less of a loner. I enjoyed the sexy romance subplot, which adds to, rather than distracts from, the main mystery.

But The Bell in the Fog isn’t just well-written and genuinely gripping. The sheer amount of research put into the project thoroughly impressed me. Rosen uses period-accurate slang and other details that fellow LGBTQ history nerds will appreciate. The sheer amount of references to real history serve not only to build a realistic world for the story, but also to educate the reader. For this, I commend him

During World War II, Andy found solace in his crew mate, James, and a bond with their mutual friend, Helen. The three were drawn together by their queerness and able to snatch moments of joy, despite the world’s dire circumstances. Years of living life as though each day may be your last came to an abrupt end when James vanished. Andy was convinced James had been caught with the wrong person at the wrong time and equally convinced he was next. With the war ending and James gone, the world felt a lot more oppressive. Determined to stay free, Andy became a cop and later a private investigator.

Then one day, James himself sneaks into Andy’s PI office. Despite the complex emotions that bubble up with James’ reappearance, Andy does not have the luxury of turning away a paying customer. The cherry on the cake is that James had never been in danger with the navy for being gay before…but now that James is up for a big promotion, he’s being blackmailed with some photos of him in flagrante delicto.

Armed with a scant few pieces of information, Andy starts pounding the pavement. Too bad Andy’s search requires visiting places that cater to gay clientele, exactly the places where his past as a cop makes it very difficult to nail down any leads. Thankfully, one of the queens who performs at the club next to his office not only has myriad social connections, but for some reason, she also thinks that Andy is a good egg. With a few well-placed introductions, Andy slowly begins to tease apart James’ blackmail case. The more he uncovers, the more conflicted he becomes. Not only does Andy learn the truth about James’ sudden disappearance during the war, but Andy reconnects with their mutual friend Helen. Just when the case looks hopeless, a new character with power, money, and a bizarrely impersonal mean streak a mile wide steps onto the scene. He threatens not just Andy’s life, but the bar and its community that Andy now considers home. With the clock ticking down, Andy has to solve two cases of blackmail, sort out his personal feelings towards people he once considered family, and walk a fine line between getting justice for murdered gays and bringing too much attention to his community from the wrong kind of people.

The Bell in the Fog is the second book in the Evander Mills series from author Lev AC Rosen. It picks up not too long after the events of Lavender House; Andy has set up his PI business in the same building as the Ruby, the nightclub owned by his friend, Elsie. Andy serves as our narrator throughout the book and I personally loved how his PI skills helped him analyze new facts and information about the cases he’s working. As a reader, it was gratifying to learn some tidbit, then watch Andy draw the same conclusions as me. As for the details about the blackmail cases, Rosen has done another bang-up job weaving together multiple characters into a complex tapestry that keeps the reader guessing about who’s guilty of what. Unlike Lavender House, Andy is personally invested in the outcome of this case–both insofar as it relates to James and because of the threats Andy receives on his own life and livelihood. Naturally, this opens up a great viewport into Andy’s past, rounding out an already terrific character. Plus, the fact that Andy and James were in something of an open relationship during the war raises all kinds of questions about lovers reuniting. With his old friend Helen coming into the fray, Andy’s personal connections to his case sometimes obfuscate and sometimes edulcorate his mission. In addition to the complicated interpersonal relationships, there was that intriguing third party who swoops in and basically puts the screws to Andy’s thumbs. The overall effect was a marvelous balance between tension and catharsis.

Unlike book one, The Bell in the Fog also treats readers to a more defined romance for Andy. James’ return opens a can of emotional worms within Andy and their reunion was as bitter as it was sweet. At the same time, Andy is nursing a reciprocal crush on Gene, Elsie’s bartender and almost-doctor. I really enjoyed how Andy mulls over what he does and does not feel for each man and how time, distance, and secrets have impacted how he relates to both men. I’m so used to “picking a team,” so it was fun to watch Andy oscillate between the comfortable familiarity he feels with James versus the exciting newness of something unfettered by the past with Gene.

Overall, The Bell in the Fog hits hard on all counts. If you enjoy private investigator stories or thriller/mystery stories, you’ll love the way the drama unfolds from multiple angles in this book. Romance fans will be on tenterhooks wondering if Andy will find happiness with James, Gene, or someone else. Anyone who enjoys strong writing featuring well-defined characters will enjoy this hard-boiled noir-esque story.

The Bell in the Fog is a wonderful continuation of its predecessor, Lavender House. Rosen, once again, delivers a mystery-thriller rich with queer history set in 1950s San Fransisco. I found it easy to fall back into the world Rosen describes to readers and I think the portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues of the time period true (to what I, personally, know/am aware of) and thoughtful, though sometimes challenging to read.

Though this book was slower to start than Lavender House, it felt appropriately paced to set the stage and properly unfold the book's events. I'd highly recommend these books to anyone who is looking for queer, historical, mystery/thriller reads. Rosen's voice really captures the feel of the 1950s queer scene. I look forward to seeing what future cases and stories are uncovered for our main protagonist, Andy Mills.

5 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“The Bell in the Fog” By Lev A.C. Rosen

📕 Edition: Audiobook & eBook

I absolutely adored this! 🌟

This book seamlessly continues the story of Andy Mills, and I was thrilled to dive back into his world. 📚 Set in 1952 San Francisco, the novel masterfully navigates a web of mysteries and emotions, all while avoiding clichés.

Andy's character development is truly remarkable. From his struggles with a tarnished reputation to his complex relationships, I found myself rooting for him every step of the way. 💪❤️

Rosen paints a vivid picture of the era, immersing readers in the secretive and captivating world of post-war San Francisco. 🕵️‍♂️🏳️‍🌈

The plot is full of emotions and surprises, and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The pacing is spot-on, and I couldn't put the book down!

I appreciated the way Rosen delved into the LGBTQ+ community's struggles and triumphs during that time, shedding light on an important part of history. 🏳️‍🌈🕰️

Thank you @NetGalley, Lev A.C. Rosen for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Getting to return to the world of Lavender House with this ARC was such a joy for me. These books are not quite thrillers and not quite cozy mysteries. I love Andy Mills and getting his backstory (plus getting more Lee, Gene, Elsie, and meeting Helen) was so great. The representation included in Lev Rosen’s stories is always so lovely. I highly enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend. As with Lavender House, this one deals with homophobia, racism, and sexism, so proceed accordingly.