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rennyzenny's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The prose in this book is so old school black and white mystery novel and is so so delicious, brandstetter is the gay detective I knew I needed and have finally found, excited to read more of this series
amydeppe's review against another edition
5.0
Well written, kept me engaged! Definitely reading more of this series!
jbonifant's review against another edition
2.0
There's obviously historical significance to a mystery novel from over 50 years ago having an openly gay protagonist and detective, but this did not deliver. The narrative is incredibly disjointed and most characters blend together under generic names and descriptions, not to mention the blurred settings, which are crucial to the plot. The clarity inside Dave's mind and his flagrant acceptance of himself are the highlights, but what nearly ruins his character is his relations with Anselmo, the teenager who adores him, whom he properly rebuffs on account of the 26-year age gap, before succumbing by the end.
leserdtke's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
4.0
Hervorragende Serie, die ich viel zu spät entdeckt habe. Figuren, Plot, Setting - alles passt. Die ersten 4 Bände in einem Rutsch gelesen. Hoffe, das Niveau bleibt so hoch.
ominousjorts's review against another edition
5.0
I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I really didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did in the end, mostly because of when it was originally published (1970!) and because of horror stories I had heard about perpetually morose LGBT fiction featuring impossibly unfortunate situations designed seemingly to punish the characters.
In comparison this book was an absolute delight. Despite serious themes, it never let itself get lost in the depressive reveries that plague more recent works in the genre. It was fun and silly, a real romp, but it was equally touching, and the problems the characters faced genuinely inspired my sympathy.
I don't want to misrepresent this book. At its heart it is a faintly ridiculous private investigator mystery set in small town California, with a gay principal character. However, it is in my opinion an excellent mystery, and I think I might genuinely be in love with Dave Brandstetter.
In comparison this book was an absolute delight. Despite serious themes, it never let itself get lost in the depressive reveries that plague more recent works in the genre. It was fun and silly, a real romp, but it was equally touching, and the problems the characters faced genuinely inspired my sympathy.
I don't want to misrepresent this book. At its heart it is a faintly ridiculous private investigator mystery set in small town California, with a gay principal character. However, it is in my opinion an excellent mystery, and I think I might genuinely be in love with Dave Brandstetter.
jonwesleyhuff's review against another edition
4.0
What a great read! So cool this was published in 1970. I really like hard boiled detective (well, insurance investigator) Dave Brandstetter. There’s so beautifully human and lyrical writing here too. There are some things modern readers will no doubt get a bit wide-eyed at. But it’s still a fantastic read and I look forward to the next book in the series.
quasimodo_dragon's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
georgiaphi1389's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
rc2's review against another edition
3.0
Yo, wait this book was really good. A surprisingly diverse cast of characters (I mean, 45% of named characters were gay, there were people of different ethnicities, a positive portrayal of a disabled character). The male characters show emotion, we see Brandstetter visibly upset multiple times over the death of his partner. There is some outdated language and a bit of body shaming (not to mention a WEIRD age gap at one point). The mystery was a little *eh* but Brandstetter was an interesting character and I'll probably read the second one.