Reviews

The Bell in the Fog by Lev AC Rosen

witchystitches's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

ordinarilybi's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

craftyhilary's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• 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

Another excellent entry in the Evander Mills mysteries. The reader is immersed in this time and place, and the large cast of characters are well-defined. I loved seeing Andy’s continued growth as a person. As in the first book, the detective work is plodding but believable, and there’s exploration of what justice means for the marginalized in a prejudiced and corrupt city. Looking forward to the next book this fall. 

growfromit's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• 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

pannamarchewka's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

• 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

rusereviews's review against another edition

4.5

The Bell in the Fog by Lev A.C. Rosen is a queer historic gumshoe mystery and the second book in the Evander Mills series.

I basically read the first book in this series, Lavender House, in one sitting. This one took me 48 hours. In this installment, we continue to follow Andy, a gay former cop turned private detective trying to do good by the queer community in 1950s San Francisco.

It was great learning more about Andy though the new case: investigating who is behind blackmail photos of someone from his past. The plot is structured really well and though I had a few correct guesses there were several zags that I didn't see coming.

Since this is a queer historical there are some heavy parts, since many people queer people of the time were looked down on as deviants. So do keep this in mind and check the CWs.

I'm super hyped for the next book, Rough Pages, which comes out in October.

CW: murder, violence, homophobia, homophobic and racial slurs 

tashanne's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

pecsenye's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This one is much better than Lavender House, which I liked a lot. But Rosen is really hitting a stride with Andy and the world Andy lives in, and this is a much more traditional mystery instead of a closed-room like the first one was. 

tracilynn33's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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

snowbenton's review

3.0

I liked the mystery a lot more in this one because I love getting revelations about someone's haunted past. Rosen does a great job immersing you in the time period, but I want more depth from the characters. I was surprised that the house and its varied cast didn't come in to play here; I like Elsie and Gene and Lee a lot, but I missed the others. It's a very unique series and I'll definitely keep reading.