The Death of Friends

As the reality of AIDS permeates gay life, it also works its way into gay/lesbian crime fiction, including that of Lambda Award-winning Nava (The Hidden Law), who creates some of the best work in this genre. The L.A. life and times of gay, Latino, formerly alcoholic criminal defense lawyer Henry Rios make for somber reading principally because of AIDS. His lover, Joss, left him for another, who died. Now Joss is dying, and faithful Henry is his last salvation. Chris Chandler, Henry's college friend who hid his homosexuality for years behind a family and a law career, has been murdered by a series of sharp blows to the head. Zack, his secret young lover, a former street hustler and gay-porn star, is accused of the crime. Nava plots like a master, giving up a secret on each page, continually slipping into flashbacks and detailing police corruption as a matter of course. Behind the genre elements, the death of Chris Chandler stands as a metaphor for the lies many gay men live with; the picture formed of the dead man is awash in ambiguity. Meanwhile an earthquake strikes, and Henry must get through Joss's last days, staring down the relentless brutality of a horrible disease. This is a brave, ambitious and highly impressive work. Author tour. (Aug.)