Rough Pages

Rosen’s immersive third mystery featuring gay San Francisco ex-cop Andy Mills (after The Bell in the Fog) captures the joys and fears of being queer in 1950s America. When bookshop owners Howard Salzberger and DeeDee Lamb disappear, Andy worries not only for their safety but also that the subscriber list for their mail-order gay book service could fall into the wrong hands. To help prevent that, Andy forms an alliance with gossip reporter Rose Rainmeyer, hoping to gain access to some of Rose’s leads and ensure she doesn’t out him. Meanwhile, Andy’s protective urges cause conflict with his partner, Gene, who manages a local gay club. Rosen buttresses his solid suspense plot with a rendering of midcentury San Francisco that feels realistic in its depiction of the dangers facing the city’s gay residents but refreshingly optimistic about their ability to lead fulfilled lives. Readers interested in queer history will be especially delighted. Agent: Joy Tutela, David Black Literary. (Oct.)