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The Gay Book Club Certified Reviews


The Adam Binder Series
Engaging, binge-worthy urban fantasy that knows exactly what it is and delivers comfort-food fantasy with heart.
Jun 5


'Magpie Murders' by Anthony Horowitz
A wickedly smart, double-layered whodunnit that serves up classic crime fiction with a wink, a twist, and a killer reveal.
May 26


'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' by Ocean Vuong
A raw, lyrical elegy to love, memory, and the fragile beauty of growing into yourself when the world never gave you a map—Vuong’s novel doesn’t just break your heart, it teaches you how to listen for its echo.
May 26


'Pretty Pretty Boys' by Gregory Ashe
A brooding, sharply written gay mystery where old wounds, new crimes, and unresolved desire collide under the weight of a small town that never forgets.
May 15


'The Verifiers' by Jane Pek
Jane Pek’s debut blends amateur sleuthing with themes of queerness, identity, and data ethics—smart and engaging, if not entirely satisfying.
May 12


'Martyr!' by Kaveh Akbar
A brilliant, queer debut exploring grief, addiction, and spiritual yearning—Martyr! is poetic, strange, and shattering in all the best ways.
May 9


'Razorblade Tears' by S. A. Cosby
A violent, deeply emotional thriller about two fathers avenging their murdered gay sons—Razorblade Tears is part Southern noir, part reckoning, and completely unforgettable.
May 8


'Death Claims' by Joseph Hansen
A taut, emotionally grounded noir where gay lives aren’t hidden—they’re central, complex, and fully realized.
May 8


'Fadeout' by Joseph Hansen
Published in 1970, Fadeout is a slow-burn mystery with a groundbreaking gay detective and a tone that’s both gritty and quietly profound.
May 8


'Devil's Chew Toy' by Rob Osler
A light and lively gay mystery featuring a missing dancer, a charmingly awkward sleuth, and a dog you’ll wish you could adopt.
Apr 30


'Bury Your Gays' by Chuck Tingle
A sharp, heartfelt horror story that turns gay trauma into something you can fight—and maybe even survive.
Apr 30


'Him' by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
A steamy, soft-edged sports romance that delivers warmth and heart, Him goes down easy—but never quite digs into the stakes beneath the surface.
Apr 30


'Maurice' by E. M. Forster
A quietly radical novel of gay awakening, Maurice finds tenderness in unexpected places and dares to imagine a love that doesn’t have to end in silence.
Apr 22


'A Single Man' by Christopher Isherwood
A powerful meditation on grief and isolation, A Single Man captures with poignant clarity the profound loneliness of losing the person who mattered most.
Apr 19


'The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King' by Harry Trevaldwyn
A sharp, funny, and big-hearted rom-com about a theater kid chasing the fantasy of love, The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King shines brightest when it lets its drama king grow beyond the script he’s written for himself.
Apr 18


'Lie With Me' by Philippe Besson
A lyrical, quietly powerful story of first love and longing, Lie With Me traces the fragile beauty of a hidden romance and the ache it leaves behind across a lifetime.
Apr 17


'I Might Be in Trouble' by Daniel Aleman
A darkly funny take on creative ambition and self-sabotage, 'I Might Be in Trouble' explores guilt, identity, and the messy lines between art and morality. Aleman’s sharp dialogue and emotional undercurrents add weight to a plot that sometimes strains credulity—but still offers moments of insight and heart.
Apr 16


'Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe' by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
A tender, poetic coming-of-age that sees gayness through the lens of vulnerability and cultural identity. Sáenz's lyrical prose elevates what could be a simple story into something achingly beautiful—even when it occasionally prioritizes introspection over action.
Apr 13


'When the Bough Breaks' by Jonathan Kellerman
Reading Kellerman's debut in 2025 is like discovering a fascinating time capsule – dated in some ways, surprisingly progressive in others, and providing the first glimpse of what would become one of crime fiction's most significant gay characters. The psychology is rich, the mystery compelling, and watching the seeds of Alex and Milo's partnership take root is worth the occasionally slow pace.
Apr 11


'A Little Life' by Hanya Yanagihara
Four college friends navigate life in New York, but as Jude's traumatic past takes center stage, "A Little Life" drowns in its own misery. Beautiful prose can't save a novel that fundamentally misunderstands gay relationships and mistakes relentless suffering for emotional depth. A disappointing marathon that left me unmoved.
Apr 11
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