2024/118: The Gay Detective — Lou Rand

2024/118: The Gay Detective — Lou Rand

“Mr. Olsen, I’ll make you a proposition.”
Looking Francis directly in the eyes, Tiger smiled wryly, and said, “That, Mr. Morley, is what I am afraid of.” [p. 49]

Recommended by sovay, this is a short and entertaining novel which does what it says on the tin: but it did it in 1961, when homosexuality was still illegal throughout the United States, and even in San Francisco -- cunningly disguised in The Gay Detective as 'Bay City' -- attitudes were, shall we say, rather less broad-minded than today's.

Francis Morley, formerly 'in the theatre', has inherited a detective agency in Bay City. His first task is to acquire an assistant, which he does by offering car salesman, retired football professional and war hero Tiger Olsen a job -- and then demonstrating in the boxing ring that he can knock Tiger's misconceptions out of his head. ( Read more... )