Fun with tropes and secrets in gay thriller

Lev AC Rosen’s terrific new novel is set in 1950s San Francisco, even then “an open town,” says Evander Mills, the narrator of “Lavender House.” “You can live a queer life, be an artist, a female impersonator, go to the bars.” But some jobs remain off limits to openly gay people. Cop, for example, as Evander learns one devastating night.

A San Francisco police officer who hides his homosexuality, Evander is at a gay club when fellow cops burst in, handcuffing patrons for “immoral” activities. Evander isn’t arrested, but he’s immediately fired. Despondent, he decides to drown himself in San Francisco Bay. Before he can do that, however, a grieving woman presents him with a fascinating proposition.

Pearl Velez is a stranger with