by Sarah Erwin
As we continue to feature LGBTQ+ mystery authors for Pride month, this week we have a review and giveaway of A Marvelous Murder by David S Pederson, along with a guest post by David talking about what it was like to be a part of that community in the past. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.
A Marvelous Murder by David S Pederson
Review by Sarah Erwin
Readers who enjoy the golden age of Hollywood, should pick up David S Pederson’s new mystery A Marvelous Murder.
It’s 1939 in Hollywood, and notorious film director Orland Orcott is found dead in his locked study. Police quickly rule the death a suicide, but despite their dislike for the man, movie star Victor Marvel and his costars aren’t convinced. Orland was a powerful and ruthless director with many enemies. The three begin an investigation into Orland’s life and turn up suspects and motives at every corner.
While the mystery here is straightforward, the number of possible suspects is so large that readers could make their own murder board to keep track of this intricate and detailed plot. The setting of Hollywood in the late 1930s adds a layer of glamour to this story. Things might be shiny and beautiful on the outside, but all it not as it seems––there are many secrets in Hollywood.
Movie star Victor Marvel, his boyfriend, Griffin, and Eve Spellman, Victor’s young costar are a wonderful sleuthing crew. Each is smart and thoughtful in their own way, and the affection they have for each other shines through. The story is driven by smart dialogue, so readers need to give themselves time to settle into the story and get to know the characters.
This is a smart mystery, and readers who enjoy thoughtful details and puzzles in an historic setting should pick this up.
Hiding in the Shadows
By David S. Pederson
LGBTQ+ people have existed as long as humankind has, but in our not-too-distant past, being LGBTQ+ was dangerous. I’m talking about the 1930s, 40s, and 50s especially, when being discovered as queer could get you fired, arrested, castrated, committed to a mental institution, or even killed. Did you know that homosexuality wasn’t decriminalized until 1962, and that it wasn’t until 1973 that it was no longer classified as a mental disorder?
When I wrote my first murder mystery, I chose to set it in 1947, and most of the subsequent mysteries were also set in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, including my latest, A Marvelous Murder, which is set in Hollywood in 1939. I did this because I felt it’s important to show that LGBTQ+ people have always existed, often in the shadows for self-preservation. This fear is something I can relate to on a personal level.
David S. Pederson
I was born in 1962. Yes, the year homosexuality was decriminalized, but it still wasn’t considered acceptable. It really wasn’t discussed, or even represented much on TV, in books, or in films, and if it was, it was rarely in a positive light. LGBTQ+ characters in the media back then were often portrayed as tragic, and/or people to be pitied and laughed at. I wasn’t aware of any other Gay people in my life as a young boy, and I felt alone. So, I did my best to stay invisible regarding my sexuality. I played the ‘straight’ teen, dated girls, and suffered my male crushes, desires, and feelings in silence well into my college years.
As a young adult, I eventually moved away from my parents’ house and lived alone for the first time, which made it easier to be who I really was, though I remained cautious. I started going to Gay bars and finally met other LGBTQ people. I soon realized they, or others like them, had been in my life all along, but I couldn’t see them then, because they, too, had been invisible. And I also realized that they were just ordinary folks from all walks of life, just like me. Things were looking up.
Then one night, leaving a Gay country bar, I was jumped by four men, severely beaten, and left for dead on the sidewalk in a pool of my own blood. I now have a plastic plate in my head because of that horrible incident. The bashing drove me back to invisibility and fear, terrifying fear. I vowed never to go back to any Gay bar, and I stayed away for months as I slowly recovered. But as I sat alone in my apartment or worked at my job, I realized that being invisible was worse than the possibility of another attack. So, I eventually returned, and a short while later, I met my husband. We’ve been together over thirty years now, and we are out and proud and have many out and proud, wonderful friends.
Every time I see the Pride flag, it makes me feel that we as a community are visible, that people notice us, and that they, hopefully, accept us for who we are. To me, the Pride flag means, first and foremost, visibility. For a good portion of my life, I felt invisible; at least the real me, like the characters in my books, hid in the shadows. And now, though there is still good reason to be cautious in this crazy world, I at least feel seen.
You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.
To enter to win an ebook copy of A Marvelous Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “marvelous murder” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 12, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.
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