Coming Out Can Be Murder, Does Jesus Really Love Me?, What Comes Around

Mystery lovers will be drawn to Renee James’ suspenseful new book, Coming Out Can Be Murder (Chi-Towne Fiction), which uses the genre to shed light on the epidemic of anti-trans violence in the United States. The book’s narrator, trans hair stylist Bobbi Logan, is an endearing, multidimensional character, and her quest to get justice for her murdered friend is as touching as it is gripping.

Combining memoir with journalistic research, Jeff Chu’s Does Jesus Really Love Me? (Harper) offers a fascinating and fairly comprehensive cross-section of Christian America’s relationship with gay sexuality. Chu, who comes from a conservative Christian background and remains religious today, maintains both criticism and affection for churches and their believers. On his cross-country trip—fueled by emotion and intellectual curiosity—it’s a pleasure to join him.

In Jameson Currier’s What Comes Around (Chelsea Station Editions), in story after story, year after year, the protagonist looks for love, often in the wrong places. The stories range from sweet to troubling, but all capture the complex, sometimes contradictory nature of desire. Currier’s strong writing is on full display here, offering plenty for both cynics and romantics alike.