Books like 'Stranger at the Door'
Readers who enjoyed Stranger at the Door by J.S. Cook also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical gay romance 20th century queer
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A Kingdom by the Sea by Anna Green
The final volume of The Heart Rate of a Mouse trilogy.In November 1978, over a year has passed since music icon Ryan Ross announced his retirement from the public eye. He is far from being forgotten, however, as his musical influence can be heard whenever Brendon Roscoe starts singing on the radio. As the frontman of the upcoming band His Side, Brendon was famously discovered by Ross... -
Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFor Jacob and Daniel, two young gay men aboard a Navy ship in WWII, the risks were high. Not just the risks of injury and death from Japanese planes and submarines, but the risk of discovery, of discharge, imprisonment or worse. Only a special kind of love was worth taking that chance. But from the moment Daniel met Jacob's eyes across a battle-scarred deck, he knew he had to try... -
Ninety One Whiskey by komodobits
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSupernatural Fanfic - Dean/CastielIn the spring of 1944, the 104th Medical Battalion of the United States Army is disbanded, and its men reassigned to various infantry companies in preparation for their invasion of occupied France... -
The Missing Page by Cat Sebastian
England, 1948: Semi-retired spy Leo Page and country doctor James Sommers team up to solve a decades-old mystery.When James learns that an uncle he hasn’t heard from in ages has left him something in his will, he figures that the least he can do is head down to Cornwall for a weekend to honor the old man’s parting wishes... -
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Chain Reaction by Nicole Edwards
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Nicole Edwards comes the tenth installment in her Brantley Off the Books series.During the two years since they created the Off the Books Task Force, Brantley Walker and Reese Tavoularis have had their share of difficult cases, but their next one hits close to home. Too close... -
The Death of Friends by Michael Nava
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWinner of six Lambda Literary awards, the Henry Rios mystery series is iconic. Originally published during the darkest years of the AIDS epidemic in the gay community, The Death of Friends received extraordinary praise both as a mystery and an eloquent work of witness... -
Eryx: A Spartan Tale by Jaclyn Osborn
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy father once told me, above all else... Live and die for Sparta. Honor. Loyalty. Duty. These were the things that mattered most. And then Axios came into my life, teaching me other lessons: humility, brotherhood... love. There were moments when the brutal training stripped me of my humanity, where it turned me into a mindless beast of flesh and muscle set to destroy everything in my way... -
Maurice by E.M. Forster
Written in 1914 by the Nobel Prize–nominated author of Howard’s End, this intimate portrait of homosexual desire “seems as relevant as ever” (The Guardian). From early adolescence to his college years at Cambridge and into professional life at his father’s firm, Maurice Hall plays the part of the conventional Englishman... -
夜畫帳 第三卷 by Byeonduck
白羅謙一直以為自己是不得已才留在尹府。為了先生的官途,他才重拾春宮畫筆,甚至不惜委身尹勝浩,付出比他想像更多的代價。可被他寄託了所有的先生,卻似乎並不這麼想。比起對他呼來喚去動手動腳的尹少爺,先生那不經意間流露出的輕視,更傷人。他在尹勝浩帶給他的肉體歡愉之中漸漸沉淪,本以為這一切的本質都是傷害,可當隱隱感受到尹勝浩對他流露出的在意與占有慾時,少年越發感到迷惘……本書特色※韓國話題性耽美漫畫第三卷堂堂登場!※韓國Lezhin... -
Year of the Rat by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLong Beach, California 1996. Despite having little obvious experience, bartender Dom Reilly is hired as an investigator for the Freedom Agenda, a not-for-profit justice project. His first case involves a twelve-year-old homicide, in which a teenage girl was viciously murdered... -
An Affair for Aumont by J.A. Rock, Lisa Henry
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAll he wants is the love he lost.Four years ago, Louis-Charles Aumont, the Marquis de Montespan, chose duty over the man he loved. And then the man he loved chose death in service to England. Now, after finally cutting ties with his king, Aumont is living in a slum in Seven Dials–and intending to die there too... -
Until the End of Time by Nicky James
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsBeing a gay man in 1827, was not only frowned upon in England, but punishable by death. Magistrate Simon Stockley would know. He’d convicted men in his courtroom and sentenced them himself. Every time, it left a vile taste in his mouth because Simon was no different than the men whose lives he claimed...Categorized as:
queer historical from hate to love m-m forced proximity secret-relationship class difference -
A Sanctuary for Soulden by J.A. Rock, Lisa Henry
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe wasn't meant for a quiet life.Philip Winthrop, Viscount Soulden, is a fop. An idle popinjay with nothing more on his mind than how to best knot his cravat. He definitely doesn’t spy against the French. Or arrange hasty weddings. Or occasionally commandeer the navy. And he certainly doesn’t seek out mortal danger in order to combat his pervasive ennui... -
Rag and Bone by Michael Nava
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOne of the most highly acclaimed writers in the mystery genre "explores new emotional depths" in this last Henry Rios novel. The gay Mexican-American attorney, after the loss of his lover, must face his own mortality while recovering from a heart attack-and reach out to a family he didn't know he had... -
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Alec by William di Canzio
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWilliam di Canzio's Alec, inspired by Maurice, E. M. Forster's secret novel of a happy same-sex love affair, tells the story of Alec Scudder, the gamekeeper Maurice Hall falls in love with in Forster's classic, published only after the author's death.Di Canzio follows their story past the end of Maurice to the front lines of battle in World War I and beyond... -
Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots by Cat Sebastian
New York City, 1973Daniel Cabot doesn’t really know what he’s doing with his life. He’s lost faith in himself, his future, and maybe the world. The only things he knows that he cares about are the garden in the empty lot next to his crumbling East Village apartment building and his best friend.Alex Savchenko has always known that he’s…difficult. Prickly, maybe, if you’re feeling generous...Categorized as:
20th century queer historical friends to lovers pregnancy m-m friends-benefits dual-pov -
Rough Pages by Lev A.C. Rosen
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPrivate Detective Evander "Andy" Mills has been drawn back to the Lavender House estate for a missing person case. Pat, the family butler, has been volunteering for a book service, one that specializes in mailing queer books to a carefully guarded list of subscribers... -
The Absolutist by John Boyne
September 1919:20 year-old Tristan Sadler takes a train from London to Norwich to deliver some letters to Marian Bancroft. Tristan fought alongside Marian’s brother Will during the Great War but in 1917, Will laid down his guns on the battlefield, declared himself a conscientious objector and was shot as a traitor, an act which has brought shame and dishonour on the Bancroft family... -
Uriel: Yule Lads Book Two by Macy Blake
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHis holiday is about to go off-book…Uriel Lad is single all the way. He enjoys his quiet life in the small town of Mistletoe Falls, running Ornamentary Books and More. This holiday, though, Uriel’s Yule Lad magic is back, which means making mischief throughout the season. It should be a perfect Christmas, until his new friend Joe begs for help with a problem... -
Jaxon by Ruby Raynes
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAlex: My life is going fine. Okay, it was going fine until I found myself both homeless—my trusty car Trixie on her last leg—and in need of a fake fiancé. What I don't expect is for Jaxon, my long-time crush and the owner of Ink Me, to come swooping in like a knight in shining armor... -
Till Death Do Us Part by Tangstory
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSet in early-20th century China, this story takes off in the port city of Tientsin (Tianjin) that is divided into lands called concessions and owned by several foreign powers. Shen Liangsheng is a charismatic and cunning playboy, a son of a rich businessman, who has profits as his top priority... -
A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsIn the golden 1900s, Harry Cane, a shy, eligible gentleman of leisure is drawn from a life of quiet routine into courting and marrying Winnie, eldest daughter of the fatherless Wells clan, who are not quite as respectable as they would appear. They settle by the sea and have a daughter and conventional marriage does not seem such a tumultuous change after all... -
The Bequest by Joanna Chambers
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDavid Lauriston and Lord Murdo Balfour have been living happily together for three years at the Laverock estate in Perthshire. But when some unexpected news arrives, Murdo must confront old demons he thought he’d put behind him forever. This story will be exclusively available to my newsletter... -
Just a Little Heartache by Merry Farmer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLondon playwright Niall Cristofori stands on the verge of becoming one of the most celebrated authors of his generation with the highly-anticipated production of his latest work, Love’s Last Lesson. But Love has a few lessons left to teach Niall himself. He has never been able to get over his first love, the man who made his world come alive ten years ago, then left him heartbroken... -
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A Rose by Any Name by K.J. Charles
An epilogue to The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting and A Thief in the Night... -
Only You by Leta Blake
Join Peter Mandel on his final steps to love in Only You, the highly-anticipated final book of Leta Blake's ’90s Coming of Age series.Despite the lingering wounds of his past relationship, Peter is ready to take a chance on finding a faithful love and embracing his true self.Peter and Daniel explore their connection despite Daniel's complicated home life...Categorized as:
20th century queer friends to lovers m-m new adult second chances contemporary angst -
Now and Then by William Corlett
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNow. Christopher Metcalfe returns to his family home in Kent after the death of his father. Sorting through a box of memorabilia from his days at public school, Chris is suddenly confronted by the face that has haunted him for thirty years... -
Eleventh Hour by Elin Gregory
Borrowed from the Secret Intelligence Service cipher department to assist Briers Allerdale - a field agent returning to 1920s London with news of a dangerous anarchist plot - Miles Siward moves into a 'couples only' boarding house, posing as Allerdale’s 'wife'...Categorized as:
20th century queer historical m-m mystery open-door forced proximity fake relationship -
Full Circle by Michael Thomas Ford
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHistory professor Ned Brummel is living happily with his partner of twelve years in small-town Maine when he receives a phone call from his estranged friend--Jack--telling him that another friend--Andy--is very ill and possibly near death... -
Untethered by R.A. Thorn
Determined to help the war effort, Frankie Norris joins the US Air Force in 1943. Braving intimidating drill sergeants and unending marches, Frankie struggles to hide his secret—he’s queer. But having passed basic training, he’s not going to risk an undesirable discharge or any of his fellow recruits finding out... -
Blink by Rick R. Reed
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLife can change in the blink of an eye. That's a truth Andy Slater learns as a young man in 1982, taking the Chicago 'L' to work every morning. Andy's life is laid out before him: a good job, marriage to his female college sweetheart, and the white picket fence existence he believes in. But when he sees Carlos Castillo for the first time, Carlos’s dark eyes and Latin appeal mesmerize him... -
The Road to Silver Plume by Tamara Allen
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSecret Service operative Emlyn Strickland may be new to field work, but his talent for identifying counterfeit bank notes, honed over ten years at the Treasury, has given Sing Sing’s population a respectable boost... -
Eleventh Hour by Elin Gregory
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBorrowed from the Secret Intelligence Service cipher department to assist Briers Allerdale - a field agent returning to 1920s London with news of a dangerous anarchist plot - Miles Siward moves into a 'couples only' boarding house, posing as Allerdale’s 'wife'... -
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Counterpoint: Dylan's Story by Ruth Sims
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAt eighteen Dylan Rutledge has one music. He believes his destiny is to be the greatest composer of the rapidly approaching twentieth century. Only Laurence Northcliff, a young history master at The Venerable Bede School for Young Gentlemen, believes in Dylan’s talent and encourages his dream, not realizing Dylan is in love with him... -
Midnight Flit by Elin Gregory
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMiles Siward and Briers Allerdale return for another thrilling Jazz Age adventure.“Silk stockings on expenses.” Miles’s aristocratic mother has information of importance to the British Government and he must escort her home from Bucharest immediately, but their plans go violently awry and Miles and Lady Siward find themselves on a train to Belgrade - where Miles’s lover is posted... -
When Skies Have Fallen by Debbie McGowan
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsFor many in war-torn 1944, love blossoms in the dance hall, and airman Arty Clarke is no exception. He’s a thinker and a dreamer; however, it’s not the beautiful, talented dancer in his arms—his best friend Jean—who inspires his dreams. For when his gaze meets that of Technical Sergeant Jim Johnson, Arty dares to imagine a different dance... -
The Magician's Angel by Jordan L. Hawk
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsVaudeville stage magician Christopher Fiend lives for the spotlight. His chance at big time stardom awaits him in Chicago, the next stop on the circuit after the little town of Twelfth Junction. Edward Smith wants nothing to do with his family's theater. Until Christopher catches his eye on opening night, then treats him to a very special performance during intermission... -
He's Come Undone: A Romance Anthology by Adriana Herrera, Emma Barry
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor him, control is everything...until it shatters, and now he's come undone."Appasionata" by Emma BarryPiano technician Brennan Connelly lives to control details: the tension on a piano string or the compression of hammer felt. But he's never faced demands like those heaped on him by Kristy Kwong, the diva who's haunted his dreams for two decades...Categorized as:
20th century queer contemporary anthologies historical m-m forced proximity sassy heroine -
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One Glimpse by Lydia Gastrell
For years Sir Samuel Shaw has secretly lusted after the handsome and popular Lord John Darnish, a man known for his good humor, expert riding prowess, and very female mistress. Certain that John is an unattainable fantasy, Sam is shaken when an accidental discovery reveals John might not be as unattainable as he once thought... -
Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style by Paul Rudnick
From the acclaimed writer Paul Rudnick, a riotously funny, perceptive, and life-affirming novel following the decades-long, rule-breaking romance between the son of one of American’s wealthiest families and a middle-class aspiring author.Devastatingly handsome and insanely rich, Farrell Covington is capable of anything and impossible to resist... -
The Wayward Bride by Anna Bradley
Rated: 3.98 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn only six weeks, Isla Ramsey is due to marry Henry Northrup, the sixth Earl of Sydney. But she remains haunted by memories of the dashing Hugh Courtney, the Marquess Pierce. The handsome aristocrat had hinted at forever and then tossed her aside, leaving Isla with few viable options... -
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Just a Little Wickedness by Merry Farmer
Rated: 3.74 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLord Alistair Bevan, Viscount Farnham, has the weight of the world on his shoulders. With his father’s health ailing, the time has come for him to find a wife, produce an heir, and do his duty. But Alistair knows a traditional life is not for him, especially when a chance meeting with valet Joseph Logan turns his world upside down. Joe Logan came to London in search of his missing sister, Lily... -
The Gentleman's Madness by Bonnie Dee, Summer Devon
"An imprisoned heart finds escape in forbidden love. " No pride. No privacy. No hope. Academic John Gilliam thought being caught embracing another man was the worst that could happen. Until he agrees to "treatment" at an asylum, where a vicious attack leaves him shaken and afraid. But having all means of writing or reading taken from him... "That" is a serious threat to his sanity... -
The Brook Street Collection by Ava March
Rated: 3.98 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLondon, 1822 Regency London—where polite manners and spotless reputations reign supreme. Yet behind the closed doors of three elegant town houses along Brook Street, passion and lust rule as gentlemen dare to risk scandal by falling in love… In Thief , a lord intent on his first decadent night with a man finds love when he picks up a thief in a gambling hall... -
Duty to the Crown by Rebecca Cohen
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSebastian and Anthony will do their duty, but they will do everything not to sacrifice their love.Sebastian Hewel endures many things to maintain his role of Bronwyn, the wife of Anthony Redbourn, Earl of Crofton, so he and Anthony can be together. But when Queen Elizabeth demands a favour of Anthony, Sebastian’s world is in danger of being fractured beyond repair... -
The Unexpected Heiress by Frank W. Butterfield
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMay 11, 1953The richest homosexual in San Francisco is a private investigator.Nick Williams lives in a modest bungalow with his fireman husband, a sweet fellow from Georgia by the name of Carter Jones.Nick's gem of a secretary, Marnie Wilson, is worried that Nick isn't working enough. She knits a lot.Jeffrey Klein, Esquire, is Nick's friend and lawyer... -
The Less Than Spectacular Times of Henry Milch by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA new mystery series from the award-winning author of the Boystown and Pinx Mystery series.Things have not been going well for Henry Milch. After a Saturday night clubbing in his beloved West Hollywood, he took one pill too many and ended up banished to northern lower Michigan to live on a farm with his ultra-conservative grandmother. It was that or rehab...
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