diving into international espionage

Andrew Birnbaum is a New York actor, so of course he has a second job in retail. When he’s not working or auditioning, he sells scented candles from a small shop in Herald Square. His best friend Brock is a failed model (he looks too perfect) and salesclerk at Ralph Lauren. So when Brock asked Andrew if he had a tuxedo and invited him to dinner, he said yes. He had no idea it would change his life.

The Tuxedo Society is a team of smart, well trained operatives who fly under the radar of other intelligence agencies. They are under the purview of the American government without many knowing about the small group of gay spies who use their unique talents and knowledge to take down those who are not prepared.

At the dinner where he was wearing his tuxedo, it was when Andrew was in the bathroom that he learned the truth about who he was dining with. As Andrew finished in his stall, Reggie was acquiring something rather forcefully from a stranger’s pocket. Two people were killed. Andrew was left deciding what to do next. Call the maitre d’? Call 911? Just wash his hands and leave? He finally decided on the last, which is what got him approved and into the society.

Reggie had been a Navy SEAL but outed before “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” When the military leadership changed that, he had been offered a chance to go back, but he had something else in mind. He thought that an elite group of gay men and women could find inroads that others could not, and the Tuxedo Society was born. When Andrew chose not to call 911 on them, he proved he had what it takes to join.

Immediately, Andrew is thrown into the hunt for a set of jewels that some believe used together could wield ultimate power. He begins his training and meets Dr. Huron, who supplies the team with gadgets that work as weapons, and then his is thrust into the operation. He goes to the White House to act as a florist, he flies to Paris pretending to be a flight attendant, he goes undercover in the Vatican, he is an alternate for the American diving team in the Olympics. And he meets several very interesting men that a single young man could date. His skills at improv and accents help him blend in any situation, but he is also reminded more than once that he is putting his life on the line. Will the Tuxedo Society give him the future he dreams of? Or will it take away his future completely?

Paul Rudnick is known for very funny, cutting social commentary in his writings, and The Tuxedo Society does not disappoint. Blended in with the action are plenty of snarky remarks about pop culture as well as friendship, romance, and genuine heart. I am a longtime fan of Paul Rudnick, and I was looking forward to some belly laughs in this one. I did think it started a little slow. It took me a minute to dial all the way in, but then I found the snark I was looking for, I found that sharp humor, and by the time they were undercover in the Vatican, I was almost in tears. I loved this book. I hope there are more books about the Tuxedo Society, but even if there are not, I will still line up to read anything Rudnick writes.

Egalleys for The Tuxedo Society were provided by Atria Books through NetGalley with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.