Hansen, Nava, Zubro and Nathan Aldyne (a pseudonym for Michael Mcdowell and Dennis Schuetz) were authors of crime fiction who also incorporated gay themes into their writing in the 1970s and 1980s, around the time Gerald Walker had written this novel.

Neil Placky presents the view "Their books opened doors into gay culture at a time when homosexuality was considered a psychiatric disorder and a sure way to break a mother's heart".

[2] Cruising explores the main character's identity as an undercover officer and the internal struggle he then faces by entering the subculture of the gay community as a key point of the plot.

Additional focus is Richards' various heterosexual exploits, his rocky relationship with his father and many more memories of his life, both past and current, and Edelson's thoughts on the case and how he hopes it will garner him a promotion if he solves it.

The movie includes the policeman Steve Burns (his name was changed from John Lynch) having an active sexual relationship with his girlfriend Nancy (played by Karen Allen).