Odessa can see "glimmers", aura-like colors that correspond to a person’s emotional state and smell scents that indicate coming events. Like smelling nutmeg means death is coming. She is grieving loss of her husband, and is starting her baking business on the side. She is a kind soul I'd like as a friend.
Lennox Royal, and ex-cop, who runs the diner is a possible love interest. Aunt Phoenix is her only close relative and source of information about her unique abilities. Daryl, her deceased husband is felt strongly throughout the story. He was a gem and she often recalls him to mind. Bertie, Vinton, Harley, Juda, and Tanya populate the office and are suspects.

The plot is doled out in dollops as the story unfolds. The subplot of Lennox liking Odessa adds a gentleness to the story I really appreciated. Once I got past all the introductions of the
characters and the murder happened, I was hooked. The pacing is steady and shows an author who knows how to keep you interested.

The killer reveal was different than I expected, but it worked perfectly for who the killer turned out to be. The wrap-up is the perfect ending.

I am officially a fan of Valerie Wilson Wesley now. She is a skilled author weaving the story and characters into a confection as fine as the cakes Odessa bakes! FYI, a recipe is included that I just have to try.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

Paranormal cozy mysteries are tied with historical cozies as my favorite type of cozy mysteries. I love that added touch of magic or psychic abilities. Dessa is still trying to understand her own psychic gift, not quite trusting it. She's such a great character, insightful and smart. I agree with Lennox that she has a big heart, but she is also the kind of woman who can take of herself. She's the kind of person I would like to be able to call friend--and not just because she makes such delicious sounding treats.

There were several times throughout the novel that I wished she would just walk away from the real estate agency. Talk about a toxic work environment! Charlie really was the boss from hell. Everyone had a motive for wanting that man dead, and even I was not sure who was behind it, suspecting just about everyone at one point or another. The mystery goes deeper than just the murder a cruel boss though, and I liked that added darker layer.

Besides Dessa, I enjoyed spending time with Aunt Phoenix and Lennox. And who can resist a cat companion like Juniper? I hope I get to spend more time with these characters (and maybe meet more of Dessa's family) in future books in the series, and get to know them all a bit better. I look forward to reading more by Valerie Wilson Wesley, both her future books as well as her backlist.

I loved the book. I've been a fan of her writing for years. I really like this new character and I'm curious to see where this series is going to go in the future.

A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley is the debut of the Odessa Jones Mysteries. Odessa “Dessa” Jones is a widow who is still grieving the loss of her beloved husband. They had a catering business together, but Dessa has not felt like cooking since her husband’s death. This is what led Dessa to get her realtor’s license and begin working at Risko Realty. Dessa was hoping for a cozy work atmosphere where she would make friends, but that is not the case at Risko Realty. Charlie Risko has a temper, and the atmosphere is tense. Odessa inherited the family “gift”, but she is wary of it and has never learned to use it. We learn more about Odessa, her deceased husband, her “gift”, and her family as the book progresses. A Glimmer of Death is told in the first-person point-of-view, so we are privy to all of Odessa’s thoughts (which can be rambling and repetitious). I was not a fan of Odessa nor many of the other characters in this book. The exception is Odessa’s two aunts. The murder of Charlie Risko has Odessa questioning her fellow realtors in hopes of revealing the killer. She uses baked goods as a way to get into their homes and ask questions. There are a handful of unlikeable suspects all with motive to kill Charlie (he was an odious man). Most readers will have no problem solving this whodunit long before the reveal. I had hoped it would be more of a challenge since there were so many suspects. The clues were a bit too obvious. I do want to let readers know there is, unfortunately, some mild foul language in the book. I like the potential love interest for Odessa. He is a kind man who is a former cop who now runs a killer barbecue joint. He is also helpful to Odessa’s investigation. I wanted to like A Glimmer of Death, but it is a lukewarm read for me. I could not get into the book. I found it a dull read (boring, unlikeable characters, sluggish pacing, and an easy to solve mystery). The paranormal element was light and confusing. The story needed more excitement and action. It is classified as a cozy mystery, but it lacked that cozy feel (charming small town with friendly residents). The ending was anticlimactic and rushed. This is the first book in the series, so I am hoping for improvement in the next Odessa Jones Mystery.

Ms. Wilson is back with a new series that is wanting me to come back for more. Fresh from losing her husband and their business Odessa "Dessa" Jones is attempting to put her life back together. She obtains a job as a real estate agent, but according to her boss, Charlie, She's not very good at it. When he turns up murdered, and one of her co workers is accused of the crime, Della takes it upon herself to investigate. She uses a type of psychic powers, glimmers to get a read on people.

Although this was a slightly different type of cozy read, it was still enjoyable. My favorite secondary characters were Aunt Ruth as well as the owner of the diner (I'm hoping bits of romance will turn up in later books). I am expectantly waiting for the next book in the series.

I received a copy of the book via the publisher through netGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
This is the first book in a new series, which is always exciting to a book nerd like me, isn’t it! I was not familiar with Valerie Wilson Wesley’s writing prior to reading this book, but a quick flick through my goodreads account shows that I had marked her other mystery series as ‘want to read’, so she had obviously come into my radar somehow beforehand.
The writing grabbed me from the very start and the plot felt fresh and interesting- like we weren’t just treading the same old cozy mystery paths. The plot tackles some pretty gritty issues, and I was pleased with the diverse range of characters that gave a lot more representation that we maybe see in the majority of other books in this genre.
And having said that, I should also maybe mention that the author is an African American, so if you wanted to support a black author for Black history month, then this book is now available and well worth your time.
I did guess the murderer but that did not take anything away from my enjoyment of the shory. I will look forward to reading the next book in the series when it gets released.

This is a brand new to me author, and I really like her writing. She told a very intriguing tale that kept me wanting to find out more without it being dark or scary. I liked Dessa's character a lot--she made me just want to hug her sometimes and tell her things would get better (even though I have no personal experience in losing a spouse). I really loved the character of Aunt Phoenix and wish she could help Dessa a little more with her abilities than just telling her things. Celestine was cool too, so maybe she's going to be the one to help her out. All those goodies Dessa was making were making me hungry!

Dessa's co-workers were sure a mixed bag of craziness, and some weren't the fun crazy either. I eventually did like Vinton since he seemed to bond a bit with Dessa over her cakes she made. They both suffered a major loss in their lives, so I'm sure that brought them more together as friends. I really like Lennox too, but not so much the woman working for him who has her eyes on him. I hope he and Dessa can get together eventually. I like his story! I'm interested in what happens next, so I'm sure I'll be reading the next book when it's out.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

This new Cozy series follows Dessa Jones a former baker/caterer who has recently lost her husband and has taken up realty to get back on her feet. Dessa has the psychic ability and sees glimmers around people that give insight into their moods and motives and even smells nutmeg when death is coming. Many of the women in her family have abilities and use them in various ways including to win the lottery lol. When her boss at Risko Realty ends up killed Dessa is pulled into the mystery and wants to help her friend stay out of jail and figure out what's really going on at Risko. Dessa's co-workers are not the most innocent or likeable bunch and that does give the book a more serious and real world vibe than the typical cozy. Also, unlike the typical cozy this book talks about race and sexual orientation, instead of just ignoring those topics.
The mystery itself was intense and interesting, although I guessed the murderer by the end. I love these new grittier cozies. They feel more modern and real, even when they have a bit of magic sprinkled in.

A Glimmer of Death is the first in Valerie Wilson Wesley's Odessa Jones Mysteries and follows caterer-turned-estate agent Dessa Jones. Dessa has psychic gifts but unfortunately, they failed to warn her that she was to become a widow at forty-odd, as well as losing her home and the catering business she's worked so hard to build. She is trying to revive her catering and bakery company, D&D Delights, whilst working for Charlie Risko at Risko Realty in an office where it seems that nearly everyone has secrets, an unpleasant personality or both. When Charlie is found dead having been shot, one of Dessa's colleagues and an office friend is suspect number one...

It is wonderful to start a cozy mystery series from the very beginning and I jumped into A Glimmer of Death with abandon. This thrilling new series has a wonderful, engaging main character. Valerie Wilson Wesley's new sleuth Dessa is complex, smart and still grieving the loss of her husband Darryl. She sees 'glimmers' and has other interesting methods of analysing people and situations. Her character has depth and I felt that I was right there alongside her as she deciphered clues. Dessa's fantastic, eccentric aunts, Phoenix and Celestine, were strong characters, too and I adored her demanding, plump and spoiled black cat, Juniper. The author's writing style is clear and direct and I'm already looking forward to the next instalment!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Darker them most cozies that I've read, this novel is an intense, sometimes depressing but certainly captivating, mystery. The characters are well-drawn and left me wanting to know more about them. I thought I had the murderer pegged, but the story kept me serving guessing myself (although I was right, in the end!). I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!

This was a fun start to a new series. I liked the twists on the traditional cozy mystery. The main character has a psychic ability and sees glimmers around people. I also enjoyed the fact that the MC wasn't actively investigating but rather just trying to under stand things. It made the story more believable than some cozy mysteries I have read. The only issue I had with the book was that I didn't really like any of the characters aside form the main character. I have hopes the next book will feature some more likeable characters and it is definitely worth the read if you are a cozy mystery fan,

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.

This was a good and easy read. The baker in me loved that Dessa baked cakes and cookies also. I didn't really care about any of the characters but Dessa, but the storyline was good. It ended great, not too fast, but it rapped up like it was the only book. To me it didn't end like a series.

I’m so pleased to be able to kick off Black History Month in this column with an #OwnVoices culinary cozy mystery series debut!

Dessa Jones is a 40-something widower who’s a little resentful that her familial gift of second sight -- usually manifesting itself in glimmers or scents -- didn’t foretell the sudden demise of her beloved husband, Darryl. Unable to bring herself to continue the catering business they’d started to supplement his teacher’s salary, Dessa gets a job working for Risko Realty. She harbors the hope that forcing herself to work in an office with others will go some way to assuaging the loneliness that’s plagued her since Darryl’s death a little over a year ago.

Unfortunately, her boss Charlie Risko is a poisonous human being, and his attitude makes for a strained work environment, despite the friendships Dessa is kindling with several of the other agents. When Dessa is assailed by the overpowering scent of nutmeg -- a scent she knows foretells death -- while at work one day, she hopes this is only further proof of the unreliability of her gift. But then Charlie is found shot to death in his office, and Dessa realizes that her gift, at least in this case, did not lead her astray.

So when her gift is also very clear as to the innocence of the co-worker arrested for Charlie’s murder, Dessa knows she can’t just sit by and let poor Harley Wilde go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. But how on earth is she supposed to help exonerate him in a way that doesn’t put her in the crosshairs of a killer who’s likely one of her very own office mates? With the help of her exasperating Aunt Phoenix and the handsome ex-cop who runs her favorite barbecue joint, Dessa is about to find out.

I am a sucker for a good paranormal mystery, and for the cast to be predominantly Black is just icing on my enjoyment of this satisfying culinary cozy. A Glimmer Of Death feels so thoroughly modern, from its middle-aged heroine struggling to make ends meet to the steady gaze leveled at how it feels to be part of a minority in 21st century America. I was a little concerned at how the ending seemed to wrap up the subplots completely, but I have been assured that there will be more books featuring Dessa, her sleuthing and the wonderful treats she bakes!

Included in this volume is the recipe for one of those treats:

QUOTE
Dessa’s Go-To Cake

(First, take out the butter and eggs so they’re room temperature--it makes things go quickly!)
1 ½ cups softened unsalted butter
3 cups granulated white sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Don’t be cheap. Use real vanilla extract.)
1 teaspoon almond extract (If you like a lemony taste, use lemon extract instead of almond--or use all three if you dare.)
¾ cup 7-Up
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting, when the cake has cooled

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease and lightly flour a 10-inch tube pan (or fancy Bundt pan) and set it aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well each time you add one. Add the flour and the extracts. Beat well. Gently fold in the 7-Up, ¼ cup at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours. You’ll know it’s done when you poke a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. Transfer the cake from the oven to a wire rack and let it cool for 15 minutes. Unmold it on the rack and let it cool completely, and then, and only then, dust it with as much confectioner’s sugar as your heart tells you to.
END QUOTE

For some weird reason, my husband bought extra large eggs instead of our usual large, and I might have compensated incorrectly for that while baking this. I don’t think it affected the final product, though the texture was a little bit denser than I expected: it was still very delicious! Being the adventurous sort, I used half a teaspoon of almond extract and half a teaspoon of lemon, and think the blend came out quite nicely. I probably did use a little more confectioner’s sugar for dusting than I should have -- the cost of not thoroughly buttering my Bundt pan was a less than perfect cake unmolding, that I thought to cover up with the sugar -- so if you don’t like tremendous amounts of sweet, go easy on the dusting. Otherwise, I can see why this is Dessa’s Go-To Cake, even as I’m super intrigued by all the chocolate goodies she also mentioned in the novel! Hopefully, we’ll get to see some recipes for those in upcoming installments.

Next week, we leave America altogether for balmier, if still murderous, European climes, while cooking up a delicious sauce. Do join me!

This is the first in the Odessa Jones mystery series. Odessa (Dessa) Jones is a widow of about one year and she is still grieving and works at a run down real estate office (Risko Realty) where everyone who works there is keeping a secret. Odessa can read people with a “glimmer” and can read their auras and no one in the office is really happy and when her boss Charlie Risko is murdered in his office things begin to unravel there. Charlie was definitely not a nice person and there were several people who could have done it. Dessa gets along with everyone and they do talk to her but she keeps getting warning from her Aunt Phoenix. Dessa feels she is stuck and she decides to revisit the catering business that her and her deceased husband Daryl started and begins to bake again. She has a friendship with Lennox who runs a restaurant and she begins baking for him. He is interested in her but she is not ready. Lennox is also the father of an autistic daughter who was one of her husband’s students before he died. They have become friends and he was a former police officer so he warns her away from the people in the office but when one of her co-workers who she likes is arrested she tries to heed his advice but she also believes he is innocent. I had a guess as to who the culprit was and Dessa was never in any danger although there were hints of danger along the way. Dessa is very likeable and this series has a lot of promise. 3.5 stars.

A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley is the first book in a new mystery series, that I really enjoy. Odessa, Dessa, Jones husband died at a young age, and she lost not only her husband, but her home and catering buiness also. Dessa also has a psychic gift, the second sight, that she is working hard to understand. Dessa is working at a shady real estate firm, while she slowly tries to get back to catering and baking. When Dessa's boss is murdered, the whole office seem to be suspects. Dessa is determined to find the truth, as she uncovers all types of blackmail, corruption, and drug use. Looking forward to the next book in the series, and seeing where Dessa goes next. I strongly recommend this book, you won't be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Burdened by her losses in the past year (death of her beloved husband, the business they built together and her home), Odessa Jones is forced to work at a shady NJ realty company with an horrific boss and a sad sack set of coworkers. Her psychic gift of reading others emotions and have a forewarning of danger become more active after the murder of the boss and her kindness in trying to talk and understand her co-workers may lead her into danger. Her downstairs neighbor and the owner of the local barbecue restaurant are engaging characters. Overall the tone is more subdued than in a typical cozy which is interesting.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book. A Glimmer of Death is the first book in a new series, and it's a very strong start. I was hooked early on in the story, and could hardly put it down. The nain character, Odessa, is one of the highlights of the book. She is multidimensional, and it is great to have the story narrated by her. Her special gift is an interesting addition to the the storyline, and makes this book unique. The settings are very well described, and so are the other characters populating the book. The mystery is interesting, and nicely introduced. I am looking forward to the second entry in this series, and I am quite sure it will become one of my favorite series.

Chapter 1: Too many characters introduced at once. Chapter 2: They all left the office. Chapter 3: The body appears. 20% in and I lost interest.

I'd never read Valerie Wilson Wesley before and felt that I owed it to myself to get one of her books and read it. A Glimmer of Death was well written and likely ranks high in the cozy genre. I'm finding that for the most part, I simply don't enjoy cozies. I have to be in the mood for them, but since I wanted to read this prior to release day, I didn't have the chance to wait for the mood to strike. Unfortunately this book suffered the same fate as others I have tried to read.
If you love books that have recipes at the end, this is your spot of tea!

As soon as I heard that Valerie Wilson Wesley was back with a new mystery series (after way too long) and it's a cozy, too....well I knew I had to get my hands on it. Odessa (Dessa) Jones has hit a rough patch in her life after the sudden death of her beloved husband Darryl. Because of her loss her heart just wasn't able to carry her through the job of keeping their catering business going and it went under. Knowing that the next loss would be her house, Dessa decides to try her hand at selling real estate. It would have been fine if it hadn't been a job at Risko realty owned by the worst boss ever, bar none. Charlie Risko is a sleaze, a jerk, a bully and violent. No surprise when he turns up dead as the list of suspects isn't short. The short list would be who didn't want to kill him.
The group of employees is varied and everybody has something to hide. They all have, to some degree, suffered at the hands of Charlie, even his younger wife. Dessa knows more about life at Risko Real Estate than the rest of the cast because she has a rather unwanted gift. A form of second sight that her Aunt Phoenix calls "glimmer" or what most would call auras. Dessa is an empath and has yet to get her gift under control like her aunts have with their paranormal gifts. Besides auras she also smells things like being in Charlie's office and smelling nutmeg. It was fascinating.
As with her other series featuring Tamara Hayle (8 books) this one has a solid mystery to solve, full of red herrings, twists and turns to keep you guessing. Dessa and her cat, Juniper along with her aunts and various other great characters were so enjoyable that I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series. I have already saved a place for it on my TBR list.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.