This book is well written and the author has a very descriptive writing style that paints a vivid picture of place and characters. This book is described as a cozy mystery but in my mind it lacks some of the key elements typically found in that genre. Generally in a cozy there is a sense of community and there are some strong friendships. Most of the characters in this book were rather unlikeable and didn’t even seem to like each other. The atmosphere in the real estate office where they worked was too hostile and depressing for my liking. The mystery itself was a bit light on sleuthing and sometimes a bit confusing about what actually was being discovered.

I’m sure that many readers will enjoy this book. Unfortunately for me it just didn’t hit the mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read this book.

Not your normal cozy. Odessa only gets interested in investigating the murder when she believes the wrong person is arrested. I don't even think the murderer realizes Odessa's interest in the case. Interesting group of characters. I am looking forward to the next book because I want to see how Odessa goes forward with her life.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Odessa "Dessa" Jones is a recently widowed wanna be real estate agent who goes to work at Risko Realty as a way to pay the bills since she does not have the heart to continue with her catering business, which she started with her deceased husband. In addition to being a former caterer and a sub-par real estate agent, Dessa is also empath psychic and after some time working at Risko Realty she understands that things are not quite right with the owner and her colleagues but in addition to needing the money, Dessa desperately needs a place to go and people to be with even if she has to guard herself against their idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. Dreading her monthly review due to her typical dreadful sales, Dessa goes to the office and immediately smells nutmeg which she knows is not a very good omen but she is unsure why, the next day Dessa finds out when her boss Charlie Risko turns up dead.

A Glimmer of Death is a excellent cozy mystery featuring lovable African American protagonist Dessa Jones. However, I must warn cozy fans that I found this book to be a bit more serious than a typical cozy, tackling some tough issues like suicide, drug addiction and spousal abuse, while still maintaining many of the elements cozy fans love, like a small community set in the fictitious NYC suburb of Grovesville New Jersey, a possible romance, and an amateur sleuth. I liked that Ms Wilson-Wesleymade this diverse cast full of characters and not caricatures, each with an interesting story in their own right, which I wanted to know more about, and as I learned more each character had motives which made them more likely to be the killer. In addition, I liked the way Ms. Wilson-Wesley had a reluctant Dessa solve the case not because she felt she knew more than the police, (as a Black woman she had experiences which meant she wanted very little to do with them), but because she did her homework, developed trusting relationships with her coworker suspects, sought advice from retired detectiv/current BBQ joint owner Lennox Royal and if that didn't work she relied on the more seasoned psychic, her ghetto fabulous Aunt Phoenix for some paranormal advice. So I invite you to get to know Dessa and her colleagues, Tanya, Bertie, Harley, Vinton, and Juda, but I must warn you, if Dessa starts to smell nutmeg be wary because someone is giving off A Glimmer of Death. I rate it 4.75 stars.

Odessa Jones’ inherited ability to read emotions and foretell danger has protected her. But she couldn’t foresee becoming a widow and about to lose her home and the catering business she’s worked so hard to build. The things that keep her going are her love of baking and her sometimes mellow cat Juniper. Putting her life back together means taking a job at an all-kinds-of-shady real estate firm run by a volatile owner Charlie Risko as her boss. He is constantly reminding her, she has yet to sell her first house. When Charlie is brutally killed Odessa’s bullied on-worker is arrested for the murder. They can’t be sure who’s guilty. Everyone from Charlie’s much abused staff to his long suffering younger wife, who had multiple reason’s to want him dead. As we follow the trail of lies through blackmail, dead end clues and corruption Odessa needs to see the truth fast or a killer will bury her down with it. A very easy story to follow. Odessa also gets a a lot help from her Aunt Phoenix whom also has the ability to read emotions and foretell danger as it runs in the family.Odessa is just learning to use the information she can obtain this way

This is a cozy mystery and I didn't figure it out until close to the end which is always fun. Unfortunately, other than the main character Dessa, her family and her friend the ex-cop there were not many likable characters, in fact several of them were awful. A few unlikable characters is fine but it felt like there were too many. This is the first in a series, Dessa is a widow, a struggling realtor and a baker who has somewhat abandoned her catering business. I hope Dessa finds ways to use her glimmer and grow her catering business in the next book.
All opinions are my own, thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my ARC.

A Glimmer of Death is a tad different from most of the cozy mysteries I have read so far. This book didn't have the tones of 'cozy'. Also, a little low on the amateur sleuthing. I would have liked the book more if our protagonist, Dessa, had a glimmer or some help from Aunt Phoenix - clues that might have led Dessa to the perp.
Since this is a debut in the series, I wouldn't want to comment on the character development. The plot was impressive and I hope to see Dessa making use of her powers to solve crime in the future books of this series.

This story follows the widowed Odessa "Dessa" Jones, a struggling real estate agent and former caterer in a New Jersey town. It's been a year since her husband's death and she's just trying to stay afloat and keep her desk at the agency while her crazy boss' threats loom. In usual cozy fashion her boss was one of those people everyone hated so it's no surprise there are multiple suspects when he ends up dead.

If you're looking for a light easy to read mystery with a interesting cast of characters I suggest picking this one up. This was full of young and old characters each with their own set of secrets. I liked that Dessa was actively trying to learn more about the way the law works and how conmen run their cons. Sometimes in cozies the way the women are instantly sleuths despite no years of experience and able to put the clues together is annoying. And like the readers Dessa didn't know her coworkers too well so we learned about them as she did.

And there was a twist on the cozy romance in that the potential love interest is a retired police officer so he's close enough to the force to be helpful but not the ones running the investigations.

Throughout you get plenty of descriptions of scrumptious cakes as Dessa restarts her catering business on the side. As you can find a recipe for her 7 Up cake included. A solid start to a new series.

Originally posted
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot.com/2021/01/a-glimmer-of-death-by-valerie-wilson.html

A Glimmer of Death is a first book in a new series. The characters are diverse, quite interesting in general and have some true conflict - internally and external. The psychic element was new for me and I understand that this is becoming more of a trend in the cozy mystery genre. I will give it a chance, but I cannot say that I am all that interested in auras or glimmers and things like that in cozies. This book lacks the essential elements of a typical cozy - the amateur sleuth does not appear to have a deep connection to the town, she is working to solve the case, but has a very easy time obtaining information - she does not have a singular antagonist, someone who will push against her in her efforts. This book lagged through the middle and the ending did not have the punch or twist I’d truly hoped for. The red herrings just didn’t fool me. Despite that, I will look for the second book and stay engaged with this series to see how future books come together and develop. The lead character and the gentleman in the BBQ restaurant are very intriguing to me.

This is a great start to an new series. I liked getting ton know Odessa and look forward to knowing more about her. This is a well written cozy that had me flying through the pages. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Books in return for my honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

A Glimmer of Death: An Odessa Jones Mystery
By Valerie Wilson Wesley
Kensington
January 26, 2021

Review by Cynthia Chow

Still reeling from her husband’s death just a year ago, Odessa Jones is hoping to make her way as a budding real estate agent in New Jersey’s Risko Realty. While Dessa had initially hoped that the office would be a place of bonding between genial coworkers and friendly banter, instead the relationships are brittle and constantly fraught with the looming threat of being fired. Owner Charlie Risko uses intimidation and bullying tactics without hesitation, and his younger trophy wife only reinforces his bullish image. Sparring agents, a spurned employee, and a location straddling the line between two economically opposing towns have Dessa always looking forward to the end on of the day when she can retreat back home to her comforting feline companion Juniper.

When the extremely unlikable Charlie is shot dead in his office, no one should be too surprised. Least shocked should in fact be Dessa, who has been gifted by her family lineage with second sight and the ability to see auras. After it failed to give her any hint that her beloved husband Darryl would die of an aneurism though, Dessa has grown not only to doubt its veracity but to resent it. Far more reliable is her love and talent in the kitchen, where she used to love to cook for her catering business until Darryl died and her heart broke. After the one coworker she liked is arrested Dessa can’t help but think that the police have made a mistake, kicking into gear her innate nosiness that had gone into hibernation once she became a widow. Once she opens up her intuition Dessa realizes just how little she knew about her coworkers and that everyone there seems to be hiding a secret.

I first fell in love with Valerie Wilson Wesley’s writing in the late 1990s, when I began reading her Tamara Hayle P.I. mysteries that featured a cynical but sympathetic ex-cop investigator. This is the author’s first real venture into the cozier genre, and she unsurprisingly excels by introducing another strong New Jersey female heroine but this time with a paranormal twist. Uncovering some of the seedier elements going on in Risko Realty adds an intriguing plot twist and further motivations for the murder, especially when this has Dessa discovering more victims and culprits. A charming police officer, 7-Up cake recipe, and Dessa’s acceptance of her gifts to see a person’s true “glimmer” promises the start of a thoughtful, but still very fun, new mystery series.

I shared my review in an email and posted my review to Facebook, Amazon, and Goodreads and I posted my review to my library site.

Although it did not grab my attention, fans of cozy mysteries may enjoy it.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

A Glimmer of Death is the first in a new series series by Valerie Wilson Wesley. Odessa (Dessa) Jones is a down on her luck widow who is trying, rather unsuccessfully, to make ends meet by working in a real estate firm that is on the shady side to put it kindly. The owner, Charlie Risko, has an anger management issue and likes to intimidate the staff with the pistol that he keeps on his desk. It’s not surprising when Charlie is murdered but when others in the office are killed, Dessa knows that she needs to do something fast before she’s either the next victim or the primary suspect.

Dessa’s aunts, with their claims of psychic ability and charming quirkiness, made the book for me. I absolutely adored them and can’t wait until the next book to see how their characters develop! I also look forward to seeing more of Royal and others who were introduced in this debut. The diversity of the cast was a welcome nuance that enhanced the book for me. I was not however enamored with the rather down on their luck and depressing work colleagues. I hope that the next installment will find Dessa back at her catering gig and way from that depressing workplace.

This series shows great promise and I can’t wait for the next installment. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.

A nice start to a new series! Dessa lost the catering business she ran with her husband when she had difficulty coping with his death. She's working now for the loathsome Charlie Risko at his real estate agency. No one like Charlie but who hared him enough to kill him? She doesn't think the police have arrested the right person but then more bad things start to happen. Dessa is an empath who smells things (she smells nutmeg before Charlie is found dead) and sees glimmers but she's not confident in what the glimmers are telling her. Luckily, she has two delightful aunts to help her. And she's got a cat who might not help her with the glimmers but is fun. I like her as well as most (ahem) of the other characters. And, I liked the recipe for pound cake (here's to Dessa getting back to baking). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Dessa is unique in the cozy lead world and I'm looking forward to more.

I loved this debut cozy by veteran cozy author Valerie Wesley. The protagnist is a independent woman, very smart and also a emphatic psychic. Right away I like the author's writing, all the charcters and the paranormal aspect of this series. It was refreshing to read about a uniquely gifted protagnist that lives life on her own terms. I like all the supporting charcters that all added to the plot. The author has given us a variety of charcters here that I look forward to reading more about in the future.

Odessa was a caterer that is now working in a real estate firm with a nasty boss. She sees aura's and reads people so she is always one step ahead of everyone else. When her boss is killed she is on the case with help from her gifted Aunt and friends.

The sleuth was very well crafted and kept me guessing to conclusion. This is a delightful series that I look forward to reading in the future. Very well done to the author ! Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My unbiased opinion is my own.

Valerie Wilson-Wesley's Tamara Hayle books about a black woman PI were one of my favorite all-time mystery series so I had to get my hands on her new series, especially when I learned it was a paranormal cozy about a widow in New Jersey. A Glimmer of Death proves that the author hasn't missed a step since she's been away from the mystery game. Though New Jersey caterer-turned-realtor Dessa is quite a different character than Tamara Hayle, she's just as memorable. You'll also find all the things you love about cozies, including cute cats and a colorful cast of characters. I can't wait for the next one!

An entertaining and well written cozy mystery. Good plot and character development. I look forward to reading more books in this series. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review review.

1 star
A Glimmer of Death
by Valerie Wilson Wesley

This book is not for me. I had a very hard time getting into it or reading about so-called psychic abilities. Just a big no from me.

A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley is a bit of a tough one to write about. I want you to read it because it was really good, but if you are a hardcore cozy fanatic, it may not be what you usually look for in a cozy. Most of the aspects are there, but there is a really big one that is missing… at least it was for me.

Usually in cozies there are so many wonderful characters and that’s one of the reasons that readers keep coming back. These characters become friends and you want to catch up with them when the next book comes out. But in A Glimmer of Death, a lot of the people were nasty pieces of work.
Now, I don’t want you to decide not to read it because Wesley really does a great job with character development, even the not so likeable characters. And there are still characters that you will enjoy, and a lot of diverse characters too! I just want to let you know before you delve into the book… this is a review after all. ;)

I loved the premise with Dessa and her family having psychic abilities. It was a fun change to have the main character already aware of them, instead of spending half of the book realizing it. Yet, Desssa doesn’t have a firm grip on them, so we do get some exploration. And we are introduced to her two aunts who do have their powers more under control. I really enjoyed her aunt's powers when it comes to money. Often in the supernatural community you shouldn’t use these types of powers to benefit yourself, but maybe it’s the dark witch in me that says, “Why not?!?”

I was also very happy with the way the love interest is playing out and that he was a police officer so he still has contacts on the force, but that he has a profession that matches Dessa more. Plus his grandma’s name was Odessa too, so how perfect is that. And as far as the mystery goes there are a lot of suspects and red herrings, but if you pay attention there’s a good chance you’ll be able to figure it out before the end of the book. There were two things that Wesley included that helped me come to the conclusion early.

An excellent start to a new series, and I really hope that the slight change from the usual cozy doesn’t stop you from reading it or makes you leave a negative review just because of it.

Veteran mystery author Valerie Wilson Wesley starts her new series with a puzzling murder – who killed the head of a local real estate firm. Unfortunately, negative vibes permeate the real estate firm’s staff and office resulting in a somewhat hostile environment that affects reader interest. There is no shortage of suspects and the protagonist, Odessa Jones, feels helpless about her situation.

While this book does not read like a typical cozy, the mystery is well-plotted. The sense of community is just not as clearly defined and established.