Thank you for the free ebook Minotaur Books @minotaur_books , Netgalley @netgalley , and Delia Pitts @deliapitts
“Trouble in Queenstown” by Delia Pitts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Character-driven Mystery. Location: Queenstown (Q-Town), New Jersey, USA. Time: January-May, present.

THE SERIES: Lanky, strong Evander “Vandy” Myrick (49) became a cop to fulfill her father’s expectations. Thirty years later, she became a private eye to satisfy her own, partnering with attorney Elissa Adesana and her wife Belle Ames. She's back home in Q-Town:-9000 souls in 12 square miles, with a history of Ku Klux Klan (KKK) activity. She lives in a Victorian house on Main Street; her office is above the Queenstown Pharmacy, across from her friend Mavis Jenkins’ Kings Cross Tavern. As a Black woman, privacy is hard to come by in "Q-Town," and worth guarding.

THIS BOOK: Vandy agrees to tail Ivy Hannah (wife of the mayor’s nephew Leo), to uncover divorce evidence. Then a racially-charged murder connected to the Hannah family rocks Q-Town. Vandy’s a new PI in a corrupt town, but she’s determined to find the truth, even as she’s threatened and attacked. Meanwhile, her father is in a local care home for dementia, and doesn’t remember her.

Author Pitts has written a powerful mystery that blends grief, classism, racism, and family ties. Her characters are authentic and moving. In particular, Vanny’s toughness in the aftermath of grief, her snarky language, her determination to see the case through. With her powerful (often funny) narrative, she speaks truth about racism:
(“He could nurse his wounded privilege later.”) (“Preserving our Q-Town way of life, one burning cross at a time.”) (“Good trouble, as civil rights warriors used to say.”) Pitts inserts many red herrings! Vanny isn’t perfect-she falls for them too. As Vandy says: “Bad moves, no strings. My brand, my way” and it’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️ #troubleinqueenstown #deliapitts

Trouble in Queenstown is a standalone lone wolf PI mystery by Delia Pitts. Due out 16th July 2024 from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a very well written PI thriller with an appealing, strong, flawed, and badass female protagonist. She's a former cop, the daughter of a cop, back in her hometown in New Jersey after a personal tragedy caused her to go back to her roots and set up as a PI.

She does the usual divorce and process serving to keep the bills paid and get back on her feet, along with recovering from alcohol (quit cold turkey), some risky dating behavior, and working out at a local boxing gym. The fact that she's female, nearly 6 feet tall, and black is both a magnet for trouble and her trademark. She doesn't back down, she's tenacious, and stubborn.

It's not at all derivative, but fans of strong white knight PI fiction (John D. Macdonald, Robert Parker, and Randy Wayne White, et al.) will find a lot to like here. In this case, the fact that the protagonist is female, black, cynical, and potentially brave to the point of foolhardiness, is a plus. The prose is -good- and there are some undertones of Val McDermid and Peter May in there (but indelibly American).

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 11 hours 59 minutes and is superbly read by Bahni Turpin. She does a phenomenal job of delineating the characters of a range of ages and both sexes. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

There are central themes of open and hidden racism, sexism, assault, murder, (a LOT of) duplicity, and mental health issues. Some scenes are graphic. The racism was difficult to read (and almost certainly more difficult to live with). It's stark and realistic.

Four and a half stars. Five for the audiobook narration. It's not specifically foreshadowed in the book, but the author has left the option open to revisit the characters later. The denouement and resolution are satisfying; it's a very bumpy ride to get to the end.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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"Trouble in Queenstown" by Delia Pitts is an engaging introduction to private investigator Vandy Myrick, a character who brings depth and complexity to this mystery. Set in the small, racially diverse town of Queenstown, New Jersey, the novel explores themes of grief, class, race, and family dynamics, making it a thought-provoking read.

Vandy Myrick is a compelling protagonist whose return to her hometown in search of solace is both relatable and poignant. Pitts does an excellent job of portraying Vandy's struggle to balance her professional duties with the personal turmoil she faces. The backdrop of Queenstown, with its tightly knit community and underlying tensions, adds an atmospheric layer to the narrative.

The plot kicks off with what seems like a routine surveillance job, but quickly escalates into a more complex and racially charged murder investigation. This shift adds an intriguing element of suspense and keeps readers invested in the unfolding mystery. Pitts' portrayal of the racial dynamics in Queenstown is both realistic and insightful, contributing to the novel's depth.

However, the novel suffers from pacing issues, with some parts feeling slow and drawn out. Additionally, while Vandy is a well-developed character, some of the secondary characters lack the same depth, making it hard to fully connect with them. The resolution of the mystery, though satisfying, feels somewhat predictable.

Despite these flaws, "Trouble in Queenstown" is a solid mystery novel that introduces a promising new PI. Vandy Myrick's tenacity and determination make her a character worth following in future installments. Delia Pitts has crafted a story that, while not without its shortcomings, offers a fresh perspective on the private investigator genre.

For readers looking for a mystery that tackles important social issues while providing an engaging plot, "Trouble in Queenstown" is a worthy pick. It may not be a standout in the genre, but it certainly lays the groundwork for what could become an exciting series.

I really wanted to love this book. The topic of a black female PI is not very common and I was excited to hear about this. Unfortunately this book did not live up to my expectations.

I don’t know if it was just me but there was something about the writing that threw me off. Some parts of the book were so engrossing and entertaining and other parts felt like it was an afterthought. Honestly it almost felt like the book was written by two different people.

When I was almost half way through I wanted to DNF the book because I just felt that the writing style just wasn’t for me but I kept pushing through.

The story itself sounded interesting but there were so many subplots and side stories that it got to be too much for me. They all kind of ended up being tied up in the end but the twists were kind of far fetched and the characters acted in ways that didn’t seem to make sense considering how they had been described.

I would consider reading another book by this author because there were parts that were enjoyable but I probably wouldn’t recommend this particular book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own

I almost didn’t finish this book for several reasons. The pacing was slow and the main character, Vandy Myrick, didn’t hold my interest. However, I kept reading and eventually the pace picked up enough that I finished the book. The ending, for me, was over the top.
Trouble in Queenstown is a gritty novel. The format is different, as Vandy starts looking at the murder from the points of view of several different characters. Pitts interweaves issues of race, political power, and difficult family relationships with a murder mystery.
Overall, this is a good debut novel. Vandy is a flawed, complicated character trying to make a living in a rough world. She’s a mother dealing with crushing grief. But she also is a woman of steel, doubling down on the investigation in spite of the increasing threats trying to pressure her to stop. This wasn’t the book for me, but it may be the book for you. If you’re not sure, seek out a copy from your library and give it a try.
Pub date July 16, 2024.

I'm a sucker for anything Jersey, and it was such a treat to read a South/Central Jersey crime story. Vandy's P.I. business captures the grit of Trenton crime stories with the cozy racism of many smalltowns in Jersey. I enjoyed Vandy's backstory, which brought depth and interest to her character. Despite knowing the true suspect early on, the book provided suspense in how we get to the resolution. There were moments where the descriptions were a bit wordy for me and times the plot took some jumps, but I was here for the ride! I'm excited to read what Pitts has next.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

The old saying is true. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
I went in thinking this was going to be a cozy mystery. I don’t like to read much of the synopsis on mysteries for fear of too much will be given away. This surprised me . I really liked it but it’s certainly not cozy. It’s dark and gritty and violent but that didn’t matter.
The writing is good and the character development was good. She really set this one up well for the beginning of a series. I assume that this will be a series as to the way the book was written and the ending. I will certainly check out her next book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
3⭐️

I loved the flawed, broken character, Vandy. The story is told from Vandy's point of view, that of a black woman who lives in a town that sometimes doesn't value its black and brown residents as much as its white residents. Her father was her hero. He's now living in a facility, with dementia. After the death of her daughter, which haunts her, Vandy moves back to her home town and visits her father often, even though he doesn't recognize her.

Vandy used to be a police officer but was fired after the death of her daughter, and event that triggered unacceptable behavior. She has started a PI firm but it's struggling for business. She's excited when the nephew of the mayor hires her to investigate his wife because he fears she's having an affair. Vandy finds nothing suspicious in her surveillance, but subsequent events cause her antennae to detect something way off-kilter.

Using her detective skills, she uncovers one strange thing after another. She persists, putting her own life in danger and causing some evil-doers to target her friends.

I found the story-telling to be well done and the events to be intriguing. I am very pleased that I was able to read an advance copy of this book. I enjoyed it very much.

This book seemed interesting, lots of twists and turns. My only problem (and it is a me problem), I just couldn’t get along with Vandy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise~

A story of racism, corruption, and standing up for yourself. Love the FMC a private investigator taking on small cases. When she’s hired by an influential member of society. Right from the start you get a sense that there is something this person is hiding, but don’t know quite what it is. The job doesn’t turn out quite as easy as it seems. Leading to secrets being revealed. We get such a broad range of characters and see how there’s tiny little details that tie all their stories together.

Lots of suspenseful and thrilling moments throughout the book. Definitely recommend reading this book 📖 if you want to read a good detective story with lots of family history.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!!

This is an awesome story that keeps the drama and action coming. I love how the author separates each part of the story from the characters perspective. The characters are excellent and well developed. Readers will love Vandy’s sassy conversations with the other characters. She is a brassy and tough character on the outside and gooey on the inside. There will be many surprises as the plot unfolds. This is a story that will entertain and hold your attention to the very end.

A nice start to what looks to be a new series that walks the line between classic PI and cozy-and sometimes tries a bit too hard to be hard boiled. Vandy quit her job as a campus cop and moved home to small town Queenstown after a tragedy, the details of which aren't revealed until deep in the novel. All seems ok when her client Leo asks her to follow his wife Hannah but then Hannah is murdered in their home and Leo has shot Hector, the man he claims did it. First Hannah's father and then Hector's sister hire her to find the truth but the investigation puts her square in the sights of someone who doesn't want her to get answers. I liked this for Vandy and her relationship with her own father, her clients, and her friends. The underlying problem is the somewhat convoluted reasoning for Hannah's death. That said, it kept me engaged and curious. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Here's hoping we see more with Vandy.

I couldn't get into this, I was not too fond of the main character and felt like it went so slowly. I found concentrating on the story hard to do and had to force myself not to skim. I did finish the book, and while I liked how it all wrapped up it didn't make up for the rest of the book.

4.5 stars! Please let this be a series! Evander "Vandy" Myrick is one of the best PI characters to come around in the 21st century!
Vandy is a PI back in her home town after her police job went sideways. She’s not interested in deep romantic relationships, her adult child has passed away, and her father has dementia. What starts out as a straightforward PI gig ends up taking twists and turns. Queenstown, NJ is a small town w/ that small town mentality, where everyone knows everyone and threads and pasts run deep. Vandy gets more than she bargained for when her original gig turns into a murder investigation that some very important people are not keen on her solving.
As I said before, PLEASE let this be a new series! Vandy is high on my list of fav characters for 2024.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

I had to abandon this book because I just couldn't get into it, even after trying a few different times. I would be willing to read future works by this author.

thank you to MacMillan Audio and St Martin's Press for review copies! Note, the voice performance by Bahni Turpin is excellent, she captured the tone and style of a procedural as well as the complex racial, gender, and simmering family and professional tensions that would surely influence the main character, Vandy, in subtle and complex ways.

This is a strong police procedural, one that I for me is a complex one to review because all the strengths of a good procedural are present and there is great power in developing procedurals that explore a female Black woman as the lead PI. There are the usual tropes and styles with a procedural/noir style read and I think it was the leaning a bit more into noir style themes, while at times also feeling a little cozy, that kept me feeling distant from the plot. Loved the character, was all in for the themes, but something felt a little flat for me as a reader. This is often a feeling I have with an early book in a series, the start of a series... learning the tone and style of an author and character, getting to know the background themes and settings; that kind of set up can pay off down the road but sometimes diverts me as a reader.

So why 4 stars? The audiobook that I reviewed is well done, the voice acting and pacing are great and the performance definitely captured what I feel are the intentions and style of Delia Pitts. I also think that the book overall is strong, interesting, and perfect for the right reader and could serve as a start to a series that develops into a great and favorite main character for many.

Evander (Vandy) Myrick moved back to her hometown after the death of her daughter and is working as a private investigator. She is also dealing with her father's advancing Alzheimer's and she tries to spent as much time with him as she can. She is hired by the nephew of the mayor to investigate his wife, who he suspects is having an affair. Vandy thinks this is a rather routine job and on the day she is supposed to give her report, the wife and another person are murdered. Suddenly, Vandy finds herself in a situation that is far from routine. As she continues to investigate the murders, she unburies secrets that many powerful people in town would prefer to keep hidden. An intriguing mystery with several twists and turns.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I always enjoy a police procedural and new settings. Trouble in Queenstown is a private investigator who used to be a cop. Vandy has moved back to her hometown to deal with her grief and take care of her father as he ages.

At first, it seemed somewhat quirky and cliche, more like a cozy mystery but once the story moved along it was more of what I expected. Vandy has some typical PI issues like earning enough and taking odd cases to pay the bills. She has chosen not to drink alcohol or carry a gun. I think she needs to work on her self defense skills or get a dog if she is going to go into those high risk situations and cases.

Her case starts with trying to cultivate work with the establishment power brokers and ends up going against their corruption. The happenings are rather over the top but eventually she gathers evidence to prove her case. Vandy reconnects with old friends from high school and develops some new friends.

I enjoyed learning about these characters and their world. I look forward to more cases in Queenstown.

What a read. From the moment that you start this book you are taken away to another place and cannot return until the last page is read. It moves along at a great pace, has interesting characters that you want to know and love and a story that will not disappoint, keeping you interested and turning pages until the end. This is a must read book, no doubt about it.

This one could have been great...

Small town politics and hidden family secrets are always a fun story premise, but it just wasn't well executed in this book.

The main character was unlikeable (trying too hard to be a badass, tough-guy PI), the character interactions were unbelievable, and the ending was unrealistic. Not to mention that it felt like it needed a few more rounds of editing (we've already met these characters multiple times, you don't need to give their last names AGAIN).

On the plus side, the bond between the main character and her father was heartwarming. Her patience and dedication in the face of his dementia was commendable.

Synopsis:
Evander “Vandy” Myrick became a cop to fulfill her father’s expectations. After her world cratered, she became a private eye to satisfy her own. Now she's back in Queenstown, New Jersey, her childhood home, in search of solace and recovery. It's a small community of nine thousand souls crammed into twelve square miles, fenced by cornfields, warehouses, pharma labs, and tract housing. As a Black woman, privacy is hard to come by in "Q-Town," and worth guarding.

For Vandy, that means working plenty of divorce cases. They’re nasty, lucrative, and fun in an unwholesome way. To keep the cash flowing and expand her local contacts, Vandy agrees to take on a new client, the mayor’s nephew, Leo Hannah. Leo wants Vandy to tail his wife to uncover evidence for a divorce suit.

At first the surveillance job seems routine, but Vandy soon realizes there’s trouble beneath the bland surface of the case when a racially charged murder with connections to the Hannah family rocks Q-Town. Fingers point. Clients appear. Opposition to the inquiry hardens. And Vandy’s sight lines begin to blur as her determination to uncover the truth deepens. She’s a minor league PI with few friends and no resources. Logic pegs her chances of solving the case between slim and hell no. But logic isn’t her strong suit. Vandy won’t back off.