Clementine Baldwin who is an ex cop is hired to find out who killed a prisoner at the town jail. Clementine is biracial and struggles with this as the book is set in Mississippi in the 1980’s. Clem and a partner Dixon and these two’s personalities are totally different but it actually works for the two of them. Clementine was forced out of the police force and she has quite a bit of anger about this plus her father was a criminal. Clem may had some of these issues but she is a fiesty, small and ever so clever. Dixon, her partner is from an affluent family, is very calm and cool and he is Caucasian. These two often clash but having opposite personalities works for them.

Turnip Coogan is (was) the prisoner that was killed. Turnip was a henchman for the “Dixie Mafia”. And while Clem and Dixon work to find out who killed him it also puts them in danger.. Will Clem and Dixon be able to solve the murder before more die or one of them is injured?
This is a wonderful novel set in the south during the 1980s and is full of corruption, sexism and racism. The characters are well written and very gritty. What a great read this was.


It is a dark southern novel about corruption. It is also about racism and sexism that Clem faces. It is similar to the TV shows True Detective or

"The Queen City Detective Agency" by Snowdon Wright arrives with an intriguing title, a decent premise, and a beautifully designed dustjacket with a ringing endorsement from the esteemed Ace Atkins. If you pick up this novel expecting something Atkins-worthy, you may be disappointed.

Several locales in America claim the Queen City designation, including Cincinnati and Buffalo, N.Y. The one referred to in the book's title is Meridian, Mississippi, an under-referenced community with ties to the South's unhappy 20th-century record of institutionalized racism. (It is also the birthplace of the seminal artist Jimmie Rodgers, the "father of country music.")

Setting his tale in the Ronald Reagan era, Wright arrives with the right instincts and a facility for how to structure a modern crime novel. Unfortunately, the story never seems to find its way. When the narrator reveals a bit of authentic local lore (as in his repeated descriptions of a landmark restaurant known for its complementary assortment of crackers), he seems to make far too much of it. He steps back instantly when he arrives at an observation you'd want to hear more about (as in the single time he name-checks Rodgers, "the Singing Brakeman"). We learn the addresses of the local buildings and establishments and still can't imagine how they look, smell, or seem.

The plot is not gripping. The villains are a devilish oligarchy of fatback land developers and the toothless backwoods half-wits who serve them. We get the idea that the KKK is a factor in things, although they've reinvented themselves under a different brand. David Duke turns up briefly in a framed photo.

The protags are standard-issue gumshoes described as a "salt and pepper" PI duo of Fearless Black Female boss and Good Old Boy sidekick. Their repartee is unpersuasive. It's like watching episodes of "Get Christy Love!" with "Dukes of Hazzard" audible on an adjacent TV set. There is a standard number of crimes to be solved and an inconsequential plot twist.

The narrator's voice is a particular problem. He insists on explaining things to the reader, eschewing the "show, don't tell" writers' school instruction in a possible effort to be Falknerian. Ultimately, we experience little of 1980s America except a few mandatory name-drops. We derive an insufficient sense of the community depicted, except that it's just outside the orbit of New Orleans, and we wonder why no one at HarperCollins pulled the author aside and suggested some rewrites.

Snowden Wright has received acclaim for his previous books, and this one won't add to his reputation. I appreciate NetGalley.com making an advance reviewer copy available.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Sorry, but did not like it .... can't find anything to say, except it's not my type of book.

I liked the era idea of this book but felt like it was half fulfilled and could have been leaned into a little bit more. Overall, a good read, though!

When I began this novel, I was excited by the era it takes place and a strong female lead to root for but there were times when the language or the way it’s spoken threw me off. Could be the southern thing or the geographical way they speak but I got lost at times.
I was impressed to find the author is not a person of color but I felt like the female lead was written with her heritage in mind. Scenes where she specifically acknowledges her color and her desire to have a “white man” partner to make her detective work… “work” felt authentic. In any case, I did enjoy the story but how this writer “speaks” wasn’t easy for me as the reader to decipher. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Ex-cop Clementine Baldwin is hired to find out who killed Turnip Coogan, a prisoner at the town jail. Clem and her partner Dixon are two completely different personalities yet it works out just right. Clem, struggles with being biracial in 1980's Mississippi. She struggles with having a criminal for a father and with being forced out of the police force. She has anger issues and self confidence issues but she is feisty, smart, and clever. Dixon on the other hand is a white male ex-veteran from an upstanding family. He is calm, cool, and collected. He is the perfect foil for her bold personality.
The plot centers around the Dixie Mafia and the illegal activities that Turnip had done. This puts both Clem and Dixon in harm's way as they try to solve who killed Turnip.
It is a dark southern novel about corruption. It is also about racism and sexism that Clem faces. It is similar to the TV shows True Detective or Mare of Easttown with it's gritty characters. It's a great read.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy. The opinions are my own.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Clementine has a new case. A mother wants him to find out who killed her son. This will take him in various directions to solve thus case. I liked this book.

This was nothing spectacular of being spectacular. It was a ok read. Didnt wow me nor keep my attention that much.

I was intrigued by this book solely on the Southern Gothic/Grit Lit moniker thrown its way and I will say that it had its moments where this was the way of things. Clem was a great protagonist and her "sidekick" Dixon was pretty well constructed as well. I was a little put off by the depth of the mystery mostly because a lot of it didn't really make a whole lot of sense. I understand a mystery author hiding the mastermind until the end. I like red herrings and I like being surprised by the reveal, but I also appreciate a little bit of a hint at who it could be. There were so many characters and so many things happening in the story that it was hard to follow who did what, why, and what would happen. By the end, it was all settled and it was done well, but I was in the dark for the most part. Now, this doesn't ruin the read for me, not should it for you, but it was a bit of a downer and a slog to get to that reveal. Once it was revealed it made sense, sort of, and then out... the newspaper headings were a nice treat.

From the blurb:
Following an unforgettable cast of characters and a jaded female P.I. enmeshed in a criminal conspiracy in 1980s Mississippi, The Queen City Detective Agency is a riveting, razor-sharp Southern noir that unravels the greed, corruption, and racism at the heart of the American Dream.

My thoughts:
Mississippi in the 1980s was, interesting, to say the least. And for private investigator Clementine Baldwin, excuse me, Ms. Baldwin, that's what makes it interesting. Clem and her partner take on a new case, which is full of back country racism, murder and intrigue. And just as I thought I figured out what was happening, it twisted and turned. I was truly surprised at the end and would absolutely read another Queen City adventure, and anything else by Snowden Wright.

I received a free copy of, The Queen City Detective Agency, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The Queen City is the nickname of Meridian Mississippi. Pi Clementine Baldwin is hired to find a killer, can she find the killer? Are they part of the Dixie Mafia? This was a good read, kept me guessing until the end.

Former cop, now struggling private investigator Clementine Baldwin is hired to investigate the death of 'Turnip' Coogan. Turnip was charged with the murder of a real estate developer. While declaring his innocence on a rooftop, Turnip falls leading his mother to hire Clem.

Snowden Wright creates a rich and compelling page turner set in 1985 Meridian Mississipi, just before Ronald Reagan's second inauguration (why does he need a second one, a character opines). Tensions simmer between rich and poor, white and black, with the good ol' boy network at the top of the food chain. Clem learns about the DM (dixie mafia) who are allegedly involved with the murders.

Clem is a compelling character. She's biracial, with a white father in jail, and never quite fits in with either side. She's smart and tenacious, but also guarded and jaded. Yet she has hidden optimism, wanting things to be better which drives her to solving the case. I really liked her partnership with Dixon Hicks, who is just a big golden retriever who tries to coax Clem into opening up. Many times she finds herself wrong-footed many times throughout the investigation.

While I had a feeling about the final reveal, it was still a bit shocking to have suspicions confirmed. I really enjoyed this book and hope there's more Clem and Dixon adventures. With its fresh and engaging prose which had me immersed in the story, characters and Meridian (I kept searching photos online), this was retro southern noir at its best.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Queen City Detective Agency by Snowden Wright.

This book had setting, atmosphere, and attitude galore. I really enjoyed the characters and felt mired in the world of 80s Mississippi. A lot of fun.

It’s the 1980s in Meridian, Mississippi. Clem, an African-American P.I. with the help of her white partner Dixon, is hired to solve a supposed murder. Emphasis on supposed, considering there’s multiple witnesses who saw him willingly make his way onto the rooftop he dropped from. Finding a murderer is not going to be an easy gig.

Some of the things I enjoyed throughout the book were how the main characters, Clem and Dixon are both so likable. Clem with her strong confident personality and Dixon, the goofy sidekick. I appreciated the break in gender norms when it came to Clem’s profession and the fact that the main characters were not romantically involved. I thought that part of the story was done well. I also liked reading about Clem's struggles being a female P.I. of color and how she manages to overcome them on her day to day. Readers who might enjoy this book, I’d say, are those who prefer young adult, light hearted mysteries and criminal investigations. I would not recommend this to someone seeking a deeply suspenseful or provoking read.

Unfortunately, even though there was some aspect of the story I appreciated, in the end, I did not find the book to be very memorable. I had a hard time with the grammar and vocabulary throughout the entire book. I often caught myself having to focus extra hard, sentence after sentence, to make sure I was understanding the paragraphs. This made it really tough to catch any momentum and it slowed me down to the point of wanting to put the book down.

One of the problems might be the amount of unnecessary descriptive information. The author did a great job setting the scene but I found the amount of scene setting to be a little much at times. It put the book in the ‘slow paced’ category for me early on. I also feel the need to mention the endless lists. Whether it was a list of items being described or a list of different ways to say the same thing, there were a lot of lists. Also, around chapter 6 is where I first noticed the parenthetical expressions and once I noticed that, along with the lists, I couldn't un-notice them anymore. They became extremely distracting. Around chapter 10 is where I started becoming frustrated with the story's slow pace and by chapter 14, I was officially bored. :(

All in all, the story had promise but the slow pace and writing style just ended up not being for me. Had it been a little easier to follow and find a good flow, I think I would have enjoyed the story a lot more.

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really liked the characters and the setting for this book. It had a real atmosphere that a lot of mystery novels end up lacking. Though the plot did end up being a little predictable, I still enjoyed the ride.

This is a complicated murder story. Clem’s, a retired police officer and her partner Dixon are hired to find the murderer of a woman’s son. Takes place in MIssissippi with Clem a Black and Dixon a white. Much of their conversations center on this relationship. When the case seems solved Clem decides to take on the missing pieces centered around Queen City. Fraud, corrupt public officials may sound more current than the date of the book.
Mystery covers many individuals, much distance and will keep the reader guessing. Good read

A fun novel featuring the Private investigator Clementine Baldwin in the 1980's Clem is hired to find the killer of Lewis the Turnip Coogan. Turnip may or may not have murdered by hire the real estate developer that is opening strip malls across Meridian, Mississippi,
Clem is caustic, jaded and pessimistic but game to take on the case. She quickly finds herself in dangerous waters.

Clem is a strong character and I love that the setting lent to discussion about race and economic issues. This is a noir book, so expect the grit!
If you love noir, strong characters and witty and interesting characters this is the book for you!
#williammorrow #thequeencitydetectiveagency #snowdenwright

i really enjoyed this! strong plot, characters that were likeable and multifaceted, and a case that kept me glued to the book. super easy tone and style to read, and overall enjoyable.

i was given an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

The Queen City Detective Agency was an enjoyable book. The story takes place in the mid-1980s with a female ex-cop turned private investigator who is a person of color living in Mississippi. Most of the story is about the detective and her business partner solving a murder and finding a conspiracy behind it. Yet, some of it goes into the struggles, the main character has to deal with to be successful at her job and life while living in the south. She is a smart, strong lead for the book. The plot itself was fast-paced and fun. Overall a good read.