I do enjoy reading books by Black authors. I have many favorites. I can totally get into a book that talks about the suppression of Black people and how they have to enter into situations differently then White people. I am at 40% and I'm at the part that we now hit on sanctuary cities. And the father who lost his daughter says how its WHITE people who are against them. Sorry I tap out at this. It is not a black/white issue. Look what is happening in NYC! And the mayor who is a HUGE dem is looking to revoke being a sanctuary city. You are pushing a liberal agenda with the book. This is 100% not for me. I was fully invested and wanted to hear the end. But I just can't anymore.

♡𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰♡
4.5🌟
-
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 :
•small town mystery
•murder mystery
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 :
•racism (a lot)
-
The audiobook, I highly recommend. The narrator, Bahni Turpin, did a good job bringing this story alive. It is very easy to listen to and also understand.
I did feel like the beginning was a little slow pace, but once we got to the murder part, it picked up paced. Some parts did drag a little, but the storyline was pretty good. Once you start to understand what is happening and start to put the pieces together. Mind blowing 🤯! Definitely have some good twists and turns. This is my first book by this author and will totally not be my last. I enjoyed this book a lot. Will be re-listening again at a later time.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 July.16
-
Thank you, Netgalley, and MacmillanAudio for the (ALC)-audiobook for my honest review.

I really wanted to give this a higher rating because I love the character's personality and sense of community but the story itself like to me, like we lost the plot.

it's kind of like that random riverdale episode where they have powers and then the next season everyone was back to normal.

so do i understand how we got where we are? no... did we get there? yes.

3,75 stars

This is an engaging mystery featuring a complex main character and - for those who are able to access the audio version - a compelling narrator.

Vandy, the m.c., followed her father's professional path in police work and now is a private investigator. As any layperson might expect, this kind of work puts Vandy in some challenging situations with extremely difficult people. Her challenges are amplified by her intersectional identities which, especially in Queenstown, really make her stand out as a target for dirtbags. While Vandy is an intriguing character on her own, two of her relationships shape her into an even more gripping study: her connection to her ailing father and her tie to her recently deceased daughter. While Vandy seems to search for connection personally and professionally, she often finds herself isolated based on unmet longing, buried secrets, and - again - facets of who she is.

The best mysteries are those that are compelling enough on their own AND that feature a complicated protagonist who grows in some way throughout the narrative. While I found the latter element more powerful in this novel, I still enjoyed the mystery, too.

I'll be back for more from this author.