By Claudia Mair Burney
Hennepin County Library paperback 291 pages
Published: 2008
"An Amanda Bell Brown Mystery"
Genre: Christian mystery, romance
This book was recommended to me, but I'm not sure from whom/where! I'm trying to be more careful about that because it's interesting to connect the source with the outcome. The title alone makes it intriguing. I don't know if I'll read her second book, but again she did a great job with the title: Death, Deceit & Some Smooth Jazz.
I read this quickly and have a mixed reaction to it. It was such a contrast to have flirty, fast attraction happening along with such a serious story behind it. Bell and Jazz are clearly drawn to one another and their flirting / bickering were kind of irritating to me as a reader. That push/pull tension can be fun and I'm sure other readers appreciate it, though.
The cult leaders and psychology of control was creepy but believable. What wasn't believable is that the protagonist chose to pursue a bad guy *by herself* and didn't bother to have a charged cell phone with her. Ugh!
Black life perspective, past pain and sin, loss, abuse, infidelity, . . . there was a lot to think about in this book. But layered over the seriousness was a quick romance and some humor.
I absolutely loved his mom and dad! The scene in the park and then at their home was my favorite part. And her great grandma's wisdom and impact were quite the legacy. I also appreciated that this was written from a Christian perspective.
Page 93 - This part made me laugh out loud. Bell was watching a televangelist.
"The woman spoke with a strong Southern drawl. For a moment I wondered if a special seminary somewhere way down South manufactured televangelists. With few exceptions, they all seemed to be Southern. Sistah Reverend must have gotten a sudden surge of divine energy. She started blinking madly and waving her gnarled hands wildly in the air, spitting out a chant like she had some kind of Christian Tourette's syndrome: 'Cheeses. Cheeses. Cheeses.' Make that dairy Tourette's syndrome. Then she started coughing. No, wait. My mind clicked. She's said 'Jesus,' only it sounded like 'cheeses' the way she kind of wheezed it. She pointed to the camera so that to viewers it looked as if she were pointing at them. 'You need cheeses in your life.' I had missed dinner. A grilled cheese sandwich sounded good . . . "
Page 161 - "I should have waited. There are worse things than being a thirty-five-year-old virgin. There are babies born too early who fit in the palm of your hand. There are broken places and fissures in your soul that never heal. There is no wedding quilt to inherit that your great-grandmother and namesake made for you when you were born - back when everyone had the highest hopes for you. There is the ache of knowing that even if you did find yourself blessed enough to get something as incredible as a Marriage Wish necklace, like the prodigal, once you squandered your fortune you ate with the pigs. And you will never forget it."
Except God's grace, mercy, and love can pour out the forgiveness and healing you need! This was such a poignant scene in the book (when she visits with Jazz's parents).
Page 288 - "The soft but determined voice of my great-grandmother rose up in my soul. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, baby. How many times had Ma Brown taught me this lesson when she spoke of unspeakable horrors our people endured, and the special grace God gave us to move on with dignity? How many times had God taught me this lesson?
I could keep typing out the rest of this scene. It's good. I love how real these struggles are and how God's grace shines through. The murder mystery was important, obviously (and I didn't guess the actual killer until the end part) but the characters really drive this story.
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