A cold-blooded murder nearly destroys a close-knit African-American family in this rough-edged, refreshingly unsentimental novel. Troy is a successful financial planner for American Express who has finally won full custody of his five-year-old daughter, Meika. The two live in Brooklyn with Troy's parents, Ron and Nola; Meika's mother, Cordelia, is a crack addict and hasn't visited her daughter for more than a year. On a crisp September Saturday, Troy takes Meika to see the movie The Lion King. In the middle of the show, Troy's remote alarm beeper goes off, and he leaves the theater to check on his car. Hours later, Ron and Nola get a call from the police—Troy never returned, and Meika is at the police station, waiting to be picked up. Days later, when Troy's body is found, Ron, Nola and their oldest son, Vann, pledge not to let his murder go unpunished. Their attempt to track down the killer occupies the bulk of the novel and uncovers old tensions between Vann and his parents. Meanwhile, a nasty custody battle with Cordelia brings out the worst in all involved, as even Nola forgets what's best for Meika in her rage at Cordelia's machinations. Mallette's great strength is her willingness to reveal the weaknesses and occasional petty vindictiveness of all her protagonists, which enables her to craft a credible portrait of a family in distress. A brief, belated happy ending has a tacked-on feel, but overall, Mallette delivers a powerful tale exploring issues of social justice and family solidarity. (June 18)
Forecast:Mallette takes a definite step up with this novel, which is more nuanced than her previous Blackboard bestseller,
Shades of Jade. Her bold treatment of serious issues makes her stand out in the genre, and should win her new recognition and solid sales. 5-city author tour.
