Harlem Sunset (A Harlem Renaissance Mystery) Paperback – June 28, 2022

Very good story. My feelings came out more in the first of the series but the inner feelings are present. Heart breaking or maybe not what and see. I love Louise and everything about her. Looking forward to reading Lethal Lady.

I like the characters very much. I didn’t like or find believable that the protagonist would leave her gun behind while searching for her girlfriend and subsequently get into a car with the suspected murder.

Bought book for my daughter. She loved it.

Set in Harlem in the late 1920’s, Harlem Sunset by Nekesa Afia brings to life the vibrant nightlife, jazz music, dancing, and cultural awareness of the times. It’s not just a historical mystery, but also the journey of protagonist Louise Lloyd as she comes to terms with who and what she is.Louise is the new manager of a club owned by her friend Rafael Moreno, the brother of Louise’s girlfriend, Rosa Maria. As they are set to celebrate Louise’s birthday, Nora Davies joins them. Nora and Louise were two of the girls kidnapped a decade ago. Louise, Rafael, Rosa Maria, Nora, and Eugene (Rafael’s boyfriend) spend the night drinking and talking, but eventually fall asleep. When they awaken, Nora is dead, and Rosa Maria is covered in blood. Did Rosa Maria kill Nora or did someone frame her?The author does a great job on characterization, providing not just a physical description, but gradually showing readers their shortcomings and strengths. Louise is a likeable but flawed character. She has a need to know the truth, is nonjudgmental, tends to joke in uncomfortable situations, tends to ignore things she shouldn’t, and suffers from PTSD from her earlier events including her kidnapping. She also was the main caretaker of her three younger sisters as they grew up. Louise is a dynamic character who changes and grows as the story progresses. The supporting characters had a variety of depths appropriate to their roles.This story captivated me from the very beginning. The author brought the characters and the cultural lifestyles of the times and place to life. The plot is multi-faceted, and the conflicts move the story forward with twists and turns that gradually builds momentum.The author does a great job of world-building. I was able to easily visualize the settings, the people, the clothing, and the homes. The atmosphere felt right for the times resulting in a strong sense of time and place. She effortlessly weaved themes of family, friendship, lifestyle, loneliness, the treatment and expectations of women, domestic abuse, grief, and murder into the plot. My only quibble is that the story slowed down too much in a couple of places.Overall, this book was an engaging, captivating, suspenseful, and enjoyable historical mystery and character journey. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. While this novel is the second in the series, it worked well as a stand-alone. However, reading the books in order would enhance the reading experience. Readers that enjoy character-driven historical mysteries will likely enjoy this series.Berkley Publishing Group and Nekesa Afia provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for June 28, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Read early as an ARC from NetGalley.I didn’t realize that this was a sequel when I requested it on NetGalley, so that made the beginning a bit confusing for me. But after figuring it out, I really enjoyed this book! After suffering through a traumatic violent encounter in Book 1, Louisa is just trying to enjoy a quiet life. She is about to start a new job at a new club in town but before she even starts, Louisa and her girlfriend wake up in the club after a night of drinking with the dead body of someone they just met. Immediately police suspect Louisa’s girlfriend and her life is splashed all over the papers again. You won’t want to put this one down until you finally figure out “who done it?”!

In the late 1920’s Harlem is the place for great nightlife, jazz, dancing and more. Louise is the new manager of a club owned by her friend Rafael who is the brother of Louise’s girlfriend, Rosa. They are going to celebrate Louise’s birthday when Nora joins them. It’s to be a night of drinking and talking ending up in falling asleep. When they wake up Nora is dead and Rosa is covered with blood. Did Rosa kill her or was she framed? Louise believes that Rosa didn’t do it. Who did it?The author recreates the 1920’s Harlem with characters and lifestyle of the time. It is a multi-faceted plot. The story has twists and turns that starts moving in a breathless suspenseful historical mystery. It enthralled me in spite of being the second in a series. I was initially afraid that I might be missing something since it was the second book as I had not read the first book in this series. This is a novel that works well as a stand-alone.Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Black speakeasy manager Louise Lloyd investigates a murder too close to home in 1927. An OwnVoices histfic gem, with beautifully developed characters and a plot that won't let you go. Named a People Magazine best book of summer 2022.

TRIED READING YOUR FIRST INSTALLMENT- KUDOS FOR A YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN ASPIRING WRITER ( I’M NOT JUDGING YET EITHER YOUTRULY CAN WRITE ( HAVE MY DOUBTS- WHY- YOU HAVE A TALENT 4SPINNING TALES MOST PEOPLE CONFUSE THE TWO ACTIONS; TAKE CARE!

I read the first book in this series and this book was very slow. The characters seemed flat in places and the plot lacked pizzazz. I was looking forward to this book and was disappointed