Review by Booklist Review
Pitts brings us back to Queenstown, New Jersey, where Vandy Myrick, the only Black female private investigator in town, has a new mystery to solve that hits a little too close to home. About two years after the events in Trouble in Queenstown (2024), Vandy is still just trying to live her solitary, sober life as best as she can. Enter her ex-husband, Philip Bolden, back in town to turn Vandy's world upside down. The two reconnect and spend a night together before Philip is found dead after leaving her place. Now Vandy must uncover the truth of what led to his murder while also dealing with the guilt of her involvement. As she gathers the pieces, Vandy has to face the realization that her ex was involved in more schemes than she imagined--and those close to her now could suffer for it. Vandy is still a realistically flawed character with a big heart and a sense of justice. Pitts once again delivers a twisting mystery that deals with classism, race, and grief.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
New Jersey PI Vandy Myrick probes the murder of her ex-husband in Pitts's satisfying sequel to Trouble in Queenstown. When Vandy agrees to accompany her former client, prep school teacher Ingrid Ramírez, to an annual homecoming banquet, she doesn't expect to bump into her estranged ex, Philip Bolden (or as she calls him, "Philandering Phil"). Nor does she expect to be so torn up about seeing him shine as the chair of the school's board of trustees and husband of the guidance counselor. The next morning, police find Phil's dead body near Vandy's office, leaving her little choice but to figure out who's responsible. In the 20 years since the couple's divorce, Phil had become the CEO of a successful real estate company; the more Vandy digs into its operations, the longer her list of suspects gets. Vandy, who is marked but not defined by her grief over her daughter's early death, is an uncommonly well-shaded mystery heroine. Throw in Pitts's knack for scene setting and her sharp observations about race and class, and this series seems poised for a long run. (July)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
New Jersey private eye Evander "Vandy" Myrick has not seen her cheating ex-husband, Phil Bolden, in 20 years. She is shocked when he appears as the guest of honor at a school awards banquet that she is attending with a friend's daughter. Unfortunately for her, the spark between them is still there. After they visit their daughter's grave together, Vandy invites Phil back to her house, where they make love. She awakens to an empty bed and someone pounding on her door. Phil has been shot dead in the early hours of the morning, and the police are canvassing the neighborhood. Vandy vows to apprehend her ex's killer. As she digs into Phil's life post-divorce, she uncovers multiple suspects: the son, who was humiliated by Phil at the dinner; the school headmaster, whose plans for a new dormitory Phil derailed by pledging money for a library instead; the current wife, whom Phil has been two-timing. Despite romanticizing Phil's good side, Vandy cannot downplay his scheming habits. Thus, the suspect list expands. VERDICT Pitts follows up Trouble in Queenstown with a literary, absorbing whodunit encompassing murder, human compassion, and grief. It's a welcome addition to the Vandy Myrick series.--Ed Goldberg
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Queenstown, New Jersey, investigator Evander Myrick gets dragged into a posh reception and then dragged into a murder that strikes closer to home than most of her closest friends know. Ingrid Ramírez, who'd hired Vandy 18 months ago though she's still a high school student, now wants her company at the Rome School homecoming gala. Vandy, who's Black, can't see much of an upside to an evening spent with white folks intent on proclaiming and protecting their privileges, especially once Ingrid reveals that she's dumped Ethan Cho, who's now off at Stanford, for Rome athlete and art student Tariq. Since closemouthed Ingrid doesn't mention Tariq's last name, it's not until the reception that Vandy realizes he's the son of philandering entrepreneur Philip Bolden, who was married to her for 13 months two decades ago, and who turns out to be the guest of honor at the festivities. Vandy and Phil's first meeting since their divorce is distinctly awkward, but not too awkward to prevent Vandy from inviting Phil into her bed that night. Shortly after he leaves in the early morning hours, he's shot to death, a development that will surprise only readers who've forgotten the title. Going over the head of Officer Lola Conte, one of the few locals who knows that she and Phil had been married, Vandy talks police Chief Robert Sayre into letting her run the part of the investigation that focuses on the Rome School, and that's where all the bodies turn out to be buried. Pitts works so assiduously to knit Vandy's detective work together with her self-imposed mandate to heal the most vulnerable members of her community that the healing work continues even after Phil's murderer is identified. Sleuthing as therapy for an economically and racially divided New Jersey town. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
