Journalist Jumata Emill (The Black Queen) returns with another enthralling, gripping murder mystery, about a young Black man who is arrested for the murder of a white classmate.
It's the last day of Mardi Gras season in New Orleans, and Amir is attending his estranged half-brother Marcel's 16th birthday bash. But Amir is not going for Marcel--he wants to spend some one-on-one time with Chloe, Marcel's best friend. At the end of the night, the "too freaking pretty" young white woman tells Amir, "I don't want to be alone" and invites him back to her place. Amir passes out on Chloe's couch, waking in the early hours to find her stabbed to death. The young Black man is seen fleeing the scene and becomes the main--and only--murder suspect. After Amir is placed on house arrest, he receives an e-mail from Chloe, sent eight hours after her murder: "There are people... who'd rather see me dead than have what I know about them made public. You reading this means they got what they wanted." To clear his name, Amir will have to rely on Marcel to uncover the deadly secret.
Emill uses dual first-person perspectives to narrate Amir's and Marcel's accounts, depicting the dramatic dynamics of their broken family. The tough conversations are relatable and authentic, and Emill powerfully displays an unfair justice system, harmful stereotypes, political power, and inherent racism in private institutions. The author alternatively shows the strength and resiliency of family, friends, and community as they fight for justice. An excellent read for fans of thrillers by Tiffany D. Jackson and Karen M. McManus. --Kharissa Kenner, children's librarian, Bank Street School of Education