I Found This Great Book

In this episode I discuss the second book in Angela Henry's Xavier Knight series, Knight's Shade. I also discuss three new books I recently added to my directory of crime fiction by Black authors. Finally, I discuss why the podcast has been on such a long pause and what are my plans for the podcast in the future. You can find all the books discussed and more here: https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/podcast-episode/knights-shade-angela-henry/

For the second time, I have had the honor to interview award winning mystery author Tracy Clark. We talk about the first book in her new Detective Harriet Foster mystery series, "Hide". Tracy provides some great insights into the creation of her new sleuth, Harriet Foster. Listen to this interview to find out why Ms. Clark gave her sleuth three incredible heavy burdens to carry while she attempts to hunt down a serial killer who is targeting red hair women with deep blue eyes. You will also discover why her sleuth, Harriet Foster, must be paired with the one person in the detective squad everyone tries to avoid. We learn why for Harriet it is this job or nothing. Tracy provides some great insights into how she gets into the mind of the serial killer. And so much more. Tracy Clark, author of "Hide"- Interviews - I Found This Great Book You can find Tracy Clark on Twitter @tracypc6161 and her website:  www.tracyclarkbooks.com

Fay Snowden's Website: Noir mystery writer | Faye Snowden I had the immense pleasure to talk with mystery author Faye Snowden. Her latest book is “A Killing Rain” and features her sleuth, Raven Burns. “A Killing Rain” is the second book in the Raven Burns series of mysteries. We Discuss 2:15 Faye provides an overview of “A Killing Rain” 4:06 We discuss Faye's sleuth, Raven Burns 15:17 Faye provides insight into the motivation for the names of the books in the series 19:37 We discuss what Raven Burns would do and eat when she is not solving a mystery 21:18 We talk about three of the other characters in the story. We start with Billy Ray 24:14 We move on to discuss Imogene and the source of her tension with Raven 27:13 We finish our discussion of the supporting characters with Mamma Joe 31:26 Faye Snowden shares her reasons for creating a fictional city in Louisiana for her setting 35:51 We discuss the meaning of Noir fiction 38:31 We discuss Faye Snowden's other novels and short stories 45:11 Faye discussed reading the short stories of James Alan McPherson (James Alan McPherson - Wikipedia)

My final discussion of the novels by Jessie Redmon Fauset is with Tonia Ransom from The Nightlight Podcast. We dig deep into Fauset's novel “Comedy:  American Style”. This novel explores the desires of a family matriarch's commitment to passing for white and the effect it has on her children. Faucet presents the dynamics of passing from several different perspectives. Tonia's deep and personal views on the story are a delight to hear. We also delve into how Fauset presents the world of the Black middle and upper class of Philadelphia in the 1920s. Our conversation also explores the way Jessie depicts the lives of women during this period of history.   Tonia Ransom is the creator of the Nightlight podcast. The podcast is dedicated to showcasing horror fiction by Black authors. You will hear new and classic horror fiction by Black authors professionally read. If you have an interest in horror and always wanted to find stories in the genre that center Black people, this podcast is perfect for you. Tonia also features interviews with many of the authors of the works presented. In 2021, the podcast earned the IGNYTE award for Best Fiction Podcast. When Tonia is not producing an award-winning podcast, she is busy writing her own horror fiction. You can explore the Nightlight podcast here. NIGHTLIGHT – A Black Horror Podcast (nightlightpod.com) Also, you can listen to a previous interview I conducted with Tonia here.

A Conversation with Mystery Author Nicole Glover - I Found This Great Book Nicole Glovers books “The Conductors” and “The Undertakers” are historical mystery set in post civil war Philidelphia. The sleuths Hetty and Benjy solve murder mysteries with magic. We Discuss: 03:00 – Nicole discusses her motivation for creating The Conductors. 04:13 – Nicole provides details on her research process. She provides some insightful information on the fact and myths of life during the Pre and Post Civil War period. 14:13 – We discuss the magic system created for The Conductors and The Undertakers. 19:33 – We discuss the relationship between Benjy and Hetty. Nicole gives insight on how she includes a romance story thread in her books. 24:51 – We explore how Hetty and Benjy work together as a team to solve the murder mystery. 27:39 – We talk about how Nocole Glover's Magic and Murder series uses post civil war Philidelphia as its setting. Especially the lesser-known Black community. 30:23 – We discuss the second book in the series, The Undertakers. 42:28 – Nicole gives us insight into her writing process.

Alverne Ball https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/interviews/a-conversation-with-alverne-ball-mystery-and-graphic-novel-author/ Author of the Frank Calhoun police procedurals series Only the Holy Remain Blue Religion And the New Graphic Novel – “Across the Tracks: Remembering the Tulsa Race Massacre and Black Wall Street” We discuss Alverne's sleuth Frank Calhoun who has some heavy demons he is fighting. Alverne provides insight into the character and his reasons for creating Frank Calhoun. We discuss the relationship between Frank Calhoun and his partner Fred Lions. How two Black police officers are seen by others as similar when the reality is so very different. Alverne shares the details on his research process of this book. We learn how the city of Chicago plays an important role in both books in the series. Alverne digs deep into how his mysteries explore the relationship between the Black community and the police force. Also, the relationship between Black police officers and the community. We discuss the new graphic novel (“Across the Tracks:”) by Alverne Ball and illustrator Stacey Robinson. Alverne explains how this graphic novel brings a new approach to telling the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre and Black Wall Street. Alverne shares some news about his future projects Related Links 5 Things I Learned About Writing From Watching Soap Operas - Writer's Digest (writersdigest.com) https://youtu.be/UaDZyhvow_o Follow Alverne Ball on social media Twitter:  @AlverneBall Facebook:  /AlverneBall Instagram:  @alverneball

Dani and Mollie from the Black Chick Lit podcast join me to discuss Jessie Redmon Fauset's third novel, "The Chinaberry Tree". A fascinating novel that explores the lives of three black women in a small suburban town in early 1900s New Jersey. The novel explores their desire for respectability and security through marriage. But a family secret lingers in the background of their lives and threatens to disrupt all their dreams. In the first 30 minutes we have a spoiler free discussion of the book and Molli and Dani provide great insights on how Faucet's classic work share similarity to some contemporary literary genres. The remaining portions of the discussion dig deep into the characters and the dynamics of life depicted in this novel. Dani and Molli bring great wisdom and fun to the discussion of this novel. Black Chick Lit is a bi-monthly podcast that talks books by and about black women. Each month, they host an in-depth look at a title written by a black woman and its author. Dani and Mollie read across genres and forms, including literary fiction, non-fiction, YA, poetry, and urban fiction. Previous episodes include Queen Sugar, by Natalie Baszile; The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas; and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. In between book discussion episodes, they host Black Chit Lit Chats. Each month, they ask listeners to share their opinions about different aspects of reader life. Check out this episode where we discuss books every black woman should read.

The Shoemaker Murder can be found in the anthology “Spooks, Spies, and Private Eyes” edited by Paula L. Woods. A collection of mystery, crime, and suspense fiction by Black authors. You can purchase you own copy of this anthology by going to www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/145. The Shoemaker Murder is a locked room mystery set in Harlem in the early 1900s. Johnson, the shoemaker, lies dead on his shop floor. He was hit brutally in the back of the head with a hammer. The door of the shop was locked from the inside, the transom was nailed shut, and everyone around the shop swore that no one entered or existed the shop before and after the murder. Detective Sergeant Henry Burns oversees the case. A tall Black man with a keen eye for details. He begins questioning everyone in proximity of the scene of the crime and thoroughly inspects the building. He discovered a possible way in the shop but how did the murderer exit without leaving a trace and leave all the doors locked from the inside? Detective Sergeant Burns strikes upon the answer, brings his suspect in for questioning and sets a trap that leaves the murderer no choice but to confess.   This is a quick read and overall, an enjoyable story. It is not the most complex locked room mystery you will read. It helps if you are familiar with the types of access points homes in the 1900s would have had. You definitely see how Detective Sergeant Burns has a gift for observation and deductive logic. When he explains how he knew who to bring in for questioning it will make sense. This story is significant because of its author. George Schuyler is a noted writer of the Harlem Renaissance and beyond. Known for his scathing articles and fiction, which exposed corruption and fraud among whites and blacks. I first became aware of Mr. Schuyler from his book, “Black No More.” This book satirizes American racism, and no one is safe from his biting wit. Schuyler was also the author of several mysteries and crime fiction that were published under his name and pen names. “Black No More” is widely available but many of his other works are a little harder to find. In the 1930s, he wrote some of the earliest known political thrillers by a Black author. I found one collection of these political thrillers on archiver.org. Another collection of stories “Ethiopian Stories” is harder to find and can be quite expensive. Let's hope as these works become part of the public domain they can be reprinted and made available for all people interested. His autobiography is widely available. where he details his life as a conservative.

In this short story, Hurston features the trail of Laura Lee Kimble and her fight for justice. We also learn of a lifelong friendship between two women.

Featured mystery author Teddy Hayes. Creator of the Devil Barnett Detective Mystery Series. Teddy Hayes - Black Mystery Authors - I Found This Great Book

The first in a series of short stories I will feature. I discuss "Since You Went Away" by Frankie Y Bailey. A locked room style mystery set on a train going from New Orleans to Chicago in 1946. https://ifoundthisgreatbook.com/142

My discussion of the Hurston short story Hurricane. This short story from the "Complete Stories" collection is an excerpt from Hurston's novel "Thier Eyes Were Watching God" You can listen to all my discussions of Hurston's short stories at https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/zora

I feature mystery author Jake Lamar. Author of the American Mysteries in Paris series.

I am joined by Alicia – The Pretty Brown Eye Reader to discuss “Plum Bun” by Jessie Redmon Fauset. We have an in-depth discussion of Faucet's story which explores the life changing consequences for a Black woman, Angela, and her sister, Virginia, when Angela decides to pass for white.

My discussion of Zora Neale Hurston's short story, "High John De Conquer." A story written as a gift of hope to the United States during the challenging times of World War II.

Featuring mystery author Solomon Jones. He writes thrilling amateur sleuth and police procedurals. Check out his book at: https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/136

I had so much fun talking with Cheryl Head about her latest book in the Charlie Mack Motown series, “Warn Me When It's Time”. We dig deep in discussing her sleuth Charlene “Charlie” Mack. Cheryl shares insight into her research methods for the latest book that deals with hate groups in Detroit. These are just some of the great things we talked about. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/138 We discussed: 00:43 -----We talk Bouchercon and Cheryl's involvement as a board member 02:34 -----Cheryl gives us insight into the cast of characters who surround and support her sleuth Charlie Mack 11:33 ----- We get insight into what motivates Charlie Mack 16:11 ----- We talk about the challenges and conflicts Charlie Mack faces being "othered" while working in law enforcement 18:26 ----- We discuss how Charlie's girlfriend being a police officer changes the dynamics of the story and breaks standard troupes 20:51 ----- Cheryl shares how her sleuth, Charlie Mack, has an expansive mind and how her sleuth is breaking down boundaries by living her life 26:17 ----- We talk about the relationships between the local police, federal agents, and Charlie Mack's investigative team 35:02 ----- We discuss the research that went into the latest book, "Warn Me When It's Time", and its focus on hate groups 45:14 ----- Cheryl Head shares information on her writing process 47:03 ----- We talk about Cheryl's new project to write a literary mystery 50:47 ----- We geek out on a discussion of the works from the Harlem Renaissance and the lives of Black people then compared to now 54:15 ----- We geek out some more as we talk about the Julie Moody-Freeman's Black Romance Podcast 55:59 ----- Cheryl Head discusses the forward she wrote for the reissue of Nikki Baker's "Long Goodbyes" and the impact Nikki Baker's works had on her life and writing 59:00 ----- We talk about the impact of Charlie Mack being a queer black woman who is the central sleuth in a great mystery series

I had the magnificent pleasure to talk with historical mystery author Nekesa Afia about her new book "Dead Dead Girls". A mystery set in the Harlem Renaissance. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/135 We discussed: 01:25 – Nekesa shares why she selected 1920s Harlem as the setting for her mystery 03:03 – We learn how Nekesa's sleuth Louise Lloyd was created 06:22 – We talk about how the reader will gain a new insight into Harlem and the 1920s 07:36 – Nekesa share more on the events that have had an early effect on Louise 10:35 – We learn the sources of Louise's courage 13:34 – Nekesa gives us insight in Louise Lloyd's life when she is not on a case 16:19 – The Zodiac club plays a key role in the story and Nekesa shares the vivid image she has for this club. 18:27 – We discuss the wonderful relationships between the characters in Dead Dead Girls 22:54 – Nekesa Afia shares insight into her writing process

Published in 1942 in The American Mercury The original version of this story is titled “Now You Cookin' with Gas Includes a “Glossary of Harlem Slang” which was originally call “Harlem Slanguage https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/zora The narrator begins telling us about Jelly. A young man who is a pimp. Now in 1942 the team pimp did not mean what it means today. A pimp in this story was a man who lived off the kindness of women due to his ability to romance and seduce them. I guess we would use the term Gigolo now. The story starts with Jelly realizing that it has been a day or so since he had a free meal and his stomach was growling. As Jelly is on his way to find a working woman to gift him with a meal, he runs into a fellow pimp named Sweet Back on 132nd street. The two men engage in a battle of words and bluffs powered by egos that were not backed up by strength or money. The exchange between the two men is funny and tragic at the same time. The humor comes from the rhythm and poetry of the slang. The way they push up against the edge of a real confrontation while knowing that neither of them wants to really fight. Also, you realize early on that these two men are telling bigger lies that anyone ever told on the porch of Joe Clark's store. The tragic part of the story is the fact that these two men are unable to live a life half as big as their egos. The fact that they plan to live off the kindness of women has its own serious issues, but the fact that they seem to be executing their plan so poorly adds another level of sadness to their lives. Hurston captures all this through the dialog between Jelly and Sweet Back. It really becomes apparent when they try to persuade a young lady who is passing by to join one of them for a meal. Of course, they needed her to pay for this meal. As you can expect, both men strike out. Sweet Back tries to save face by implying that the young woman was not worthy of him. Jelly on the other had has a moment of reflection about his former life down south and his life choices in Harlem. Both versions of this story are in “The Complete Stories” along with the two versions of the glossary. The glossary is a treasure to read on its own. While it was easy to grasp the meaning of the slang as you were reading, there were some words and phrased that stumped me. The glossary comes in handy. I loved this story, and I preferred the original over the published version. Hurston captured the life and energy of the sporting life men of Harlem in her dialog. While neither Jelly nor Sweet Back were noble men, you still feel slightly sorry for them. Very slightly. When reading this story, I could visualize these two men blowing smoke at each other knowing full well that they both had nothing to back it up. We see the same scene played out often in life when people will go through extraordinary measures to save face and protect their egos. I can recommend this story if you can put your 2021 mind on pause and see that Hurston is poking fun at male bravado. You will laugh at some parts and roll your eyes at others, but you will have an enjoyable read.

This week's featured mystery author is Alexia Gordon. The author of the Gethsemane Brown Mysteries. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/133  

This week I feature mystery author Rachel Howzell Hall. An award-winning mystery author. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/132

I had the great honor of talking with mystery author Tracy Clark, the author of the Chicago Mystery series that features private investigator Cass Raines. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/interviews/talking-with-mystery-author-tracy-clark/ We discussed: 02:00 - We learn about Tracy's sleuth Cass Raines 04:10 - We learn why Cass Raines entered the police force 06:30 - We talk about the source of Cass' courage 08:41 - Tracy shares why her stories are set in Chicago 12:14 - We learn what Cass' life is like when she is not on a case 15:42 - Tracy describes what type of sleuth Cass is 17:51 - Tracy shares how the weather of Chicago plays a part in her books 20:13 - We talk about how the villains in Tracy's books are portrayed 22:00 - We talk the unique challenges Cass faces in "Runner", Tracy's latest book 25:12 - We discuss the growth of Cass through the books in the series 27:56 - Tracy Clark gives us a preview of her next book 31:27 - Tracy describes her writing style and sources of inspiration

My discussion of the Hurston short story, "Cock Robin Beale Street".

This week's featured mystery author from The Black Mystery Authors Directory is Krys Batts. The author of "What's Done in the Dark". Krys Batts - Black Mystery Authors - I Found This Great Book

My bookish friends, Marci and Ako from The Colored Pages Book Club join me for a fun and insightful discussion of the first novel by Jessie Redmon Fauset, “There is Confusion”. Jessie Fauset was a pivotal person from the Harlem Renaissance. She was the editor of “The Crisis”, the publication of the N.A.A.C.P. She edited many of the famous writers from the Harlem Renaissance. Published in 1924, “There is Confusion”, follows the coming of age of a group of friends who are the first generation not touched directly by slavery. Fauset paints an intriguing and insightful picture of young Black people in the middle-class world of New York and Philadelphia. Learn more about Jessie Redmon Fauset at www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/jessie

A discussion of what I believe is a wonderful horror story by Hurston.

This week I am featuring mystery author R. Lanier Clemons. She is the author of the Jonelle Sweet mystery series. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/126

I continue my journey through the short stories of Zora Neale Hurston in my discussion of Mother Catherine.

Featuring the author of the "Sherise Stone Mystery Series" CeiCi Christy. The first book in the series is "Major League Rookies".

Featuring mystery author Nelson George. The author of the D. Hunter mystery series.

This week I am featuring the cozy mystery author Abby Collette also known as Abby Vandiver.

This week's featured mystery author is VM Burns. VM Burns is a cozy mystery author who has three wonderful mystery series you should check out.

Angela Henry is the author of the Kendra Clayton mystery series. Angela is also the author of "Knight's Fall".

My discussion of the short story "She Rock" by Zora Neale Hurston. This story is another version of the story told in Hurston's story "The Country in the Woman".

Tracy Clark is the author of the Cass Raines mystery series. The series features Cass Raines who is an ex-cop turned private investigator. Check all of Tracy Clark's books here: https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/118

This week we talk about a short story that is an excerpt of Hurston's novel, Moses Man of the Mountain. In this story Hurston explores the moment Moses transitions from life to death.

This week I am featuring the creator of the Charlotte Justice series, Paula Woods.

My discussion of the short story "Monkey Junk" by Zora Neale Hurston. An interesting story written in an old testament biblical style. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/zora

Karen Grigsby Bates is the author of two mystery novels that feature the journalist sleuth Alex Powell. These stories are set in the Black publishing world. Here two books are "Plain Brown Wrapper" and " Chosen People" https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/114

If this short story had a sound track, it would be the Billy Strayhorn song, Lush Life. This story shows the range of Hurston's writing and gives us another view of life in Harlem in the 1930s. You can listen to all of my discussion here: Reading Zora Neale Hurston's Short Stories - I Found This Great Book

This week I am featuring the award winning mystery author Attica Locke. The author of the Highway 59 mystery series.

This story is available in both collections of Hurston's short stories An exploration of writing style by Hurston This short story is similar to "Book of Harlem" in its writing style. In both of these stories, Hurston uses a structure and voice that is similar to old testament texts. From the numbered paragraphs to the use of third person, these stories take on the same voice you would hear if someone read the old testament to you. I can almost imagine a preacher reading this story as a preface to their sermon. I even hear the Amen when the story concludes. A migration story Now that I am almost at the halfway point in through this journey, I see a consistent story that Hurston likes to capture. The life of black people who migrated from the south to New York is often included in these stories. Sometimes it is a back story and in the case of this story, it is the main story. All in all, this story tells about the adventures of Jazzbo. He leaves his life in Waycross, Georgia and heads to Harlem. He learns the ways of the people of Harlem. From his clothes to his skills at talking sweet things to women, Jazzbo eventually gains a style that wins him his lady love and a life in Harlem. Compared to "Book of Harlem" I think this story was less intriguing. It may be that I had experience with the format from "Book of Harlem" but I think the story in "The Book of Harlem" is a little less interesting. Both stories are intriguing in their writing style and I think in the hands of a gifted performer, they would be interesting to hear performed. Overall - I continue to be impressed by the depth and skill of  Hurston's writing. You can follow me on this journey by going to www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/zora

This week I am featuring mystery author Tyora Moody. Tyora writes soul-searching mysteries with a dash of romance. www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/110

Alicia from the Pretty Brown Eye Reader YouTube channel joins me for a discussion of this very funny short story. You can also follow Alicia on her Instagram channel @prettybrowneyereader and on Twitter @pbereader. Items we discussed At the 01:25 mark, Alicia talks about her YouTube channel. At the 03:26 mark, I give a brief overview of the story. At the 04:48 mark, we give our initial impressions of the story. At the 06:21 mark, we talk about our impressions of the two main characters, Caroline and Mitchell At the 12:13 mark, we begin talking about how Caroline handled the women who cheated with her husband. We had a lot of fun talking about this. Hurston's humor shines in this section of the story. Much laughter occurs during this part of the discussion. At the 24:38 mark, we examine the story further and how this story fits in the rest of the collected short stories At the 34:05 mark, Alicia share more about her BookTube channel. It's creation, the rewards and challenges. At the 36:16 mark, we talk about Alicia's love for poetry and how she has used her BookTube channel to promote poetry. At the 39:05 mark, we talk about some of the challenges and running a YouTube channel At the 40:21 mark, we talk about the richness of Black literature and the importance of promoting it. At the 46:29 mark, Alicia shares her experience running a book club at her library. At the 54:32 mark, Alicia share some advice for people interested in starting a YouTube channel to discuss books.

This week I feature mystery author Terris McMahan Grimes. She is the author of the Theresa Galloway mystery series. You can view both books in the series at: https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/108

This week’s featured author is Kwei Quartey. Kwei is the author of the Detective Inspector Darko Dawson series and the PI Emma Djan series. Both series are set in Ghana.

This week's featured author is R. Franklin James. The creator of the Hollis Morgan mystery series. A six book series that follows the life of Hollis Morgan from recently released white collar criminal to becoming a probate lawyer. The books in this series are: The Fallen Angels Book Club Sticks & Stones The Return of the Fallen Angels Book Club The Trade List The Bell Tolls The Identity Thief   R. Franklin James has started a new cozy mystery series. The first book in the series is: The Appraiser. https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/106

This week I am discussing The Eatonville Anthology by Zora Neale Hurston. Imagine sitting on a porch in Eatonville with Zora and listening to her share gossip about each of the people walking by. That is how you will feel when you read this short story.

This week's featured author is Kellye Garrett. Kellye Garrett is the creator of the " A Detective by Day" mystery series. https://kellyegarrett.com/ https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/104

A wonderful discussion of Zora Neale Hurston’s short story “The Gilded Six-Bits” with Marci and Ako from The Colored Pages Book Club. We dig deep into one of Hurston’s most read short stories. We have so much fun talking about this great short story and reflect on some real-life things. I want to thank Marci and Ako for joining me on this special episode. Check out their great podcast. https://www.thesecoloredpages.com/

This week I am featuring mystery author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and screen writer Anna Waterhouse wrote three books based on the character Mycroft Holmes. View all of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's mystery at: https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/102