Night Hawk an historical romance of substance

Beverly Jenkins’ Night Hawk is so evocative of deep emotions it seems she’s elevated the historical romance to a high art enhancing our understanding of American life during the 19th Century. Through her effective didactic story telling she immerses the reader back to another time. While the African American heritage primarily flows from the Middle Passage there are other neglected streams Jenkins mines like a gold panning prospector. She offers up a tale threading rich historical nuggets reflecting dark times of struggle and racial strife. People of color much like the larger society immigrated to the American shores from foreign lands in search of freedom and fortune and therein thrived despite racially sanctioned legal limitations.

So goes the story of Ian Vance Bigelow, a Scotsman and son of a Black man, and the equally compelling story of Maggie Freeman, the daughter of a Native American Kaw and a Black man. The spark of their romance and the light of their love make the vicarious experience of their journey worth following.

Night Hawk begins in 1889 two continents apart with Ian Vance Bigelow aka Preacher the gun toting bounty hunter turned U.S. Marshall returning to his homeland Scotland to visit his mother’s grave and there confronts his mother’s father. The wealthy grandfather delivers the mother’s dowry–festering guilt money. On Ian’s return journey traveling from Boston to his ranch in Wyoming by train and horse he finds himself burdened with escorting a prisoner. On a train stop in Dowd Kansas his path intersects with Maggie Freeman. Maggie, orphaned at an early age has been forced to eke out a living. In an attempted rape while working as a cook in a cat house she defends herself resulting in her attacker’s accidental death. Under arrest and to avoid a lynch mob the Sheriff attempts to move his prisoner to Kansas City when circumstances forced him to turn Maggie over to the U.S. Marshall, Ian Vance Bigelow, for delivery. From thereon to Cheyenne in a series of episodic adventures the two must overcome a series of obstacles including a budding romance.

Jenkins embeds accurate historical facts based on the established roots of real people into her stories paying homage to the diverse roots of the American people. Her lead characters are heroic, courageous, and far from stereotypical. exploring the struggles of African-Americans, Chinese-Americans, and Native Americans. The couples’ journey is skillfully woven with remarkable fidelity into the American historical tapestry. With some 30 books the award winning romance novelist Beverly Jenkins ranks among best, but as for the specific African American historical romance she is a pioneer at the absolute top, and with her vivid characters, intense love scenes and substantive themes it easy to see how she got there.

Jewell and The Dapper Dan

When I first encountered Keith Thomas Walker at the 2012 Romance Slam Jam I was curious about all the buzz surrounding him.  Having now read only one of his 7 books with two more due out this year it’s all been made clear.  Keith Thomas Walker is a rare writer with a remarkable talent.  Jewell and The Dapper Dan could be described as a modern day Bonnie and Clyde with a Black ghetto twist.  It’s a tale chocked with romantic intrigue and gripping suspense woven through a riveting plot.  The titled characters Jewell and her Dapper Dan are so skillfully drawn they jump off the page.  In a setting where violence is a matter of fact first response the in your face blatantly aggressive and provocative behavior is real and unsettling.  With few admirable qualities the dynamic duo are exquisitely sensuous and titillating.  Keith Thomas Walker has done an exceptional job creating real believable–even lovable–characters.

Jewell is a gangster moll with a conscience, compassion and empathy, but beware she can flip in a spilt second.  She’s able to care for her ailing mother and won’t hesitate to smack a poorly performing nurse.  Jewell’s attempt to aide her recovering addict brother by bringing him into the syndicate backfires doing him more harm than good.  Her disdain for her overly pious sister devoted to her children and her near do well deacon-husband seems all too real.  Jewell is at times loyal to a fault but a chameleon able to rise to just about any occasion assuming any role in any circumstance.  Her striking good looks and figure cause men drunk with desire to fall prey and defenseless.

Dapper Dan is a hardened, cold focused and skilled criminal who regards himself as a genius.  He rises from a pimp to an accomplished syndicate boss racking up one successful robbery after another all due to his brilliant planning.  He plans a final job a huge diamond heist that will end his criminal career enabling the couple to settle down to a normal family life.  Despite the obstacles and the gang’s resistance he pushes them forward undeterred with his eye on the prize believing in his own genius.  But trust becomes an issue and who can you trust?  Our gangsters prove the old adage there is no honor among thieves.

Dapper Dan’s blinded by greed and vanity leading his gang of thieves at a time when their allegiance is worn by his questionable judgment influenced by Jewell’s love.  In the end the lesson is crime doesn’t pay–at least not for the crime boss.  There are a host of minor characters the reader will find compelling particularly the furniture magnate Percy Hamilton and his gold digging houchies who prove no match for Jewell.

Keith Thomas Walker writes with a rare authenticity.  Jewell and The Dapper Dan deserves nothing less than 5 stars.

Guilty: The Trials of Phil Ferguson by Sean Russell

If you like books where the villain gets properly screwed in the end then Sean Russell’s Guilty is for you. This endorsement is not intended as a spoiler but a warning that the read is a journey well worth traveling to that end. Sean Russell’s debut novel is set in his native Barbados. It’s the story of Phil Ferguson a happily married attorney who seems to have it all, and that’s a problem. Phil Ferguson’s nemesis Jimmy Cadogan is use to having what he wants, and he wants Ferguson’s wife and the family business’s lucrative contracts. Jimmy Cadogan is no ordinary villain but a despicable larger than life character that goes to no end to achieve his purpose. He anchors his great yacht in the harbor where nightly orgies play out. His personal character is as reprehensible as his undesirable looks. Jimmy Cadogan, gets his comeuppance in the end both literally and figuratively.

Sean Russell skillfully paints a picture of island life with a supporting cast of quirky characters. However the reader learns quickly all is not well in paradise when the enraged Phil Ferguson discovers his wife Jade’s infidelity and seeks out counsel from his livelong friend Teddy, a somewhat bohemian islander living a self sufficient lifestyle. Teddy is a loyal friend ready to go to battle for Phil and has on more than one occasion saved Phil from making life possible catastrophic mistakes. Tit for tat in a scheme orchestrated by Cadogan, enter the beautiful international haute couture runway model Amanda Calendar leaving Phil Ferguson to contend with his own infidelity. Guyanese born and of modest means Amanda Callender makes the best of her beauty using it to climb to fame and fortune while exerting her feminine wiles to control men. She also learned how to protect herself from the very same men. Except one man, Phil Ferguson becomes her weakness leaving her in his presence defenseless and unable to resist their mutual longing and lustful urges for which there are consequences.

There are a host of other compelling characters like Phil’s doting father applying every means possible to help his son. There is a good cop Detective Mobert Clarke whose efforts to get to the bottom of things are thwarted by bad cop Detective “Pastor” Seale. And then there is Jackie, Amanda’s beautiful model friend who makes a late cameo appearance showing up in Barbados packing a hidden weapon that unravels all of Jimmy Cadogan’s best laid plans. The ending is shocking, unsettling and almost incompressible. No doubt that’s Sean Russell’s plan setting the reader up for more Phil Russell and Jimmy Cadogan capers.

In Guilty Cadogan gets his just deserts which may amount to nothing more than a mere set back. We are left with the expectation that the defeated Jimmy Cadogan will rise again. Guilty is a delightful read that will leave you wanting more. Five stars.

Romance Slam Jam Author Interviews Part 3

Romance Slam Jam Interviews with Deatri King-Bey, Jae Henderson, Kianna Alexander (Alexander Kane), B.A. Binns, Ann Clay, Yahrah St. John, A’ndrea Wilson, and Earl Sewell.

Romance Slam Jam Author Interviews Part 2

Author interviews with Marilyn Tyner, Denise Jeffries, Keith Thomas Walker, Koko Brown, Farrah Rochon, Rhonda McKnight, Sean Russell, Alice Wootson

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