Orange Crushed

Ivy League #3

by Pamela Thomas-Graham

Pamela Thomas-Graham's beguiling and atmospheric Ivy League novels simmer with hot button issues -- and unveil layers of malice and murder inside the life academic. Harvard economics professor Nikki Chase is intent on becoming the first tenured African-American woman in her department. But with her affinity for solving crimes, she may make her name in a place where the highest levels of human intellect can court the lowest impulses of the human heart.

PUBLISH OR PERISH

A working weekend at a Princeton conference is just what Nikki needs to deflect the pre-holiday pressures -- both professional and personal -- that are closing in on her back in Cambridge. And there will be down time, too, at a party honoring professor Earl Stokes, her old friend and mentor. Rumors abound that Stokes, a Princeton superstar, may depart for Harvard, a change that would stir up as much controversy as his new bestselling book on race issues. When Stokes's body is discovered among the smoldering ruins of the not-yet-completed black-studies building, a shattered Nikki refuses to accept the police findings that the death was accidental. And among the ashes she will uncover a murderous agenda with ominous implications for not only the Princeton campus but Harvard as well.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Academia

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Pamela Thomas-Graham is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard College and a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. Now president and CEO of CNBC Television, she divides her time between Westchester County and Manhattan.

Reviews

[Laurie Siegel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting mystery, taking place on the Princeton University campus. I think that Ms. Thomas-Graham gives a good overview of what campus politics can be like and how the faculty and staff interact. I was intrigued enough that I took her other two books, starring the same female professor, out to read.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a nutshell I didn’t care much for this book although I did enjoy the descriptions of Princeton at Christmas. I found that the story lacked tension and none of characters were particularly appealing.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun mystery, I liked the perspective and I loved the parts set in Cambridge.

[Christine Kuffel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! Loved the characters. Loved the writing. Solid mystery- had me guessing til the end! Sister Pamela knows how to write!

[Shayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have wanted to read Pamela Thomas-Graham's books before and for some reason the big three (Amazon, Borders and B&N) are always out of her books or they aren't in print anymore, something, and this was my my first opportunity. I think this is the third of the three books she has written. Anyway, I thought it was good easy reading; a perfect book to read in between two longer or heavier books. The main character, Nikki, was interesting and I enjoyed hearing a bit of her back story as she attempted to solve the mystery. However, I was 3/4s of the way into the book before I felt things really got going. There was no suspense or close calls until the end. I was very surprised by how things turned out, but I would have liked to have been on the edge of my seat a bit more.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Where to begin? This book was lent to me because it's set at my alma mater. It was rife with all the hackneyed stereotypes about Princeton (i.e., that all Princetonians are blonde, rich, conservative WASPs; that Princeton is a bastion of white elitism). The author has a very impressive resume and is a graduate of Harvard College, Harvard Law and HBS, so I was surprised that the novel wasn't better. The plot was weak and, for a mystery, it wasn't a particularly suspenseful book. The writing was pretty bad and the dialogue was trite at best.

[Terry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as interesting as the first two in the Ivy League series, perhaps because I don't know as much about Princeton.

[Writers Legacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked randomly off the shelf at my local library: A Harvard professor investigates the sin pit of Princeton. Not half bad.

[Beth Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

See blog entry at http://bethlikesbooks.blogspot.com/20...