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Vandy Myrick #2
Death of an Ex
11 hours, 51 minutes
Delia Pitts expertly writes about family, race, class, and grief in her mysteries. Vandy Myrick captured readers' and critics' hearts in Trouble in Queenstown. She returns in Death of an Ex, where Vandy tries to piece together what brought her ex-husband's life to an end.
Queenstown, New Jersey, feels big when you need help and tiny when you want privacy. For Vandy Myrick, that’s both a blessing and a curse. Now that Vandy’s back in “Q-Town”, her services as her hometown’s only Black woman private investigator have earned her more celebrity—or notoriety—than she figured.
Keeping busy with work helps Vandy deal with the grief of losing her daughter, stitching the seams, cementing the gaps. The memories will always remain, and they come crashing back to the surface when her ex-husband, Phil Bolden, walks back into her life. Promising everything, returning home, restoring family. Until she answers her door to the news that Phil has been murdered. And Vandy decides Phil is now her client.
It’s hard to separate the Phil that Vandy knew with the one Queenstown did. She sees him—and their daughter—in Phil’s son, who attends a prestigious local high school. She sees the layers of a complicated marriage with his wife. She sees all of Phil’s various parent, husband, businessman, philanthropist. But which role got him killed?
Delia Pitts expertly writes about family, race, class, and grief in her mysteries. Vandy Myrick captured readers' and critics' hearts in Trouble in Queenstown. She returns in Death of an Ex, where Vandy tries to piece together what brought her ex-husband's life to an end.
Queenstown, New Jersey, feels big when you need help and tiny when you want privacy. For Vandy Myrick, that’s both a blessing and a curse. Now that Vandy’s back in “Q-Town”, her services as her hometown’s only Black woman private investigator have earned her more celebrity—or notoriety—than she figured.
Keeping busy with work helps Vandy deal with the grief of losing her daughter, stitching the seams, cementing the gaps. The memories will always remain, and they come crashing back to the surface when her ex-husband, Phil Bolden, walks back into her life. Promising everything, returning home, restoring family. Until she answers her door to the news that Phil has been murdered. And Vandy decides Phil is now her client.
It’s hard to separate the Phil that Vandy knew with the one Queenstown did. She sees him—and their daughter—in Phil’s son, who attends a prestigious local high school. She sees the layers of a complicated marriage with his wife. She sees all of Phil’s various parent, husband, businessman, philanthropist. But which role got him killed?
12 pages, Audiobook
Published July 15, 2025
25 people are currently reading
9199 people want to read
About the author
Delia C. Pitts
13 books166 followersDELIA PITTS worked as a journalist before earning a Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago. After careers as a U.S. diplomat and university administrator, she left academia to begin writing fiction. Trouble in Queenstown is the first book in a new mystery series featuring Black private investigator Vandy Myrick. Delia is also the author of the Ross Agency Mysteries, about a Harlem detective firm, and several short stories. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Crime Writers of Color.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
May 16, 2025
4 stars for an unusual private investigator story. Vandy Myrick is a black woman private investigator with regrets. She feels guilty for not preventing her daughter's death in a sorority hazing incident.
Then her cheating ex husband comes back into her life and they end up making passionate love. He leaves at 0115 hours and is found murdered in the morning. Vandy decides to find out who killed him.
She does find the killer, but there are more attacks and a sordid bribery scandal involving her ex.
I didn't identify the killer until near the end. There were multiple suspects: he was cheating on his current wife, the bribery scheme and a speech that he used to humiliate several people.
Thank you Katie Layton at Minotaur books for sending me this eARC.
Pub Date Jul 15 2025
Then her cheating ex husband comes back into her life and they end up making passionate love. He leaves at 0115 hours and is found murdered in the morning. Vandy decides to find out who killed him.
She does find the killer, but there are more attacks and a sordid bribery scandal involving her ex.
I didn't identify the killer until near the end. There were multiple suspects: he was cheating on his current wife, the bribery scheme and a speech that he used to humiliate several people.
Thank you Katie Layton at Minotaur books for sending me this eARC.
Pub Date Jul 15 2025
August 7, 2025
Death Of An Ex is the second book in a mystery series featuring a middle-aged Black female private investigator in Central New Jersey. “Vandy” Myrick has had more than her share of troubles; she has recently moved back to her hometown, the fictional Queenstown, to go into business as a PI. She was formerly a police officer in nearby New Brunswick and at Rutgers University. Tragedy has Vandy trying to make a new start in the town where her dad (a former police chief and for whom she’s named - her full name is Evander) is in memory care.
You can definitely read this one without having read book one, Trouble in Queenstown. While people from the first book definitely crop up in this one, this story is completely different and separate. The mystery here is complex and had me guessing. There’s an elite private school in town, called the Rome School. A young woman, now a senior in high school, Ingrid Ramirez, who figured in the previous book, is being honored for her academic achievements at a gala dinner at the school. Since her mother works nights, she asks Vandy to be her plus-one. Which is how Vandy winds up at the dinner, not realizing her ex-husband Phil will also be there, as he’s the chair of the school’s trustees.
They renew their “relationship” a bit, both mourning the not-too-distant death of their only daughter. When Phil is found murdered, Vandy wants to help the local police. There are a lot of possible suspects, once the investigation gets going - people who were either jealous of Phil or hated him. There’s talk of money laundering, revitalizing a down-at-the-heels neighborhood in Trenton, church business, college admission scams, and more.
I really liked Vandy. She’s a street-smart woman who won’t take any crap from anyone anymore. She’s definitely a morally gray character! In the author’s note at the end of the book, Pitt writes this: “Vandy is messy in so many ways, which makes following her choices both challenging and, I hope, rewarding. I love writing about this tough, flawed, and vulnerable buzz saw of a character.” I could not have described her better!
Being a resident of Central NJ, I particularly loved all the local color. While the town of Queenstown itself is fictional, the general area is not, and I appreciated all the realistic references to nearby locations and roads.
I’m looking forward to reading more of Vandy’s adventures.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of this audiobook. As always, Bahni Turpin does a fantastic job with the narration.
All opinions are my own.
You can definitely read this one without having read book one, Trouble in Queenstown. While people from the first book definitely crop up in this one, this story is completely different and separate. The mystery here is complex and had me guessing. There’s an elite private school in town, called the Rome School. A young woman, now a senior in high school, Ingrid Ramirez, who figured in the previous book, is being honored for her academic achievements at a gala dinner at the school. Since her mother works nights, she asks Vandy to be her plus-one. Which is how Vandy winds up at the dinner, not realizing her ex-husband Phil will also be there, as he’s the chair of the school’s trustees.
They renew their “relationship” a bit, both mourning the not-too-distant death of their only daughter. When Phil is found murdered, Vandy wants to help the local police. There are a lot of possible suspects, once the investigation gets going - people who were either jealous of Phil or hated him. There’s talk of money laundering, revitalizing a down-at-the-heels neighborhood in Trenton, church business, college admission scams, and more.
I really liked Vandy. She’s a street-smart woman who won’t take any crap from anyone anymore. She’s definitely a morally gray character! In the author’s note at the end of the book, Pitt writes this: “Vandy is messy in so many ways, which makes following her choices both challenging and, I hope, rewarding. I love writing about this tough, flawed, and vulnerable buzz saw of a character.” I could not have described her better!
Being a resident of Central NJ, I particularly loved all the local color. While the town of Queenstown itself is fictional, the general area is not, and I appreciated all the realistic references to nearby locations and roads.
I’m looking forward to reading more of Vandy’s adventures.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of this audiobook. As always, Bahni Turpin does a fantastic job with the narration.
All opinions are my own.
July 21, 2025
The second in this mystery series was just as good as the first. It is filled with characters who are smart, sassy, and not afraid to get their hands dirty.
Vandy reconnects with her ex-husband, the father of her deceased daughter. There are still sparks, but he is married to someone else. That doesn't stop him, because he is a player, and he doesn't care who he hurts, especially not his wife or son. When he is killed after leaving her, she vows to uncover his killer.
There are many moving pieces to this mystery. Multiple potential suspects and uncovering true motives. While I didn't guess the killer until near the end, I was correct, but that didn't mean I didn't suspect other characters!
I found it interesting that no one has hired Vandy to find Phil's killer. Perhaps that was her choice as the ex-wife, and what her daughter would probably want her to do. She also learns some truths about why he wasn't around while their daughter was growing up.
I liked the interactions between Vandy and the other characters, especially Ingrid and Tariq. I think she gravitated towards them since they reminded her of her daughter.
This book brought back memories for Vandy, both good and bad. She learned a few things that helped put a little closure on some events.
We give this book 4 paws up.
Vandy reconnects with her ex-husband, the father of her deceased daughter. There are still sparks, but he is married to someone else. That doesn't stop him, because he is a player, and he doesn't care who he hurts, especially not his wife or son. When he is killed after leaving her, she vows to uncover his killer.
There are many moving pieces to this mystery. Multiple potential suspects and uncovering true motives. While I didn't guess the killer until near the end, I was correct, but that didn't mean I didn't suspect other characters!
I found it interesting that no one has hired Vandy to find Phil's killer. Perhaps that was her choice as the ex-wife, and what her daughter would probably want her to do. She also learns some truths about why he wasn't around while their daughter was growing up.
I liked the interactions between Vandy and the other characters, especially Ingrid and Tariq. I think she gravitated towards them since they reminded her of her daughter.
This book brought back memories for Vandy, both good and bad. She learned a few things that helped put a little closure on some events.
We give this book 4 paws up.
June 29, 2025
St. Martin's Press provided an early galley for review.
I liked the first book of this series - 2024's Trouble in Queenstown. Therefore, I wanted to give the sequel a chance as well.
In Pitts' Queenstown, there is an awful lot of folks dancing along the morally gray lines, including our protagonist Vandy. While I see it a lot in this genre of fiction, it really jumped out to me a lot more when reading this story.
Admittedly, I found myself disengaged with the story at several times throughout. I also noted a number of tropes in the plot that did not saying very much new on the subject. This easily contributed to my lack of focus. Readers want to be surprised and challenged.
I liked the first book of this series - 2024's Trouble in Queenstown. Therefore, I wanted to give the sequel a chance as well.
In Pitts' Queenstown, there is an awful lot of folks dancing along the morally gray lines, including our protagonist Vandy. While I see it a lot in this genre of fiction, it really jumped out to me a lot more when reading this story.
Admittedly, I found myself disengaged with the story at several times throughout. I also noted a number of tropes in the plot that did not saying very much new on the subject. This easily contributed to my lack of focus. Readers want to be surprised and challenged.
July 2, 2025
This book! I love Vandy SO much. She is hurting, she is broken, she is flawed, but she is SO strong and still cares for others so much that it shines off the page. She is only human and she is trying her best, even when the world seems to continuously beat her down. She goes through more struggled and heartbreak in this book, but somehow keeps her face straight and risks everything to find justice for someone who might not seem like they deserve it. I was captivated by this book and the vibrant characters; so many twists and turns and I loveddd the storytelling the author does to slowly reveal the secrets and all the connections. Shocks pile up and Vandy keeps going until the bitter end. I feel for her so much, I want to give her a huge squeeze. I love this writing and the way the author writes flawed characters that you can't quite decide if you trust. I already cannot wait for more.
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was perfect. The sass and drive in her voice, almost simultaneous with undertones of hurt and breaking was masterfully done to truly bring Vandy to life.
Thanks to the publisher for the ALC; my thoughts and review are my own.
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was perfect. The sass and drive in her voice, almost simultaneous with undertones of hurt and breaking was masterfully done to truly bring Vandy to life.
Thanks to the publisher for the ALC; my thoughts and review are my own.
June 18, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: July 15, 2025
Mystery writer Delia C. Pitts has brought her Private Investigator, Vandy Myrick, back with her new novel, “Death of an Ex: A Vandy Myrick Mystery”.
Vandy Myrick is Queenstown’s only Black P.I., but she loves her work, immersing herself in solving mysteries to help her overcome the overwhelming loss of her daughter, and the breakdown of her marriage. Her ex-husband, Phil, is now married to another woman, with another child of his own, but when he shows up in Vandy’s office one day, asking for help, Vandy starts to see a future together, again. Then Phil is found dead, murdered feet from her home. Vandy knows it’s a risk investigating her ex-husband’s murder, but she also knows that she doesn’t trust anyone else to do it.
“Ex” is the second novel in Pitts’ Vandy Myrick mystery series (the first one being “Trouble in Queenstown”). I did not read her first novel, or any other by Pitts for that matter, but it did not seem to matter too much, as “Ex” provided me enough detail to understand the characters and their relationships.
Vandy is the protagonist, so the novel is told from her perspective. She uses her connections with the community to investigate first, Phil’s missing son and then, Phil’s murder, so readers are able to meet some of the characters from the first novel and understand their connection to Vandy and others. Of course, as with all novels that take place in a small town, every character knows every other character, especially Phil, who seemed to have a convoluted and complicated relationship with every female within the town’s limits, so keeping track of everyone else’s role can cause some confusion.
As the main character, I enjoyed Vandy. I found her to be heartfelt and smart, with a spiky edge, calling everyone who has any meaning to her whatsoever, “baby”, regardless of gender or age. She has the tough-as-nails yet cuddly older middle-aged woman thing going, which makes her super relatable to almost everyone, as well as entirely likable.
The mystery, of course, is the centre of it all. Who killed Phil? As the suspects pile up, Pitts had me guessing, trying to suss out the murderer and, I can say, the reveal caught me by surprise. There is a deep, yet intricate and complicated, relationship between the killer and Phil, and you have to take a few detours to get to the motivation, but it was certainly unexpected. The ending of “Ex” left me satisfied, providing believable answers to the plot’s questions and ensuring justice was served.
For such an overflowing, inundated genre as “private detective mystery”, authors need to make their novels stand out above the rest and I think Pitts has done that by making Vandy the unexpected heroine she is.
Expected publication date: July 15, 2025
Mystery writer Delia C. Pitts has brought her Private Investigator, Vandy Myrick, back with her new novel, “Death of an Ex: A Vandy Myrick Mystery”.
Vandy Myrick is Queenstown’s only Black P.I., but she loves her work, immersing herself in solving mysteries to help her overcome the overwhelming loss of her daughter, and the breakdown of her marriage. Her ex-husband, Phil, is now married to another woman, with another child of his own, but when he shows up in Vandy’s office one day, asking for help, Vandy starts to see a future together, again. Then Phil is found dead, murdered feet from her home. Vandy knows it’s a risk investigating her ex-husband’s murder, but she also knows that she doesn’t trust anyone else to do it.
“Ex” is the second novel in Pitts’ Vandy Myrick mystery series (the first one being “Trouble in Queenstown”). I did not read her first novel, or any other by Pitts for that matter, but it did not seem to matter too much, as “Ex” provided me enough detail to understand the characters and their relationships.
Vandy is the protagonist, so the novel is told from her perspective. She uses her connections with the community to investigate first, Phil’s missing son and then, Phil’s murder, so readers are able to meet some of the characters from the first novel and understand their connection to Vandy and others. Of course, as with all novels that take place in a small town, every character knows every other character, especially Phil, who seemed to have a convoluted and complicated relationship with every female within the town’s limits, so keeping track of everyone else’s role can cause some confusion.
As the main character, I enjoyed Vandy. I found her to be heartfelt and smart, with a spiky edge, calling everyone who has any meaning to her whatsoever, “baby”, regardless of gender or age. She has the tough-as-nails yet cuddly older middle-aged woman thing going, which makes her super relatable to almost everyone, as well as entirely likable.
The mystery, of course, is the centre of it all. Who killed Phil? As the suspects pile up, Pitts had me guessing, trying to suss out the murderer and, I can say, the reveal caught me by surprise. There is a deep, yet intricate and complicated, relationship between the killer and Phil, and you have to take a few detours to get to the motivation, but it was certainly unexpected. The ending of “Ex” left me satisfied, providing believable answers to the plot’s questions and ensuring justice was served.
For such an overflowing, inundated genre as “private detective mystery”, authors need to make their novels stand out above the rest and I think Pitts has done that by making Vandy the unexpected heroine she is.
July 19, 2025
Delia Pitts is back with her razor-sharp mystery series starring the lively, witty, intelligent, challenging, and sassy PI Vandy Myrick after the introduction of (#1) Trouble in Queenstown (5 stars) with (#2) DEATH OF AN EX.
Vandy is engrossed in another murder mystery, and this time it hits close to home, involving her ex-husband and the father of her deceased daughter.
Exploring grief, class, race, and family within a murder mystery—from small-town suspense, lies, family secrets, and corruption infused with humor and a tenacious, relatable, kick-ass black female PI.
About...
From the last book, set in the fictional town of Queenstown, New Jersey, Vandy Myrick is a former Philadelphia cop who has returned to her hometown to be near her father, Evander, also a retired police officer. He is in a nursing home suffering from advanced Alzheimer's.
Vandy grew up in Q-Town, married and had a daughter, Monica, whom she raised alone after her cheating husband left. Her daughter died of an overdose at a college party, and she has experienced a great deal of loss.
She has opened a detective agency, Evander Myrick Investigations, with the help of her attorney friend, who is located above the pharmacy.
Picking up with this installment, it had been three years since her daughter's death, and now there is the settlement check (blood money) that she will use to make her daughter proud, and she also visits her daughter and her mother (gone for seven years) at the cemetery.
Vandy attends a homecoming gala at the Rome School, an expensive, elite academy ranked among the best private boarding schools.
Before the night ends, she will come face to face with her ex-husband, Philip Bolden, his current wife, his son, plus many more, including a woman who is the treasurer of the Bethel AMC church.
Vandy and Phil get to spend some quality time together when he comes to her for help, and she finds out some things that she did not know about her ex and the involvement with her daughter. They bond and have a nice romantic evening.
However, the next morning, he is murdered. Phil was a cheater, and he was also involved in other questionable activities. His son was not happy with him, nor was his wife, plus more...and now she is involved. He had made enemies. But who would want to murder him?
She must put aside her feelings to try and investigate his murder to bring justice for her daughter's father and the man she fell in love with many years ago, while also trying to help his son.
But the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she is in.
My thoughts...
I loved TROUBLE IN QUEENSTOWN and was delighted when I found there would be more books in the series.
DEATH OF AN EX is gritty, twisty, edgy, emotional, and heartfelt. I love PI Vandy Myrick's character, which is flawed, sarcastic, resilient, fearless, tough, intuitive, thoughtful, funny, and highly relatable.
Twisty and absorbing, this novel delves into the complexities of racial politics, bribery, infidelity, corruption, power, greed, and more, keeping you hooked as you turn the pages to the explosive ending. We also explore grief, family, guilt, and more from a personal emotional perspective written with compassion and sensitivity.
The author cleverly sets up a fascinating new series, and I look forward to the long haul! I cannot wait for the next one in the series and adventures to see what is in store for PI Vandy Myrick next!
Audiobook...
As in the first book in the series, I had the pleasure of reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook, both of which were outstanding! I love Bahni Turpin, the narrator, and she delivered a stellar performance, making the characters come alive-a perfect voice for the novel. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Recs...
DEATH OF AN EX is not just a cozy mystery. PI Vandy Myrick is immersed in a compelling, well-written who-and-why-dunit crime thriller with heart. It is for fans of strong female leads, brilliant cop procedurals, and a blending of family dynamics and humor.
Also for fans of authors Terry McMillan, Aime Austin (Casey Cort & Nicole Long legal crime series), social justice thrillers, Sounds Like a Plan, a new PI series by Pamela Samuels Young, and Dwayne Alexander Smith (a favorite), as well as smart detective mysteries.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifted advanced reading and listening copies via NetGalley for my honest thoughts, #MacAudio2025
My Review:
Trouble in Queenstown (#1)
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
July 2025 Must-Read Books
July Newsletter
Vandy is engrossed in another murder mystery, and this time it hits close to home, involving her ex-husband and the father of her deceased daughter.
Exploring grief, class, race, and family within a murder mystery—from small-town suspense, lies, family secrets, and corruption infused with humor and a tenacious, relatable, kick-ass black female PI.
About...
From the last book, set in the fictional town of Queenstown, New Jersey, Vandy Myrick is a former Philadelphia cop who has returned to her hometown to be near her father, Evander, also a retired police officer. He is in a nursing home suffering from advanced Alzheimer's.
Vandy grew up in Q-Town, married and had a daughter, Monica, whom she raised alone after her cheating husband left. Her daughter died of an overdose at a college party, and she has experienced a great deal of loss.
She has opened a detective agency, Evander Myrick Investigations, with the help of her attorney friend, who is located above the pharmacy.
Picking up with this installment, it had been three years since her daughter's death, and now there is the settlement check (blood money) that she will use to make her daughter proud, and she also visits her daughter and her mother (gone for seven years) at the cemetery.
Vandy attends a homecoming gala at the Rome School, an expensive, elite academy ranked among the best private boarding schools.
Before the night ends, she will come face to face with her ex-husband, Philip Bolden, his current wife, his son, plus many more, including a woman who is the treasurer of the Bethel AMC church.
Vandy and Phil get to spend some quality time together when he comes to her for help, and she finds out some things that she did not know about her ex and the involvement with her daughter. They bond and have a nice romantic evening.
However, the next morning, he is murdered. Phil was a cheater, and he was also involved in other questionable activities. His son was not happy with him, nor was his wife, plus more...and now she is involved. He had made enemies. But who would want to murder him?
She must put aside her feelings to try and investigate his murder to bring justice for her daughter's father and the man she fell in love with many years ago, while also trying to help his son.
But the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she is in.
My thoughts...
I loved TROUBLE IN QUEENSTOWN and was delighted when I found there would be more books in the series.
DEATH OF AN EX is gritty, twisty, edgy, emotional, and heartfelt. I love PI Vandy Myrick's character, which is flawed, sarcastic, resilient, fearless, tough, intuitive, thoughtful, funny, and highly relatable.
Twisty and absorbing, this novel delves into the complexities of racial politics, bribery, infidelity, corruption, power, greed, and more, keeping you hooked as you turn the pages to the explosive ending. We also explore grief, family, guilt, and more from a personal emotional perspective written with compassion and sensitivity.
The author cleverly sets up a fascinating new series, and I look forward to the long haul! I cannot wait for the next one in the series and adventures to see what is in store for PI Vandy Myrick next!
Audiobook...
As in the first book in the series, I had the pleasure of reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook, both of which were outstanding! I love Bahni Turpin, the narrator, and she delivered a stellar performance, making the characters come alive-a perfect voice for the novel. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Recs...
DEATH OF AN EX is not just a cozy mystery. PI Vandy Myrick is immersed in a compelling, well-written who-and-why-dunit crime thriller with heart. It is for fans of strong female leads, brilliant cop procedurals, and a blending of family dynamics and humor.
Also for fans of authors Terry McMillan, Aime Austin (Casey Cort & Nicole Long legal crime series), social justice thrillers, Sounds Like a Plan, a new PI series by Pamela Samuels Young, and Dwayne Alexander Smith (a favorite), as well as smart detective mysteries.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifted advanced reading and listening copies via NetGalley for my honest thoughts, #MacAudio2025
My Review:
Trouble in Queenstown (#1)
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
July 2025 Must-Read Books
July Newsletter
March 12, 2025
*****3.5*****
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I enjoyed it. My main note is about the title. It sounds like a cozy mystery, and it seems sort of trivial. However, the book’s opener showed me immediately that the tone of the title doesn’t fit the tone of the book at all. I wish it had a different title, but the cover suits the book and its tone in my opinion.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. There’s a little bit of a hard boiled PI style to Vandy’s first-person narration, which I really like, and the characters are well-developed and interesting. The mystery was gripping enough and kept me in suspense.
My gripes: the action scenes are really weird and confusing to follow and/or plain awkward; there’s a lot of strange repetition, especially at the beginning of chapters, almost like the book was serialized before being published as a whole novel, but also within chapters; and there are some stereotypes, especially against Latinas, that are a little jarring/annoying.
In tone and contents, this book reminded me the most of Ausma Khan’s Blackwater Falls series, which is a mystery series that also focuses on deeper and more serious societal concerns and has a more serious tone than other mystery series.
My gripes are minor in context, and the book is enjoyable and even thought-provoking in some ways. I recommend it if you like mysteries and racial and class concerns. As far as I know, you don’t have to have read book one to follow this book. I didn’t read the first book, and I didn’t feel lost at all.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing this e-book in exchange for a review.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I enjoyed it. My main note is about the title. It sounds like a cozy mystery, and it seems sort of trivial. However, the book’s opener showed me immediately that the tone of the title doesn’t fit the tone of the book at all. I wish it had a different title, but the cover suits the book and its tone in my opinion.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. There’s a little bit of a hard boiled PI style to Vandy’s first-person narration, which I really like, and the characters are well-developed and interesting. The mystery was gripping enough and kept me in suspense.
My gripes: the action scenes are really weird and confusing to follow and/or plain awkward; there’s a lot of strange repetition, especially at the beginning of chapters, almost like the book was serialized before being published as a whole novel, but also within chapters; and there are some stereotypes, especially against Latinas, that are a little jarring/annoying.
In tone and contents, this book reminded me the most of Ausma Khan’s Blackwater Falls series, which is a mystery series that also focuses on deeper and more serious societal concerns and has a more serious tone than other mystery series.
My gripes are minor in context, and the book is enjoyable and even thought-provoking in some ways. I recommend it if you like mysteries and racial and class concerns. As far as I know, you don’t have to have read book one to follow this book. I didn’t read the first book, and I didn’t feel lost at all.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing this e-book in exchange for a review.
July 9, 2025
I missed the first book in this series, but I certainly enjoyed the heck out of this, the second - an easy one to read as a standalone. That said, I'll be watching for the installment for sure.
The main character, Evander (Vandy) Myrick, is a cop turned private investigator who's come home to ply her trade in Queenstown, New Jersey - the only Black P.I. in the community. Years ago, she was married for a brief time to Phil Bolden, with whom she had a daughter Monica, who died close to three years ago in a fraternity house as a student at nearby Rutgers University. After their marriage broke up, Phil remarried and has become a prominent Queenstown resident, businessman and philanthropist; he and his wife have a son, Tyriq, a star athlete with an artistic bent and a chip on his shoulder.
Vandy is befriending Ingrid Ramirez, a student at the town's prestigious Rome School. It's the school of choice for the town's wealthier folks, with scholarships available to the less financially fortunate (read: Blacks). Accompanying Ingrid to an awards dinner where the girl will get an award that's a first for a Black student, Vandy learns that Tyriq and Ingrid have a "thing" - and that Vandy's ex, Phil, is getting some kind of award. But when Phil gets up to give his presentation, what he says seems to be not only unexpected, but not, shall we say, well received.
Later, Phil - who is married to another school employee and private college guidance counselor, Melinda - later reconnects with Vandy, who starts having second thoughts about why they divorced. The next morning, Vandy gets the surprise of her life as the police knock on her door.
From that point on, I can't divulge much without spoiling the thrill for other readers (tempting though it may be). Suffice it to say that Vandy becomes part of an investigation that for me conjured up memories of a certain "Full House" star, bribery and money laundering. The whole thing ends with a bang as well as my vow, as I mentioned at the beginning, to not miss another of the books in this series. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for introducing me to it by way of a pre-release copy of this book.
The main character, Evander (Vandy) Myrick, is a cop turned private investigator who's come home to ply her trade in Queenstown, New Jersey - the only Black P.I. in the community. Years ago, she was married for a brief time to Phil Bolden, with whom she had a daughter Monica, who died close to three years ago in a fraternity house as a student at nearby Rutgers University. After their marriage broke up, Phil remarried and has become a prominent Queenstown resident, businessman and philanthropist; he and his wife have a son, Tyriq, a star athlete with an artistic bent and a chip on his shoulder.
Vandy is befriending Ingrid Ramirez, a student at the town's prestigious Rome School. It's the school of choice for the town's wealthier folks, with scholarships available to the less financially fortunate (read: Blacks). Accompanying Ingrid to an awards dinner where the girl will get an award that's a first for a Black student, Vandy learns that Tyriq and Ingrid have a "thing" - and that Vandy's ex, Phil, is getting some kind of award. But when Phil gets up to give his presentation, what he says seems to be not only unexpected, but not, shall we say, well received.
Later, Phil - who is married to another school employee and private college guidance counselor, Melinda - later reconnects with Vandy, who starts having second thoughts about why they divorced. The next morning, Vandy gets the surprise of her life as the police knock on her door.
From that point on, I can't divulge much without spoiling the thrill for other readers (tempting though it may be). Suffice it to say that Vandy becomes part of an investigation that for me conjured up memories of a certain "Full House" star, bribery and money laundering. The whole thing ends with a bang as well as my vow, as I mentioned at the beginning, to not miss another of the books in this series. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for introducing me to it by way of a pre-release copy of this book.
December 29, 2025
I liked this second book in the Vandy series but it didn't grab me like the first book did. It was still a good installment and I will read the next in the series i just felt like this one was a bit slower than the last.
Bahni Turpin's narration is as always fabulous!
3.5 stars
I received this audiobook from the publisher Macmillan audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
Bahni Turpin's narration is as always fabulous!
3.5 stars
I received this audiobook from the publisher Macmillan audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
November 14, 2025
Good who-done-it with local NJ vibes and a WaWa shout out
August 4, 2025
This was a sequel to Trouble in Queenstown.
Easy read.I liked it.
Easy read.I liked it.
February 9, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this ARC for review. This is the 2nd book is the Vandy Myrick series. I was introduced to Vandy Trouble in Queens and really enjoyed learning about this character, the only Black woman PI, and living and working in Queenstown, NJ. This 2nd book gives us more to the character and her story and I loved it even more than the first as we really get to know more about Vandy and her past.
May 22, 2025
United States Publication: July 15, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
As Ingrid's plus-one to Rome School's homecoming gala, Vandy Myrick's past comes crashing into her present when her ex-husband, Phil Bolden, attends the same event. She hasn't seen Phil in 20 years, having successfully punted him out of her life. But now here he is, and some of her connections are entwined with him. When a cemetery visit turns into an overnight visit, Vandy wonders if she and Phil can have some kind of future together after all. But the morning after, Phil is found dead, and Vandy finds herself on the case despite the grief and guilt she is struggling with in the aftermath of Phil's death. As Vandy susses out Phil's true character and discovers the nefarious activities he was involved in, she edges closer and closer to Jack's murderer, and the web of deception that has entrapped several people's lives. Lives are on the line. Can Vandy and the police stop the deaths and stop the deception before anyone else is hurt?
This second offering of Vandy Myrick, PI, gave me the same feeling as the first: restless, tedious, and annoying. Adding to those feelings was a lot of eye-rolling. Listen, you can have a messy character (Pitts calls Vandy Myrick messy in her acknowledgements in this second title), but Vandy's kind of messy is not endearing; it is borderline gross. At least in this reader's opinion. Pitts successfully highlighted the gross behavior and attitudes of the wealthy when it comes to education. I am thoroughly disgusted anew with people who are affluent and entitled because of it. I'm just not a fan of Vandy, even though Pitts clearly wants her readers to be. It's possible that as Pitts continues to develop Vandy, which it seems evident there will be future books in this series, she will become endearing instead of annoying, but this reader won't be sticking around to find out.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
As Ingrid's plus-one to Rome School's homecoming gala, Vandy Myrick's past comes crashing into her present when her ex-husband, Phil Bolden, attends the same event. She hasn't seen Phil in 20 years, having successfully punted him out of her life. But now here he is, and some of her connections are entwined with him. When a cemetery visit turns into an overnight visit, Vandy wonders if she and Phil can have some kind of future together after all. But the morning after, Phil is found dead, and Vandy finds herself on the case despite the grief and guilt she is struggling with in the aftermath of Phil's death. As Vandy susses out Phil's true character and discovers the nefarious activities he was involved in, she edges closer and closer to Jack's murderer, and the web of deception that has entrapped several people's lives. Lives are on the line. Can Vandy and the police stop the deaths and stop the deception before anyone else is hurt?
This second offering of Vandy Myrick, PI, gave me the same feeling as the first: restless, tedious, and annoying. Adding to those feelings was a lot of eye-rolling. Listen, you can have a messy character (Pitts calls Vandy Myrick messy in her acknowledgements in this second title), but Vandy's kind of messy is not endearing; it is borderline gross. At least in this reader's opinion. Pitts successfully highlighted the gross behavior and attitudes of the wealthy when it comes to education. I am thoroughly disgusted anew with people who are affluent and entitled because of it. I'm just not a fan of Vandy, even though Pitts clearly wants her readers to be. It's possible that as Pitts continues to develop Vandy, which it seems evident there will be future books in this series, she will become endearing instead of annoying, but this reader won't be sticking around to find out.
September 16, 2025
Queenstown, New Jersey, is a close-knit community where Vandy Myrick, the town's only Black woman private investigator, grapples with both her local fame and grieving the death of her daughter. When her cheating ex-husband Phil Bolden walks back into her life with promises of change and is suddenly murdered, Vandy can’t help jumping in to investigate his death to uncover the truth.
When I picked up this book, I had no idea it was part of a series, and I’m beyond thrilled it is. I enjoyed it so much that I bought a copy of the first book upon finishing. I adore Vandy, she’s intelligent, tough, street smart and fearless, yet also genuine, and vulnerable. As the investigation unfolded, I was hooked and unable to put the book down. Every time I thought I’d figured things out, more twists were thrown into the mix. It’s a very well written thriller novel!
Thank you, Minotaur books, and netgalley for a copy of this ARC.
When I picked up this book, I had no idea it was part of a series, and I’m beyond thrilled it is. I enjoyed it so much that I bought a copy of the first book upon finishing. I adore Vandy, she’s intelligent, tough, street smart and fearless, yet also genuine, and vulnerable. As the investigation unfolded, I was hooked and unable to put the book down. Every time I thought I’d figured things out, more twists were thrown into the mix. It’s a very well written thriller novel!
Thank you, Minotaur books, and netgalley for a copy of this ARC.
July 15, 2025
Death of an Ex A Vandy Myrick Mystery by Delia Pitts
Vandy Myrick is a private investigator in Queenstown, NJ, who takes on a dead man as her client. As it happens, the dead man, Phil Bolden, is her ex, and the father of her daughter who passed away 20 years ago.
Vandy, our narrator, is very seif-aware and isn’t afraid to share her strengths and weaknesses with her readers. She realizes that there are many facets to Phil’s life that need investigating to find his killer.
Along the way, Vandy uncovers money schemes which involve the Rome School, a trendy, long established college prep academy, with which Phil also has ties. There are other side stories, including an attempt on Vandy’s life, which eventually tie everything together in this easy to read and well put together story. I’ll give this one four stars as I await the next Vandy Myrick mystery.
Vandy Myrick is a private investigator in Queenstown, NJ, who takes on a dead man as her client. As it happens, the dead man, Phil Bolden, is her ex, and the father of her daughter who passed away 20 years ago.
Vandy, our narrator, is very seif-aware and isn’t afraid to share her strengths and weaknesses with her readers. She realizes that there are many facets to Phil’s life that need investigating to find his killer.
Along the way, Vandy uncovers money schemes which involve the Rome School, a trendy, long established college prep academy, with which Phil also has ties. There are other side stories, including an attempt on Vandy’s life, which eventually tie everything together in this easy to read and well put together story. I’ll give this one four stars as I await the next Vandy Myrick mystery.
July 19, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Vandy Myrick series continues with her private investigator work in an office with lawyers and visiting her father in the nursing home. She still chooses not to carry a gun or drink alcohol. I still think she needs to take some self defense classes or get a K9 because she is on her own too much without backup.
She goes to an homecoming event at a local high school and runs into her ex-husband, Phil. The friend who invited her is dating his son who is getting athletic awards. Vandy is caught up in a swirl of emotions seeing him again. She eventually goes with him to their daughter's grave, and invites him home to look at photos and they end up in bed.
Phil leaves and ends up dead. Vandy hides the fact he was there but works with the cops to solve his murder. There are plenty of candidates from family, business associates and other affairs with women. Phil had been in to many illegal business schemes and cheated often with women. There were plenty of unlikable characters.
I wasn't very comfortable with many things Vandy did. I do understand when she protected herself and others when their actions weren't illegal though, just distasteful. She did keep a lot of information from the police which was dangerous for her in several ways. She did manage to make a connection with his Phil's son, Tariq and help him. I can only wonder what Vandy will get up to next.
Narration:
I really enjoy this narrator. The emotion and personality she infused into the characters added to my enjoyment. The voices were distinct and sounded authentic for the age and gender of the character. I listened at my newer 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Vandy Myrick series continues with her private investigator work in an office with lawyers and visiting her father in the nursing home. She still chooses not to carry a gun or drink alcohol. I still think she needs to take some self defense classes or get a K9 because she is on her own too much without backup.
She goes to an homecoming event at a local high school and runs into her ex-husband, Phil. The friend who invited her is dating his son who is getting athletic awards. Vandy is caught up in a swirl of emotions seeing him again. She eventually goes with him to their daughter's grave, and invites him home to look at photos and they end up in bed.
Phil leaves and ends up dead. Vandy hides the fact he was there but works with the cops to solve his murder. There are plenty of candidates from family, business associates and other affairs with women. Phil had been in to many illegal business schemes and cheated often with women. There were plenty of unlikable characters.
I wasn't very comfortable with many things Vandy did. I do understand when she protected herself and others when their actions weren't illegal though, just distasteful. She did keep a lot of information from the police which was dangerous for her in several ways. She did manage to make a connection with his Phil's son, Tariq and help him. I can only wonder what Vandy will get up to next.
Narration:
I really enjoy this narrator. The emotion and personality she infused into the characters added to my enjoyment. The voices were distinct and sounded authentic for the age and gender of the character. I listened at my newer 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
June 24, 2025
This is the second Vandy Myrick mystery. Vandy is Queenstown, New Jersey's only Black private investigator. She is also a Q-town native who is back trying to rebuild her life after the death of her teenage daughter. When she runs into her ex, she is still smitten.
When her ex, Philip Bolden, is shot to death after their one-night stand, Vandy uses guilt as her lever to look into the murder. Her investigations take her from her mother's church Bethel African Methodist Episcopal and its very eager church secretary to the prestigious Rome School where Philip's son Tariq is a student and wife Melanie is a guidance counselor.
The more she investigates the more she learns about her ex-husband and the life he was living. She uncovers secrets that indicate he didn't just forget about her and her daughter even though they split up with Vandy was four months pregnant. She also learns that he's involved in a twisty scheme that includes money-laundering. She has a plethora of suspects that she needs to sort through since a number of people might have wanted the charming philanderer dead.
Vandy is an interesting character who lives on the grey side of life. She manages to combine toughness with vulnerability and is a realistically flawed human being.
When her ex, Philip Bolden, is shot to death after their one-night stand, Vandy uses guilt as her lever to look into the murder. Her investigations take her from her mother's church Bethel African Methodist Episcopal and its very eager church secretary to the prestigious Rome School where Philip's son Tariq is a student and wife Melanie is a guidance counselor.
The more she investigates the more she learns about her ex-husband and the life he was living. She uncovers secrets that indicate he didn't just forget about her and her daughter even though they split up with Vandy was four months pregnant. She also learns that he's involved in a twisty scheme that includes money-laundering. She has a plethora of suspects that she needs to sort through since a number of people might have wanted the charming philanderer dead.
Vandy is an interesting character who lives on the grey side of life. She manages to combine toughness with vulnerability and is a realistically flawed human being.
July 6, 2025
A satisfying and engaging murder mystery set in a small New Jersey town called Queenstown. In this second book in the Vandy Myrick Mysteries, Evander Myrick, a private detective, takes on the case of the murder of Phil Bolden. Phil is Vandy’s ex-husband and after a long absence is back in her life. Vandy is conflicted about him, but still very much attracted to the man. Vandy is an interesting and relatable character. She’s flawed (aren’t we all?) and haunted by the recent loss of her only child (who wouldn’t be?). She’s intelligent, caring, and unstoppable when it comes to solving crimes. If I needed a PI, she’d be at the top of my list. The author keeps it interesting by giving the reader a number of suspects and the story has a satisfying flow to keep it intriguing. If you enjoy crime fiction then pick this one up!
August 23, 2025
The second of the series about a Black NJ private eye who is hip, intuitive, very smart and caring. The daughter of the local police chief (now suffering from Alzheimer’s) was on the force in the first of this series but is now solo. She reconnects with the father of her now-deceased daughter whom she divorced before the baby was born and hasn’t seen in over 20 years. He is killed near her office later that night after he has left. Themes: race, family relations, town and gown, small business. The author is a friend from Quaker Meeting with an impressive resume; she took up writing in retirement and has another very good detective series set in NYC.
October 19, 2025
Again, Vandy Myrick comes back with a heartwarming, funny, unconventional approach to law enforcement. Holding onto a secret throughout her investigation, Vandy uncovers the underbelly of a privileged prep school and what parents will do for their children. She is a great character with depth and complications. Hope we will see more of her.
January 27, 2025
I loved book 1 and I love book 2! Vandy may have her shortcomings, but I can find reason in why she does what she does! I love the growth of her character in this one, even as an adult, she’s still growing and it’s so great to watch!
July 21, 2025
This slow-moving mystery captivates the reader from the very first page. Vandy is an intriguing and clever character, and the writing evokes a similar vibe to Sue Grafton’s works. While I did anticipate some of the plot, it was still an enjoyable mystery overall.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
February 12, 2025
I received an ARC. Review to follow, still digesting this book.
July 23, 2025
This is the second book in the Vandy Myrick series and I liked it as much as the first one. I hope there will be more to come.
May 12, 2025
This was a great read. Vandy annoyed me at times with some of her decisions but I understood why she made them. There were definitely some moments where I predicted the outcome. Overall I really enjoyed this read. The characters were well developed and I was on my toes the entire time! Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book.
May 26, 2025
I enjoyed this stoy but found it a bit hard to follow. Could be because I was listening to the audio while working on some complicated reports for work. I though the narrator did a great job though. I will give this author another try when I am not so unfocused myself. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.
July 11, 2025
Death of an ex.
Perfect title. That’s literally what this is. How scandalous things become when Vandy’s long-unseen ex pops back into her life. Some questionable choices and many suspicious people. This was a good mystery. Vandy is a strong, flawed character who gets into interesting situations.
There’s something I don’t care for about Vandy and the set-up of the characters and their world.
I’m unsure how I feel about the cheating. I understand flawed characters, but it’s the reasoning behind it.
Also, there are large racial unlineings in a lot of the story. Many of the presumably white characters seem to be racist, or she perceives many things that way. This comes up multiple times and is a continuous theme. Yet Vandy has some of her own racial presumptions about her Latina friend, even the voice they gave her in the audiobook plays to a stereotype.
If you like mysteries that work with racial and class issues, this may be for you, but it’s just not it for me.
Unsure if I want to continue.
Perfect title. That’s literally what this is. How scandalous things become when Vandy’s long-unseen ex pops back into her life. Some questionable choices and many suspicious people. This was a good mystery. Vandy is a strong, flawed character who gets into interesting situations.
There’s something I don’t care for about Vandy and the set-up of the characters and their world.
I’m unsure how I feel about the cheating. I understand flawed characters, but it’s the reasoning behind it.
Also, there are large racial unlineings in a lot of the story. Many of the presumably white characters seem to be racist, or she perceives many things that way. This comes up multiple times and is a continuous theme. Yet Vandy has some of her own racial presumptions about her Latina friend, even the voice they gave her in the audiobook plays to a stereotype.
If you like mysteries that work with racial and class issues, this may be for you, but it’s just not it for me.
Unsure if I want to continue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
I don’t even know where to start with this one. I really appreciated the very end of the book. Thought it ended on the best possible note.
That said, everything else bugged me about it. I picked this up thinking it would be a small town murder mystery. And it kind of was. But the MC, a private investigator, was the most unethical person in the whole book—and with this cast of characters, that’s hard to do. She is both a serial cause of adultery in marriages around town, and a liar who sees nothing wrong with lying if it benefits herself. She needs therapy, and is so wrapped up in herself, it blinds her to how her actions hurt others constantly.
The writing was repetitive (so repetitive!!), and I’m not sure if it was done intentionally to give the MC her own unique voice, but it also read as uneducated. I cannot believe how often the reader was just told information over and over again. But yet somehow, there were zero clues about the actual motive until it was discovered? So that came out of left field…but only after every single other character had been explored as a suspect (and most not in a credible way).
The narrator was phenomenal. But I would not read another book by this author if it were in this series.
That said, everything else bugged me about it. I picked this up thinking it would be a small town murder mystery. And it kind of was. But the MC, a private investigator, was the most unethical person in the whole book—and with this cast of characters, that’s hard to do. She is both a serial cause of adultery in marriages around town, and a liar who sees nothing wrong with lying if it benefits herself. She needs therapy, and is so wrapped up in herself, it blinds her to how her actions hurt others constantly.
The writing was repetitive (so repetitive!!), and I’m not sure if it was done intentionally to give the MC her own unique voice, but it also read as uneducated. I cannot believe how often the reader was just told information over and over again. But yet somehow, there were zero clues about the actual motive until it was discovered? So that came out of left field…but only after every single other character had been explored as a suspect (and most not in a credible way).
The narrator was phenomenal. But I would not read another book by this author if it were in this series.
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