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Chiara Corelli Mystery #1
A Matter of Blood
Just back from her second tour in Afghanistan, NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli goes undercover to expose a ring of dirty cops. But when she’s ordered to kill to prove her loyalty, she aborts the operation without having identified the leaders. Now, Corelli is the one exposed. With her brothers and sisters in blue ostracizing her, can she trust Detective P.J. Parker to watch her back?
Parker is the daughter of a vehement critic of the NYPD. But that doesn’t stop her from wanting to work in the homicide division. And wanting to learn from the best. Unfortunately, Chiara Corelli is the best…even if she is the most hated detective in the department.
Without Parker, Corelli will be condemned to desk duty. Corelli is Parker’s only chance to work in homicide. Will the two women put aside their fears and join forces to solve a brutal murder and identify the leaders of the dirty cops before they get to Corelli’s family?
Editor: Ann Roberts
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows
Genre: Mystery
Parker is the daughter of a vehement critic of the NYPD. But that doesn’t stop her from wanting to work in the homicide division. And wanting to learn from the best. Unfortunately, Chiara Corelli is the best…even if she is the most hated detective in the department.
Without Parker, Corelli will be condemned to desk duty. Corelli is Parker’s only chance to work in homicide. Will the two women put aside their fears and join forces to solve a brutal murder and identify the leaders of the dirty cops before they get to Corelli’s family?
Editor: Ann Roberts
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows
Genre: Mystery
290 pages, Paperback
First published January 18, 2018
28 people are currently reading
408 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Maiorisi
23 books173 followersCatherine Maiorisi lives and writes in New York City.
Since she found her imagination, writing has been like meditating for Catherine and it is what she most loves to do. But she also reads voraciously, loves to cook, especially Italian, and enjoys hanging out with her wife and friends.
Catherine is the author of the NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli mysteries featuring Corelli and her partner P.J. Parker. There are currently four books in the series: A Matter of Blood, The Blood Runs Cold, A Message in Blood, and Legacy in the Blood.
When she wrote a short story to create the backstory for the love interest in her two unpublished Corelli mysteries, Catherine had never read any romance and hadn’t considered writing it. To her surprise, “The Fan Club” turned out to be a romance and was included in the Best Lesbian Romance of 2014.
Another surprise was hearing the voices of two characters, Andrea and Darcy, chatting in her head every night, making it difficult to sleep. Reassured by her wife that she wasn’t losing it, Catherine paid attention and those conversations led to her first romance novel, Matters of the Heart. Other romances include: No One But You, Ready for Love and Taking a Chance on Love.
The Disappearance of Lindy James is Catherine's first general fiction novel.
Catherine has mystery and romance short stories in various anthologies.
An active member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, Catherine is also a member of The Golden Crown Literary Society.
Since she found her imagination, writing has been like meditating for Catherine and it is what she most loves to do. But she also reads voraciously, loves to cook, especially Italian, and enjoys hanging out with her wife and friends.
Catherine is the author of the NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli mysteries featuring Corelli and her partner P.J. Parker. There are currently four books in the series: A Matter of Blood, The Blood Runs Cold, A Message in Blood, and Legacy in the Blood.
When she wrote a short story to create the backstory for the love interest in her two unpublished Corelli mysteries, Catherine had never read any romance and hadn’t considered writing it. To her surprise, “The Fan Club” turned out to be a romance and was included in the Best Lesbian Romance of 2014.
Another surprise was hearing the voices of two characters, Andrea and Darcy, chatting in her head every night, making it difficult to sleep. Reassured by her wife that she wasn’t losing it, Catherine paid attention and those conversations led to her first romance novel, Matters of the Heart. Other romances include: No One But You, Ready for Love and Taking a Chance on Love.
The Disappearance of Lindy James is Catherine's first general fiction novel.
Catherine has mystery and romance short stories in various anthologies.
An active member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, Catherine is also a member of The Golden Crown Literary Society.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
January 19, 2018
In the Acknowledgement section, Maiorisi mentions this is the first book she has ever written. But she had never published it and after working on it over and over again, 13 years later she has finally released it. The reason I mention this is because it feels like a lot of work went into the book. I thought this was much better written than her last book, and like it quite a bit. This is a pure murder mystery book.
Army Vet and current NYPD Detective Corelli, has just finished an undercover assignment to bust a ring of dirty cops. She was unable to find who was in charge of the ring and is now walking around exposed. The public and most of the police force assume she is just a dirty cop who rats others out to save herself. As a homicide detective she needs a partner to have her back out in the field, but who can she trust? Parker is a newly promoted Detective. But she is the daughter of a Senator who is constantly critical of the police. She is almost on the outside as much as Corelli is. Can the two of them work together to catch a murderer before the dirty cops try to silence Corelli for good?
This book really started out with a bang. Corelli walking through a media storm and a gauntlet of policeman with their backs turned to her yelling rat and traitor. What a way to start back at work! This book just instantly hooks you in and I could not put it down until I was done.
This is one of the better mystery books I have read in a while. I was hoping for a romance, but there is none. There is one, maybe even two possible future love interests for Corelli, but nothing but some attraction happens in this book. Maiorisi has mentioned writing a book 2. I hope she will explore a romance in that one. This book does not end on a cliffhanger, but there are some open threads ready for another book. I hope there is one as I will absolutely read it.
Corelli is an interesting character. She is a pretty hardnosed, tough talking Detective with a heart. I found myself getting a bit frustrated at times with her. She can be pretty mean to her partner Parker. But she is dealing with PTSD, but doesn’t really understand that she is. It makes her a very complex interesting character that I couldn’t help but root for. I’m also a fan of Parker and liked how they balanced each other out. I mentioned there is no romance in this book, and I think it actually makes sense. Corelli still needs to help herself before she is with someone else.
I thought the mystery part was well done. I am normally pretty good at figuring things out. And I did guess some things correctly, but there was plenty I was wrong about. I liked that Maiorisi was able to stump me some. And I would be surprised if anyone really figured everything out.
If you are a mystery/detective fan, I say absolutely read this. It was really well written, with no inconsistencies that I could see. It’s very exciting at times and absolutely entertained me. I eagerly wait for book 2 to come out.
An ARC was given to me by Bella, for a honest review.
Army Vet and current NYPD Detective Corelli, has just finished an undercover assignment to bust a ring of dirty cops. She was unable to find who was in charge of the ring and is now walking around exposed. The public and most of the police force assume she is just a dirty cop who rats others out to save herself. As a homicide detective she needs a partner to have her back out in the field, but who can she trust? Parker is a newly promoted Detective. But she is the daughter of a Senator who is constantly critical of the police. She is almost on the outside as much as Corelli is. Can the two of them work together to catch a murderer before the dirty cops try to silence Corelli for good?
This book really started out with a bang. Corelli walking through a media storm and a gauntlet of policeman with their backs turned to her yelling rat and traitor. What a way to start back at work! This book just instantly hooks you in and I could not put it down until I was done.
This is one of the better mystery books I have read in a while. I was hoping for a romance, but there is none. There is one, maybe even two possible future love interests for Corelli, but nothing but some attraction happens in this book. Maiorisi has mentioned writing a book 2. I hope she will explore a romance in that one. This book does not end on a cliffhanger, but there are some open threads ready for another book. I hope there is one as I will absolutely read it.
Corelli is an interesting character. She is a pretty hardnosed, tough talking Detective with a heart. I found myself getting a bit frustrated at times with her. She can be pretty mean to her partner Parker. But she is dealing with PTSD, but doesn’t really understand that she is. It makes her a very complex interesting character that I couldn’t help but root for. I’m also a fan of Parker and liked how they balanced each other out. I mentioned there is no romance in this book, and I think it actually makes sense. Corelli still needs to help herself before she is with someone else.
I thought the mystery part was well done. I am normally pretty good at figuring things out. And I did guess some things correctly, but there was plenty I was wrong about. I liked that Maiorisi was able to stump me some. And I would be surprised if anyone really figured everything out.
If you are a mystery/detective fan, I say absolutely read this. It was really well written, with no inconsistencies that I could see. It’s very exciting at times and absolutely entertained me. I eagerly wait for book 2 to come out.
An ARC was given to me by Bella, for a honest review.
January 7, 2022
Great crime/thriller story about a homicide detective, Chiara Corelli. The story picks up right after Corelli wraps up an undercover investigation exposing a group of dirty cops and is dealing with the fallout, including threats to her life. She resumes her work in homicide with a high profile murder investigation. The story has many suspects and kept me guessing. The only issue for me was Corelli’s erratic behavior, which could be explained by ptsd. However, she was at times so awful to her new work partner that I was never able to get fully behind this character. I’m hoping the next couple of books expand on this and makes her more likable.
Listened to this book and Craden did another phenomenal job with her performance.
Listened to this book and Craden did another phenomenal job with her performance.
February 28, 2021
A Matter of Blood has a great plot, and the way this is written wants you to go on reading. The little twists are fun, and if you enjoy interesting characters in the tradition of Gerri Hill’s Tori Hunter or Katherine V. Forrest’s Kate Delafield, this story is made just for you.
The only thing I did not enjoy too much was that the conflict between Corelli and Parker, the two main characters, was sometimes too exaggerated to be plausible in some situations. Maybe this is only because we do not learn much about Parker’s story in the first book of the series, and although this conflict is a wee bit annoying at times, it does not really take away anything from the story. Don’t expect romance in this one, because although Corelli is interested in at least one other woman, this is not developed further. However, what you definitely get, are two great detectives who tackle an exciting murder mystery. 5 out of 5 stars.
The only thing I did not enjoy too much was that the conflict between Corelli and Parker, the two main characters, was sometimes too exaggerated to be plausible in some situations. Maybe this is only because we do not learn much about Parker’s story in the first book of the series, and although this conflict is a wee bit annoying at times, it does not really take away anything from the story. Don’t expect romance in this one, because although Corelli is interested in at least one other woman, this is not developed further. However, what you definitely get, are two great detectives who tackle an exciting murder mystery. 5 out of 5 stars.
June 17, 2020
Nice read. Almost a 4*
Looking forward to the next book
Looking forward to the next book
September 20, 2021
When I was a child I used to devour Agatha Christie novels, there is something appealing in trying to solve a mystery along the way with the detective character. Many years later and hundreds of books after, I’m happy to have found a women-loving-women version of those novels.
After tours in Afghanistan and undercover work to expose a ring of dirty cops, NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli is suffering from PTSD and is ostracised by her colleagues. She is partnered with the only one who doesn’t want her dead, rookie Detective P.J. Parker, the daughter of a senator critic of the NYPD. Will both women be able to solve a brutal murder before Corelli’s enemies act on their threats to kill her family?
This is book one of the Chiara Corelli Mystery series, formed so far by three novels. A Matter of Blood is a typical whodunit, with a brutal murder of a businesswoman and more than a handful of suspects. As Corelli and her partner investigate the circumstances, alibis and the motives of each suspect, the reader can try to solve the mystery too.
It’s really hard to write a mystery as the plot has to be planned thoroughly so there are no loose ends or inconsistencies. Ms. Maiorisi did a great job at keeping the intrigue throughout the story and even misleading the reader a few times. I couldn’t guess the killer but I’m not an avid mystery reader anymore so maybe readers with more experience in this genre will. In any case, it was really entertaining.
The audiobook version was read by Abby Craden who, as usual, did a fantastic job. There are a good number of characters, male and female, and Ms. Craden managed to make them all distinct in their voices and personalities. Her performance of the irascible and irritating Corelli and her inexperienced but supportive partner PJ was perfect. With book 2 of the series, The Blood Runs Cold, being released at the end of the month (September 2021) and book 3, A Message in Blood, in December 2021, both narrated by Ms. Craden, it’s a great time to tackle this series. 4.5 stars.
Length 8 hours, 29 minutes
Available in Scribd
After tours in Afghanistan and undercover work to expose a ring of dirty cops, NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli is suffering from PTSD and is ostracised by her colleagues. She is partnered with the only one who doesn’t want her dead, rookie Detective P.J. Parker, the daughter of a senator critic of the NYPD. Will both women be able to solve a brutal murder before Corelli’s enemies act on their threats to kill her family?
This is book one of the Chiara Corelli Mystery series, formed so far by three novels. A Matter of Blood is a typical whodunit, with a brutal murder of a businesswoman and more than a handful of suspects. As Corelli and her partner investigate the circumstances, alibis and the motives of each suspect, the reader can try to solve the mystery too.
It’s really hard to write a mystery as the plot has to be planned thoroughly so there are no loose ends or inconsistencies. Ms. Maiorisi did a great job at keeping the intrigue throughout the story and even misleading the reader a few times. I couldn’t guess the killer but I’m not an avid mystery reader anymore so maybe readers with more experience in this genre will. In any case, it was really entertaining.
The audiobook version was read by Abby Craden who, as usual, did a fantastic job. There are a good number of characters, male and female, and Ms. Craden managed to make them all distinct in their voices and personalities. Her performance of the irascible and irritating Corelli and her inexperienced but supportive partner PJ was perfect. With book 2 of the series, The Blood Runs Cold, being released at the end of the month (September 2021) and book 3, A Message in Blood, in December 2021, both narrated by Ms. Craden, it’s a great time to tackle this series. 4.5 stars.
Length 8 hours, 29 minutes
Available in Scribd
December 27, 2020
In anticipation of part 3 in this series coming out in January I wanted to read this series as it seemed like it would be right in my wheelhouse and I’m really happy to say it is.
When I first started reading I thought I’d started the wrong book, and that I was actually reading the second one, because you’re dropped into a storyline that feels like the middle of something, but once it gets going it all starts to make sense and whether intentional or not really gives you the same discombobulated feeling the main character - Chiara Corelli - would have been feeling at the same point.
Corelli is a Detective for the NYPD, but has also served in the Army. When she came back from her latest tour in Afghanistan training Afghani policemen, she was asked to undertake an undercover operation to route out cops in the NYPD who were ‘on the take’. Her actions and discoveries have left her extremely unpopular with the rest of the force, with her facing the ‘blue wall’, and it is at this point we meet her.
Newly promoted Detective P.J. Parker is asked to be Corelli’s bodyguard. She has her own history with the force, with her father being a senator. She has to decide whether to team up with the most hated person on the force.
This is an interesting murder mystery, with a victim that inspires many emotions. The long list of suspects keeps things interesting and gives a lot of opportunities to learn about both Corelli and Parker. The family dynamics of both MCs and the victim are also really interesting.
I really enjoyed this book. Maiorsisi doesn’t try to pretend law enforcement is perfect and she certainly hasn’t written Corelli as the perfect character that can do no wrong. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes this kind of thing.
When I first started reading I thought I’d started the wrong book, and that I was actually reading the second one, because you’re dropped into a storyline that feels like the middle of something, but once it gets going it all starts to make sense and whether intentional or not really gives you the same discombobulated feeling the main character - Chiara Corelli - would have been feeling at the same point.
Corelli is a Detective for the NYPD, but has also served in the Army. When she came back from her latest tour in Afghanistan training Afghani policemen, she was asked to undertake an undercover operation to route out cops in the NYPD who were ‘on the take’. Her actions and discoveries have left her extremely unpopular with the rest of the force, with her facing the ‘blue wall’, and it is at this point we meet her.
Newly promoted Detective P.J. Parker is asked to be Corelli’s bodyguard. She has her own history with the force, with her father being a senator. She has to decide whether to team up with the most hated person on the force.
This is an interesting murder mystery, with a victim that inspires many emotions. The long list of suspects keeps things interesting and gives a lot of opportunities to learn about both Corelli and Parker. The family dynamics of both MCs and the victim are also really interesting.
I really enjoyed this book. Maiorsisi doesn’t try to pretend law enforcement is perfect and she certainly hasn’t written Corelli as the perfect character that can do no wrong. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes this kind of thing.
April 18, 2020
If you’re looking for a good mystery novel, this might be the one for you. It is no romance novel, which was fine by me. I decided to give this book a go as it was on my list for a while and also because the second book in the series has been released a while ago.
You’re immediately thrown into the action as detective Corelli starts work after finishing an undercover job that exposed dirty cops, so she’s shunned by her colleagues and is partnered with newby Parker. Parker and Corelli immediately dislike each other and this is a clear enemies to friends storyline. The homicide case they work on has some nice plot twists as well as some events in their personal lives.
At the start of the book I actually didn’t like the characters very much, especially detective Corelli was quite obnoxious, but also Parker had her moments. However, as the book continues you’ll slowly start understanding their actions and Corelli’s behavior even changes a bit, so at the end of the book I warmed up to them. This book really does feel like the start of a series. Even though there is a complete mystery solved in the book there is a lot of buildup of the characters until the end and still many questions about the main characters and several story lines remain open. This did give me a bit of an unsatisfactory feeling, but I do look forward to reading the next book. 3.5 stars.
You’re immediately thrown into the action as detective Corelli starts work after finishing an undercover job that exposed dirty cops, so she’s shunned by her colleagues and is partnered with newby Parker. Parker and Corelli immediately dislike each other and this is a clear enemies to friends storyline. The homicide case they work on has some nice plot twists as well as some events in their personal lives.
At the start of the book I actually didn’t like the characters very much, especially detective Corelli was quite obnoxious, but also Parker had her moments. However, as the book continues you’ll slowly start understanding their actions and Corelli’s behavior even changes a bit, so at the end of the book I warmed up to them. This book really does feel like the start of a series. Even though there is a complete mystery solved in the book there is a lot of buildup of the characters until the end and still many questions about the main characters and several story lines remain open. This did give me a bit of an unsatisfactory feeling, but I do look forward to reading the next book. 3.5 stars.
March 7, 2021
I don't know why it took me so long to get started on this series 'cause, WOW! What an exciting start this was! Corelli and Parker are both great characters and I love that their partnership is rocky from the get go, it kinda made them feel more real to me.
Anyway... the case itself was a doozy and I loved how everything unfolds. I've got the second book so I'm going to get started on that now.
Anyway... the case itself was a doozy and I loved how everything unfolds. I've got the second book so I'm going to get started on that now.
October 16, 2021
3.75 stars. This was a pretty good crime novel, narrated by Abby Craden.
I enjoyed it, and I apreciated that I knew before that there's no romance.
I enjoyed it, and I apreciated that I knew before that there's no romance.
February 26, 2018
4.5 stars
Subtitled a “A Chiara Corelli Mystery” this is, I hope, the first in an extended new crime series. NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli has survived Afghanistan, Iraq and a life-threatening under-cover op routing out dirty officers, now she must suffer the blue wall of ostracism for turning in fellow cops, and at the same time be accused of being dirty herself.
To get back into real work Corelli needs a trustworthy partner/bodyguard or she will be consigned to desk duty. She is assigned the newly promoted Detective, P.J. Parker, daughter of a Senator who hates NYPD; an ex ADA with high flying credentials and fashion-plate suits.
Sparks fly as Corelli uses Parker as a whipping boy for her frustration and an outlet for her unacknowledged PTSD, while Parker fumes at her attitude and fights for her place in the Homicide squad. Assigned to a Wall Street murder with more suspects than an Agatha Christie novel, Corelli and Parker must fight hard to uncover the many layers of deception, while watching their backs as the Righteous Partners threaten Corelli and anyone close to her.
This is an excellent mystery and whodunit with well-developed characters, an interesting backstory and great potential. Corelli and Parker both have a huge pile of baggage, difficult relationships with their fathers and something to prove. Both are fighting for their careers in different ways, but their forced partnership develops with a great mix of antagonism and growing respect.
The action is face paced but nicely interspersed with moments of stillness and humanity. Corelli’s Italian-American family play a prominent role in creating a loving backdrop for a publically unloved figure. The mystery is multi-layered and, just like a good Agatha Christie, we really don’t know who actually did it until every layer is exposed. But the whole murder mystery is superseded by the threat to Coreli and her family which only a moral dilemma can resolve.
Well written, enjoyable reading. I literally can’t wait for the next one to see where Ms Maiorisi takes us with both the crime-fighting team and the prospective romance.
Subtitled a “A Chiara Corelli Mystery” this is, I hope, the first in an extended new crime series. NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli has survived Afghanistan, Iraq and a life-threatening under-cover op routing out dirty officers, now she must suffer the blue wall of ostracism for turning in fellow cops, and at the same time be accused of being dirty herself.
To get back into real work Corelli needs a trustworthy partner/bodyguard or she will be consigned to desk duty. She is assigned the newly promoted Detective, P.J. Parker, daughter of a Senator who hates NYPD; an ex ADA with high flying credentials and fashion-plate suits.
Sparks fly as Corelli uses Parker as a whipping boy for her frustration and an outlet for her unacknowledged PTSD, while Parker fumes at her attitude and fights for her place in the Homicide squad. Assigned to a Wall Street murder with more suspects than an Agatha Christie novel, Corelli and Parker must fight hard to uncover the many layers of deception, while watching their backs as the Righteous Partners threaten Corelli and anyone close to her.
This is an excellent mystery and whodunit with well-developed characters, an interesting backstory and great potential. Corelli and Parker both have a huge pile of baggage, difficult relationships with their fathers and something to prove. Both are fighting for their careers in different ways, but their forced partnership develops with a great mix of antagonism and growing respect.
The action is face paced but nicely interspersed with moments of stillness and humanity. Corelli’s Italian-American family play a prominent role in creating a loving backdrop for a publically unloved figure. The mystery is multi-layered and, just like a good Agatha Christie, we really don’t know who actually did it until every layer is exposed. But the whole murder mystery is superseded by the threat to Coreli and her family which only a moral dilemma can resolve.
Well written, enjoyable reading. I literally can’t wait for the next one to see where Ms Maiorisi takes us with both the crime-fighting team and the prospective romance.
June 19, 2020
As you should know by now, I’ve never been a big fan of Bella Books. Many of their so-called mysteries devolve into cookie-cutter romantic suspense novels. But my opinion of them may be about to change. For the second time in as many weeks, I have read a Bella book that I enjoyed. In fact, A Matter of Blood may be my favorite Bella original.
One of the reasons for the change may be Bella’s addition of Ann Roberts as editor. Although I complained about some of the editing of a couple of Roberts’ own mystries, she seems to be able to catch authorial glitches and create a fairly seamless storyline. Kudos also to Bella—and Roberts—for taking a chance on fledgling writer Maiorisi, who, at 80, is beginning another of a long line of successful careers. Kudos to you, Catherine, for achieving your dreams. I have some peeves, but I’ll save them for last.
As far as police procedurals go, this is about as good as it gets. The relationships are finely rendered, with Chiara Corelli seemingly always picking on and denigrating her new partner Penelope Jasmine (P.J.) Parker. Except for being black, P.J. reminds me somewhat of Porter Sienna, the “Debutante Detective” in Leslie Adams’ Allergic Reaction.. She is rich, fashionable, and has a famous father. And let’s not forget the similarity of Chiara and P.J. to Tori Hunter and Samantha Kennedy in Gerri Hill’s Hunter series.
The two clash almost as soon as P.J. is assigned to protect Corelli, who has just completed an undercover assignment that ratted out a number of corrupt police officers—much to the disgust of other police officers who turn their backs on her when she appears. Corelli, who is undoubtedly suffering from a severe case of PTSD, belittles Parker every chance she gets, often ridiculing her famous progenitor—a U.S. Senator,—her high level of education, and her fashionable style. Parker can only grit her teeth and try not to explode; she realizes that being Corelli’s partner is the only way she can work in homicide, a job she has been coveting since at 15, her brother was murdered, presumably by the mafia.
The first case they are assigned to is the murder of a rich investment broker, who is killed in her office by person or persons unknown. And like in must Agatha Christie novels, the deceased is reviled by all, making everyone she knew suspects. Both Corelli and Parker are expert at questioning suspects and making deductions based on their findings.
An unexpected highlight of A Matter of Blood is the extensive paean—both outwardly and subtly—to the love and support of family. Corelli has a big one, although her father disapproves of her because of her choices in life. Parker’s family is—in this book at least—almost a cipher. We only know that her father is a U.S. Senator, although later we find out that she hasn’t spoken to him in years. But there are different kinds of families. The huge Italian community—as well as the mafia—plays an important role in this book as does Corelli’s and Parker’s chosen family, the NYPD, to which both are partially excluded because of misinformation and prejudice. It is all quite literary in its subtlety.
Let no one accuse the author of not having done her homework. In addition to the parallels to other works and authors mentioned above, A Matter of Blood is quite similar in its plot to Katherine V. Forrest’s first novel, Amateur City. In fact, isn’t it Kate Delafield that always insists that a sketch be made of every crime scene? Well, Corelli insists on this as well. And anyone who is familiar with J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas series knows that she is married to the son of the mob and that the mob saves her bacon in at least one adventure. The denouement of A Matter of Blood hinges on just such an association. I consider these similarities to be either coincidences or homages to other writers, both of which are perfectly okay.
I have a couple of peeves, though, aimed both at the editor and the author, who evidently rewrote this book numerous times over many years. Both have to do with sexist language and the characters’ acceptance of it. Maiorisi refers to men’s testicles at least 17 times. Several times it is because Corelli places her foot in contact with same, which is okay because their owners deserved it. But most of the time it is in reference to bravery. As in when Corelli asks Parker if she is afraid to incur the snubs of her colleagues by saying, “Are you sure you have the balls to walk the gauntlet with me?” Or when tells Parker that she “wouldn’t have the balls” to kill someone. Let’s get something straight: having testicles has absolutely no bearing on whether someone is brave or has fortitude. It is an insidious phrase that means that if you are not a man you are in some way inferior. And this phrase is used over a dozen times! It is never okay and Bella should be ashamed.
Another sexist glitch. When Corelli is talking to a mob boss, he “compliments” her by saying, “ You are a brave women, braver than many men.” The phrase is belittling—she is far braver than most men, but I can accept that such a sexist bastard might use such a phrase. What I can’t accept is Corelli’s response, which is ‘a flush of pleasure.” Dammit woman, you have just been patronized!
One more thing. A kind of big deal is made early about why an air conditioner at the murder scene is set to an abnormally and uncomfortably cold setting. I was assuming that when Corelli found out who set it, it would lead to the murderer. Instead, it was completely dropped. No explanation whatever. And that’s not to mention the security tapes and the misplaced ladder. Ms. Roberts? Ms. Maiorisi? It’s traditional to place red herrings in a mystery, but they have to be explained away at the end.
This complex mystery—with all its side plots—is satisfactorily solved. Does everything tie up a little too smoothly? Well, yes. But isn’t that what we want our mysteries to do? And there is enough tension and interplay between Corelli and Parker to make me at least think about paying Bella’s high price for the sequel.
Final Rating: 4.5
Note: I read an Advanced Review copy of this book which was kindly provided by the publisher through Lesbrary in electronic form.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
One of the reasons for the change may be Bella’s addition of Ann Roberts as editor. Although I complained about some of the editing of a couple of Roberts’ own mystries, she seems to be able to catch authorial glitches and create a fairly seamless storyline. Kudos also to Bella—and Roberts—for taking a chance on fledgling writer Maiorisi, who, at 80, is beginning another of a long line of successful careers. Kudos to you, Catherine, for achieving your dreams. I have some peeves, but I’ll save them for last.
As far as police procedurals go, this is about as good as it gets. The relationships are finely rendered, with Chiara Corelli seemingly always picking on and denigrating her new partner Penelope Jasmine (P.J.) Parker. Except for being black, P.J. reminds me somewhat of Porter Sienna, the “Debutante Detective” in Leslie Adams’ Allergic Reaction.. She is rich, fashionable, and has a famous father. And let’s not forget the similarity of Chiara and P.J. to Tori Hunter and Samantha Kennedy in Gerri Hill’s Hunter series.
The two clash almost as soon as P.J. is assigned to protect Corelli, who has just completed an undercover assignment that ratted out a number of corrupt police officers—much to the disgust of other police officers who turn their backs on her when she appears. Corelli, who is undoubtedly suffering from a severe case of PTSD, belittles Parker every chance she gets, often ridiculing her famous progenitor—a U.S. Senator,—her high level of education, and her fashionable style. Parker can only grit her teeth and try not to explode; she realizes that being Corelli’s partner is the only way she can work in homicide, a job she has been coveting since at 15, her brother was murdered, presumably by the mafia.
The first case they are assigned to is the murder of a rich investment broker, who is killed in her office by person or persons unknown. And like in must Agatha Christie novels, the deceased is reviled by all, making everyone she knew suspects. Both Corelli and Parker are expert at questioning suspects and making deductions based on their findings.
An unexpected highlight of A Matter of Blood is the extensive paean—both outwardly and subtly—to the love and support of family. Corelli has a big one, although her father disapproves of her because of her choices in life. Parker’s family is—in this book at least—almost a cipher. We only know that her father is a U.S. Senator, although later we find out that she hasn’t spoken to him in years. But there are different kinds of families. The huge Italian community—as well as the mafia—plays an important role in this book as does Corelli’s and Parker’s chosen family, the NYPD, to which both are partially excluded because of misinformation and prejudice. It is all quite literary in its subtlety.
Let no one accuse the author of not having done her homework. In addition to the parallels to other works and authors mentioned above, A Matter of Blood is quite similar in its plot to Katherine V. Forrest’s first novel, Amateur City. In fact, isn’t it Kate Delafield that always insists that a sketch be made of every crime scene? Well, Corelli insists on this as well. And anyone who is familiar with J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas series knows that she is married to the son of the mob and that the mob saves her bacon in at least one adventure. The denouement of A Matter of Blood hinges on just such an association. I consider these similarities to be either coincidences or homages to other writers, both of which are perfectly okay.
I have a couple of peeves, though, aimed both at the editor and the author, who evidently rewrote this book numerous times over many years. Both have to do with sexist language and the characters’ acceptance of it. Maiorisi refers to men’s testicles at least 17 times. Several times it is because Corelli places her foot in contact with same, which is okay because their owners deserved it. But most of the time it is in reference to bravery. As in when Corelli asks Parker if she is afraid to incur the snubs of her colleagues by saying, “Are you sure you have the balls to walk the gauntlet with me?” Or when tells Parker that she “wouldn’t have the balls” to kill someone. Let’s get something straight: having testicles has absolutely no bearing on whether someone is brave or has fortitude. It is an insidious phrase that means that if you are not a man you are in some way inferior. And this phrase is used over a dozen times! It is never okay and Bella should be ashamed.
Another sexist glitch. When Corelli is talking to a mob boss, he “compliments” her by saying, “ You are a brave women, braver than many men.” The phrase is belittling—she is far braver than most men, but I can accept that such a sexist bastard might use such a phrase. What I can’t accept is Corelli’s response, which is ‘a flush of pleasure.” Dammit woman, you have just been patronized!
One more thing. A kind of big deal is made early about why an air conditioner at the murder scene is set to an abnormally and uncomfortably cold setting. I was assuming that when Corelli found out who set it, it would lead to the murderer. Instead, it was completely dropped. No explanation whatever. And that’s not to mention the security tapes and the misplaced ladder. Ms. Roberts? Ms. Maiorisi? It’s traditional to place red herrings in a mystery, but they have to be explained away at the end.
This complex mystery—with all its side plots—is satisfactorily solved. Does everything tie up a little too smoothly? Well, yes. But isn’t that what we want our mysteries to do? And there is enough tension and interplay between Corelli and Parker to make me at least think about paying Bella’s high price for the sequel.
Final Rating: 4.5
Note: I read an Advanced Review copy of this book which was kindly provided by the publisher through Lesbrary in electronic form.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
April 12, 2023
Review may or may not come later 😂.
May 27, 2022
A fantastic book featuring a very interesting main character. From the beginning, we see Chiara Corelli facing ostracism from her fellow cops. It's because she just participated in an undercover operation that exposed a group of dirty cops who are stealing and killing for profit. This same group is also doing its best to kill her. She's also a war veteran who had done tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. She shows signs of PTSD but that's something she refuses to acknowledge. Add to this her new partner, Det. PJ Parker, who is newly-promoted and is not sure whether she wants to work with Corelli. They are called to a murder scene where the victim has a long list of people who hate her.
The murder mystery is interesting and allows us to see how Corelli's mind works. We learn about her family and history as she and Parker work together. The plot is engaging and it makes for a fast and easy read. Overall, a wonderful first book in a series that I will definitely continue to follow.
The murder mystery is interesting and allows us to see how Corelli's mind works. We learn about her family and history as she and Parker work together. The plot is engaging and it makes for a fast and easy read. Overall, a wonderful first book in a series that I will definitely continue to follow.
March 5, 2023
Fun introduction to the Chiara Corelli Mysteries. Audio was not as good as my imagination if I were reading it. Still great to see not one but two lesbian cop protagonists begin to crystallize.
March 6, 2019
First thing first, the mystery is really good.
There are multiple thread, complex background, lot of characters and suspects.
Second, the two main characters are something. They both are tough and surprisingly vulnerable and their working dynamics are completely screwed.
Detective Corelli is suffering from such intense and multiple traumas that it's surprising she's still functional. She does have angers issues, insomnia and suicidal tendencies but... it could be worse.
It hurts my jaw when I think all the pain the character went through.
I just wish she wouldn't blow the steam on her new partner, but P.J. Parker does have the backbone to stand up to her abusing comments. And she may be green but she sure seems competent.
There is almost no romance and except one scene of confusing instant attraction (I usually hate those, but I in this case, I hope a next installment will explore it), there is no lesfic vibe at all.
It was not what I expected when I picked that book, more complex for sure, but it was a great way to spend the day.
I can't wait to see what comes up next.
--
Edited 05 March 19
Just had to reread it before beginning the second book. I just loved it. I rounded it up to 5.
There are multiple thread, complex background, lot of characters and suspects.
Second, the two main characters are something. They both are tough and surprisingly vulnerable and their working dynamics are completely screwed.
Detective Corelli is suffering from such intense and multiple traumas that it's surprising she's still functional. She does have angers issues, insomnia and suicidal tendencies but... it could be worse.
It hurts my jaw when I think all the pain the character went through.
I just wish she wouldn't blow the steam on her new partner, but P.J. Parker does have the backbone to stand up to her abusing comments. And she may be green but she sure seems competent.
There is almost no romance and except one scene of confusing instant attraction (I usually hate those, but I in this case, I hope a next installment will explore it), there is no lesfic vibe at all.
It was not what I expected when I picked that book, more complex for sure, but it was a great way to spend the day.
I can't wait to see what comes up next.
--
Edited 05 March 19
Just had to reread it before beginning the second book. I just loved it. I rounded it up to 5.
January 30, 2020
I probably would've enjoyed this more if Corelli wasn't such a jackass.
May 19, 2021
The plot was thickly interesting .
I have wanted to read for a long time but I kept postponing it. I finally read it and it was totally awesome. I couldn't put the book down and when I finished the book, I bought the remaining two in the series, right away. It was a really interesting and captivating write. Just amazing.
Chiara
She is a total badass. I loved her spirit. She kept fighting even when shit was going to hell, she still fought for the right thing. And that was really inspiring. Her character wasn't so complex so it was easy to follow but she was phenomenal.
Parker
My poor baby went thru shit. I really believe her working with with Chiara was the best thing. They made a powerful dynamic.
Brett
Now this is my woman. Her crush on Chiara gave me life and the way she was straightforward with what she wanted was so badass, I fell in love. Her caring personality was a total winner because Chiara needed that in her life, after her loss.
Family
I loved the family connections and understanding between the siblings. Parents can be shitty but if you got a good sibling on your side, it all seems bearable, I guess.
I have wanted to read for a long time but I kept postponing it. I finally read it and it was totally awesome. I couldn't put the book down and when I finished the book, I bought the remaining two in the series, right away. It was a really interesting and captivating write. Just amazing.
Chiara
She is a total badass. I loved her spirit. She kept fighting even when shit was going to hell, she still fought for the right thing. And that was really inspiring. Her character wasn't so complex so it was easy to follow but she was phenomenal.
Parker
My poor baby went thru shit. I really believe her working with with Chiara was the best thing. They made a powerful dynamic.
Brett
Now this is my woman. Her crush on Chiara gave me life and the way she was straightforward with what she wanted was so badass, I fell in love. Her caring personality was a total winner because Chiara needed that in her life, after her loss.
Family
I loved the family connections and understanding between the siblings. Parents can be shitty but if you got a good sibling on your side, it all seems bearable, I guess.
October 20, 2021
A Mystery to rival R.L. Stein in the lesfic world. A Great Mystery to catch you all the way till the end of the story. I was intralled for the whole book. I couldn't put it down. The next book was waiting on took forever for me. A great mysterious tale to ache the woes of my brain.
March 3, 2022
Great first book by the author for me. I can’t wait to read the next one.
July 6, 2023
4.5⭐️
A great start to a mystery series! I'm interested in following these characters into the next book!
A great start to a mystery series! I'm interested in following these characters into the next book!
June 1, 2024
3.5
i wanted a bit more action :(
i wanted a bit more action :(
Read
February 16, 2024Again, it’s a me issue. I think the discombobulated mystery and so many characters put me off the story. Then I realised it’s a series! I don’t think I could keep yo with all the details, thus, DNFed. Sorry. My brain couldn’t keep up with the facts.
April 4, 2020
I'd seen ads in a magazine for this book and I was intrigued by what I read. So I finally got around to buying and then reading the story.
The first book in Catherine Maiorisi's Chiara Corelli series introduces us to the titular heroine. But this is by no means a soft introduction.
The NYPD detective, a combat veteran with two tours served, is just off an undercover assignment to expose dirty cops. But since the job wasn't finished when she pulled the plug, the FBI and the NYPD brass give her less than full support and it makes her look like she was a dirty cop who got a conscience rather than doing work on their behalf.
This has left her a pariah with the rank and file who turn their backs (literally and figuratively) whenever they get the chance. And there's the matter of the leaders of the group of dirty cops still on the loose and targeting both Chiara and her family for revenge unless they get their way.
But Chiara is determined to move forward. But to do so requires her to take on a newly promoted detective to watch her back as they investigate. Otherwise, desk duty! This introduces readers to P.J. Parker, a cop getting her shot in homicide due to the need to have someone Chiara can trust watching her back. Parker has no ties to any cops and that makes her the perfect option, despite her newcomer status to the detectives rank.
They soon are dispatched to investigate the murder of a woman who's a powerful force on Wall Street. Things are never what they seem and while no one may quite deserve to get murdered, the victim sure went out of her way to make pretty much everyone hate her. Corelli and Parker are not lacking in suspects as they try to work the evidence to reveal the killer, while at the same time trying to fend off the attacks from those who want Corelli dead as well.
I will say that the first bit of the book moved a little too slow for my liking. As the characters are revealed, you soon realize that Chiara is a rather unlikable person. Now, being an unlikable character is not necessarily a sign of a bad book or anything. As you read, you learn that there are plenty of reasons for her to be more than a bit prickly. But there were times when it seemed Maiorisi went a bit too far with the rude and callous behavior from Chiara.
That said, there are definite reasons for this. And family dynamics play a huge role in the story. Not just the family of "blue" with the cops and how they feel about anyone crossing that line, but both Chiara and Parker are dealing with a host of family/personal issues. Not too mention that they don't really like each other all that much to start.
Chiara is from an old world Italian background and the fact that she's a lesbian and a cop has left her ostracized from her parents and some of her siblings. An obvious case of PTSD doesn't help matters for her either. Parker's father is a vociferous opponent/critic of the NYPD so his daughter becoming a cop doesn't sit well either. Both women are fighting upstream but determined to win the day, even with the costs to themselves.
I liked the way these themes of family were lightly explored and yet not really resolved so they can be played with in future stories in the series. And the step-by-step progress of the murder investigation played well as they built a case with each successive interview and the clues revealed on the way to shocking revelations about the identity of the killer.
Chiara and P.J. have a lot to learn about dealing with each other but I liked this book well enough that I can't wait to see where Catherine Maiorisi takes the characters next. There are no easy answers or pat resolutions in A Matter of Blood and that makes it all the more entertaining of a read.
The first book in Catherine Maiorisi's Chiara Corelli series introduces us to the titular heroine. But this is by no means a soft introduction.
The NYPD detective, a combat veteran with two tours served, is just off an undercover assignment to expose dirty cops. But since the job wasn't finished when she pulled the plug, the FBI and the NYPD brass give her less than full support and it makes her look like she was a dirty cop who got a conscience rather than doing work on their behalf.
This has left her a pariah with the rank and file who turn their backs (literally and figuratively) whenever they get the chance. And there's the matter of the leaders of the group of dirty cops still on the loose and targeting both Chiara and her family for revenge unless they get their way.
But Chiara is determined to move forward. But to do so requires her to take on a newly promoted detective to watch her back as they investigate. Otherwise, desk duty! This introduces readers to P.J. Parker, a cop getting her shot in homicide due to the need to have someone Chiara can trust watching her back. Parker has no ties to any cops and that makes her the perfect option, despite her newcomer status to the detectives rank.
They soon are dispatched to investigate the murder of a woman who's a powerful force on Wall Street. Things are never what they seem and while no one may quite deserve to get murdered, the victim sure went out of her way to make pretty much everyone hate her. Corelli and Parker are not lacking in suspects as they try to work the evidence to reveal the killer, while at the same time trying to fend off the attacks from those who want Corelli dead as well.
I will say that the first bit of the book moved a little too slow for my liking. As the characters are revealed, you soon realize that Chiara is a rather unlikable person. Now, being an unlikable character is not necessarily a sign of a bad book or anything. As you read, you learn that there are plenty of reasons for her to be more than a bit prickly. But there were times when it seemed Maiorisi went a bit too far with the rude and callous behavior from Chiara.
That said, there are definite reasons for this. And family dynamics play a huge role in the story. Not just the family of "blue" with the cops and how they feel about anyone crossing that line, but both Chiara and Parker are dealing with a host of family/personal issues. Not too mention that they don't really like each other all that much to start.
Chiara is from an old world Italian background and the fact that she's a lesbian and a cop has left her ostracized from her parents and some of her siblings. An obvious case of PTSD doesn't help matters for her either. Parker's father is a vociferous opponent/critic of the NYPD so his daughter becoming a cop doesn't sit well either. Both women are fighting upstream but determined to win the day, even with the costs to themselves.
I liked the way these themes of family were lightly explored and yet not really resolved so they can be played with in future stories in the series. And the step-by-step progress of the murder investigation played well as they built a case with each successive interview and the clues revealed on the way to shocking revelations about the identity of the killer.
Chiara and P.J. have a lot to learn about dealing with each other but I liked this book well enough that I can't wait to see where Catherine Maiorisi takes the characters next. There are no easy answers or pat resolutions in A Matter of Blood and that makes it all the more entertaining of a read.
November 17, 2024
I have been reading via Audible the first entries in mystery series that are available in the plus catalog and then deciding whether to continue them. I greatly enjoy Chiara Corelli as a character and this series debut. Chiara is from a close knit NY Italian family (Bensonhurst, Brooklyn). She is a detective in Manhattan, living in a loft in the Meat Packing District and in bad standing with almost all of her colleagues. After her partner Marla died in Afghanistan, Corelli returned home and was talked into going undercover to investigate police corruption in an FBI sting. She only broke cover when to continue in the criminal activities, she was ordered to kill a family connected to a drug dealer. But the FBI won't back her up publicly, in part because she never got to the top players and they want to continue their work. So she is portrayed as a bad cop who ratted out other bad cops to save her skin. On her first day back at work, Corelli is exposed to only the backs of everyone in her unit. It's unclear why her chief even let her come there. And now she's assigned to a murder with the only person who will work with her, the African-American daughter of a U.S. Senator, a former Assistant DA with a string of impressive elite schools behind her and a bit too much confidence. She is assigned as both Corelli's partner and as her bodyguard.
Along the way, as Corelli is repeatedly jumped, dashing from the path of a car out to hit her, shot at and so forth, she escapes. She is the lead in the murder investigation, so the partnership is fragile due to the two egos and Corelli's brashness. Over time, we meet the family, old mob members from her neighborhood, her former colleagues who face jail time, and some old friends on the force and off who support her. New York's neighborhoods are portrayed evocatively. Family dynamics and the stress over her being Lesbian and being in a dangerous job instead of a married homemaker play a big role in this. I liked the book and the mystery a lot. At times, I felt like what Corelli said and did to her partner that became the source of friction was minor and that we learned it was a big deal more because the partner's thoughts about it are revealed and Corelli feels bad about it. I want the actual narrative to support the friction that arises, not to have someone tell me it created friction. That's why this is not a five star review. Because it kept irritating me in an otherwise great novel.
Along the way, as Corelli is repeatedly jumped, dashing from the path of a car out to hit her, shot at and so forth, she escapes. She is the lead in the murder investigation, so the partnership is fragile due to the two egos and Corelli's brashness. Over time, we meet the family, old mob members from her neighborhood, her former colleagues who face jail time, and some old friends on the force and off who support her. New York's neighborhoods are portrayed evocatively. Family dynamics and the stress over her being Lesbian and being in a dangerous job instead of a married homemaker play a big role in this. I liked the book and the mystery a lot. At times, I felt like what Corelli said and did to her partner that became the source of friction was minor and that we learned it was a big deal more because the partner's thoughts about it are revealed and Corelli feels bad about it. I want the actual narrative to support the friction that arises, not to have someone tell me it created friction. That's why this is not a five star review. Because it kept irritating me in an otherwise great novel.
February 10, 2023
3.25 stars - I am torn about how I really feel about 'A Matter of Blood,' my first Catherine Maiorisi book.
First of all, it is not a romance, and taking everything into account, I think it is a good crime novel with a satisfactory resolve.
However, during the first half of the story, I still almost dropped it as DNF because I found the pacing of the narrative much slower than I am used to when reading crime novels. It's probably the number of suspects that the main detectives had to interview that dragged the story for me. I don't usually get overwhelmed by any number of suspects in a mystery crime novel, but with this book I unfortunately did.
On top of that, I had a hard time liking and empathizing with the main character, Chiara Corelli. She was a good detective, a good cop, but her habitually nasty attitude towards her partner, Parker, put a bad taste in my mouth. The author seemed to blame the behavior on PTSD. Sadly, I can't bring myself to understand such reasoning—yet.
As for the mystery plot, I thought I already knew the identity of the perpetrator 20% into the story, but the author managed to do some really good twist to it. So I was close but not exactly spot on. 🤭
And despite the slow pacing and my slight indifference to Chiara Corelli, the story has got some suspense and action scenes that were good enough to keep me reading. And ironically, I found myself more drawn to the murder victim's story arc than that of Corelli's, even though the victim was way more awful than the detective.
'A Matter of Blood' is the first book out of four published installments in this mystery series of Catherine Maiorisi. And though I had a generally good time, I think, reading it, I'm not really sure at the moment whether I am interested in reading the other installments or not.
First of all, it is not a romance, and taking everything into account, I think it is a good crime novel with a satisfactory resolve.
However, during the first half of the story, I still almost dropped it as DNF because I found the pacing of the narrative much slower than I am used to when reading crime novels. It's probably the number of suspects that the main detectives had to interview that dragged the story for me. I don't usually get overwhelmed by any number of suspects in a mystery crime novel, but with this book I unfortunately did.
On top of that, I had a hard time liking and empathizing with the main character, Chiara Corelli. She was a good detective, a good cop, but her habitually nasty attitude towards her partner, Parker, put a bad taste in my mouth. The author seemed to blame the behavior on PTSD. Sadly, I can't bring myself to understand such reasoning—yet.
As for the mystery plot, I thought I already knew the identity of the perpetrator 20% into the story, but the author managed to do some really good twist to it. So I was close but not exactly spot on. 🤭
And despite the slow pacing and my slight indifference to Chiara Corelli, the story has got some suspense and action scenes that were good enough to keep me reading. And ironically, I found myself more drawn to the murder victim's story arc than that of Corelli's, even though the victim was way more awful than the detective.
'A Matter of Blood' is the first book out of four published installments in this mystery series of Catherine Maiorisi. And though I had a generally good time, I think, reading it, I'm not really sure at the moment whether I am interested in reading the other installments or not.
June 30, 2022
Un onestissimo "giallo" che vede protagonista Chiara Corelli.
Una lettura estiva ma piacevole dalla storia lineare e godibile.
La protagonista è una Detective della Omicidi del NYPD: è stata veterana in Afghanistan (dove ha perso la sua partner) e al suo rientro ha partecipato sotto copertura ad una indagine interna su poliziotti corrotti del suo dipartimento.
La missione è riuscita solo a metà, l'FBI si è tirato parzialmente indietro (pare poco credibile verificare chi sa e chi non sa e come viene gestita questa parte della narrazione) e Detective Corelli è rientrata al lavoro con la fama di poliziotta "sporca" che ha tradito e denunciato i suoi complici.
Le viene affiancata una giovane agente, di colore e figlia di un senatore non proprio benevolo nei confronti della polizia, che oltre a farsi le ossa ha il compito di guardia del corpo e di difenderla dai colleghi ancora non scoperti che la vogliono eliminare.
In tutto questo svolge le due indagini di omicidio nella morte di una rampantissima e poco amata manager.
Molti luoghi comuni (la chiassosa e numerosa famiglia Italiana), e una immagine dell'America molto "letteraria"; argomenti importanti (i diritti gay, la discriminazione razziale, il PTSD, la corruzione della polizia) trattati non in un proclama ma nel tessuto della narrazione.
Non un capolavoro ma una lettura onesta e gradevole senza, per ora, troppi stereotipi.
Una lettura estiva ma piacevole dalla storia lineare e godibile.
La protagonista è una Detective della Omicidi del NYPD: è stata veterana in Afghanistan (dove ha perso la sua partner) e al suo rientro ha partecipato sotto copertura ad una indagine interna su poliziotti corrotti del suo dipartimento.
La missione è riuscita solo a metà, l'FBI si è tirato parzialmente indietro (pare poco credibile verificare chi sa e chi non sa e come viene gestita questa parte della narrazione) e Detective Corelli è rientrata al lavoro con la fama di poliziotta "sporca" che ha tradito e denunciato i suoi complici.
Le viene affiancata una giovane agente, di colore e figlia di un senatore non proprio benevolo nei confronti della polizia, che oltre a farsi le ossa ha il compito di guardia del corpo e di difenderla dai colleghi ancora non scoperti che la vogliono eliminare.
In tutto questo svolge le due indagini di omicidio nella morte di una rampantissima e poco amata manager.
Molti luoghi comuni (la chiassosa e numerosa famiglia Italiana), e una immagine dell'America molto "letteraria"; argomenti importanti (i diritti gay, la discriminazione razziale, il PTSD, la corruzione della polizia) trattati non in un proclama ma nel tessuto della narrazione.
Non un capolavoro ma una lettura onesta e gradevole senza, per ora, troppi stereotipi.
December 24, 2022
Okay this review is long overdue I'mma say keep this simple if you love mystery books true mystery books. This is the book for you This is a heavily heavily mystery police procedure book okay there is no actual romance in this book I'm going to be honest there's a traction but they don't really dive that deep You have to start from this first book You cannot read this out of order cuz you were not understand the characters growth or the mystery that happened or any of the things that transpire in this first book that makes the character who they are by the time you reach second book and by the time you read the third book in this series all the books in this series is worth your time if you are true mystery fan 100% down and if you have an extra couple of bucks I highly recommend You get this in audio the entire series in audio Abby Creighton is one of my favorite narrators and lesbian books in general no matter what book genre it is she does an amazing job and she knocked this out the park and she only gets better as each book continues and I look forward to the next book in this series.
I don't want to spoil too much so I'm not going to talk about anything that deals with the story that includes the characters in the growth all I'm going to say is it's worth your time it's worth your read and you will not regretted.
But I also will say just in case someone is concerned this is a lesbian relationship Corelli the main character is gay That's all I'm going to say
I don't want to spoil too much so I'm not going to talk about anything that deals with the story that includes the characters in the growth all I'm going to say is it's worth your time it's worth your read and you will not regretted.
But I also will say just in case someone is concerned this is a lesbian relationship Corelli the main character is gay That's all I'm going to say
February 7, 2018
Outstanding plot and characters. Tough to put down this debut mystery featuring two memorable NYPD cops — Chiara Corelli, a lesbian Italian-American military hero, and her novice partner P.J. Parker, a former prosecutor and daughter of an outspoken black-activist pol who is the NYPD’s No. 1 critic.
Their first case together, solving the murder of a widely despised Wall Street business exec, tests them — and nearly defeats them — in many ways.
Both have to face family demons, Chiara’s old neighborhood and police enemies and dozens of sketchy, scary and lying witnesses, to get at the truth.
My favorite parts include Chiara’s family gatherings, full of the food and warmth and misunderstandings and old grudges of any family. And hints of romance that, I hope, blossom in a sequel.
Their first case together, solving the murder of a widely despised Wall Street business exec, tests them — and nearly defeats them — in many ways.
Both have to face family demons, Chiara’s old neighborhood and police enemies and dozens of sketchy, scary and lying witnesses, to get at the truth.
My favorite parts include Chiara’s family gatherings, full of the food and warmth and misunderstandings and old grudges of any family. And hints of romance that, I hope, blossom in a sequel.
May 3, 2021
I love a good crime novel and this definitely fit the bill. I really liked that this novel featured a strong criminal storyline with no romance, as I think it made the book stronger in a way. Corelli drives this book as she is a such a strong character, and she demonstrates to us her humanity but also her detective skills as well. The way Maiorisi tackles her undercover deployment was really interesting too, as we only see the after effects rather than what happened. There was a moment in the beginning of the book where I checked to make sure I was reading the first novel in the series, as it refers to bits and pieces that occurred prior to the novel's timeline but once I understood this choice it made a lot more sense.
I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series.
I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series.
September 1, 2018
The two black characters' blackness has no bearing whatsoever on their identity and life (be it racism or culture), while the Italian main character's Italian identity informs many aspects of her life and the book. Hmm, I wonder why...
Anyways, this was a most stereotypical cop story, filled with undiagnosed clichéd PTSD, everyone wanting (either to fuck or to kill) the beautiful MC who acts like a jerk a lot (PTSD, remember) but has a tender heart deep inside, nice Mafia dons, 9/11 references, corruption in the police to explain away the institution's racism/misogyny/general awfulness, etc.
I was also more than ticked off by the depiction of what was arguably an acespec character, both bc it seems to stem from trauma, and bc it was here only to emphasize her evilness.
Anyways, this was a most stereotypical cop story, filled with undiagnosed clichéd PTSD, everyone wanting (either to fuck or to kill) the beautiful MC who acts like a jerk a lot (PTSD, remember) but has a tender heart deep inside, nice Mafia dons, 9/11 references, corruption in the police to explain away the institution's racism/misogyny/general awfulness, etc.
I was also more than ticked off by the depiction of what was arguably an acespec character, both bc it seems to stem from trauma, and bc it was here only to emphasize her evilness.
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