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Weldon Haynie Thomas #1
A Death in Harlem
A Death in Harlem is a mystery set in the midst of the 1920s Harlem elite with a perplexing death at its center and Harlem's first colored policeman poised to uncover the the relationship between the help, the privileged members of secret and no-so-secret Negro clubs, and the enigmatic white man whose relationship to (and interests in) the Harlem hold is key to the mystery.
248 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2019
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2986 people want to read
About the author
Karla F.C. Holloway
11 books66 followersKarla FC Holloway is James B. Duke Professor of English at Duke University, where she also holds appointments in the Law School, Womens Studies, and African & African American Studies, and is an affiliated faculty with the Institute on Care at the End of Life and the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine. She serves on the Greenwall Foundations Advisory Board in Bioethics, was recently elected to the Hastings Center Fellows Association, and is the author of many books, including BookMarks: Reading in Black and White; Passed On: African American Mourning Stories: A Memorial, also published by Duke University Press; and Codes of Conduct: Race, Ethics, and the Color of Our Character."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 9, 2019
In 1927, Weldon Haynie Thomas, Harlem’s first colored policeman, is on duty at the Hotel Theresa while the elite of Harlem attend the Opportunity Awards banquet for literary arts. Just before the awards are handed out one of the recipients falls, jumps or gets pushed out of a window of the hotel. Initially, the police and press believe that Olivia Frelon was a white woman, but they take a slightly different view of the case once they learn that she was colored. Weldon’s initial reaction was: “Why’d it have to be a white lady laid out dead up here in Harlem on my watch night?”
I was drawn to this historical mystery set during the Harlem Renaissance and there were certainly things that I enjoyed about it. The presentation of the Harlem social structure was interesting, as was the treatment of the complicated ramifications of skin color and the decision of whether or not to pass as white if presented with the opportunity. Sometimes there was an off kilter turn of phrase that caught my attention. “Her slightly lovely ball gown was indecorously bunched into her fists.”
My least favorite part of the book was Weldon’s detective work, which he modeled after Sherlock Holmes novels. I didn’t think the solution to the mystery of Olivia’s death was handled very well. There is no way Weldon could have solved it with the clues that he had. I was uninterested in his attempted courtship of an educated young woman who used to work for Olivia. (His habit of calling her Baby Girl did not go over well.) I also thought that the pacing of the book was uneven and I really hated the ending that turned all “literary fiction” for no good reason. So, while I liked the premise and setting of the book, I had some problems with its execution.
The introduction to the book states that its origin story was “Passing” by Nella Larsen, which I read a few months ago. I recommend that book, but if you haven’t read it already the introduction will spoil the ending of “Passing” for you. It’s not necessary to read the introduction in order to enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I was drawn to this historical mystery set during the Harlem Renaissance and there were certainly things that I enjoyed about it. The presentation of the Harlem social structure was interesting, as was the treatment of the complicated ramifications of skin color and the decision of whether or not to pass as white if presented with the opportunity. Sometimes there was an off kilter turn of phrase that caught my attention. “Her slightly lovely ball gown was indecorously bunched into her fists.”
My least favorite part of the book was Weldon’s detective work, which he modeled after Sherlock Holmes novels. I didn’t think the solution to the mystery of Olivia’s death was handled very well. There is no way Weldon could have solved it with the clues that he had. I was uninterested in his attempted courtship of an educated young woman who used to work for Olivia. (His habit of calling her Baby Girl did not go over well.) I also thought that the pacing of the book was uneven and I really hated the ending that turned all “literary fiction” for no good reason. So, while I liked the premise and setting of the book, I had some problems with its execution.
The introduction to the book states that its origin story was “Passing” by Nella Larsen, which I read a few months ago. I recommend that book, but if you haven’t read it already the introduction will spoil the ending of “Passing” for you. It’s not necessary to read the introduction in order to enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
June 17, 2020
Summary
I enjoyed the black culture and history of this book. I learned quite a bit about passing regarding black women and men.
I enjoyed the black culture and history of this book. I learned quite a bit about passing regarding black women and men.
April 6, 2019
Set in 1920’s New York, Weldon Thomas, Harlem’s first “colored policeman,” is asked to look into the death of Olivia, a light skinned prominent socialite, at a ceremony where she was scheduled to be awarded a prize for her short story. How did Olivia fall from the upper-story window? Someone is indicted by the white officers assigned to the case (there are many references to skin color, “passing,” and race in this novel), but Officer Thomas does his own investigating, and uncovers some startling information which will change everything.
September 5, 2021
I spent my time with Karla F.C. Holloway's A Death in Harlem feeling very much like I was crossing an ethical boundary -- that her novel was not written for me and I was actually an interloper, and that I should be ashamed of myself for continuing to read. I don't know if should have felt that way, but I couldn't help myself.
Holloway deals with race head on, and she deals with race from myriad Black American perspectives, and her work like it was written primarily for Black Americans. As a white man in the audience, I gained access to all of these perspectives by reading A Death in Harlem, I learned about these perspectives at Holloway's coaxing, but I couldn't help feeling guilty for sneaking into her audience. But much worse, I couldn't feeling great fear that white folk, and maybe even I myself, would learn the wrong lessons from what Holloway was exploring. That we, in our closed mindedness, our privilege, our racism, could use Holloway's writing as a way to rationalize or excuse our own beliefs and bad behaviours. Having finished A Death in Harlem that fear hasn't gone away, so I have decided not to discuss my thoughts on this subject nor the things I feel I've learned from Holloway. It is a subject for other people to discuss, but if you want to know what Holloway's perspectives are I urge you to read A Death in Harlem. I felt enlightened by what I read, and I hope others will too.
As for the plot and literary merits of A Death in Harlem, which is, on its surface, a murder mystery and, just beneath that surface, a literary work playing with narrative forms, Holloway's novel is a fascinating success. It takes a bit of work to get through the book. It isn't a summer, sunny, backyard page turner, but it is compelling and it is worth the work. I am truly sad that my experience with A Death in Harlem is over, but I am happy to have discovered it has a sequel: Gone Missing In Harlem.
I wonder if I will feel as much like a voyeur reading that novel as I did reading this, and if my ethical worries will intensify. I guess we shall see.
Holloway deals with race head on, and she deals with race from myriad Black American perspectives, and her work like it was written primarily for Black Americans. As a white man in the audience, I gained access to all of these perspectives by reading A Death in Harlem, I learned about these perspectives at Holloway's coaxing, but I couldn't help feeling guilty for sneaking into her audience. But much worse, I couldn't feeling great fear that white folk, and maybe even I myself, would learn the wrong lessons from what Holloway was exploring. That we, in our closed mindedness, our privilege, our racism, could use Holloway's writing as a way to rationalize or excuse our own beliefs and bad behaviours. Having finished A Death in Harlem that fear hasn't gone away, so I have decided not to discuss my thoughts on this subject nor the things I feel I've learned from Holloway. It is a subject for other people to discuss, but if you want to know what Holloway's perspectives are I urge you to read A Death in Harlem. I felt enlightened by what I read, and I hope others will too.
As for the plot and literary merits of A Death in Harlem, which is, on its surface, a murder mystery and, just beneath that surface, a literary work playing with narrative forms, Holloway's novel is a fascinating success. It takes a bit of work to get through the book. It isn't a summer, sunny, backyard page turner, but it is compelling and it is worth the work. I am truly sad that my experience with A Death in Harlem is over, but I am happy to have discovered it has a sequel: Gone Missing In Harlem.
I wonder if I will feel as much like a voyeur reading that novel as I did reading this, and if my ethical worries will intensify. I guess we shall see.
August 13, 2019
I picked this book up because of its link to Passing by Nella Larsen, which I read and adored last year. The mystery aspect was a bonus. However, I cannot say that I loved it but I think it was more me than the book or rather more the nature of the Advance Copy I got than the book. Unedited proofs are fab and I love them, but at times, I wish I had waited for the finished book. No line breaks for dialogue, so many typos and sometimes they were so confusing that it was hard to make out what was said. So yeah, I found the book a bit of a slog, because of it. Shame really.
April 27, 2019
Let’s start with all the things I loved about this book. There were a lot of things to love about it. I was excited to see this cross section of Black life during an era I know so little about. When I see histories of this era, they tend to focus on white Americans. If Black Americans are mentioned at all, they’re mentioned as a monolith, one giant monoculture stretching from California to Maine, and that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Holloway cuts away the veil general history books like to put on Black culture and shows the stratification of Harlem society in this particular time and place. We see the challenges faced by professionals and working-class residents, by wealthy and poor alike. We see the difficulty of “respectability” and the fragility of reputation.
We see the dangerousness of passing, and of tokenism.
We do get a murder, and if you read this blog on anything like a regular basis you know how I feel about that sort of thing. We also do have a brief but important sexual relationship between two women, although this book is in no way, shape, or form a romance.
Holloway did a fantastic job of showing us a world I will never see. Her characters’ voices were unique and well-developed, and I could relate to most of them despite a good century between us. I absolutely adored Welton, and Sadie the nascent church lady. I wept for Vera, and for Hughes.
Unfortunately, there were several issues with the book. The first seems minor and pedantic, but it happened often enough that it threw me out of the story. It’s not even entirely the author’s fault.
There were so many typesetting errors, and little punctuation errors, that it was sometimes difficult to tell who was speaking at any given point in time. There were no line breaks for dialogue, and sometimes no quotation marks. If it happens here and there – well, these things happen. But if it happens over and over, it confuses the reader and makes it impossible to become fully immersed in the story. And if you’re trying to read a murder mystery, and someone is giving evidence, it’s important to know exactly who is speaking to whom.
Edit: I've been informed that what I read was an uncorrected proof and these issues will be fixed in the final copy, available in September. This will make it much easier to lose oneself in the book, which will be amazing.
Which brings me to my second point. The book is billed as literary fiction, which isn’t my wheelhouse. (They promised murder, okay?) I understand that some things are allowable in lit fic that would get your book rejected in genre fiction. This book has a lot of head hopping. The author employs a lot of POV shifts, from third person limited to third person omniscient to first person singular and back again.
It’s possible to pull that off. Toni Morrison did it well. So did William “WTF Is Wrong With White People” Faulkner, for what it’s worth. In both of those cases, the POV shifts are essential to revealing something about the characters and how they’re changing with the story. Think Darl in As I Lay Dying.*
This book didn’t quite rise to that same level. Instead of showing character growth and development, the POV and tense changes just made the book feel choppy. Pacing was also an issue, with the beginning feeling slow and ponderous and the end reading like a telenovela.
In all honesty, I did thoroughly enjoy A Death In Harlem. I was torn about how to rate it. I loved the story. There was never any point where I didn’t care about what was happening on the page. I always felt deeply invested in what was going on. The structural issues irritated me, sometimes to the point of cursing, but it didn’t put me off long enough to lose interest in the plot.
If you’re someone who gets annoyed by some of the conventions of literary fiction, this might not be the book for you. It could use some more editing. But if you’re looking for a fine story with unique characters who will stick with you long after you’ve closed the book, you could do far worse than picking up a copy of A Death In Harlem.
Holloway cuts away the veil general history books like to put on Black culture and shows the stratification of Harlem society in this particular time and place. We see the challenges faced by professionals and working-class residents, by wealthy and poor alike. We see the difficulty of “respectability” and the fragility of reputation.
We see the dangerousness of passing, and of tokenism.
We do get a murder, and if you read this blog on anything like a regular basis you know how I feel about that sort of thing. We also do have a brief but important sexual relationship between two women, although this book is in no way, shape, or form a romance.
Holloway did a fantastic job of showing us a world I will never see. Her characters’ voices were unique and well-developed, and I could relate to most of them despite a good century between us. I absolutely adored Welton, and Sadie the nascent church lady. I wept for Vera, and for Hughes.
Unfortunately, there were several issues with the book. The first seems minor and pedantic, but it happened often enough that it threw me out of the story. It’s not even entirely the author’s fault.
There were so many typesetting errors, and little punctuation errors, that it was sometimes difficult to tell who was speaking at any given point in time. There were no line breaks for dialogue, and sometimes no quotation marks. If it happens here and there – well, these things happen. But if it happens over and over, it confuses the reader and makes it impossible to become fully immersed in the story. And if you’re trying to read a murder mystery, and someone is giving evidence, it’s important to know exactly who is speaking to whom.
Edit: I've been informed that what I read was an uncorrected proof and these issues will be fixed in the final copy, available in September. This will make it much easier to lose oneself in the book, which will be amazing.
Which brings me to my second point. The book is billed as literary fiction, which isn’t my wheelhouse. (They promised murder, okay?) I understand that some things are allowable in lit fic that would get your book rejected in genre fiction. This book has a lot of head hopping. The author employs a lot of POV shifts, from third person limited to third person omniscient to first person singular and back again.
It’s possible to pull that off. Toni Morrison did it well. So did William “WTF Is Wrong With White People” Faulkner, for what it’s worth. In both of those cases, the POV shifts are essential to revealing something about the characters and how they’re changing with the story. Think Darl in As I Lay Dying.*
This book didn’t quite rise to that same level. Instead of showing character growth and development, the POV and tense changes just made the book feel choppy. Pacing was also an issue, with the beginning feeling slow and ponderous and the end reading like a telenovela.
In all honesty, I did thoroughly enjoy A Death In Harlem. I was torn about how to rate it. I loved the story. There was never any point where I didn’t care about what was happening on the page. I always felt deeply invested in what was going on. The structural issues irritated me, sometimes to the point of cursing, but it didn’t put me off long enough to lose interest in the plot.
If you’re someone who gets annoyed by some of the conventions of literary fiction, this might not be the book for you. It could use some more editing. But if you’re looking for a fine story with unique characters who will stick with you long after you’ve closed the book, you could do far worse than picking up a copy of A Death In Harlem.
May 7, 2019
Two women die violently on the same midwinter night in 1927 Harlem. The death of Maisie James is barely noticed, while the death of Olivia Frelon happens at a sparkling literary gala at the Hotel Theresa, just as Frelon is about to win an award. Harlem’s first African American policeman, Officer Weldon Thomas, is at the scene and is on the case. He needs to find out whether Olivia fell or was pushed, and if she was pushed, who did it? Told in the voices of multiple characters, this literary mystery reimagines the characters in Nella Larsen’s 1929 novella Passing. A Death in Harlem explores issues around race and color, social obligations, friendship, and love, while also being a satisfying mystery.
November 10, 2019
A DEATH IN HARLEM is a story of the Roaring Twenties. I haven't read THE GREAT GATSBY since high school, but this book seems to be an excellent view of another slice of life in the same time period. Set in Harlem, as the title implies, it is also the story of how the people most like us, in the case of race for this story, are the ones who are going to be most awful to us.
The story focuses on a death, also as the title implies, which is a murder in the Negro (and I'm using that word because it is what the author uses in the story) community. It happens at a ritzy awards banquet to honor authors, and Zora Neale Hurston even makes a brief appearance, and the only police officer assigned to the event is the only minority officer on the force - Weldon Haynie Thomas.
Weldon takes it upon himself to do what few of the other police officers seem to want him to do and investigate the death of Olivia Frelon as carefully as possible.
Olivia Frelon was first thought to be white, by some, and known to not be white by others in the Harlem community. Vera Scott, a respected doctor's wife in Harlem, is also fair-skinned enough that she can pass for white. This means that suspicion falls immediately upon Vera because... reasons, I guess.
To see, again and not for the last time, how it's not as simple as black and white... how a larger group of humans, humans who call themselves "our people" and "community" and "family", must always find someone that is just that much lesser than they are, even by shades of skin color, is both fascinating and disheartening.
In a good turn for A DEATH IN HARLEM, that makes for excellent storytelling and I really did like story. It's a good, important book and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.
(Except for the random, unfinished side story of the vice-mayor's son Wyckomb.)
(Thanks to NetGalley and Northwestern University Press for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest and original review. All thoughts are my own.)
The story focuses on a death, also as the title implies, which is a murder in the Negro (and I'm using that word because it is what the author uses in the story) community. It happens at a ritzy awards banquet to honor authors, and Zora Neale Hurston even makes a brief appearance, and the only police officer assigned to the event is the only minority officer on the force - Weldon Haynie Thomas.
Weldon takes it upon himself to do what few of the other police officers seem to want him to do and investigate the death of Olivia Frelon as carefully as possible.
Olivia Frelon was first thought to be white, by some, and known to not be white by others in the Harlem community. Vera Scott, a respected doctor's wife in Harlem, is also fair-skinned enough that she can pass for white. This means that suspicion falls immediately upon Vera because... reasons, I guess.
To see, again and not for the last time, how it's not as simple as black and white... how a larger group of humans, humans who call themselves "our people" and "community" and "family", must always find someone that is just that much lesser than they are, even by shades of skin color, is both fascinating and disheartening.
In a good turn for A DEATH IN HARLEM, that makes for excellent storytelling and I really did like story. It's a good, important book and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.
(Except for the random, unfinished side story of the vice-mayor's son Wyckomb.)
(Thanks to NetGalley and Northwestern University Press for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest and original review. All thoughts are my own.)
June 14, 2021
3.5 rounded up
Because it is set in the Harlem of the 1920's this book gave me glimpses of a time and place I know little about. The author does a good job of introducing the social structure among the people living there, both the upper and working classes, and some of their values. The story centers around the death of a young woman who it turns out was passing as white, and whether her death was an accident, or a murder. The central character, Weldon Thomas, is Harlem's first "colored" policeman. I liked how his character is portrayed, how he decides to do more investigating on his own. And since I see that there is now a second book in this series, I hope to see the author develop this character more, as well as others, in coming books.
Because it is set in the Harlem of the 1920's this book gave me glimpses of a time and place I know little about. The author does a good job of introducing the social structure among the people living there, both the upper and working classes, and some of their values. The story centers around the death of a young woman who it turns out was passing as white, and whether her death was an accident, or a murder. The central character, Weldon Thomas, is Harlem's first "colored" policeman. I liked how his character is portrayed, how he decides to do more investigating on his own. And since I see that there is now a second book in this series, I hope to see the author develop this character more, as well as others, in coming books.
June 19, 2019
Great sequel to Larsen novel although characters changed the relationship to Passing was just enough to intrigue. A great choice for bookclubs! There will be lots of discussion of colorism and passing for white
October 3, 2019
WONDERFUL novel filled with mystery and strong sense of roaring 1920's in Harlem New York! THe characters are so diverse and present a kaleidoscope of Black persons in that time rarely seen in one dimensional fictional views. The race issue and passing as White, or not, figures in the theme as well as romance, jealousy and hidden secrets. A delicious blend create a richly satisfying novel!
January 14, 2021
Very good murder mystery! You will never figure out the ending!
August 24, 2019
Weldon Haynie Thomas is Harlem’s first black policeman. He knows he carries a great burden on his shoulders to be the best he can be so others can follow him into the police force, but it’s not easy for him when there is so much racism all around him. He is assigned to ensure none of the riff-raff of the neighborhood gain entry to a large gala to honor the city’s authors. Much to his chagrin, a woman falls or is pushed out of a window and lands on the sidewalk just outside the front door. Initially, her death is judged to be “death by misadventure.” Nothing about this death is what it seems. Add to that is another woman’s death just a block away. The investigation into the white woman’s death is given to detectives with scant knowledge of Harlem and Thomas goes back to being a beat cop. At the urging of a young woman who works for one of the suspects, Thomas begins investigating on his own.
Karla Holloway has produced a well-written historical novel about an era we’ve all heard about, but know almost nothing of life in Harlem on the streets, so to speak. Her main character is well drawn and is just quirky enough to be interesting and likable. Her descriptions of the era and city streets are so good that you can almost feel a part of the Jazz Age in NYC. Holloway does not flinch at describing the everyday violence and particularly the violence against women – she isn’t as graphic as she could have been – but the reader becomes well aware that women, especially African-American women, are low on society’s totem pole.
This is not your typical historical mystery because the mystery is not the focus of the book. Yes, people die and yes the deaths are investigated, but there’s so much more going on in the book.
There is humor in the book, characters to like and dislike, a main character that you’d like to see again, a setting drawn by Holloway’s able hand that is unique to the genre, and a mystery. So, if you like historical novels set in or around the 1920s, this is the book for you and you probably will want to put it at or near the top of your to-be-read pile.
Thanks to Triquarterly and NetGalley for an e-ARC.
Karla Holloway has produced a well-written historical novel about an era we’ve all heard about, but know almost nothing of life in Harlem on the streets, so to speak. Her main character is well drawn and is just quirky enough to be interesting and likable. Her descriptions of the era and city streets are so good that you can almost feel a part of the Jazz Age in NYC. Holloway does not flinch at describing the everyday violence and particularly the violence against women – she isn’t as graphic as she could have been – but the reader becomes well aware that women, especially African-American women, are low on society’s totem pole.
This is not your typical historical mystery because the mystery is not the focus of the book. Yes, people die and yes the deaths are investigated, but there’s so much more going on in the book.
There is humor in the book, characters to like and dislike, a main character that you’d like to see again, a setting drawn by Holloway’s able hand that is unique to the genre, and a mystery. So, if you like historical novels set in or around the 1920s, this is the book for you and you probably will want to put it at or near the top of your to-be-read pile.
Thanks to Triquarterly and NetGalley for an e-ARC.
October 19, 2019
I am new to the mystery novel genre, but I know enough about writing, reading, and literature to know that texts have contexts, they follow certain forms depending upon their genre, and must be read and understood according to the rules of their convention. I haven't read much mystery writings, thus I find myself as a loss as to how rate Holloway's debut mystery novel. I don't like having to wait to the end of a book to discover "who dunit" but that's pretty much how it goes with this genre, I'm told. I was surprised by who dunit in in A Death in Harlem and was disappointed that the murderer was the character the novelist spent the least amount of ink on. But that's minor compared to my larger complaint, I didn't care about one soul in this entire. Is that how it is with mystery novels? It's a period novel about the seamy side of the Harlem Renaissance and its racial elite caste of characters, I get that. But the truth is 3/4 into the novel and I didn't care a twit about the deceased woman (superficial, race traitor, socially ambitious) nor did I care about the parade of snobbish, race-hating suspects who were the same. The librarian was the most interesting (and most undeveloped) character in the whole book. The only thing that compelled me to keep reading was the story itself, its basic plot, the intrigue, and the fact that Holloway was exposing a side of the Harlem Renaissance characters we've come to know and love so well that need to be exposed. I give the book 3 stars because it's a heck of a good debut novel, but it does suffer from many of the problems typical of a first novel: slow moving, over the top ldramatic writing in places, seemingly rushed at the end, and obtuse closure at the end. Look forward to Holloway's second novel.
August 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! I'm not too much of a who done it girl but this drew me in because it take place in Harlem. I grew up near Spanish Harlem in the 90s and Harlem was a mecca for Black people in NYC. This story is during the Harlem Renaissance era. Harlem's first Blsck police officer is roped into Black high society when a seemingly white woman falls to her death during a party. The police officer uses Sherlock Holmes methods to try to figure iut what happened to this woman. At first it seems like she was killed over an alleged affair but when the officer digs deepers,he uncovers a couple skeletons in the the closet of the victim and her social circle.
I enjoyed seeing how Officer Weldon Thomas asked carefully thought out questions of potential suspects. I enjoyed the explanation of how the Black elite became the Black elite. I would never have guessed who the killer was and to me that was the best part! Would definitely read this author again!
I enjoyed seeing how Officer Weldon Thomas asked carefully thought out questions of potential suspects. I enjoyed the explanation of how the Black elite became the Black elite. I would never have guessed who the killer was and to me that was the best part! Would definitely read this author again!
September 14, 2020
The resolution surprised me, and culturally/historically it was fascinating.
November 3, 2021
A Death in Harlem is carefully crafted with delightful characters and intriguing enough to keep you interested until the very end.
January 26, 2025
So incredibly good, no way I figured out who the murderer was! Details of Harlem, Art, literature, life so packed with fabulously interesting characters! On to the next one!
July 9, 2019
This historical fiction book takes place in Harlem, a neighborhood for blacks in NYC, in 1927. At that time there was a flourishing black middle class in that community. Social groups dedicated to “uplifting the race” existed in the upper and lower classes there as well.
The 9th Annual Opportunity Magazine Writing Awards Banquet was taking place at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem. The event was sponsored by the Negro Welfare League and included awards for short fiction, poetry, and non fiction. It was an important social event and many wealthy blacks were in attendance. When the prize for short fiction was announced the author, Olivia Freon, did not come forward. Then another winner came on stage to tell the assembled group that Olivia was lying dead on the ground outside the hotel.
Weldon Thomas, Harlem’s only black policeman, had been assigned for crowd control at the function. He called the local precinct, the investigation into the death was taken over by white detectives and he was no longer involved.
The official police investigation turned up evidence implicating Vera Scott, the wife of a prominent black doctor. She was indicted by the Grand Jury and let out on bail. Vera’s husband, Reynolds, was rumored to have had an affair with Olivia and this was assumed to be the motivation for the murder.
Olivia had arrived in Harlem recently. She had been in Europe for some time. No one knew where Olivia came from originally or what was the source of her extreme wealth. Vera and her husband were among the most prominent people in Harlem. Dr. Scott had a downtown medical practice but also did volunteer work uptown in Harlem.
Vera and Olivia had become close friends and Olivia used Vera’s influence as an entree into exclusive women’s groups in Harlem. Before Olivia had arrived on the scene, Earlene Kinsdale and Vera had been close friends. They met in college and remained friends until Olivia arrived.
Although he was not on the investigation team, Weldon Thomas became involved at the urging of Sadie Mathis, who was convinced that her employer was not a murderer. Weldon’s investigation turned up many leads. However the final lead that lead to the real culprit will be a surprise to all.
This book deals with “passing”, a practice in which light skinned black folks live their lives as whites. This was popular in the earlier part of the 20th century. The author uses vernacular black speech for exchanges between the black characters. The author based the story on another book, Passing by Nella Larsen published in 1929. The book gives an interesting view of life in Harlem in the 20s when many blacks were coming up to NYC from the South. Harlem was also a place where adventurous whites came for entertainment. One of the main characters, Hughes Wellington was a wealthy white man from downtown who often frequented black events like the 9th Annual Opportunity Magazine Writing Awards Banquet.
This ARC was provided by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The 9th Annual Opportunity Magazine Writing Awards Banquet was taking place at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem. The event was sponsored by the Negro Welfare League and included awards for short fiction, poetry, and non fiction. It was an important social event and many wealthy blacks were in attendance. When the prize for short fiction was announced the author, Olivia Freon, did not come forward. Then another winner came on stage to tell the assembled group that Olivia was lying dead on the ground outside the hotel.
Weldon Thomas, Harlem’s only black policeman, had been assigned for crowd control at the function. He called the local precinct, the investigation into the death was taken over by white detectives and he was no longer involved.
The official police investigation turned up evidence implicating Vera Scott, the wife of a prominent black doctor. She was indicted by the Grand Jury and let out on bail. Vera’s husband, Reynolds, was rumored to have had an affair with Olivia and this was assumed to be the motivation for the murder.
Olivia had arrived in Harlem recently. She had been in Europe for some time. No one knew where Olivia came from originally or what was the source of her extreme wealth. Vera and her husband were among the most prominent people in Harlem. Dr. Scott had a downtown medical practice but also did volunteer work uptown in Harlem.
Vera and Olivia had become close friends and Olivia used Vera’s influence as an entree into exclusive women’s groups in Harlem. Before Olivia had arrived on the scene, Earlene Kinsdale and Vera had been close friends. They met in college and remained friends until Olivia arrived.
Although he was not on the investigation team, Weldon Thomas became involved at the urging of Sadie Mathis, who was convinced that her employer was not a murderer. Weldon’s investigation turned up many leads. However the final lead that lead to the real culprit will be a surprise to all.
This book deals with “passing”, a practice in which light skinned black folks live their lives as whites. This was popular in the earlier part of the 20th century. The author uses vernacular black speech for exchanges between the black characters. The author based the story on another book, Passing by Nella Larsen published in 1929. The book gives an interesting view of life in Harlem in the 20s when many blacks were coming up to NYC from the South. Harlem was also a place where adventurous whites came for entertainment. One of the main characters, Hughes Wellington was a wealthy white man from downtown who often frequented black events like the 9th Annual Opportunity Magazine Writing Awards Banquet.
This ARC was provided by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2020
In 1920s Harlem, in the middle of an awards ceremony for Black artists, one of the winners, a beautiful young woman (Black, but light-skinned enough that she could have passed for white, if she'd chosen to) falls out of a window to her death. Did she jump? Was it an accident? Or was she... murdered?!?! Weldon Thomas, the city's first Black policeman, is on the case.
The problem quickly turns out to be not a lack of motive, but too many motives. Almost everyone seems to have a potential reason to kill Olivia: the prominent doctor she was rumored to be having an affair with; the doctor's wife who was seen fighting with Olivia earlier in the day; the wife's best friend (and former lover) who was angry at being spurned when Olivia came on the scene; the white art collector who was present at the awards ceremony but mysteriously disappeared immediately afterwards; Olivia's maid who knew too much; Olivia's former maid who left her for a better job; the wife's maid who is determined to protect her employer; the mayor's son, who was drunk and in Harlem that night; and on and on. Every single character has at least one dangerous secret.
I love stories set during the Harlem Renaissance and I love murder mysteries, so I was very excited for A Death in Harlem. Unfortunately this is Holloway's first time writing fiction, and it really shows. The characters all feel one-dimensional, none of them get an arc or chance to deepen, there's too much switching between different POVs, and much of the dialogue feels stiff and unrealistic. Whenever there's a bad guy, Holloway practically has them twisting their mustaches and cackling evilly as they praise their own villainous deeds. Which... I'm sure plenty of white people in 1920s NYC were horrible racists! But here they come off less as examples of historical accuracy and more like signs around the bad guys' necks so that the audience knows who to boo.
On another note, Olivia's life and death are paralleled with that of a poor, dark-skinned sex worker; they both arrive in NYC on the same day and later die on the same day, but while Olivia is formally mourned and her case investigated, the other woman's death passes unnoticed. This is a nice conceit, but the other woman essentially disappears from the book after the first few chapters, and her plot is never drawn into the main story. I get what Holloway was trying to say with this, but I don't think it worked.
I would read another book by Holloway, because I liked many of her choices and think she has potential, but this one was a bit meh.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
The problem quickly turns out to be not a lack of motive, but too many motives. Almost everyone seems to have a potential reason to kill Olivia: the prominent doctor she was rumored to be having an affair with; the doctor's wife who was seen fighting with Olivia earlier in the day; the wife's best friend (and former lover) who was angry at being spurned when Olivia came on the scene; the white art collector who was present at the awards ceremony but mysteriously disappeared immediately afterwards; Olivia's maid who knew too much; Olivia's former maid who left her for a better job; the wife's maid who is determined to protect her employer; the mayor's son, who was drunk and in Harlem that night; and on and on. Every single character has at least one dangerous secret.
I love stories set during the Harlem Renaissance and I love murder mysteries, so I was very excited for A Death in Harlem. Unfortunately this is Holloway's first time writing fiction, and it really shows. The characters all feel one-dimensional, none of them get an arc or chance to deepen, there's too much switching between different POVs, and much of the dialogue feels stiff and unrealistic. Whenever there's a bad guy, Holloway practically has them twisting their mustaches and cackling evilly as they praise their own villainous deeds. Which... I'm sure plenty of white people in 1920s NYC were horrible racists! But here they come off less as examples of historical accuracy and more like signs around the bad guys' necks so that the audience knows who to boo.
On another note, Olivia's life and death are paralleled with that of a poor, dark-skinned sex worker; they both arrive in NYC on the same day and later die on the same day, but while Olivia is formally mourned and her case investigated, the other woman's death passes unnoticed. This is a nice conceit, but the other woman essentially disappears from the book after the first few chapters, and her plot is never drawn into the main story. I get what Holloway was trying to say with this, but I don't think it worked.
I would read another book by Holloway, because I liked many of her choices and think she has potential, but this one was a bit meh.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
March 20, 2021
A Death in Harlem is a follow up novel loosely based on Nella Larsen's Passing. It takes this premise of "passing" and the ways and culture of the Black bourgeoise of the Harlem Renaissance. It is a clever mix of real people and the "glitterati noir" mixing Zora Neale Hurston with fictitious "first and finest" sororities and all male secret societies; all blended into the gritty underbelly of the working class of Harlem. What struck me most about the book was the use of language. Holloway begins the book by telling us that "the book would talk to us"... and it did. Each character had a specific and unique dialect, vernacular and tone that set them apart from the others. This was so evident that I found myself thinking I couldn't wait to here it as an audiobook because it was just that clever. Having an understanding of the Harlem Renaissance and its social mores is helpful but not necessary to enjoy this read. Although it ties up what was left hanging at the end of Passing; it also opens the door for Dr Holloway's next novel, Gone Missing in Harlem. I can't wait to read that one too.
July 20, 2019
Set during the golden years of the Harlem Renaissance this book describes the societal challenges faced by African Americans in New York City. We're first introduced to the major characters on a winter night when two young African American women from different circumstances who arrived in New York City on the same train later die under mysterious circumstances. The death of the the poorer girl, Maisie, is hardly investigated while the death of Olivia, who can easily pass for white, makes front page headlines.
The first African American policeman in New York City, Officer Thomas, is first on the scene although his role as an investigator is belittled by his white superiors. Urged by friends of Olivia, Officer Thomas sets out to solve this crime.
In doing so the reader gets a clear picture of Harlem and its citizens during the 1920s. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be historically accurate and entertaining. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first African American policeman in New York City, Officer Thomas, is first on the scene although his role as an investigator is belittled by his white superiors. Urged by friends of Olivia, Officer Thomas sets out to solve this crime.
In doing so the reader gets a clear picture of Harlem and its citizens during the 1920s. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be historically accurate and entertaining. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2019
3.5 stars
The best thing about this debut novel is its setting: Harlem in the late 20s during the Harlem Renaissance. Young Weldon Thomas is the first black police officer in Harlem and happens to be doing basic crowd control at a high-toned soiree when a death occurs. A woman falls - or jumps - or is pushed - from an upper story window and dies on the pavement below. Although the victim appears to be a white woman, she is actually black and a lot of cultural context is provided to explain the importance of that.
There are many complexities, including the pretensions and skin-color bias of the black elite. Thomas is an interesting character. The relationships in the novel are sometimes complicated. Of course Thomas meets with much bigotry from the white police officers and walks a thin line between standing up for himself and getting along in order to be able to do his job and make a difference.
An interesting glimpse into a not-often written about period and place. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The best thing about this debut novel is its setting: Harlem in the late 20s during the Harlem Renaissance. Young Weldon Thomas is the first black police officer in Harlem and happens to be doing basic crowd control at a high-toned soiree when a death occurs. A woman falls - or jumps - or is pushed - from an upper story window and dies on the pavement below. Although the victim appears to be a white woman, she is actually black and a lot of cultural context is provided to explain the importance of that.
There are many complexities, including the pretensions and skin-color bias of the black elite. Thomas is an interesting character. The relationships in the novel are sometimes complicated. Of course Thomas meets with much bigotry from the white police officers and walks a thin line between standing up for himself and getting along in order to be able to do his job and make a difference.
An interesting glimpse into a not-often written about period and place. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 29, 2023
Karla Holloway's credentials certainly add and support her extensive understanding of the intersection of race, crime, social class, identity, and more in this mystery. The scene is 1900s Harlem; a "white" woman jumped or fell out of a window and died. It is later revealed that the woman was "colored". Holloway portrayed many characters who could have been suspects, and some details/clues that ruled out some of them. She added a few twists, especially one that was unexpected. Another twist I figured out. Although Holloway's pacing was too slow for me, in my humble opinion, I will certainly give her credit on her writing style. She seamlessly moved from one language style to another without missing a bit. Her detailed description of the Harlem's elite "colored" upper class lifestyles, mannerisms, and fashions were evidence of her research/studies. I liked Officer Weldon Thomas. How he handled himself in the midst of a racist law enforcement staff was cool and noteworthy. When he figured out the mystery, it made sense.
July 7, 2019
A Death In Harlem is a stunning literary debut by Karla Holloway, who is an author and professor known for her academic writings.
If you like period fiction, this is for you. It delves into the complex social stratification of the African American upper class in roaring twenties in jazz age Harlem. The story picks up where Passing by Nella Larson left off and investigates the mysterious death of a beautiful white passing woman who falls/or is thrown from a window to her death.
One of the best parts of the book is the prose in my opinion. I feel it will draw comparisons to Toni Morrison because the exquisite use of language, use of metaphor is so lovely, and yet the pacing and the story draw you in with intensity I find rare for books written this way.
Also excellent is dialogue. The characters are hilarious and relatable, despite the almost hundred years time difference.
I really loved it! Cannot wait to see what Professor Holloway writes next!
If you like period fiction, this is for you. It delves into the complex social stratification of the African American upper class in roaring twenties in jazz age Harlem. The story picks up where Passing by Nella Larson left off and investigates the mysterious death of a beautiful white passing woman who falls/or is thrown from a window to her death.
One of the best parts of the book is the prose in my opinion. I feel it will draw comparisons to Toni Morrison because the exquisite use of language, use of metaphor is so lovely, and yet the pacing and the story draw you in with intensity I find rare for books written this way.
Also excellent is dialogue. The characters are hilarious and relatable, despite the almost hundred years time difference.
I really loved it! Cannot wait to see what Professor Holloway writes next!
June 1, 2020
Taken in by a Historical Mystery
Karla Holloway’s A Death in Harlem is an intriguing combination of high society secrets, racial/color disparities and mystery set in the Harlem Renaissance era. The mystery begins with Weldon Haynie Thomas, Harlem’s first black policeman, working night watch at an elegant awards program for Harlem’s black elite. Two deaths occur that night. One death is mostly overlooked, but the apparent murder of a newcomer to Harlem’s social elite during the awards program becomes a high-profile case. When white detectives are assigned to the case, Thomas uses the public library to train himself as a detective to seek the truth in response to requests from acquaintances in the black community. The stage is set for an exploration of race, color and gender in 1920’s Harlem that is both entertaining and educational. Holloway does a masterful job as she subtly reveals mysteries within the mystery until the very end.
Karla Holloway’s A Death in Harlem is an intriguing combination of high society secrets, racial/color disparities and mystery set in the Harlem Renaissance era. The mystery begins with Weldon Haynie Thomas, Harlem’s first black policeman, working night watch at an elegant awards program for Harlem’s black elite. Two deaths occur that night. One death is mostly overlooked, but the apparent murder of a newcomer to Harlem’s social elite during the awards program becomes a high-profile case. When white detectives are assigned to the case, Thomas uses the public library to train himself as a detective to seek the truth in response to requests from acquaintances in the black community. The stage is set for an exploration of race, color and gender in 1920’s Harlem that is both entertaining and educational. Holloway does a masterful job as she subtly reveals mysteries within the mystery until the very end.
February 23, 2022
As many readers have mentioned, this novel is full of fascinating history. It should be, since it's written by an academic. But, perhaps its problems stem from that, too. The writer uses what's known as the "omniscient" third person. It's not just regular third person, describing what's going on as if the writer is a fly on the wall. No, it's like the writer is God looking down into a fish bowl. So, it's hard to get a feeling for the characters, to really like the fish.
Like many historical novels, there's a lot of name-dropping that goes on. Really smart and famous African Americans walk on and off the set like extras. Maybe it's a feature of crime novels that people have to do dumb things. I found myself wishing there were characters who were as smart and revolutionary as the real people who lived and struggled for freedom in Harlem. Still, the book is an interesting study of race and identity and sheds light on the past that is still present.
Like many historical novels, there's a lot of name-dropping that goes on. Really smart and famous African Americans walk on and off the set like extras. Maybe it's a feature of crime novels that people have to do dumb things. I found myself wishing there were characters who were as smart and revolutionary as the real people who lived and struggled for freedom in Harlem. Still, the book is an interesting study of race and identity and sheds light on the past that is still present.
November 11, 2019
I loved Holloway's writing style, she was evocative of the time and it was a brilliant time period to set a mystery in, the Harlem Renaissance. I really enjoyed all the characters, the unexpected reveal of sexual diversity, and the vernacular used when writing from certain characters' points of views. Her voice was strong and the mystery was beyond well written, I was not able to figure out what happened until it was revealed, though some other things were easy to discern, they were left that way to perhaps throw us off the scent. I think I just would have wished for more closure on the endings for the characters. Still, a great book and I would recommend it to any mystery/crime fans.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5/5 Rounded to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5/5 Rounded to 4.
September 17, 2022
2.5 rounded up for time and place. A “sequel” to the events in the book Passing, this debut unfortunately fall short (no pun intended)
Where as Passing is an elegant, brilliant, and precisely observed novel, this story goes on and on where it shouldn’t and skips when an elaboration could do.
The first half of the book is overdrawn and it’s as if the author thinks of the hero as a teen, not a grown man.
The second part picks up a bit, and the conclusion is rushed, even as it is surprising.
The concept of passing is again the main topic of the book, with all the complications it brings to the surface.
The difficulties of the first black policeman in Harlem are discussed but not deeply enough.
Again, all important topics, discussed but not felt.
And last- the hit and run fizzled away. Why was it even in the book?
I will read book 2, maybe it will be better.
Where as Passing is an elegant, brilliant, and precisely observed novel, this story goes on and on where it shouldn’t and skips when an elaboration could do.
The first half of the book is overdrawn and it’s as if the author thinks of the hero as a teen, not a grown man.
The second part picks up a bit, and the conclusion is rushed, even as it is surprising.
The concept of passing is again the main topic of the book, with all the complications it brings to the surface.
The difficulties of the first black policeman in Harlem are discussed but not deeply enough.
Again, all important topics, discussed but not felt.
And last- the hit and run fizzled away. Why was it even in the book?
I will read book 2, maybe it will be better.
January 20, 2020
Indeed based heavily on the 1926 novel Passing, which I read first, this books is essentially only longer, has more depth and breadth, but was not a whole lot better. Maybe a 3.5? It picked up at the end with a surprise twist, but was over all pretty slow moving. What was interesting to me was that while reading the book, I came across a reference to the new, young Irish-African American actress, Ruth Negga (starred in the film "Loving"), who will be starring in the movie version of the original novel Passing, which is the thin, but titillating in concept, story of two very light-skinned Negro girlfriends in the 1920's, one of whom has chosen to "pass" and the other not.
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