Passing Fancies

Julia Kydd #2

by Marlowe Benn

Set in Manhattan’s fabled Jazz Age, Passing Fancies delves beneath the era’s glittering surface to reveal fissures and frictions still raw today.

In 1925, elegant young bibliophile Julia Kydd settles in New York City, eager to join its lively literary scene. Julia is befriended by Black singer Eva Pruitt, author of a manuscript rumored to reveal secrets of the glamorous Harlem nightclub where she works, which caters to fashionable white-only audiences. Publishers are competing for Eva’s novel, keen to exploit fascination with “New Negro” exoticism.

When the club’s owner is found shot to death and the police brutally question Eva, Julia realizes her friend has already been judged guilty. Shaken and ashamed at her own naïveté about American justice, Julia vows to find the murderer before the police can hunt down the fugitive Eva.

Julia’s search draws her into Eva’s world, where she must confront the privileges and blindspots of her race and social class even as she pursues a wily killer.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Crime, Cozy Mystery

333 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2020

About the author

Born near Boston, Marlowe Benn grew up in an Illinois college town along the Mississippi River. Her debut novel, Relative Fortunes, was featured in the Amazon First Reads program, and CrimeReads named it one of 2019's best traditional mysteries. Her second novel, Passing Fancies, comes out in June 2020. A former editor, college teacher, and letterpress printer, Benn holds a doctorate from Berkeley in the history of books and publishing. She lives with her husband on an island near Seattle.

Reviews

[Nancy Bilyeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Passing Fancies features a remarkable protagonist in stylish, smart, and compassionate Julia Kydd, and I was riveted by her story and by the mystery that unfolds. Highly original characters and a fascinating time and place of Jazz Age New York pulled me in and kept me turning pages. Underlying social issues evoke some strong parallels to today, making this a must-read novel.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel seemingly tailor-made for our current moment, this story tackles racism, sexism, and classism in the wrapper of a murder mystery.

Set during the 1920's and specifically the Harlem Renaissance, this second Julia Kydd novel covers a lot of ground. Like the first novel, it starts off slow and meanders around a bit before finally getting down to business. By the end it's hurtling along while you hang on for dear life.

Perhaps my favorite thing about these novels is that "Justice" is rarely served in a fully satisfying manner. The innocent don't always get made whole, the guilty don't always face the law, and everyone still has to deal with the trauma. It's more like real life, in that sometimes you have to settle for the best outcome you can get, no matter how much you wish it were better.

[Meg Leader · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I had read this one first, I wouldn't have read the first book. Pretty transparent mystery.

[Judi Easley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passing Fancies
A Julia Kydd Novel
Marlowe Benn
Lake Union Pub, Jun 2020
327 pages
Historical Cozy
Provided by Author via NetGalley

3.5 Stars

The cover coordinates with the previous one, which was black and gold and looked similar. I love the stylized flapper, so elegant for this series.

The story is historical, as in the 1920s during the Jazz renaissance and a period when it was rather scary to be a person of color in our country. Julia has a high class, totally white background, and is now exposed to not only the black jazz community but a black woman who can pass as white. This has a whole bundle of issues all its own aside from just being a woman of color, as we find out in Passing Fancies. It’s a brutal world that Julia gets a glimpse into. Sitting here reading this book at a time when we watch similar violence and brutality currently on the evening news makes this book span the century and become all that much more relevant.

The mystery doesn’t come in until much later in this book than in the first one, but that’s because we spend so much time following around Julia and her new friends to parties and clubs before we get too deeply into back rooms and dark alleys. This isn’t as strong a story as the first book was. It doesn’t seem to hold together quite as well at times. I’m interested in seeing where the author takes Julia from here. Recommended.

[Nolwenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited about the setting (New York in the 1920's and a bibliophile) but I love anything from this period anyway. Unfortunately it was a slow read and the story wasn't very interesting. I liked most of the characters except the main one, Julia. She met a woman once and suddenly they're BFF? She keeps saying this to justify her "meddling" in the police investigation. I thought it was a bit of a stretch and all in all that didn't sound sincere – I wondered until the end of the book if there might be something else to it.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth Tafoya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly disappointing

I was so looking forward to this 2nd Julia Kydd novel, the 1st having been such a great read. What I was *rewarded* with, instead, was the seemingly endless self-incriminations of White guilt. Rather than pen a worthwhile mystery, Benn continuously gnashes the protagonist's teeth over the universally evil White people who all are, according to her, inherently racist -- even when they don't intend to be. Yes, it's all the rage now to be *woke* but I wanted to read a mystery, not a polemic on racism. I'm really not interested in Benn's agenda nor do I appreciate intellectual dishonesty. There's a time and a place for preaching. This ain't it.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harlem Renaissance Detection
Review of the Lake Union Publishing hardcover (2020)

The fiction of the post-World War I era of the 1920-30's has been a long time favourite of mine. It has some of my most loved works by Fitzgerald and Hemingway. It includes the "Golden Age of Crime" by writers such as Christie and Sayers. So a lost generation/jazz-age detection series combined with a love of books and publishing is like catnip to me.

The second of the series, Passing Fancies, carries on with amateur sleuth Julia Kydd investigating a murder at a Harlem nightclub where a new friend of hers is the main suspect. Singer Eva Pruitt has written a book called Harlem Angel which has been the subject of a bidding war among New York publishers. The book's manuscript is held hostage by shady nightclub owner and the retrieval of the book seems to be the motive for the crime.

As previously, Marlowe Benn adds fictionalized versions of real-life publishing characters into her historical fiction. The main examples of this were Carl Van Vechten fictionalized as Pablo Duveen and Bennett Cerf fictionalized as Austen Hurd. Publisher Horace Liveright of Boni & Liveright appears as himself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second work of what is expected to be a continuing series. The first book was Relative Fortunes (2019). It involved a mystery centred around the suspicious death of an American suffragette.

I discovered the Julia Kydd series through the excellent selection at Toronto's mystery book store Sleuth of Baker Street.

Trivia
Marlowe Benn is actually a pseudonym of writer Margaret L. Benton.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a dnf for me. I was looking for a mystery and just got a bit depressed about the discussions of race. It's not to say these mentions were poorly handled, just occasionally more tell than show. There were some good touches but ultimately I wanted an escape and not to think about how horribly people have been treated. I know that's showing privilege but honestly it's been a crummy year and I need cheerful stuff right now. The story didn't grab me enough to get past this.
3 stars still seems fair as the characters were well constructed, I certainly wouldn't tell anyone not to read it.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is second in the Julia Kydd series although I'm not clear whether there are more books about Julia coming or not. In any case, it's another interesting and atmospheric period mystery, this time primarily set in Harlem, with lots of black artists, authors, and musicians. Not an "own voice" story, but I thought she did a good job of describing a white person discovering the challenges of black people in the 1920's in Harlem. A decent mystery with a great setting and character development.

[Karen ReadsALot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for this Goodreads Give away! White Priveledge during the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance was in the forefront with a mystery as secondary. Explicit narrative regarding fashion, architecture and the printing industry at that time.

[Beth Levitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good entry in this series. Particularly interesting was Julia’s examination of her unintentional racial bias and the discussion of color among African Americans and the ability to pass as white.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some pretty big themes in this book including racism, rape, and sexism. It is historically accurate but can make for some heavy reading. There are also some points that drag in the middle-ish part. I didn't love the way the story arc ended nor am I sure that I like how the overall story line moves forward at the end of the book. I've pondered it for a couple of days and still can't decide. If you read the first book, you are fairly familiar with how this author works. I wouldn't recommend starting with this book but I don't think you have to have read the first one to jump into this story.
Julia Kidd has moved back to New York. Now she just needs to find a place of her own; a place where she can live and run her vanity press. She is starting to get involved with the literati scene as well. It is at a house party that she meets Eva Pruitt, a black author who is about to Have her book published which promises not only provocative but explosive. She is currently singing in a nightclub but the owner doesn't want to let her leave, causes a scene, and ends up murdered. When the New York police seem like they're not going to move an further than looking at Eva, Julia decides to step in. Along the way she's going to have to confront a lot of her own biases.

[Alison Ivey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I surprised myself by finishing it. The florid prose and dated slang were initially heavy going, surpassed only by the unbelievable antics of the heroine. She often cursed her own recklessness as her amateur sleuthing put her in ridiculous situations driven on by an active imagination.
The writing is extraordinary, not in a good way. “Eager teeth” “ a dervish of discernment “ and many more...
The New York backdrop of the twenties and the racial and class context are portrayed well.

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book never gets going. The premise promises a female detective story set in the 20s and never delivers. There are so many characters in this book who have no personality and therefore are indistinguishable. It makes the whole story muddled and insufferable to get through. Done with this series.

[Alli Garrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best follow-up. Very little mystery, too much focus on extraneous matters, and farfetched plotting. This couldn't overcome the author's need to make a political statement when a true mystery novel was requested. Sincerely hope this doesn't become the norm.

[Hillary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia's pressing naivete presents as much more striving and self - congratulatory than considerate or sincere.

[Tina Panik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow, and clunky. The historical context is so dense that the solution to the mystery seems irrelevant by the time ir arrives.

[Mindo'ermatter · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Novel That Should Have Been Better---Ugh!

Although I learned to enjoy the first book in this series, I struggled trying to complete this second installment. Even though the novel eventually finished much stronger than I anticipated, the author simply tries to do too much and accomplishes too little with her disjointed storytelling. Ouch!

Still trying to figure out why the author wrote this book the way she did. That's the real mystery!

Problems:
1. There were some extremely important topics in this book that were only covered superficially, except in a few dramatic events.
2. The historical setting and inspirational basis for the racial cultural elements from sources cited in the Afterword were too abbreviated and simplified in the storyline to be socially meaningful. With additional depth, this might have been a more significant and memorable book, but it falls short as literature, while not measuring up to entertaining reading either. So disappointing!
3. The primary character, Julia Kydd, is not fully developed, making her hard to identify with or even like. Although she has some strong altruistic motives that we catch glimpses of occasionally, her "spoiled rich kid" personality dominates the story with her many unwise and impulsive feelings, words, and actions.
4. The author's extreme attention to detailed descriptions (themselves well written and independently interesting) encumbers and slows the storytelling----a major distraction. Had the author spent as much time developing the characters or narrative, this might have become a notable work.
5. The author's own personality and voice seems to be squelched by her focus on copying the writing styles and element of other 1920's writers. As a result, the book seems too much an amalgamation of previous writers than an original new work.
6. This book was written before the first book in the series, showing many structural problems, while also lacking the sparkling dialogue and tighter storyline of Book 1, making it a more clumsy read.

Strengths:
1. If you like long, detailed descriptions of places and things, you will likely find some wonderful paragraphs to enjoy.
2. If you enjoy getting nearly halfway through the book before the murder mystery begins, then you'll appreciate the first third of the book with its slice-of-life in the 1920s New York City atmospheric setting.
3. If you're a bibliophile interested in fine publishing, then some sections will make sense to you that are too brief and specialized for general audiences to appreciate or understand.
4. If you like trite and stereotypical characters, then you'll find many depicted in this novel.
5. Perhaps if you enjoy looking up obscure and outdated words in an unabridged dictionary, then you'll find some interesting gems included in narrative and dialogue.
6. If you have nothing else better to do, then this short book that takes too long to read might fit the bill for your needs.

I appreciated the Audible narration that kept me going through to the end.

I was disappointed with this unmemorable book that tried to be too much to too many reading audiences, unable to do a few things really well. Perhaps this was good material for Julia Kydd to have published in one of her short-run, premium print editions, where the printing, paper, fonts, and binding are more important than the actual content.

I will NOT read any future works by this author, unless she changes her approach.

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I read the first book in this series and I thought it was a promising start and was eager to see how this book would be. I remember that the first book was a little on the slower side but I loved Julia the heroine and that’s what made me want to read this one.

One of the things that always caught my attention was that one of the featured characters was a black singer, so right away I thought that this book would likely tackle some big issues like race.

At a time like this, I am looking to diversify my reading and while this book isn’t by a black author and isn’t meant to be a book about race, it did have racial issues and themes not to mention white privilege in the story, and I thought it was an interesting mystery.

Right away I felt like this book was already better than the first one. It went a lot faster and the storyline was more developed than I remember the first book being. There is still a part in the middle that drug a bit but over all it read faster than the first book. I can tell that the author has grown since her last book and I loved reading this one.

In addition to race and white privilege, this book takes on more difficult topics including rape and gender issues. While it might appear to be on the lighter side, the content in this one makes it far from a fluffy read. I thought it was an intelligent mystery with lots of red herrings and twists to keep me wondering who the murderer was and what their motives were.

Julia is still a great character and I loved seeing how she evolved from the first book to this one. Personally I think this book could be read without having to read the first book in the series as the author does a great job orientating new readers in the story, but I think reading the first book makes readers appreciate Julia more and the author’s writing.

If you love historical mysteries this is an author and series you want on your radar!

See my full review here

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this sophisticated second entry in the Julia Kydd mystery series (after Relative Fortunes) is cleverly apropos. It’s set in Manhattan during the freewheeling Jazz Age, circa 1924, which conjures up images of frivolous, fun-loving pursuits, but here, “passing” also refers to racial identity and crossing the color line.

Julia, a wealthy 25-year-old recently recovered from the near loss of her inherited fortune, is a bibliophile with ambition. She dreams of expanding her small private press, and for this, she needs authors.

At a publishing soiree, she meets the tall, fair Eva Pruitt, an up-and-coming novelist, and they develop a close rapport. Later, Julia is startled to learn that Eva is Black; Eva’s debut, it’s implied, will be a roman à clef about her experiences as a Harlem nightclub performer. When Eva’s manuscript (she only had one copy; one can sense all authors cringing) goes missing, and her boss is found dead, Eva’s the most likely suspect, but Julia can’t believe she did it.

Set amid the Harlem Renaissance, the themes of this novel taking place nearly a century ago are also unerringly modern, including police brutality, African American writers’ difficulties with the publishing industry, and white blindness to racial inequities. Eva is a well-rounded character with a complicated past, though her friendship with Julia blossoms too swiftly. Those enamored of fine bindings and quality fonts can indulge in their passions along with Julia, and language aficionados will appreciate the cultured writing.

As with the previous book, Julia’s one-time nemesis and half-brother, the urbane Philip, who helps to solve puzzlers for the police, is probably the most interesting character of all. He and Julia make a good investigating team, a revelation Julia slowly catches onto.

Reviewed for the Historical Novels Review (August 2020).

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with Julia Kydd in the first book of this series, and overall was pleased with this book. Benn does her research both in the aesthetics of the time period and the social and political issues. I think she struck a fine balance between Julia's relative progressivism and her sort of oblivious privilege. She wasn't "one and done" in terms of confronting her own privilege and implicit bias, which I appreciate. Julia is a work in progress.

One scene that really sticks with me is the one where Duveen is extolling about black folks in a disgusting and voyeuristic manner while genuinely believing he loves black people and not just the surface culture. He's more blatant about literally being a tourist but it echoes a lot of what happens today with people loving black culture but not black people. It was uncomfortable to read especially as a black person but so necessary.

I wish we had gotten to know Eva better, but the nature of the plot had her missing for most of it. And the fact that she basically ends the story as the "tragic mulatta" that was so common in the literature of the time doesn't sit well with me, and spoiled my overall enjoyment. I'm also sad that once again Julia ends the story without a close female friend. She really could use one her own age.

The mystery itself was fairly easy to figure out, moreso than the last one, but the characterization and overall story made up for that.

It's amazing how timely this book ended up being even though she began working on it more than a decade ago, but sadly these issues have been timely for centuries.

Content warning for period accurate racism, gun violence, police brutality and description of a violent rape.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll be honest and say I was going into this expecting a very surface level exploration of race relations but found it to be quite deep. There are some things that I rolled my eyes at but then I realised that this is set in the 1920s so for a rich, privileged white woman she would be oblivious to many things regarding white and black people. But she does openly acknowledge how blind she has been and how, like many other people, she has just taken the way they live separate lives for granted and seen it as the norm. Julia also does this without any trace of self pity and without trying to find a way to excuse herself but rather with taking authentic action which felt very refreshing.

The discussions she had with black people also felt very realistic. They would argue their point of view and explain how she would never be able to understand it from their perspective and instead of her getting defensive she listens. It even deals with the white saviour complex very well. It has Julia realise that yes she is doing that and that even if it has come from a place of kindness it is still come from a place of white privilege. If I’m honest, I’ve never read a book we’re the white saviour complex has been acknowledged so openly like this were the white person takes responsibility for their actions and realises that this is a problem. It seems that authors of these types of books just don’t want to deal with the very complex issue of the white saviour so they just conveniently avoid the topic in order for the protagonist (who is always a white person) to seem like a good person just by doing the decent thing.

Overall, a good detective story (even if quite amateur in parts) with good solid characters in a great setting.

[Maria Almaguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

**May contain a spoiler or two.** The second in the Julia Kydd mystery series is a bit more dark than the debut, though the writing is just as tight and superb as the first. It's really more about the life of a young, independent woman setting up her professional and personal life in New York City in the early 1920s. She has plans to launch an exclusive private press (named Capriole) as well as find a lover--not a boyfriend, nor a husband--to share her life. This book explores themes of racism as well as the literary phenomena that was the Harlem Renaissance. Of course, in today's similar atmosphere of racial profiling, it's sad to realize this is still with us. Julia is thrust into a world of violence and confusion that causes her to reassess her values as well as her relationship to her beloved childhood nurse and now housekeeper, seamstress, cook, etc. Christophine. Another loose thread that continues from book one is Julia's relationship with her "brother" Philip (its history is explained in book one and advances here). I wasn't quite sure if I liked Julia very much at first since she's so privileged and set in her ways for someone so young, but now I truly admire her desire for independence, especially at a time in American history when it was considered taboo. I look forward to reading more about Julia in further stories.

[D. Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Timely Story

Regardless of when Ms. Benn began this story, it's ultimate publication could not be more timely. As Julia Kydd comes to understand, and struggle with, just white privilege means and how her concepts of black emancipation in the 20th century is so terribly flawed, we see her confusion and distress reflected in events unfolding in its mirror decade of the 21st century.
Julia is astonished to find that the violent racism she thought happened only in the South was present in her new hometown of New York city. Julia is appalled at the casual violence meted out by members of "New York's finest" based only on the color of a person's skin.
Julia often acknowledges her white privilege as she tries to grasp at a friendship with Eva, a "high yaller" negro who has her own problems between being able to "pass" as white, but cannot really connect with her darker contemporaries.
Julia is surprised to learn that her life-long companion from Trinidad, Christophine, understands the divide better than Julia ever considered.
If there is one lesson we can take from this work of fiction it is this: it is never wrong to learn about ourselves and go beyond our own naivete and battle injustice wherever we find it.

[Angie Kritenbrink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping historical mystery with relevance to NOW!

This mystery is set during the roaring 20s, which was also the Harlem Renaissance era. Julia Kydd, an erstwhile detective and small press publisher, is thrust into the glittering world of New York publishing and Harlem nightlife, where she meets Eva, the next big thing in terms of Harlem writers. Before you know it, these two are in deeper than you can imagine. The realities of being Black in America are new to the sheltered Julia, and her shock grows as she watches her new friend being used, manipulated, bartered over and basically owned by the various men in her life and career. Being Black gives Eva limited options, and reading this in the summer of 2020, it really stands out how little things have changed in some ways. Without spoiling too much, there's a murder and some racially unjust policing. There's the reflexive knowledge from Black folks that they won't be given a chance, and the entitled unearned power that gives to the white men in the story. It's no surprise it takes a woman to piece it all together...

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read the first in this series "Relative Fortunes" about a year ago. This second book is just as much a page-turner as that one. Julia Kydd has moved to New York from London and is living temporarily at her half=brother's apartment. Phillip and Julis are again immersed in a complex murder mystery. Julia is fascinated with a woman she meets at a literary party, Eva Pruitt, a young, beautiful mulatto entertainer and aspiring novelist. When Eva's boss is murdered, Eva is the prime suspect. He had stolen her manuscript and her jewelry and refused to return them. Shortly after, he is found dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

The plot is set in the middle of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Miss Benn brings Harlem of the 1920s to vivid life. There are subplots of racial and social upheaval, the lack of respect for Negro writers, and the use of violence in police interrogations. The story is gritty, emotional, and compelling. If there is to be a third book, I will be very interested.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Kydd returns in this book looking for a permanent place to live in her new hometown, New York City. She gets invited to parties hosted by book publishers and especially one who is courting the new Negro society and the book written by one of Harlem's hottest properties. Julia connects with Eva but has difficulty understanding the difference between her white privilege status and the undercurrents swirling at the parties when Julia attempts to bridge the barrier between black and white society. It is double standard and even though the performers are applauded they are not equal. Julia is appalled but her companion and housekeeper, Christophine, understands the difference. She is black and even though to Julia they are equal, Christophine knows their worlds are not equal. This book takes place in the 1920's but it could be written in 2020 because there is still the separation of society by color. We like to think we are color blind and some white people think they are but when you look under the surface, there is a difference and it usually favors the white world.

[Amanda Kassner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Kydd is back.  *Pause for riotous round of applause*

Marlowe Benn has again wove a fun and twisty who-done-it that I couldn't put down.  This time we find Julia has moved back to New York, and has started rubbing elbows with literary figures during the 1920s Harlem Renaissance.  When Julia's new friend, Eva, is set to publish a book that points to a violent event and the perpetrator of the event ends up dead, Eva and the manuscript disappear.  Not only does Julia need to find Eva, but because Eva is "passing" as white, Julia must prove Eva's innocence to the murder.

I loved reading about a female protagonist in the 1920s who doesn't let race or sexism slow her investigation down or prohibit her from achieving what she wants to do.  Many of this book's themes parallel today's world, which makes the characters very empathetic and relatable.  Ms. Benn is a master of story twists and I was delighted throughout this book.  It's hard to write a review of such a great mystery novel and not give too much away.  You must read it for yourself.

[BRT · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this at a time when cities all over the country are protesting the death of yet another black man by police excessive force and racism is taking central stage in the nation’s consciousness. This story was not only a good mystery and a slice of 1920’s America but it shined a spotlight on what it was, and sadly still is, like to be black in America. Julia Kydd is back in New York and joins the social scene to make publishing and author contacts. She meets and becomes instant friends with Eva, a new author. Eva, a light skinned black woman ends up accused of the murder of her white boss and Julia is frantic to clear her name. Along the way, Julia comes to grips with her own racial attitudes and the reality of how blacks are treated. Good story but the ending seemed both a bit pat and slightly bizarre. Curious to see where this new development goes.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read the synopsis one would think that this book is a nice light murder mystery, it’s not. It’s about race… Pretty much that and nothing else.
A very timely read that I picked completely on accident which just highlights the fact that all the race equality issues and injustices have been in existence for time in memoriam. If this case it is the beginning of the 20th century and after the war this bright young thing thinks the age of enlightenment has begun. And then of course there is a murder, and the justice system does what the justice system does when a white man is murdered in Harlem.

I really wasn’t looking for anything more than a light read… But again, it was timely. And probably, for the most part accurate