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Covey Jencks mysteries series #2
Covey and JayJay Get Educated
Amateur detectives, Covey Jencks and JayJay Qualls ,set out to solve a triple murder and encounter a White Nationalist conspiracy.
- GenresMysteryHumorHistorical
Audible Audio
Published March 18, 2020
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 8, 2020
Audio books have always been a great distraction for me while exercising and Covey and JayJay Get Educated was fantastic at providing me something else to focus on while I put one foot in front of the other. It’s not too long (under 6 hours); the narration is easy on the ears; and there is some mystery, some history, and some whimsy.
Covey and JayJay Get Educated is set in 1996/1997 but could easily take place today. I found I had to often remind myself that Covey and JayJay aren’t traipsing through Texas in 2020! (The Yahoo and AltaVista comments from law office manager M.A. does offer a hilarious reminder of the past!) Some of the plot points which could easily be topics in books set today include white nationalism, bigotry, homophobia, and protesting by college students.
The novel is enjoyable to read. Mr. Williams is skillful with his plotting, interspersing murder and history throughout the novel. The various mystery plots are full of red herrings as well. I fell for every mis-direct and had no idea who the killer (or killers!?!) were by the end of the novel. The story is told from both Covey’s and JayJay’s points of view. Seeing the story unfold from both characters really enhances the novel. JayJay’s chapters are some of my favorite in the novel. Her point of view is just as crucial to the story as Covey’s. She is funny and honest and tells it like it is. She even has some serious self-defense skills!
Of the two main characters, I honestly identify with Covey’s character. Not so much the lawyer part, but his personality is a sure match for mine. I love his groan-worthy dad jokes and his thoughts on cell phones and e-books, Covey says:
What an outrageous idea! I want a book or a newspaper in my hands. I want ink stains, corners to fold down, and bookshelves to fill.
I completely remember thinking the same thing about e-books when I first heard about them. Who wants to read on a digital format when you could have a physical book? Hopefully by now, like me, Covey has come around to the wonder that is carrying around hundreds of books on your phone!
While it is not necessary to read the first novel in the series to read the second, do yourself a favor and check out both books! I highly recommend Covey and JayJay Get Educated for anyone looking for some amateur sleuthing and first-rate plotting.
About the Narration: This is my first time listening to Ms. James’s narration. Her reading is clear and concise. The dialog between characters is somewhat clipped. However, this made it easier to differentiate the dialog from the remainder of the novel. Covey and JayJay have distinct voices. The secondary characters were not as easy to distinguish, but I did not have any issues understanding or following along with the story. The audio production is clean with no technical issues.
I read the first novel in the series and listened to the second novel. Both modes of reading worked for me. Pick one or the other (or both!) when checking out this series for yourself.
Covey and JayJay Get Educated is set in 1996/1997 but could easily take place today. I found I had to often remind myself that Covey and JayJay aren’t traipsing through Texas in 2020! (The Yahoo and AltaVista comments from law office manager M.A. does offer a hilarious reminder of the past!) Some of the plot points which could easily be topics in books set today include white nationalism, bigotry, homophobia, and protesting by college students.
The novel is enjoyable to read. Mr. Williams is skillful with his plotting, interspersing murder and history throughout the novel. The various mystery plots are full of red herrings as well. I fell for every mis-direct and had no idea who the killer (or killers!?!) were by the end of the novel. The story is told from both Covey’s and JayJay’s points of view. Seeing the story unfold from both characters really enhances the novel. JayJay’s chapters are some of my favorite in the novel. Her point of view is just as crucial to the story as Covey’s. She is funny and honest and tells it like it is. She even has some serious self-defense skills!
Of the two main characters, I honestly identify with Covey’s character. Not so much the lawyer part, but his personality is a sure match for mine. I love his groan-worthy dad jokes and his thoughts on cell phones and e-books, Covey says:
What an outrageous idea! I want a book or a newspaper in my hands. I want ink stains, corners to fold down, and bookshelves to fill.
I completely remember thinking the same thing about e-books when I first heard about them. Who wants to read on a digital format when you could have a physical book? Hopefully by now, like me, Covey has come around to the wonder that is carrying around hundreds of books on your phone!
While it is not necessary to read the first novel in the series to read the second, do yourself a favor and check out both books! I highly recommend Covey and JayJay Get Educated for anyone looking for some amateur sleuthing and first-rate plotting.
About the Narration: This is my first time listening to Ms. James’s narration. Her reading is clear and concise. The dialog between characters is somewhat clipped. However, this made it easier to differentiate the dialog from the remainder of the novel. Covey and JayJay have distinct voices. The secondary characters were not as easy to distinguish, but I did not have any issues understanding or following along with the story. The audio production is clean with no technical issues.
I read the first novel in the series and listened to the second novel. Both modes of reading worked for me. Pick one or the other (or both!) when checking out this series for yourself.
December 20, 2019
Covey and JayJay Get Educated by Shelton L. Williams is the exciting sequel to Covey Jencks (2018). While this second book can be read as a standalone, the first book is so entertaining, you won't want to miss out.
After cracking their first case and nearly getting killed in the process, Covey and JayJay are back in the crime-fighting game. The difference is that they are now a bit wiser and a little more organized in their sleuthing. Covey and JayJay hightail it out of Odessa and head to Baker College in West Waverly, Texas. Covey's friend Cooper Dix has been brutally murdered, and two other people before him have been killed as well. What's the connection? Who did it? Can this dynamic duo go two for two and solve yet another crime? Only one way to find out.
In Covey and JayJay Get Educated, Shelton takes the reader on a fast-paced journey deep into a sordid web of lies, corruption, and murder, with a hefty dose of white nationalism, racism, and homophobia thrown into the mix. While all this action takes place in the 1990s, these extreme, hate-filled attitudes have bulldozed their way into our present day, making them all too familiar and frustrating. Amidst these despicable behaviors and shady characters is a compelling story that waxes and wanes in terms of complexity and puzzling twists and turns, but hang in there. Shelton keeps the story on track and expertly combines both humor and seriousness in yet another fabulous story. The two main characters, Covey Jencks and JayJay Qualls, are a sweetly compatible couple. Never a dull moment with these two. While Covey is quite interesting and hilarious at times, JayJay often steals the scenes, especially at the end. This clever girl is full of sass and serious self-defense skills.
"Serves you right for bringing a piece of wood to a tai kwon do fight! Besides, you should never hit a girl."
I like JayJay, and I think you will too. In fact, I'm fairly certain you will like all the characters in both books in this series. Shelton has a particular writing style that will definitely delight, occasionally find a soap box, and always keep you turning the pages because the plot is well concocted and absorbing, and the characterization is varied and exceptionally developed.
I know I said book 2 can stand alone, but if you haven't read book 1 yet, go ahead and add it to your to-read list right now because Shelton has smoothly linked the two plots together, and you will definitely appreciate getting to know these characters from the beginning.
Aside from a few grammatical/formatting bumps in the road, Covey and JayJay Get Educated is full of tangled yet riveting action unfolding across each page, characters that surprise and entertain at every turn, a stimulating plot that will keep you on your toes, and an ending that sets up the next book, which hopefully won't be too long of a wait.
After cracking their first case and nearly getting killed in the process, Covey and JayJay are back in the crime-fighting game. The difference is that they are now a bit wiser and a little more organized in their sleuthing. Covey and JayJay hightail it out of Odessa and head to Baker College in West Waverly, Texas. Covey's friend Cooper Dix has been brutally murdered, and two other people before him have been killed as well. What's the connection? Who did it? Can this dynamic duo go two for two and solve yet another crime? Only one way to find out.
In Covey and JayJay Get Educated, Shelton takes the reader on a fast-paced journey deep into a sordid web of lies, corruption, and murder, with a hefty dose of white nationalism, racism, and homophobia thrown into the mix. While all this action takes place in the 1990s, these extreme, hate-filled attitudes have bulldozed their way into our present day, making them all too familiar and frustrating. Amidst these despicable behaviors and shady characters is a compelling story that waxes and wanes in terms of complexity and puzzling twists and turns, but hang in there. Shelton keeps the story on track and expertly combines both humor and seriousness in yet another fabulous story. The two main characters, Covey Jencks and JayJay Qualls, are a sweetly compatible couple. Never a dull moment with these two. While Covey is quite interesting and hilarious at times, JayJay often steals the scenes, especially at the end. This clever girl is full of sass and serious self-defense skills.
"Serves you right for bringing a piece of wood to a tai kwon do fight! Besides, you should never hit a girl."
I like JayJay, and I think you will too. In fact, I'm fairly certain you will like all the characters in both books in this series. Shelton has a particular writing style that will definitely delight, occasionally find a soap box, and always keep you turning the pages because the plot is well concocted and absorbing, and the characterization is varied and exceptionally developed.
I know I said book 2 can stand alone, but if you haven't read book 1 yet, go ahead and add it to your to-read list right now because Shelton has smoothly linked the two plots together, and you will definitely appreciate getting to know these characters from the beginning.
Aside from a few grammatical/formatting bumps in the road, Covey and JayJay Get Educated is full of tangled yet riveting action unfolding across each page, characters that surprise and entertain at every turn, a stimulating plot that will keep you on your toes, and an ending that sets up the next book, which hopefully won't be too long of a wait.
May 13, 2020
Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 4.1 stars.
December 11, 2019
Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion. I was provided a copy of this book from Lone Star Literary Life partner in exchange for my honest review. The comments in this review do not reflect the views of the author or the publisher. The copies used in those are finalized copies sent to me in exchange for my honest review. #partner #LSBBT
This book can be read as a standalone but is the second book in the Covey Jencks mystery series. Covey and JayJay are two friends who serve as amateur detectives in West Texas mystery novel. As they work to solve the unexpected murder of three individuals at Baker College and clear the name of a friend, they uncover more than just the suspect.
I enjoyed the dialogue between the main characters and the way the writing flowed. The author spent a great deal of time working on the layout, writing style, and character development. The character interaction felt real and personal. I also enjoyed the uniqueness associated with the chapter style. I have not seen a novel written with the chapters from a main perspective and from a character specific perspective. It allowed for the novel to be conveyed using two methods and gave insight into the mind of the main character. This book is filled with twists, turns , and interrogations. There were numerous occasions where I gasped out loud while reading and laughed at the interactions between the main characters and supporting characters. How far will you go to prove your friends innocence? Throughout the whole novel I thought I had a pretty good idea of why the murders occurred until closer towards the end and I noticed there was a bigger issue at hand than the murders.
I highly recommend this novel if you are looking for a thought provoking adult mystery novel that focuses on social issues written from two perspectives; one from a person of color and one from a narrative perspective. Either way, get your hands on this book! Click the link in my profile to head to my blog to gain access to a link to win a free copy of this book!
This book can be read as a standalone but is the second book in the Covey Jencks mystery series. Covey and JayJay are two friends who serve as amateur detectives in West Texas mystery novel. As they work to solve the unexpected murder of three individuals at Baker College and clear the name of a friend, they uncover more than just the suspect.
I enjoyed the dialogue between the main characters and the way the writing flowed. The author spent a great deal of time working on the layout, writing style, and character development. The character interaction felt real and personal. I also enjoyed the uniqueness associated with the chapter style. I have not seen a novel written with the chapters from a main perspective and from a character specific perspective. It allowed for the novel to be conveyed using two methods and gave insight into the mind of the main character. This book is filled with twists, turns , and interrogations. There were numerous occasions where I gasped out loud while reading and laughed at the interactions between the main characters and supporting characters. How far will you go to prove your friends innocence? Throughout the whole novel I thought I had a pretty good idea of why the murders occurred until closer towards the end and I noticed there was a bigger issue at hand than the murders.
I highly recommend this novel if you are looking for a thought provoking adult mystery novel that focuses on social issues written from two perspectives; one from a person of color and one from a narrative perspective. Either way, get your hands on this book! Click the link in my profile to head to my blog to gain access to a link to win a free copy of this book!
May 7, 2020
4.5 STARS. Audio Book / Print Combo Review: Covey and JayJay are back to their amateur-sleuthing best in COVEY AND JAYJAY GET EDUCATED, the second book of the Covey Jencks series. Though it’s not necessary to read book one to enjoy this book, I highly recommend it for the background and to get better acquainted with the couple and the Jencks law firm team in Odessa. Talk about a rich cast of characters!
In this installment, the story takes place away from Odessa, the home base for Covey’s law firm, and primarily in New Waverly, Texas, a fictitious college town built around a fictitious liberal arts college. But take note of that Educated part of the book’s title: there is a lot of truth and history packed inside this story.
As was the case with Covey Jencks, I read EDUCATED with both my eyes and ears; however, I read the print version about four months ago. A lot has changed in the real world since then with the onslaught of COVID-19, and I found that my reaction to the story was dramatically different the second time around. The multiple plot lines mostly revolve around ugly parts of humanity: white nationalism, racism, homophobia, corruption. Oh, and hate. Hate. Hate. Hate. The book is set in the 1990s, and it’s loaded with lessons in political and social history, which reminds readers that what is now always has been and will likely always be. Covey’s observations and concerns are our own (well, my own anyhow. Sadly, there’s a huge population of people who would bristle at the notion that white nationalism is a bad thing. I digress.). And there’s no doubt, ever, about what Covey is thinking; readers are in his head with him as he reflects, ruminates, and evaluates.
Happily, inside the head of Covey Jencks is a great place to be and BONUS! In this book, readers spend a lot of time inside JayJay’s head, too. These two are what keep the heaviness at bay with their cleverness, humor, and observations of people and situations. Add to the mix their relationship, which is filled with love, respect, and admiration, and author Shelton Williams gives readers a winning combination and a much-needed balance to those aforementioned uglies.
“He collected hatreds the way teenagers harbor Star Wars cards: acquire the latest ones, keep them in mint condition, and never forget their origin story.”
One of the vehicles Williams uses to acquaint readers with characters is to give full profiles of each as they become central to the story. We get the roots and depths of the evil; we get the impact of their disappointments; and most importantly, we get the effects of negative influences and unreasonable expectations. These detailed backgrounds and stories flesh-out the players in an efficient way so that readers can see what factors may have played a role in building these personalities. Instead of feeling like an info dump, this tool works because it fits with Covey’s thinking style and seems a natural way he’d share information. The result is readers get a bunch of fascinating, entertaining, and revelatory side-stories in compact little bundles.
In COVEY AND JAYJAY GET EDUCATED, the pages fly by as the action unfolds. It’s a fast read at around 200 pages (with lots of white space), and the audio comes in at just over 5 ½ hours -- about half the run-time of many novels. I said it with book one, and I’ll say it again with book two: don’t be fooled by the white space or brevity. Yes, they allow for a quick and satisfying hit of mystery and humor, but jammed in those pages is also cerebral and thought-provoking content.
Amazingly and masterfully, author Shelton Williams detangles the plethora of plot threads and ties up the loose ends, leaving readers satisfied – but with our interest piqued by the hint of another adventure in store for Covey and JayJay. I’ll be there for it! This duo just keeps getting better.
ABOUT THE NARRATION: Kathy James is back as narrator, and she gives an even delivery and speaks clearly with warmth and just a slight hint of sarcasm in her tone – perfect for both Covey’s and JayJay’s personalities. There are no technical issues with this high-quality recording. It’s been a while since I listened to her narrate the first book, but for this book, it’s more like a book being read aloud than a performance. There is some expression in James’s voicing of JayJay, and her best character was Annette, who sounds like the Texan she is! (More, please!) I did have some difficulty distinguishing between characters during scenes with dialogue, and there were several mispronounced words that caught my ear. While I enjoy the freedom afforded by reading with my ears, I am glad I had read this book in print first, and I would recommend that or a reading/listening combination to best enjoy the nuances of the intricate plots.
Thank you to the author and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing me an Audible download in exchange for my honest opinion. This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog.
In this installment, the story takes place away from Odessa, the home base for Covey’s law firm, and primarily in New Waverly, Texas, a fictitious college town built around a fictitious liberal arts college. But take note of that Educated part of the book’s title: there is a lot of truth and history packed inside this story.
As was the case with Covey Jencks, I read EDUCATED with both my eyes and ears; however, I read the print version about four months ago. A lot has changed in the real world since then with the onslaught of COVID-19, and I found that my reaction to the story was dramatically different the second time around. The multiple plot lines mostly revolve around ugly parts of humanity: white nationalism, racism, homophobia, corruption. Oh, and hate. Hate. Hate. Hate. The book is set in the 1990s, and it’s loaded with lessons in political and social history, which reminds readers that what is now always has been and will likely always be. Covey’s observations and concerns are our own (well, my own anyhow. Sadly, there’s a huge population of people who would bristle at the notion that white nationalism is a bad thing. I digress.). And there’s no doubt, ever, about what Covey is thinking; readers are in his head with him as he reflects, ruminates, and evaluates.
Happily, inside the head of Covey Jencks is a great place to be and BONUS! In this book, readers spend a lot of time inside JayJay’s head, too. These two are what keep the heaviness at bay with their cleverness, humor, and observations of people and situations. Add to the mix their relationship, which is filled with love, respect, and admiration, and author Shelton Williams gives readers a winning combination and a much-needed balance to those aforementioned uglies.
“He collected hatreds the way teenagers harbor Star Wars cards: acquire the latest ones, keep them in mint condition, and never forget their origin story.”
One of the vehicles Williams uses to acquaint readers with characters is to give full profiles of each as they become central to the story. We get the roots and depths of the evil; we get the impact of their disappointments; and most importantly, we get the effects of negative influences and unreasonable expectations. These detailed backgrounds and stories flesh-out the players in an efficient way so that readers can see what factors may have played a role in building these personalities. Instead of feeling like an info dump, this tool works because it fits with Covey’s thinking style and seems a natural way he’d share information. The result is readers get a bunch of fascinating, entertaining, and revelatory side-stories in compact little bundles.
In COVEY AND JAYJAY GET EDUCATED, the pages fly by as the action unfolds. It’s a fast read at around 200 pages (with lots of white space), and the audio comes in at just over 5 ½ hours -- about half the run-time of many novels. I said it with book one, and I’ll say it again with book two: don’t be fooled by the white space or brevity. Yes, they allow for a quick and satisfying hit of mystery and humor, but jammed in those pages is also cerebral and thought-provoking content.
Amazingly and masterfully, author Shelton Williams detangles the plethora of plot threads and ties up the loose ends, leaving readers satisfied – but with our interest piqued by the hint of another adventure in store for Covey and JayJay. I’ll be there for it! This duo just keeps getting better.
ABOUT THE NARRATION: Kathy James is back as narrator, and she gives an even delivery and speaks clearly with warmth and just a slight hint of sarcasm in her tone – perfect for both Covey’s and JayJay’s personalities. There are no technical issues with this high-quality recording. It’s been a while since I listened to her narrate the first book, but for this book, it’s more like a book being read aloud than a performance. There is some expression in James’s voicing of JayJay, and her best character was Annette, who sounds like the Texan she is! (More, please!) I did have some difficulty distinguishing between characters during scenes with dialogue, and there were several mispronounced words that caught my ear. While I enjoy the freedom afforded by reading with my ears, I am glad I had read this book in print first, and I would recommend that or a reading/listening combination to best enjoy the nuances of the intricate plots.
Thank you to the author and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing me an Audible download in exchange for my honest opinion. This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog.
May 11, 2020
Covey and JayJay Get Educated, by Shelton L. Williams is the second book in the Covey Jencks series. I listened to the first book a little over a year ago and remember very much enjoying the story and getting a kick out of the narrator, Kathy James.
I think the characters are what I enjoyed most in this book, especially JayJay. I loved how fearless she was and how she handled herself in any situation. I can’t remember if I had similar feelings while reading the other book, but I thought that Williams writes women very well. I got the feeling that he likes writing about them more than he likes writing about men; which is funny since the series is named after the main character who is a man. The dialogue was fantastic throughout but my favorite moments took place in Covey’s office. Something about office banter really appeals to my sense of humor. But funniness aside, I was really impressed with how Williams handles the weight of social injustice and political corruption. I sometimes wonder about authors who choose seemingly random time periods for their backdrop, but in this case it works really well – especially when you take into consideration that times haven’t changed much since then. I think that setting the story in the past makes the theme come across less preachy and maybe creates a distance that feels safer for the reader. On a lighter note, I’m a big fan of alternate histories or fictional works that briefly feature real people.
While I enjoyed this story even more than the first book, the narrator just did not do it for me this time around. I felt like the sauciness of some of the characters couldn’t shine through because of how robotic James speaks in this book. She also was not consistent with differentiating between different characters. Aside from some editing that felt a little choppy and overlapped like radio infomercials, the production quality was good. However, my final impression was that maybe she did not have time to pre-read the book or re-record sections.
Overall, I recommend this audiobook to anyone who likes a good, smart mystery. You don’t have to read or listen to the first book to enjoy it either. I look forward to the next adventure with Covey and JayJay.
(Five stars for the book; four stars for the audio)
I think the characters are what I enjoyed most in this book, especially JayJay. I loved how fearless she was and how she handled herself in any situation. I can’t remember if I had similar feelings while reading the other book, but I thought that Williams writes women very well. I got the feeling that he likes writing about them more than he likes writing about men; which is funny since the series is named after the main character who is a man. The dialogue was fantastic throughout but my favorite moments took place in Covey’s office. Something about office banter really appeals to my sense of humor. But funniness aside, I was really impressed with how Williams handles the weight of social injustice and political corruption. I sometimes wonder about authors who choose seemingly random time periods for their backdrop, but in this case it works really well – especially when you take into consideration that times haven’t changed much since then. I think that setting the story in the past makes the theme come across less preachy and maybe creates a distance that feels safer for the reader. On a lighter note, I’m a big fan of alternate histories or fictional works that briefly feature real people.
While I enjoyed this story even more than the first book, the narrator just did not do it for me this time around. I felt like the sauciness of some of the characters couldn’t shine through because of how robotic James speaks in this book. She also was not consistent with differentiating between different characters. Aside from some editing that felt a little choppy and overlapped like radio infomercials, the production quality was good. However, my final impression was that maybe she did not have time to pre-read the book or re-record sections.
Overall, I recommend this audiobook to anyone who likes a good, smart mystery. You don’t have to read or listen to the first book to enjoy it either. I look forward to the next adventure with Covey and JayJay.
(Five stars for the book; four stars for the audio)
December 16, 2019
“As the inimitable Betty Davis once said, “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.””
I am happy the story of Covey and JayJay continued into this second book. They became memorable characters and I was looking forward to their story extending beyond the first book.
The Betty Davis quote is a perfect story description of Covey and JayJay Get Educated by author Shelton L. Williams. This book is a true chimerical story woven around small college life and not just one murder, but three.
The storytelling is fast-paced and right on target. Honestly, if the story were real it would indeed be a bumpy fast ride. With each chapter, the story moves brilliantly and there is just enough character background information without getting overwhelmed with information.
The murders of two people do not draw the attention of Covey and JayJay until his long-time friend, Dix comes up mysteriously dead. The couple starts off trying to solve Dix’s death and then uncovers a political intrigue story with a twist I never saw coming.
Shelton’s storytelling takes the stories of Covey and JayJay and gives them individual chapters with each having a unique voice. I love how he characterizes JayJay as a strong, independent woman. He interjects historical facts within his story. There are some minor formatting issues with the book.
If you love a quick, fast-paced book then getting educated along with Covey and JayJay is for you. While this is the second book in the series, you will not be lost if you only read this one.
I am happy the story of Covey and JayJay continued into this second book. They became memorable characters and I was looking forward to their story extending beyond the first book.
The Betty Davis quote is a perfect story description of Covey and JayJay Get Educated by author Shelton L. Williams. This book is a true chimerical story woven around small college life and not just one murder, but three.
The storytelling is fast-paced and right on target. Honestly, if the story were real it would indeed be a bumpy fast ride. With each chapter, the story moves brilliantly and there is just enough character background information without getting overwhelmed with information.
The murders of two people do not draw the attention of Covey and JayJay until his long-time friend, Dix comes up mysteriously dead. The couple starts off trying to solve Dix’s death and then uncovers a political intrigue story with a twist I never saw coming.
Shelton’s storytelling takes the stories of Covey and JayJay and gives them individual chapters with each having a unique voice. I love how he characterizes JayJay as a strong, independent woman. He interjects historical facts within his story. There are some minor formatting issues with the book.
If you love a quick, fast-paced book then getting educated along with Covey and JayJay is for you. While this is the second book in the series, you will not be lost if you only read this one.
January 10, 2020
This was my first read by author Shelton L. Williams, but it will not be my last. This is the second of the Covey Jencks Mysteries. It gave me all the feels of an interracial spin on the Mr. & Mrs. North tv series in the early 1950s. One of my favorite black & white series with the exception that this couple was not married.
Covey Jencks is contacted by an old college friend, who may be suspected of murder. There has been high profile alumni murders at Baker College. This is where the fun begins and you get to see the magic that is Covey & JayJay. With the use of vivid imagery, Williams pulled me into the world of this fun and exciting duo. I loved the way that Texas and its religious and cultural history is front and center, even when that history is uncomfortable to talk about. Each chapter was detailed, clear and well organized. Williams also did a great job of keeping you guessing and building tension. I did find the way JayJay's and Covey's individual chapters were titled interesting. I thought it was cute and gave JayJay her much needed individuality. I enjoyed this quick-moving story and look forward to more from these two. I recommend this story to anyone wanting a thrilling, yet fun mystery ride.
Note-I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review, which I give freely.
Covey Jencks is contacted by an old college friend, who may be suspected of murder. There has been high profile alumni murders at Baker College. This is where the fun begins and you get to see the magic that is Covey & JayJay. With the use of vivid imagery, Williams pulled me into the world of this fun and exciting duo. I loved the way that Texas and its religious and cultural history is front and center, even when that history is uncomfortable to talk about. Each chapter was detailed, clear and well organized. Williams also did a great job of keeping you guessing and building tension. I did find the way JayJay's and Covey's individual chapters were titled interesting. I thought it was cute and gave JayJay her much needed individuality. I enjoyed this quick-moving story and look forward to more from these two. I recommend this story to anyone wanting a thrilling, yet fun mystery ride.
Note-I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review, which I give freely.
May 9, 2020
This sequel, Covey and JayJay Get Educated, picks up with the unfortunate death of Covey’s friend. To pay respects and get a few answers, Covey and JayJay go to West Waverly in Texas. This search for answers, however, seems to draw out even more questions and very questionable characters.
I received this book in the form of an audiobook. It’s become a wonderful way to listen and complete tasks in a breeze. In my case, I enjoyed drawing and getting inspiration from these audible pages. For this audiobook, it was narrated by Kathy James. Her style of reading is unique in its clear and well enunciated words. This book does favor having more than one dialogue and at times I had trouble determining which I was hearing. I would have enjoyed some differential accents, tone, or speed to help with these changes. The original speed of this audiobook was a bit fast for me as well. Of course, this was easy enough to slow down in audible and once I was more grounded in the story, I switched it back. James does excel in the side stories and plots that take place as Covey and JayJay investigate. She seemingly draws out these digressions in one fell swoop and quickly moves along to the story. It did help bring back the focus to the main plot.
The book is vast in its characters and detailed backstories. While I’m not one to write down characters and who they were, I did at times have to backtrack and pause my recording to remember. Of course, with a variety of characters, comes the subtle clues to help piece together this mystery.
Let’s talk about the mystery! There are many. Hidden plots unfold in this story and make it a tangled web of complicated relationships and nefarious people. The characters are what really stood out most for me. From the first encounters with the people in West Waverly, there seems to be much more than meets the eye. Covey and JayJay’s relationship is great as well. They are affectionate, trusting, and independent. While they tease each other, their comfortable way of being together was well written throughout the book. Despite introducing each other as friends, they do seem to have no shame in defending each other and being close at times. This does bring up other subplots of the book. The setting of the book revolves mainly around Baker College, a liberal arts institution with religious ties. West Waverly, I will note is all fictional, also has many people that haven’t seen any need to open their minds to outward thinking. In short; prejudice, racism, and homophobia are present in the town and characters (along with the murders of course). Lovely fictional town to visit right? JayJay is an African American woman who does encounter the odd comment and compliment that seems just as confrontational. It’s here that I’ll say she is a badass. Putting aside her crime fighting skills, is a talented, cool headed, and well rounded character. Her points of view are witty and earnest in helping solve these murders. The interactions with other characters could be quite funny as she would work her way to getting the truth out of them. Covey, at times, seemed to be the sidekick to their duo.
Overall, I enjoyed listening to this book. While a fairly short listen, there’s a lot this book has to give. Shelton L. Williams has some truly funny and well-hearted scenes that make this a great read for many out there. Feel free to scroll down and enter the giveaway to win your own copies of the books!
I received this book in the form of an audiobook. It’s become a wonderful way to listen and complete tasks in a breeze. In my case, I enjoyed drawing and getting inspiration from these audible pages. For this audiobook, it was narrated by Kathy James. Her style of reading is unique in its clear and well enunciated words. This book does favor having more than one dialogue and at times I had trouble determining which I was hearing. I would have enjoyed some differential accents, tone, or speed to help with these changes. The original speed of this audiobook was a bit fast for me as well. Of course, this was easy enough to slow down in audible and once I was more grounded in the story, I switched it back. James does excel in the side stories and plots that take place as Covey and JayJay investigate. She seemingly draws out these digressions in one fell swoop and quickly moves along to the story. It did help bring back the focus to the main plot.
The book is vast in its characters and detailed backstories. While I’m not one to write down characters and who they were, I did at times have to backtrack and pause my recording to remember. Of course, with a variety of characters, comes the subtle clues to help piece together this mystery.
Let’s talk about the mystery! There are many. Hidden plots unfold in this story and make it a tangled web of complicated relationships and nefarious people. The characters are what really stood out most for me. From the first encounters with the people in West Waverly, there seems to be much more than meets the eye. Covey and JayJay’s relationship is great as well. They are affectionate, trusting, and independent. While they tease each other, their comfortable way of being together was well written throughout the book. Despite introducing each other as friends, they do seem to have no shame in defending each other and being close at times. This does bring up other subplots of the book. The setting of the book revolves mainly around Baker College, a liberal arts institution with religious ties. West Waverly, I will note is all fictional, also has many people that haven’t seen any need to open their minds to outward thinking. In short; prejudice, racism, and homophobia are present in the town and characters (along with the murders of course). Lovely fictional town to visit right? JayJay is an African American woman who does encounter the odd comment and compliment that seems just as confrontational. It’s here that I’ll say she is a badass. Putting aside her crime fighting skills, is a talented, cool headed, and well rounded character. Her points of view are witty and earnest in helping solve these murders. The interactions with other characters could be quite funny as she would work her way to getting the truth out of them. Covey, at times, seemed to be the sidekick to their duo.
Overall, I enjoyed listening to this book. While a fairly short listen, there’s a lot this book has to give. Shelton L. Williams has some truly funny and well-hearted scenes that make this a great read for many out there. Feel free to scroll down and enter the giveaway to win your own copies of the books!
December 14, 2019
I did a spotlight on the first Covey Jencks novel last year, so the name of the amateur sleuth was not unknown to me, and neither was his creator, Shelton L. Williams, but all I had time to read at the time was the excerpt I posted in the spotlight. While I’m sure reading book one would have benefited me, jumping into book two didn’t make me feel lost or confused at all.
In fact, I was delighted by Williams’s storytelling and his funny, smart, snarky characters from chapter one, where Jenks muses, “How many lawyers does it take to screw in a lightbulb? I don’t know. How many can you afford?”
No, I was more than merely delighted. I was hooked. This story has everything… drama, romance, a murder mystery (as Jay Jay, Jencks’s “partner in business and in life” asks when she first steps onto the page, “Does everyone you know get murdered?” (Apparently not quite…)), the politics of academia, and of course humor.
I’ve read a lot of mysteries over the years, but this is the first book in a long while that has felt so refreshing. Yes, Covey and JayJay are handling serious issues, but they do it without ever taking themselves too seriously.
Author Williams is deft with language, and even better with using his characters to comment on culture and regional idiosyncrasies. Examples include a remark about JayJay being black, and whether that’s an issue for Covey in their town of Odessa, Tx, and JayJay commenting about never having seen a basement. (Having lived in Texas for fifteen years now, I can vouch for the latter: basements here are a rare thing. I can’t speak to the climate of Odessa, though, I’ve never been there.)
But there are other characters beside those listed in the title. Jencks has associates, and there’s a b-plot with M.A. and her partner Beth that is easily as interesting as the main story.
Along with his skill at writing dialogue, Williams is adept at pacing, as well. As much as I enjoyed the banter between Covey and JayJay, it was the mystery they had to solve that kept me reading. Each twist and turn was well plotted, and when the ending came, as much as I was satisfied with a well-told story, I also wanted more time with these characters. (I know, I know, I can go back and read book one.)
If you love a mystery, and also love banter worthy of a classic Hepburn and Tracy film, Covey and JayJay Get Educated should be your first choice. Unless you haven’t read book one. Then buy both.
Goes well with: a barbecue bacon burger and a Shiner bock.
In fact, I was delighted by Williams’s storytelling and his funny, smart, snarky characters from chapter one, where Jenks muses, “How many lawyers does it take to screw in a lightbulb? I don’t know. How many can you afford?”
No, I was more than merely delighted. I was hooked. This story has everything… drama, romance, a murder mystery (as Jay Jay, Jencks’s “partner in business and in life” asks when she first steps onto the page, “Does everyone you know get murdered?” (Apparently not quite…)), the politics of academia, and of course humor.
I’ve read a lot of mysteries over the years, but this is the first book in a long while that has felt so refreshing. Yes, Covey and JayJay are handling serious issues, but they do it without ever taking themselves too seriously.
Author Williams is deft with language, and even better with using his characters to comment on culture and regional idiosyncrasies. Examples include a remark about JayJay being black, and whether that’s an issue for Covey in their town of Odessa, Tx, and JayJay commenting about never having seen a basement. (Having lived in Texas for fifteen years now, I can vouch for the latter: basements here are a rare thing. I can’t speak to the climate of Odessa, though, I’ve never been there.)
But there are other characters beside those listed in the title. Jencks has associates, and there’s a b-plot with M.A. and her partner Beth that is easily as interesting as the main story.
Along with his skill at writing dialogue, Williams is adept at pacing, as well. As much as I enjoyed the banter between Covey and JayJay, it was the mystery they had to solve that kept me reading. Each twist and turn was well plotted, and when the ending came, as much as I was satisfied with a well-told story, I also wanted more time with these characters. (I know, I know, I can go back and read book one.)
If you love a mystery, and also love banter worthy of a classic Hepburn and Tracy film, Covey and JayJay Get Educated should be your first choice. Unless you haven’t read book one. Then buy both.
Goes well with: a barbecue bacon burger and a Shiner bock.
May 4, 2020
Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 4.8.
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