A Shimmer of Red

Odessa Jones #3

by Valerie Wilson Wesley

They say the past is never really dead. And Odessa Jones--reluctant psychic, aspiring caterer, and hard-working realtor--will find one young woman's secret history putting her in the crosshairs of a dangerous obsession . . .

With pandemic-fearing city dwellers fleeing to the New Jersey suburbs, Risko Realty--and Odessa Jones--are having their best year ever. Finally on solid financial footing, Odessa is debt-free and looking forward to the future. But she doesn't need second sight to sense her new young co-worker, Anna Lee, is on edge--and straight-up terrified--in spite of her hot sales record and sunny, outgoing attitude. And when Anna is killed in a hit-and-run, Odessa sees immediately that it was no accident . . .

It's soon clear that Anna was being stalked. But even with the help of family, friends--and Odessa's feisty cat, Juniper--Odessa is coming up with more questions than clues. Why was Anna avoiding influential real-estate mogul Emily Delbarton? Why is Delbarton's decidedly creepy brother so fixated on Anna? Did Anna make enemies through her previous job at the town's exclusive gentlemen's club? And can Odessa rule out her own ex-fianc�--who's back in her life with an astounding connection to Anna--and wanting a second chance? Finding the answers will come at an increasingly deadly cost--one Odessa's talents must somehow trap a killer to repay . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Ebooks, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2023

About the author

Valerie Wilson Wesley is an African-American author of mysteries, adult-theme novels, and children's books,[1] and a former executive editor of Essence magazine. She is the author of the Tamara Hayle mystery series. Her writings, both fiction and non-fiction, have also appeared in numerous publications, including Essence, Family Circle, TV Guide, Ms., The New York Times, and the Swiss weekly magazine Die Weltwoche.

Reviews

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odessa Jones and the rest of the realtor team at is back, and there's a new murder.

Things have calmed down in Odessa's life; homes sales have been up so the realty company is doing well, and her catering company has taken off and she is making enough supplementary income from this that she's finally feeling comfortable financially.

Tanya, owner of Risko Realty, hires two near agents, Anna Lee and Bella Mondavi, both from a rival agency Dunbarton Estates, and good friends. Everyone but Louella welcomes them warmly, and they soon become well-liked and excellent performers members of the team. Harley Wilde (whom Odessa helped clear from a murder charge in book one) and Anna Lee begin dating, with things looking pretty serious. At the same time, a new home stager comes into the team's lives, and Louella is entranced by the woman's style and wealth.

Then, Anna is run down one day while running, and everyone is shocked and sad. Odessa's second sight begins signalling that things aren't what they seem, and she begins digging into things, finding out more about Dunbarton Estates, the reasons behind why Anna's and Bella came to Risko Realty, and much more about Anna's background.

Odessa, of course, discovers what's behind the murder, and also how the young woman actually connects, albeit peripherally, with her own past.

Odessa is such a lovely, kind person, and how she goes about things is in keeping with her personality. The killer is not hard to figure out, but the pleasure of this series is spending time with Odessa.

[Christine (Queen of Books)]

I was pleased to learn, yesterday afternoon, that there was a third installment of the Odessa Jones series out. Aaaand then I'd read it by bedtime.

I liked how Valerie Wilson Wesley incorporated the pandemic, by making Risko Realty thriving as people "fled" to the suburbs.

Mostly I read this series for Odessa Jones, the main character. She's a widowed realtor with a part-time catering business. And she's got a gift - she can see glimmers and smells nutmeg when death is near. I also enjoy her pushy aunts.

These are bite-size books that can be read in an afternoon. As ever, I just wish my grandma were still around for me to be able to share these with her as part of our little two-person book club.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all the books in this series including this one. While this one has a bit of a slow start, it does definitely pick up before long, probably right after the murder. Dessa is a great character, and she has lots to do being a caterer, a realtor, and an amateur sleuth. I love the eccentricity of all the characters in this, especially Dessa’s aunts. They are just so much fun. I’m hoping they come around more often, and maybe they can help Dessa improve and expand her psychic skills. Great addition to the series. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 upped to 4
This is a good series and i like how the paranormal mixes with the mystery. I wasn't a huge fan of this instalment as it seemed more a domestic thriller than a cozy mystery.
There's a lot of grief, drama and I think that the mystery took the backseat.
I like Dessa and her aunts, it's an interesting series but I would prefer some less drama and some less recklessness on Dessa side
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Connie J · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jerri Cachero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odessa Jones is one of my very favorite amateur sleuths. In this book, Odessa must find the person who murdered a new colleague at the real estate firm where she works. Twists and turns and red herrings galore! Odessa has a secret weapon - she has the gift of "second sight" and can assess a person's personality by the "shimmers" she sees. New to this gift, she relies on her Aunts to help her in a quest to find a killer.

The Odessa Jones mysteries are wonderfully written, inclusive and relatable. She's a kind person who is rebuilding her life after the death of her husband. While there is a paranormal aspect, it's not the main focus of the book. It's one of those books I want to read slowly to prolong the mystery but I never can!

I received an ARC from Net Galley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not get into the book. Her other books were fun.

[Toi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, but some things I find irritating

I’ve read all the books in this series and I do enjoy most of the plot developments and I find the stories to be interesting overall, which is why I keep reading them. I also like the recipes at the end and the dialogue in the books, for the most part. However, in each one of these books I wonder why there is even this premise that Odessa have some magical gift for reading people and telling the future if it is NEVER USEFUL or used. THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!! I apologize in advance:



Dessa is constantly caught off guard but also refuses to take time to learn her gift, she’s mistrusting of this gift to the point where she doesn’t ever seem to remember to wear her amulet that you would think she would want to wear since it’s a gift from her mother, her aunts don’t really help her at all, Lennox seems to be a relatively useless former detective who is notoriously wrong, and also Odessa never appears to actually know what to say to people when they need to hear things the most (in particular not going to see Louella when she first felt like something was off and then not telling Louella that Rosalie was a lying liar). The fact that she didn’t realize who the killer was or at least the connection between the killer and the victim earlier on is astounding. Also, there are a few open questions for me 1) why did Terrence call Odessa and ask her not to call the cops if he didn’t know about the murder, 2) why was Edgar sending Odessa and Bella flowers, and 3) why was Anna so scared of Edgar and what exactly was the deal with Edgar and Emily Delbarton?? I just feel this book raised a lot of questions but didn’t answer them which is frustrating for a mystery and I also feel like this entire series reminds me of That’s So Raven, where the protagonist has a supernatural power that is just always misinterpreted, ignored or useless. I just love a mystery and I want to love these books but I’m mostly just getting really frustrated with the unexplained plot points and untapped potential.

[Melissa Howard · Rating 2 out of 5]

The moralism of the book confuses me. Dessa is finally saving money and living well and is justifiably proud of that, and she says "well, as they say, pride goes before a fall." I just can't with the hyper-Christianity of books sometimes.

The book is also sloppy. The flighty female character who's had a lot of boyfriends wears Manolo Blahniks, an obvious ripoff from Sex and the City. If you DO want to make a Carrie-Bradshaw-type character, you say something like "with her flightiness and unfortunate taste in men, she embodied Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, right down to the Manolo Blahnik pumps." If you're directly inspired by something, call it out. In the words of Bill Amend, "That way, it's an homage, not a ripoff."

In addition, the introduction of Dessa's first love is clunky. It's very odd that she thinks of him rather than her actual late husband. The only reason she thinks of him is so that the author can introduce him.

There's so much unnecessary detail about exactly what all the beautiful supporting female characters look like. It's not essential to the plot or interesting. The allusion to "cashew-colored skin" is not appealing.

My pet peeve in cozies is when they go into WAY too much detail about food:

"Dried pasta keeps forever, and I went through my cabinet staples for the makings of sauce: canned plum tomatoes (good even if you don’t have fresh), anchovies (first love on a Caesar salad), capers (the essential zip), oil-cured black olives (all olives, my fave food), garlic, and olive oil (more of both than I’ll need in this life or the next)."

I don't care about any of this. It adds zero to the plot. In addition, the meaning of "puttanesca" doesn't necessarily relate to prostitutes. Other translations have it as "quick and dirty." It's unoriginal and uninteresting. There's another drawn-out passage about pesto, and it doesn't even have pecorino in it.

Blame the editor for spoiling so much of the story on the blurb. It pretty much gives away the entire mystery.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A SHIMMER OF RED is the third book in the Odessa Jones Mysteries by Valerie Wilson Wesley. This is the first book I’ve read in the series and while it took me a bit of time to figure out the characters, eventually they fell into place. The author also gives enough backstory to help but I think that starting with the first book would have given me a better feel for the character development and growth. That said, I really liked protagonist, Odessa Jones, along with her special ability to see auras and smell scents that portend events to come… like smelling nutmeg foretells a coming death. The paranormal aspect of the story doesn’t overwhelm the mystery, but adds to it. Juggling two jobs, working as a realtor and a caterer, Odessa keeps busy. She still finds time to ask questions and try to find out who killed her new co-worker. It displays Odessa’s caring nature and, with her special gift reading auras, allows her to easily read people and get to the heart of what they may be hiding. The mystery itself was well-plotted with a quick pace that held my interest. I’ll be going back to start at the beginning of the series to catch up.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odessa Jones is catering a realtor’s open house and meting some new realtors from another firm. With two young realtors having just joined Risko Realty from Delbarton’s things seem to be crossing Odessa and Delbarton’s paths quite a bit.

When one of the new realtors is murdered in a hit and run, Odessa finds herself comforting Harley who had fallen in the love with the young woman. But who killed the young woman and left her on the side of the road? That’s what the gift seems to be driving Odessa to find out and sets her onto the path of figuring out a murder, whether she wants to or not.

I adore this series because it takes me home to New Jersey. I spent time in Newark growing up and had friends who lived there. With a solid mystery, well developed characters and an extremely likable protagonist, each book fills my longing for the old days and a riveting whodunit! If you haven’t read one of Valerie Wilson Wesley’s books yet, there’s no time like the present. Each book reads fine as a standalone, so you can start with this one or read the books in order. Either way, you’ll enjoy every page!

[Oh Yeah, I Read That · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the third installment of this series, Risko Realty gains two new high achieving realtors and Odessa Jones is asked to cater an open house for Delbarton, a competitor of Risko Realty. When Anna Lee, one of the new realtors, is murdered by a hit and run driver, Odessa finds herself in the middle of another tragic murder investigation, lead by her gift of seeing glimmers and her knack for putting together the clues to help her find the guilty party.

I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but for me, it seems that the author really hit her stride with this installment. (Yes, I know she is a seasoned writer.) The first two books were great, but I felt like the stories really lagged and I struggled to stay engaged. This book was a 3-hour page-turning read for me. I did not want the story to end. The mystery really pulled me in, Dessa is so incredibly likeable, and I really enjoy the small taste of playfulness between her and the gentleman who at owns the BBQ restaurant. I cannot wait for book four. Thank you NetGalley and Valerie Wilson Wesley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is third in the Odessa Jones series and I had not read the others, but I felt like enough background was provided. Odessa is a Black woman, a widow, a former chef, a caterer, and a realtor. She has a special gift that runs through the female members of her family - she can see a person's aura in varying colors signifying pain, violence, peace, and other attributes. She also gets a whiff of nutmeg when there is impending death.

Dessa's realty firm which has had a string of bizarre events and a couple deaths, hires two young women from a rival firm. One of them becomes the victim of a fatal hit and run. Dessa gets pulled into the investigation and also has the unexpected experience of meeting up with her first love, who abandoned her almost at the altar decades ago and is now dying of cancer. The two chains of events are entangled and Dessa tries to figure it out.

She is an appealing character, a mix of vulnerability and strength and her friends and family are nicely portrayed. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can always count on Valerie Wilson Wesley's Odessa Jones for an entertaining and memorable story. This one was particularly good, giving us a glimpse into Odessa's past. Really enjoyed the plot, the characters, all of it. I would loved to have had more time with the aunts but again-- that's one thing I appreciate about these books. They aren't padded. Some cozy mysteries spend a lot words and pages wandering around, describing food or furniture or whatever, instead of moving ahead with the story. These don't. They do enough extraneous so that we get to know the characters and the place without bogging the story down, which is why I like them. Oh, I don't mind side trips if there is a purpose such as revealing character, but all too often they seem to be stalling tactics. The supernatural touches are well done. Good series. (Odessa is called Dessa by her friends; I don't want to presume. She is a person with boundaries and I admire and respect that.). I hope there will be more in the series.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read too many paranormal cozy mysteries, so I was excited to read this one. A Shimmer of Red is the third book in the series, though I hadn't read the other books, I don't think I messed too much. The author explained some of the backstory of Dessa and her co-workers.

The idea of a main character having psychic abilities or "second sight" is what made me want to read the book. Dessa is a very likable and relatable character, she is steady throughout the book and I liked learning about her, her family and the "gift".

Early on when her co-workers were introduced, several things happened and comments were made that made me feel a bit annoyed with them. There was also an issue of instalove that added to my feelings of disconnect with the story.

The mystery overall was different, and kept me interested till the end.

Thank you to Kensington and the author for the arc, and for the opportunity to share my thoughts.

[J Messina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. A Shimmer of Red is the third book in the Odessa Jones series, which keeps getting better with each new book. Odessa, the main character, has a "gift". She can see the color of the aura surrounding a person. Also, when there is a specific scent, she knows someone is about to die. Other than these elements, there is nothing supernatural. The storyline is very grounded, and the author does not hesitate to talk about delicate matters in her books. Another great aspect of this book is that the author takes the time to install the various protagonists and settings, nothing is rushed. I also like that the main character is a woman with a strong mind, yet sensitive. I truly enjoyed this book, as well as the previous books in the series, as they are unique in the cozy mystery genre.

[JigsawGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but it was just ok. I was irritated with Dessa for a few reasons. She has these gifts that she refuses to learn more about and often doesn't acknowledge them at all. She has an amulet from her mother that she refuses to wear because its "heavy". She gets herself into dangerous situations because who knows why?

Lennox was hardly in this book at all. I thought Harley would be making more of an appearance and he didn't. Dessa had knowledge that she didn't share with people who needed to know. I did understand what purpose the Edgar Allen Poe dude or his sister served. I didn't understand what purpose BUNS served.

After the encounter with the state's father, I knew who the bad guy was and why. I felt like this book was a bit all over the place. Finally, I was really disappointed in the way Dessa handled the final situation. 2.5 stars because the narration was decent and I appreciate it was a diverse cozy mystery.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who has Dessa as a friend should consider themselves blessed ten times over. She’s absolutely the best and most faithful friend anyone could want and always wanted to see any possible good in people. I have a feeling Edgar was a little too far gone for that though, since he was just delusional and creepy as well.

What a great reveal at the end and a super tense but really good showdown. A good takeaway is if a loved one wants to add a find a friend app and have you join it, it’s a good idea especially if you have a habit of coming into contact with crazy people and killers. But seriously, I’m really loving this series more with each book and look forward to the next one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: Dessa, who like all the women in her family who have special talents, see glimmers. There is no warning however when she meets the two young new members of her real estate family. They are accepted almost universally and one, Anna, becomes very close to Dessa’s friend Harley. When Anna is killed in a hit and run, Dessa is determined that her death will not be unsolved. A crazed man adds to the mystery of Anna’s dubious past. Who was she and why would someone murder her?

At the same time Dessa reconnects with her first love who long ago left her at the altar. He is a very rich man who has a spoiled domineering daughter who befriended Anna. The two story lines intersect in a sad tale of love, loss and betrayal that will keep the reader entertained. Four purrs and two paws up.

[D.R. Oestreicher · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Shimmer of Red by Valerie Wilson Wesley, Odessa Jones works for Risko Realty and owns D&D Delights, a catering company she started with her deceased husband, Darryl. Risko Realty’s competition is the wealthy Delbarton Realty owned by Emily (Dickenson) Delbarton and he crazy brother Edgar (Allan Poe) Delbarton. In a coup, Risko recruits salespeople Anna Lee and Bella Mondavi from Delbarton. Shortly after the transfer Anna is killed in a hit-and-run while jogging. Odessa's psychic gift tells her this was murder. “With great power comes great responsibility—Uncle Ben to Peter Parker.” Now she must track down the culprit.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20... for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations.
For my extended notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2025/...

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover drew me in immediately-- and the characters kept me engaged until the reveal. Though this is my first book by Valerie Wilson Wesley, I had no trouble keeping up. The idea of a sleuth who can see auras intrigued me, and Odessa's aunts were a hoot. The pace was a bit slow at first, but it does pick up fairly quickly, the storyline was unique ---one of the suspects leaned heavily on the work of Edgar Allen Poe. I enjoyed that aspect very much. A good read, and I am excited to heck out more If Ms. Wesley's work.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #KensingtonBooks and the author for sending me an E-ARC of this book to read and review as I requested. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I love to review a new to me author for friends and followers to find, too.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story with all the characters within. The main character was Odessa Jones.

Odessa Jones is a widower that been juggling her catering business while being a full time real estate. She has a psychic gift that she inherited from her family.  It help her to understand the mood of someone. So when a person that she works with is murder. She decides to find out what happened.

This was a fun read. It had action, drama and suspense throughout. It had a few giggles within. It was fun trying to solve the mystery within.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

[Niatate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the previous two books in this installment. This one did not disappoint. Odessa is yet again drawn into a murder and drama. With her colorful staff and “glimmers” this was entertaining. I enjoy the texts from her aunt. They always come right in time. This started off a bit slow but tied everything up in the end. This author is one of my favorite cozy writers. I look forward to the next installment. Also love the recipes at the end of the books.

****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

[Roxanne Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dessa Jones isn't your standard amateur sleuth. For one thing, she's a caterer with a das y job as a realtor, and for another, she gets some psychic input from the universe. Although, the signs aren't always clear, and her aunts haven't given her too many details about how to interpret the glimmers she sees. Dessa is fiercely loyal to her friends even though the realty office seems to attract trouble. This series keeps getting better with each book!

Thanks to Kensington Books for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

[Cassandra Haywood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the third installment of the Odessa Jones mystery series. Odessa has gone from being a caterer to real estate business where she has some quirky people she works with. When one of her workers is killed in a hit and run accident. Odessa becomes suspicious that it was intentional and someone wanted Anna dead.
The story started a little slow but it did pick up when trying to figure out who wanted Anna dead and who was the killer.
The characters were interesting and the ending was a bit surprising to me.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this review is of my own honest opinion.

[Denise Billings · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's another murder at Risko Realty. No wonder the name is Risko. It's risky to work there! But the folks are family there. Again it was good to catch up with Odessa Jones and her coworkers Luella, Vinton and Harley. Dessa's Aunt Phoenix and Aunt Celestine are extra special, I want to be like them when I grow up.

Valerie is a master of twisty, turny gossipy mysteries. Dessa's "gift" obligates her to dig and dig until she finds the truth. You will turn pages until you, too, know the truth.

[Linda Dezenski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because it was a selection of the book club I joined. It is the third book in a series, so I was a little lost in the beginning. There are references to traumas suffered in the previous stories but I don't know exactly what happened. The characters have some quirks because of these previous losses.
The main character is Dessa. She is a realtor and a caterer. She also has the gift of being an empath. When a murder of a new co-worker happens, Dessa feels an obligation to solve the mystery.

[Hope Goode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have absolutely been in love with Valerie Wilson Wesley since ‘91!!! When is say love I mean, it may not be fair for me to do this review! It’s like MyMama and Prince they can do no wrong! I will say I enjoyed the glimmer and the 🐈‍⬛ and all of the desserts and the subtle love interest! I love the realtor and teaching folks what it’s like to have a cat! So, first accept it’s a mystery, then be prepared for the mystery to unfold! This is a mild story, if u need more…pick up the devil series!!!! I have reread them 5x’s and due to read them again this month! 💋

[Ja Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I'd try again, but the 3rd in the Odessa Jones Mystery series was a puzzling experience. Although a quick listen, it started out slow before revealing a plot twist that piqued my interest only to wrap it all up predictably and the recipes at the end weren't enough to save it!!!
The narration by Diana Blue wasn't reflective of the characters including Odessa Jones. Sorry Valerie, but I really do miss the Tamara Hayle series!

[Cynthia Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read. I like how it includes elements of Dessa' catering business and the realty business. There is a wide group of characters to flesh out the story. Dessa seems to take on the friend/mother role in the business and as such is drawn in when another of the agency's employees is killed. She is compelled to solved the murder. It is fast paced and enjoyable.