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Vernetta Henderson #3

Murder on the Down Low

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The third book in the Vernetta Henderson series! A high-profile lawsuit erupts into chaos, revealing its place in a larger spree of violence in this scandalous tale of lust, lies, and vengeance. A brazen gunman is targeting prominent African American men on the streets of Los Angeles, and police are completely baffled. At the same time, savvy big-firm attorney Vernetta Henderson and her outrageous sidekick, Special, lead the charge for revenge against a man whose deceit caused his fianceé's death. For Special, hauling the man into court and suing him for wrongful death just isn’t good enough. While she exacts her own brand of justice, a shocking revelation connects the contentious lawsuit and the puzzling murders.

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2008

162 people are currently reading
612 people want to read

About the author

Pamela Samuels Young

28 books456 followers
Award-winning author and attorney Pamela Samuels Young writes mysteries that matter. Dubbed “John Grisham with a sister’s twist” by one reviewer, Pamela’s fast-paced novels tackle important social issues.

Her most recent legal thriller, Failure to Protect, takes on the bullying epidemic and its devastating aftermath. Pamela won the prestigious NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction for her thriller Anybody’s Daughter, which provides a realistic look inside the world of child sex trafficking. Her courtroom drama Abuse of Discretion centers around a troubling teen sexting case. #Anybody’s Daughter and #Abuse of Discretion are young adult editions of the two books. A young adult version of Failure to Protect is forthcoming.

Pamela also writes erotically sassy romantic suspense under the pen name Sassy Sinclair. A natural hair enthusiast, Pamela writes about her own empowering natural hair journey in Kinky Coily: A Natural Hair Resource Guide.

Prior to retiring from the practice of law to write full time, Pamela worked as Managing Counsel for Toyota specializing in labor and employment law. A former journalist, she spent several years as a television news writer and associate producer in Detroit and Los Angeles. Pamela received her bachelor’s degree from USC and also earned graduate degrees from Northwestern University and UC Berkeley School of Law. The Compton native is a frequent speaker on the topics of sex trafficking, bullying, online safety, fiction writing, self-empowerment, and pursuing your passion.

Pamela loves connecting with her fans! To invite her to a speaking engage or a book club meeting via Skype, Facebook Live, FaceTime, Zoom, speakerphone or in person, email her at authorpamelasamuelsyoung@gmail.com. To read excerpts of Pamela’s books, visit her websites at www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com and www.sassysinclair.com .

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5 stars
280 (40%)
4 stars
232 (33%)
3 stars
129 (18%)
2 stars
28 (4%)
1 star
14 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
Profile Image for Arlene♡.
474 reviews112 followers
May 12, 2016
3.75 - 4 stars Not going to lie, when I first read the premise of this book, I thought it was gonna be juicy and full of suspense. Don't get me wrong it is full of the juice, but not so much suspense, which I think is why it didn't rate so high with me. There were still moments of disbelief and shock, and moments when I was laughing so hard I almost lost my place, but it's a solid 3.75-4 star

This books I think takes place in 2008, when being on "the down-low" or having and find men in the closet who were having sex with men, but were married to women was new to the scene, and it definitely brings to light all those stereotypes that Black people have against those who are gay, whether they disclose that information or not. And it def reveals all those ideas that men have about their own sexuality and what they consider "manly".

Prominent African American males are being gunned down in the streets of LA and it is coming to light that they might have been in relationships with men, and Vernetta's friend Special is being charged for this and other crimes. The rest of the book is pretty much her friends trying to get her out of it. This book was good, but it wasn't as good to me as the first one. Maybe I'm not sure that I like the way the author spoke about gay males, but there were some serious facts that were placed in the book so that people would, I think, take the suggestion to make sure that they are using condoms when engaging in sexual activities, and also for women to take responsibilty for the things that they/we do with our bodies and demand that our partners take STD/STI test regularly. The social commentary in this novel was on point about the dumb ideas people have about gay individuals, and the fact that we, both men and woman have to take care of our bodies, but the first two stories were much better.
Profile Image for OOSA .
1,802 reviews237 followers
September 21, 2009
Guilty of Being GOOD!

From bestselling author Pamela Samuels Young comes a new Vernetta Henderson adventure involving a web of deceit - and leaves a trail of bodies. Evidence shows one possible murderer and motive. However, Vernetta discovers the roots of these crimes are buried deeper, down low.

Pamela Samuels Young takes readers on a wild ride with this legal thriller. She spins an intriguing tale of infidelity, lies, hate and murder. "Murder on the Down Low" hooks you from the opening page and doesn't let go until the last. "Murder on the Down Low" is a very good book. Kudos to Pamela Samuels Young.


Reviewed by: Lela
Profile Image for Reading Mom.
33 reviews5 followers
February 23, 2010
Undercover Lover

Prominent African American men are being gunned down at an alarming rate. The Los Angeles police department cannot find a link tying these men together, who is killing them or why? JC, a detective working the case, is desperately trying to solve it.

Special Moore, who readers have come to know and love as Vendetta's best friend, has vowed at her cousin Maya's funeral that she would get even with Maya's husband, Eugene. Vendetta, Michelle and JC, who are friends with Maya and Special, are in agreement that a wrongful death lawsuit should be filed against Eugene. Special begins to take things too far when she sees that Eugene is dating again so soon after her cousin's death. Special has become so vindictive that she's run her boyfriend, Clayton, off. Though everyone is hurting, some things you may carry a little too far. At the rate Special is going, she will need Vendetta to defend her.

Pamela Samuels Young really did her homework with this book (not saying she didn't with the others). There is a lot of useful information in this book that we can use in our everyday lives. Like the saying goes, "Reading is knowledge" and knowledge is definitely in this book.

Murder on the Down Low is a good read that I highly recommend!
Profile Image for Kimberly Hicks.
Author 1 book195 followers
May 4, 2011
This action pack thriller was OUTSTANDING! I did figure it out, but I didn't care, cause it was well written! You'll enjoy it!
Profile Image for Barbara Williams.
Author 47 books104 followers
October 13, 2013
I've read all four books in this series and enjoyed them all. If you love legal thrillers, you will love all her books.

Barbara Joe Williams, author of Double Proposal
Profile Image for SassyMama.
1,016 reviews4 followers
August 10, 2016
WOW...kept me on the edge of my seat AGAIN! Once again Special steals the show...with her VERY colorful antics throughout...KUDOS Mrs. Pamela Samuels Young.
Profile Image for Dee Cherry.
2,945 reviews66 followers
February 5, 2018
In this book 3 of the series, Special really had me worried as her troubles & anger seemed to go deeper with each chapter. I thought Vernetta made the correct career decision. Storyline interesting and held my attention throughout. Good suspenseful scenes as I wondered who committed the crimes, surprising me more when revealed. Great story
Profile Image for K2.
637 reviews14 followers
November 26, 2017
Special is special.....lol
Profile Image for reneeNaDaCherry.
2,433 reviews1 follower
November 26, 2017
Murder on the Down Low (Vernetta Henderson Series Book 3)

Another who done it but this time it involves Special Moore, Vernetta's BFF. Could Special be a serial murderer or just homopohobic? Vernetta is by her friend's side through it all. She is also one of the lawyers on the case. Read this 👍 book to find out what really happened to these 👦.
Profile Image for Julie.
252 reviews16 followers
February 9, 2011
African-American men are being killed in L.A. These men are prominent family men, but soon detective J.C. learns that they were all on the "down low," meaning they were married to or dating women but meeting men on the side. She knows about men on the down low because her friend, Maya, just died from AIDS, which she contracted from her fiancee who they discovered was on the down low himself. Now Maya's cousin Special is out for revenge, and her friends J.C., Vernetta and Nichele are helping her out. But soon Special needs a lot more help than they had expected when the police start considering her a suspect in all of these murders.

Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young is a quick-paced crime novel, but I have to admit that for the first third of this book, I was very angry and annoyed. The storyline during this time suggests that women almost exclusively contract HIV by having sex with men who have had sex with other men. As someone who used to work for an AIDS organization, and who knew many people who had contracted the disease in many other ways, I was extremely frustrated with the characters in this book ~ and quite honestly, the author, since I was worried this was going to be the theme running throughout the entire book.

However, Pamela Samuels Young redeemed herself later in the book and I'm glad that I didn't give up on it ~ as I had considered doing. The story itself is suspenseful and included enough twists and turns to make me want to keep going to see what was going to happen and who was really killing these men. I had my suspicions but was never sure of the killer until that person was revealed.

If you enjoy crime novels, and can get past the flaws and prejudice of some of the characters, I'd recommend this one. It's also about friendship and trust within relationships, as well as how different people deal with the loss of a loved one.

This review was written based on a copy of Murder on the Down Low that I received from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for William Bentrim.
Author 59 books75 followers
December 12, 2010
Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young

When I read Buying Time I thought it was Ms. Young’s first book. Apparently this story was her first. It is a tale of deceit and fear. On the down low refers to black men having sex with black men but not considering themselves as homosexual but as freaks. Hiding their behavior, these same men profess strong masculinity and infect their female sex partners with HIV. This tale of treachery and deceit leads to death and murder.

This is a topic that is bound to raise eyebrows. It is addressed frankly and with no holds barred. Ms. Young makes an appeal at the end of the book for more tolerance and understanding of the gay community and more help with those who are confused about their own sexual identity. The incidence of HIV in African-American and Latina women is appalling greater than the norm. Ms. Young suggests that a major mind set change is necessary for these women to accept responsibility for safer sex and to insist on testing for both themselves and their partners. The novel was interesting but is truly a side bar for the message.

There is a clear directive that vigilante behavior is counter productive and personal responsibility needs to be enhanced. I found the story and the message sobering. I thought a very volatile topic was handled tactfully while still expressing a very clear cautionary message.

I highly recommend the book.
Profile Image for Nardsbaby Reader.
415 reviews74 followers
April 21, 2009
California Dreamin'

A cold-blooded killer appears to be targeting affluent African American males in the streets of L.A. So far the LAPD have several unsolved cases. J.C. Sparks, a detective, believes that the unsolved murders are somehow connected. While working an angle, she comes up with a reason why the men are being targeted. However, the lieutenant isn't ready to believe that it's plausible. Refusing to run the risk of embarrassing the department, a serial killer is granted the right to continue to run rampant serving his/her own form of justice.

Special Moore has vowed to extract revenge on Eugene Nelson. She's willing to do any and every thing to make him pay. Even if it's with his life! When Special's lawsuit and J.C.'s case begin to sound alike everyone becomes desperate to figure out the extenuating factors. With Special knee-deep in drama, there is no way Vernetta is going to allow her to sink. What will this do to her chances at O'Reilly and Finney?

MURDER ON THE DOWN LOW by Pamela Samuels Young is an intense eye-opener. I enjoyed the new characters, the well executed plot as well as the awareness about HIV/AIDS in the African American community. This is the third novel that I've read by this author, and as always, I'm looking forward to another legal thriller with her.
Profile Image for Ms.Toni.
173 reviews22 followers
July 6, 2012
Statistics Don’t Lie

Los Angeles attorney Pamela Samuels Young has given the staring role in her legal thrillers to attorney Vernetta Henderson. Vernetta returns in “Murder on the Down Low.” It opens with the murder of Quentin Banks, a prominent African American doctor. His shooting death was not the first and it certainly won’t be the last as there appears to be a serial killer on the loose.

Vernetta’s best friend Special is up to her usual antics. But this time her attention is focused on Eugene Nelson, fiancé to her late cousin. Her cousin, Maya, died from AIDS, given to her by Eugene as a result of his being on the down low. However, this time, Special may be in over her head.

In “Murder on the Down Low,” Pamela Samuels Young shines a spotlight on the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the African American community. Samuels Young adds suspense, drama and deceit as her tale takes readers from one surprise to the next. It’s not a book to be read lightly, as it has some powerful messages. For example, African American and Latina women in the U.S. account to more than 80% of the total AIDS diagnoses for women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. That’s alarming and part of the reason why “Murder on the Down Low” is worth reading. The other reason is because Samuels Young knows how to deliver.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
267 reviews53 followers
January 12, 2011
I really had no idea what to expect when I started reading this book. Several African American men are murdered. The first is Dr. Banks. He is shot and killed as he is getting out of his car at the parking structure as he was returning to work from his "lunch break". J.C., a female homicide detective, was called to the scene. After more murders she has a theory about what is going on, but the lieutenant doesn't want to hear it.


J.C., Vernetta, Nichelle, and Special were all friends, but lost their friend Maya who supposedly died of pneumonia. Maya left a husband behind named Eugene. Special comes into the funeral and announces something to the crowd about Maya's death that is a surprise to everyone.


Vernetta is a lawyer and has a boss named O'Reilly. She has been trying to get partner for the longest time, but a new lawyer named Haley tries to move in and take the spotlight from her. Nichelle is also a lawyer but at a different firm.


There are so many twists and turns in this book. I thought I figured out who the killer was, but then I wasn't sure because then it seemed like it could be someone else. It was a total surprise to find out the answers at the end! There are so many surprises. I didn't find any faults at all with this book and highly recommend it!


Profile Image for Carol.
1,844 reviews21 followers
December 26, 2021
Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young is a truly satisfying murder mystery that does not let go of you. The term down low is African American slang for a who has two lives, a public one where he appears very masculine and has a heterosexual relationship and a secret one with a man.

Vernetta Henderson, a very intelligent LA attorney, has a group of female friends who meet restaurants and catch up on what is going on in their lives. Her friend, Special is very torn over her beloved aunt's death. When she finds out that her aunt died of AIDS, she wants Eugene, her aunt's new husband to pay for it. Special gets herself into one serious mess after another in order to get revenge. Out of control, she acts before thinking.

Another of Vernetta's friends is a detective in the LAPD. She notices a connection between the murder of a well known OBG/GYN doctor and some earlier murders but the higher ups in the department want none of her theory even when more and more facts are revealed.

When Eugene is murdered, guess which one of Vernetta's becomes the number one suspect?

The author not only crafts a suspense filled mystery but she tackles a very serious problem endangering the lives of black and Hispanic women. There is information in the back of the book of how to get to help. I learned a lot and I hope more people read this timely book.
Profile Image for Claudia.
Author 1 book43 followers
January 14, 2015
The author puts you in a place where the subject of HIV and AIDS is very hard to digest. With all the research she did and for her to come up with a fiction story to tell the truth about what is happening to someone and what's going on in the world today. It just amaze me as a writer,author and publisher. When you open this book you have to have a open mind to read this book because the truth is in the pudding.The book is so deep the story plot will have you going through the angry,pain and emotional state that the characters goes through. The characters and the places comes alive before your eyes. With all the twists and turns you will not guess who is the killer until the end.

Pamela Samuels-Young has not lost her touch, this is her third book and she is still shining and gloring all around the globe. She is one of a kind, a mystery writer that you don't want to not read.
Profile Image for Tiffany LaShay.
54 reviews
August 28, 2017
This was a page turner! This story put me through so many emotions. I felt that Special should have at least thought about what it was like for Eugene after she was being ridiculed for his murder. She received a lot of the harassment he did after he was outed not only at the funeral but during the lawsuit. Even though that wasn't brought to enough light to me, I still enjoyed this story. It was very thought provoking about an important issue in the community of the minorities.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Vanessa.
Author 10 books108 followers
September 21, 2009
I love a good suspense! This book is a little different from books, I normally read. Pamela did a wonderful job of dealing with a hard core topics such as: spousal betrayal, denials, self depreciation, and even sicknesses. From the begining I was captured by the story each characters had to tell in Murder on the Down Low. Very enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Carolyn Di Leo.
234 reviews8 followers
July 21, 2009
I am really enjoying this. I admit I didn't think I would, but the characters are engaging and you want to see where this is going!
Profile Image for Barbara.
124 reviews7 followers
February 17, 2017
This book was the first book read by this author. I have become a follower and I am impressed by Ms. Young's writing style. Excellent recommendation by our New Beginnings Book Club!
56 reviews1 follower
August 13, 2023
"Murder on the Down Low" is the third book, I read by the author. As I said about the second book, although many of the characters are the same from the previous books I read by Pamela Samuels Young; "Every Reasonable Doubt" and "In Firm Pursuit," "Murder on the Down Low" is also a stand alone book. I would not have had to read the first two books to connect to the book "Murder on the Down Low." Overall, the legal thriller was entertaining, informative and thought provoking. There were times that I wonder if it was necessary to have the number of characters there were hiding a part of their identity, but it was also part of what made the story thought provoking. The legal thriller had me asking or saying, "Could it be him or It has to him." throughout much of the book. I had several people I had chosen as the killer. I was wrong on every guess. 🤣🤣 The guessing is part of what made the novel entertaining. The novel is fiction, but contains facts and messages that makes it informative. I like this novel a little less than the first two, so if I could I would give it 4 and 1/2 stars.
Profile Image for Chelle Ramsey.
Author 22 books68 followers
August 4, 2018
Wake up and Act!

Ms. Samuels Young never fails to disappoint. She tackles the controversial issues and deals with them in a way that forces them to hit home. She educates, entertains, empowers, and inspires.

This lovely, yet sad story about friendships and loyalties that are tested by inherent prejudices and ignorance, forces us to take a glimpse in the mirror at our own attitudes about challenging issues. I love the characters, the storyline, and the message. It is a call to wake up. It is a call to action. Well done. ❤
Profile Image for Kim.
1,380 reviews30 followers
May 16, 2021
I've been wanting to do my job with BLM and do what I normally do, but with POC. I am so glad for that! This was an excellent story. It wasn't just a good mystery, it was thoroughly factual about our LGBTQiA community. I am so glad for the injection in the last 3rd about how we need to accept our LGBTQiA family and friends to make ALL of our lives better. The mystery had me guessing who dun it, and I was sure it was someone else. Or maybe I wanted it to be someone else. Any which way, I look forward to more by this talented author who kept me thoroughly engaged.
5 reviews
January 3, 2023
Annoying Characters

I read this because I enjoyed reading the previous novel. This one was annoying to read because Special was already an annoying stereotype whom I doubt would be the best friend of a top attorney, and Mrs. Young introduced the character of Nichelle who was equally as annoying for different reasons. Additionally, the heroine made decisions that were contrary to who the character was when first meeting her in the first novel. This is one you can skip so you won't be so annoyed. Seriously.
796 reviews1 follower
February 19, 2020
This book was so good it is scary. I learned so much about homosexuality but it was done in a very special way. I loved the way Pamela explained everything. I know it was a work of fiction but a lot of it was based on fact.(the statistics etc.) I loved the characters although I don't believe police officers or lawyers share as much as they did in this story, but it sure made the story more interesting. I would love to read more from the author in the future.
Profile Image for Keeping.Volumes.Harris.
264 reviews6 followers
November 21, 2024
Wayyy better than expected 👍🏾. There were moments when I was like huh🤔but it was a very good read for me.... I was excited and couldn't wait to finish to answer my who do it question that was running through my mind the entire time 🤗. This was my first mystery and I enjoyed every moment of it 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Profile Image for London Charles.
Author 14 books91 followers
February 17, 2019
Whoa!

I didn't see that end coming. This was an awesome read. Entertaining, comical, and educational. The story made you think. I like how the author weaved the facts/statistics in the character's dialogue. Well done. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Profile Image for vivian.
270 reviews1 follower
August 15, 2019
Great storyline

Great story that keeps you involved. I didn't detect the real criminal until nearly the end of the book. I was disappointed that the one lawyer considered planting evidence to protect her friend.
28 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2021
Fantastic! I read it in one day! Total of page turner! It's the 3rd book in the series, but I read it first. They don't really have to me read in order, each mystery or legal case is different. One of my favorite fiction books for entertainment.
5 reviews
August 2, 2024
On Point!

This novel is not only entertaining but brings a message of love, compassion, and self-care that we all should be practicing. In particular, I appreciated Nichelle's learning journey coupled with the broad array of suspects. Well done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews

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