Dead Above Ground

by Jervey Tervalon

That was Mother's life back planning one daughter's wedding while plotting to kill her other daughter's lover.... For feisty young Lita Du Champ, New Orleans is a place dominated by her hardworking family -- in particular, her strong-willed mother, Helen, who rules with an unshakable sense of propriety. Ever loyal to her mother, and adoring of her beautiful, restless, married sister Adele, Lita works hard to keep the family together as she attempts to establish her own life. But when Adele falls in love with Lucien Faure -- a smooth operator with "the devil's good looks" and a decades-old score to settle with Helen -- Lita unveils her mother's mysterious past to confront the Du Champs' long-buried secrets. Now, Lita finds she has one last and desperate chance to save the future of those she loves. Award-winning author Jervey Tervalon draws from his own heritage -- and the twisting family story that has lived and breathed inside him his whole life -- to create a spellbindingly luminous novel of passion, murder, and vengeance.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, African American, Novels

226 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Donna’s Book Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story of murder, love, and hate will not let you put the book down. You'll find out the family secrests and why Helen has a real hate for this man her daughter wants to run away with. And all through this Lita is still working on keeping the family a strong unit. I admired Lita - she is a loving mother, caring wife, great daughter and cousin but also a no-nonsense type of girl that doesn't just sit around. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I was very impressed with Jervey's writing style and how he played Lita and Helen against each other. Lita feared her mother, but she learned to stand her ground. She also handled her father very well. That relationship was very funny. It had the right mix of tragedy and reward, the plot was interesting, the characters were real. It kept my attention! This is a fine piece of literature, a novel of monumental characterizations. Mr. Tervalon's style just sweeps you up and gets you involved with the various characters. I look forward to reading his other novels.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever find yourself asking "Why can't I read a fiction book about African Americans set in the early twentieth century that isn't so much about the tragedy of the African American experience, but the everyday life of an African American," you might like this one. It's set in the 1940s and the protagonist is a woman of mixed heritage. Her father is Irish and her mother was Black (or Colored as they would have said then). She seems comfortable with both, having a good relationship with her father, who often comes to see his second family. She is getting around the age when she should be looking at settling down, and weighing her options. The story is nothing earth-shaking, but it was a very interesting read for me. I wish I got the opportunity to see in the life of other African American women without all the tragedy associated with it. Yes, there are trials and tribulations, but somedays I want a break from that and just want a good story that doesn't break my heart. I felt this fits the bill for that. You know that life is not perfect and that her life is limited by racism and segregation around her, but she is living her life to the best of her abilities. There is a White cop who is interested in marrying her, but she isn't sure she wants him. Instead she falls for a Negro man who is handsome and suave but not quite motivated in life. Again this is an everyday kind of book,although there is a mystery and suspense elements. But honesty, the suspense part didn't really have the much of an effect on me. I just liked reading about Lila's life. At the end of the book, I believe Lila has a Robert Frost, "Road Not Taken" moment. I found myself wondering what would have happened has she chosen a different path, too. I'm not even sure how this book ended up in my hands, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointingly generic book from a writer whose earlier work exhibits a much stronger voice. For full review, see http://www.amazon.com/review/R33ABWI7...

[Laura Hoffman Brauman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lita Du Champ's mother, Helen, is busy trying to plan Lita's wedding and planning how to kill her other daughter's lover. Set in 1940's New Orleans, this is a tale of family secrets and revenge and was a compelling read, full of atmosphere.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came into this never before reading a Jervey Tervalon novel, and I must say hats off to the author, because this story is pure genius.

Tervalon paints pictures with his words as we travel in time to the 1940's, in the searing and humid city of New Orleans, Louisiana. We meet the Du Champ girls, Lita, and Adele who make up 2 parts of a family filled with deep secrets and much drama.

For the spirited and young Lita, New Orleans is a place subjugated by her diligent mother, Helen who basically holds the family up. Devoted to her mother and sisters, she works very hard to keep the family together while making an effort to institute a life of her own.

When her beautiful, and very married sister Adele falls in love with their mother's enemy, Lucien Faure (these names!), a smooth operator with "the devil's good looks", Lita divulges her mother's mystifying past.

With this new information, Lita finds that she has one last, frantic chance to save the destiny of the ones she loves.

[Kimberlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

part mystery, part fictional memoir. has the feel of a short story. not exactly a stellar literary piece.

[Miel Finely · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a most read suspend and plenty of mystery