Black Delta Night

Rachel Porter #5

by Jessica Speart

Sent to Tennesse to pose as a dirty agent on the take, U.S. Fish and Wildlife agent Rachel Porter stumbles into a deadly web of illegal caviar smuggling, white slavery, the Russian underworld, and murder. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 29, 2001

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this addition to the Rachel Porter series, this warden for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is sent to work in Memphis Tennessee. There she is working to stop the exploitation of an endangered fish, the Mississippi River paddlefish. I learned more than I ever knew about this species, and also about caviar. The eggs of the paddlefish are used to fraudulently replace the eggs of the beluga, the traditional source of the Russian caviar. Investigating these crimes leads Rachel to also find another kind of exploitation going on, as human trafficking is being conducted by some of the same actors who are part of the fake caviar business. Rachel gets herself into some very dangerous situations, as she undertakes an undercover operation, without prior authorization or discussion with her superiors.
While I was reading this book, written 20 years ago, I heard on the news about current efforts to stop the illegal uses of the paddlefish, so apparently these practices and the attempts to stop them are continuing at this time.

[Sarah Ehinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I was as cool and bad a$$ as Rachel Porter. that's one cool chick saving wildlife and catching bad guys all at the same time

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good series....

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel Porter has never been the darling of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In fact, during any assignment she’s had, she’s caused enough trouble to have her superiors arrange to have her transferred as far away as possible. This time she’s landed in Memphis, Tennessee; and it appears that she’s not about to change her ways. It doesn’t help that her boss, Charlie, is about as well loved by the department as she is.

Rachel stumbles across a scam involving caviar. Poachers are stealing fish eggs from the paddlefish and passing them off as Russian caviar by mixing them with the more premium roe. In her infinite wisdom, she accepts a bribe to overlook what she’s found, figuring that she will pose as a dirty agent in order to uncover the real deal. However, the real deal involves more trouble than you would ever have thought possible, including links to the Russian mafia.

Speart has created a cast of fun and interesting characters, including the flamboyant Terry, a transvestite who is temporarily living with Rachel and becoming involved with a chef named Vincent. My favorite is Jake Santou, the steamy love interest who is tres charmant. However, the villains in the book tend to be one-dimensional.

My main problem with the book is Rachel herself. She doesn’t strike me as particularly intelligent or athletic, yet she manages to outsmart all the bad guys and even beat up a few of them which really strained credibility. Speart excels at creating a sense of place, and the plot is packed with action. If you like amateur sleuths with attitude, then this book should appeal to you.

[Daelith · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off I have to say that I enjoyed the mystery portion of this book. I even liked the main character's personality and spunk. What caused me not to give this book another star was the fact that it made it seem like the MidSouth area has nothing but backward, inbreed red-necks. Having lived in this area all my life, it is far from true. I did feel the author did some of Memphis area descriptions accurately, but there were parts she got completely wrong. One that stood out to me is that Mt. Moriah and Elvis Presley Blvd (Hwy 51) do not intersect.

[Margaret]

Enjoyed this cozy mystery - plenty of eclectic characters including Rachel's gay wrestler neighbor and an assortment of half-crazed rednecks. Loved the Memphis and environs setting since I can picture the areas or even the real streets mentioned in some cases. If Rachel ever gets her act together, this series would be less fun to read. Similar to the Nevada Barr series but with a Fish and Wildlife agent instead of a park ranger.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Speart’s books are light, frothy, humorous, engaging and whip along at a nice, quick pace. Her characters often drift toward caricatures, but they are meant to, and the plot has enough twists and turns to make it not an entirely predictable journey. The wildlife angle is a good one, with enough potential scenarios that Porter should never be short of an interesting case. Black Delta Night is a solid enough addition to the series and an entertaining filler for a wet afternoon.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting mystery involving the illegal trade of paddlefish roe. Had some interesting facts on how to tell the different kinds of sturgeon roe. Of course, Rachel gets herself involved in shady dealings. Lots of bubbas in this romp. She is very head strong and also likes to help those in need. Glad she got back together with Santou. Her friend, Terri, is always there to help her out and she has other friends who aid her. A good mystery.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fifth book in the Rachel Porter series by Jessica Speart. Rachel is a fish and wildlife agent who often gets caught up in her investigations of endangered species. The fifth book finds Rachel working in Memphis, Tennessee on a case involving the Mississippi River paddlefish. A fun and entertaining read.

[Mary Lee Woods]

Recommended by Cindy

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Rachel Porter (#3) much more than the previous one I read, Bird Brained (Rachel Porter #5. It was better written, the plot made sense, and the characters were fun.