Customer Reviews

Black Delta Night: A Rachel Porter Mystery

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

She is committed to her work for the US Fish and Wildlife Bureau, but her superiors feel she is a maverick who always seems to land in trouble. As a punishment for her attitude, her superiors transfer Rachel Porter to a place where nobody served in over a decade. She now works along the area of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi, deep in redneck country.

Rachel stumbles into a poaching operation involving paddlefish, a caviar-like delicacy with a high demand that happens to be an endangered species. Going her own way as usual, she soon learns that the Russian Mafia is involved in the paddlefish operation and the head crook takes a special liking to Rachel. Under strict orders, Rachel must still use her wiles to trap the dangerous Russian Mafia.

BLACK DELTA NIGHT shows a side of the south rarely presented by travel excursions. The Delta is described as a beautiful place that contains many illegal happenings. This novel is character-driven with plenty of action. Jessica Speart adds atmosphere to her strong cast and picturesque locale that turns this work into a chilling mystery.

Harriet Klausner

As the author of a mystery novel in its initial release, I find the works of Jessica Speart most enjoyable. In this fresh Rachel Porter mystery, Ms. Speart has her lovely and wild protagonist transferred to Elvis Country, where her superiors expect her to stay out of trouble because no trouble ever happens along this Tennessee/Kentucky portion of the Delta. Oops, that transfer proves to be a mistake. Rachel discovers a poaching operation backed by the Russian Mafia. Her discovery leads to murder, and we all know who plans to solve the murder. In BLACK DELTA NIGHT, Rachel is in top form, as is Jessica Speart's writing. We have a terrific book here.

I have read all of these books in order. I was lucky enough to discover Jessica Speart when the first book first came out. I have seen the growth of this person and almost feel like I know her. Some people feel that her character is unrealistic... I for one do not because it is has so many things that my own life does.
Her friends are an eclectic collection of misfits much like my own. Rachel Porter is gutsy and gritty but also very real. I feel this is one of the best books in the series because it takes us to a greater depth of the side characters. I must say though, without giving anything away, the end caused me some remorse

Speart has written another great adventure for her wild and lovely Rachel Porter. This thriller is her best yet. Speart's imagery carried me along for a great ride through the land of Elvis. Rachel's new job location sets her in the middle of the Mississippi Delta and the Memphis blues. As Speart does so well, she takes full advantage of the setting and writes in a way that makes me feel like I just went to the movies. A terrific group of new characters are some of Speart's best to come along. The story has me laughing out loud one minute, then scared the next.

Not only was this a real fun read, but I knew nothing about the caviar trade before I read Speart's story. She always finds an edge, and then ends the story with a suprise. I highly recommend this mystery thriller.

While not as well written as the Anna Pigeon series, Rachel Porter more than makes up for it with her bizarre friends. Her landlord the gay ex-wrestler, gourmet cook Vinnie, her transvestite doggie yamulke designing friend are only two of a cast of way out characters. In this novel Rachel stumbles onto an illegal paddlefish roe business, run by an overweight Russian mafiosi who thinks he's Elvis. But this is only a side line for him, his real business is the white slave trade.

This is an entertaining and highly unrealistic novel. Good for an escape and alot of fun.

In case you are a fan of Nevada Barr (like me) it may be helpful to know that I also enjoy this author. The main character is a bit pluckier than Anna Pigeon and the writing style is lighter and more humorous. Overall, I agree with Barr's quote. Speart breathes a different kind of life into environmental themed mysteries. Another good environmental mystery writer to check out is Skye Katherine Moody.

I have read all of Jessica Speart's Rachel Porter series and have to say each one is better than the last - if that's possible! I love all of the characters: Rachel; her boss, Charlie; her friend, Terri. Speart's writing is very descriptive and I find myself totally immersed into the story, as if I were a spirit on Rachel's shoulders, experiencing each moment with her. I tend to be a "cozy" mystery person, but Speart's books are one of the few exceptions I make. "Black Delta Night" was an absolutely fantastic book delving into the black market caviar industry. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys good mysteries.