Black Heat [Library Binding]

Norman Kelley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

Civil rights leader Malik Martin was looked at as the middle ground between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. His organisation, The Nation, was about to launch their new programme of financial empowerment when he was assassinated. His wife, former movie sex goddess Victoria Them, was at his side when he was killed. She suffered a breakdown and was hospitalised for more than 20 years. Now released, she is trying to find her lost daughter. Her lawyer hires Nina Halligan for the job Nina Halligan, a former prosecutor whose family was massacred by the minions of a drug lord she put in prison, is a private investigator. As she starts digging into this case she stumbles across a group of black nationalists called the New Nation, who are reclaiming African art and repatriating it to the Motherland. In addition, a conservative black evangelist who is setting up church franchises that are derisively called "McChurches" kidnaps Nina to find out what she knows. She's also butting heads with the NYPD, who may have been involved in the death of Malik Martin. After two failed attempts on her life, and several dead bodies, Nina knows this is more than just a missing-person case.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Norman Kelley's The Big Mango (starred review, Forecasts, Sept. 25, 2000) will welcome this reprint of Black Heat: A Nina Halligan Mystery (1997) about the search for the missing daughter of a slain Civil Rights leader. Through the voice of his "bad girl" PI heroine, Kelley delivers scathing if dead-on commentary on matters of race in modern America that will both anger and amuse. This is serious social criticism disguised as sensational crime fiction.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Former black prosecutor Nina Halligan swore vengeance on the man responsible for the slaughter of her family. Now a PI but still carrying a chip on her shoulder, she looks for a connection between the widow of a moderate Civil Rights leader and several acts of murder and assault directed at the slain leader's former associates. This well-crafted and riveting first novel by the author of The Big Mango features hidden agendas, violent ambitions, and political manipulations. For African American mystery collections. [The book was first published in 1997, as a paperback and with limited distribution, by Cool Grove Pr.DEd.].
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding
• Publisher: Cool Grove Publishing (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887276025
• ISBN-13: 978-1887276023
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,619,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, December 28, 1999

By 

Karen Lengel (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Heat (Paperback)

This book is great -- a page turner from the start, and intertwined with the mystery is a spirited political and social commentary. The politics are thought provoking, but an easy read without being insulting or oversimplified. Looking forward to the sequel!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bad Mama Jama, March 25, 2002

By 

angela conley (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Heat: A Nina Halligan Mystery (Hardcover)

Nina takes no prisoners. Kelley does a good job of creating a reasonably believable story line. His sleuth, Nina is feisty,funky and fun. The barely veiled anger and bitterness about her lost family are just sublimated enough to provide time for investigating. I appreciated the black nationalist gone amuck with corruption stuff, but I was happier with Nina's ability to bounce back from major issues. She is smart, credentialed and able to defend her concerns intellectual and otherwise. Looking forward to future encounters with Ms. Halligan.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Politique Noir?--Just Plain Excellent, February 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Heat (Paperback)

This refreshing mystery, described by the author as a politcal noir, was very surprising and refreshing. This mystery excited me intelligently. The herione of the book was one of the most strongest black women and I would love to read a series about her. Kelly left a huge opening for a continued story. He also paints vivid pictures of his villians and the historical aspect further inticed me.