Blanche on the Lam (Crime, Penguin) [Paperback]

Barbara Neely (Author)

Book Description

Series: Crime, Penguin | Publication Date: February 1, 1993

Blanche White lends a refreshing African-American, female twist to the mystery tradition, as she turns from domestic worker to insightful--if reluctant--sleuth. A middle-aged housekeeper with a strong sense of humor, Blanche becomes an unlikely yet ingenious sleuth when murder disrupts the wealthy household of her employers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Neely's deftly written first novel pays tribute to the community and culture of a working-class African American woman who becomes both a sleuth and a fugitive from the law.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Blanche, a street-smart black domestic on the run from the sheriff for passing a bad check (again), winds up cooking and caring for edgy Miz Grace, her husband Everett, her wealthy, reclusive Aunt Emmeline, and her somewhat retarded Cousin Mumsfield at their summer home in Hokeysville, North Carolina--in a quirky mystery debut that pits Blanche against a Faulknerian cast of oddballs who may be trying to kill each other off to claim a southern fortune. Did Everett murder his first wife for her money, and does he have similar plans for his second? Is Grace trying to con her feeble auntie into signing a new will discounting Mumsfield and exalting her? Does auntie have a drinking problem, or is she the sweet, old woman Mumsfield remembers? Is the sheriff blackmailing Everett or vice versa? As Blanche wrestles with these problems, including what's in the cellar of the family's winter home, she communes telepathically with Mumsfield, phones home regularly to make sure her Mama and her two kids are all right, and ties in several other murders before heading off for the peace (she hopes) of Boston. Prickly view of class-clashes, race relations, and family foibles, in a somewhat forced, folk-talk style. Primarily for southern gothic aficionados. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (February 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140174397
• ISBN-13: 978-0140174397
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different take on the mystery genre, different ideas, May 24, 2002

By 

K. Levin (Oregon & Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blanche on the Lam (Crime, Penguin) (Paperback)

As a white woman reading an African American woman's book, there are definitely moments where I am forced to confront hugely different ideas and expectations than those I've been surrounded with throughout my life. I find Blanche White's straightforward honesty refreshing, and, contrary to many other reviewers, I think that we hear "political" mental dialogue from most other mystery characters--we just aren't quite so challenged by the white woman's feminist blurb or some man's thoughts on the military.

As far as the mystery in this novel goes, it was a fun read that kept me interested. I flew through this first book and was left curious to know what would happen to Blanche in her future adventures. Any mystery that conforms to genre has the potential to be a great read for me--I'm in it for the characters and mood the author manages to convey. Having read two later installments in Neely's series, I can say that she keeps up the good work.

BarbaraNeely did an excellent job in crafting Blanche, giving her a three dimensional and believable character that might help other readers appreciate a perspective different from their own.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Mystery With a Touch of Humor., May 21, 2002

By 

Kyle Schmidt ((RHAM)Hebron, Ct USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blanche on the Lam (Hardcover)

In, Blanche On the Lam, Barbara Neely, writes about an African-American female, Blanche White, domestic worker, who turns into a rather sly sleuth. After writing one too many bad checks, she find herself on the run from the authorities. Blanche becomes a housekeeper in an upscale community. When a murder occurs in the wealthy estate that Blanche is working in at the time, she becomes the prime suspect. I almost fell into a trance and could not keep myself from turning the pages of this book, especially when reading about how Blanche gets herself into these homes. The way Barbara Neely strategically positions Blanches strong sense of humor really helped to keep my interest in reading this novel, and the fast pace helped as well. Blanche on the Lam is a great comedy and mystery that I would recommend to anyone who wants to read a good book. You won't be disappointed.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Move over Nancy Drew!, June 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blanche on the Lam (Crime, Penguin) (Paperback)

I read this book over five years ago. I had never really been a fan of mystery books but this one kept my attention with it's humor and the excitement of wanting to know "who done it." Blanche was so life-like that you almost wanted to touch her on her shoulder and let her know that her secret was safe with you. Even then, she probably would not have told you what she knows! I appreciate Barbara Neely's narrative style and although her books are not too lenghty it definitely encourages you to pick up one of her other titles to get started right away! I definitely intend to add all of her titles to "mini mystery collection." The thing that I found most interesting about Barbara's work is that the main character is a black woman like myself and so the pictures become so much more vivid as you are engulfed in every last page! Keep up the great work, Barbara!