Dying in the Dark: A Tamara Hayle Mystery (Tamara Hayle Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Valerie Wilson Wesley (Author)

Book Description

Series: Tamara Hayle Mysteries | Publication Date: September 28, 2004

Valerie Wilson Wesley’s Tamara Hayle mystery series featuring Newark, New Jersey’s number one private investigator are loved for their smart, sexy protagonist who “has a way with a wisecrack that is positively lethal” (Washington Post). Now in Dying in the Dark, Hayle is entrenched in a sinister investigation that will demand her best detective work yet.

Tamara Hayle’s past has come back to haunt her–literally. She’s been plagued by terrifying dreams about Celia Jones, an old friend whose walk on the wild side led her to a horrible death. Celia’s teenage son, Cecil, begs Tamara to find his mother’s killer . . . only to end up dead himself, stabbed through the heart.

The search for Celia and her son’s killer pulls Tamara deep into her friend’s troubled love life, where everyone adored her but somebody held a murderous  grudge. There’s her bullying thug of an ex-husband; a handsome ex-lover who woos Tamara with charm and lies; and an angry, jealous woman who claims that Celia broke her heart. And those were just the obvious people with axes to grind.

Despite her better judgment and the admonitions of the police department, Tamara refuses to back away from the mystery surrounding her old friend’s death and the tragedy that met her son. All clues lead to the past Tamara shared with Celia Jones, and Tamara fears that that past will threaten her own son. But she uncovers more than she bargained for–and unearths secrets someone would kill to keep in the shadows.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In her seventh case, PI Tamara Hayle reluctantly agrees to investigate the murder of her former best friend from high school, Celia Jones. Celia's teenage son, Cecil, convinces Tamara to take the case, but then he is murdered, too. Many people had reason to hate Celia: the men she loved and left, the husband of her lesbian lover, and her own ex-husband. Tamara finds that the promiscuous Celia's life was intertwined with popular high-school students from their joint past and their families--all of whom are well-respected members of the community. But is one of them a murderer? Tamara disagrees with the police solutions to the crimes and continues to investigate. Wesley makes good use of her Newark setting here, piquing interest with details of the city's rebirth. Depth is added to the mystery plot through the ongoing theme of Tamara's love and concern for her teenage son and the issues he faces as an African American male. Sue O'Brien
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Tough, smart . . ."
-- Publishers Weekly (Publisher's Weekly ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: One World/Ballantine (September 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345468066
• ISBN-13: 978-0345468062
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #949,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yeah!! Tamara is Back, March 11, 2005

By 

J.C. Wallington "jnettefrommi" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dying in the Dark: A Tamara Hayle Mystery (Tamara Hayle Mysteries) (Hardcover)

After an extended absence, Valerie Wilson Wesley returns with another Tamara Hayle mystery, titled Dying in the Dark. This time, Celia, a childhood friend of Tamara's, is murdered. Tamara is asked by Celia's son to find out who killed his mother. Her only clues are Celia's phone book and journal and the letters ABCD. Minus the "Blue Demon", that has been replaced with a new red Jetta, Tamara sets off to find the killer. During her investigation, Tamara is reunited with several high school classmates, some who have done very well for themselves and others who are struggling as she continues to do so. Soon as the investigation starts, not only is Celia dead, but also a number of other young people mysteriously die. Now, she must figure out if the deaths are connected or just a coincidence.

Never fear Tamara always gets the culprit. Somehow, as long as I have been reading the Tamara Hayle mysteries, I have never been able to figure out the culprit. This time is no exception, so for me the ending came as a surprise. Valerie Wilson Wesley is a master at giving subtle clues throughout the story. The reader has to be savvy enough to pick them out and apply them to the story. I am glad Ms Wesley brought Tamara Hayle back out of hiatus. I look forward to more mysteries.

Jeanette
APOOO BOOKCLUB

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous private investigative tale, September 29, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dying in the Dark: A Tamara Hayle Mystery (Tamara Hayle Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Tired of the sexism and racism of the Newark Police Department Tamara Hayle quits the force and opens up Hayle Investigative Service. Years later she might not have much money, but she relishes her independence and self reliance, which leaves her very contented.

One day, a gangster looking male introduces himself as Cecil Jones, the son of Tamara's "used to be best friend" Celia. He wants to hire her to find out who killed his mother because he believes that the mostly white police force is not going to bother to learn who murdered a promiscuous black woman. Tamara wants nothing to do with the case, but agrees because of the plea she sees in Cecil's eyes. He gives Tamara his mother's notebook and several other items that might prove useful and places four hundred dollars in cash on her desk before walking away. A week later, Tamara learns that someone murdered her client, but she continues her inquiries as she is determined to find out who killed Cecil and his mother. Tamara interviews people who knew Celia and realizes that she broke many hearts with one person enacting vengeance.

The protagonist refuses to allow any negative isms to stop her from living life her way especially doing her job; readers will admire her spunk. Cecilia grew up in poverty as an unwanted child with low esteem seeking someone to truly love her, but failed and eventually ended up in the wrong place. Readers see this sad picture through Tamara's flashbacks and muses about their childhood as best "sisters" and through her inquiries. Valerie Wilson Wesley provides a fabulous private investigative tale with a deep social and psychological underpinning.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Friendship and Death, Which comes first?, November 30, 2004

By 

Loose Leaves Book Review (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dying in the Dark: A Tamara Hayle Mystery (Tamara Hayle Mysteries) (Hardcover)

After a four-year hiatus, Tamara Hayle is back. Who is Tamara Hayle? She is a single African American mom who left the police department and started her own private investigation firm. This New Jersey native is determined to make ends meet and save the world at the same time. 

Just like every other morning, Tamara is reading the newspaper when she notices a small blurb about the death of a high school friend, Celia Jones. Tamara's past flashes before her as she remembers their last encounter - a friendship broken by hurtful words and shattered promises. Saddened Tamara goes on with life until Celia invades her dreams and forces her to take note. Intrigued Tamara wants to know why and how did she die, Celia died. The story takes you on a trip loaded in secrecy and death at every turn.

So who did it? Celia's son, Cecil Jones, believes his mom was murdered and hires Tamara to find out by whom. As key people in Celia's life begin to inexplicably die, Tamara realizes the trail is red hot. The obvious suspects draw Tamara into the drama: the thuggish ex-husband, the fine car dealer ex-boyfriend and the jilted lesbian lover. Celia speaks from beyond by leaving notes in a recovered diary. The notes may lead Tamara to the killer, that is if she doesn't get killed first.

Reviewed by M. Bruner for Loose Leaves Book Review