If I Should Die [Hardcover]

Grace F. Edwards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 1997

On her way to pick up her orphaned nephew Alvin at the world-renowned Uptown Children's Chorus, ex-cop Mali Anderson hears the screams of a terrified child. As she and her Great Dane Ruffin race to the rescue, a car speeds away, leaving a young boy dazed on the sidewalk and a man lying in the street with a bullet in his forehead. The victim is her friend, Erskin Harding, tour director of the Chorus and a man without an enemy in the world. Could he have been the target, or was he an innocent bystander gunned down as he tried to prevent the kidnapping of young Morris Johnson? Starring a stunning and savvy ex-cop who's tough and compassionate, this new series takes the readers into the heart of Harlem, from the stylish townhouses of Strivers Row to the clubs where jazz immortals jam the night away to the vicious crack houses of New York. It's the debut of a heroine who's sure to take her place in the bestselling company of V.I. Warshawski and Kinsey Millhone."

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Mali Anderson used to be a cop, until she punched out a fellow officer for sexual slurs; now she's working toward a Ph.D. in social work, raising her orphaned nephew, and living with her jazz musician father on a street in Harlem nicknamed Strivers Row because of the black professionals who owned property there. She has a full, rich life--especially when you add a budding romance with a former colleague. But Mali puts it all at risk when she interrupts a kidnapping and finds a dead body outside the Uptown Children's Chorus building. The crimes are connected to both sides of Harlem: the aspirations of citizens like Mali and her father, and the more notorious elements of crack and police corruption. What links both sides is family, and in her first mystery, Edwards expertly creates characters who leap to instant, long-remembered life.

From School Library Journal

YA. After her sister dies, Mall assumes the responsibility of raising her 11-year-old, orphaned nephew, Alvin. Protective of him, the woman and her Great Dane walk to Harlem's renowned Uptown Children's Chorus to meet the boy after his choral practice, only to hear a child screaming. Running to the rescue, Mall grabs the screaming child from a car but can do nothing to save the man lying in the street with a bullet hole in his forehead. As a former police officer, Mall puts her detecting skills to use to find the murderer of Alvin's chorus director. The depressingly blah, sepia-toned book jacket detracts from the fine mystery inside. Mall is a strong, likable character who combines common sense with humor; her African-American heritage might appeal to mystery readers who may not have identified with the heroines created by Sara Paretsky and Sue Grafton.?Pam Spencer, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (April 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385485239
• ISBN-13: 978-0385485234
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,080,312 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 Well Done, August 1, 2000

By 

MarvelousMarla "MarvyM" (Way down in Dixie) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: If I Should Die (Mali Anderson Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was my introduction to the Mali Anderson series, and I was impressed. The lead character is smart, tough and a loving daughter and aunt. Like Valerie Wesley Wilson's Tamara Hayle, Mali is also a former cop. But unlike Hayle, who is based in New Jersey, Anderson is not a formal PI. She's just trying to get some answers.

Set on the mean streets of Harlem, this is a fast-paced contemporary mystery that engages the reader. Anderson is a complex character who is fraught by all types of demons -- harassment stemming from a lawsuit against the NYPD, the brutal death of her only sister and its impact on her nephew, and her feelings for the gorgeous detective Tad Honeywell.

The bad guys are all delightfully vile, an array of drug dealers, petty thieves and thugs. As a native New Yorker, I got a kick out her descriptions of Mayor Giuliani (whom she doesn't mention by name) when he was the D.A. I remember when he lead a mob of police officers in a disrespectful rally outside Gracie Mansion when Dinkins was mayor.

Her description of "The Inferno" reminded me of that scene in Jungle Fever where Spike Lee recreated a crack house. It was graphic and palpable. My only gripe with the book is that the ending seems a little abrupt. Edwards did a good job with the build-up, dropping clues here and there, but the resolution seemed a little rushed.

Overall, I was satisfied with this book and plan to buy more of this series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A vivid, passionate, mysterious trip to Harlem., June 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: If I Should Die (Hardcover)

If I Should Die is a captivating and vividly written mystery. You get a multidimensional view of Mali Anderson's family, friends, and community. The story is full of twists and turns, and Mali is passionate and intelligent. I became very attached to her family and even her dog, Ruffin. Ms. Edwards' ties to Harlem and its history transport the reader there. Through her words I have been to Harlem and am looking forward to my next visit!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ms. Edwards is comparable to Patricia Cornwell &Sue Grafton, October 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: If I Should Die (Mali Anderson Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

Among others, I read this book because of a Literary Retreat I am attending in Savannah, Georgia. I am an avid mystery reader of Patricia Cornwell and Sue Grafton. Kay Scarpetta and Kinsey Millhone are great heroines, but Mali Anderson is someone that I can identify with. Her fears and hopes are similar to mine. Her life is something that is identifiable in my family and neighborhood. I understand. I could feel where she was coming from. This novel was fun to read. I can't wait to read more Mali Anderson mysteries.