Customer Reviews

A Landlord's Tale

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

 

 

This book is awsome. It has a sexy main character who I actually loved being inside his mind as he went on an adventure into his past. I miss reading his thoughts. In this book Harlem is full of funny and real people who all play important roles in weaving this tale.

THIS IS A MUST READ... I hope that that the writer will continue to bring back these characters and make this book the first of many.

A Landlord's Tale by Gammy L. Singer is a book that captures your attention from beginning to end. Amos Brown has just inherited two brownstones in Harlem from a father that he never knew. It seems that if it weren't for bad luck, Amos would have no luck at all. He's not into drugs but his habit is gambling, his wife has just left him and he owes Harry, the West Indian drug lord big money. But after Amos moves in, the tenants become like family and their problems become his. But of course, he has skeletons in the closet: literally. His mother's body is found in the building across the street and that opens another set of wounds and brings many unanswered questions. The story captures your attention in that you get caught in the mystery of what happened to Amos's mother: what happened? Did his father do it? , You get caught up in the budding romance between Amos and Catherine, a woman who happens to be Harry's niece, and now of course, Harry is trying to pull him in the business. And you get caught up in the mystery of Zeke, the mysterious old man who used to be his father's best friend but seems to have it in for Amos. It all comes together in a story that you will truly enjoy. I give this book 4 stars. Reviewed by Shay C of PeoplewholoveGoodBooks

I'll dispense with an overview of the story as past reviewers have done that; what I'd like to comment on is the writing, sense of place, and style.

As a published true crime, crime novelist and graduate level creative writing instuctor, it's rare to find a writer, particulary a first-time novelist, who writes so lyrically and at the same time so gritty. Ms. Singer truly captures New York's Harlem community in the 70s and makes her characters come alive with authenticity and originality. I served in the NYPD during that era as a street cop in Harlem and this novel brought me back to the streets, the decent people who lived there, the cops who invaded the turf in search of the drug dealers, scam artists and hustlers who permeated Harlem before hoards of downtowners yuppified what was once the most cohesive and colorful neighnborhood in New York City.

Ms. Singer tells the story of an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances with subtlety and depth unlike any novel I've read in a long time. As I read the author's poignant, sometimes cynical metaphors, I felt as if Raymnd Chandler came back in the form of Chester Himes, got a sex change along the way, and wrote one helluva novel that is just as much about people as it is about the great community that is Harlem.

Do not pass up the chance to read this novel. You'll come away refreshed and aware that there still are some great emerging writers appearing every so often to reinforce our faith in editors and their ability to pick talent out of a heap of so-so submissions.

I'm looking forward to the author's next book and will love to see how she can top this excellent novel.

Gammy L. Singer takes readers on a thrilling ride in this adventure packed urban tale in her new novel, A Landlord's Tale, set in the 1970s. Amos Brown has inherited two brownstone apartment buildings in Harlem from his late father, a man he has never known. Along with the buildings, he has also inherited an assorted cast of residents, a motley crew reminiscent of characters from the television shows, Good Times and 227. There is the "super", Seltzer, who runs the place and does the maintenance and proceeds to tell Amos what needs to be done. There is Wilbur "The Fag" a drag queen with a good heart, Miss Ellie, a former Cotton Club dancer, Patty, a young mother with a sickly baby girl and Zeke, an old Trinidadian, who terrorizes the others with his brand of voodoo.

Amos sees this sudden opportunity of becoming a landowner as a stroke of luck, as he wants to give up the con games and gambling life and go straight. But as the Bible says, "When I would do good, evil is always present." First of all it takes money to maintain property and Amos finds himself running short. Enter Harry, a West Indian drug king, who is also the uncle of the woman, Catherine, Amos has fallen for. She is a hard working woman, different from the gold digging wife he is separated from whom by the way needs a place to stay. Being a landlord is tough. The kid in the lower unit across the street has a lot of activity going on; people coming and going at all hours. And now Harry wants him to do a drop off, just a one time deal. Amos wrestles with his demons as he considers all the possibilities. If that is not enough, a body is unearthed by construction workers in front of the building across the street. Could the woman be his dead mother, who disappeared when he was a child? He needs to confront the aunt, his mother's sister, with whom he has a strained relationship.

Reminiscent of the 70s Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby movies, Uptown Saturday Night and Let's Do it Again, this wild and wacky story was a fun read. Dirty cops, car chases, laundered money---this is the making of great urban fiction 70s style. Well written with plenty of drama, suspense and laughs, Singer has written a worthy debut.

Dera Williams
APOOO BookClub

We have all dealt with trials and tribulations. After all, it's part of the game called life. And we all know that trouble doesn't last always, but for Amos Brown trouble it seems to follow him wherever he goes. He has just inherited two brownstones from a father he never knew, and along with his inheritance, comes all the problems associated with being a landlord: building concerns and tenant issues. In addition to that, Amos is indebted to a big time drug lord, Harry, for a poker game gone bad. To add fuel to the fire, Gloria, Amos' wife of six months, has left him after his numbers running business has failed.

For Amos life couldn't get any worse, or so he thought, until he finds a skeleton that has been buried in one of his buildings. Finding out who the remains belong to and how the person ended up in his building sets Amos on a rollercoaster ride that he may not be prepared for. The person could be a lot closer to Amos than he dared to imagine. Who could it be? And more importantly why were the bones buried in his building of all places?

A LANDLORD'S TALE by Gammy L. Singer takes you on a suspenseful and emotional ride full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Singer does a great job in depicting life in the heart of Harlem; it made me feel as if I were there too. The story was very well written with strong characters that you could find in any given city. What I enjoyed most about the book was Amos himself. Although he had a lot going on in his life, he was a strong individual who was able to deal with the cards life dealt him without losing himself. He even had a little time for romance. If you are in the mood for a page-turner with just a touch of humor, this debut novel by Gammy L. Singer is the book for you.

Reviewed by Eraina B. Tinnin
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

This book was packed with so much vivid adventure! I truly enjoyed the grit and humor of the protagonist. There were so many instances where I was laughing out loud and/or saying as my beloved aunt engrossed in a movie on t.v. would say: "THAT'S A HUUUUMDINGER!" *LOL*

I also really appreciated the writer's respect and promotion for a united black community and for Harlem.

Adolescents and adults will find this a very entertaining and heart-felt read.

All the best, Ms. Singer!

Truly,
Pamela Monroe

I felt like I was sitting in a barbershop listening to a guy on the edge of his seat talking about how bad his day went. From him inheriting brownstones to drug deals to women to crazy neighbors to cross dressing, this book was one entertaining read. I love how the author talked to the reader as if in conversation, from complaining about how he used to be able to climb fire escapes better to the crazy lady walking down the street.

2nd look: I hadn't read the last chapter before I reviewed this book. If I could, I'd change the stars to one. I can't believe after this whole book with the narrator overcoming all these obstacles, he embraced the n-word. That is so discouraging.