Middle Ground [Paperback]

Rosalind McLymont (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2006

Set in New York and Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Middle Ground combines a fast-paced narrative with powerful insights into human nature

Janice McWright, the first African-American ambassador to Belgium and a champion of open markets for American goods and services, dies mysteriously in a car crash in Brussels, Belgium. At the funeral, Shayna, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, discovers that she is McWright’s adopted daughter.

Shayna heads to war-torn Congo to find her birth mother. She gets help from her friend Amina, and they become entangled in a series of spine-tingling discoveries. In Kinshasa, Shayna learns from the local CIA operative that Janice’s death was no accident. Then Amina falls in love with the wealthy Congolese industrialist, Crispin. He’s intent on overturning the global economic status quo. But an unexpected tie exists between him and Shayna’s natural mother.

As Shayna draws closer to the identity of her mother, the CIA whisks her out of the Congo with Amina, fearing they both may be targets of the man suspected of murdering Janice McWright. The lightning-paced thriller ends with the surprising discovery by the CIA of who killed her.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Beckham Publications Group (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0931761174
• ISBN-13: 978-0931761171
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,900,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grab the book and get inside of Congolese culture, June 28, 2007

By 

C. Kirk - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Middle Ground (Paperback)

I think this is a great book. It explores the life of women in the Congo and in the US and the strength and resilience that they have. Rather than trying to juxtapose the two cultures the book leaves you with a feeling that an individual can be both which is totally thinking out of the box using todays racial and ethnic constraints.

While this book is a quick read it packs historical and cultural information inside the cover. So you will learn about the Congo and the US and their relationship while you are trying to figure out the mystery. I highly recommend this book.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rosalind McLymont's "Middle Ground " A New Classic, April 5, 2006

By 

Reid Rodriguez Rouse LLP - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Middle Ground (Paperback)

Just wanted to let you know that I am reading Middle Ground and am enjoying it very much. It is awe inspiring being in the presence of a true artist, and I believe Ms. McLymont's work will become a classic. I would humbly observe that M.G. is in my opinion quite a remarkable achievement and very impressive, with her linguistic abilities, broad knowledge of Zairian politics, history and culture, esp, the relationship between the sexes, Kinshasha, journalism, and of African American class and social divides and streams. I have never read such a rich portrait of contemporary Africa, or of a character such as Crispin Abeli, a proud, strong, successful black male lacking any semblance of minstrelry, subservience or caricature that we often see in the US. I believe the book would make an excellent cable multipart drama series. I dont believe that a two hour theatrical release would do M.G. justice. I believe that there is a tremendous market for the product as there is nothng on contemporary American TV which approaches it, especialy for African American, Caribbean, and Africans in the US as well as Americans of European origin. For searing and rich "ethnic drama", persons of African ancestry in the US are basically left with watching the Sopranos depiction of a rich though aberrant slice of Italian culture, and wishing that there was something similar exploring contemporary African culture. I believe the author will be very well compensated financially for her labours and hope that Ms. McLymont continues to write, especially of her memories of Africa. Congratulations and Best of Luck to Rosalind McLymont!!

Gregory Reid, Esq.
Managing Partner
Reid Rodriguez & Rouse, LLP
New York City
Chairman of the Board of Directors
National Minority Business Councel

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Things are never as they seem, July 29, 2007

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Middle Ground (Paperback)

In MIDDLE GROUND by Rosalind Kilkenny McLymont Shayna, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist is told at her mother's funeral by her drunk and jealous cousin that she is adopted. Shayna's adoptive mother, the first African-American ambassador to Belgium, was killed in a car accident while in Europe. Shocked, she decides to find out who her birth mother is. Her journey takes her from New York City to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where she questions locals, searches through adoption agencies and at the US embassy to see if anyone remembered the adoption. Her friend, Amina, accompanies her and is a volunteer pediatrician on a part time basis in the Congo. Information is hard to come by, but while she is there it is learned that her mother's death is suspicious. Then, rather suddenly, the CIA rushes both Amina and Shayna out of the Congo and back to the United States. They fear that whoever killed Shayna's mother will attempt to kill Shayna and her friend. Since they can't tell anyone they are leaving, it causes some upsets in a new relationship that Amina is forging with a Congolese man.

MIDDLE GROUND covers relationships between family, among people of different cultures as well as touchy political situations. The insight regarding African-Americans and others of the African Diaspora is informative. It is well written and gives a plethora of information about the culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The pace is quick and there is considerable tension. The characters of Shayna and Amina are well developed and it is easy to slip into their shoes. It would have been nice to have more emphasis put on the actual mystery of who killed the ambassador, Janice McWright. We know someone did and there are vague references to him but frequently, that part of the mystery disappears in the various relationships held by Shayna and Amina.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers