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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Closet Killer, December 31, 2008
This review is from: Murder on the Down Low (Paperback)
When I was in high school I wanted to be a lawyer. The joke was I did not want to go to school for what seemed like forever. I developed a liking for mysteries. I would look for the clues if I was watching a whodunit, or if I was reading a work of fiction. It has been a really long time since I have read a mystery. Along with watching Murder She Wrote and Matlock, in the past the only mysteries I read were written by Caucasian authors. I am happy I used Murder on the Down Low to break my fast. Pamela Samuels Young had me glued from the first page to the very last. And no I did not figure it out.
Vernetta, Special, J.C., and Nichelle are friends who would do just about anything to make sure they are all happy and safe. When prominent African American men began showing up dead, the Los Angeles Police Department did not want to believe the connection between the deaths. However, when Special crossed the line in the name of vengeance, all eyes rolled in her direction. Special, along with her three best friends, wanted justice to be served when a family member died due to the deceit of one individual.
Mysteries are hard to talk about, especially good ones. Murder on the Down Low is one of those books that once you start talking you are tempted to tell it all. But I have a little restraint. I will say there is drama and suspense in every chapter. Even though, the book was almost 400 pages, it moved along fast. I believe it is due to the short chapters and necessary information without the fluff. In the first half of the book, I could not fathom why there were so many secondary characters, but in the end it all made absolute sense. I recommend mystery readers pick up this book quick, fast, and in a hurry. That is how rapid the pages will turn in an attempt to find out whodunit.
Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A long night, September 22, 2008
This review is from: Murder on the Down Low (Paperback)
The first chapter of Murder On The Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young was so
compelling, I had to turn the book over to read the cover again. The operative word that I had passed over was "down low". I settled in for a long night.
However, the subsequentchapters were hard to digest simply because a main character did not emerge right away.
There was too much emphasis on the funeral, the burial and the repast of a friend whohad contracted AIDS from, of course, a brother on the down low.
I also found myself juggling the personality of the 4 friends and it got quite confusing attimes. I was hoping only one character would materialize to convey this tale of bi-sexualbrothers without the extra faces and idiosyncrasies.
Even with the obsession of Special, who is adamant about avenging her friend's death,
Murder On The Down Low was a good story - unlike many African American books today that are hell bent on gangsta living. The twists and turns were well plotted, but I believe the characters were a bit over-developed. Pamela Samuels Young will definitely be a literary force.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a must read!, September 1, 2008
This review is from: Murder on the Down Low (Paperback)
Pamela Samuels Young brings some old friends back and creates some new ones. As we travel through the streets of Los Angeles very successful men are being killed. Why are these men being killed?
Vernetta's best friend Special is out of control. She is out on a mission and nobody can stop her. Can Special's circle of friends help her? While all the evidence points to Special is she really capable of killing? Everything says, yes she is.
This is one book that will have you guessing until the very end. Pamela Samuels Young has done it again.
LADIES OF COLOR TURNING PAGES - book club
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