Promises to Keep: A Novel (Strivers Row) [Paperback]

Gloria Mallette (Author)

Book Description

Series: Strivers Row | Publication Date: May 28, 2002

New from the author of the national bestseller Shades of Jade: a story about the tragic loss of a son, the struggle to keep a family together, and the hunt for a murderer who didn’t leave any clues behind

After a bitter divorce, Troy Kirkwood and his five-year-old daughter, Meika, move in with his parents, Nola and Ron. Troy is a devoted father and son. During an outing with his daughter he is called away—and never returns. Nola and Ron know that something must be terribly wrong, and Meika can’t stop asking where her daddy is. Four days later the police discover Troy’s body, with two bullet holes in it.

As soon as Vann, Troy’s older brother, hears the news, he promises to find Troy’s killer and bring him to justice. There’s just one problem—the police have no leads and Troy had almost no enemies. To make matters worse, Troy’s crack-addicted ex-wife has recently resurfaced and is demanding custody of their daughter.

The Kirkwoods are not about to give up Troy’s only child. But as they struggle through family court and Troy’s murder investigation, it takes their combined emotional strength to keep the family intact. And they slowly begin to realize that even if Troy’s murder is solved, the pain of losing a child never really goes away.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A cold-blooded murder nearly destroys a close-knit African-American family in this rough-edged, refreshingly unsentimental novel. Troy is a successful financial planner for American Express who has finally won full custody of his five-year-old daughter, Meika. The two live in Brooklyn with Troy's parents, Ron and Nola; Meika's mother, Cordelia, is a crack addict and hasn't visited her daughter for more than a year. On a crisp September Saturday, Troy takes Meika to see the movie The Lion King. In the middle of the show, Troy's remote alarm beeper goes off, and he leaves the theater to check on his car. Hours later, Ron and Nola get a call from the police Troy never returned, and Meika is at the police station, waiting to be picked up. Days later, when Troy's body is found, Ron, Nola and their oldest son, Vann, pledge not to let his murder go unpunished. Their attempt to track down the killer occupies the bulk of the novel and uncovers old tensions between Vann and his parents. Meanwhile, a nasty custody battle with Cordelia brings out the worst in all involved, as even Nola forgets what's best for Meika in her rage at Cordelia's machinations. Mallette's great strength is her willingness to reveal the weaknesses and occasional petty vindictiveness of all her protagonists, which enables her to craft a credible portrait of a family in distress. A brief, belated happy ending has a tacked-on feel, but overall, Mallette delivers a powerful tale exploring issues of social justice and family solidarity.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Following Shades of Jade [BKL My 1 01], Mallette's third novel is a welcome addition. Troy Kirkwood is a dutiful son and responsible parent. After a bitter divorce, he has moved in with his parents, Nola and Ron, along with his five-year-old daughter, Meika. During a family outing, Troy leaves Meika in a theater to attend to his car alarm. Troy never returns and four days later is found shot in his vehicle. Once his brother, Vann, learns of the crime, he puts his life on hold and vows to find his brother's killer and bring him to justice. Then Troy's ex-wife shows up to challenge custody of their daughter. Ron and Nola find themselves struggling to keep their marriage together and the family sane. As they juggle all of these highly emotional situations, the Kirkwoods face some long-held secrets and pent-up emotions. Mallette has written a fine drama about families and the sacrifices and struggles they endure for one another. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 351 pages
• Publisher: Villard; 1 edition (May 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375757449
• ISBN-13: 978-0375757440
• Product Dimensions: 4.7 x 0.7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,796,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nationally acclaimed award winning author GLORIA MALLETTE began her true literary journey by self-publishing her second novel Shades of Jade in April of 2000. By July and 13,000 sold copies later, Gloria signed on with Random House who re-released Shades of Jade in 2001. Shades of Jade made several best sellers lists, including Black Board, Essence Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, and The Washington Post/Washington is Also Reading listing.

Gloria has been featured in The New York Daily News, USAToday, ToDay's Black Woman, Upscale Magazine, and The Pocono Record. Gloria also has a featured novella, Come Tomorrow, on the USAToday website.

To her credit, Gloria now has ten published titles including the newly released SASSY; Weeping Willows Dance; and Living, Breathing Lies winner of the National Best Book 2007 Award and the 2008 Indie Excellence Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Excellent!, June 23, 2002

By 

Kanika Wade (Columbia, SC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Promises to Keep: A Novel (Strivers Row) (Paperback)

Gloria Malette takes her writing to new and amazing levels in her latest book, Promises to Keep. This book takes us into the lives of Nola and Ron Kirkwood and their adult sons Troy and Vann.

Troy and his daughter Meika move back home after Troy obtains full custody from his drug-addicted ex Cordelia. Just as Troy begins to start anew for himself and Meika, he later turns up murdered after what started out as a father-daughter outing to the movies. Grief-stricken, Nola and Ron's marriage is put to the test as they work to sort through their pain and gain justice for their son. Vann also returns home to deal with the loss and like his parents seek justice for Troy. An extra twist to the tale is when Cordelia returns, determined to do whatever it takes to gain sole custody of Meika.

Ms. Malette does an excellent job of presenting this story from start to finish however my only complaint was not knowing what happened to the family after everything was said and done. I would have really liked to have seen a prolouge of where they were several years from now, especially Meika. I hope that Ms. Malette will consider a sequel to this book. :)

While on Amazon I rate it a 5, overall I rate it a 4.5. I would recommend this for ALL to read. Ms. Malette is truly one to watch in the literary world.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Emotional Rollercoaster Ride, June 22, 2002

By 

Zane "NY Times Bestselling Author" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Promises to Keep: A Novel (Strivers Row) (Paperback)

I must admit that I did something with this novel that I had never done before. I picked it up and started reading it without having the slighest idea of what it was about. I did not even read the back cover. I just knew it was a Gloria Mallette book so I purchased it and dug right in.

The book is riveting from page one. I was captivated with the relationship between Meika and her single father Troy. When tragedy suddenly struck, I was shaken because it was totally unexpected since I was reading without forewarning.

The torment of losing a child is one that no one ever wishes to go through. I truly felt compassion for Troy's parents as well as for Meika. The fact that her mother was a recovering addict and totally unfit to be a parent was unnerving as the court system once again failed by allowing her to take custody.

All of the characters were wonderful but Vann was my favorite. He was a strong young man who stepped up to the plate without hesitation to soothe the pain of his parents, handle all of Troy's affairs and track down his murderers.

Mallette has once again given her readers a tale to remember. For those that love a good mystery mixed with a complex tale of family love and devotion, this is an excellent choice for summer reading.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Family Drama, June 11, 2003

By 

R.E.A.L. Reviewers (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Promises to Keep: A Novel (Strivers Row) (Paperback)

A suspenseful and heart-wrenching novel, Promises To Keep, takes you into the lives of the Kirkwood family. An ordinary day turns tragic as Troy, a single father, comes up missing, leaving Meika, his 5 year old daughter, alone at the movies. It is later determined that Troy had been murdered, but there are no clues left behind to aid in finding the killer.

Nola and Ron, Troy's parents, ban together along with Troy's brother, Vann, to investigate the murder. Vann returns home only to become obsessed with the case, leaving his girlfriend and her children feeling abandoned. Relationships are put to the test during this stressful time and all are forced to deal with their own separate demons.

As the Kirkwoods attempt to return to a normal life another bomb shell is dropped into their lap. Meika's drug addicted mother, Cordelia, comes back into the picture demanding custody of her daughter. Once again, the family must face disappointment and pain.

Gloria Mallette pens a very descriptive novel. Although it is a little drawn out in the middle, and the end leaves you with some unanswered questions, most of the book is page-turning drama.

Tina
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