That Devil's No Friend of Mine [Hardcover]

J. D. Mason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 17, 2009

When Bishop Fontaine passed away he left behind more than a list of good deeds.  He was known as a caring friend and doting father. . .but he was also manipulative and controlling, especially to those he loved.  His death begins to unravel deep secrets and shocking desires among the people he cared about the most. . .

 

His daughter, Kristine, feels that with her father’s death she is finally free.  His best friend and business partner, Lamar, feels that now can finally have what he has longed for all these years: Kristine.  His protégé, Cole, the boxing champion and rising star, married a woman Bishop never approved of and may have been right about.  Rayne, the blues singer and ex-junkie relied on Bishop to keep her clean and is now slipping down a dark path without him.  And Rhonda, Lamar’s wife, is determined to ignore what has been unfolding in front of her if it means that her predictable life will go unchanged.  And then a newcomer steps onto the scene and threatens to turn everything upside down.

 

Five very different people whose lives are only connected by Bishop suddenly find themselves up close and personal as desires, dreams and passions collide.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Despite the assumptions associated with his first name, Bishop Fontaine is not an official of the church. He is, however, a successful and influential undertaker, and his death causes a ripple effect. His best friend and partner, Lamar Brown, has always desired Bishop’s daughter, Kristine. With Bishop gone, so is the only roadblock keeping Lamar from pursuing his obsession. Tragically, Lamar’s wife, Rhonda, knows her husband’s intentions. Bishop mentored Cole, who’s up for his second middleweight-boxing championship fight. He warned Cole against his wife, Nora, a sadomasochistic supermodel, and his predictions have come true. Singer Fitzgerald knew Bishop as her sugar daddy, but she is also the object of unrequited love. Mason (This Fire Down in My Soul, 2007; You Gotta Sin to Get Saved, 2008) has become a major name in African American fiction. Her stark portrayals of her characters and their innermost thoughts bring the readers right into the emotional center of the story. Those who enjoy Carl Weber and Eric Jerome Dickey will add Mason to their list of favorites. --Shelley Mosley

Review

"Mason has become a major name in African American fiction. Her stark portrayals of her characters and their innermost thoughts bring the readers right into the emotional center of the story. Those who enjoy Carl Weber and Eric Jerome Dickey will add Mason to their list of favorites." --Booklist

 

"Bishop Fontaine is a huge presence in the lives of his friends and family, and Mason adeptly shows how his death has an equally powerful impack on them. Diverse emotions flow across the pages, and readers will savor the intimacies and storylines that make this novel an exceptional offering." --Romantic Times BOOKreviews

 

"Bittersweet tale of how one manipulative man's death impacts the lives of others; masterfully told." --Fresh Fiction 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (March 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312368852
• ISBN-13: 978-0312368852
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I started writing seriously in 1995 beginning with my first novel "Resurrecting Ruth" which eventually turned into "And on the Eighth Day She Rested", which was finally published in 2003 by St. Martin's Press. Since then, I've written several novels and short story contributions to anthologies. I'm currently working on my 6th novel, while waiting impatiently for the 4th and 5th books to hit the stands in 2007.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What Lies Beneath, March 28, 2009

By 

Tavares S. Carney "Inspire, Motivate & Encourage" (Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: That Devil's No Friend of Mine (Hardcover)

Review by Tavares S. Carney

Author, J.D. Mason, brings readers into the lives of characters Kristine Fontaine, Lamar and Rhonda, Cole and Nora, Rayne, T. Diggs, and Cash. That Devil's No Friend of Mine is a story of a trail of secrets, lies and family ties left behind by a strong-willed man, Bishop Fontaine, with convictions that influenced his family and those he cared for to still be concerned with what he'd think of them and their actions, even after his death.

Upon Bishop's passing, the author weaves a tale with characters whose lives are, unknowingly, intertwined by Bishop Fontaine. Kristine, Bishop's only child, is the heiress to a million-dollar business owned by her father and family-friend, Lamar. Kristine's vulnerability and innocence is tucked away when she finds new life in being able to make her own decisions, as well as come to terms with secrets of the past. Finding new love in Tauris Diggs helps Kristine to process her emotions, deal with her past and face the future. Supporting characters, Cole and Nora, Cash and Rayne add a twist to the story by offering subplots of volatile marriage and drug addiction.

The novel is a relatively fast-read. I did want to know what would happen next. I did close the novel, however, with a sense of not knowing if I was happy with the ending, only because I'd like to know how things turn out for Kristine and T. Diggs, and even moreso, Cole. I would have also liked to have known more about Bishop's character.

Overall, I liked this story. It read well for me.

Review by Tavares S. Carney

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Devil Is Busy..., March 20, 2009

By 

Phyllis Rhodes (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: That Devil's No Friend of Mine (Hardcover)

J.D. Mason's latest novel, That Devil's No Friend of Mine, opens at the funeral of Bishop Fountain, a man who was a loving husband, doting father, an idolized mentor, and a good friend to a cast of characters who must deal with his unexpected absence in their lives. Set in modern day suburban Washington, DC, the plot has a "six degrees of separation" undertow in that Bishop's death links and affects the key characters differently with both positive and negative results. Each have their issues, burdens to bear, and more than one harbors secrets and runs from demons.

Bishop's sheltered daughter, Kristine, a 29 year-old "good girl" and victim of an overbearing father, exhales at his funeral, dons a new wardrobe, embraces her sexuality, and finally claims her life as her own. She gets hands-on with her handyman, Tauris; but he has a "love jones" that just will not die for the beautiful songstress Rayne, a recovering heroin addict, who treats him like a boy toy. Rayne's world is turned upside down by the sudden reappearance of her supplier. Her resolve is challenged without Bishop's stern presence to bolster her. Bishop's distant cousin, Cole, a handsome world-renowned prize-fighter, is up against the ropes with his wife, Nora, a super model with a fetish that threatens their marriage and careers. Lamar, Bishop's business partner, also faces marital challenges when his suppressed desires surface with disastrous results.

This is a contemporary fiction novel with a touch of daytime soap opera flair; meaning that although the cast is outwardly beautiful, in perfect physical shape, and unbelievably desirable, they are far from perfect. The flawed characters grapple with their vacillating feelings, selfish needs, and teetering emotions generating the much needed drama to propel the plot. Surprisingly, the story actually conveys clear, concise messages and lessons on honesty, love, and devotion despite the characters' differing views on "love" -- from genuine to psychotic. Sadly, I thought the outcome of each sub-plot scenario yielded predictable and uneventful conclusions. I was left with a few minor questions -- but for this genre, I reminded myself to just take the story for what it is and not think too hard about the minor disconnects. Recommended for fans of the author and those who want a light, quick read -- a perfect novel for Spring Break or Summer Vacation.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub
March 20, 2009

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars That Devil's No Friend of Mine, August 9, 2009

By 

OOSA Online Book Club "O.O.S.A. Gets It Read!" (World Wide Web, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: That Devil's No Friend of Mine (Hardcover)

Bishop Fontaine is dead. While others are mourning his death, his only child, 29-year-old Kristine, is secretly rejoicing. She's not rejoicing the loss of his life, but rather the birth of her freedom. No more curfews. No more drab, homey clothing. No more oppression. A chance to have friends, and more importantly - a man!

Lamar Brown, Bishop's friend and business partner, also sees the death of Bishop as a form of freedom - freedom to pursue the one thing he wants most, Kristine Fontaine. Despite his love, loyalty and respect for Bishop, not to mention his own wife, he can't shake his feelings for Kristine.

Rhonda Brown has had her suspicions. She's always hoped that they were unfounded. After all, she stepped in and played the role of mother to Kristine after the death of her mother. Kristine even calls her husband, Lamar, Uncle Lamar. They're practically family, right? But that doesn't stop the nagging feeling that there is something more there between her husband and Kristine.

Bishop Fontaine held a special place in Rayne Fitzgerald's heart. Four years ago he helped to get the monkey off her back - heroin to be exact. Once a junkie, Rayne is now a blues singer on the track to bigger things. And she has Bishop to thank for that. With him now gone, is she strong enough to keep that monkey off her back?

A role model is what Bishop was to Cole `The Hammer' Burkette, a pro boxer. Even with the fortune and fame, he was someone Cole could always talk to, be encouraged by, and aspire to be like. Without his mentor, is Cole down for the count?

One man...Five lives.

"That Devil's No Friend of Mine" spends its energy exploring the tension, uncertainty and growth in its characters. This intriguing novel works on many levels, touching on the themes of drug abuse, molestation, love, life and death. Mason delivers a highly enjoyable account of five lives influenced by the life and death of one person. "That Devil's No Friend of Mine" is a book worth taking a look at.

Reviewed by: Toni