This is part two of books written by Black (and non-Black) authors – both indie and traditionally published – that I wanted to highlight during this 2023 Black History Month.
If you’re interested in exploring some different voices and perspectives, check these out.
Malice And Forethought: Short Stories Of Malice And Murder by Felicia Denise
Malice – noun; mal·ice | ˈma-ləs
1 : desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
//
2 : intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse
//ruined her reputation and did it with malice
Everyone is capable of malice and no one is immune to its outcome.
A Hint of Malice – When her last living relative commits suicide after having her identity and assets stolen, a grieving niece longs for justice.
Burned – When the masterminds behind a major drug operation get off with a slap on the wrists, a frustrated police detective warns them their wealth cannot shield them from everything.
The Marshall Sisters – After seeing her sister mistreated by far too many men, Leslie Marshall is proud of Paula for standing up for herself and accompanies her on a cold winter’s night to confront her boyfriend, but even Leslie isn’t ready for the new, assertive Paula.
The Watcher – Shamed into exiled by his family because of his sexual fetish and hanging on to the shreds of his sanity, a man plots the ultimate date night with his new neighbor.
What’s done in the dark always comes to the light.
(available on Kindle Unlimited)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Buy link: https://amzn.to/3Y3gx7m
NOTE: Click here to read an interview with author Felicia Denise & read my book review on Bookbub.
Dancing on the Edge of the Roof by Sheila Williams
At forty-one, Juanita Lewis is running away from home, courtesy of a one-way ticket to Montana, a place that seems about as far away from the violence and poverty of the Columbus, Ohio, projects as the moon. She wants adventure and excitement—if such things exist for a pre-menopausal African American woman with three grown, deadbeat children.
Juanita’s new life in Paper Moon, Montana, begins at a local diner where a culinary face-off with chef and owner Jess Gardiner finds Juanita in front of Jess’s stove serving up home cookin’ that lures the townsfolk like a magic spell. And suddenly Juanita, who was just passin’ through, now has a job by popular demand.
Out here in this wide-open space, Juanita’s heart can no longer hide, especially when she sees herself through the eyes of the wonderful and eccentric people of this down-to-earth town. She’s happy in Paper Moon; she’s found a home, but can she stay? And then there’s Jess. She has always dreamed of romance, but she never planned on falling in love.
Genre: Womens Fiction
Buy link: https://amzn.to/3Zv3KM0
Sugarland by Martha Conway
CHICAGO, 1921: Al Capone is on the rise, and a new music called jazz fills the speakeasies. When talented young pianist Eve Riser is caught in a drive-by shooting that kills the bootlegger standing next to her, she forms an unlikely friendship with the bootlegger’s sister, Lena. Eve is looking for her missing stepsister, a popular night club singer who has been missing since the shoot-out, and Lena wants to find out who killed her brother.
Together these two women navigate the back alleys and jazz clubs of the Roaring Twenties, encountering charismatic managers, handsome musicians, and a mysterious gangster called the Walnut who seems to be the key to it all. As they fight racial barriers trying to discover the truth, Eve and Lena must learn to rely on each other and trust no one else.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Buy link: https://amzn.to/3y3ibLL
NOTE: Click here to read my review on Bookbub