In this Blanche White mystery, we meet a
comfortably
built lady in North Carolina, who is managing to put the
two children she adopted when her sister died, through a
good school. The kids want to vacation with well-off
friends in a resort outside Boston, and that's when the
trouble starts. BLANCHE AMONG THE TALENTED TENTH gets
straight
into a vexed question; is this handsome and smart ebony-
skinned lady considered too black, in a resort full of
black people using skin whiteners and hair straighteners?
Amber Cove resort was created by a wealthy black man
frustrated at his non-acceptance in other resorts. By now
anyone is welcome, but the pool of people are longstanding
family cottage owners in most cases. Blanche's children
want to fit in with their rich friends. But Blanche cleans
people's homes and buys pricey labels at thrift stores.
Her
skin is only a part of her culture and family, and she has
no intention of pretending to be someone she's not. This
is
the atmosphere prevailing when Blanche finds a suicide
note
on the beach with a pile of men's clothes. The note
confesses to a murder.
Blanche has to comfort the vanished man's family as well
as
her children. She receives some confidences which make her
unsure of the note's truth. Asking questions though,
doesn't make her popular with someone unknown who has a
lot
to lose.
Culture contrast and social comment abound. Blanche's
earthy nature is matched by some of the other mature
ladies
who, disregarding the snobs, chat about their first
husband
or years of travel. There is occasional strong language
and
adult content. Centuries of civil rights issues are
recalled as readily as yesterday's scandals. Sadly we see
that snobbery is part of human nature, and some insecure
people will take advantage of any difference to make
themselves feel a little higher in status. Murder knows
no
boundaries, on the other hand.
The warmth of personality is matched by the cool Maine
ocean, while the mounting tension draws us closer to
Blanche as she tries to protect those she loves. Barbara
Neely has written a confrontational story in BLANCHE AMONG
THE TALENTED TENTH but we emerge with a great deal more
respect
for the housemaid than for some of the wealthy resort
visitors. Try this tale; you may like it, and it'll shake
up any preconceptions you might hold.
BLANCHE AND THE TALENTED TENTH The second, ground-breaking mystery featuring African- American maid and amateur sleuth Blanche White by Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Award winning Author Barbara Neely When Blanche White moved north to Boston, she believed it would be a better place to raise her kids, especially after she got them into an elite private school. But now her children are becoming elitist and judgmental, acquiring more attitude than education. So when she and her kids are invited to Amber Cove, an exclusive resort in Maine for wealthy blacks, Blanche jumps at the chance to see how the other half lives and maybe stop her kids turning into people she doesn’t want to know. When one of the guests kills himself, and another is electrocuted in her bathtub, Blanche becomes an accidental detective once again, using her sharp wit and keen social insight to peel back some disturbing color and class distinctions within the black community that may have driven someone to murder.
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