Rating: 
Summary: A touch of class
Review: Finally, a mystery featuring a black character who is educated, interesting, and does not speak ebonics and thinks about other things than models of cars or what designer clothing. And, her dialogue is fresh, lively, and doesn't constant begin with "Um."Reading about this Ivy League was interesting. My only complaints are that I didn't feel Nikki did much sleuthing, and the book was a bit too long. I did like the supporting cast. Also, the relationship with Dante was nicely done.
Rating:
Summary: 2-3 star mystery at Harvard w/typicalcolorful characters
Review: I did enjoy this read. It was a simple plot. The characters were educated, socialized, well-dressed and coiffured...just the right everything for Harvard University; right down to novel numbers of African-American Professors. Interesting Climatic Twist. A great read for the beach weather permitting.
Rating: 
Summary: I *did* finish it -- otherwise it would be 1 star.
Review: I agree with several of the 1 star reviews. Full of mystery cliches, lots of padding, pretty poor writing, and a cast of thoroughly one-dimensional characters -- the love interest between Nikki and Dante is so thin as to be comical. If the book were re-cast as comical, and re-written in that style, it might be much better. The main reason I finished was the Harvard/Cambridge connection. Good luck if you buy this one, but check the used bookstore first -- my copy will be there soon!
Rating: 
Summary: This was one of the best written mysteries I've read.
Review: This was one of the best written mysteries I've read in a long time. It kept me guessing and very interested from the beginning to the end. I couldn't put it down. It is obvious that she used her experiences as a student at Harvard as the basis for much of her information. Additionally, the protagonist's background was very similar to her personal educational background. There were no stereotypes and it was very realistic. For a first novel/mystery, it was excellent.
Rating: 
Summary: Yet another tedious tome by yet another wannabe
Review: This book is little more than a paean to the author's good fortune at having gotten into Harvard. I, too, am an alumnus of that august institution, but I got over it a long time ago. And this, in sum, would be my advice to Ms. Graham before she pens any more of these banal "Ivy League Mysteries" : It's wonderful that you were able to get an Ivy League degree or two, but this alone does not validate your existence. Get over it and get on with the more substantive aspects of living.
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining weekend read!
Review: Though a bit simplistic, this one is worth it. As a black woman working in a traditionally white career path, I found Nikki's struggle to attain career success interesting. I must say however, that by the middle of the book, I had the "surprise" ending pegged. Still, I would recommend this for those interested in Harvard and an educated woman's view of it. Entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Very very bad...
Review: Simply put, this was one of the worst mystery books I've ever read. How simplistic could she be!! The book read like a list of the best-known cliches and I could barely get through it. Ms. Thomas-Grahan should stick to her day job...
Rating:
Summary: What a load of self-indulgent pooh
Review: Whodunnit it maybe, but the new Agatha Christie P Thomas Graham definitely is not. Perhaps Mrs Graham should read more books before she attempts to write them. And perhaps she should also leave her ivory tower and stop rubbing the rest of our noses in it. I did not go to Harvard, nor any other Ivy League school, but my college is not my reason for being - Why is it that one's Alma Mater defines one? Big deal you got a degree. Do you have a personality? Harvard grad she may be, but her writing is definitely senior high . . . Purple prose, meandering sentences, bad sex parts. The blacks versus whites thing is valid, but she treats the blacks as caricatures (black panthers or Uncle Toms - both groups are treated disparagingly). Whites don't escape either - the ditzy secretary is a millionaire WASP daughter - whose butler Gaston trips at the end. That is like, so believable. Wealthy girls do not 'do' for college professors. And who has a butler named Gaston? Is this a Noel Coward play gone horribly wrong? The best denouement is when we find that the president of Harvard is really black. And even his WASP princess wife who was racist all along knew all the time, and is able and willing to hang in da hood - why she even calls Nikki Chase "girlfriend" at the end. Masterful. Not. There is a lot of page filling (as opposed to page turning) stuff - like "My Prada backpack" The whole thing read like a senior year 'My trip to Harvard this summer" essay. And does anyone know what a magisterial staircase is? I have seen majestic staircases in my time, but never a magisterial one.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely refreshing. It's about time!
Review: I don't usually write reviews, but after reading the ones posted I couldn't help myself. I thoroughly enjoyed "A Darker Shade of Chrimson." Reading is my passion, and it isn't necessary for me to have visited India to visualize it when it's weaved into a good story. One of the main reasons it was so enjoyable is because I could actually relate to it. The character is a professional female that happens to be black. The most disappointing aspect of reading books by the majority of black authors is their assumption that no one will read their books but black people and that most black people speak "Ebonics." Wrong! Pamela Thomas-Graham didn't find it necessary to condescend to the reader. She told a story, a good story, eloquently. Unlike most of you, I rather enjoyed the interplay between "Nik" aka "Juliet" and the ex-boyfriend. Actually, I wish she had explored it further. As a black professional, I totally tapped into this character. The only flaw, in my opinion, was the fact that Nikki allowed her insecurities to bleed a tad too often. The character was too strong to show, or ever say, that she was inferior to her boyfriend or anyone else for that matter. In fact, most of the people I know don't even think about being black, white or anything else, until it becomes an issue. Believe it or not my fellow critics, we're pretty much all alike. Additionally, it's a sad state of affairs when a reader resorts to criticisms about the appearance of the author (who cares anyway), rather than the value of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must READ!!!!
Review: I liked this book. The characters were well developed and the plot twist, although sometimes strange were refreshing! The suspense had me on the edge of my seats at times! If you love mysteries you'll love this book. And you don't need to have an Ivy League degree to relate to these characters, only an open mind!!!
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