Blanche on the Lam

Rating:
Summary: Different take on the mystery genre, different ideas
Review: As a white woman reading an African American woman's book, there are definitely moments where I am forced to confront hugely different ideas and expectations than those I've been surrounded with throughout my life. I find Blanche White's straightforward honesty refreshing, and, contrary to many other reviewers, I think that we hear "political" mental dialogue from most other mystery characters--we just aren't quite so challenged by the white woman's feminist blurb or some man's thoughts on the military.

As far as the mystery in this novel goes, it was a fun read that kept me interested. I flew through this first book and was left curious to know what would happen to Blanche in her future adventures. Any mystery that conforms to genre has the potential to be a great read for me--I'm in it for the characters and mood the author manages to convey. Having read two later installments in Neely's series, I can say that she keeps up the good work.

BarbaraNeely did an excellent job in crafting Blanche, giving her a three dimensional and believable character that might help other readers appreciate a perspective different from their own.

Rating:
Summary: BLANCHE TRIUMPHANT
Review: The two stars belong to Blanche. She is a quirky, vibrant character, very well-developed. I would like to read a non-mystery about Blanche in a non-me-against-them setting.

The book, though short, is slow to develop; it's half over before anything happens. With the exception of a young man suffering from Down's Syndrome, all of the white people in the book are despicable. Though Blanche has phone conversations with her friends and family, the people physically present are caricatures of various degrees of evil ranging from worthless to monstrous. We are stuck with a lot of one-dimensional characters and no action to distract us. I found the plot centering around the rich old aunt quite unbelievable.

Ms. Neely is a very good writer. I think Blanche needs wings to fly out of the constricting mystery-whodunnit category.

Rating:
Summary: Watch Out
Review: You don't want nobody to know, you better not do it around Blanche. Blanche is a woman of courage, strength and wit. She takes you on to a path of problem-solving mystery that's fun and adventreous. I will buy the next book in the series to see what Blanche will do next.