WHERE TO CHOOSE : A NOVEL

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as "One Must Wait"
Review: "Where to Choose" was not as good as Mickelbury's first Carol Ann Gibson Mystery, "One Must Wait," which I found very enjoyable. "Where to Choose" has a promising plot, but it lacks the wonderful twists, turns, and surprises of its predecessor. Potentially interesting story elements, such as an early alliance between Carol Ann (C.A.) and a journalist (a profession of which C.A. is not fond), go nowhere. Too often C.A's male friends drop everything else in their lives to fly to her side to protect her from any peril. With so many guardians to take care of her every need, she seems more an artless victim than a cunning sleuth. As a result, in the only real risky situation she encounters in this book, she makes a really stupid move. It seemed that too much time was spent describing C. A.'s emotional state and the strong bonds between C. A. and her male protectors. The action throughout "One Must Wait", which gave birth to those bonds, was much more fun to read.

"Where to Choose" could have been as good as "One Must Wait", but all of the kinks were not worked out. Nevertheless, I think that the characters in this series are so appealing and have so much potential that, as a result of my enjoyment of the first book, "One Must Wait", I look forward to reading the third installment of this series.

Rating:
Summary: The Gibson mystery is great due to a superb role model
Review:

Two Americans (a Black and a Mexican) share a dream that they make happen when they build Southern California's Jacaranda Estates. The duo firmly believes that Blacks and Mexicans could not only harmoniously live together but that the sharing and understanding of the diversity of the two cultures will lead to a warm and lasting friendship. For the next five decades, twenty-five Black and twenty-five Mexican families share the beautiful dream.

However, even Eden had a serpent enter. Jacaranda Estates is no exception to the reptile invasion as a gang takes over the playground, turning it into their headquarters. They terrorize the entire community. A resident Grayce Gibson asks her daughter to learn why the police are ignoring their plight?

A widow for over a year, Carole Ann is excited to leave Washington DC after successfully uncovering her spouse's killers. Almost from the moment she arrives at her mother's home, Carole Ann begins to investigate the situation, concluding that law enforcement officials are either ignoring or condoning the gang's cowering of the community. Even though she places herself in danger several times, Carole searches for the truth.

The second Carole Ann Gibson mystery is a better tale than its wonderful predecessor was. Carole Ann is a genuine character, who is comfortable being a Black woman even as she is well aware of racism and sexism. She is a role model of female empowerment, not fearing to fight injustice no matter the personal cost or danger. The execution of the who-done-it is brilliant and the portrayal of race relations between Mexican-Americans and African-Americans is stunningly informative. Penny Micklebury is a talent worth reading by fans interested in a wonderful female amateur sleuth, starring in a fabulous series.

Harriet Klausner