Blue Blood

After reading Thomas-grahm's first mystery at Harvard (Darker Shade of Crimson), I was eager to see if she could capture the conflicts of race and gender at Yale. She's done it brilliantly in "Blue Blood". The Harvard book was more of a challenge to read because it did not move as quickly as Blue Blood's story line. What I liked most about this book was that it really told you how black women have a foot in two worlds when they are trying to succeed in the mostly white and male world of the Ivy League. I know that there are a lot of black folks (including myself) who originally were suspicious of Thomas-Grahm's writing because we see her in TV interviews, on covers of business magazines and read her bio. I hate to admit it, but after reading about her 3 Harvard degrees, her Phi beta kappa, her Harvard Law Review, her lawyer/writer husband (he wrote about the black upper class--"Our Own Kind of People") her McKensey consulting firm partner stuff, her opera board and her first black running a division of NBC yadda yadda, I wanted to hate her because I was so jealous. Then I read her book and I said "Wow!" I realized that not only does she write really well, but it occurred to me that we're always complaining that talented blacks are never given their due. Well, I can say that here is a black renaissance woman that deserves what she's got. We should be proud of her rather than cutting her down. "Blue Blood" was a great book and it would be an even better movie. Thomas-grahm really understands how to write about the integrated world that so many of us middle class blacks have to deal with. She also seems to know a lot about the upperclass WASP world. Her books introduced me to a whole new world of campus intrigue. Great stuff.

Pamela Thomas-Graham deftly tackles such tough issues as racism and sexism in this book-yet weaves these issues with an intricate, finely nuanced, and fun mystery story. She is a 90's Amanda Cross and Dorothy L. Sayers. This book is for anyone who enjoys the mystery genre. Excellent job! More!

I usually don't like the idea of seeing my favorite murder mysteries turned into movies, but by the time I finished reading "Blue Blood", I was ready to go to the video store and rent the movie!(hope one is in the works) Not only was this a clever story, but it was great to see a smart Nikki Chase go head-to-head with rich Yale alums as well as aggressive black ministers without losing her sense of humor and without turning into a ball-busting man-hating woman. Nikki is classy, smart and very funny. I first heard of author Thomas-Grahm when People Magaizine picked her first book "Darker Shade of Crimson" as "page-turner of the month", but I figured she'd only be able to write about life at Harvard--where she went and where she set the first book. But I went to Yale, and I can tell you she really got our school right. I'm embarassed to say that I was one of those white Yalies who really was afraid of the black people who lived outside campus in New Haven. The author balances the race issues, class issues and a supremely clever murder of the blonde, conservative professor that we all kind of loved to hate. I'm looking forward to the next volume in the author's "Ivy League Mystery Books". My husband went to Dartmouth, so we'll be on the look out.

I must admit that I am hooked on Pamela Thomas-Graham's Ivy League Mystery series, of which I hope there will be more soon. Put succinctly, Blue Blood is a worthy follower to A Darker Shade of Crimson. I especially like the way she seems to hone in on the intricately complicated relationship shared by many African Americans. She pulls it off without pulling punches or standing in judgement - a risky feat to say the least, which is refreshingly honest. In addition, her relationship with the scrumptious quasi-boyfriend, Dante Rosario is adorable. It would be interesting to see their relationship grow into a mystery-solving duo.

Racism is alive and well being deeply imbedded in most American communities. Assistant Professor Veronica "Nikki" Chase is the only black person in her fifty-person department at blue-blooded Harvard. Nikki knows prejudice first hand when she and a fellow black person Gary Fox were students at Yale. Their relationship ended when Gary informed her he was marrying white aristocrat Amanda Engusol. Eventually Nikki and Gary reconcile and begin to attend the GAME together. Their relationship changes again when Gary informs Nikki that Amanda has been brutally murdered. Nikki tries to comfort her friend. The killing of a prominent individual like Amanda demands a quick arrest and one of Nikki's black students is accused of the crime. Nikki and much of the black community feel the police rushed to judgment by choosing a black patsy. Nikki begins her own investigation that takes her through an ugly maze while placing her own life in danger. Pamela Thomas Graham demonstrates she fully understand the negative impact of racism on individuals. However, her female protagonist cleverly uses that learned knowledge as a tool to obtain what she wants, making Nikki a likable character playing the system for all it is worth. Ms. Graham paints campus life as a place filled with dirty tricks in which the ends justify the means. The mystery is interesting, but clearly BLUE BLOOD is Nikki's show.Harriet Klausner