Don't Believe Your Lying Eyes: A Darryl Billups Mystery

BLAIR S. WALKER IS A MYSTERY WRITER WHO MUST LOVE A GOOD STORY."DON'T BELIEVE YOUR LYING EYES" IS A PAGE TURNER FOR SURE,A BOOK THAT YOU'LL REMEMBER AFTER YOU'RE DONE READING.

Darryl Billups lastest assignment for the Baltimore Herald is to investigate the case of the female corpse found at Safe and Sound a storage facility. Darryl and his longtime live in girlfriend Yolanda breakup after a dinner filled with drama at her parents home. Discovering the corpse was murdered and missing for eighteen years. Darryl and the beautiful, smart newly promoted to detective Thelma Holmes solve the case. Great mystery with action and unexpected twists.

I personally believe one of the essential elements in a good mystery is a likable protagonist with whom the reader can identify and also bond. Darryl Billups is such a character. He is smart, savvy and has the inquisitive nature required for sleuthing. His job as an investigative journalist provides him with ample opportunity and access to the information needed to solve crimes and unravel mysteries. This new case is going to be a real challenge. The body of a young African American woman is discovered in a storage facility, and she appears to have been a woman of means. All indications are the body has been hidden for over 18 years. The big questions are who is she, who murdered her and why? Darryl is given the assignment by his editor and it soon becomes evident that some pretty important people would rather Darryl not figure this one out. Quite frankly, that's not Billups style and he becomes even more determined to find the killer/s. On a personal note, Darryl's love life is in shambles. His fiance, Yolanda, and he are having major problems which are beginning to seem insurmountable. Issues that until now he has ignored, but with the upcoming nuptials, he's forced to consider. To complicate matters Darryl finds himself working this case with a very attractive female detective. I loved this one just as much as the first two novels. The story leaves you hanging a little at the end, but I'll forgive that because I know there's another book in the works. Right Blair...... Reviewed by Ruby APOOO BookClub

There is scandal in Baltimore. The body of the mayor's fiancee has just been discovered after she was reported missing over 15 years ago. The city is rocked by the news of the death of this beautiful and talented woman.Darryl Billups, one of Baltimore's best and well-known reporters is on the case. He is hoping that working on this story will distract him from the personal turmoil in his life. He and his fiancee are having major problems, and he is upset and confused by the whole situation.As Darryl begins to dig into the story of the mysterious vanishing and subsequent death of the mayor's fiancee, he uncovers secrets concerning some of the most powerful people in Baltimore. Unfortunately, Darryl's inquisitiveness puts him in danger's path numerous times during the course of the story.Don't Believe Your Lying Eyes: A Darryl Billups Mystery is a classic Blair S. Walker story. Even though his books are billed in the mystery genre he gives you so much more than that in his writing. There is also drama, intrigue, humor and compassion. I enjoyed this story and believe that you will enjoy it as well.Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks

Darryl Billups is a thirty-something reporter with the Baltimore Herald. He enjoys chasing down a good story. In fact, Darryl gave up his position as an editor in order to return to his true love of reporting.Darryl is engaged to long term girlfriend Yolanda Winslow whom he has little in common. He is a middle class educated brother and she is a struggling sister with a GED. Yolanda is into hip hop; whereas Darryl enjoys listening to jazz. However, Darryl adores her four year old son. He believes that he is ready for the ultimate commitment until he and his sister Camille visit Yolanda's family. Classes collide and a break up ensues. Yolanda leaves Darryl for her son's father.Darryl is devastated and he decides to focus on work. He is assigned a news breaking story about a dead body found in a storage unit. Eighteen years ago, Baltimore jazz singer Adrienne Jackson warmed the hearts of many. She then mysteriously disappeared. No one suspected that she had been murdered and her body has been stored in a unit like an old piece of furniture.Her former fiancé is the current powerful Mayor of Baltimore. At the time of Adrienne's disappearance, the citizens of Baltimore expressed their condolences to Adrienne's fiancé.The discovery of Adrienne's body results in a gun battle. Two people die and a team of two Baltimore cops are wounded. Scott Donatelli is a white detective who is from the old school. He resents his partner Thelma Holmes who is African American. He feels that Thelma is merely an affirmative action promotion to fill a quota. He has no real respect for her until she literally saves his life from the midst of gun fire. Scott now understands that they have one goal; he and Thelma must find the killer before more lives are lost.The case takes a turn for the worst. The body is stolen from the Medical Examiner's office.Darryl then launches his own investigation. As he tracks down the killer, Darryl suffers a series of mishaps. His tires are slashed and his house catches on fire. Is his ex-fiancé Yolanda responsible? Or are the incidents linked to the murderer?Darryl and Baltimore detectives Thelma and Darryl become allies in their quest to solve the murder.When they discover the real killer, the game is not over. With a surprise ending, DON'T BELIEVE YOUR LYING EYES is a fast paced and engaging mystery that will keep the reader turning page after page.