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A review by serendipitysbooks
Blanche on the Lam by Barbara Neely
dark
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Blanche on the Lam was a relatively quick read, a fast-paced murder mystery. But one that came with a very heavy dose of race relations. Class commentary too. Not a bad thing at all but it did sometimes feel a little heavy handed.
Sentenced to a spell in jail for passing bad cheques (only because an employer didn’t pay her) Blanche, a Black woman, manages to escape and then hides out by working as a housekeeper for a wealthy family in their summer house. All sorts of suspicious happenings take place. And then there are murders. That’s right. More than one. Thankfully Blanche is sassy, smart, and savvy - and not averse to a little snooping. Not only does she solve the case before the Sheriff is even aware there is a case to be solved, but she does so in a way that ends her “bad cheques and jail escapee” dilemma.
If you like southern gothic and are up for plenty of straightforward, no BS commentary when it comes to race this could be a book for you.
Sentenced to a spell in jail for passing bad cheques (only because an employer didn’t pay her) Blanche, a Black woman, manages to escape and then hides out by working as a housekeeper for a wealthy family in their summer house. All sorts of suspicious happenings take place. And then there are murders. That’s right. More than one. Thankfully Blanche is sassy, smart, and savvy - and not averse to a little snooping. Not only does she solve the case before the Sheriff is even aware there is a case to be solved, but she does so in a way that ends her “bad cheques and jail escapee” dilemma.
If you like southern gothic and are up for plenty of straightforward, no BS commentary when it comes to race this could be a book for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism