After moving from Texas to Chicago, crime reporter Jordan Manning becomes frustrated with the lack of coverage of a series of murders of black women and does everything she can to give the story the attention it desperately requires.
... a singular thriller that brings the vulnerability and systemic neglect of Black girls as victims of violent crime into vivid relief ... That's an ambitious agenda, and fiction is a distinctly different mode of storytelling from news reporting, even if taking big issues and making them personal is second nature for the Emmy Award-winner. But the novel's storyline proves perfectly tailored to Hall's experience and skill set ... Though Jordan's musings sometimes slow the action, Hall's story makes up in verisimilitude and insight what it lacks in pacing ... Along with larger social forces, she deftly illuminates the individual and group agendas that can surround a case like this — the police, politicians, the family, lawyers, spokespersons, community activists and justice advocates. The cohesiveness and sheer scope of the narrative Hall has woven together is impressive ... Hall has a knack for showing how different people think and how human behavior works in a wide variety of circumstances ... an impressive debut — a moving take on familiar but urgent problems and society's indifference.
... a mysterious and thrilling crime novel that is also rich with social commentary and calls to take action against significant social justice issues ... Hall has created an undeniably likable, tenacious female protagonist in Jordan ... begins as a slow burn and really picks up the base about halfway through. It is a quick read, both easy to fall into and one which will leave readers reflecting upon the real-life parallels and meaning long after reading ... Bring on the next book in the series, I say!
... a compellingly realistic and timely first entry in Tamron Hall’s new mystery series starring the ambitious and fabulous Jordan, a woman not unlike her creator ... Her fiction takes on racism, sexism, media ethics and institutional bias, offering a fascinating inside look at the intricate ballet that is a live newscast ... a promising start to a series sure to appeal to fans of badass women with mysteries to solve and something to prove.
