Most Popular Books by Valerie Wilson Wesley

From the award-winning creator of Newark private eye Tamara Hayle, the third installment in a spell-binding cozy mystery series featuring a multicultural cast and starring Odessa Jones, a recent widow with a brand new catering business, a full-time real estate gig, and the gift of second sight. When a young realtor is suddenly killed in a hit-and-run, Odessa must wade through a legion of lies to find the hidden killer…with a little help from her spirited aunt, loyal co-workers, mischievous cat Juniper and her own psychic skills. With pandemic-fearing city dwellers fleeing to the New Jersey suburbs, Risko Realty—and Odessa Jones—are having their best year ever. Finally on solid financial footing, Odessa is debt-free and looking forward to the future. But she doesn’t need second sight to sense her new young co-worker, Anna Lee, is on edge--and straight-up terrified--in spite of her hot sales record and sunny, outgoing attitude. And when Anna is killed in a hit-and-run, Odessa sees immediately that it was no accident . . . It''s soon clear that Anna was being stalked. But even with the help of family, friends—and Odessa’s feisty cat, Juniper—Odessa is coming up with more questions than clues. Why was Anna avoiding influential real-estate mogul Emily Delbarton? Why is Delbarton’s decidedly creepy brother so fixated on Anna? Did Anna make enemies through her previous job at the town’s exclusive gentlemen’s club? And can Odessa rule out her own ex-fiancé—who’s back in her life with an astounding connection to Anna—and wanting a second chance? Finding the answers will come at an increasingly deadly cost—one Odessa’s talents must somehow trap a killer to repay . . . “There’s also something oddly comforting about a Black woman in fiction who isn’t weighed down by societal pathology and who can appreciate a good glass of Merlot and reruns of “Downton Abbey” as much as the next woman. In between heavier mystery fare, this unicorn of a Black cozy is a welcome palate cleanser.” —The Los Angeles Times on A Glimmer of Death

Award-winning author Valerie Wilson Wesley launches a thrilling new mystery series set in New Jersey, featuring a multicultural cast, and starring a caterer-turned-realtor with the gift of second sight... In the first of a thrilling new series, one woman''s extraordinary psychic gift plunges her already-troubled present into chaos--and puts her future in someone''s deadly sights... Until now, Odessa Jones'' inherited ability to read emotions and foretell danger has protected her. But second sight didn''t warn her she would soon be a widow--and about to lose her home and the catering business she''s worked so hard to build. The only things keeping Dessa going are her love for baking and her sometimes-mellow cat, Juniper. Unfortunately, putting her life back together means taking a gig at an all-kinds-of-shady real estate firm run by volatile owner Charlie Risko... Until Charlie is brutally killed--and Dessa''s bullied co-worker is arrested for murder. Dessa can''t be sure who''s guilty. But it doesn''t take a psychic to discover that everyone from Charlie''s much-abused staff to his long-suffering younger wife had multiple reasons to want him dead. And as Dessa follows a trail of lies through blackmail, dead-end clues, and corruption, she needs to see the truth fast--or a killer will bury her deep down with it.

Struggling P.I. Tamara Hayle is hired by New Jersey''s most affluent African-American family to find their rebellious daughter who''s run off to Atlantic City where a serial killer prowls the streets. Tamara joins the hunt for the missing Gabriella Desmond--especially after Gabriella''s last known roommate is murdered. (May) Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

From the award-winning creator of Newark private eye Tamara Hayle, the second installment in a spell-binding cozy mystery series featuring a multicultural cast and starring Odessa Jones, a recent widow with a brand new catering business, a full-time real estate gig, and the gift of second sight. When a wealthy businessman dies during a catered brunch, it’s up to Odessa to find the culprit…with a little help from her spirited aunt, loyal co-workers, mischievous cat Juniper and her own psychic skills… Sometimes even good luck can mean bad fortune. For Odessa Jones—reluctant psychic, part-time caterer, full-time realtor—an elegant affair turned deadly threatens her reputation, and her life… Recently widowed Odessa Jones is sure the exclusive catering job she’s scored from wealthy businessman Casey Osborne will propel her catering career into the big leagues. So when Dessa’s pesky second sight warns her that Osborne is bad news, she ignores it. She wishes she hadn’t when he drops dead at his brunch after sampling her homemade preserves. Osborne’s death is declared a homicide. Dessa and the friends who helped her cook are considered suspects… To clear her name and find the truth, Dessa delves into Casey Osborne’s life. Everyone from his sinister business partner to his tormented ex-wife has reason to kill him—and the opportunity to do it. With the help of her spirited aunt, loyal co-workers and mischievous cat Juniper, she desperately searches for answers. Until a second murder leads Dessa down a frightening path filled with insidious hidden agendas—and someone poised to change her life forever. Praise for A Glimmer of Death “There''s crispness in Wesley’s plotting and sparkle in the supporting characters.” —Los Angeles Times “Wesley perfectly captures her protagonist’s emotions, including the lingering melancholy she feels for her late husband. . . . Readers will hope to see a lot more of kind, empathetic Odessa.” —Publishers Weekly

Valerie Wilson Wesley’s private investigator, Tamara Hayle, whom the Houston Chronicle calls “smart, sexy, tough but tender,” has earned enthusiastic acclaim from reviewers and readers alike. Now Newark, New Jersey’s savviest detective confronts the one case she never saw coming–and discovers how ties that bind can easily become a noose. Tamara Hayle can’t believe that her life is this good. New York’s most powerful businessman wants her to work for him, her new lover seems caring and supportive, and her son, Jamal, is thriving. But as Tamara sardonically observes, “When things stir that easy, there’s always something lumpy at the bottom of the pot.” Enter Lilah Love, an old acquaintance who begs Tamara to find her missing child. Tamara, however, is wary of Lilah, who attracts mayhem and murder like an alley cat attracts fleas. Next up is Basil Dupre, Tamara’s outlaw ex-lover, who always brings passion–and chaos–when he strolls into Tamara’s life. Suddenly Tamara’s safe world isn’t so secure, especially when Jamal witnesses a brutal murder and becomes the prime suspect. As the body count rises, Tamara and Jamal will follow a long-forgotten secret into a terrifying confrontation with love gone bad, trust turned lethal, and a past hungry to claim more lives.

At the darkly glamorous height of the Roaring 20s, an independent Black intellectual and her bi-racial foster child are immersed in the vibrant world of the Harlem Renaissance – and a shocking murder on Striver’s Row – in this thrilling Jazz Age mystery for reader of Nekesia Afia, Jacqueline Winspear, Avery Cunningham’s The Mayor of Maxwell Street. 1926: Harriet Stone, a liberated, educated Black woman, and Lovey, the orphaned, biracial, 12-year-old she is bound to protect, are Harlem-bound, embarking on a new, hopefully less traumatic chapter in their lives. They have been invited to move from Connecticut by Harriet’s cousin, Junetta Plum, who runs a boarding house for independent-minded single women. It’s a bold move, since Harriet has never met Junetta, but the fatalities of the Spanish flu and other tragedies have already forced her and Lovey to face their worst fears. Alone but for each other, they have little left to lose—or so it seems as they arrive at sophisticated Junetta’s impressive brownstone. Her cousin has a sharp edge that makes Harriett slightly uncomfortable. Still, after retiring to her room for the night, she finally falls asleep—only to awaken to Junetta arguing with someone downstairs. In the morning, she makes a shocking discovery at the foot of the stairs. What ensues will lead Harriet to question Junetta’s very identity—and to wonder if she and Lovey are in danger as well. It will also tie Harriet to five strangers. Among them, Harriet is sure someone knows something. What she doesn’t yet know is that one will play a crucial role in helping her investigate her cousin’s murder . . . that she will be tied to the others in ways she could never imagine . . . and that her life will take off in a startling new direction . . .

Afro-American private detective Tamara Hayle investigates the murders of her ex-husband''s sons.

The fourth outing of Newark, N.J., PI Tamara Hayle (Where Evil Sleeps, 1996, etc.) is driven more by Wesley''s obvious compassion for the people of inner-city Newark than by her plotting. Tamara, a black single mother, agrees to look into the murder of Shawn Raymond at the request of the dead man''s mother. It''s not her typical case, but Tamara feels obligated because, 18 years earlier, her brother Johnny, a policeman, took young Shawn under his wing. But after Johnny committed suicide, Tamara lost track of the Raymonds. The adult Shawn left a troubled teenage son, Rayshawn, whose crimes begin and end the book. Shawn also had affairs with the twin daughters of Gus Lennox, a retired tradition-breaking black cop still revered in the inner city. The relationships among characters get still more complicated: Gus has two brothers, one of whom is in jail and the other of whom, Ben, is an old flame of Tamara''s. While sorting through this collection of suspects, all of whom have motives but also unbreakable alibis, Tamara tries to ignore her emotions about Ben. When she finally cracks the case, she does so more by chance than by skill. Wesley''s plot is thin, but Tamara''s consistently sharp, honest voice carries the book forward as it delves into complex social issues--notably the rise of an African American middle class and its troubled relationship to the inner city on which many of its members have turned their backs.

When seven-year-old Willimena spends all the money she earned selling Girl Scout cookies, her big sister Tina helps her come up with a plan to earn the money back.

A popular female radio talk-show host enlists the help of P.I. Tamara Hayle after she receives threatening notes and repeated acts of vandalism make her fear for her safety.

Valerie Wilson Wesley’s Tamara Hayle mystery series featuring Newark, New Jersey’s number one private investigator are loved for their smart, sexy protagonist who “has a way with a wisecrack that is positively lethal” (Washington Post). Now in Dying in the Dark, Hayle is entrenched in a sinister investigation that will demand her best detective work yet. Tamara Hayle’s past has come back to haunt her–literally. She’s been plagued by terrifying dreams about Celia Jones, an old friend whose walk on the wild side led her to a horrible death. Celia’s teenage son, Cecil, begs Tamara to find his mother’s killer . . . only to end up dead himself, stabbed through the heart. The search for Celia and her son’s killer pulls Tamara deep into her friend’s troubled love life, where everyone adored her but somebody held a murderous grudge. There’s her bullying thug of an ex-husband; a handsome ex-lover who woos Tamara with charm and lies; and an angry, jealous woman who claims that Celia broke her heart. And those were just the obvious people with axes to grind. Despite her better judgment and the admonitions of the police department, Tamara refuses to back away from the mystery surrounding her old friend’s death and the tragedy that met her son. All clues lead to the past Tamara shared with Celia Jones, and Tamara fears that that past will threaten her own son. But she uncovers more than she bargained for–and unearths secrets someone would kill to keep in the shadows.

When good-hearted third-grader Willimena spends her Girl Scout cookie money on lunch for some friends in need, she tries to creatively earn back the money she spent; ultimately she must face the consequences of not being responsible with the money.

An emotionally rich and flavorful novel of past and present, loss and fulfillment is penned by the renowned author of "Ain''t Nobody''s Business If I Do."

Newark PI Tamara Hayle, holidaying in Kingston, Jamaica, befriends a chatty girl, also from Newark. Against her better judgment she agrees to a night on the town in the company of two men and the result is a tourist''s nightmare, theft and murder. By the author of Devil''s Gonna Get Him.

Willie''s excited when her cousin, Teddy, comes to visit, that is, until he gets all the attention.

The Afro-bets kids introduce forty-nine black men and women who are heroes of their time.

Juneteenth--the day Texan slaves found out they had been freed, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation--is June''s favorite holiday. This year, though, her cousin Lillie will be there for the Juneteenth picnic. This could spoil everything, for Lillie has no interest in celebrating this Texas tradition. But great-great Aunt Marshall just may be able to convince Lillie otherwise. Full color.

Newark PI and single mother Tamara Hayle is hired by a black investment banker to tail his stepdaughter''s new boyfriend, something Tamara is reluctant to do since he was her boyfriend once. But when the banker is murdered and an apparently innocent woman is accused of doing it, Tamara swings into high gear to probe Newark''s black urban world for clues.