Of Blood and Sorrow

Tamara Hayle #8

by Valerie Wilson Wesley

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.

Genres: Mystery, African American

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Valerie Wilson Wesley is an African-American author of mysteries, adult-theme novels, and children's books,[1] and a former executive editor of Essence magazine. She is the author of the Tamara Hayle mystery series. Her writings, both fiction and non-fiction, have also appeared in numerous publications, including Essence, Family Circle, TV Guide, Ms., The New York Times, and the Swiss weekly magazine Die Weltwoche.

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
This was nostalgic and a solid final installment in this series.

[HoneyButterfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book! There were some gaps, but when I started I didn't realize it was a part of a series. I think the gaps will be filled once I read the other books

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tamara gets caught up again. Call it I-am-nosy-for-my-own-good. This story takes her back to the past with Lilah Love. Her Jamacian excursion and yes Basil Dupree. Yet, this story is a sad one of family secrets and misunderstandings. Wilson-Wesley plays with reader's emotions as Tamara tries to find a killer that near her son. Overall, it's a classic Tamara Hayle Newark girl story.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Private investigator Tamara Hayle has complicated relationships and those relationships from the past collide with her present day and embroil her in a series of murders that she needs to solve to save herself and her son. This was my first book of the Tamara Hayle series, not realizing it was the final book in the series. I will definitely have to start from the beginning of the series.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a perfect read -topic and length- for a plane ride LAX to MSP. I sadly began this series with #8 but will pick up a few more for future short trips. The characters, plot and writing were all OK--- nothing fabulous, but nothing glaringly annoying. Meets the minimum standards: quick mystery by female author with female protagonist.

[Reba · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was bittersweet. I liked the story, and the mystery, but I knew while reading it that this was the last of the Tamara Hayle mysteries. It's always nice to read an entire series, but it's always a little sad when you know it is ending.

[Jo Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Blood and Sorrow

It has been years since I read a Tamara Hayle novel. I enjoyed this one as much as the others and wish they could be made into a mini series. I will be adding her novels to my kindle collection.

[Robbie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!!!

I liked this story from the beginning. The story kept me in suspense up to the end. This is a good read.

[Shonda Cheekes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Tamara Hayle story that keeps you on your toes and anticipating the outcome. Valerie never disappoints.

[Zaphoddent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay.

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! I have not read from this author prior but I will definitely go back to the start of the series. Her character are complex and the story teasing to the very end, I’d highly recommend.

[Lydia Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Energetic and fast moving crime novel. It was a great audiobook for a day full of errands.

[Kathleen Hagen]

Of Blood and Sorrow, by Valerie Wilson Wesley, A-minus, narrated by Patricia Floyd, produced by Recorded Books, downloaded from audible.com.

Crime-fighting private eye, Tamara Hayle is having a slow season in mid summer. She is in her spare office in the poorer part of town. The air conditioner is broken so she has her office door open. And who should come walking in but someone she knew in her past and never hoped to see again-Lila Love. Lila had been married to, and divorced a soldier returning from Iraq who had fought in the special forces, trained killers, as he himself said. Lila had a baby with this man, and now her baby was missing. She wanted to hire Tamara to bring her baby back. Tamara’s son came unexpectedly to her office while Lila was there, and after he left, Lila more or less threatened Tamara by saying if Tamara would help her get her baby back, she wouldn’t hurt Tamara’s son. Tamara had decided not to help her. Then she went to an appointment with an important man in town who had once been quite a criminal. It turned out he was the soldier’s father, and he wanted Tamara to get the baby back for himself, his wife and their son to raise. Tamara uneasily tried to straddle the middle of this mess. Then people started being murdered, starting with Lila. And it turns out that her own son had been in Lila’s car just prior to her murder and had left his backpack. So the police were looking for him either as a witness or a suspect. This is one of those great books that just moves forward. Tamara has some really witty one-liners, and Patricia Floyd does a wonderful job with the voices. It seems that there are more books in this series, and I will certainly look for them. Even the parts about Tamara’s various men are funny rather than boring.

[Donna’s Book Addiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the eighth installment of the popular Tamara Hayle series by Valerie Wilson Wesley. Tamara Hayle is a Private Detective that has a leisurely, `home-girl' way of unveiling a mystery. She’s a character with flaws but that makes her feel real.

This was a book club selection and my first read of her series. I would have liked to have read “Where Evil Sleeps” to be completely caught up on the characters and their past. My favorite characters were the mysteriously sexy Basil Dupre and Tamara's best friend Wyvetta Green (the proud owner of the Beauty Biscuit), that adds just the right touch to this story. Tamara's quandary about her two lovers puts some heat into the action and I found myself wondering which man she would choose. I felt Tamara's anguish at her son's choices which put him smack dab in the middle of her investigation when Lilah, who is found murdered in her car with Jamal's backpack in the rear seat.

Not enough mystery/suspense. When the killer is revealed, it is slightly anti-climatic because you realize that it wasn't as complicated as you originally thought. However, the story kept me guessing with each flip of the page until the very end.

This was my first and sincerely not my last Tamara Hayle mystery.

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tamara Hayle was more concerned about the life if her son than anything else. Her past demons come to threaten Tamara into getting her baby back. Yes, it's Lilah Love, the same woman from her trip in Jamaica. Unbeknownst to Tamara she had a baby but her sister took the baby and won't give it back.

I love Tamara Hayle. She's so cool and calm but tries to give people the benefit of the doubt. This story was wrapped around a baby, Baby Dal, and four people lost their lives over her. There is one character that Tamara needs to release out of her life and that's her beau, Larry. Snobbish and arrogant.

[Glenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this author once many years ago, but don't remember being that impressed. I'm not really a mystery book reader, so I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Great characters and storyline. I found myself talking to the characters trying to warn them or telling them when they did something stupid. The mark of a truly good book. It really drew me in and left me wanting more. I think I may be a fan of "who done its" now or at least this author.

[Gwendolyn Dabney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got the audible version of this book and listened to it in the 7 plus hours that it took to finish, and loved every minute. I've read all the other Tamara Hayle mysteries and enjoyed them all. This one didn't disappoint.

[Aleeda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I typically love these stories, which introduce me to a town so close, but still worlds away. Though I read the novel in one sitting, it is the weakest of the series. I will, however, continue to read them, as African American mystery writers are few and far between.

[Arlene♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Such a great ending to an eight book series. Too bad she won't be writing anymore. Tamara Hayle has enticed me again and this mystery had me guessing right till the very end. It was a sad story but ended on a good note. Awesome series that in will revisit again.

[Heywu]

BOT

[Margaux]

Recommended by Gloria & Judge Bransford

[Malika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was worried after reading a soft review of the book, but actually it was fairly good. Not a "complicated" mystery, but a fast and enjoyable read.

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best mystery series I've read this one was the best put of the whole series

[Liz Lenz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook of this and it made it enjoyable. Even laughed a few times. I might have liked her previous novels better had I the audiobooks been available.

[Debra Odom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her mystery books remind me of Walter Mosley's books. This book had me guessing as to whom the culprit was.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. One of my favorite detective series ever