Do or Die: A Mali Anderson Mystery

Mali Anderson #4

by Grace F. Edwards

A songbird is silenced ... by murder.

With her soulful voice and delicate beauty, Starr Hendrix seemed destined to live up to her name and hit it big as a jazz singer. But her career ended before it began, and Mali's father offered Starr a second chance by giving her top billing as singer for his popular jazz band's latest show. Mali isn't surprised when Starr doesn't show — but everyone is shocked when the troubled woman is found savagely murdered....

The prime suspect is a low-life pimp with a grudge against Starr. But then the pimp stops a bullet — and everyone suspects Starr's devastated father of exacting his own revenge. Mali vows to use her experience as a former cop to find the real killer. Her search will take her in and out of the "three B's" of the beauty shops, barbershops, and the bars. But it will also lead Mali directly into the path of a killer — one who, if not stopped, will almost surely strike again....

Genres: Mystery, Crime

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 18, 2000

Reviews

[Sarah Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. A jazz mystery in Harlem with a smart heroine and a cast of characters to keep you wondering for much of the book. Edwards covers a lot issues for the black woman and her efforts to be her own person and follow her dreams and how
that often can be derailed.
This is a clever well written mystery with some interesting insights into human nature and the relationships between men and women and women and their fathers.
Well worth the read.

I wrote a review of Edwards books for my local neighborhood magazine. You can find it at
NAIABrooklyn.org

[Ronald Wise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my introduction to author Edwards and her most famous character, ex-NYPD officer Mali Anderson. It wasn't the most gripping crime drama, but I was left with an admiration for the heroine. By following the locations and historical references online, I now know much more about how Harlem fits into the geography and history of New York City. This mystery was recommended by the Seattle Public Library on its reading list "Mysteries with Woman Detectives".

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish Grace Edwards would write more Mali Anderson mysteries! I love these character. Edwards does a great job of creating the feel of Harlem, with jazzy undertones. If you're looking for a good series (even though four books only) with an African American woman in the lead--or just a great mystery series with a strong female lead--go for it. You won't be disappointed.

[CarolineFromConcord · Rating 3 out of 5]

This murder mystery by Grace F. Edwards takes place in contemporary Harlem. It starts out with a jazz cruise on the QE2 to Newport and Canada, and gets up steam when a jazz pianist's daughter is murdered in her Harlem apartment. Was her history with a pimp to blame, the drugs everyone thought she quit, jealousy of one of the other girls or the wife of an older man? The heroine sets out to learn the truth.

I'll tell you what I liked a lot and what I didn't like so much.

I loved the mise en scene, the descriptions of streets, restaurants, and famous former denizens of Harlem. I loved the way the many eccentric characters spoke, and I liked learning Harlem history and the way Edwards digs into social justice issues.

What I didn't like was the formulaic romance the ex-policewoman protagonist has with another officer. I didn't like the coincidences or the predictable plot. (I admit that predictability wasn't entirely the author's fault: a blurb on the jacket was a real spoiler for anyone used to the genre.)

Also, although several characters had memorable personalities, I didn't like how the streetwalkers, despite being important to the plot, blended together. In fact, they were often referred to by the day their pimp used to collect their earnings: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ...

Recommended for atmosphere; not so much for story.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this mystery and the whole set that was staged around it.

[Susan Oleksiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starr Hendrix has remade her life, bringing her rich voice and stunning beauty to the brink of fame and success when she is found brutally murdered. Her father is a close friend and colleague of Mali Anderson's father in the world of New York jazz, and Mali can't help being drawn into the investigation, especially when suspicion moves to unlikely suspects.

Mali Anderson is both tough and kind, intuitive and realistic, as she investigates a murder that cuts close to home. Starr was blessed, knew her own worth, and fought back when she was brought down by envy and greed. She is a victim we wish had lived. Mali is tough as she takes the reader through a world where her informants are in beauty salons, barbershops, and bars, and in every occupation open to those living a hard life.

This a well-paced mystery with interesting characters in a well realized setting, contemporary Harlem, which the author knew well.

[Sin Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

mid but I still enjoyed it so 🙆🏻‍♀️

Edit: since finishing it and thinking back on it, I want to mark this as a 3.5 Stars in my head + write down some more thoughts. Despite the vivid imagery, big personalities, and emotional depiction of the reality that working girls deal with, I felt like I wasn’t connecting with anyone. Maybe it’s because this book wasn’t meant to be read as a standalone, but it wasn’t very compelling plot-wise.

[Macy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, but nothing spectacular. This was my first introduction to Edwards' books and I wasn't particularly impressed nor disappointed. I didn't like how the crime was solved in the last 4 pages and how there was never really any other actual suspect. It was predictable, to me. I did like the way she wrote, it made me feel like I could relate to her characters and that I knew them.

[Martha Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had read these in order...