Dying in the Dark

Tamara Hayle #7

by Valerie Wilson Wesley

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.

Genres: Mystery, African American, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Detective, Book Club

227 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

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

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book African-American single mother Tamara Hale continues her largely successful (but not all that lucrative) career as a private detective. This book is set many years after the others (which you should consider reading first) and there has been some growth in Hayle (I liked her when she was young though). She is still gutsy, intelligent and likeable. I prefer a protagonist I would drink with and there is certainly one here. Hayle has to investigate her former best-friend's death but things get complicated with more bodies and the victim's ex lovers. I won't give away more.

I like Tamara Hale as a character and I think Valerie Wilson Wesley is a fantastic writer. Her characters are all believably flawed, and the book has a lot of heart. The puzzle is complex enough to be worth it (but I guessed right...guess the clues were there). Hayle's son Jamal is loveable without being too good to be true.

This book is about plot, character and puzzle leaving out gore and having only as much action as is needed (but handling that well). It's perfect for someone who likes mysteries but doesnt want to be traumatised by reading.

A feel good novel but with enough of a critical edge for me. Highly recommended!

[Makayla]

Tamara Hayle's has a terrible and dangerous past that has come back to hunt her. On a mission to find the murderer of Celia Jones she starts to have terrible nightmares every night that later haunts her throughout the day. Cecil jones is on the mission also to find his mother killer, later dying by being stabbed right in his heart.
Could it possibly be the killer that killed his mom? You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself.

Tamara refuses to back away from the crime scene, because she is really determined to find out who actually killed her friend and her lovely son. As she continues to search something terribly happens that moves the mood in the book to a more suspense level. With Celia being her friend on earth or not nothing has stopped Tamara from loving Celia the way she did when she was present. With all of her might and strength Tamara continues to search for her friend killer, along with the person who killed her son.
Do you possibly think Cecil died trying to find his mom killer or the murderer had a grudge against the family and killed what was only left?

[Lois]

Interesting

[Kath26 · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Remember Celia Jones“ von Valerie Wilson Wesley ist ein Buch, dass ich vor ein paar Monaten aus einem öffentlichen Bücherschrank gezogen habe. Ich bin mir sicher, dass ich das Buch schon mal irgendwo (Internet, Booktube?) gesehen hatte, weiß aber nicht mehr wo. Es handelt sich bei diesem Buch um den wahrscheinlich 7. Fall für die Privatdetektivin Tamara Hayle, auch wenn man zu der Reihenfolge und Anzahl an Bücher unterschiedliche Angaben im Netz findet.

Im Gegensatz zu meiner an sich recht nerdigen Vorliebe Bücher einer Buchreihe in der richtigen Reihenfolge zu lesen, hat es mich hier nicht groß gestört, dass mir ein wenig Vorwissen zu Tamara Hayle fehlt. Im Gegenteil, es war ein guter Test für die Reihe und da mir das Buch grundsätzlich gut gefallen hat, ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit groß, dass ich mir die Reihe bald ab Fall 1 zu Gemüte führe.

Der Stil von Valerie Wilson Wesley hat sich sehr gut und flüssig lesen lassen, die Sprache ist unkompliziert und treffsicher. Die Ich-Form passt hier hervorragend, weil man so sehr schnell sehr eng an der Ermittlerin dran ist, was gerade für diesen Fall, der ihre Vergangenheit betrifft, wichtig ist in meinen Augen. Ob die Übersetzung jedoch immer so treffsicher war, weiß ich nicht. Im Prinzip fehlt mir da natürlich der Vergleich zum Original, aber an der ein oder anderen Stelle, habe ich mich etwas gewundert.

Auch über manche Gedankengänge und Handlungsweisen oder auch Nicht-Gedankengänge und Nicht-Handlungsweisen von Tamara Hayle habe ich mich gewundert, gerade weil sie vor ihrer Karriere als Privatdetektivin bei der Polizei gearbeitet hat und ich mich wirklich gefragt habe, warum sie manchen Informationen und Hinweisen nicht oder kaum nachgegangen ist. Insofern hätten dem Buch vielleicht auch ein paar Seiten mehr ganz gut getan, um Ungenauigkeiten auszumerzen. Spannend finde ich an dieser Stelle aber die Tatsache, dass trotz der Kürze des Buches, die vielen Figuren, die fast schon zu viel Figuren für gerade 272 Seiten sein könnten, keineswegs blass sind. Im Gegenteil, ich fand die Figuren wirklich spannend, auch wenn mir nach knapp der Hälfte klar war, wie sich der Mordfall auflösen wird.

Für mich war das ein wirklich gutes Buch, mit einer spannenden Protagonistin und einen Fall der zum Miträtseln einlädt. Interessant ist, ob die Autorin auch in den anderen Fällen so oft in die Vergangenheit der Privatdetektivin abtaucht, oder ob das eine Besonderheit dieses Falles ist, weil das Opfer ja ihre ehemals beste Freundin war. Ich werde es irgendwann rausfinden, da bin ich sicher.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all your books but nothing hit home like your mystery books. You was put on this earth to write mysteries. I hope you continue to bless us readers with your continue mysteries. Can't wait for the next one.

I read the other reviews and they was able to solve it. I couldn't solve who the killer was. I didn't see it coming at all and it was a shocker to me. WOW!
If you reading this and you haven't got your copy today. You are missing out on a good read. So get your today!

[Michael Tyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Author

This is the second one of hers I have read. Nice pace and believable. I want to read her others now.

[Reba · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really do enjoy this series. A bit predictable, but Tamara is different enough from the usual PI that I can appreciate the story.

[Imjustme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall was a good read. The plot is what pulled me and I love a "whodunit". The ending had me genuinely surprised. d

[Gloo The third · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty okay.

[Ashleigh 2010 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The addiction of America contains yellow tape that says caution, mysterious murders and the thrill of finding the killer. All of this takes place on the tube of almost every American at least once a week. I found the same thrill in an urban mystery called Dying In The Dark. As much as i wanted to love this book, I was torn between liking the book and hating the book. Somethings in the book I loved , others I was very confused. The characters in the book caught my attention, they came off very determined and mysterious. The plot turned me off while the setting of the book made me lose interest in the book.
The characters in the book Dying In The Dark attracted my attention. They where very determined and mysterious. Tamara who is the main character in the book is determined to find the killer of her bestfriend. Her bestfriend's son asks her to find the killer of his mother. There's something very mysterious about about him, he is just as determined as Tamara to find her friends killer.
The plot made my attraction for the book fade. The plot sometimes confused me. Sometimes in the story i felt like Tamara bit off too much she can chew. To much was going on for me. The story sometimes dragged when I wanted it to end. Sometimes in the story i felt like she just needed a break to sit and think.
The setting i didnt like at all. Everything seemed to happen at night. Now dont get me wrong it is a mystery story but, everything is at night. The main obstacle of the book was it being at night. All investigations took place at night. She sometimes put herself into dangerous situations. Sometimes they where preventable , if she would've just done it during the day.
In conclusion in reading Dying In The Dark I found out that sometimes that the characters in the book cant always hold you through. Just like with food you need something to hold you over, the meat. The book just needed some meat in its plot and myabe the setting too. You have to love the overall story for you to love the book. i learned that reading this book.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a four-year hiatus, Tamara Hayle is back. Who is Tamara Hayle? She is a single African American mom who left the police department and started her own private investigation firm. This New Jersey native is determined to make ends meet and save the world at the same time.

Just like every other morning, Tamara is reading the newspaper when she notices a small blurb about the death of a high school friend, Celia Jones. Tamara's past flashes before her as she remembers their last encounter - a friendship broken by hurtful words and shattered promises. Saddened Tamara goes on with life until Celia invades her dreams and forces her to take note. Intrigued Tamara wants to know why and how did she die, Celia died. The story takes you on a trip loaded in secrecy and death at every turn.

So who did it? Celia's son, Cecil Jones, believes his mom was murdered and hires Tamara to find out by whom. As key people in Celia's life begin to inexplicably die, Tamara realizes the trail is red hot. The obvious suspects draw Tamara into the drama: the thuggish ex-husband, the fine car dealer ex-boyfriend and the jilted lesbian lover. Celia speaks from beyond by leaving notes in a recovered diary. The notes may lead Tamara to the killer, that is if she doesn't get killed first.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. The main character is a woman private investigator. She gets involved in the murder of her ex best friend and her son. The story taked some twists and turns finding out who the killer may be. You think you know who it is many times but when you find out who it is your shocked! I liked that it wasn't too long and that it didn't draw out the story. It started off good and kept it on that path. It wasn't the greatest book i ever read but it was definitly worth the time reading it.
I think about the main character ( Tamara Hayle ) and the first victim ( Celia Jones ) and think about the thin line that can be broken between best friends. If you are truly best friends noone can break that bond. You may argue and you definitly disagree but never will you be apart.
I have a best friend that i will love forever and i won't ever walk away from her for anything. She's a sister to me in everyway except blood. But that's how a family is out together!

[Denise Billings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Tamara Hayle. I thought I'd read the whole series back in the day, I may actually be caught up now. Tamara has a can do spirit. She fought past insecurities and did things she didn't think she was capable of. Like leaving her marriage, the police department and starting her own detective agency. She's inspirational.

She was bold and brave when she confronted Drew Sampson at the Club!!! She went for his jugluar in front of a crowd of his adoring fans. Asked him point blank if he murdered Celia. He wanted to hit her but he didn't. He did cuss her ass out and had her thrown out by two burly brothers. Actually tossed gently onto the sidewalk. Whoa, what she won't do for a case!! You have to read it for yourself to see who killed Celia!

As Tabitha Brown says, "Very good, very good!"

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book. Tamara Hayle is a proud black woman who is a private investigator. Celia Jones, one of her best friends from childhood has been murdered and Tamara is hired by Celia's son Cecil to find out who did the crime. When Cecil is murdered also, Tamara begins to look in the past to find the murderer. This is a good story, fast moving and well written. The characters are well written and the book keeps you wanting to find out more.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series!

[Jimmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my opinion a pretty lightweight mystery. I grabbed it from the library. It was...um...ok.

[Gwendolyn Dabney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another Tamara Hayle Mystery, I've read and enjoyed most of the stories in this series. It held my interest throughout the book. Great read

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never get tired of reading this author's work. Tamara Hayley is still up to her usual but superb none the less. Another author that leaves you guessing whose the killer.

[Renee]

Book club selection. Had a few twists and turns. Overall a good read. Fast and easy read.