Black Orchid Blues

"The best kind of historical mystery: great history, great mystery, all wrapped up in a voice so authentic you feel it has come out of the past to whisper in your ear."

--Lee Child, author of Worth Dying For

"A remarkable achievement; imagine the richly provocative atmosphere of Walter Mosley or James Ellroy's best period work, and a savvy, truly likable heroine, and you have Black Orchid Blues. Persia Walker is a rising superstar in the mystery genre."

--Jason Starr, international best-selling author of The Pack

"Persia Walker is a wonderful writer. In Black Orchid Blues, she blends taut prose, memorable characters, and a strong creation of setting to craft a terrific historical mystery. I want to hear more from Walker and her winning lead, Lanie Price."

--Alafair Burke, author of 212

"Black Orchid Blues is that rare mystery novel: both a smart and sophisticated take on the Harlem Renaissance and an unblinking exploration into its sometimes violent and often tragic underbelly. Walker hits all the right notes in this dark blues riff."

--Reed Farrel Coleman, three-time Shamus Award-winning author of Innocent Monster

"Black Orchid Blues is a terrific trip through 1920s Harlem, including some of its more extraordinary underworlds. But it's not sociology, or travelogue. It's a gripping crime novel with characters who'll stick with you long after the story ends."

--S.J. Rozan, Edgar Award–winning author of On the Line

"Black Orchid Blues is a terrific read. Persia Walker has written a smart and soulful historical mystery brimming with memorable characters and plot twists. Readers will find her book a journey back in time they won't want to end."

--Gar Anthony Haywood, author of Cemetery Road

--Publishers Weekly

"[T]he tale is strengthened by plenty of period detail and a fine feel for both the gay underworld of Harlem in the 1920s and the sociopsychological dynamics of her characters. Best of all, [protagonist] Lanie has the makings of a strong series heroine. Walter Mosely fans, in particular, should look for more from this promising crime writer."

--Booklist

"Put a Bessie Smith platter on the Victrola, and go with the flow on this mystery/romance/history mix."

--Library Journal

"Black Orchid Blues works as a study of class and race, plus the debilitating effects of grief, the question of identity and the far-reaching impact of family secrets . . . Walker has a crystal clear eye for what motivates people as she explores disparity and desperation."

--Florida Sun-Sentinel

Lanie Price, a 1920s Harlem society columnist, witnesses the brutal nightclub kidnapping of the “Black Orchid,” a sultry, seductive singer with a mysterious past. When hours pass without a word from the kidnapper, puzzlement grows as to his motive. After a gruesome package arrives at Prices doorstep, the questions change. Just what does the kidnapper want--and how many people is he willing to kill to get it?

Evil hides behind the genteel facades of affluent Strivers Row and stalks the ballroom of one of Harlems most famous gay parties. In a complex plot that keeps the reader tied to the page, Black Orchid Blues explores the depths of human depravity and the desperation of its victims.

Lanie Price, a 1920s Harlem society columnist, witnesses the brutal nightclub kidnapping of the “Black Orchid,” a sultry, seductive singer with a mysterious past. When hours pass without a word from the kidnapper, puzzlement grows as to his motive. After a gruesome package arrives at Prices doorstep, the questions change. Just what does the kidnapper want—and how many people is he willing to kill to get it?

Evil hides behind the genteel facades of affluent Strivers Row and stalks the ballroom of one of Harlems most famous gay parties. In a complex plot that keeps the reader tied to the page, Black Orchid Blues explores the depths of human depravity and the desperation of its victims.