“Laveaud is an accomplished juggler, dealing with the joint responsibilities of keeping a family and a career in balance and navigating the murky waters of sexism, cronyism and racism in a society where she is very much an outsider. As much social commentary as mystery, this is a crackerjack whodunit from start to finish, as well as a compelling look into one of the last bastions of colonialism in a shrinking world.”
—BOOKPAGE
“A close look at the folk of Guadeloupe and the West Indian culture in general, with its mix of races and lingering colonial resentment of Mother France.”
—GUMSHOE REVIEW
“Anne Marie’s second appearance, courtesy of the author of the Piero Trotti crime novels, boasts an elegantly incisive narrative and a fascinating heroine.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“Sharp-witted, French-Algerian Anne Marie is an investigator worthy of a following, and Williams has craftily created her story as a microcosm of Guadeloupe’s social situation, where alienation battles dependence and racial stratification rules. Williams digs deep below the exotic setting’s surface in this nuanced mystery. ”
—BOOKLIST
“Absorbing … Laden with Insights about the legacies colonialism, such as nuanced racism, official corruption, and troubled interactions between men and women. ”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY