First line: Dr. Quentin Banks was a man’s man.
From the back cover: Savvy L.A. attorney Vernetta Henderson takes center stage in another fast-paced legal thriller that erupts into a scandalous tale of vengeance.
Prominent African-American men are being gunned down on the streets of Los Angeles, leaving police completely baffled. The victims are all quintessential family men. Well-Educated. Attractive. Successful. But appearances can be deceiving.
At the same time, Vernetta and her outrageous sidekick, Special, lead the charge for revenge against a young lawyer whose deception caused his fiancee’s death. For Special, hauling the man into court and suing him for wrongful death just isn’t good enough. While she exacts her own brand of justice, a shocking revelation connects the contentious lawsuit and the puzzling murders.
Soon, Special’s quest for payback goes way too far, and this time … it appears that not even Vernetta can save her.
My thoughts: Pamela Samuels Young takes readers on a wild ride with this legal thriller. She spins an intriguing tale of infidelity, lies, hate and murder. Murder on the Down Low hooks you from the opening page and doesn’t let go until the last. In this book, a spotlight is shone on the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the African American community. The author adds suspense, drama and deceit as her tale takes readers from one surprise to the next. It’s not a book to be read lightly, as it has some powerful messages. It destroys common myths about HIV/AIDS and educates woman that they need to protect them self. Even married women are in danger of contracting this disease if they are dealing with an untruthful mate. Murder On The Down Low will keep you guessing as to what is going to happen next, and you will not be able to read each page fast enough to get to the next page. This is the third book in the Vernetta Henderson Mystery series and while I usually read series in order, because this was a review book, I decided to start with this one. Because I enjoyed this book, I will be going back to read the first two in the series and will be on the lookout for more from this author.
About the author: Corporate attorney Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. Fed up with never seeing women or people of color depicted as savvy, hot shot attorneys in the legal thrillers she read, Pamela decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, Pamela accomplished her ambitious goal by rising at four in the morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing and even spending her vacation time glued to her laptop for ten or more hours a day.
The Essence magazine bestselling author now has four fast-paced legal thrillers to show for her efforts: Every Reasonable Doubt (BET Books, February 2006), In Firm Pursuit (Harlequin, January 2007), Murder on the Down Low (Goldman House Publishing, September 2008) and Buying Time (Goldman House Publishing, November 2009). New York Times bestselling author Sheldon Siegel described Buying Time, Pamela’s first stand-alone novel, as a “deftly plotted thriller that combines the best of Lisa Scottoline and Robert Crais.”
Pamela has achieved a successful writing career while working as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for a large corporation in Southern California. Prior to that, she served as Employment Law Counsel for Raytheon Company and spent several years with the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP in Los Angeles. A former journalist, Pamela began her broadcasting career as a production assistant at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, where she was quickly promoted to news writer. To escape the chilly Detroit winters, she returned home to Los Angeles and worked at KCBS-TV as a news writer and associate producer.
Pamela has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from USC, a master’s degree in broadcasting from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received her law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is the Fiction Expert for BizyMoms.com.
Pamela is a frequent speaker on the topics of discrimination law, diversity, writing and pursuing your passion. She is married and lives in the Los Angeles area. To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.
I received a complimentary copy of Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young from Pump Up Your Book Promotion as part of the tour.
I loved Buying Time. I didn't realise this one is part of a series, I should try to read the first before I get this one for review in Jan.
Great review, I totally look forward to reading it.
@MarceMarcie: I enjoyed Buying Time, too – that was my first introduction to Pamela Samuels Young. This one, Murder on the Down Low, is actually the third in the series…Every Reasonable Doubt and In Firm Pursuit come first. Will look for your review of Murder on the Down Low in Jan!