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0 of 2 copies available

The first in a vivid and charming crime series set in the Louisiana bayou, introducing the hilariously uncensored amateur sleuth Glory Broussard. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club.

It's a hot and sticky Sunday in Lafayette, Louisiana, and Glory has settled into her usual after-church routine, meeting gamblers at the local coffee shop, where she works as a small-time bookie. Sitting at her corner table, Glory hears that her best friend—a nun beloved by the community—has been found dead in her apartment.

When the police declare the mysterious death a suicide, Glory is convinced that there must be more to the story and, with her reluctant daughter, with troubles of her own, in tow, launches a shadow investigation in a town of oil tycoons, church gossips, and a rumored voodoo priestess.

As a Black woman of a certain age who grew up in a segregated Louisiana, Glory is used to being minimized and overlooked. But she's determined to make her presence known as the case leads her deep into a web of intrigue she never realized Lafayette could harbor. Danielle Arcenaux's riveting debut brings for an unforgettable character that will charm and delight crime fans everywhere and leave them hungry for her next adventure.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from August 7, 2023
      Arceneaux’s delightful debut cozy introduces Glory Broussard of Lafayette, La., a self-described “old, fat, black woman” whose weeks revolve around churchgoing and her gig as a small-time bookie. One Sunday, while she’s crunching numbers at her usual table in CC’s Coffeehouse, Glory strikes up a conversation with police officer Beau Landry, whom she used to babysit. Partway through their chat, he’s called to a crime scene at the home of Amity Gay, an activist nun and Glory’s best friend. Glory insists on coming along, and when they arrive, the pair finds Amity strangled by her habit—one end is knotted around her neck, the other tied to a doorknob. The police are quick to declare it a suicide, but Glory’s not convinced. Determined to find justice, she employs the help of her daughter, Delphine, a high-powered New York City lawyer, and launches an investigation that takes them through Lafayette’s elite circles in search of answers. Arceneaux successfully avoids a mountain of cozy clichés—no bookshops, baked goods, or love interest for Glory—and works potent critiques of Southern racism into her well-oiled plot. Readers will be eager to spend more time with Glory in future installments. Agent: Alice Speilburg, Speilburg Literary.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Listeners meet Glory, voiced by Bahni Turpin with all the sass, spark, and cantankerousness written into this story. Glory is a hoarder (or maybe not?) and a bookie (definitely). Now her daughter has arrived to help her sort through her house and her life. Together they seek to solve the untimely and mysterious death of Glory's friend, a local nun. Turpin's narration is lighthearted, animated, and lots of fun. The cast of characters includes plenty of church gossips, oil tycoons, and even a suspected voodoo priestess who fills out the colorful population of Lafayette, Louisiana. Turpin's interpretations of these characters provide a pleasing audio experience in this first of a new series. C.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

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