Delia Pitts introduces her razor-sharp new mystery series starring the lively, witty, intelligent, challenging, and sassy PI Vandy Myrick with TROUBLE IN QUEENSTOWN!

The novel explores grief, class, race, and family within a murder mystery—from small-town suspense, lies, dirty politics, family secrets, and corruption infused with humor and a kick-ass black female PI.

About...

Set in fictional Queenstown, New Jersey, Vandy Myrick, a former Philadelphia cop, has returned to her hometown to be near her father, Evander, a former cop as well. He is in a nursing home (Glendale Memory Care Center) suffering from dementia. (He has secrets.) She has always been a daddy's girl and influenced by him. She plays chess and bridge with him and takes him snacks when she is coherent enough on good days to know who she is.

Growing up in Q-Town was challenging, where she daily pinballed between boredom and exhilaration, with racism and indifference at every turn. After high school, she escaped to Temple University in Philly, and seven months earlier, she returned in pain.

Vandy, divorced, suffered a significant loss when her only daughter (19) died of an overdose at a college party. She has opened a detective agency with the help of her friend, above the pharmacy in this small town where everyone knows everyone's business.

It starts out as a simple case of a man hiring her to follow his wife; however, Myrick has yet to learn how multi-layered, complex, and dangerous this case will become and how it will be connected to her family and its dark history.

Leo Hannah, the nephew of Queenstown's mayor (Josephine Hannah) and deputy head of research at ArcDev Pharmaceuticals, starts out saying he wants to hire her to protect his wife. He is entitled, angry, powerful, manipulative, and resentful. He is truthful?

However, when Vandy wants to speak to the wife, Leo quickly says this is confidential and thinks she is having an affair.

The wife's name is Ivy Mae Hannah. She is 37 and beautiful. The couple has been married for 14 years. They have a three-year-old son, Tomas, whom they adopted from an orphanage in El Salvador two years earlier. Ivy works in the church, is a caring woman, and oversees all the volunteers. However, she does have secrets.

Vandy takes the case and follows the woman daily, but she sees nothing wrong as she goes about her weekly activities. Then Leo calls, and when she arrives at the home to deliver her report, she finds a brutal crime scene. Ivy is dead, and Hector Ramírez is arrested. A break-in gone wrong? Or a setup? Will she believe Leo, and what is he hiding?

When Hector is arrested as the prime suspect in the murder, Vandy is not so sure Leo is innocent. She winds up investigating and is later hired by Ivy's father, Professor Samuel Decker from Florida, the loving grandfather. Things become dangerous, and Vandy decides she will work for Ivy to make sure she gets justice.

However, there is corruption and coverups, and she does not know how deep the politics go up the ladder and is not sure whom to trust. Someone wants her to go away and stop investigating. Then, her father is kidnapped, leading to an explosive, high-adrenaline, nail-biting conclusion at the water tower.

My thoughts...

I loved TROUBLE IN QUEENSTOWN! Gritty and edgy, I enjoyed PI Vandy Myrick's character. She is flawed, sarcastic, resilient, fearless, tough, intuitive, smart, and funny and reminds me of some of Author Terry McMillan's (love) strong female characters.

She is likable, relatable, and one you will root for. When her family and friends were targeted, she was a fearless mother bear! She takes no crap from anyone. I also like her friends, Elissa (boss), a tough lawyer who hired her to work as the PI in the office, and her other friend, Mavis, the bar owner who looks out for her.

Her relationship with her father reminds me of the Detective Rebecca Ellis series (Robin Mahle) and her grief like Detective Jess Lambert (Christina McDonald).

The investigation is complex and suspenseful—and a web of deceit. I enjoyed the action and twists, as you are not sure whom to trust or how all the puzzle pieces fit together. Your jaw will be dropping when the past collides with the present and how this case hits close to home for Vandy. It involves dirty politics, corruption, class, rank, power, prejudice, racial issues, and more.

I also enjoyed her relationship with Ivy's dad, as he respected her. Vandy is also having a little fun with Bobby (from high school), now a cop in the town, but nothing serious, and I adored the supporting characters in the small town. Get this gem on your TBR list this summer.

The author cleverly sets up a fascinating new series, and I look forward to the long haul! I cannot wait for the next one in the series and adventures to see what is in store for PI Vandy Myrick next!

Audiobook...

I had the pleasure of reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook, which was outstanding! I love Bahni Turpin, the narrator, and she delivered a stellar performance, making the characters come alive-a perfect voice for the novel. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Recs...

TROUBLE IN QUEENSTOWN is not just a cozy mystery. PI Vandy Myrick is immersed in a compelling well-written who-and-why-dunit crime thriller with heart. It is for fans of strong female leads, brilliant cop procedurals, and a blending of family dynamics and humor.

The novel is for fans of authors Terry McMillan, Aime Austin (Casey Cort & Nicole Long legal crime series) social justice thrillers, Sounds Like a Plan, a new PI series by Pamela Samuels Young, and Dwayne Alexander Smith (a favorite), as well as smart detective mysteries. Those who enjoy humorous series like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan Series will also delight.

This was my first book by the author, and I cannot wait to read her backlist and more of this riveting new series!

Next in the Q-town series...

According to an author interview, the next title will be Death of an Ex, the second in the series featuring Vandy, taking place a year later. This one is personal and a scandal surrounding a boarding school, with the themes of race, class, status, money, and a family, out next year.

Special thanks to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for a digital review copy and listening copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 16, 2024
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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book follows Evander “Vandy” Myrick as she tries to piece her life together after a tragedy strikes too close to home. A former police officer turned private investigator, she returns to her hometown and joins her best friend's firm, where she works on the mundane divorce cases around town. When she encounters a new client looking to complete some surveillance work, things take an exciting turn, which turns deadly. From there, the readers encounter a storyline filled with mystery, racism, violence, and corruption in a small town.

I don’t know what I expected when I requested this book. The brief description was engaging, unlike anything I've ever read, so I thought it would be interesting. It was exciting to get a book about a female private detective who was badass and didn’t take anyone’s shit. The description piqued my interest, but I did not enjoy this book. Vandy was a good character, and I loved that she wanted to protect the people around her, but I did not like her either. I felt like there was too much going on and too many plot twists/directions the author was trying to point us to. There were too many times in the book when the story moved slowly. Some of the characters that were introduced weren’t necessary. Even the sexual tension between her father’s caregiver and the victim’s father was unnecessary. The reveal was outrageous, too! I didn’t stand it one bit.

I will say my opinion is only my own, and someone else could read this book and come up with a different opinion. So, if you are open-minded and interested in reading more about a badass female detective who resolves to solve a small-town murder mystery and thriller about a corrupt elected official, then I would recommend this book.

Evander "Vandy" Myrick only ever wanted to be a police officer just like her father. Now that her world has basically fallen apart, she decides to return to her hometown of Queenstown and open up a private investigation business. Divorce cases are her bread and butter and will pay the bills, but they can get a little nasty at times. However, you have to do what you have to do. When the mayor's nephew hires Vandy to follow his wife, she does not realize she is about to get more than she bargained for. This is about much more than a possible adulterous relationship.

This mystery is a little different than I thought it would be, but I enjoyed the story. I really do not know what I expected. Vandy is super smart, observant and fearless. She is a strong character with plenty of opinions that she does not mind voicing. She has gained strength over her life battling for her place. She is definitely someone that you would want in your corner in a fight (literally or figuratively).

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Trouble in Queenstown by Delia Pitts was an engaging mystery.
Here we have Vandy Myrick who is a private investigator in the New Jersey town of Queenstown.
An amazing small town cozy mystery with phenomenal characters.
The characters were vivid, realistic, unique and very compelling.
The plot is well developed and brilliantly wrote.
I had the best time reading this one!

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Trouble in Queenstown is a mystery novel with Vandy Myrick, a private investigator, as the lead character. This novel explores racial issues, grief, and family issues although none of them are done in depth. Vandy is hired to investigate Ivy Hannah by her husband. But nothing is as it seems. The story goes off in different directions after that with Vandy being hired by numerous people all seeking the answer to the same question. At times, the story got a little boring and seemed to go in circles and Vandy’s lifestyle is a little questionable. It all comes together at the end but took awhile to get there.

Vandy Myrick is a private investigator in the New Jersey town of Queenstown. This is the story of a murder in a small town with secrets and corruption. Can Vandy solve the murder without becoming a victim? Many in this town have things to hide.

When this book start I doubted that I would like it, however, it surprised me. Vandy is hired by the families of the victims to solve the case. There are two families suffering. This story gives the reader a glimpse into each family and why they think the police are blaming the wrong person. I found myself getting involved in the story and wanting to know what really happened. For readers who like small town mysteries this book will make a wonderful read. This small town in New Jersey will have you wondering if small town life is all that safe.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #DeliaPitts, and #MinotaurBooks for a copy of this book.
#TroubleinQueenstown

This was a quick cozy mystery read about Vandy, a New Jersey PI who w de up investigating a murder when it crosses with her own investigation. This has a super twisty turny storyline that did not end the way I thought it would! I really enjoyed trying to figure it out and the OMG moment when the killer was revealed!

Thank you for the free ebook Minotaur Books @minotaur_books , Netgalley @netgalley , and Delia Pitts @deliapitts
“Trouble in Queenstown” by Delia Pitts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Character-driven Mystery. Location: Queenstown (Q-Town), New Jersey, USA. Time: January-May, present.

THE SERIES: Lanky, strong Evander “Vandy” Myrick (49) became a cop to fulfill her father’s expectations. Thirty years later, she became a private eye to satisfy her own, partnering with attorney Elissa Adesana and her wife Belle Ames. She's back home in Q-Town:-9000 souls in 12 square miles, with a history of Ku Klux Klan (KKK) activity. She lives in a Victorian house on Main Street; her office is above the Queenstown Pharmacy, across from her friend Mavis Jenkins’ Kings Cross Tavern. As a Black woman, privacy is hard to come by in "Q-Town," and worth guarding.

THIS BOOK: Vandy agrees to tail Ivy Hannah (wife of the mayor’s nephew Leo), to uncover divorce evidence. Then a racially-charged murder connected to the Hannah family rocks Q-Town. Vandy’s a new PI in a corrupt town, but she’s determined to find the truth, even as she’s threatened and attacked. Meanwhile, her father is in a local care home for dementia, and doesn’t remember her.

Author Pitts has written a powerful mystery that blends grief, classism, racism, and family ties. Her characters are authentic and moving. In particular, Vanny’s toughness in the aftermath of grief, her snarky language, her determination to see the case through. With her powerful (often funny) narrative, she speaks truth about racism:
(“He could nurse his wounded privilege later.”) (“Preserving our Q-Town way of life, one burning cross at a time.”) (“Good trouble, as civil rights warriors used to say.”) Pitts inserts many red herrings! Vanny isn’t perfect-she falls for them too. As Vandy says: “Bad moves, no strings. My brand, my way” and it’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️ #troubleinqueenstown #deliapitts

Trouble in Queenstown is a standalone lone wolf PI mystery by Delia Pitts. Due out 16th July 2024 from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a very well written PI thriller with an appealing, strong, flawed, and badass female protagonist. She's a former cop, the daughter of a cop, back in her hometown in New Jersey after a personal tragedy caused her to go back to her roots and set up as a PI.

She does the usual divorce and process serving to keep the bills paid and get back on her feet, along with recovering from alcohol (quit cold turkey), some risky dating behavior, and working out at a local boxing gym. The fact that she's female, nearly 6 feet tall, and black is both a magnet for trouble and her trademark. She doesn't back down, she's tenacious, and stubborn.

It's not at all derivative, but fans of strong white knight PI fiction (John D. Macdonald, Robert Parker, and Randy Wayne White, et al.) will find a lot to like here. In this case, the fact that the protagonist is female, black, cynical, and potentially brave to the point of foolhardiness, is a plus. The prose is -good- and there are some undertones of Val McDermid and Peter May in there (but indelibly American).

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 11 hours 59 minutes and is superbly read by Bahni Turpin. She does a phenomenal job of delineating the characters of a range of ages and both sexes. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

There are central themes of open and hidden racism, sexism, assault, murder, (a LOT of) duplicity, and mental health issues. Some scenes are graphic. The racism was difficult to read (and almost certainly more difficult to live with). It's stark and realistic.

Four and a half stars. Five for the audiobook narration. It's not specifically foreshadowed in the book, but the author has left the option open to revisit the characters later. The denouement and resolution are satisfying; it's a very bumpy ride to get to the end.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

#CampNetGalley #BookishScavengerHunt #BookishPhotoChallenge #NetGalley #SummerPhotoChallenge

"Trouble in Queenstown" by Delia Pitts is an engaging introduction to private investigator Vandy Myrick, a character who brings depth and complexity to this mystery. Set in the small, racially diverse town of Queenstown, New Jersey, the novel explores themes of grief, class, race, and family dynamics, making it a thought-provoking read.

Vandy Myrick is a compelling protagonist whose return to her hometown in search of solace is both relatable and poignant. Pitts does an excellent job of portraying Vandy's struggle to balance her professional duties with the personal turmoil she faces. The backdrop of Queenstown, with its tightly knit community and underlying tensions, adds an atmospheric layer to the narrative.

The plot kicks off with what seems like a routine surveillance job, but quickly escalates into a more complex and racially charged murder investigation. This shift adds an intriguing element of suspense and keeps readers invested in the unfolding mystery. Pitts' portrayal of the racial dynamics in Queenstown is both realistic and insightful, contributing to the novel's depth.

However, the novel suffers from pacing issues, with some parts feeling slow and drawn out. Additionally, while Vandy is a well-developed character, some of the secondary characters lack the same depth, making it hard to fully connect with them. The resolution of the mystery, though satisfying, feels somewhat predictable.

Despite these flaws, "Trouble in Queenstown" is a solid mystery novel that introduces a promising new PI. Vandy Myrick's tenacity and determination make her a character worth following in future installments. Delia Pitts has crafted a story that, while not without its shortcomings, offers a fresh perspective on the private investigator genre.

For readers looking for a mystery that tackles important social issues while providing an engaging plot, "Trouble in Queenstown" is a worthy pick. It may not be a standout in the genre, but it certainly lays the groundwork for what could become an exciting series.

I really wanted to love this book. The topic of a black female PI is not very common and I was excited to hear about this. Unfortunately this book did not live up to my expectations.

I don’t know if it was just me but there was something about the writing that threw me off. Some parts of the book were so engrossing and entertaining and other parts felt like it was an afterthought. Honestly it almost felt like the book was written by two different people.

When I was almost half way through I wanted to DNF the book because I just felt that the writing style just wasn’t for me but I kept pushing through.

The story itself sounded interesting but there were so many subplots and side stories that it got to be too much for me. They all kind of ended up being tied up in the end but the twists were kind of far fetched and the characters acted in ways that didn’t seem to make sense considering how they had been described.

I would consider reading another book by this author because there were parts that were enjoyable but I probably wouldn’t recommend this particular book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own

I almost didn’t finish this book for several reasons. The pacing was slow and the main character, Vandy Myrick, didn’t hold my interest. However, I kept reading and eventually the pace picked up enough that I finished the book. The ending, for me, was over the top.
Trouble in Queenstown is a gritty novel. The format is different, as Vandy starts looking at the murder from the points of view of several different characters. Pitts interweaves issues of race, political power, and difficult family relationships with a murder mystery.
Overall, this is a good debut novel. Vandy is a flawed, complicated character trying to make a living in a rough world. She’s a mother dealing with crushing grief. But she also is a woman of steel, doubling down on the investigation in spite of the increasing threats trying to pressure her to stop. This wasn’t the book for me, but it may be the book for you. If you’re not sure, seek out a copy from your library and give it a try.
Pub date July 16, 2024.

I'm a sucker for anything Jersey, and it was such a treat to read a South/Central Jersey crime story. Vandy's P.I. business captures the grit of Trenton crime stories with the cozy racism of many smalltowns in Jersey. I enjoyed Vandy's backstory, which brought depth and interest to her character. Despite knowing the true suspect early on, the book provided suspense in how we get to the resolution. There were moments where the descriptions were a bit wordy for me and times the plot took some jumps, but I was here for the ride! I'm excited to read what Pitts has next.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

The old saying is true. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
I went in thinking this was going to be a cozy mystery. I don’t like to read much of the synopsis on mysteries for fear of too much will be given away. This surprised me . I really liked it but it’s certainly not cozy. It’s dark and gritty and violent but that didn’t matter.
The writing is good and the character development was good. She really set this one up well for the beginning of a series. I assume that this will be a series as to the way the book was written and the ending. I will certainly check out her next book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
3⭐️

I loved the flawed, broken character, Vandy. The story is told from Vandy's point of view, that of a black woman who lives in a town that sometimes doesn't value its black and brown residents as much as its white residents. Her father was her hero. He's now living in a facility, with dementia. After the death of her daughter, which haunts her, Vandy moves back to her home town and visits her father often, even though he doesn't recognize her.

Vandy used to be a police officer but was fired after the death of her daughter, and event that triggered unacceptable behavior. She has started a PI firm but it's struggling for business. She's excited when the nephew of the mayor hires her to investigate his wife because he fears she's having an affair. Vandy finds nothing suspicious in her surveillance, but subsequent events cause her antennae to detect something way off-kilter.

Using her detective skills, she uncovers one strange thing after another. She persists, putting her own life in danger and causing some evil-doers to target her friends.

I found the story-telling to be well done and the events to be intriguing. I am very pleased that I was able to read an advance copy of this book. I enjoyed it very much.

This book seemed interesting, lots of twists and turns. My only problem (and it is a me problem), I just couldn’t get along with Vandy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise~

A story of racism, corruption, and standing up for yourself. Love the FMC a private investigator taking on small cases. When she’s hired by an influential member of society. Right from the start you get a sense that there is something this person is hiding, but don’t know quite what it is. The job doesn’t turn out quite as easy as it seems. Leading to secrets being revealed. We get such a broad range of characters and see how there’s tiny little details that tie all their stories together.

Lots of suspenseful and thrilling moments throughout the book. Definitely recommend reading this book 📖 if you want to read a good detective story with lots of family history.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!!

This is an awesome story that keeps the drama and action coming. I love how the author separates each part of the story from the characters perspective. The characters are excellent and well developed. Readers will love Vandy’s sassy conversations with the other characters. She is a brassy and tough character on the outside and gooey on the inside. There will be many surprises as the plot unfolds. This is a story that will entertain and hold your attention to the very end.

A nice start to what looks to be a new series that walks the line between classic PI and cozy-and sometimes tries a bit too hard to be hard boiled. Vandy quit her job as a campus cop and moved home to small town Queenstown after a tragedy, the details of which aren't revealed until deep in the novel. All seems ok when her client Leo asks her to follow his wife Hannah but then Hannah is murdered in their home and Leo has shot Hector, the man he claims did it. First Hannah's father and then Hector's sister hire her to find the truth but the investigation puts her square in the sights of someone who doesn't want her to get answers. I liked this for Vandy and her relationship with her own father, her clients, and her friends. The underlying problem is the somewhat convoluted reasoning for Hannah's death. That said, it kept me engaged and curious. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Here's hoping we see more with Vandy.

I couldn't get into this, I was not too fond of the main character and felt like it went so slowly. I found concentrating on the story hard to do and had to force myself not to skim. I did finish the book, and while I liked how it all wrapped up it didn't make up for the rest of the book.