Nancy Cunningham's Reviews > Blanche Cleans Up

Blanche Cleans Up by Barbara Neely

Blanche Cleans Up by Barbara Neely

108416 Nancy Cunningham's review Apr 25, 15 · edit

4 of 5 stars bookshelves: netgalley

Read in April, 2015

I am such a fan of Barbara Neely's series that I am afraid I can't consider this an unbiased review.

We may not be talking serious literature here, but we are talking about a very entertaining novel that is well-written, but also thought provoking. For me, the strength of "the Blanche novels" is that they address social issues throughout the book. Race and class are not just a sub-text, they are central to who Blanche is and how she faces the world. I have found each of the three books I've read both stimulating and cause for reflection about who we are and how we look at (and treat) others.

I am not 100% sure I would like Blanche working in my home (she is a domestic): she listens at doors, snoops in drawers, and asks many probing questions of the other staff and/or service providers to the household. But, I sure would want Blanche for a friend. She is smart, loyal and determined. There is not a doubt that her good qualities far outweigh her bad ones, but I still would prefer her not to be too involved in MY business.

It is quite a gift to be able to entertain and educate at the same time and Barbara Neely does that for me in every book. Well done, and Viva! Blanche.

"Blanche Cleans Up" by Barbara Neely is the third book in a series featuring Blanche White, a full-time housekeeper and part-time sleuth. I enjoyed this story even though I have not yet read the others. I have added Neely to my list of favorite authors. She is refreshingly original in her descriptions and dialog. There are many laugh-out-loud moments and plot surprises. This book is more than a cozy mystery; it is also a window into today's black American culture.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blanche is a 49 y.o. woman, raising her sister's two children. She's an efficient day worker, cooking and cleaning, for wealthy families. She's temporarily working for Allister and Felicia Brindle, while Ms. Inez (the regular worker), vacations with Blanche's cousin. Blanche is also caring for her cousin's 16 y.o. granddaughter while she's away. Unexpected events become mysteries. Ray-Ray, Ms. Inez' son, shows up at the Brindle home. Mr. Brindle (whose running for governor), rages in anger because somethings been stolen. Mrs. Brindle is upset when she can't contact her son; and shaken to hear disturbing about someone who works for her!
The pace and exploits persist to pull you into more rousing mishaps. The women in the book are strong characters. What I didn't find were any strong adult male characters. I found a few strong male characters but the author brings doubt to their integrity. Nice seeing strong African American female leads. I did enjoy the book and recommend it. 3 1/2 stars Received book free for an honest review.

I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Holy Cow!! This was so stinkin adorable...I want to be Blanche's friend! She is funny, witty, sarcastic, and just plain fun!! I can't wait to read more of this series!! Perfect, easy, not too much to think about read.

Blanche Cleans Up, which is #3 in the Blanche White mystery series, is more than a murder mystery, as the numerous word plays in the title imply. This is a smart, funny-yet-serious series, and I am thrilled to be able to review another one for Net Galley and Brash Books, who provided me with a DRC. This title was released at the beginning of May, and so you ought to be able to buy it right now.

Blanche is a single African-American woman who chooses to do domestic work so that she can select her employers. She is good at her work, and so anybody she doesn’t like, doesn’t get to hire her. But in this episode, she has been roped into a job she otherwise would not do, at the behest of a family member. Inez, their usual cook and head housekeeper, is in desperate need of a vacation, and Inez can’t go unless she can guarantee a good substitute to take her place. Blanche, who sometimes has an acid tongue but also a heart of purest marshmallow, caves in and agrees to step in for a week. Of course, after all hell breaks loose, Inez is gone for at least two weeks. Who wouldn’t be, under the circumstances?

Neely is a seriously brainy writer. Meta-meta-meta-cognition is all over the place in Blanche’s internal narratives. It’s an approachable way to talk about social issues, primarily race, but also about sexism, the rights of gay and lesbian people, and of course, about class. So if you are socially conservative…if you are conservative, why are you reading my review at all? What are you thinking? Are you new here? Get out get out get out. Shoo! Scoot. Skedaddle.

Ah. I feel better now. Gave me quite a turn. Anyway, those who are looking for a mystery because their brain is tired and they just want a cozy read—and I do this myself from time to time, nothing wrong with it—will need a different book, because Blanche books are really about social issues, and the mystery is merely an approachable forum with which to address them. Not that pacing, characterization, and story arc are missing; far from it! I was riveted from the seventy percent mark and had to finish it. It’s a solid story, not literary fiction, but a good mystery. But if you are looking for a good story and think you will just ignore the issues under discussion, you are mistaken, because they are so strongly interwoven here that it’s impossible to just read it for the mystery aspect.

I should also mention that the intended audience appears to be Black folk and other people of color. That doesn’t mean Caucasians can’t enjoy it, and it may be a good lesson in empathy, especially if you haven’t done a lot of introspection. At times, Neely echoes WEB DuBois on the color line; in the elite white folks’ household, a young Black man who was close to the child in residence was welcome through the front door…until.

Neely weaves a lot of plot points and a lot of issues into one deft tale. It’s really well crafted. I especially enjoyed the development of Blanche’s adopted son (nephew whose mother is dead) along with neighborhood activist Aminata. And I liked what she did with her teenage relative who developed a serious problem.

When you finish the book, you almost have to have a heart and mind that is a little more open to types of people you might have unthinkingly dismissed before. There’s really nothing else like it. How often do you get the opportunity to improve yourself and have fun at the same time? Do it!

If Blanche was as good at keeping out of trouble as she was at cleaning up, she'd be better off. But I wouldn't change her. Her sneaky ways can help solve murder cases and she has a good way of finding out information the cops never would.

Brash Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review. It was published May 5th, so you can find a copy now.

Blanche is filling in. One of her relatives is going on vacation for the first time in eighteen years and Blanche is asked to take her place. How did she know that the Mister of the household would declare his candidacy for Governor that week? Or that people who visited or lived in the household would be murdered? Or that even Blanche herself would be threatened?

Blanche has enough of her own problems without more. Her sister's children that she's raising and loves dearly are getting to teen years and the troubles that come with them. She's got another relative staying with her temporarily and that young teen is pregnant. She still wonders about Leo, who's married to someone else. And she's always worrying about how she reacts to things. She doesn't want to be like her mother. She wants to be a kind, good mother. Easier to say than to do.

This story is a mish-mash of sex, politics, environmental hazards and power with damage control being an important part of the politician's game. If some folks get killed along way, so what?

One thing I can say is that Blanche has seen it all. She's a bit scandalized here and there but she takes it all in stride and stoically doesn't show it on her face. Ms. Neely has made a very interesting character who makes housecleaning life threatening. I wonder where Blanche will end up next.

I like this series. Set in the late 60's with a older black domestic as our main character it's an unusual read. Blanche is funny, loving and a fighter for justice. Her family is important and she works hard to provide for them. She takes a temporary job for a rich white family with political aspirations. When a young man is murdered in Blanche's neighborhood there are rumors he was blackmailing her temporary employers. Great series, great people, wonderful story lines.

Speaking through the character of Blanche, the author gives validation to the many concepts of the black population of Roxbury Massachusetts. I myself have made an immediate and illegal U-turn when I encountered the sign Entering Roxbury upon getting lost as I left a Red Sox game. No doubt there are many other accurate expressions of the attitude of black people as regards white people and of other black people. All that aside, this book is the third in the Blanche White series I have read. The author does justice to a good read, so much so I have now come to feel as if I personally know Blanche. As in any series some characters are a constant but none to the point of boredom, no cut and paste, and each book is a stand-alone excellent story. The aforementioned attitude of black people will be an eye opener for many but that is just the educational aspect of any well written novel and I always feel a learning experience within a good story is a plus. As with each of the Blanche White mysteries this is a hard to put down book to the point of wishing I really did not need sleep so I could read through the night without paying for playing the next day.

I really enjoyed this mystery. There maybe some language and situations that some readers may find offensive I did not. Even though this book was published awhile ago it did not seem dated. The themes and crimes in this book are still relevant today. Blanche is working temporarily for a family. The head of the house is running for office and there are plenty of skeletons in the family closets. Blanche manages to clean those closets out and solve all the crimes. Even though the book deals with many serious issues Blanche still had me laughing out loud. Enjoy

I had read and enjoyed Blanche Among the Talented a Tenth so was curious to see what Blanche was up to in Blanche Cleans Up. It was interesting to see Blanche as she pieces together the aspects of her life that give her joy and those that trouble her. Blanche is a well- developed character and the storyline was intriguing.

I'd not read any of the other "Blanche" mysteries and was pleasantly surprised. I really liked the character of Blanche and the way she moved around in her world. What I really found appealing is that we don't often have characters like Blanche in mystery novels. It's not that common to find a blue-collar African American woman in the cozy mystery genre. And despite it's being a cozy mystery, there are a lot of issues that Blanche brings to the surface. This book is a good to read for the mystery as it is good to read for the sociological insights it gives. I will definitely read more of her books and recommend them to friends, family, and students.

I found this book slightly quirky. Blanche certainly does things her own way. This book shows that even though the odds are against you things do work out in the end. When no one takes her seriously Blanche decides and does get the job done and the case solved.