A suicide that wasn't. Racial prejudice pushing a murder to be swept under the rug. Can Daiyu Wu throw back the covers to reveal the killer?
A suicide that wasn't. Racial prejudice pushing a murder to be swept under the rug. Can Daiyu Wu throw back the covers to reveal the killer?
Dallas, TX, 1930. Daiyu Wu resigned herself to life inevitably returning to normal after dipping her toes into the pursuit of justice. But a new case falls onto her lap when she hears screeching tires and a woman calling out in pain. The older lady is wary of her offer to help, but Daiyu knows people aren't kidnapped off the street just to be set free again—something terrible is coming.
As Daiyu feared, things take a turn for the worse—the rescued woman's youngest son committed suicide. But for a kidnapping and a suicide to occur to the same family on the same day smells of deviltry, but the police can't be bothered to investigate—so Daiyu has no choice but to get involved or risk allowing a killer to run free.
Can Daiyu and her friends unravel what's really going on before the case is closed forever?
Music of Death Blues is the exciting third book in the Daiyu Wu historical cozy mystery series. If you like twisted plots, stubborn underdogs, and family intrigue, then you'll love Gloria Oliver's multicultural adventure.
Grab Music of Death Blues and blow the horn on sneaky evil-doers today!
Excerpt
An elderly woman was on the ground on all fours, as if looking for something. Her navy blue dress was torn at the shoulder and stained in several places. Her veiled hat sat at an odd angle, barely keeping its place thanks to multiple hatpins. Her skin was the color of a double chocolate shake, and she had scrapes on her elbows, knees, and hands as if she'd been thrown from an automobile. She left drops of blood on the concrete as she continued to search fruitlessly for something around her.
"Ma'am, are you all right?" It seemed like a dumb question, as she obviously wasn't, but what else could I have said?
She instantly stopped at the sound of my voice and looked up, squinting her eyes at me as if struggling to see. "Come back for another round, have you? Cowards!"
"Jacques, I smell blood," Dai said. "I think, for all concerned, we'd best get her indoors and out of sight."
I agreed with her. It was a good thing it was Sunday, and most businesses were closed due to the blue laws. Otherwise, we would have had a crowd of gawking curiosity-seekers filling the place. "Ma'am, let us help you. Our shop is only a little ways from here."
I stepped toward her, but she held up her hand in a stopping gesture.
"You stay right there, whoever you are." Her voice held daggers in it. "I'm not going anywhere wi'choo!"
Prince gave a delighted bark and rushed past the woman toward the street. He came back holding something gingerly in his mouth. He set it on top of her hand, then sat back, tongue lolling to the side after a job well done.
"Oh!" The woman jerked at the contact but then seemed to realize what Prince had given her: a pair of spectacles. She eagerly grabbed for them and put them on. The thick lenses made her brown eyes look overly large in her face. The earpieces were slightly bent and one lens was cracked, but she seemed elated to have them.
Then she looked at us, and her expression turned hostile. "Oh!"
"Jacques, we really need to head indoors," Dai repeated. "I hear sirens in the distance."
Professional Reviews
Fantastic Series
I am loving this series! I love this glimpse into Dallas during 1930s. A mystery to keep you turning the pages until the very end!
Great Read
This was a great read. Not a book you could easily put down. It made me sorry that it ended I want more of Daiyu Wu.
Solid historical mystery
Music of Death Blues gave me all the beats I want in a historical mystery. The characters were well formed with behaviors and attitudes that fit the time period of the book without making them unappealing to modern audiences. I genuinely liked our narrator Jacques and our heroine Daiyu. There were enough historical details to provide texture but not so many that it felt like vintage name dropping. The mystery itself was satisfying and solved through the hard work and insight of the characters, not just luck. Finally, the character relationships and social issues in the book were not only handled well but in a way that both highlighted their historical importance as well as their relevance to today. Altogether, this was an enjoyable read and I am planning on filling in the earlier entries in the series.
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