-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
A Sam Blackman Mystery
by Mark de Castrique
Sam Blackman is an angry man. A Chief Warrant Officer in the Criminal Investigation Detachment of the U.S. military, he lost a leg in Iraq. His outspoken criticism of his medical treatment resulted in his transfer to the Veteran’s Hospital in Asheville, NC. Then an ex-marine and fellow amputee named Tikima Robertson walks into his hospital room.
Tikima hints that she has an opportunity for Sam to use his investigative skills--if he can stop feeling sorry for himself. But before she can return, Tikima is murdered, her body found floating in the river.
Tikima’s sister, Nakayla, brings Sam a journal she finds in Tikima’s apartment. The volume dates to 1919 and contains the entries of a twelve-year-old boy who accompanies his father, a white funeral director, as they help a black man, Elijah Robertson, transport his deceased relative to a small family plot in Georgia. Nearly ninety years ago, Elijah’s body was found in the French Broad River, a crime foreshadowing his great-great granddaughter Tikima’s death.
Sam and Nakayla must delve into Asheville’s rich history--the legacy of the Vanderbilts at the Biltmore estate and of author Thomas Wolfe--to uncover the murderous truth.
"Starred Review. A wealth of historical detail, an exciting treasure hunt and credible characters distinguish this fresh, adventurous read." - Publishers Weekly.
"In the struggling Sam Blackman, de Castrique has created a compelling hero whose flinty first-person narrative nicely complements Henderson's earnest, measured and equally involving account." - Kirkus Reviews.
"Starred Review. Known for his effortless storytelling, de Castrique once again delivers a compelling tale blending fact and fiction, this one involving racial tension, the aftermath of war, and the authentication of manuscripts. For all mystery collections." - Library Journal.
This information about Blackman's Coffin was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Blackman’s Coffin starts a new series by Mark de Castrique, author of the Buryin' Barry Mysteries.
If you liked Blackman's Coffin, try these:
by Mary Miller
Published 2014
A teenage girl and her unraveling family travel cross-country in preparation for the Rapture in this radiant, highly anticipated debut.
by Jason Mott
Published 2014
In a spellbinding and stunning debut, award-winning poet Jason Mott explores timeless questions of faith and morality, love and responsibility.
by Russell Banks
Published 2012
Lost Memory of Skin is a provocative novel of spiritual and moral redemption from Russell Banks.
The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves.
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Can you name the title?
Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
