Jacques is Daiyu Wu's eyes on the investigation, so readers gain insight into a character who assists the case solver. There are a lot of elements thrown into the story and the main mystery is scattered here and there in the book.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to StoryOrigin and author. ( )

Jacques is Daiyu Wu's eyes on the investigation, so readers gain insight into a character who assists the case solver. There are a lot of elements thrown into the story and the main mystery is scattered here and there in the book.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to StoryOrigin and author. ( )

Jacques is Daiyu Wu's eyes on the investigation, so readers gain insight into a character who assists the case solver. There are a lot of elements thrown into the story and the main mystery is scattered here and there in the book.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to StoryOrigin and author. ( )

I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.

I kept wanting to like this book but ultimately it didn't succeed with me.

I was surprised that the narrator isn't the blind detective but her assistant, who varies between deeply put upon, completely unaware of what's going on around him, and unbearably prissy. I got tired of him very quickly. Daiyu wasn't much better. I found her irritating in how willing she was to constantly manipulate everyone around her while pretending to be calm and sweet.

The author packs in a lot of 1920s Dallas and Mexican history, arguably almost too much, but it was one of the better aspects of the book

Much of the narrative was repetitive -- another scene where her parents don't approve , another time J locks his bedroom door to keep D out in the morning , another round of T using a derogatory nickname for Daiyu, another description of her as black jade And did we know that's what the name means

There were a further 3-5 subplots and overly charmed side characters (or sinister characters who mean I'll to the blind Chinese woman)

The reason for the murder itself was interesting but the resolution incredibly unsatisfying. ( )

This book is a pure delight from start to finish. I adored all the characters but especially Dai, with her cleverness and determination and impish humor, and Jacques, with his straightforward honesty towards people and steadfast friendship with Dai. I liked learning how Dai, a blind heroine, navigated the world and asserted her independence. I thought the setting of Prohibition-era Dallas was fascinating, as it's a time and place I've not read much of.

This book was pure fun, and I enjoyed every page of it. ( )