Blanche Among the Talented Tenth A Blanche White Mystery by Barbara Neely
244 Pages
Publisher: Brash Books
Release Date: February 3, 2015
Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, African American, Racism
Blanche describes herself as the color of an eggplant and wears a size sixteen. She is flawed, unfiltered, loud and loves with her heart and soul.She is raising her sister’s two children in Boston. The two go to a private school and have been invited by school mates to join them over the summer at Amber Cove, an elite African American resort in Maine. Blanche is also invited for two weeks while the other parents go on a boat trip.
One of the resort guests dies in a bathroom accident before Blanche arrives. She overhears a couple talking about the death and becomes curious. Many of the resort residents are light skinned and distance themselves from the darker skin guests.
This book shows that racism exists everywhere and uses the term “colorstruck” to describe the treatment of others by the light/dark color of the skin. I learned about the Talented Tenth and their influence in society. The book has a steady pace, well developed characters, and is written in third person point of view. If you like big, bold characters, you will enjoy Blanche and this book.
