Most Anticipated New Releases, January 2021

January 5

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite

A shockingly powerful exploration of the lasting impact of prejudice and the indomitable spirit of sisterhood that will have readers questioning what it truly means to be an ally, from sister-writer duo Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour

For fans of Sorry to Bother You and The Wolf of Wall Street—a crackling, satirical debut novel about a young man given a shot at stardom as the lone Black salesman at a mysterious, cult-like, and wildly successful startup where nothing is as it seems.

January 12

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

Called "wholly engrossing" by New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Grissom, this harrowing story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar

Writer and performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers Amber Ruffin writes with her sister Lacey Lamar with humor and heart to share absurd anecdotes about everyday experiences of racism.

January 19

The Rib King by Ladee Hubbard

Upstairs, Downstairs meets Parasite: The acclaimed author of The Talented Ribkins deconstructs painful African American stereotypes and offers a fresh and searing critique on race, class, privilege, ambition, exploitation, and the seeds of rage in America in this intricately woven and masterfully executed historical novel, set in early twentieth century that centers around the black servants of a down-on-its heels upper-class white family.

January 26

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin

In this reissue of Lola Shoneyin’s award-winning debut novel with a brand-new introduction, a riveting tale unfolds when a prosperous Nigerian family is thrown into turmoil after the patriarch marries a young, well-educated fourth wife who threatens to expose his other wives’ hidden secret.

Ida B. the Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells by Michelle Duster

Journalist. Suffragist. Antilynching crusader. In 1862, Ida B. Wells was born enslaved in Holly Springs, Mississippi. In 2020, she won a Pulitzer Prize.

Just As I Am: A Memoir by Cicely Tyson

At last, the Academy, Tony, and three-time Emmy Award-winning actor and trailblazer, Cicely Tyson, tells her stunning story, looking back at her six-decade career and life.

A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley

Award-winning author Valerie Wilson Wesley launches a thrilling new mystery series set in New Jersey, featuring a multicultural cast, and starring a caterer-turned-realtor with the gift of second sight…

SHE AIN'T CLEOPATRA JONES BUT...

I enjoy a good mystery every now and then but I really love them when they involve kick ass women. The 70s brought us Cleopatra Jones on the big screen. A secret agent for the government, she was fierce enough to pose as a model while bringing corrupt men and women to their knees. A recent binge reading of Rachel Howzell Hall’s Elouise “Lou” Norton’s books brought to mind some other fierce women detectives, private investigators and just flat out nosy women that have entertained me over the years.

Blanche White, the star of Barbara Neely’s series, is a housekeeper and cook with a penchant for sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Using her own personal invisibility cloak of being a black, female, domestic worker, Blanche often goes unnoticed, allowing her to get the dirt on everything and everyone around her. There are only four books in the Blanche series, but she’s an unforgettable character.


The Mali Anderson mysteries by Grace F. Edwards is one of my favorite series. With the first book, If I Should Die, published in 1997, I was hooked. Through Edwards' writing readers were introduced to former cop, Mali Anderson, her jazz loving father and the nephew, Alvin, she's raising in Harlem. As the characters on The Wire would say, Mali is "real police," even though she's no longer on the job.

Kendra Clayton is no one’s detective, at least not one with any formal training. She’s just a nosy teacher with too much time on her hands. Stuck in her small Ohio town, one would think there wasn’t a lot going on, but Kendra manages to stick her nose into quite a few places they don’t belong. There are five books in the recently re-published series from Angela Henry and they’re all enjoyable.



Valerie Wilson-Wesley is the GOAT when it comes to creating female detectives. A former cop turned private investigator, Tamara Hayle is a single mom trying to raise her son on the mean streets for Newark. She’s on a one woman mission to save her city and the people in it.



By profession, Vernetta Henderson is an attorney, but working on her clients’ behalf means that she spends a great deal of time looking into shady dealings and people. Though she can find herself in some pretty tense situations, comic relief is provided in the form of her outrageous friend, Special, who truly lives up to her name. With just five books in the series, you’re sure to plow through them and find yourself wishing Pamela Samuels Young would hurry up and put out a new one.

Recently Rachel Howzell Hall’s publisher reached out to me to ask if I’d be interested in her latest book, Trail of Echoes, the third in her series about seasoned L.A. detective Elouise “Lou” Norton. When I asked if I could read it as a standalone since I hadn’t read the previous books, she graciously offered to send me the first two books in the series as well. I’ve torn through the first two books this week and I’m starting the third book today. Lou is a no-nonsense detective, though she’s a bit of a pushover when it comes to her cheating husband. With a new partner who’s still got milk on his breath and her lieutenant breathing down her neck, a sista can’t catch a break. But Lou always comes out on top, even when it isn’t pretty.

So those are the ladies of mystery that I’m loving. What other series featuring women of colour or characters am I missing out on?