One thing I really appreciate about the heroine of the Odessa Jones Mystery series is how different she is from so many other culinary cozy protagonists. While food is her passion, the process of actually catering it—especially as a second job—takes a lot out of her. This isn’t the only realistic thing about our heroine;…
A Glimmer of Death is delightful new mystery from Valerie Wilson Wesley. The word glimmer references the aura some folks give off to recent widow Odessa (Dessa) Jones. Sometimes it’s a whiff of a smell or a color or mist that surrounds a person. Dessa is an empath who has inherited a wide array of…
I’m so pleased to be able to kick off Black History Month in this column with an #OwnVoices culinary cozy mystery series debut! Dessa Jones is a 40-something widower who’s a little resentful that her familial gift of second sight—usually manifesting itself in glimmers or scents—didn’t foretell the sudden demise of her beloved husband, Darryl.…
