Blackman's Coffin

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From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. At the start of this outstanding first in a new series from de Castrique (Final Undertaking), Sam Blackman, a feisty army vet who lost part of a leg in the current Iraq War, is in his last days of rehab at a V.A. hospital in Asheville, N.C., when he meets Tikima Robertson, a black woman and fellow amputee who invites him to apply for a job at her security firm. Soon after, Sam phones the firm and learns Tikima is dead. Sam speaks at Tikima's funeral, during which her apartment is ransacked. Tikima's sister, Nakayla, later finds that the intruders overlooked a diary from 1919 bookmarked with Sam's name and number. The diary vividly brings to life the intrepid journey of a white funeral director and the Robertson sisters' great-great-grandfather, Elijah Robertson, that ends in Elijah's murder. Suspecting a connection between the long-ago murder and Tikima's untimely drowning, Sam decides to investigate, but he must overcome hurdles of body and mind as he pursues the truth. A wealth of historical detail, an exciting treasure hunt and credible characters distinguish this fresh, adventurous read. (June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistWhile recuperating in an Asheville, North Carolina, veterans’ hospital after losing a leg in Iraq, Sam Blackman  meets fellow vet Tikima Robertson, who stops by his hospital room with a possible job offer and a promise to visit again. When Tikima doesn’t return, Sam tries to contact her and finds she has been murdered. After Tikima’s sister, Nakayla, shows Sam a journal that Tikima wanted him to see, he becomes involved not only in finding Tikima’s murderer but also in solving the mystery of the 90-year-old journal itself, which refers to another murder, of the Robertsons’ great-great grandfather. Gold, emeralds, the Vanderbilt’s Biltmore estate,  and author Thomas Wolfe play roles in the generations-old case, which Sam and Nakayla unravel in a suspenseful, compelling narrative. A nice mix of past and present and a sympathetic sleuthing duo will keep readers engaged. De Castrique is the author of the Barry Clayton Undertaking series,  also set in North Carolina. --Sue O'Brien