Black representation | Musings of the Monster Librarian

Book Review: Conquer: Fear of a Black Cat by Edward M. Erdelac

Conquer: Fear of a Black Cat (John Conquer series, book 2) by Edward M. Erdelac

Self-published, 2023

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8856895413

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

Forget about those silly excuses for black heroes that Marvel comes up with: if you want a real black hero-you call John Conquer. Whereas book 1 in the series was a collection of short stories, Conquer gets his own full-length (over 500 pages) novel this time. The book succeeds on all levels, and hopefully won’t be the last one in the series. John Conquer is without a doubt one of the most interesting book characters out there today.

Set in 1978 Harlem, private investigator John Conquer has finally got a case that may be too much for him. People are turning up dead all over Harlem with their hands cut off. For Conquer, this case is personal- one of the victims is the lady who raised him. What follows is a good detective crime story that races all over the city, from Studio 54, to CBGB’s, to Untermeyer Park, as Conquer tries to put the pieces together.

This book is a period piece, and in that aspect, it’s absolutely perfect. The author did a staggering job of making 1970’s NYC seem real: this seems so true to life you can almost smell the spray from the graffiti on the subways. The descriptions, the mannerisms, the dialogue: it’s all perfectly true to life. The book is a phenomenal example of world-building: .

The plot itself is a good one. The author again does a fantastic job of mixing voodoo and all sorts of magic into a standard detective story. It’s what gives the Conquer stories their unique flavor. Sometimes Conquer has to pound the pavement like a normal detective, but often he has voodoo tricks he can use to help solve the case. One improvement over the last book is this time, some of the lesser-known gods and magic items come with a bit of background, so readers won’t need to make Wikipedia runs. Some of the characters from the previous stories return. Detective Lou Lazzaroni plays a part, and Conquer is, thankfully, still driving the Cordoba inhabited by the wise-cracking ghost, Pope. Conquer and Pope make a perfectly mismatched team, especially when they are squabbling about disco. Some real people from the 1970s also pop up in the story. David ‘Son of Sam’ Berkowitz plays a part, and there are also appearances by Muhammed Ali, Andy Warhol, and…Donald Trump. (anti-Trumpers will be ecstatic with Trump’s part) The gangs from the 1970’s cult classic film The Warriors also pop up in the narrative. The new characters in the book are quite intriguing, with Conquer’s drunken sort-of security guard Oshkosh being one of the most fun. For a detective story, this one has a fair amount to keep track of, but the author wisely inserted a recap into the story around page 300 for any readers who might have gotten a bit lost.

‘Da bottom line here: this is a fantastic knockout of a story. You wanna hang with the slickest, baddest cat out there? You’ve gotta read Conquer. Hopefully, this isn’t the last we’ll see of him. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

Book Review: The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope.

Redhook, 2022

ISBN-13 ‎978-0316377911

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, Audible

Buy: Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

The Monsters We Defy takes place in an alternate Washington, D.C. during the Harlem Renaissance. This world has Enigmas (similar to demons) who will offer you a gift (Charm) always in company with a catch (Trick). Clara has the second sight. Her Charm is a mystery, but her Trick is to help anyone who asks. A woman brings her son, who has become unresponsive, to Clara for help, but there is a ward around the cause that prevents her from helping. The condition spreads through the poor Negro population, with the “Afflicted” then being collected in trucks and disappearing. The Enigma who holds Clara’s debt, the Empress, tells her a ring worn by Miss Josephine, an opera singer in cahoots with the mob, is the cause of the Afflicted. The Empress says she will clear Clara’s debt and that of any who help her acquire the ring, except the Enigma called the Man in Black.

Clara meets Israel Lee, a musician in debt to the Man in Black, who also wants the ring and to prevent the Empress from getting it. Israel’s gift is to be able to hypnotize with his music and be admired by all, but his Trick is that he cannot have true friends. In addition, she meets Jesse Lee, who can erase memories, at the expense of his true love being able to recognize or remember him, and Aristotle, an actor who can play any role but never be seen as himself. They, and Clara’s albino roommate, a former circus freak, plan to take back the ring at a party for the Luminous 400, the wealthy Black upper class.

Clara is based on Carrie Johnson, a 17 year old girl , who shot and killed a detective who broke into her bedroom during the Red Summer of 1919. She was convicted, but got a second trial where she was freed. Langston Hughes also appears as a minor character. There’s also a “drag bsll” which is pretty cool! Zelda is a really fun character and learning about Black albinism was really interesting. Penelope had challenges with researching during the pandemic, but the world-building is great, and this is a fascinating read. Recommended.

Reviewed by Kirsten Kowalewski