Review: The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided and ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I ended up borrowing the audiobook from the library .  This book was published January 31, 2023.

The book is told from the perspectives of Duchess and Tinsley.  The use of two different narrators works really well here as you can tell who is telling the story at the time based on the voice you are hearing.  This audio does have sound effects like cell phones ringing and door bells as part of the audio experience. 

I don't know why I thought this was a horror novel, it is a mystery with an emphasis on social commentary.  This takes place in the wake of Nova Albright's murder.  Nova was killed on the night of her coronation as homecoming queen.  She was the first queen of color at her high school, and her best friend Duchess is determined to find out what happened.  Tinsley is is the epitome of white privilege, she uses her wealth, beauty, and status to bully and manipulate those around her.  She comes from a long line of previous homecoming queens, and this was supposed to be her year.  She is not happy to have competition, and she is not happy when Nova is announced as this year's selection.  When a video surfaces of Tinsley threatening Nova and saying hateful things, Tinsley quickly becomes the main suspect in the murder investigation.  She finds that after the horrible way she has treated people, her fall from grace is quick and hard and everyone is pointing fingers her way.

I enjoyed this!  As a lover of the mystery and thriller genre, this was well crafted and kept me engaged.  I will say that I had the "twist" figured out kind of early on, however the storyline had enough red herrings to keep you reading just in case you were wrong.  The story is told from the perspective of Duchess and Tinsley as they take up the mantle of the investigation.  Like typical teenagers they think they think they know everything and can solve the murder before the police.  I thought Emill captured the teenagers well.  I did feel that some of their actions were a bit silly as they overstepped the actual police investigation, but I think the author was trying to make a point about how ridiculous racial bias is when it comes to real life investigations and racial profiling by law makers.  There are quite a few stereotypes represented, and I felt the author used them to make a point about issues with diversity, systemic racisms, and the other social justice issues represented in the book.

This covers alot of uncomfortable subject matter so be sure to check trigger warnings before diving in.  This is a YA mystery/thriller, and I think it would be appropriate for a mature young reader who is able to understand the complex and uncomfortable topics presented.  As Duchess and Tinsley try to solve the case, Tinsley has to take a good look at herself and her privilege and she doesn't like what she sees.  As she received treatment that is the norm for Duchess and her friends, Tinsley tries to justify her actions and doesn't appreciate being treated as anything other than a princess.  I do feel as if Tinsley and her story took up too much space in this book, and I actually wanted more of Duchess' perspective and I wanted to get to know Nova.  I didn't want Tinsley to be redeemed for her years of being a terrible person.  I do think there were great conversations about how to become a better person and become an ally, but those things don't happen overnight or without work.  

If you are looking for a good YA thriller that also touches on social issues, give this a read.  

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