"Holloway's debut novel will take you on a journey that reveals a fresh, richly layered, and rarely seen–or imagined–view of early twentieth-century black life and society. Fascinating characters, rich period detail, secrets, scandals, power, privilege, poverty, and plenty of plot twists make for an unforgettable and unflinching glimpse into a world that many will find surprising, mysterious, and possibly even mythical. Others of us know how real this world was, is. Nella would be pleased."–Virginia DeBerry, coauthor of
Better Than I Know Myself "
A Death in Harlem is both a period novel and a deeply contemporary story with a symphony of memorable characters. The musical, personal voice of Karla Holloway animates this gripping tale full of mystery, humor, and saturated with African American cultural memory."–Emily Bernard, Julian Lindsay Green and Gold Professor of English at the University of Vermont and author
Black is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and Mine