BLACK CAMELOT'S DAZED BY DEATH

Nerves are frayed in New York City when an affluent celebrity’s murder threatens to ignite a race war in Myers’ thriller series installment.

For some time, white supremacist groups have been trying to assassinate the Black Camelots—a group of successful Black friends and those close to them. When a white supremacist hit squad kills Phaethon Malone, a beloved Jamaican-born pro athlete and humanitarian (and friend of the Camelots), Jamaican gang leaders in New York demand revenge. NYPD Chief of Detectives Teddy Walker wants to prevent a race war and seeks help from the Society of Protectors, whose combat-trained members have thwarted previous assassination attempts. Meanwhile, California Democratic senator Janet Bivens eyes the presidential election, intending to run against Republican candidate Digby Yates. While Janet has indirect ties to the Society of Protectors, Digby is an unsavory sort (years ago, he helped cover up the fatal police beating of a Black college football player). As the Black Camelots mourn their loss, someone plans a lethal assault in hopes of turning New Yorkers against one another. Myers, as per usual, loads this story with memorable characters, both returning and new. A few appearances are akin to cameos; others spawn engaging subplots that, unfortunately, lead nowhere. In some ways, this novel feels transitional, carrying over conflicts from the preceding installment and unspooling new plot threads, such as a Black Camelot member’s crucial political decision, for a sequel to pick up later. Still, the tension rarely lets up as Walker struggles to maintain peace, the Society of the Protectors’ enigmatic leader (“the Voice”) interrogates an uncooperative killer, and the baddies put a master assassin (“one of the most feared and renowned in the business”) on their payroll. The large, dynamic cast, abetted by deftly succinct writing and short chapters, propels the narrative with an impressively swift momentum.

This entertaining sequel and its vibrant, now-familiar characters will surely leave readers craving more.