Today, July 12, 2011, CHILDREN OF THE STREET, an Inspector Darko Dawson mystery, officially goes on sale. A few lucky prize winners from contests held last year received a signed copy from me before today, but for the rest of us, this is the day we run out to the bookstore to get the novel, or else download it to our laptops, smartphones, Kindles, iPads, Nooks, Kobos and other tablet devices.
For an introduction to Inspector Darko and Ghana, you can read the first novel WIFE OF THE GODS, but it’s not absolutely essential to your understanding of this second novel, CHILDREN OF THE STREET (COTS). Some of the comments from reviewers of COTS so far:
“Quartey cleverly hides the culprit, but the whodunit’s strength is as much in the depiction of a world largely unfamiliar to an American readership as in its playing fair…” —STARRED Publisher’s Weekly
“Searing and original and done just right . . . Inspector Darko Dawson is relentless, and I look forward to riding with him again.” —Bestselling Author Michael Connelly
“Darko Dawson, with his secret struggle to stop smoking marijuana and his son’s chronic illness, is one of the most engaging characters this reader has ever encountered. The police work, the unexpected reveal of the murderer and the motivation for the killings, and the clever interactions among characters of widely different professions and social classes will completely satisfy readers who enjoyed the first book and intrigue newcomers.” –Library Journal
“CHILDREN OF THE STREET is a fast-paced rollercoaster through Accra…” - Kate Childs
But don’t take their word for it, try it and be the judge yourself. If you absolutely hate it, let me know by replying to this email and I will email you an Amazon gift card for the amount you paid for the novel. Depending on where you buy it, it runs between $9 and $15. There is no hardcover edition this time, making it much more accessible and affordable to everyone. Most hardcovers run between $24 and $30, which is a lot to pay for a book.
Anyway, I’ll shut up now so you can get to reading, and while you’re sinking into the story, I’ll go buy some sparkling apple cider to celebrate.