I heard a review of this book on NPR right after it came out, and while I didn't remember what that review had said, I remembered being intrigued at the time, so when I saw it in the library, I picked it up.

New England White is only decent. The mystery is good, but also a little too convoluted, and the "puzzles” left for the main characters to figure out were either too complicated or required too intimate a knowledge of the characters for the reader to think though on their own. More than once the plot seemed to jump forward, with the characters rushing to conclusions in "Eureka!" moments that were built on shaky foundations at best.

Still, the mystery was an intriguing one, the characters were likeable (some more than others), the New England University setting was pleasant and well created, and Carter's presentation of modern middle and upper class Black Americans was interesting. The gradual uncovering of intersections between an old murder and the one at the heart of this story, along with my concern for some of the characters, kept me turning pages, although with more enthusiasm in the well-paced middle third of the book than in the slightly dragging beginning or the overly complicated end. ( )

First off, this is a very large book. I wasn't sure I'll be able to get through it but I did. This book is a murder mystery surrounding an African-American president of a university, his wife, her dead ex-lover and a crime that happened over 30 years ago and how they are connected to it. It was a difficult read at first. Many characters and situations to remember but once I understood what was going on within the story, I swept through it. I wanted to know how it was going to end. The ending was a bit of a letdown, however. It was not what I was expecting at all. I wanted something more. I know that the author is a law professor at an Ivy League school so the book was a bit wordy to say the least. I get it. The guy is smart, probably smarter than the rest of us. Maybe I should have started with his first book then I would have been prepared for his writing style. ( )

Antoher of Carter's literate, erudite, elegant, but occasionally pompous novels of upper-crust African American life, nicely teamed with a Grisham-like suspense plot.
Julia becomes inadvertantly involved with the murder of a former lover and the long-ago death of a young girl. The book drags a bit for the first third, but then the plot complications pick up and if flies along.
A fine book somewhat spoiled by an ending that seems to be completely from left field. ( )

Beautifully written, believable characters; quite complex ( )

An odd mix of compelling and cold. A month on and I can barely remember the resolution to the central mystery, but certain scenes and turns of phrase jump up to be recalled. ( )