Suzanne Arruda

American Jade del Cameron served as an ambulance driver in France in the Great War and saw her love, pilot David Worthy, get shot down. She vowed to fulfill his dying wish that she find his unknown half-brother. That vow takes her to Nairobi in 1919, where David 19s father died years earlier when he was attacked by a hyena in his hotel. She takes a job as a journalist for The Traveler magazine and infiltrates the Happy Valley set, where she makes friends and organizes a safari.

As Jade makes show more her way through African society, an American made uncomfortable by the strictures of class and race, she learns Swahili, moves to a coffee plantation, and navigates the rutted roads of Africa in an unreliable car. There have been some suspicious deaths and not just that of David Worthy's father. The natives believe that a laibon is at work, an evil spirit who has the ability to assume the form of a beast, in this case a hyena. Or a lion. Or are there two laibons at work? Jade isn't sure she believes this, but isn't as quick to rule out the possibility as some of her compatriots.

Jade is a forthright, blunt-spoken, action-oriented heroine who knows more about guns than fashion. Clips from her travel articles head up each chapter and the action moves swiftly through bush and ballroom until it culminates in a sufficiently atmospheric and danger-riddled safari. I was intrigued enough with this first book to pick up the second one. I thought Jade was lots of fun, even if she may be too good to be true. show less

I have read every single one of Suzanne Arruda's Jade del Cameron mysteries, and I've watched the series grow from rather light-hearted adventure yarns into something much more substantive that gave me a real feel for the time period and the culture. When I saw Arruda had published Devil Dance, you had to know that I snapped it up immediately.

Arruda has created a good mystery with an excellent sense of misdirection. It was also a wonderful idea to split the engaged couple and pair each one show more with one of Jade's parents. In this way we become better acquainted with Jade's father Richard as well as Sam. Jade's mother Inez isn't as much of a mystery since she has appeared in other books. She and her daughter are so much alike that their time together can be a bit obstreperous. In addition, there are several humorous scenes as each couple begins having its share of adventures.

The serious part of the book concerns slavery, and how-- although it had been made illegal quite some time ago-- some people are still involved in the sale of human beings. As I said earlier, these books aren't just light-hearted fun; the author really gives you a feel for the time and place, and this makes me enjoy her writing even more.

The tension in Devil Dance grows, and it's a given that the two couples are going to wind up in the same place eventually. The only question is... which couple is going to be saving the other?

If you're new to the series, I think you could read this book and not be hopelessly confused. But if you enjoy good historical mysteries with interesting characters and a vivid sense of place, I suggest you begin at the beginning with Mark of the Lion. show less

American Jade del Cameron served as an ambulance driver in France in the Great War and saw her love, pilot David Worthy, get shot down. She vowed to fulfill his dying wish that she find his unknown half-brother. That vow takes her to Nairobi in 1919, where David’s father died years earlier when he was attacked by a hyena in his hotel. She takes a job as a journalist for The Traveler magazine and infiltrates the Happy Valley set, where she makes friends and organizes a safari.

As Jade makes show more her way through African society, an American made uncomfortable by the strictures of class and race, she learns Swahili, moves to a coffee plantation, and navigates the rutted roads of Africa in an unreliable car. There have been some suspicious deaths and not just that of David Worthy's father. The natives believe that a laibon is at work, an evil spirit who has the ability to assume the form of a beast, in this case a hyena. Or a lion. Or are there two laibons at work? Jade isn't sure she believes this, but isn't as quick to rule out the possibility as some of her compatriots.

Jade is a forthright, blunt-spoken, action-oriented heroine who knows more about guns than fashion. Clips from her travel articles head up each chapter and the action moves swiftly through bush and ballroom until it culminates in a sufficiently atmospheric and danger-riddled safari. I was intrigued enough with this first book to pick up the second one. I thought Jade was lots of fun, even if she may be too good to be true. show less

Really, really good. Post WW1 Colonial British East Africa settings. 2 very strong, full rounded women, good strong male characters and African characters not set up as cute background or folkloric decor.

There is the influx of popular culture with a tiny hint of irony since Arruda uses Burroughs' Tarzan to contrast with her depictions of this area. Not vines to use for traveling but cars that break, early cinema and modern photography. Arruda takes you to a place where you are entertained by show more the mystery but also nourished with an history and culture that she depicts with intelligence and style. show less