The Accidental Mistress (Justice Hustlers) by Aya De Leon

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A Justice Hustlers Novel

Two gorgeous sisters. Only one plays by the rules. But now they'll have to put their differences—and their lives—on the line, to help the exploited.

Sisters from Trinidad, Violet and Lily have never had much in common. Stunning Lily arrives undocumented in New York and makes her way as a stripper. But Harvard-educated Violet is this close to the perfect assimilated life, thanks to a prestigious job, and her rich bougie fiancé. . . . Until she aids a woman show more in trouble, and is mistaken for a notorious strip-club mogul's mistress. And when she's wrongly accused of helping him embezzle millions of his workers' earnings, Violet loses everything—except the determination to get her life back.

Now Violet's on his track with the help of his vengeful ex-wife and the Lower East Side Women's Health Clinic's resourceful crew—which includes Lily. But a dashing longtime friend hungering for Violet's love, along with the mogul's all-too-real psychotic mistress, put the group's killer schemes at risk. And as Violet and Lily struggle to finally understand each other, they have only one shot to get justice for those who need it most.

"This well-written and enjoyable installment in de León's unique, feminist, urban crime-fiction series . . . infuses satisfying power in both plot and character."
—Booklist on The Boss, STARRED review. show less

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ktoonen 1,058 reviews

Violet left Trinidad for an American prep school in her teens and immediately faced prejudice. Using assimilation as her armor, Violet studied, went to Harvard, and is now posed to marry into the upper rungs of New York’s society. Meanwhile, her younger, bolder sister Lily came to America in her twenties. Apparently totally comfortable with herself, Lily blazes her own path becoming an activist for sex workers. Peele is a master of accents, seamlessly moving from West Indies to Latinx as well as from upper crust Manhattan to Brooklyn born and breed, while her distinct enunciation provides clarity. As Violet moves from one social circle to another, her cadence, tone, and inflection change. As a strip-club owner embezzles the employee show more retirement funds Lily worked to establish, a case of mistaken identity crashes Violet’s life into Lily’s world. Violet’s carefully constructed world is destroyed. Each character in this community drama is given a unique and distinctive voice. Peele’s realism creates an emotional connection with the women who unite to regain their power. While many men prove themselves worthless, strong women find the good ones in the end. During Violet’s investigation, she reconnects with her sister, rediscovers her true self, and breaks out of her self-imposed boundaries. With romance, suspense, and complex social issues, De León has written an engaging and thoroughly discussable, albeit steamy, urban novel.

The improved review was published in Booklist February 1, 2019 issue. show less

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