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From the opening scene to the final pages, BLOOD COUNT is an immensely satisfying read. What this novel does that so many others fail to do is completely engage readers in the story and its characters. Detective Artie Cohen, a Russian immigrant himself, is called to help translate a Russian document pinned by knife to a dead body. This will be only the first of several murders in this intriguing mystery. More disturbing is a call he soon receives from his former girlfriend (for whom he still pines). She has discovered her Russian neighbor is dead, and she is desperate for Artie's help, blaming herself for the death. The death is just one of many that populate this novel, all set in the historic Louis Armstrong Apartments on Sugar Hill in Harlem. What author Reggie Nadelson does so well is truly engage readers with her flawed but fascinating characters. Each resident has a history and traits that make them suspicious yet fascinating. The Louis Armstrong building residents seem to form a small village, with plenty of gossip and backstory to make them characters we want to learn more about. As Nadelson metes out the clues, the motives seem to point in new directions at important turning points, never giving away too much of the final truth. Even without the mystery, readers would surely be drawn in by the lives of these characters and the history of their neighborhood over the years. Setting the novel shortly after the Obama election keeps it fresh and contemporary, easy to relate to. Then there is Artie Cohen himself, a detective who can't set aside his natural inclination for hunting down the truth, even if it reveals something about Lily he doesn't want to know. There's the struggle to get along with Lily's new boyfriend, another detective with whom he must work the murder cases. There's the pursuit to win the girl back. And there is the struggle in Artie's own life, as the case raises old memories of Russia and his own family. BLOOD COUNT is a captivating mystery novel on every level. It takes on an interesting area of New York, Harlem, and its history, interweaving that with the Russian immigrant experience. It gets to the heart of human relationships and human frailties. In addition, it presents aged characters (those well past retirement) in a very accessible, multidimensional light. Kudos to Nadelson for a job well done on every level in BLOOD COUNT. It's a mystery well worth reading. § Christine Zibas is a freelance writer and former director of publications for a Chicago nonprofit.
Reviewed by Christine Zibas, September 2010
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