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Our story opens in 1884 with the discovery of a murdered prostitute in Deadwood, South Dakota. U.S. Marshal Seth Bullock arrives at the scene and reviews the evidence splattered over the body. He then decides that it is time to interview the most notorious Madam in the Red River Valley, MELVINA.

What made Melvina Massey so mysterious? Was it her racial ambiguity, or the fact that she leverages this at every turn? Why do prosecutors set up fake witnesses to convict her? How does a 63 year old woman pass for 49, was she really that beautiful? Was she a successful brothel owner or bootlegger, which is true?

In 1900, an older seductive woman in her 60s rides a lonely train car. Her destination is far different today than it was twenty years ago. She closes her eyes and remembers that first trip to Fargo. Back then in 1881, she shares a car with a very pretentious young woman, dead set on evangelism and ridding the northern territory of the scourge of mankind. ALCOHOL. The woman clad in black from head to toe, her red hair and snow white skin are a perfect contrast to her drab clothing. Juxtaposed to the drab and righteous, sits the opposite in every way. Melvina is 40 but looks at least 20 years younger, fashioned in white to include her bonnet, shoes, and umbrella.  Melvina, the mulatto from the east. Her presence takes the air out of the room, a woman so striking that most do not venture to guess her ethnicity. No, they are admiring her beauty and primal considerations of race are not welcome. Melvina Massey is every inch of seduction.

Unsolved murders, deceit, sickness, political intrigue, statehood, affairs of the heart, will come to pass, but bitterness will stand between these two women until the end.

Come with me as I take you on a journey back in time, to discover a family's distant relative and the true color of power... MELVINA.

This is a speculative historical fiction based on the real Melvina Massey, written with permission from her descendants. 

REVIEWS:

"This story was about Melvina Massey, but there is  a ton of other characters involved in this story, and since third person omniscient is used, the reader is in their head as well. This was probably what scaled back the excitement for me a bit.  I would’ve preferred to see it through Melvina’s eyes alone and omniscient doesn’t give me that opportunity. I was delighted to have a chance at reading and reviewing this piece of history. I came to the very real conclusion that this is not only the Massey family history, but it is African American history. It is a raw account of what not only passing Black women would sometimes resort to do to support themselves, but it is what women resorted to in such a male dominated era.  Just based on that incredible foreword alone, and the ending I would recommend it.  If you are a history buff and you love to take a journey into the past give Melvina:The Color of Power a read.T. Austin"

The wire read “Similia similibus curantur Similar things cure similar things.” It was no code, no hidden message. It was sent in the plain and the deeper message it revealed had the desired effect as Katherine Pettigrew ran into the foyer of their ancestral home. She stood proud and defiant and shouted “Evil ones are on the move once again and once again it falls upon us to rein them in.” She lifted her hands to the sky and turned counter clockwise. “Smoke of air and fire and earth, cleanse and bless this home and hearth. Drive away all harm and fear; only good may enter here.” This is the beginning of the end of the Vampire pure bloods.Centuries earlier, in a last ditch effort to end the Vampire revolt, they entered into a pact with a powerful witch to summon the demon that consumed their kind, Caleb, son of Lilith, the Vampire eater. The demon did his job too well, literally decimating the vampires in the east and forcing a surrender. The solution was imprisoned by the witch and the vampire pure bloods retreated to the west and the new world. Centuries later murders and vampire signs are on the rise forcing the Brokenhearted to once again take action. Pawns or puppeteers, which are they? Are vampires really on the rise? or are they being set up? What ever you believe there is one thing that is certain, Caleb will be unleashed and vampires will surely die.

It is the winter of 1987, and on a lonely damp side street

in the east village, Raymond Chevis feels the cold metal

of a sawed off shot-gun placed snugly at the base of his neck.

His eyes click eagerly to the side only to see that another

shotgun is now firmly lodged in the back of his Samoan

bodyguard. Most human beings when faced with similar options,

would either be shitting or pissing in their pants. But not

Raymond,he is only consumed with the notion that he has been

set up. but by whom? And why? Have his efforts to distribute hip

hop globally come back to haunt him? His mind wanders to a

different time, and to another place in the city. He seeks a

resolution to his current dilemma in the recesses of his memory,

to his childhood in East Elmhurst Queens NY. Quickly Raymond

think back....

As his brain synopses fire, he quickly recalls a scene from his

youth. Its 1972, and his father has just been assaulted in

front of him. At the time this was a very traumatic event that

taught young Raymond a valuable lesson. "Know how to get help,

when there is none". His father’s actions on this day provided

him with a signal, which he seeks to use now. Raymond

provides the signal, that only Masons are familiar with, and

quickly the crews minder calls them off. The minder is an

associate of a crime family and a big earner for them.

Raymond knows him as Uncle Vinny, from the neighborhood. Vinny

informs Raymond that he was not "the Mark." Vinny also explains the

further orders to "Send a Violent Message" to the mark about "Growing

too Fast." Vinny and Raymond take a walk, and negotiate a price on

Raymond's future. What Vinny shares with Raymond

will cost him 50k and 10% of his next venture, but it will also

set him on a path of finding out who has set him up. The

problem? He has 72 hours to put this right. Fortunately for

Raymond, he has always had a plan b. something that he never

thought he would need to use but now is the time to put this

intricate plot in play. It starts with his best friend on earth,

whipping his ass, and a bit of technology that has yet to

emerge around the world, the compact disc.

Friends will fall, would be lovers, and snakes in the grass all

exposed. Plans turn into plots that morph into schemes which end

up in double crosses. Raymond has a riddle to solve, and it

will take most of his memories, courage, and experiences to do

so, because the Rise of the Chulo cannot be stopped.

Speaking of Rachel Holt..."She is like a hung jury all wrapped in one; filled with dogged determination to do the right thing, but wanting more than anything just to be left alone." J.Margolis

Rachel Holt returns to her childhood home in Jackson Heights Queens NY, to ready it for sale. She feels a deep gnawing pain in her gut, but continues to rifle through her recently deceased father's affects. Rachel comes across an envelope addressed to her, with a picture and note inside. 

The photo is from 1980 and it is in front of the big globe in Corona Park. Her parents always took her there to talk over things or just hang out. A place she went to immediately upon hearing of his death as if he would be there waiting to console her.

Those memories of that day fade away, and she opens the letter.

"Dearest love, I have no need to lie, I'm not married to ya... Rachel I am writing this because I fear my time is near. Yes I know I am not that old, but I somehow managed to cram 80 into 50. I write this as I live and breathe, however if you are reading it then I am long gone, no worries.

All of my life I have hated bad guys, and now that I am dead it's your turn. Look up in my attic, behind an old brown leather satchel; there is a cold case file that I have labeled No Brakes. It is a metaphor for the times of the day in 70s NYC, when our lives seemed like a runaway train with no brakes. Inside you will find five cases I could never solve before my retirement in 97.

I believe there is a common thread between them all, at least that is what I tell myself. Delusions can keep us warm I guess. Rachel you have a keen eye for the abstract, please put this to rest so that I may finally have peace. Each case comes with a brief synopsis and more of my own observations.

P.S.; Oh, Rachel if this leads to some old schmuck, now living in a retirement home somewhere in Bensonhurst show no pity. Use both barrels!! Loving you from the other side pops-“

‘This is an odd letter, never knew pops to write let alone type out a letter. How long did you know you were sick pops?' As she looks upon a distant memory, a tear rolls down her cheek.

"Once again the mind of JLN3 thrills me as he entertains my thoughts with yet another glimpse into a page turner! I'm honored to have read much of what James has to offer, and I have never been disappointed. If you want to read something that takes you to another place and time and keeps you enthralled along the way, read anything by this author!! You won't be disappointed!!" Goodreads review Trudyluvn