Monday, March 4, 2013

First Chapter Review: The Greeks of Beaubien Street by Suzanne Jenkins ($100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway)


I received a copy of this first chapter from the author through Pump Up Your Book. The Greeks of Beaubien Street is a contemporary women's fiction book.

BLURB:   Nestled below the skyline of Detroit you’ll find Greektown, a few short blocks of colorful bliss, warm people and Greek food. In spite of growing up immersed in the safety of her family and their rich culture, Jill Zannos doesn’t fit in. A Detroit homicide detective, she manages to keep one foot planted firmly in the traditions started by her grandparents, while the other navigates the most devastated neighborhoods in the city she can’t help but love. She is a no nonsense workaholic with no girlfriends, an odd boyfriend who refuses to grow up, and an uncanny intuition, inherited from her mystic grandmother, that acts as her secret weapon to crime solving success. Her story winds around tales of her family and their secret laden history, while she investigates the most despicable murder of her career.

The Greeks of Beaubien Street is a modern tale of a family grounded in old world, sometimes archaic, tradition, as they seek acceptance in American society. They could be any nationality, but they are Greek.

COVER: Unique. This cover manages to capture the setting, the main character, and her heritage in one fell swoop. It certainly catches the eye.

FIRST CHAPTER:  News of a young woman found dead in an alley wakes homicide detective Jill Zannos early one morning. Gretchen Parker has been brutally tortured and killed. It will be up to Jill and her partner Albert to find out why.

KEEP READING: Though there is a bit too much backstory for my taste, the opening chapter of The Greeks of Beaubien Street holds a steady pace. Filled with several characters, the reader gets a glimpse into Jill's life as a homicide detective in Detroit. Her work and her personal life blend together to create a woman worth getting to know, as much as for her smarts and psychic-like connection to the crimes she must solve, as for her heritage. A good amount of setting detail paints a solid picture for the reader as she moves along. The chosen genre of women's fiction is a bit perplexing, but I'm guessing the character of Jill is more of the focal point than her occupation and crime solving abilities based upon the synopsis. In the opening chapter, her partner Albert plays a minimal role. I'll have to see how this plays out as I move along. I definitely want to read more.








Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 147931174X
ISBN-13: 978-1479311743
Warning: this novel contains a graphic depiction of rape.


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Suzanne Jenkins is the author of the Pam of Babylon Series. The Greeks of Beaubien Street is a new series about a Greek homicide detective who grew up above the family grocery store in Greektown, Detroit. Jenkins has fond memories of growing up in a Greek American household in the suburbs of Detroit. She currently lives in the west Michigan lakeshore area with her husband, two dogs and two sheep.

Visit her website at www.suzannejenkins.net. Visit her blog at www.2sheepinthecity.com.

~ ~ ~ $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD/PAYPAL CASH GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

Pump Up Your Book and Suzanne Jenkins are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash!

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter form below. If Rafflecopter form does not load, you can visit the author's tour page at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2012/12/27/pump-up-your-book-presents-the-greeks-of-beaubien-street-virtual-book-publicity-tour/


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I received a free copy of this chapter from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

1 comment:

Warrior Woman Winmill said...

I like to read books with female detectives, or anything with good strong story line. This book is going on my TBR list straight away.

petula.winmill@gmail.com