NEW ENGLAND WHITE

By Stephen L. Carter

After being in Florida and reading six or seven books, all of which were good, I have chosen Stephen Carter’s second book to be the first one of the new year. Possibly you have read his first novel, Emperor of Ocean Park.

Some of the same characters appear and the setting is the same for both books, a New England college campus. This is a long book, but gripping reading. Each portion of a chapter ends with a cliffhanger, which keeps you reading long after the lights should have been out.

Lemaster Carlyle and his wife Julia live in affluent new Elm Harbor. He is the president of a highly esteemed New England university and Julia is dean of the divinity school. These two people, who are African American and represent the rich, powerful and intellectual portion of their race, lead us not only on a tantalizing mystery but also a give us a glimpse into a world most readers do not know.

At the opening of the novel, a brilliant, black, upper class professional man, Kellen Zant has been murdered. Kellen Zant, a famous economist, possesses possibly ruinous political secrets, which may affect the upcoming presidential election. When Julia and Lemaster are driving home one dark, wintry night, they find the body of the murdered man who at one time was Julia’s love interest. Julia feels she has no choice but to embark on the hunt for the killer. Kellen has left behind a series of clues, many involving mirrors. As she becomes embroiled in this task, Julia realizes that her oldest daughter, Vanessa, may be implicated because Vanessa has become highly interested in yet another murder, 30 years earlier. These two murders become entwined. As Julia goes from clue to clue, it seems all roads lead back to her husband and his allegiance to a mysterious black men’s club, the Empyreals, and his three college fraternity brothers.

Thirty years ago Lemaster lived with three white fraternity brothers: one who is President of the United States, one who is a Senator running for the White House, and a man of very old money who as set this entire story into motion. What unites these four men is history: their common intimate history, and the violent history of race relations. “The ‘darker nation’ can wield enormous power, as long as we hide our hand,” says Lemaster. “Public power the Caucasians would never stand for. Hidden power they can do nothing about.”

Although a fascinating mystery, the book is also a perspective on American race relations. I loved the book and the character of Julia, plus, there are so many layers to this book. While we follow the clues to the mystery, we also discover the shifts of power, personal integrity, the world of the top tenth of black society, and also the abandoned bottom half. Possibly, greater efforts to promote interracial equality might be helped by this book. Enjoy the read!!

(by Anne Frame, Guest Columnist)