The Harlem Charade

Starred review from November 7, 2016
Tarpley (Destiny’s Gift) introduces a diverse trio of 12-year-olds trekking through the streets of Harlem to solve an increasingly complicated mystery. Jin, whose Korean grandparents run a bodega, is intrigued by the stealthy good deeds of an African-American girl, Alex, who is ashamed of her family’s wealth and keeps it secret. Jin contrives to work with Alex on a school project; circumstances quickly throw the girls together with tiny brown-skinned, dreadlocked Elvin, newly arrived from Berkeley, whose grandfather was assaulted and is in a coma. As the threesome focuses on figuring out who attacked him, their relationship evolves from an uneasy alliance to a warm fellowship as clues lead them to uncover layers of local corruption. The fast-paced story takes readers to landmarks such as the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and St. Nicholas Park, as the amateur detectives learn about the neighborhood’s history in the tumultuous 1960s. While the history lessons are occasionally a bit heavy-handed, Tarpley creates a strong sense of Harlem’s rich past and present, conveys the importance of art, and raises thoughtful questions about service and justice. Ages 8–12.

Narrator Bahni Turpin provides complex portraits of this audiobook's three heroes, the way their lives intersect, and the engaging mystery that unites them. Observant, curious Jin is a Korean-American who was orphaned early in life and raised by strict elderly parents. Jin is intrigued by prickly Alexandra, who appears to be poor--but Jin sees that she funds good deeds for those in need. A school project about the past of their Harlem community brings the two together. Soon they meet Elvin, a boy who seems homeless. Turpin excels at accents and emotions and at revealing obscured truths about the main characters. She ensures that listeners comprehend the story's historical figures and quick-paced, suspenseful events. Turpin shows her gifts as she brings together diverse plots, characterizations, and themes. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine