Book Review: All Money Ain't Good Money (Jinx Curry Mystery, #1) by Tracey Lampley

All Money Ain't Good Money: A Jinx Curry Mystery by Tracey Lampley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Get ready for this gritty, determined new female PI!

All Money Ain’t Good Money is the first book in author Tracey Lampley’s exciting and gritty new PI series featuring the smart, sexy, and savvy Jinx Curry. Set in a sweltering Atlanta in July, Jinx is determined to solve the case of a congressman’s missing granddaughter and claim the large bonus fee that would go a long way to solving some of her own problems.

Valerie “Jinx” Curry is a 33-year-old divorced mother of a teenage daughter, working matrimonial cases for Capricorn Hayes and Associates, a well-established private investigations firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Jinx is straightforward and direct in dealing with people, her career goals, and her personal needs and desires. There is palpable sexual tension between her and her boss every time they are in the same room. She has a “ride or die” BFF in her friend, Shalonda, and a first-cousin frenemy, Pookie, who lend their advice and strong shoulders to lean on when needed. After breaking open a particularly high-profile case involving a cheating husband, Jinx feels ready to take on more substantial assignments, and Capricorn relents. However, her first case is an absolute doozy.

Her new client is the arrogant and controlling Congressman Nate Calloway, who wants her to locate his missing granddaughter, whom no one has seen or heard from in six months. As she interviews the granddaughter’s friends and family, Jinx quickly realizes that locating Elena may not be in the young woman’s best interests, and she struggles with her conscience and her need to earn the very generous bonus. Meanwhile, Jinx’s personal life is in turmoil as she deals with her rebellious teenage daughter and her mother, who has run up considerable gambling debts that need immediate attention.

The plot is well-paced as Jinx closes in on the surprising truth of Elena’s disappearance with loads of action and twists all along the way. Her investigation pits her against some interesting, uncooperative, and dangerous individuals, but she holds her own in face-to-face confrontations. Jinx may be one of my favorite new characters of the year, and I am definitely looking forward to her next appearance.

I recommend ALL MONEY AIN’T GOOD MONEY to mystery readers, especially those who like strong Black female protagonists or an Atlanta or Georgia setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.


View all my reviews