The Black Queen
by Jumata Emill
)
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Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High--but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller.
Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.
Tinsley McArthur wasΒ supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it's her legacy--her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.
No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova's best friend. Duchess's father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova's crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won't face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova--and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess's father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.
Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley's guilt. And to do that, she'll have to get close to her.
But Tinsley has an agenda, too.
Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.
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Book Details
- ISBN
- 9780593568545
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Authors
- Jumata Emill
- Publisher
- Delacorte Press
- Published Date
- January 31, 2023
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 400
- Physical Info
- 1.5 in H x 8.4 in L x 5.8 in W (1.12 lb)

Amazing! He def did his big one on this book! I kinda expected the plot twist but not the actually person being the culprit.
Itβs been hard for me to get back into reading I started with this book listening, but it pushed me to also read. Itβs a good simple read that will have you questioning who done it lol, you may figure it out you may not. Worth checking out, it made me love the names Duchess and Nova even more
This is the first book Iβve read by Jumata and now Iβm hooked!! Well written and full of suspense! β€οΈ it!!
Nova is crowned as the first Black Homecoming Queen of her high school. Unfortunately, the same night sheβs crowned, sheβs murdered. An unlikely pair- her best friend, Duchess, and Tinsley, the white girl accused of murdering her- team up to find her killer.There were enough clues to put the pieces together, but enough distractions to keep you wondering if your theory is right.In addition to that, the book addressed so many racial issues that were perfectly explained.I absolutely loved this book!!!
I like how this well written YA novel touched on some current issues while keeping you intrigued throughout. Although I solved the mystery very early in I still really enjoyed the book and character development.