Review by Booklist Review
Investigative psychologist Philip Taiwo and his family remain in Lagos, having returned after living in the U.S. Philip's fierce law professor wife, Folake, is happy there, but their teenage daughter, Lara, is dangerously miserable. Philip is teaching at a police academy and has no intention of taking any more cases after his father got him embroiled in bloody chaos in Kayode's debut, Lightseekers (2021). But now his sister prevails upon him to look into the disappearance of the "First Lady" of her mega prosperity church. The superrich bishop, much older than his beautiful wife, has been arrested on suspicion of her murder, but he seems to have been framed. As Philip attempts to sort out the increasingly complicated and alarming forces tied to Sade's vanishing, from extreme corruption in both law enforcement and "the God business" to ritualized sexual violence, he reconnects with his unflappable, multitalented associate, Chika, as things get dicey. Kayode delivers another ensnaring, vividly realized, suspenseful, and witty tale of a reluctant yet gifted investigator who susses out the truth about people trapped within entrenched criminality and injustice.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Kayode's vivid sequel to 2021's Lightseekers sees former SFPD psychologist Philip Taiwo back in his native Nigeria searching for the missing wife of Jeremiah Dawodu, the ultrarich bishop of a local megachurch. In the eyes of her husband's congregants, Sade Dawodu is a flighty troublemaker known to skip public appearances, so when she disappears for several days, they don't think much of it. Before long, however, police claim to have evidence of foul play and tap Philip and his sidekick, Chika Makuochi, to sift through suspects including church pastors, corrupt government officials, and the bishop himself. Having recently returned to Nigeria after two decades in the U.S., Philip must acclimate to scarce public records and a culture of obfuscation as he carries out his investigation. Meanwhile, Philip and his wife, law professor Folake, grapple with their 15-year-old daughter's compulsive stealing; Philip approaches it like a case, trying to determine whether the girl's funding a drug habit or committing the thefts for some other reason. Kayode joins the two investigations in surprising and satisfying ways, maintaining steady momentum and populating the story with well-drawn characters. His evocative portrait of contemporary Nigeria is icing on the cake. This series continues to captivate. Agent: Harry Illingworth, DHH Agency. (Nov.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Nigerian psychologist investigates the case of a bishop's wife who's gone missing. When Bishop Jeremiah Dawodu, the head of a Nigerian megachurch, is arrested on suspicion that he murdered his missing wife, Folasade, investigative psychologist Philip Taiwo (a consultant at the Police College in Lagos) is asked by his sister, Kenny, a devout member of the congregation, to meet with the church elders. Not a fan of organized religion, he reluctantly agrees to investigate the possibility that Dawodu may have been framed and that the young and impulsive Sade, who was known to go away for days, might still be alive. Why would the First Lady, who was not particularly well-liked by the elders, seek to discredit her eminent spouse? On the home front, Philip must deal with 15-year-old Lara, who has been stealing money from her mother, Folake. When he discovers his daughter's heartbreaking reason, he realizes that his family has not quite escaped the racism and colorism left behind in America. "We never worried about our daughter because by the time we should have, we were already in Nigeria, where everyone was Black." When Sade's body is found floating in Lekki Lagoon, Philip's investigation, aided by former mercenary Chika, takes a dangerous turn. Kayode has written a twisty, cleverly plotted mystery where nothing--and no one--is what it seems. Philip is a warm, compassionate, and insightful narrator, although the interspersed chapters featuring an unknown speaker feel like a distraction. While some details of Nigerian life are fascinating (Lagos's notorious traffic jams will comfort L.A. readers who think they have it bad), a few more atmospheric touches could have enhanced an already entertaining read. Readers will eagerly await Kayode's next novel. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
