Glory be

Arceneaux's delightful debut cozy introduces Glory Broussard of Lafayette, La., a self-described "old, fat, black woman" whose weeks revolve around churchgoing and her gig as a small-time bookie. One Sunday, while she's crunching numbers at her usual table in CC's Coffeehouse, Glory strikes up a conversation with police officer Beau Landry, whom she used to babysit. Partway through their chat, he's called to a crime scene at the home of Amity Gay, an activist nun and Glory's best friend. Glory insists on coming along, and when they arrive, the pair finds Amity strangled by her habit--one end is knotted around her neck, the other tied to a doorknob. The police are quick to declare it a suicide, but Glory's not convinced. Determined to find justice, she employs the help of her daughter, Delphine, a high-powered New York City lawyer, and launches an investigation that takes them through Lafayette's elite circles in search of answers. Arceneaux successfully avoids a mountain of cozy clichés--no bookshops, baked goods, or love interest for Glory--and works potent critiques of Southern racism into her well-oiled plot. Readers will be eager to spend more time with Glory in future installments. Agent: Alice Speilburg, Speilburg Literary. (Oct.)