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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In Derek Chatman's Lipstick, Cocaine & Revenge, eighteen-year-old Geneva works at a Bronx clothing store while her uncle Jerome, known as Rome, runs a drug operation from his social club, The Yard. When a man close to Rome is murdered, a feud with rival dealer Cash threatens the family Geneva believes is protected. Meanwhile, Geneva accompanies her friend Tiana to Star Lounge, an upscale strip club, where the prospect of making real money changes her plans. Soon she is dancing under the name Rouge, meeting wealthy customers whose connections reach far beyond the club. Her mother Rochelle knows what life in the drug business can cost, having once worked alongside Rome herself. As the violence draws nearer, Geneva finds herself facing questions about her future that nobody in her family wants her to answer.
Derek Chatman's Lipstick, Cocaine & Revenge ticks all the right boxes for an excellent urban crime thriller. There is suspense throughout the Bronx, where rival crews are ready to settle their differences with gunfire. Geneva is a fantastic leading lady, sharp-mouthed and devoted to her family. The depiction of Rouge working the rooms at Star Lounge is absolutely brilliant. We even see her humiliate a customer who grabs her wrist, using his own friends to put him in his place. The street dealings are just as exciting. At a VIP table, Reem, a customer connected to the drug crews, talks too freely with his companions, never imagining what Rouge hears. Who knew red lipstick could be such a dangerous weapon? Or, is it the woman wearing it? As a reader who is also a POC, finding a novel that features Black characters and dialogue that is on point is incredible. Readers who enjoy gritty crime fiction and the likes of Sister Souljah's The Coldest Winter Ever are in for a treat. Very highly recommended.
