Plain Brown Wrapper

Written by Karen Grigsby Bates

Narrated by Robin Miles

Karen Grigsby Bates, a contributor to People magazine and the Los Angeles Times and an NPR commentator, delivers a slick mystery featuring sharp-tongued reporter Alex Powell. While attending the National Association of Black Journalists conference, Alex discovers the dead body of a publishing bigwig who was about to be toasted as journalist of the year. As Alex investigates, she uncovers deadly secrets-and puts her own life in danger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 26, 2007
• ISBN: 9781428199477

Karen Grigsby Bates

Karen Grigsby Bates is a Los Angeles-based correspondent for NPR News, the author of the Alex Powell mystery series, and co-author, wih Karen Elyse Hudson, of the best-selling etiquette book Basic Black: Home Training For Modern Times. She and her husband, photographer Bruce W. Talamon, are the parents of a college-aged son.

Reviews for Plain Brown Wrapper

[reannon_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Alex Powell is a black woman journalist working for an L.A. newspaper. While attending a convention for blacks in the news industry, she is sent to see why the award-winner isn't at the banquet, and finds him dead in his hotel room.Because of their knowledge of, and access to, the people involved, the police ask Alex and her friend Paul to help with the investigation. There are, sadly, no lack of suspects. The dead man had been a womanizer and had also infuriated people in his business dealings.I found out about this series because the author collaborated on the memoirs of Ann Nixon Cooper, which I enjoyed. Since I like mysteries thought I'd give this a try, and am glad I did. Bates creates good characters. The plot was ok...the weakest character for me was the victim, who seemed a bundle of contrariness. I liked it well enough to read the second in the series. So far there are only those two, and I'd like to politely request that more be forthcoming!