Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Black Queen

By: Jumata Emill
Narrated by: Angel Pean, Erin Spencer
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.75

Buy for $24.75

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

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 unpausable 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 was 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.

©2023 Jumata Emill (P)2023 Listening Library
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"A murder mystery with much to say about modern-day segregation, policing, and personal biases."—Kirkus Reviews

"This chilling narrative adeptly portrays the struggle with balancing competing loyalties, personal safety, and pursuit of justice while operating within oppressive systems."—Publishers Weekly

“Masterfully plotted and impossible to put down, The Black Queen is a searingly brilliant and bold exposé of the relationship between privilege, perspective, and justice.”—J. Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony

What listeners say about The Black Queen

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    66
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    62
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    62
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Death brings out the secrets

A good high school YA book race divided the school and the black student with the looks and brains with support of her friends hoping to break a tradition in a privileged society white family with secrets that have been hidden by her children but many know the white man always likes more than cream in his coffee. Unexpected tragedy hits the high school and continues the division that further changes history but as life has it; anger will be the reason the truth comes out.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good but predictable

This twist was a tad predictable for me, but overall I loved it! It truly made you think about things as it relates to race in the United States. The narrators were amazing! I will be reading more by this author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting story based in my neck of the woods!

This was so interesting. The story was intriguing and the mystery of "whodunnit" kept me engaged and invested.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sheesh

Let me start off by saying I feel like anything I say in this review will not do the book justice but I sure am going to try my best. Sheesh this book was absolutely incredible. It's really hard to believe that this a debut by this author. This book had me completely and utterly invested by the very first page. The mystery aspect had me so intrigued as I tried to figure out what happened to this beautiful girl (and for the recond I still can't believe everything that happened). And the characters evolving throughout the book *chefs freaking kiss*. Just wow.! What an amazing start for this author. I definitely plan on reading anything and everything he writes moving forward.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

Loved it! Absolutely loved having two different voices really made the experience sooo much better!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A story that will leave you guessing.

This probably one of the most refreshing mystery’s I’ve read in a while.

It brings new perspective to the tried and true themes of a classic thriller, it also throws in a splash of the dramatic southern gothic.

So if you are fan of mysteries and southern gothic this book is a must listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Quite the conclusion

The more the story progressed, the more I was desperately hoping a CERTAIN person ended up the culprit getting what they deserved. I was definitely satisfied with the ending.
There’s also a lot of racial commentary throughout the book that will leave you with things to think about when you done.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Kept me guessing

This was a great book. It was thought provoking and it kept me guessing. Just when I thought i may have figured out who did it, another twist was was thrown in there. I couldn’t stop listening until I got to the end. Definitely recommend this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Better than thought

Very good story. Nice twist and turns. the e ending was kind of oveious but still a good story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Black Queen

This book deserves so much more hype I really enjoyed the story unique original and fresh with much needed reality checks

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!