Wild Women and the Blues

By: Denny S. Bryce

Narrated by: Tracey Conyer Lee, Ronald Peet

Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Jazz-Age Chicago comes to vibrant life in Denny S. Bryce's evocative novel that links the stories of an ambitious chorus girl and a modern-day film student, both coming to grips with loss, forgiveness, and the limitations - and surprises - of love.

"Why would I talk to you about my life? I don't know you, and even if I did, I don't tell my story to just any boy with long hair, who probably smokes weed. You wanna hear about me. You gotta tell me something about you. To make this worth my while."

1925: Chicago is the jazz capital of the world, and the Dreamland Cafe is the ritziest black-and-tan club in town. Honoree Dalcour is a sharecropper's daughter, willing to work hard and dance every night on her way to the top. Dreamland offers a path to the good life, socializing with celebrities like Louis Armstrong and filmmaker Oscar Micheaux. But Chicago is also awash in bootleg whiskey, gambling, and gangsters. And a young woman driven by ambition might risk more than she can stand to lose.

2015: Film student Sawyer Hayes arrives at the bedside of 110-year-old Honoree Dalcour, still reeling from a devastating loss that has taken him right to the brink. Sawyer has rested all his hope on this frail but formidable woman, the only living link to the legendary Oscar Micheaux. If he's right - if she can fill in the blanks in his research, perhaps he can complete his thesis and begin a new chapter in his life. But the links Honoree makes are not ones he's expecting....

Piece by piece, Honoree reveals her past and her secrets, while Sawyer fights tooth and nail to keep his. It's a story of courage and ambition, hot jazz and illicit passions. And as past meets present, for Honoree, it's a final chance to be truly heard and seen before it's too late. No matter the cost....

©2021 Denny S. Bryce (P)2021 Recorded Books

Escape reader

Fascinating winding story that gives a glimpse into another era and culture. It had me guessing until the end!

Intriguing Story!

The actors portraying each character did a tremendous job with the narration, bringing the story to life. Wonderful descriptive wordsmithing by the author!

Kept me on my toes

Loved this book! I especially loved how we’re drawn back and forth between 2 different eras, both with their own stories waiting to unfold. Had a little bit of drama, little bit of suspense, and a touch of romance

Loved the book and narration

What a compelling and entertaining book! I always hesitate to use the term "page-turner" for an audio book, but I finished this in three days because I just had to know what happened next. The narrators really brought the characters to life, and did a nice job differentiating the characters' voices. This story was just what I was looking for, richly told historical fiction. I loved the way the present and past were woven together and how the complex story played out. If you're thinking about getting this one, just do it! I hope you love it as much as I did.

Amazing!

This story was beautifully written, I couldn’t put it down. I was immersed in the world and loved the historical figures who made appearances.

so much to say about this book!!!

Right from the start was so hard to stop listening. Many times listening to many parts over as not to miss one word. So well performed. characters and grammar matched the time frame so well. it also shows the depth of Chicago crime rings and gang activity crosses all walks of life can make for exploding bedfellows.

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER. LOVED IT!

I DIDN'T WANT THIS BOOK TO END. THE BEST BOOK I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME.

The Name Dropping of it All

Lewis Armstrong, Al Capone, Alberta Hunter, Oscar Micheax.
The attention to detail and story pace is phenomenal. Learned so much and enjoyed every minute.

Perfect Historical Fiction

I loved this book and finished it in a very short time. Perfect amount of historic facts and storyline. I have not found many books about black life in the 20s so this was a real treat. The only thing I would change is the way the narrator reads the voice of Bessies a 16 year old character who is made to sound like a 60 year old woman.

1920's Black America

ok, started off a little slow BUT then the mystery, history, and storyline just pulled me end. I loved the travel thru history with the music, places, recognizable characters like Louie Armstrong and Capone. I would definitely recommend.