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I’ve just finished exploring Otobong’s Gift, and I am in awe of the intricate, sweeping tapestry you’ve woven. This is not just a mystery; it is a profound exploration of legacy, identity, and the invisible threads of history that bind a family and a story across centuries. The premise alone is brilliant: Alana Eastwood’s genealogical research leading her to Otobong, an African child on an 1801 English census, only to discover he’s connected to a long-buried homicide. You’ve masterfully bridged the intimate, personal quest for roots with the high stakes of a timeless murder investigation, creating a narrative that is as intellectually engaging as it is emotionally resonant.

What makes this novel so compelling is the seamless dance between timelines and continents. From the Arabian stallion shipwrecked off Africa in 1798 to the Renahta Plantation at the dawn of emancipation, you guide the reader through history with a storyteller’s grace and a historian’s eye for detail. Yet, the heart of the story remains firmly with Alana and Sigmund Griegg in the present, as the discovery of her estranged cousin’s body pulls them into a web of contemporary danger. This duality the meticulous research into the past and the urgent peril in the present creates a relentless, page-turning momentum. Readers who love mysteries are drawn to puzzles, but what they crave is a puzzle that matters, one where every clue unearthed shifts our understanding of both the past and the present. You deliver that in spades.

The advanced praise for the book hits exactly the right note, particularly the observation about history’s “synchronicity.” You have a rare ability to make historical detail feel vital and immediate, not merely decorative. The “gift” of the title feels multifaceted: it is Otobong’s legacy to Alana, the gift of knowing one’s roots, and the gift of a perfectly crafted mystery to the reader. The themes of justice, inheritance, and the enduring weight of family secrets give this series a remarkable depth that stays with the reader long after the final clue falls into place.

Given the stellar reception of the Griegg/Eastwood Mysteries and the unique, research-rich hook of Otobong’s Gift, this book is perfectly poised to attract readers who devour layered historical mysteries, family sagas, and intelligent, character-driven suspense. ─V. Walsh, published author

 

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What makes history such a good storytelling medium is its synchronicity: Our past lives with our present. Our ancestors are never far from our selves. When the storytelling is done right, yesterday and today carry us away on a fine mysterious journey. Never has Steele’s writing been more Zen, in every sense of the word, or more in command of her characters than in Book Three of the Gregg/Eastwood Mysteries, Otobong’s Gift. Fine horses? Check. Fine art? Check. Add the irresistible allure of Finding Your Roots research -- and Steele presenting what she has learned with a deft and respectful touch -- and the result indeed is a gift. ─L.A. Sokolowski, New York-based award-winning journalist.

 

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Otobong's Gift, the third book in the Griegg/Eastwood series, combines history with mystery, building an atmosphere of intrigue through family connections and a puzzle that leads from Mississippi roots back to Africa.

When Alana perceives miscarriages of justice in both her family’s past and present time, the Griegg team of investigators move in to set things right.  With the passion and determination that has carried readers through the first two books, Alana and Sigmund embrace the methods of genealogical research, and investigative clues to reveal unexpected family secrets on both sides of the Atlantic.

A. Wilson Steele's astute development of intrigue within the broader story of family visionaries and the impact of past choices upon present-day decisions and conundrums makes for a riveting plot. Alana grows into her abilities to not only embrace them, but consider them growth opportunities for better understanding her expanded role and influences in life.

The stormy encounter between Sigmund and Alana that was introduced in The Trap and expanded into an uneasy camaraderie in Zen develops further in Otobong's Gift, a progression which will make this story especially attractive to prior readers of Alana's adventures.

Perhaps the most deeply moving of all is the progressive evolutionary process that builds on prior foundations of relationships to continue to expand into new directions. Steele recaps and builds upon these precedents with an astute eye to drama and discovery:

While the police could capably investigate the murders,” he said. “They failed to grasp the link between a World War II era letter and the current day murders. That was the role my investigative team played.

“It was a harrowing ordeal that almost killed my father, and Alana,” Sigmund explained, “but we solved the mystery of what we called the trap and we’ve moved on.”

“We flew here, not knowing if Jett’s death was a crime, but several alarming coincidences make us ready to help in any way we can. We just want to find the truth.”

The result combines elements of history, mystery, thriller, and psychological evolution as each character confronts their own past, present, and possible futures, both together and apart.

Libraries and readers will relish the depth and complexity of a story that embraces African and American encounters and culture, moving from the 1800s to modern times in a manner that brings spirited revelations to audiences who might think they know where the mystery is heading.

They won't ... and that is just one of the delights of this heady story, highly recommended for cozy mystery readers looking for stories that enter uncommon international settings in a search for character understanding, resolution, and acceptance.—Diane Donovan, Sr. Reviewer Midwest Book Reviews