Casanegra

A Tennyson Hardwick Story

By: Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes

Narrated by: Richard Allen

Casanegra follows the adventures of Tennyson Hardwick, a gorgeous, sexy former actor and gigolo living on the fringes of the good life in Hollywood. This story combines the glamour of Hollywood with the seedy hopelessness of the inner city.

In this hot and steamy mystery, Tennyson is an actor struggling to hang on to his career and redeem his sex-for-pay history, which estranged him from his family, especially his father, a decorated LAPD captain who raised Tennyson to call him "Sir". Now, in the wake of his father's sudden stroke, Tennyson has to save himself from taking the fall for a murder. In the process, he discovers his hidden talents - the hard way.

Blair Underwood, a Golden Globe-nominated actor and the author of Before I Got Here, joins best-selling novelists Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes to create a cool, irresistible character in Tennyson Hardwick. And this gritty, provocative mystery will keep readers craving more.

©2007 Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due, and Steven Barnes (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Actor Underwood...teams up with accomplished authors Due and Barnes to produce a seamlessly entertaining novel." ( Publishers Weekly)

2 things I like most

This was a great mystery as well as hot, hot, hot! The naysayers are prudes. When are we going to be able to hear "In the Night of the Heat"? Now that I've heard these narrators, I don't think I could get the same effect reading in a paper copy...

Pure entertainment

Ok, it got a bit spicey, but it is JUST ENTERTAINMENT, not a study in literature. I was pleasantly surprised, and simply enjoyed the whole book. I enjoyed the Agatha Christie style of so many suspects. The reader's voice was not what I would expect, but fine. I find I adapt to readers I don't enjoy at first. Try it! It is just a bit of a twist on the typical characters, professions, and background.

Steamy, sexy whodunit.

I wish other books from the series were on Audible. Not crazy about the reader's voice.

Steamy who done it!

I really enjoyed the colorful characters. I must admit that I purchased this because on Ms. Due. I really enjoyed her other books. But this book was quite a thrill ride in it's own right. Ten is the man. The narrator has the perfect voice for the character. Well thought out storyline. Listen and enjoy. A solid 4 star book. Definitely R rated for explicit sexual content.

Highs and Lows

This book has some high points and low ones. It kind of starts slow, revs up and then slows again. I could have used less a few less details on some insignificant points throughout the book, but overall it was a good read. Looking forward to reading the next book "In the Night of the Heat" and hope it is (or becomes) an audio book.

What's The Beef?

The negativity for this book is pretty amazing. I'm a white guy, and I enjoyed the story, thought the sex scenes were a bit much, but totally liked the narrator and thought he did a good job. This is definitely worth a listen and keeps the interest of any of us not all ready to jump on the poor narrator dude. Sure, the story is an exercise in over-the-top fiction writing, but that's one of the reasons we read fiction. If it were like our lives we'd be bored by page 10. If you don't like Casnegra and think it's too wild, try reading Stephen King and/or Anne Rice ...

Whitty

Heart-Pounding! Underworld Slime! CASANEGRA ...is a novel filled with twists until the very end. It is a page turner and complete work that stands on its own while setting up readers to search out the other tales of the Tennyson Hardwick novels in the Blair Underwood titles. A gritty colorful drama begins to unfold when Tennyson Hardwick assigns himself as a private investigator in a high profile homicide. Afrodite, a successful young female rapper gone actress/entrepreneur is well on her way to superstardom but later is found murdered in an alley. Tennyson's interest in the murder investigation is not only because Afrodite was a client and personal friend of his but, to this handsome reformed escort's horror he has become the number one suspect to the LAPD and with good reason. Not only was he the last one seen with Afrodite but there is also an incriminating business card found with her dead body which belongs to him. Be ready to emerge into LA's glitz, Palm Spring's glam and Hip Hop's underworld rap bosses, crooked cops, jealousy, mayhem and madames.

Kimberly Wilson

Great read!

Loved the story. The tone, characters, and depiction of the locale were gripping. Definitely puts me back in Southern California. Only reservation was deeply graphic romance scenes. Way over the top for a murder mystery I think.

10

Ten is a great character and U get to ride along with an African American male between the ghetto and the posh Hollywood lifestyle. I hope there are more episodes of this person and his behind the beauty and rich side of Hip Hop and glamor industries.

Guilty Pleasure

I have been wanting to "read" this book for a long time. I am glad that I finally did! I thoroughly loved this book. I took it with me on vacation while in Orlando and I finished it within two days. It is full of excitement and thrills all surrounded in the world of hip-hop music. I was sad when I finished it and hope that there will be more from Blair Underwood.