A dying soldier in the Great War in Europe extracts a promise from his friend, Jade, to track down his illegitimate half-brother, conceived when the now deceased family patriarch was exploring the Dark Continent.

Set in 1919 British East Africa (now Kenya), amid colonial rule and racial unrest, Suzanne Arruda’s debut Mark of the Lion introduces Jade del Cameron. A young woman raised on a New Mexico ranch and who served as an ambulance driver near the front lines in France in WWI, she is a perfect heroine. Just too perfect.

Not only is she beautiful with her green eyes (what are the chances?), black curls and olive complexion (her mother was Spanish), she has a “mellow contralto voice” (nothing too shrill for our Jade). She’s practical enough to wear trousers on safari while the other women wear skirts, she’s intelligent enough to finger a drug-smuggler and to uncover a murder. And she’s always in perfect control and understanding of her emotions so that men cannot sweep her off her feet without her consent.

Jade’s remarkably (& implausibly) free of the prejudices of the day, and of the condescension of the ruling people of whose society she is part. What’s more, she’s an ace-mechanic, a crack shot, and learns Swahili faster than just about anybody. She can out-climb, out-drive and out-think anybody around, but especially men.

There were many times I felt like gagging on yet another demonstration of her multiple, never-ending, and—oh yes, did I mention—perfect skills.

Be forewarned, the Kenya-set story involves witchcraft among some of the tribal people. Although the suggestion of that made me extremely uncomfortable while I was reading, I forged ahead thinking that perhaps the plot resolution would reveal another explanation of events. Alas, it did not. If you are offended by demonism, give this book a pass, as it is a key element upon which the plot turns.

At the story’s end, Miss del Cameron decides to stay on in Kenya, so future stories in this series may include witchcraft as well. Given that, and Jade’s oh-so-irritating perfection, I won’t be reading any more of Arruda’s novels, even though I did enjoy the historical setting of this series debut.

Link for my Canadian readers:

Mark Of The Lion: a Jade del Cameron Mystery