The Demise of Luleta Jones

By Mark Allen Boone

A rare work where the literary novel and the mystery meet. Reporter Theo Pugh is obsessed with uncovering the facts surrounding the mysterious suicide of an enigmatic public school teacher from a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977251500
• ISBN13: 9780977251506
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: BCH Fulfillment & Distribution
• Length: 257 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Literature at its best

The Demise of Luleta Jones by Mark Allen Boone is an excellent literary novel. The first chapter immediately tells of the suicide of Luleta Jones--an eccentric 39-years-old African American, public school teacher. Clayton Hemphill, a 75-year-old retiree and unwavering fan of Luleta, finds her body hanging from a rafter on the second floor of his 2-flat apartment building. Theophilous `Theo' Pugh, who tells the story through interviews, is an unrelenting reporter for the Chicago Weekly Word. Theo comes to Lincoln Manor on the West Side of Chicago to profile the community and stumbles upon the story of Jones's suicide that had happened two years prior. He slowly uncovers how she died, power grabs by African American bourgeoisies, backstabbing, and family infighting. What becomes apparent is that Luleta was a person capable of seeing good in all people, a woman who believed that all human beings had worth. This cause love and hate relationships for the talented, self-confident, beautiful, independent woman. Theo's life is touched in startling ways. In his decision to put her life on paper, and in interviewing various members of the community, Theo falls in love with the deceased woman and is obsessed with her story. Could his obsession with Luleta cause Theophilous Pugh to lose his grip on reality? Mark Allen Boone's methodical descent to the end is emotional, heartwarming and much unexpected. He is an excellent writer; his characters are so close to reality that you find yourself lost in each of their lives--so very true with the life of Luleta Jones. The Demise of Luleta Jones is indeed an excellent, fresh read. I hope to see more of his work in the near future.

Consequences

Why do people get sidetracked with nonsense, things that don't feed the soul but rather things that fuel the ego and causes anger, jealousy, hatred and disruption? Some are able to nip nonsense in the bud before it consumes them - for reasons that we may never know some actually choose to be consumed as shown in the story - The Demise of Luleta Jones. Luleta Jones, a free-spirit, caring, regal, phenomenal creature was not afraid to go against the status-quo. By simply being herself, uproar was created in a local African American community that eventually led to Luleta's downfall. The Demise of Luleta Jones shows what happens when ill-will feelings are invoked and allowed to control your very existence. Luleta - you either hated her or you loved her. What an intricate WEB we weave when we chose to hate. Without a doubt I loved Luleta - her character reminded me of a treasure - a treasure that was full of life and vitality with an aura that demanded respect. And then there's Theo, the moralistic, happy go lucky, compassionate journalist that brings Luleta back to life; Theo is someone that I certainly hope to see again. Mark Boone created a captivating novel; he managed to eloquently intertwine so many facets of life into this story; human behavior, murder, drugs, greed, mystery and most of all love - it's a book that I highly recommend. Sharon - Sisters Sippiin' Tea Literary Group - Tulsa Chapter

"To Fling Open the Doors"

In 1996 Theophilous (Theo) Pugh, a writer for the "Chicago Weekly Word," composed an article about Lincoln Manor, a Chicago neighborhood that had undergone both racial change and gentrification to become "the West Side's crown jewel." He becomes fascinated, however, with the mysterious death of Luleta Jones a thirty-nine-year-old African American music teacher. The police made little of her death, ruling it as a suicide; but many people who knew her, including Clayton Hemphill, who keeps her memory alive with a museum in her honor, believe that she was murdered. Theo sets out on a dangerous journey in Mark Allen Boone's beautifully written novel to find out the truth about this elusive woman. The novel opens with a unforgettable image of a woman (we soon learn it is Luleta) standing in the pouring rain with all of her possessions, including a grand piano that she has covered with plastic to protect it. Both Hemphill, the man who sees her, and the reader are both mesmerized by this character. A jeweler by trade, he compares Luleta to a diamond with many facets. Everyone sees her from a different angle and has his or her own opinion about her. I would love to know if she is based on a real person. I certainly would have liked to have known her. Mr. Boone deftly brings serious topics into this mystery without being didactic: insurance redlining, white flight, racism and finally the plight of teachers and others who challenge the status quo by bringing fresh new ideas both into and outside the classroom. They listen to their own drummer but at their peril. (Luleta believed, for instance, that her responsibility as a music teacher was "to facilitate, to enable, to fling open the doors and throw up the windows so the music can get out to do what it was meant to do." Tell that to a high school principal who probably is sitting on two degrees in physical education.) Mr. Boone's language is smooth as silk and highly descriptive. One character's skin is "eggplant-smooth," and another's is "raisin brown." He gets his Southern colloquialisms right too, ("you're not from around here, are you?") and reminded me that you make a military bed so tight that you can bounce a quarter off it. My favorite line, however, belongs to the character Mozelle when she speaks of her honesty: "As the old folks say, 'If I tell you a rooster dips snuff, you can look underneath his wing and find the tin.'" This really good mystery that should appeal to all thoughtful readers does not turn out the way I had hoped it would, but then life doesn't either. Perhaps Boone will write more novels with Theo as the central character who will solve other cases while subtly teaching moral lessons much as the way Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins does. We certainly hope so.

Bravo

In the Demise of Luleta Jones, Mark Allen Boone paints a portrait of a woman both scorned and envied by her peers. Luleta Jones is hired by the Lincoln Manor Academy of the Arts to teach children an appreciation of the fine arts. Luleta is devoted to the arts and to her students and her students are devoted to her. Luleta implements new music from forgotten Black composers much to the chagrin of her fellow teachers. Fired from her job and ev icted from her apartment onto the streets is not enough to satisfy her enemies. The locals had one of two stances about Luleta Jones ; they either loved or despised her. Even after her death some tried to scandalize her name, but her majesty lives on through those whom lives she touched. A reporter interested in the human-interest aspects of the story became enraptured by the Luleta Jones story and became determined to unravel the mystery behind her death. I truly loved this book and words cannot give this book justice. You will have to read it to understand what I am talking about. This book speaks strongly about the evils of jealousy, spite and all natures of human characteristic flaws. Luleta Jones was a mystery inside of herself, as was the story a mystery. Readers will not want to speed read this novel as you will want to ponder the causes and effects of each of the key players' actions. Mr. Boone is lyrical and smooth in his delivery. Do not cheat yourselves mystery lovers. Read it for yourself. It would be a shame if this books dies in obscurity! Reviewed by Margaret Ball APOOO BookClub

The Demise of Luleta Jones

Fantastic read and very well written! The writer delivered a message about "society and perception" by telling a story about young black woman living in African American society that every person can relate to his/her daily lives. How much of our immediate feelings effect our perception, and how our actions/body languages are interpreted by society? This perception (good/bad) has major impacts on people's and our own lives, and it is up to individual to decide how do we want to live our lives? Whatever was the decision, we always must be ready for the outcome. The story was intriguing and this book captures attention from start to finish.