Description
Kill or be killed. It should be a simple choice. But it’s not that simple for Nikki Finch—it would have to be a cold-blooded murder and she’d have to get away with it. It could work, but what kind of example would she set for her daughter?
BeatNikki’s Café was named a finalist for Killer Nashville’s 2024 Silver Falchion Award for Best Mystery.
“Renee James has done it again and even upped her game. Relationships as tough as they’re tender, a plot as subtle as it’s satisfying, and writing with snap and heart in equal measure are all on the menu atBeatNikki’s Café. A wonderful novel with just the right blend of our harsh world and a break from it all.” —Catriona McPherson, author of A Gingerbread House and In Place of Fear
“Renee James’s BeatNikki’s Café asks: What does it mean to be trans and parent a sixteen-year-old at a time when trans people are under the constant threat of violence, disrespected by public institutions, and offered little support? James’s brilliant and compulsively readable answer is warm-hearted, fierce, tender, and frank, where her characters, most of all Nikki, our intrepid lead, reveal their flaws and passions and surprise us with startling change. This important novel offers a fresh perspective on parenthood and adds to the growing list of vital trans voices writing today. Not to be missed!” —John Copenhaver, award-winning author of The Savage Kind
“In BeatNikki’s Café, the picture Renee James draws of her community is as nuanced as it is fascinating. The book’s primary focus, though, is not that, but its beautifully-drawn characters and the choices they make. With the courage to grow together and apart, these all-too-human people shine through the situations life —and they themselves—put them in. Nikki’s voice is terrific, and her hostile teenage daughter is cringe-perfect. Highly recommended.” —SJ Rozan, bestselling author of Family Business
