From the Temptation Series to Harlem Rhapsody

I haven’t finished Harlem Rhapsody yet — life has been lifing — but I’ve been looking forward to reading this one for almost a year.

Back in August 2024, I got a teaser excerpt during a session at the National Book Club Conference. Just one page, and I was all in. I shared it immediately and knew I'd read the full book once it became available in February.

I first heard Victoria Christopher Murray mention she was focusing exclusively on historical fiction, and Harlem Rhapsody is part of that direction — full of depth, legacy, and storytelling that spans generations.

But this post isn’t just about Harlem Rhapsody. It’s also about how far back my connection to her work goes. Victoria Christopher Murray was one of the first authors I really followed when I first started reading regularly. I kept a running list of her books as I read them: Joy, Truth Be Told, The Ex Files, Grown Folks Business, and the full Temptation series.

Unfortunately, I don’t own any of them anymore because I donated all my books in a big move back in 2016 (still a little salty about it). Harlem Rhapsody is actually the first hard copy of hers I’ve picked up since then, which makes it feel even more special.

On May 10, 2025, I had the chance to meet her at an event hosted by The JOP Library and Women’s Ministry of the Alfred Street Baptist Church and that moment felt full-circle. I’m using the photo from that day as the cover for this post.

I’ll share more thoughts once I finish the book, but it’s already one I’m glad to be spending time with. Even though they came out before this one, The First Ladies and The Personal Librarian are next up for me with writings of her. I’m just making my way through her catalog at my own pace — and I’m okay with that.