Too Beautiful to Die by Glenville Lovell

Glenville Lovell is an American writer of Barbadian origin.

The central figure’s paradox binds and balances the play as each character struggles with the dilemma of trying to be free in a society where keeping secrets and ‘acting right’ is the key to survival. Despite her upper-class roots, the deeply spiritual Lady Simone has become advisor and healer to many of the broken souls who drink in and hang around the bar at the same time she is most in need of love and healing herself. The central character is a transgender owner of the club/bar, Simone’s Place, where she performs Nina Simone jazz standards as Lady Simone. Though it focuses on issues of gender identity, the question of class is ever present. The play is a story of love, acceptance and the need for connection and belonging. The rising cases of rejection and ostracism suffered by LGBT persons in Barbados made Simone’s Place a timely production when it was first performed there in 2014. (The rising cases of rejection and ostracism suffered by L.) Having toured the globe as a dancer before he became a writer, Lovell sometimes resorts to music and choreography to help understand and develop his characters. Lovell won the 2002 Frank Collymore Literary Award for his play Mango Ripe! Mango Sweet! In 2008, his play Going for Love played to standing room only at CARIFESTA X (Caribbean Festival of Arts), in Guyana. Both novels, set in New York, are also available for electronic download at Amazon and other online sites.

This was followed by Love and Death in Brooklyn. Too Beautiful To Die, published by Putnam, introduced volatile black ex-cop Blades Overstreet as a new though somewhat reluctant hero, and garnered praise and comparisons to some of the most illustrious names in the mystery/thriller genre. In 1995, his first novel, Fire in the Canes, was published by Soho Press to wide acclaim, as was his second novel, Song of Night, published in 1998. Glenville Obrian Lovell is the author novels, short stories and a number of prize-winning plays.

Too Beautiful to Die by Glenville Lovell