Washington Post:

"The author's sure sense of structure, keen knowledge of male behavior and exquisite sense of pacing all contribute to this novel's overall excellence. I read it fast, and I was sorry when the last page appeared."

Chicago Tribune:

"Her setting – the scarred streets of Oakland in 1989 – leaps to life with the force of recovered memory: Even if you weren't there, you'll think you were...Tramble's writing is multidimensional, muscular and poetic, capturing the voices of African-Americans of many ages and backgrounds without slipping into pretense or parody. And her story has the depth and resonance of true legend: a modern myth filled with age-old pain and tears."

New York Times:

"The crime statistics for Oakland, California were pretty grim in 1989, when the city was caught up in a devastating crack epidemic. But once you pick a number, any number – say, 147 – and put a name to it, every homicide takes on a human face. Nichelle D. Tramble brings that down-to-earth perspective to the murder of a 24-year-old drug dealer named Billy in her sadly streetwise first book, The Dying Ground."

Boston Globe:

"The Dying Ground is an ever-potent stew of dangerously pretty women and pretty dangerous men, which has served authors from Raymond Chandler to Walter Mosley."

San Francisco Chronicle:

"Nichelle D. Tramble establishes a new benchmark with The Dying Ground. Tramble combines a note-perfect ear for the music of street slang with a cold acceptance of violence."

Philadelphia Weekly:

"The Dying Ground is a pulse pounding urban thriller that keeps the mystery intact, refusing to show its hand until the final pages. Tramble proves herself an unpretentious poet whose sense of the inner city, it's argot and it's inhabitants is almost romantic – and certainly vivid."

North Shore News, Vancouver:

"Tramble's descriptions bring the urban chaos of lawless streets to life. At times the sense of impending violence screams off the pages, and is then replaced with the tender sadness of lost love."

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