Black Cake: The compelling and beautifully written New York Times bestseller - Hardcover

Wilkerson, Charmaine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0241529921 ISBN 13: 9780241529928

Publisher: Michael Joseph, 2022

Synopsis

THE INSTANT NO. 2 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

**Featured on Barack Obama's Summer Reading List 2022**
**A Grazia Instagram 'IT' book to watch out for**
**Soon to be a major Hulu series by Oprah Winfrey, Aaron Kaplan and Marissa Jo Cerar**

Everyone wants to discover what they're made of . . . The compelling and beautifully written story about the inheritance of the secrets, betrayal and memories that shape one family for generations

'A story as meaningful as it is delicious. At turns delightfully juicy and then stunningly wise, Black Cake is a winner' TAYLOR JENKINS REID

'A roiling soup of family secrets, big lies, great loves, bright colours and strong smells' NEW YORK TIMES

'The scenes are so well drawn I could almost taste the cake. My heart broke and was put back together. Bravo' NIKKI MAY, author of Wahala

A PRIMA BOOK OF THE YEAR
________

Eleanor Bennett won't let her own death get in the way of the truth. So when her estranged children - Byron and Benny - reunite for her funeral in California, they discover a puzzling inheritance.

First, a voice recording in which everything Byron and Benny ever knew about their family is upended. Their mother narrates a tumultuous story about a headstrong young woman who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder, a story which cuts right to the heart of the rift that's separated Byron and Benny.

Second, a traditional Caribbean black cake made from a family recipe that Eleanor hopes will heal the wounds of the past.

Can Byron and Benny fulfil their mother's final request to 'share the black cake when the time is right'?

Or will Eleanor's revelations leave them feeling more lost than ever?
________

'A testimony to how migration, memories and the life decisions of our elders can trickle down the generations and shape us . . . I couldn't get enough!' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, 'BOOKS OF THE YEAR'

'I loved the brilliant writing, the characters and the clever and beautiful way the story melded together. A stunning book' PRIMA, 'BOOK OF THE MONTH'

'A special, beautifully written novel that's as rich and intoxicating as the Jamaican rum cake of its title' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'I [. . .] was immediately drawn in' BONNIE GARMUS, bestselling author of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY

'A heartfelt story of loss, lies and reconciliation' DAILY MAIL

'A sparkling debut, which examines migration, estrangement and the stories we tell about ourselves' METRO

'An extremely assured debut which pulls in threads and echoes from across the Caribbean diaspora to deliver a rich, complex and really satisfying novel' ALISON FINCH, BBC Radio 4

'I was instantly taken in by this multi-generational tale of identity, family, and the lifelong push and pull of home. This novel has a tremendous heart at its centre, and I felt its beat on every page. What an extraordinary debut' MARY BETH KEANE, author of Ask Again, Yes

About this title

About the Author

Charmaine Wilkerson, an American writer, spent much of her childhood living in the Caribbean and is now based in Rome. A former television news reporter, journalist and recovered marathon runner, she is a debut novelist and an award-winning writer of short fiction. Black Cake is in development as a Hulu original series produced by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Films, Marissa Jo Cerar and Kapital Entertainment.

Edition details

• Publisher: Michael Joseph
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0241529921
• ISBN 13: 9780241529928
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 400