Synopses & Reviews
“[A] gorgeously lyrical debut novel….Engrossing and human to the core, Edwardss novel wrings the heart in the most tender of ways.”
—
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The novel is high drama, full of breathtaking tension, and, at times, brought to mind the works of Arthur Miller and August Wilson, both of whom knew a thing or two about secrets spilled across a kitchen table.”
—Attica Locke, author of Black Water Rising
Soon the name on every fiction lovers lips will be Yvvette Edwards, thanks to her extraordinary debut novel, A Cupboard Full of Coats. Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, one of Great Britains most prestigious literary awards, and named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year, Edwardss powerful first novel is at once a poignant family drama and a gripping mystery—page-turning literature with an exhilarating infusion of noir. It is the story of Jinx, who believes she played a pivotal role in her mothers murder, until an old acquaintance appears at her door with seductive air, a long, strange story, and, quite possibly, the bitter truth. A truly stunning work of contemporary literary fiction that packs an emotional punch and keeps readers guessing to the end, A Cupboard Full of Coats is already being compared by critics to the novels of the master, Ruth Rendell.
Review
“A Cupboard Full of Coats is high drama, full of breathtaking tension, and, at times, brought to mind the works of Arthur Miller and August Wilson, both of whom knew a thing or two about secrets spilled across a kitchen table.” Attica Locke, author of < i=""> Black Water Rising <>
Review
“[A] gorgeously lyrical debut novel. . . . Engrossing and human to the core, Edwardss novel wrings the heart in the most tender of ways.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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“An impressive debut, particularly notable for its pellucid prose.” Kirkus Reviews
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“A piercing and engaging narrative that navigates through past and present heartache with tenderness and candor. This promising new author twists and turns words with skill reminiscent of Toni Morrison and Barbara Kingsolver, who similarly explore hidden and revealed secrets.” Booklist
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“In this potent mystery . . . Edwards makes us greedy for the full story.” New York Times
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“A slow-burning heartbreaker of a story. . . [written] with elegant restraint and a sensitivity uncommon in debut novels.” Shelf Awareness
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“I cant stop talking about this gut-wrenching tale of forbidden love.” Patrik Bass, < i=""> Essence <>
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Synopsis
Redolent of Monica Ali and Zadie Smith, Yvvette Edwards' bold debut is a searing story of family, jealousy, and tragic betrayal.He just knocked, that was all, knoced at the front door and waited, like the fourteen years since the night I'd killed my mother hadn't happened at all...Fourteen years ago, Jinx' mother was brutally murdered in their East London home. Overwhelmed by the part she played, Jinx's whole life has been poisoned by guilt. Then, out of nowhere, Lemon arrives on her doorstep. An old friend of her mother's, he wants to revisit the events leading to that terrible night, forcing Jinx to finally confront her past, and offering her the possibility of redemption alongside the pain of remembrance. Estranged from her husband and detached from her son, Jinx knows that this is her only chance to make her confession, and end the emotional paralysis that has blighted her life. But Lemon has his own secrets to share, and over the course of one weekend they unravel an unforgettable family drama, stoked with violence and passion.Rich with voices from East London and the West Indies, Edward's narrative is delivered with a unique and uncompromsing bight that announces a new talent in British fiction.
Synopsis
Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
"Deeply moving, wonderfully written . . . a study of grief and remorse."--Times (London)
"In this potent mystery . . . Edwards makes us greedy for the full story."--New York Times
Plagued by guilt, paralyzed by shame, Jinx has spent the years since her mother's death alone, estranged from her husband, withdrawn from her son, and entrenched in a childhood home filled with fierce and violent memories. When Lemon, an old family friend, appears unbidden at the door, he seduces Jinx with a heady mix of powerful storytelling and tender care. What follows is a tense and passionate weekend, as the two join forces to unravel the tragedy that binds them. Jinx has long carried the burden of the past; now she must relive her mother's last days, confront her grief head-on, and speak the truth as only she knows it.
Expertly woven and perfectly paced, A Cupboard Full of Coats is both a heartbreaking family drama and a riveting mystery, with a cast of characters who linger in the mind and the heart long after the last page has been turned.
"Engrossing and human to the core, Edwards's novel wrings the heart in the most tender of ways."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A piercing and engaging narrative that navigates through past and present heartache with tenderness and candor. This promising new author twists and turns words with skill reminiscent of Toni Morrison and Barbara Kingsolver, who similarly explore hidden and revealed secrets."--Booklist
Synopsis
Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize
A Kirkus Best Book of the Year
Plagued by guilt, paralyzed by shame, Jinx has spent the years since her mother's death alone, estranged from her husband, withdrawn from her son, and entrenched in a childhood home filled with fierce and violent memories. When Lemon, an old family friend, appears unbidden at the door, he seduces Jinx with a heady mix of powerful storytelling and tender care. What follows is a tense and passionate weekend, as the two join forces to unravel the tragedy that binds them. Jinx has long carried the burden of the past; now, she must relive her mother's last days, confront her grief head-on, and speak the truth as only she knows it.
Expertly woven and perfectly paced, A Cupboard Full of Coats is both a heartbreaking family drama and a riveting mystery, with a cast of characters who linger in the mind and the heart long after the last page has been turned.
About the Author
Yvvette Edwards has lived in London all her life. She currently resides in the East End and is married with three children. A Cupboard Full of Coats, her first novel, was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.