How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House

November 16, 2020
Jones’s intense debut explores the poverty and crime in Baxter’s Beach, Barbados, amid an explosive collision between tourists and locals. The place, called Paradise by foreigners and residents alike, turns out to be a living hell for two women whose lives are changed by one horrific incident. Lala, a local hair braider, is stuck in a turbulent marriage to Adan, a burglar. Mira Whalen, a former local who now lives in London, is vacationing with her English husband, Peter, at their beachfront villa. One night, Lala is on the beach, in labor and about to give birth. Adan, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found. Lala stumbles upon the Whalens’ mansion and presses the buzzer for help. She hears a gunshot and Adan rushes out, an ear-piercing shriek following on his heels. A parallel narrative follows Mira dealing with the aftermath of Peter’s murder by Adan, while a detective works the case, and more violence ensues as Lala and Mira’s lives eventually collide. Rich characters and pulsing backstories add a great deal of flavor to the drama. Jones is off to a strong start. Agent: Clare Alexander, Aitken Alexander

Set in Barbados, a paradise to all but those who live there, this audiobook captures the mythical qualities of Jones's debut novel. Narrator Danielle Vitalis's slow, dreamlike performance is perfect for the tragic story of Lala, a hair-braider; Adan, her husband, a sadistic, small-time crook; Mira, who once lived on the island; and Peter, the white man she married. Mira and Peter are vacationing on Baxter Beach when Adan shoots and kills Peter during a robbery. Denying responsibility for his actions, Adan blames his victims: the man he shot, his baby who died, and his wife, whom he treats harshly. Character-driven, brutal, bloody, and unrelentingly honest, Jones's novel as delivered by Vitalis sounds more like poetry than prose. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine