In Palmyra (FriesenPress 26.04) by Karen Barrow, an unexpected visitor to a cocoa estate in Trinidad triggers buried memories of mysterious deaths within a prosperous French Creole family. The now-ruined "Great House" was where Joe, the housekeeper’s precocious eleven-year-old son, witnessed enigmatic events. Decades later, a young stranger’s arrival reawakens these memories, setting off tragic events that resonate into the present. Rich in historical and geographical detail, this novel chronicles the rise of an educated elite challenging the ruling white plantocracy, blending coming-of-age and Gothic mystery to reveal divided loyalties, family secrets and ambition.

Karen Barrow was born on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and lived there for eighteen years. Her studies took her to Canada. Three degrees later and working as an audiologist, Karen succumbed to her love of storytelling and began writing historical fiction novels. Palmyra is her first published work of fiction. She lives with her husband in the Okanagan Valley.

BOOKS:

Palmyra (FriesenPress, 2024) $26.04 9781039195806

[BCBW 2024]