Crossing the Mangrove

Jan 18, 2026 11:51 AM

Author:Maryse Condé

'An extraordinary storyteller' Bernardine Evaristo

'People say that on the first night Francis Sancher spent in Rivière au Sel the wind in its temper screamed down from the mountains...'

Francis Sancher always said he would come to an unnatural end. So when this handsome newcomer to the Guadeloupean village of Rivière au Sel is found dead, face down in the mud, no one is particularly surprised. Loved by some - especially women - and reviled by others, Francis was an enigmatic figure. Where did he come from? What caused his strange nocturnal wanderings? What devils haunted him? As the villagers come to pay their respects, they each reveal another piece of the mystery behind his life and death - and their own buried secrets and stories come to light.

'The grand queen, the empress, of Caribbean literature' Fiammetta Rocco, Guardian

Reviews

The grand queen, the empress, of Caribbean literature

—— Fiammetta Rocco , Guardian

Maryse Condé's prodigious fictional universes are founded on a radical and generative disregard for boundaries based on geography, religion, history, race, and gender

—— Angela Y. Davis

A story of life in all its flavours . . . a fluid, mobile narrative, passing easily from person to person. Fascinating and beautiful

—— John Self , The Observer

A masterly storyteller

—— New York Times Book Review

A treasure of world literature, writing from the center of the African diaspora with brilliance and a profound understanding of all humanity

—— Russell Banks

Condé writes elegantly in a style that beautifully survives translation from the French. . . She gives readers a flavor of the French and Creole stew that is the Guadeloupan tongue. In so doing, Conde conveys the many subtle distinctions of color, class, and language that made up this society

—— Chicago Tribune

Dripping in gothic melodrama, this chilling mystery is the perfect read for a cold winter's night

—— Daily Mirror

A genuinely creepy book with a gripping mystery at its heart. For fans of Laura Purcell and gothic historical fiction, this is a must!

—— Woman's Weekly

If you love haunted house ghost tales that are as psychological as they are supernatural, then you'll love Rebecca Netley's atmospheric debut

—— Culturefly

A beautifully written and intricate gothic tale with an atmospheric setting

—— NB Magazine

A chilling read

—— Prima

Troubled children in a chilling, chilly house, built on an island off the Scottish coast . . . A touching and engrossing story, perfect for winter evenings!

—— Hope Adams, author of Dangerous Women

The Whistling is an incredibly haunting and utterly gripping tale, with writing so chillingly atmospheric I had to sleep with the lights on! If you enjoy a good scare, this book is for you

—— Fíona Scarlett, author of Boys Don't Cry

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