Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Michael Joseph Books

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

We can't choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become?

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett's death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child, challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage, and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor's true history, and fulfill her final request to "share the black cake when the time is right"? Will their mother's revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?

Charmaine Wilkerson's debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names, can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.


My Review

When Eleanor dies she leaves her children, Byron and Benny, a recording that plays about eight hours long. Her son and daughter haven't spoken in years but come together, as she knew they would, after she passes. Eleanor was a unique lady and her children are about to find out just how strong, resilient and secretive she was!

The book bounces around a fair bit, then and now, between different characters, not just Eleanor but many people who played or influenced largely in her life. It is a strong debut novel that examines how unfair life can be but how survival, strength, friendship and love can get you through.

The characters have their own woes and things that have happened or happening in their lives that shape who they are or their journeys. We learn about the Black Cake, culture, heritage and how important identity is and the cost some people face to survive and what they lose in the process.

There is a lot of hurt, love, loss, lies, secrets and large centering around decisions and the reach/impact they have not only on the person making them but those left behind. The book chews off a lot and I think the author does well dealing with many of them, I enjoyed a lot about this book but I got a bit lost in the shifts between people, places and time. I could follow it but it was a lot so it took a bit to get through as I had to keep checking xyz, 3.5/5 for me. I liked it though so will keep an eye out for the authors next offering!

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After The Crash by Michel Bussi

After the Crash by Michel Bussi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 386

Publisher - Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Blurb from Goodreads

On the night of 22 December 1980, a plane crashes on the Franco-Swiss border and is engulfed in flames. 168 out of 169 passengers are killed instantly. The miraculous sole survivor is a three-month-old baby girl. Two families, one rich, the other poor, step forward to claim her, sparking an investigation that will last for almost two decades. Is she Lyse-Rose or Emilie?

Eighteen years later, having failed to discover the truth, private detective Credule Grand-Duc plans to take his own life, but not before placing an account of his investigation in the girl's hands. But, as he sits at his desk about to pull the trigger, he uncovers a secret that changes everything - then is killed before he can breathe a word of it to anyone...



My Review

The opening chapter starts in 1980, on the flight that crashes, leaving one sole survivor and flips forward eighteen years later. Two families claim the child is theirs, a private investigator is hired and investigates the case for those eighteen years. An account, told by him Credule Grand-Duc and written down for the girl survivor. After all this time will the truth be revealed?

A tale that flips between present day and Grand-Duc's diary going back to when he was first hired and his findings and thoughts at the time. Secrets are at risk of being exposed, some people will go to any lengths to protect them, including murder. The child, now adult, has her eighteenth birthday and is on a mission of her own. Her brother and protector Marc is desperate to find her and stop her & some members of the family who lost out on the child just can't let go!

The story starts off really strong and reels you right in, we then meet the characters as the tale starts to play out. I found the diary by Grand-Duc quite hard going at times, not because of the content, rather because he gets quite long winded at parts and I got a tad bored by his ramblings. It takes a wee bit of time to figure out where the present day story is going and understand the behaviour of the girl as the narrative isn't blatant about what she is doing. Marc is as much in the dark as the reader which is a bit frustrating after a while. Throw into that we have someone prepared to kill to achieve their goal and their identity is not disclosed so you are playing detective for a while. A relatively good read, I like my ends tied up and for the most part I got that, I would have liked Grad-Duc's diary to be more to the point rather than his musings on certain accounts. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again, this book is available to buy in all formats.

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