A Cupboard Full of Coats : Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize

Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize Shortlisted for the Writers' Guild Awards Shortlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award Nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 'He just knocked, that was all, knocked at the front door and waited, like the fourteen years since the night I'd killed my mother hadn't happened at all...' Crushed by an impossible shame, Jinx's life has been little more than a shell. Now estranged from her husband, she is even relieved when he leaves and takes her young son with him. But a visit from an old friend of her mother's forces Jinx to confront her history. Looking back plunges her once more into the pain of the past, but it also brings with it the possibility of redemption. And Jinx isn't the only one with secrets. Together, she and Lemon will unravel an unforgettable family drama, stoked with violence and passion. Rich with voices from East London and the West Indies, Edwards's narrative is delivered with a unique and uncompromising bite that announces a new talent in British fiction. 'Deeply moving, wonderfully written... A study of grief and remorse.' The Times Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year 'He just knocked, that was all, knocked at the front door and waited, like the fourteen years since the night I'd killed my mother hadn't happened at all...' Crushed by an impossible shame, Jinx's life has been little more than a shell. Now estranged from her husband, she is even relieved when he leaves and takes her young son with him. But a visit from an old friend of her mother's forces Jinx to confront her history. Looking back plunges her once more into the pain of the past, but it also brings with it the possibility of redemption. And Jinx isn't the only one with secrets. Together, she and Lemon will unravel an unforgettable family drama, stoked with violence and passion. Rich with voices from East London and the West Indies, Edwards's narrative is delivered with a unique and uncompromising bite that announces a new talent in British fiction He Just Knocked, That Was All, Knocked At The Front Door And Waited, Like The Fourteen Years Since The Night I'd Killed My Mother Hadn't Happened At All...a Crushed By An Impossible Shame, Jinx's Life Has Been Little More Than A Shell; Estranged From Her Husband, She Is Even Relieved When He Takes Her Young Son With Him. When Lemon, An Old Friend Of Her Mother's, Turns Up On Her Doorstep, Jinx Is Forced To Confront Her Past, And With The Pain Of Remembrance Comes The Possibility Of Redemption. But Lemon Has His Own Secrets To Share, And Together They Unravel An Unforgettable Family Drama, Stoked With Violence And Passion. Rich With Voices From East London And The West Indies, Edwards's Narrative Is Delivered With A Unique And Uncompromising Bite That Announces A New Talent In British Fiction. Fourteen years ago Jinx's mother was brutally murdered in their East London home. Since the tragedy Jinx's life has been poisoned by the part she played; paralyzed by guilt, she has cut herself off from her husband and young son. Then Lemon turns up on her doorstep. An old friend of her mother's, he wants to revisit events leading up to that terrible night. Over the course of one searing weekend they take a journey, fueled by Lemon's sumptuous cooking and intoxicating storytelling, back to memories of a childhood set ablaze with passion and violence. But as the intensity mounts and Jinx's life threatens to fall apart for a second time, she finally begins to believe that redemption may be within her grasp.--From back cover Redolent of Monica Ali and Zadie Smith, Yvvette Edwards's bold debut is a searing story of family, jealousy, and tragic betrayal