HOW THE ONE-ARMED SISTER SWEEPS HER HOUSE

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 [Published: FEBRUARY 2021]