A Cupboard Full of Coats

by Yvvette Edwards

Overview

Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year

Plagued by guilt, paralyzed by shame, Jinx has spent the years since her mother's death alone, estranged from her husband, withdrawn from her son, and entrenched in a childhood home filled with fierce and violent memories. When Lemon, an old family friend, appears unbidden at the door, he seduces Jinx with a heady mix of powerful storytelling and tender care. What follows is a tense and passionate weekend, as the two join forces to unravel the tragedy that binds them. Jinx has long carried the burden of the past; now, she must relive her mother's last days, confront her grief head-on, and speak the truth as only she knows it.

Expertly woven and perfectly paced, A Cupboard Full of Coats is both a heartbreaking family drama and a riveting mystery, with a cast of characters who linger in the mind and the heart long after the last page has been turned.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062183767
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/17/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	274
Sales rank:	562,204
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Yvvette Edwards is the author of the highly praised A Cupboard Full of Coats, long-listed for the Man Booker Prize, short-listed for the Commonwealth Prize, and named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. She resides in the East End of London, and is married with three daughters and a stepson.

What People are Saying About This

Attica Locke

“A Cupboard Full of Coats is high drama, full of breathtaking tension, and, at times, brought to mind the works of Arthur Miller and August Wilson, both of whom knew a thing or two about secrets spilled across a kitchen table.”

Patrik Bass

“I can’t stop talking about this gut-wrenching tale of forbidden love.”

Editorial Reviews

In this potent mystery . . . Edwards makes us greedy for the full story.” — New York Times

“[A] gorgeously lyrical debut novel. . . . Engrossing and human to the core, Edwards’s novel wrings the heart in the most tender of ways.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“I can’t stop talking about this gut-wrenching tale of forbidden love.” — Patrik Bass, Essence

“A piercing and engaging narrative that navigates through past and present heartache with tenderness and candor. This promising new author twists and turns words with skill reminiscent of Toni Morrison and Barbara Kingsolver, who similarly explore hidden and revealed secrets.” — Booklist

“A slow-burning heartbreaker of a story. . . [written] with elegant restraint and a sensitivity uncommon in debut novels.” — Shelf Awareness

“An impressive debut, particularly notable for its pellucid prose.” — Kirkus Reviews

“A Cupboard Full of Coats is high drama, full of breathtaking tension, and, at times, brought to mind the works of Arthur Miller and August Wilson, both of whom knew a thing or two about secrets spilled across a kitchen table.” — Attica Locke, author of Black Water Rising

“Fans of British psychological thrillers, à la Ruth Rendell, will adore this lyrical debut.” — Redbook Magazine

From the Publisher

In this potent mystery . . . Edwards makes us greedy for the full story.

New York Times

A piercing and engaging narrative that navigates through past and present heartache with tenderness and candor. This promising new author twists and turns words with skill reminiscent of Toni Morrison and Barbara Kingsolver, who similarly explore hidden and revealed secrets.

Booklist

A Cupboard Full of Coats is high drama, full of breathtaking tension, and, at times, brought to mind the works of Arthur Miller and August Wilson, both of whom knew a thing or two about secrets spilled across a kitchen table.

Attica Locke

Fans of British psychological thrillers, à la Ruth Rendell, will adore this lyrical debut.

Redbook Magazine

A slow-burning heartbreaker of a story. . . [written] with elegant restraint and a sensitivity uncommon in debut novels.

Shelf Awareness

I can’t stop talking about this gut-wrenching tale of forbidden love.

Patrik Bass

A piercing and engaging narrative that navigates through past and present heartache with tenderness and candor. This promising new author twists and turns words with skill reminiscent of Toni Morrison and Barbara Kingsolver, who similarly explore hidden and revealed secrets.

Booklist

London-based Edward's debut novel was nominated for the Man Booker Prize and from the opening paragraph to the final sentence, it is easy to understand why. The book's action takes place over three days—albeit through flashbacks to 14 years prior—but fills the pages as if it spans a lifetime. Jinx, the protagonist, is living a life of disarray; she is estranged from her husband, her only son despises spending time with her, and she worries that she is unable to love him. When Lemon, her late mother's one-time boyfriend, turns up unexpectedly, their confessions and discussions propel the plot of the novel. Although the story is strong, Edwards's storytelling is all the more captivating; her imagery and multifaceted characters are invigorating. VERDICT Similar to Toni Morrison's Paradise, this lyrical novel will appeal to lovers of literary fiction.—Ashanti White, Univ. of North Carolina, Greensboro

Library Journal

Those with allergies to facial tissue should be warned that Jinx Jackson’s experiences as both a daughter and a mother would wrench tears from statues. Adjoa Andoh delivers spot-on British and Caribbean accents and shoots the listener’s blood pressure to dangerous heights with her fast-paced and emotion-driven narration. Jinx’s career as a beautician to the deceased doesn’t allow her to move beyond her mother’s tragic demise. Her burdens similarly degrade her relationship with her young son and his father. Listeners won’t soon forget Jinx’s dramatic encounter with a visitor from the past who forces her to confront her past, present, and future. J.J.B. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

JUNE 2012 - AudioFile