'A thrilling read, full of psychological tension and drama, the emotive account of one woman's response to tragedy. A stylish, confident novel.' Yvvette Edwards, author of A Cupboard Full of Coats 'A gripping novel that's rich with both grief and great love. Courttia Newland is a fierce talent.' Victor LaValle, author of Big Machine General endorsements: 'One of the most imaginative, freethinking writers working today. I love his work' Sarah Hall, author of The Beautiful Indifference 'Newland writes - with sensitivity and complexity. The Gospel According to Cane, his seventh book, is a coming-of-middle-age novel, but one seasoned with style and sophistication.' Bernadine Evaristo 'One of Britain's most important young novelists - a truly gifted storyteller' Time Out 'A gripping tale of loss, despair, and hope of redemption.' Linton Kwesi Johnson "The emotional tension is sometimes almost unbearable as a mother and son attempt to build a relationship out of their shared pain. A unique and very moving novel." Booklist "A mother's love is unbreakable, as Frank O'Connor Award-nominee Newland demonstrates in his latest novel... The storytelling is as captivating as the story itself. Newland, a Jamaican-born British writer, seamlessly integrates the joy, fear, uncertainty, and sadness... Newland's prose is beautiful. His novel--part homecoming narrative in the vein of Toni Morrison's Beloved and part haunting tale of loss similar to Ernest Gaines's In My Father's House--will appeal to all lovers of literary fiction." Library Journal "The characters are finely drawn with realistic ambiguity and genuinely exhibit the durability of grief and pain." Publishers Weekly