Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Goat Woman of Largo Bay

The Goat Woman of Largo Bay is the first of a series set in Jamaica and featuring local bartender Shadrach Myers.  But it's also very much the story of Simone who, tormented by guilt and regret after her daughter's death, has exiled herself to a small island within sight of Shad's bar in a rural fishing village. Simone's struggles with herself are beautifully told -- she's a character that I hope will reappear in this series.

Shad is a charming and very likeable sleuth -- who better than a bartender to know all the local scuttlebutt?  As one reviewer put it, "How can you possibly resist a hero who cools tempers in a heated political exchange by putting on some classic Toots and the Maytals reggae music to get the vibe back on track?"

Gillian Royes is a native of Jamaica and she brings the setting and the people to vivid life. This isn't the tourist's Jamaica but the off-the beaten-track, small village island life, where the local obeah man can provide a woman in danger with Oil of Protection -- and it'll work!

  Gillian was a member of my workshop at Wildacres last summer where we got a peek at the next Shad book. Goat Woman is a fine read, especially if you'd enjoy a taste of island life.

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7 comments:

Martin said...

Noted.

Ms. A said...

I don't read books anymore, but your review makes it sound great!

Miss_Yves said...

Pourquoi ce titre ? L'héroïne vit-elle au milieu des chèvres ? est--elle couverte d'une peau de chèvre ?

Brian Miller said...

nice...adding it to the list, will give it a try...

Vicki Lane said...

Miss Yves - The woman lives on a small island with a dog and a goat for company. The villagers on the mainland call her the goat woman.

I suspect that it was chosen as title because it sounded intriguing. The goat doesn't play much of a part.

Though it would have been interesting if she were covered in goat skins, a la Robinson Crusoe...

NCmountainwoman said...

An interesting novel about the warm islands sounds like a good winter read. Thanks for the heads up.

Friko said...

sounds interesting.