A Varanda De Frangipani

A police inspector is investigating a strange murder, a case in which all the suspects are eager to claim responsibility for the act. Set in a former Portuguese fort which stored slaves and ivory, Under the Frangipani combines fable and allegory, dreams and myths with an earthy humour. The dead meet the living, language is invented, reality is constantly changing. Part thriller, part exploration of language, Mia Couto surprises and delights, and shows why he is one of the most important African writers of today.