12 debut fiction authors of 2022, their portraits arranged in a checker pattern.

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Reading lists

The best debut fiction to read this spring

THE TOP 10 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND NEW DISNEY+ SERIES

Black Cake

THE BRAND NEW DISNEY+ SERIES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
Read the gripping word-of-mouth sensation that's now a major new series by Oprah Winfrey on Disney+ 
 
*** SERIES STARS MIA ISAAC, ADRIENNE WARREN, CHIPO CHUNG AND ASHLEY THOMAS *** 
 
Everyone wants to discover what they're made of . . . 
 
**Featured on Barack Obama's Summer Reading List** 
**A Grazia Instagram 'IT' book to watch out for** 
 
'A story as meaningful as it is delicious' TAYLOR JENKINS REID 
'A roiling soup of family secrets, big lies [and] great loves' NEW YORK TIMES 
'Special, beautifully written. Rich and intoxicating' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 
'Brilliant writing. A stunning book' PRIMA 
'EPIC' GUARDIAN 
________ 
 
Eleanor Bennett won't let her secrets die with her. 
 
When Eleanor's estranged children Benny and Byron reunite for her funeral, they receive an unexpected inheritance. First, a traditional Caribbean black cake, to remind them of their roots. Second, the story of a decades-old murder that shatters everything they thought they knew about their mother. 
 
But as Benny and Byron unravel their family's troubled past, will the truth push them further apart? 
 
Or will it reunite them and fulfil Eleanor's final wish? 
________ 
 
'An extremely assured debut which pulls in threads and echoes from across the Caribbean diaspora to deliver a rich, complex and really satisfying novel' ALISON FINCH, BBC Radio 4 
 
'I was instantly taken in by this multi-generational tale of identity, family, and the lifelong push and pull of home.' MARY BETH KEANE, author of Ask Again, Yes 
 
'Heartfelt . . . explores the meaning of home and the family that define it' SUNDAY EXPRESS

Unputdownable. Astonishing. Twists and turns so shocking they will leave your head spinning and your heart aching

An extremely assured debut which pulls in threads and echoes from across the Caribbean diaspora to deliver a rich, complex and really satisfying novel

A delicious novel. The chapters come fast and furious . . . A satisfying literary meal, heralding the arrival of a new novelist to watch

Black Cake is a beautiful, deeply resonant story of children trying to understand the mother they have lost. Charmaine Wilkerson transports you across the decades and the globe accompanied by complex, wonderfully drawn characters. She has managed to tell a story that is as meaningful as it is delicious. At turns delightfully juicy and then stunningly wise, Black Cake is a winner

Taylor Jenkins Reid, Sunday Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones and The Six

Black Cake explores the ways we use meals not just to nourish ourselves but to help tell unspeakable stories. Family, food, festering resentment - you'll find plenty to chew on . . . Wilkerson approaches her plot like a mad chef, grabbing ingredients from all over the world, slicing and dicing with abandon, tossing characters and palm fronds and a few drops of rum into a pot and letting it all come to a simmer . . . A roiling soup of family secrets, big lies, great loves, bright colours and strong smells

I was instantly taken in by this multi-generational tale of identity, family, and the lifelong push and pull of home. This novel has a tremendous heart at its centre, and I felt its beat on every page. What an extraordinary debut

Mary Beth Keane, bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes

A special, beautifully written novel that's as rich and intoxicating as the Jamaican rum cake of its title

So beautifully written I'm struggling to believe it's a debut. The cake is the glue that holds all the layers together and the scenes are so well drawn I could almost taste the cake, feel the warm sea on my skin. My heart broke and was put back together. Bravo

I [. . .] was immediately drawn in

Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

An intricately woven tale that deliciously captures the experience migration, family, love and loss with such empathy and pathos - a book that is both universal and unique.

I loved the brilliant writing, the characters and the clever and beautiful way the story melded together. A stunning book

Wilkerson explores the nuances of racial identity and betrayal in a powerful novel

BLACK CAKE has all the ingredients of the tastiest stories: secrets, romance, danger, and a cast of characters so real you want to scream at them one moment and hug them the next. I felt nearly breathless while reading Eleanor's truth - as if I were right there in the room with Byron and Benny, wholly immersed in their mother's tragedies and triumphs

Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal and Nev

A stunning page-turner, with characters that felt real and relatable. I can't recommend this book highly enough. An incredible debut

Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City

Black Cake took a hold of me from the first page and didn't let go ... A gripping, poignant debut from an important new voice

Naima Coster, New York Times bestselling author of What’s Mine and Yours

A sparkling debut, which examines migration, estrangement and the stories we tell about ourselves

Included in 'The books we're looking forward to in 2022'

This powerful debut about family and identity, set against a backdrop of Caribbean culture, history and traditions, already has the stamp of approval from Oprah

A multi-generational debut generating hype

You can't help but fall in love with this book

Utterly engrossing and full of twists, Black Cake is absolutely worth the calories

A testimony to how migration, memories and the life decisions of our elders can trickle down the generations and shape us. The careful cultural references to the Caribbean diaspora are deliciously nostalgic - I couldn't get enough!

A shining family saga . . . Readers will adore this highly accomplished effort from a talented new writer

A heartfelt story of loss, lies and reconciliation

Black Cake is such an engaging novel. The structure works brilliantly with its dual narrative and short, sharp chapters. As I read, I felt like I could taste the sweet and spice of the black cake that links generations of the same family. Wilkerson's Black Cake is filled with secrets, family ties and hidden desires. It is an extremely satisfying read that stays with you long after the final page. As moreish as its title. If you want to be transported, read this book

Jodie Chapman, author of Another Life

A family drama meets murdery mystery

The perfect recipe for an epic family drama . . . Feuds, grief, and a murder make Charmaine Wilkerson's Black Cake unputdownable

One of the most feverishly anticipated debuts of the year

A delicious and gripping tale that sweeps the reader across decades and continents

I really savoured this rich, layered family saga ... Charmaine's writing is subtle and lyrical, pulling you into a powerful story of secrets, roots and identity. The flavour of it will linger long after you've finished

Beth Morrey, bestselling author of Saving Missy

A sweeping story, with Wilkerson masterfully bringing together all the different threads, making social history the backbone of everything

Completely blew me away ... I loved the brilliant writing, the characters and the clever and beautiful way the story melded together ... this is a stunning book

Delving into ideas around identity, familial bonds and lifelong secrets, Black Cake looks to be a wildly moreish page-turner

Touching on racism and acceptance, betrayal and loyalty, this emotional, heartfelt debut explores the meaning of home and the family that define it

A delight to read, each page of Black Cake is more interesting than the last. Wilkerson weaves social history into the backbone of the story, in a way that's nothing short of masterful

This emotional, heartfelt debut explores the meaning of home and the family that define it

A skilful debut about family secrets - and food

A beautiful read - a real pageturner

A delight to read, each page of Black Cake is more interesting than the last. Wilkerson weaves social history into the backbone of the story, in a way that's nothing short of masterful.

A resonant story of identity, family and the meaning of home

A delight to read, each page of Black Cake is more interesting than the last. Wilkerson masterfully weaves social history into the backbone of the story

A rich story around immigration and identity ... the novel beautifully captures the struggles of family and identity and the liberation that comes from those struggles

Engrossing . . . Wilkerson's brilliant descriptions are positively sumptuous for the mind's eye

An incredible family saga spanning 60 years, jumping across continents and time, forming a multi-layered book about secrets and inheritance

A delicious and gripping tale that sweeps the reader across decades and continents, turning everything the siblings think they know about themselves and their family on its head'

Charmaine Wilkerson is the author of Black Cake, a New York Times-bestselling novel. An American writer, she spent much of her childhood living in the Caribbean and is now based in Italy. She is a former television journalist and an award-winning writer of short fiction. Her debut novel Black Cake was adapted for the screen as a Hulu original series airing on Disney+ and produced by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Films, Marissa Jo Cerar and Kapital Entertainment.

Eleanor Bennett won't let her own death get in the way of the truth. When her estranged children - Byron and Benny - reunite for her funeral, they discover a puzzling inheritance. First, a voice recording in which everything they ever knew about their family is upended. Their mother tells a tumultuous story about a headstrong young woman who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. Second, a traditional Caribbean black cake made from a longstanding family recipe, that Eleanor hopes will heal the wounds of the past. Can Byron and Benny fulfil their mother's final request, to share the black cake at the right time? Or will Eleanor's revelations leave them feeling more lost than ever?

Charmaine Wilkerson

A thoroughly researched and beautifully imagined family saga, with a moving and hopeful ending

Wilkerson expertly tackles grief , trauma and the drive to live as you wish , in spite of your family's expectations and your community's barely concealed racism

A remarkable exploration of family bonds, grief, heartbreak, friendship, and the deep scars of slavery and racism... Wilkerson’s prose is succinct yet richly evocative, masterfully delving into the minds and motivations of her characters and delivering a narrative that lingers long after the final page... This novel solidifies Wilkerson's place as one of the great multi-generational storytellers of our time.

Abi Daré, bestselling author of The Girl with the Louding Voice

What a beautiful and masterfully crafted story. I’m in utter awe of Charmaine. I found Ebby’s story just heartbreaking, but ultimately it left me thinking deeply about the process of healing from unspeakable pain and building the muscle of resilience... Charmaine is the real deal - she has SUCH a talent for every aspect of storytelling. I fell in love with her characters; I was gripped by her plot; I adore her words.

Harriet Constable, author of The Instrumentalist

There are chapters that push your tear ducts to the limits

A masterclass in storytelling, world-building and drawing characters who feel so real you can reach out to the page and feel them reaching back out toward you. Good Dirt is a searing portrait of grief, of death and life and the truth that one without the other does not exist, that to find new life does not always mean forgetting the past, but reshaping and rebuilding it and realising all the remarkable ways in which it can be reforged. Charmaine Wilkerson is a stunning writer, whose brilliance knows no adequate words, and whose characters will live long in my memory.

Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us

A sensational intergenerational story about hidden heartbreak, hope, and the restorative power of embracing and sharing one's ancestry. A story not only told incredibly well, but most importantly, a pleasure to read.

Good Dirt is a mystery that weaves together multi-generational strands of past and present trauma, from West Africa to Long Island Sound, from the 1800s to the present. Written in glittering and discerning prose, poignant yet hopeful, Good Dirt is a masterful character study exploring the stories we inherit and how the past informs the present. I loved it. Brava, Charmaine.

Nikki May, author of Wahala and This Motherless Land

A writer of extraordinary gifts. She can capture the arc of a family story like none other. This kaleidoscopic novel of love, loss, and triumph will sit with you for a long time after you finish the last page

Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of Take My Hand

Charmaine Wilkerson has a superb talent for showing how contemporary characters’ lives are entwined with the past, creating a story that is rich in compassion and hope – and utterly engrossing.

Jo Leevers, author of Tell Me How It Ends

Good Dirt is one of the most moving, exquisitely written books I have read all year. It is a tale of resilience and hope, and Charmaine Wilkerson crafts characters to weep over and cheer for with a plot that consumes the reader and spans generations and continents. This book will be every reader's highlight of 2025.

Ethan Joella, author of The Same Bright Stars

Stunning. For readers of Brit Bennett and Celeste Ng, Charmaine Wilkerson’s powerful exploration of loss, enslavement, freedom, and the complexities of not only America’s history but America’s present is heartbreaking and tender and so wise. GOOD DIRT is exquisitely crafted with passages that are poignant, yet full of hope. I LOVED this story and the many characters that peopled it. Book clubs are going to go wild!

Charlene Carr, author of Hold My Girl and We Rip The World Apart

A beautiful and intertwining novel that will capture your heart. With a family heirloom at the heart of the story, it has rich characters and a powerfully complex tale spanning through generations.

Wilkerson has done it again! This immersive, triumphant, important tale of our roots, our history, and the pain we carry with us absolutely took my breath away.

Ishi Robinson, author of Sweetness in the Skin

A beautifully crafted book that compels you to ponder on the importance and impact of family history and tragedies, and how the items we pass down, although they may seem insignificant to other's, are as precious as any jewel.

Rosanna Amaka, author of The Book of Echoes

Charmaine Wilkerson transports you across the decades and the globe accompanied by complex, wonderfully drawn characters.

Taylor Jenkins Reid, bestselling author of Carrie Soto is Back

Charmaine's writing is subtle and lyrical

Beth Morrey, bestselling author of Saving Missy Carmichael

Unputdownable. Astonishing. Twists and turns so shocking they will leave your head spinning and your heart aching

An extremely assured debut which pulls in threads and echoes from across the Caribbean diaspora to deliver a rich, complex and really satisfying novel

Black Cake explores the ways we use meals not just to nourish ourselves but to help tell unspeakable stories . . . A roiling soup of family secrets, big lies, great loves, bright colours and strong smells

I loved the brilliant writing, the characters and the clever and beautiful way the story melded together. A stunning book

Ebby Freeman’s life has always been marked with tragedy. First, the death of her brother Baz, killed in an anonymous armed robbery when they were teenagers. Then her perfect fiancé Henry deserting her on the day of their wedding, without an explanation. 
 
When Ebby arrives in a sleepy French village, she believes she’s found an opportunity for healing and anonymity. Until Henry appears, staying at the neighbouring property with his beautiful new girlfriend in tow. 
 
It’s the worst situation that Ebby can imagine. But might it give her a chance to piece together the fragments of her past – and finally embrace her future?

Charmaine Wilkerson

Praise for Good Dirt

A thoroughly researched and beautifully imagined family saga, with a moving and hopeful ending

Wilkerson expertly tackles grief , trauma and the drive to live as you wish , in spite of your family's expectations and your community's barely concealed racism

A remarkable exploration of family bonds, grief, heartbreak, friendship, and the deep scars of slavery and racism... Wilkerson’s prose is succinct yet richly evocative, masterfully delving into the min ...

A thoroughly researched and beautifully imagined family saga, with a moving and hopeful ending

Wilkerson expertly tackles grief , trauma and the drive to live as you wish , in spite of your family's expectations and your community's barely concealed racism

A remarkable exploration of family bonds, grief, heartbreak, friendship, and the deep scars of slavery and racism... Wilkerson’s prose is succinct yet richly evocative, masterfully delving into the min ...

A thoroughly researched and beautifully imagined family saga, with a moving and hopeful ending

Wilkerson expertly tackles grief , trauma and the drive to live as you wish , in spite of your family's expectations and your community's barely concealed racism

A remarkable exploration of family bonds, grief, heartbreak, friendship, and the deep scars of slavery and racism... Wilkerson’s prose is succinct yet richly evocative, masterfully delving into the min ...

Books by Charmaine Wilkerson

Articles featuring Charmaine Wilkerson

The best debut fiction to read this spring

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