Sweet Undoings

Love and corruption drive Lahens’s elegant and spirited account of contemporary Port-au-Prince, Haiti (after Moonbath). The recent unsolved murder of judge Raymond Berthier has left his family adrift. His daughter, Brune, contemplates leaving Haiti, while his brother-in-law Pierre, a gay man who spent much of his life away from the island, sets out to discover the motive and the culprits behind Berthier’s assassination despite the risk to his own safety. Brune and Pierre are at the center of a convivial social circle that includes rebellious student Ézéchiel, agronomist Waner, feminist Nerline, American researcher Ronny, and Parisian newcomer Francis. But the group’s effort may be compromised by the very ties that hold them together. Brune’s lawyer boyfriend Cyprien, once a student of Raymond’s, is working for some bad people, convinced in his ambition that “the city is a cauldron and you’ve got to reach for the froth if you don’t want to end up scraping the bottom”; and Ézéchiel’s boisterous friend Jojo may be more than just a neighborhood big shot. The vivid scenes of joyful nightlife and passionate desire are shot through with moments of harrowing danger and sadness. Lahens offers readers a memorable tableau. Agent: Alice Tassel, French Publishers Agency. (Apr.)