Cereus Blooms at Night

Everyone in Paradise thinks Mala Ramchandin is either a murderer, a madwoman or both.
But her story is one darker than murder.

With an introduction by Ingrid Persaud.

‘The scent of decay was not offensive to her. It was the aroma of life refusing to end.’

Everyone in Paradise thinks Mala Ramchandin is a murderer. But with no body, no evidence and no witnesses, Mala is sent to an Alms House as a madwoman instead of prison. Here she meets Tyler, the only other openly queer person on the island of Lantanacamara. Despite Mala’s muteness, she manages to communicate with Tyler about her missing sister, Asha.

This is Mala’s story, and an appeal to find Asha, told in Tyler’s words. He dives deeply into Mala’s family history, uncovering years of trauma passed down through generations and - staggeringly, beautifully - the love that has survived through it all.

‘A story of magical power’ Alice Munro

FINALIST FOR THE GILLER PRIZE FINALIST FOR THE ETHEL WILSON FICTION PRIZE