Blitz Bazawule

"December 15, 1965, Alabama, the fateful night that triggers an avalanche of events that turn newly engaged couple Melvin and Bernadette into fugitives. A pitstop in the wrong part of town ends with blood on their hands. Suspecting that cops are already following them, Melvin realizes the only way they'll survive is if they flee the country. Bernadette, who's hiding a secret from her fiancé, reluctantly agrees. With a persistent FBI agent on their trail, they travel to Ghana to seek the help of Melvin's old college friend, who happens to be Kwame Nkrumah, the country's embattled president. The couple's chance encounter with Ghana's most beloved Highlife musician, Kwesi, who's headed to play for the president, sparks a journey full of suspense, lust, magic, and danger as Nkrumah's regime crumbles around them. Traveling with Kwesi seems to be the perfect cover for the couple to go undetected. But Kwesi and Bernadette's undeniable attraction builds during their three-day trek, as does Melvin's staunch jealousy and erratic behavior. What was meant to be a fresh start quickly threatens both their relationship and their freedom. With the rogue FBI agent on their heels, Melvin, Bernadette, and Kwesi must confront each other and their secrets, setting off a series of cataclysmic events"--

A Novel

The Scent of Burnt Flowers

Fleeing persecution in 1960s America, a Black couple seeks asylum in Ghana, but fresh dangers and old secrets threaten their newfound freedom in this hypnotic debut novel. December 26, 1965, Alabama, the fateful night that triggers an avalanche of events that turn newly engaged couple, Melvin and Bernadette, into fugitives. A pitstop in the wrong part of town ends with blood on their hands, and Melvin decides they must flee the country in order to survive. Bernadette, who’s hiding a secret from her fiancé, reluctantly agrees. With a persistent F.B.I. agent on their trail, they travel to Ghana to seek the help of Melvin’s old college friend, who happens to be the country's embattled president, Kwame Nkrumah. The couple’s chance encounter with Ghana’s most beloved Highlife musician, Kwesi Kwayson, who’s on his way to perform for the president, sparks a journey full of suspense, lust, magic, and danger as Nkrumah’s regime crumbles around them. What was meant to be a fresh start quickly spirals into chaos. Kwesi and Bernadette's undeniable attraction and otherwordly bond cascades during their three-day trek, and so does Melvin's intense jealousy. All three must confront each other and their secrets, setting off a series of cataclysmic events. Steeped in the history and mythologies of West Africa, at the intersection of the civil rights movement in the United States, The Scent of Burnt Flowers merges political intrigue, magical encounters, and forbidden romance in an epic collision of love, morality, and power.

Fleeing persecution in 1960s America, a Black couple seeks asylum in Ghana, but fresh dangers and old secrets threaten their newfound freedom in this hypnotic debut novel. “I am truly blown away by this novel.”—Jacqueline Woodson, New York Times bestselling author of Red at the Bone ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: CrimeReads When the windshield of his Chevy Impala shatters in a dark diner parking lot in Alabama, Melvin moves without thinking. A split-second reaction marrows in his bones from the days of war, but this time it is the safety of his fiancé, Bernadette, at stake. Impulse keeps them alive, and yet they flee with blood on their hands. What is life like now that they are fugitives? Pack passports. Empty bank accounts. Set their old life on fire. The couple disguise themselves as a pastor and a reluctant pastor’s wife who’s hiding a secret from her fiancé. With a persistent FBI agent on their trail, they travel to Ghana to seek the help of Melvin’s old college friend who happens to be the country’s embattled president, Kwame Nkrumah. The couple’s chance encounter with Ghana’s most beloved highlife musician, Kwesi Kwayson, who’s on his way to perform for the president, sparks a journey full of suspense, lust, magic, and danger as Nkrumah’s regime crumbles around them. What was meant to be a fresh start quickly spirals into chaos, threatening both their relationship and their lives. Kwesi and Bernadette’s undeniable attraction and otherworldly bond cascades during their three-day trek, and so does Melvin’s intense jealousy. All three must confront one another and their secrets, setting off a series of cataclysmic events. Steeped in the history and mythology of postcolonial West Africa at the intersection of the civil rights movement in America, this gripping and ambitious debut merges political intrigue, magical encounters, and forbidden romance in an epic collision of morality and power.

Blitz Bazawule

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