The Mermaid of Black Conch - Monique Roffey

“Womanhood was a dangerous business if you didn’t get it right”

1976: St Constance, a tiny Caribbean village on the island of Black Conch. Fisherman David passes the time waiting for a catch by singing. Attracted by his song he catches Aycayia, a beautiful young woman cursed by jealous wives to live as a mermaid, has been swimming the Caribbean Sea for centuries. Their romance blossoms but others will threaten it.

This unusual love story seamlessly mixes centuries old folklore with the bitting realities of the modern word in a breathlessly poetic voice