Our Books

Born to three generations of women burdened with heartache, can Penny finally break the cycle?

Filled with heady meanderings and sultry secrets, Sun is Sky remarkably captures the spirit of a slumbering town in the Deep South of America. As a young teen, Penny's Hill's fractious relationship with her mother causes her to be shipped off to live with her maternal grandmother in the town of Picayune, Mississippi. Under her Gram's care, Penny settles into her new rural life, but soon family secrets and sudden tragedies force her to face life head on. Her beloved Gram's death shatters any illusions Penny held about her grandmother's legacy and she is left to decide whether she will accept the responsibility and step into Gram's role as the custodian of secrets for the townspeople.

Navigating the trauma familial, sexual and romantic relationships can cause to individual and community psyches, and with the reckoning of many reconciliations, Penny comes to appreciate the power of self-worth, the ability it possesses to heal a person, and the extent to which we are incapacitated without it.

In Rest in Power, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin offer a heartfelt testimony of their son. In life, their child was just that-a child. But In death, Trayvon became the face of a movement that changed the world through Black Lives Matter. But beyond this legacy is a boy with dreams and passions. Who was Trayvon Martin before he became a symbol of injustice? Through alternating narratives, Fulton and Martin remember their complex, beautiful son while grappling with the brutal realities of systemic racism and a broken legal system.

Years after his tragic and untimely death in 2012, Trayvon Martin's name still resonates worldwide. When mentioned, it evokes the haunting injustice of his killing-a young boy gunned down while carrying his favorite snacks, an iced tea and a bag of Skittles. A life cut short before he could even begin to experience what the world had to offer.This is a story of grief, of what happens when it's exposed to the global spotlight.

Winner of the McKitterick Prize 2018.

"Never cover an assignment without collecting a brown envelope," Boniface had said. "It is a real life saver for all journalists in this country."

Ifiok, a young journalist working for the government radio station in Lagos, Nigeria, always aspires to do the right thing, but the odds seem to be stacked against him. Government pressures cause the funding to his radio drama to get cut off, his girlfriend leaves him when she discovers he is having an affair with an intern, and kidnappings and militancy are on the rise in the country. When Ifiok travels to his hometown to do a documentary on some ex-militants' apparent redemption, a tragi-comic series of events will make him realise he is unable to swim against the tide of corruption.

Building on the legacy of the great African satirist tradition of Ngugi Wa Thiongo and Ayi Kwei Armah, Radio Sunrise paints a sharp-tongued portrait of (post) post-colonial Nigeria.

A visual overview of contemporary African fashion, Fashion Africa is a comprehensive guide compiled with an ethical perspective.

Jacqueline Shaw promotes Africa as a place not just for sourcing materials, but with the potential to be a vital epicentre of trade within the global marketplace. This guide is the first of its kind to bring together designers, design companies, ethical manufacturers and more, all with an African connection.

Fashion Africa is a comprehensive guide to the designers, materials, and sustainable practices available on continental Africa, and provides an excellent resource in conjunction for the very vibrant growing industry already in existence.

Welcome to Boom Town, Atlanta's most infamous Black strip club, where the air is thick with secrets and the stakes are as high as the heels. When Damaris "Charm" Willburn, a new daytime dancer, vanishes without a trace, former headline Lyriq is thrust back into a world she thought she had left behind. Charm's disappearance eerily mirrors that of Lyriq's former partner, Lucky, who also went missing under mysterious circumstances. Both women shared a dangerous connection with Thomas McIntyre, a wealthy white man with far more power than they could imagine.

As Lyriq delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a tangled web of deceit, power, and privilege that threatens to consume her. With each revelation, the line between friend and foe blurs, and Lyriq must confront her own past to uncover the truth. But as the secrets of Boom Town unravel, Lyriq faces a harrowing question: can she solve the mystery without losing everything she holds dear?

Boom Town is a masterful blend of suspense and social commentary exploring themes of racial and sexual power dynamics, the invisibility of Black women, and the societal judgements placed on professions deemed "unsavory." In this electrifying thriller, New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone takes you on a heart-pounding journey through Atlanta's dark underbelly.

From city lights to island sunsets, the romance stories in this box-set make an adventure of the pursuit of love. With unexpected passion, cultural journeys and the comedy of modern dating, each story offers sharp insight, heartfelt emotion, and unforgettable characters. The perfect set for anyone ready to turn the page and open their heart.

If I Don't Have You by Sareeta Domingo
When a sultry interview sparks an intense connection between a journalist and a mysterious filmmaker, they must decide if this spark will ever become a flame.


Love Again by Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm
When 30-something year old Honey gets tired of her matchmaking mother, she enlists the help of a (not-so) fake boyfriend. The problem is that this time her mama's choice just might be what Honey is looking for...


Symona's Still Single by Lisa Bent
Thirty-seven year old Symona is swiping, dating, and soul-searching through London, trying to make sense of love, friendship, and finding peace in her own company.


From Pasta to Pigfoot by Frances Mensah Williams
Smart, sassy Londoner, Faye, stumbles into romance while on a trip to Ghana to figure her life out. A rom-com that gives new meaning to "home is where the heart is".


Bad Love by Maame Blue
For Londoner Ekuah, love in her twenties seems to be impossible to figure out. In this reflective and compelling novel, Ekuah revisits her tangled past with an unforgettable first love, and what it taught her about choosing herself.

Dive into the beat of Black British life with these sharp, stylish and deeply insightful titles from the one-of-a-kind A Quick Ting On...™ series - from Afrobeats and grime to business, fashion and identity.

Afrobeats by Christina Adofo
Trace the social and cultural development of the eponymous, chart-topping music genre throughout history.

Plantain by Rui Da Silva
An irresistible cultural insight into the fruit that has sparked the long-held Plant-ain vs Plant-in pronunciation debate.

Black Girl Afro by Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy
A comprehensive look at the ways Black women' s hair care and styling have influenced culture and spearheaded authentic self-expression.

Black British Businesses by Tskenya-Sarah Frazer
Journey through the history and future of Black British entrepreneurship, from the 1300's to present day, with exclusive interviews from the trailblazers themselves.

Grime by Franklyn Addo
Journalist and rapper Franklyn Addo relates the powerful story of Grime's past, present, and future, from pirate radio to Glastonbury and beyond.

Dive into the beat of Black British life with these sharp, stylish and deeply insightful titles from the one-of-a-kind A Quick Ting On...™ series - from Afrobeats and grime to business, fashion and identity.

Afrobeats by Christina Adofo
Trace the social and cultural development of the eponymous, chart-topping music genre throughout history.

Plantain by Rui Da Silva
An irresistible cultural insight into the fruit that has sparked the long-held Plant-ain vs Plant-in pronunciation debate.

Black Girl Afro by Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy
A comprehensive look at the ways Black women' s hair care and styling have influenced culture and spearheaded authentic self-expression.

Black British Businesses by Tskenya-Sarah Frazer
Journey through the history and future of Black British entrepreneurship, from the 1300's to present day, with exclusive interviews from the trailblazers themselves.

Grime by Franklyn Addo
Journalist and rapper Franklyn Addo relates the powerful story of Grime's past, present, and future, from pirate radio to Glastonbury and beyond.

Dive into the beat of Black British life with these sharp, stylish and deeply insightful titles from the one-of-a-kind A Quick Ting On...™ series - from Afrobeats and grime to business, fashion and identity.

Afrobeats by Christina Adofo
Trace the social and cultural development of the eponymous, chart-topping music genre throughout history.

Plantain by Rui Da Silva
An irresistible cultural insight into the fruit that has sparked the long-held Plant-ain vs Plant-in pronunciation debate.

Black Girl Afro by Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy
A comprehensive look at the ways Black women' s hair care and styling have influenced culture and spearheaded authentic self-expression.

Black British Businesses by Tskenya-Sarah Frazer
Journey through the history and future of Black British entrepreneurship, from the 1300's to present day, with exclusive interviews from the trailblazers themselves.

Grime by Franklyn Addo
Journalist and rapper Franklyn Addo relates the powerful story of Grime's past, present, and future, from pirate radio to Glastonbury and beyond.

Honour the journey, the resilience and the legacy of the Windrush generation. These books bring together moving testimonies, historic photography and narrative power to tell the story of those who built Britain and the generation that followed. A collection to read, to remember, and to cherish.

Black History Walks by Tony Warner
Discover London's untold Black history in this unique book that offers a one-of-a-kind landmark tour of one of the world's most iconic cities. This is London's Black history revealed!

Finding Home: A Windrush Story by Alford Dalrymple Gardner and Howard Gardner
At age-97 RAF Veteran and Windrush pioneer, Alford Gardner delivers a memoir that imbues warmth and humour in a powerfully personal story of one man's journey from Jamaica to building a new life in Yorkshire.

A Circle of Five by Harris Joshua
Spotlighting the women of the Windrush generation and their invaluable contributions to the country, meet Evelyn, Emma, Irene, Ivy, and Melissa. This is their story, these five women whose journeys to Britain and subsequent lives fundamentally shaped the community today.

This curated selection brings to life untold stories and remarkable journeys, from royal mysteries and wartime secrets to the fight for identity and freedom. These pages echo with strength, survival, and the power of reclaiming one's story.

Breaking the Maafa Chain by Anni Domingo
Set in the Nineteenth century, two sisters Fatmata and Salimatu are captured and sold separately into slavery. Can the two sisters reclaim their freedom and identity in a world that is trying to break them down and mold them to its coloniser's will?

Queen Charlotte Sophia by Tina Andrews
Newly crowned King George III must marry, but cannot wed the woman he loves - Catholic Lady Sarah Lennox. And so, a search begins for an appropriate Queen... In comes Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and her not so skin-deep secrets...

A Book of Secrets by Kate Morrison
A revealing and compelling glimpse into a fraught time. Set at the collision of the English Reformation and the eve of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, this novel weaves together family legacies and religious tensions for a powerful look at history.

The Book of Harlan by Bernice L. McFadden
Set against the backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance and World War II, this sweeping tale follows Harlan Elliott as he shockingly moves from New York jazz clubs to imprisonment in Nazi concentration camps. It's a gripping, tender story of music, survival, and the echo of forgotten lives.

This curated selection brings to life untold stories and remarkable journeys, from royal mysteries and wartime secrets to the fight for identity and freedom. These pages echo with strength, survival, and the power of reclaiming one's story.

Breaking the Maafa Chain by Anni Domingo
Set in the Nineteenth century, two sisters Fatmata and Salimatu are captured and sold separately into slavery. Can the two sisters reclaim their freedom and identity in a world that is trying to break them down and mold them to its coloniser's will?

Queen Charlotte Sophia by Tina Andrews
Newly crowned King George III must marry, but cannot wed the woman he loves - Catholic Lady Sarah Lennox. And so, a search begins for an appropriate Queen... In comes Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and her not so skin-deep secrets...

A Book of Secrets by Kate Morrison
A revealing and compelling glimpse into a fraught time. Set at the collision of the English Reformation and the eve of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, this novel weaves together family legacies and religious tensions for a powerful look at history.

The Book of Harlan by Bernice L. McFadden
Set against the backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance and World War II, this sweeping tale follows Harlan Elliott as he shockingly moves from New York jazz clubs to imprisonment in Nazi concentration camps. It's a gripping, tender story of music, survival, and the echo of forgotten lives.

This curated selection brings to life untold stories and remarkable journeys, from royal mysteries and wartime secrets to the fight for identity and freedom. These pages echo with strength, survival, and the power of reclaiming one's story.

Breaking the Maafa Chain by Anni Domingo
Set in the Nineteenth century, two sisters Fatmata and Salimatu are captured and sold separately into slavery. Can the two sisters reclaim their freedom and identity in a world that is trying to break them down and mold them to its coloniser's will?

Queen Charlotte Sophia by Tina Andrews
Newly crowned King George III must marry, but cannot wed the woman he loves - Catholic Lady Sarah Lennox. And so, a search begins for an appropriate Queen... In comes Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and her not so skin-deep secrets...

A Book of Secrets by Kate Morrison
A revealing and compelling glimpse into a fraught time. Set at the collision of the English Reformation and the eve of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, this novel weaves together family legacies and religious tensions for a powerful look at history.

The Book of Harlan by Bernice L. McFadden
Set against the backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance and World War II, this sweeping tale follows Harlan Elliott as he shockingly moves from New York jazz clubs to imprisonment in Nazi concentration camps. It's a gripping, tender story of music, survival, and the echo of forgotten lives.

A powerful collection of memoirs exploring identity, migration, memory, and belonging. From exile and race to tracing musical and ancestral roots, these stories span continents and generations with honesty, humour, and heart. Each voice offers a window into the spaces we carry between past and present, here and home.

Through the Leopard's Gaze by Njambi McGrath
A haunting, lyrical memoir of exile, survival, and the search for identity. Through vivid storytelling, the author traces the scars and strength of a childhood disrupted by colonial violence in Kenya.

Are We Home Yet? by Katy Massey
A moving journey through migration, motherhood, and memory. This memoir charts a path across continents in search of belonging. With tenderness and wit, it explores how we carry 'home' within us.

The Space Between Black and White by Esuantsiwa Jane Goldsmith
A thoughtful look at race, and the fluid nature of identity in Britain today. This memoir challenges rigid labels, creating space for nuance and truth.

Stick To My Roots by Tippa Irie
Spanning Jamaica to Britain, this deeply personal story of music and migration follows the life of Grammy nominated musician Tippa Irie. It's a celebration of resilience, rhythm, and the roots that keep us grounded.

In Thursday's Child, readers bear witness to the journey of Britain's most prolific grassroots social historian, as it takes him through the back alleys of Peckham and Camberwell as a gay British youth in 1960s and 70s and beyond.

We enter the mind of a curious and often misunderstood child whose fidelity to family steers him through the turbulent days of teachers-for-bullies, but also anchors his future career as a veritable aesthete, activist, and champion of the people, cemented by previous titles like his much acclaimed Black Poppies: Britain Black Community and The Great War.

Readers visit the rubble of World War II in West London in the spectacular reminiscences of Aunt Esther, Stephen's adopted Guyanese-British relative and, in a next breath, are catapulted to the trying if not relatable moments of professional and personal rejection, as a budding film critic and staunch activist for the MET police; to the more elusive and opaque kind: when a love between two dissipates nearly as soon as its begun.

This is a vivid and deeply personal social history - an intimate journey through family, war, identity, and the making of a pioneering figure of British public life. And ultimately, an opportunity for readers to bring one of this country's most dedicated historians into the spotlight for the first time.

This new collection of twenty-three (23) essays builds on the geopolitical, global, literary and
personal themes in my two earlier nonfiction collections and in my fiction, expanding into
reflections on race and racism, Jamaica and Jamaican queer realities and recent history, British colonialism, trans-Atlantic slavery, grief, the Covid-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter, torture, sexual assault, writing in relation to activism, writers Nadine Gordimer and Stuart Hall, and more. The essays and meditations foreground lyrical, evocative language in combination with compelling explorations of human rights, history, social justice, activism, literature, and the African diaspora.

Dive into the beat of Black British life with these sharp, stylish and deeply insightful titles from the one-of-a-kind A Quick Ting On...™ series - from Afrobeats and grime to business, fashion and identity.

Afrobeats by Christina Adofo
Trace the social and cultural development of the eponymous, chart-topping music genre throughout history.

Plantain by Rui Da Silva
An irresistible cultural insight into the fruit that has sparked the long-held Plant-ain vs Plant-in pronunciation debate.

Black Girl Afro by Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy
A comprehensive look at the ways Black women' s hair care and styling have influenced culture and spearheaded authentic self-expression.

Black British Businesses by Tskenya-Sarah Frazer
Journey through the history and future of Black British entrepreneurship, from the 1300's to present day, with exclusive interviews from the trailblazers themselves.

Grime by Franklyn Addo
Journalist and rapper Franklyn Addo relates the powerful story of Grime's past, present, and future, from pirate radio to Glastonbury and beyond.

Honour the journey, the resilience and the legacy of the Windrush generation. These books bring together moving testimonies, historic photography and narrative power to tell the story of those who built Britain and the generation that followed. A collection to read, to remember, and to cherish.

Black History Walks by Tony Warner
Discover London's untold Black history in this unique book that offers a one-of-a-kind landmark tour of one of the world's most iconic cities. This is London's Black history revealed!

Finding Home: A Windrush Story by Alford Dalrymple Gardner and Howard Gardner
At age-97 RAF Veteran and Windrush pioneer, Alford Gardner delivers a memoir that imbues warmth and humour in a powerfully personal story of one man's journey from Jamaica to building a new life in Yorkshire.

A Circle of Five by Harris Joshua
Spotlighting the women of the Windrush generation and their invaluable contributions to the country, meet Evelyn, Emma, Irene, Ivy, and Melissa. This is their story, these five women whose journeys to Britain and subsequent lives fundamentally shaped the community today.

Longlisted for the Center of Fiction First Novel Prize 2025

It's 1999, and best friends Sal and Charo are striving to hold on to their dreams in a New York determined to grind them down. Sal is a book-loving science nerd trying to grow beyond his dead-end job in a new city, but he's held back by tragic memories from his past in Santo Domingo. Free-spirited Charo is surprised to find herself a mother at twenty-five, partnered with a controlling man, working at the same supermarket for years, her world shrunk to the very domesticity she thought she'd escaped in her old country. When Sal finds love at a gay club one night, both his and Charo's worlds unexpectedly open up to a vibrant social circle that pushes them to reckon with what they owe to their own selves, pasts, futures, and, always, each other.

It has always been Mira, Ma and Ashu. The three of them-as they sing Simon & Garfunkel in Ma's sun-yellow car, watch TV on the sofa and holiday on the mango farm-are bound firmly together. Yet, beneath this tale of proximity, lurks another story-that of a family in hot water.
Nine-year-old Mira, fourteen-year-old Ashu and Ma harbour secrets. All of them confront questions that have no neat answers. Where is Ma's husband, for instance? Who does Ashu pine for? Why is Mira on the alert?
One long, hot summer, the secrets come tumbling out. And the world Ma, Mira and Ashu have cobbled together threatens to give way.
An achingly beautiful novel, Hot Water traces the ways in which the love we feel for one another can both make and wreck us.

An almost-blind mother pawns her daughter off to save her. A grieving son must bury his Muslim father in twenty-four hours in the thick of winter. A doctor battles to save her partner from himself. Desperation makes a young businesswoman seek out a spiritual experience. Domi(natrix) wants to give life to her sexual kinks in her repressive household. The weight of the word "slave" is put to the test during a first date in conservative Idaho. Two men kidnap a White man to fight the infiltration of oil companies in Southern Nigeria. A boy escapes his bipolar mother. A young girl tries to spell out the strange words her parents fight with.
These stories are an excavation of what it means to be at the labyrinthine crossroads of desire, ambition, and tradition. The author explores the indelible erasure of personhood and fitting into all the hard places in a bubble where injustice reigns. As such, she fillets the flesh as these characters try to exercise autonomy in their worlds and swim against the uncontrollable tides that mold their lives. The characters are forced out of their stasis, and the collection contemplates whether they ultimately succeed or fail.

Shortlisted for the 2025 Queensland Literary Awards, The University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award

Shortlisted for the 2025 Stella Prize

Readings Best Books of 2024, Non-Fiction

The story of Australia's Black convicts has been all but erased from our history. On the First Fleet of 1788, at least 15 convicts were of African descent. By 1840 the number had risen to almost 500. But although some of these lives were documented and their likenesses hang in places like the National Portrait Gallery, even their descendants are often unaware of their existence. In recovering their lives, Santilla Chingaipe offers a fresh understanding of this fatal shore, showing how empire, slavery, race and memory have shaped the nation.

A captivating, sexy romance that tests the limits of love at first sight...

Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Ren is recovering from a romantic betrayal. Kayla is a Black British artist and journalist keen to make her mark. Thrown together during a string of interviews in New York for Ren's latest film, they're struck by an irresistible attraction.

Following a night of searing honesty and passion, the two are left with more questions than answers about the future. With secrets lurking between them, their potential romance could upend the respective lives Ren and Kayla have so carefully built.

But as things progress, the disheartening idea of life without each other seems like the biggest risk of all. Their cravings have led them this far... where will their desire take them next?

A thought-provoking and comprehensive look at uncovering the root causes of persistent racial inequalities in the workplace, Dr Carlton Brown begins by examining the history of racial discrimination and how it has shaped the societal context in which organisations operate. He argues that despite concerted efforts towards diversity and inclusion, organisations often fail to create equitable spaces for people of colour. He highlights the paradoxical nature of these failures, where organisations simultaneously praise themselves for progress while maintaining deeply ingrained racial hierarchies. He exposes the prevalent racial biases, discrimination, and exclusionary practices that persist within many organisations, revealing the disconnect between intention and reality. He highlights how these issues not only hinder the personal and professional growth of individuals from marginalised communities but also impedes the overall success and progress of organisations.
A comprehensive look at the state of race-relations in the workplace The Race Paradox is a perfect guide to understanding why discussing race and addressing it in the workplace is vital in today's world.

Still haunted by the first time he saw his second daughter, 97 Days covers the time period that Kabir's second daughter spent in the NICU following her birth.

As a second foray into fatherhood, Kabir and his partner are sure that they know what to expect, but a difficult conception journey and pregnancy complications result in their child being born three months early, and puts their understanding of parenthood, coupledom and selfhood into jeopardy...

This harrowing memoir explores Kabir's struggles with mental health, fatherhood and trauma, in the midst of trying to keep his family together, and is an important reflection on becoming a man and being part of a family.

Njambi McGrath, award winning author of Through the Leopard's Gaze, delivers this stunning debut novel examining the validity of fury as response when a young Kenyan girl's mistakes in first love are ruthlessly held against her by a paternalistic society.

Mukami is a young scholarship student at a prestigious boarding school. She has a clear path ahead of her, but a deceptive smile, a school expulsion and an impossible pregnancy see her well ordered life hurtling towards complete and utter disarray.

Facing disappointment from her family and finding that innocence is not a strong enough place from which to mount a defence, she declares revenge. This charged novel asks us to question why girls and women are often left to fight for justice from lonely places in societies that prefer them silenced.

Kayo is a young Tokyo housewife and mother. Outwardly, she is no different from other young mothers, but her secret sets her apart. She belongs to a kind of club, which involves luxury, beautiful clothes and accessories.

The club makes it possible for Kayo to escape her tedious life, to become someone else and to embrace a dazzling new world. But it quickly becomes an obsession, a drug, the way to both paradise and hell. Can she find her way out of the dark underworld of debt, lies and prostitution? Or is she doomed to exchange one form of loneliness for another?

A deeply absorbing novel about the "holes" that suddenly appear in women's lives, My Beautiful Shadow is a powerful cautionary tale about consumerism gone mad.