Debut
Short story writer Ashley-Ruth Bernier’s debut proclaims those roots – this sweetly moving novel is told via short episodes. The episodes connect, and are longer than the typical short story, packing more of a punch, and by the end of the novel, the ends are neatly tied up. Our heroine is culinary TV star Naomi Sinclair, who tells stories through her reporting on, and love, of food.
Naomi is from the island of St. Thomas, and it’s her Crucian heritage that shines through on every page of this novel. As the book opens, she and a fellow host on EAT TV are pitching their true crime-food episodes, and Naomi is leaving her audience in suspense. She has a great story to tell and her audience of TV producers are hanging on her every word to find out the solution to the long ago murder of Ursula Merchant, a well known island chef and entrepreneur.
To tell the story, Naomi goes back in time, taking her readers to a vivid rendering of St. Thomas and the Caribbean lifestyle. Her first trip back, for a wedding, finds her reconnecting with old flame Matteo, an adorable and sweet EMT. It’s unclear how this long distance relationship will function as Naomi’s work is back in the states. The two of them have a long connection going back to high school, and the story is populated with their high school buddies ranging from the well loved to the annoying.
The family and food culture of St. Thomas is well drawn, as is the lovely setting, though Bernier makes clear that even in paradise, life can be messy. Her portrayal of the various relationships and connections in the novel illustrate this point nicely, and the main focus is Naomi and Matteo’s relationship, which I would call the centerpiece of the novel, even more so than the murder.
Little by little, Bernier brings the reader through the past, catching up slowly to the present and to the resolution of the crime, which includes some nice deductive reasoning on Naomi’s part. At first I was slightly put off by the story telling style, but by the middle of the novel I was able to relax into the rhythm of Bernier’s narrative and portrayal of what is obviously a beloved place for her.
The main crime Naomi investigates has deeply entwined family layers, and as Naomi unpeels them, they become painful for those still alive who were affected by their great aunt’s death. Through the book, Naomi solves many smaller mysteries, all of them leading to the ultimate resolution. The emotional layers in this book are as beautiful as the food she describes. You may leave this book hungry, but you’ll also leave it with a tear in your eye, as the characters Bernier writes about are truly brought to life on the page. This is a lovely debut. — Robin Agnew