Cahokia Jazz

In an alternate 1922 America, amidst the lively backdrop of jazz and speakeasies, two detectives discover a body on a skyscraper roof. This event triggers a week of revelations in a diverse, industrial metropolis, setting the stage for either ruin or renewal, as depicted in Francis Spufford's captivating novel.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 496 pages
Publication date: 04 April 2024
Publisher: Faber & Faber

From the prizewinning author of Light Perpetual

In an urban landscape that never quite materialised, within a version of America that remained only in the realms of imagination, on a frosty evening concluding the waning days of winter, a pair of detectives stumble upon a lifeless form resting atop the pinnacle of a towering skyscraper.

The year is 1922, a time when the populace of America indulges in clandestine drinking establishments, swaying to the rhythms of jazz, hurrying to keep pace with the rapid strides of modernity. However, within this particular iteration of 1922, the narrative diverges. Along the banks of the Mississippi, the venerable indigenous settlement of Cahokia endures, transformed into a bustling hub of industry, housing a mosaic of ethnicities and belief systems. Amidst this diverse tapestry, an uneasy peace reigns—more or less. Yet, the discovery of the lifeless figure on the rooftop is poised to catalyse a chain of events, unfurling a weeklong saga that will unravel the concealed truths of this alternate reality. Against a backdrop resounding with the melodies of jazz clarinets and the mournful cries of passing streetcars, this altered world teeters on the precipice of either annihilation or resurgence.

Renowned author Francis Spufford, recipient of numerous accolades, returns once more, presenting a meticulously crafted narrative that brims with opulent delights, weaving a tale of grand proportions interlaced with wit and suspense. Set within a gilded era of illicit diversions, his latest offering promises to captivate readers with its expansive scope and relentless intrigue.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 129 x 197 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571336883
Edition number: Main