A House for Miss Pauline

"What begins as one woman's symphony of magic and loss soon unravels, stone by stone, secret by secret, until we're left with nothing less than the brutal, turbulent, wild, and haunted history of Jamaica itself. Miss Pauline is the dazzling heroine of our times, a cypher for uncovering the secrets her world keeps hidden even as she hides her own. The center cannot hold, things fall apart, the past is uprooted, the present holds on by thread, and in the midst of it all is Miss Pauline, strong, conflicted, driven, and remarkable." —Marlon James, Booker Prize–Winning Author of Moon Witch, Spider King

"Where has Diana McCaulay been all my reading life? In this engrossing and glorious novel—reminiscent of V.S. Naipaul's A House for Mr. Biswas—prepare for full immersion in the world of Jamaica, not from a tourist's perspective but from the mind and heart and spirit of the unforgettable Miss Pauline, whose enslaved ancestors built the island that has historically dispossessed them. This is a profound and beautiful novel rich with encounters with the past and atonements in the present."—Julia Alvarez, bestselling author of In the Time of the Butterflies, How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, and The Cemetery of Untold Stories

"History’s crimes unfurl in this magical story. Diana McCaulay’s immaculate, breathtaking writing carries it with poise and conviction. This novel is poetry."—Lisa Allen-Agostini, author of The Bread the Devil Knead

"Diana McCaulay is one of the Caribbean’s finest writers. Her novels are building blocks of the current Caribbean canon and will be read for years to come."—Monique Roffey, author of The Mermaid of Black Conch

"Fragile and foul mouthed, Miss Pauline is my new heroine. McCaulay peels back layers to reveal the complexity of our grandmothers. She makes me want to find every Black elder and beg for their story. A House For Miss Pauline is a lush undergrowth of a book, gazing unblinkingly at Jamaica in all its beauty and beastliness. McCaulay loves this land and her writing shows it."—Leone Ross, author of This One Sky Day

“As it makes its points about the complex legacy of colonialism and recaps a century of life in rural Jamaica through the eyes of one fierce and enterprising woman, the novel educates and entertains. Alive with the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of Jamaica.”—Kirkus Reviews

"McCaulay weaves an intimate family story with the history of a community and reveals how past crimes—both private and collective—resonate into the present. Told with elegant prose and the musicality of Jamaican patwah, this immersive story intrigued me, gripped me, and then thoroughly enchanted me. Diana McCaulay is a fantastic storyteller."—Lisa Smith, author of Jamaica Road

"How do we reckon with our past when its complexities are hidden to us—history, with all its tragedies and contradictions, smothered by the Jamaican bush? This is the foundational question of A House for Miss Pauline, a beguiling novel of secrets and discoveries enriched by the tough poetry of Patois and animated by a central character you will never forget."—Gregory Normington, author of The Devil's Highway

“Delightful and big-hearted... It kept me turning pages deep into the night, and left me full of admiration at the end. McCaulay, a born-and-bred Jamaican, wrestles with the big stuff – difficult questions about inheritance, guilt and blame – and she does it bravely, and with honesty.”​—The Guardian (UK)

"McCaulay’s masterful pacing keep readers turning the pages until the very end. Everything about the novel is charming and engrossing…Richly drawn, powerful characters tug at your heartstrings, bring tears to your eyes, and make you laugh out loud. Above it all, McCaulay’s skillful, impeccable, lyrical prose captivates instantly; readers will revel in every glorious sentence."—Booklist