The Polished Hoe

Set on the post-colonial West Indian island of Bimshire (Barbados) in the 1950s, following World War II, the novel unravels over the course of a shattering all-night vigil, but spans the lifetime of one woman and the collective experience of a society characterized by slavery and colonialism. The story begins when Mary-Mathilda, a respected village woman, calls the police to confess to a crime. The man she claims to have murdered is Mr. Belfeels, the powerful manager of the sugar plantation where she has worked for over thirty years as a laborer, maid, and mistress. She is also the mother of his only son, Wilberforce. As Mary-Mathilda gives her confession to Police Sergeant Percy, an old friend, the narrative unfolds as a powerful dialogue, revealing the brutal history of her life, the tragic legacy of the island, and a deep meditation on memory, justice, and the resilience of the human spirit.

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