Karen Barrow, winner of the 2024 Whistler Independent Book Award for Fiction, will be signing copies of her debut novel, Palmyra, at Indigo in Orchard Park on Saturday, July 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Set on a cocoa estate in Trinidad, Palmyra is a historical novel steeped in Caribbean Gothic suspense.
The story follows the arrival of a mysterious young stranger whose presence sets off a chain of tragic events with consequences that echo into the present. Told through the voice of a precocious 11-year-old boy, the novel explores themes of family secrets, divided loyalties, and unbridled ambition.
Part coming-of-age tale, part dark suspense, Palmyra has captivated readers with its lush atmosphere and haunting narrative.
Critics have described Palmyra as a 鈥済ripping, transportive read鈥 with 鈥渁n unexpectedly dastardly third act.鈥 Reviewers have praised Barrow鈥檚 vivid sensory detail and taut, precise plotting. In addition to its Whistler win, Palmyra was shortlisted for the Guernica Prize and was a finalist for both the Page Turner Awards and the Eric Hoffer Awards.
Born in Trinidad and now residing in Okanagan Falls, she moved north for post-secondary studies and later settled permanently. She credits her passion for storytelling and love of travel as the driving forces behind her writing.
Palmyra is available locally at the Kelowna Indigo and can also be ordered through Mosaic Books. It is sold online via Amazon, Indigo, and Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and eBook formats.
For more information about Palmyra, upcoming titles, or the author, visit .
Special to Okanagan Newspaper Group
