Location: Chicago, Bristol, Lagos, Edinburgh

Esperance

Author/Guide: Adam Oyebanji

Why a Booktrail?

1800s, 2000s: A speculative thriller about the scars left by the Atlantic slave-trade.

ISBN: 978-1529437096
Genre: Crime, Thriller

What you need to know before your trail

An impossible death: Detective Ethan Krol has been called to the scene of a baffling murder: a man and his son, who appear to have been drowned in sea-water. But the nearest ocean is a thousand miles away.

An improbable story: Hollie Rogers doesn’t want to ask too many questions of her new friend, Abi Eniola. Abi claims to be an ordinary woman from Nigeria, but her high-tech gadgets and extraordinary physical abilities suggest she’s not telling the whole truth.

An incredible quest: As Ethan’s investigation begins to point towards Abi, Hollie’s fears mount. For Abi is very much not who she seems. And it won’t be long before Ethan and Hollie find themselves playing a part in a story that spans cultures, continents . . . and centuries.

Locations

Reset

England - Bristol
F: Millennium Square

Nigeria - Lagos
G: Lagos harbour

Scotland - Edinburgh
H: West Port

Travel Guide

Chicago

Oh you get a unique view of the city of Chicago here! The police and the investigation take us around the mean streets, the medical examiner and the dark, dingy corners.

There is a dark facade to this novel. Bodies found inside an apartment. Apparently drowned by sea water. But Chicago is nowhere near the ocean…

Bristol (UK)

Bristol is a secondary setting – still vivid though!

Lagos

Lagos is a historical backdrop to the story and the main character. There is a key connection to Lagos and the slave trade throughout the novel. The ship Esperance was involved in the slave trade between Africa and the Americas. It was frequently docked in Bristol, England during this time.
Its Ultimate Fate: In 1806, the ship was intercepted and sunk by the British Royal Navy off the coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean.

Edinburgh

The specific date and location (Halloween 1828 in West Port) directly tie the background of the story to the infamous Burke and Hare murders. These took place in and around the West Port area.