Person Named Hortense Under Scrutiny
In a captivating new crime series, author Mel Pennant introduces readers to the world of Miss Hortense and the Pardner Network of Bigglesweigh. The story revolves around an inherently strong and resilient older woman who, despite carrying a heavy burden, is fearless and determined to uncover the truth.
Miss Hortense's Pardner Network is a unique collective that uses the traditional Pardner system, also known as the Box Hand or Susu, to solve crimes. This mutual saving scheme, with roots in African and Caribbean community practices, has been a vital source of financial support for migrants, including the Windrush generation who faced challenges in accessing mainstream banking services.
The Pardner system, much like other rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs), involves a group of individuals who pool their resources, contributing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals. They then take turns receiving the collective funds, which can be used for various purposes. In Miss Hortense's case, the Pardner Network was established to bring justice to those who have been wronged.
At the core of any Pardner is often a person who leads it, usually a matriarchal figure called the Pardner Lady. Miss Hortense, with her unyielding spirit, fits this role perfectly. However, whatever wound she was carrying had almost destroyed her, and her local community had turned their backs on her.
The community in question has secrets and mysteries hidden just below the surface, and Miss Hortense is determined to uncover them. With her fearlessness and power, she knocks down walls to bring the truth to light.
Mel Pennant, the author of this gripping series, is no stranger to the literary world. A playwright, screenwriter, and novelist, Pennant has written audio plays with Tamasha and the National Archives, and was awarded a place on the Hachette X Tamasha scheme for aspiring playwright novelists in 2018. Pennant graduated with an MA in Screenwriting from the London College of Communication in 2014 and won the Brockley Jack Write Now 4 award in 2013 with her play, No Rhyme.
"A Murder for Miss Hortense" is the first book in this new crime series, promising an engaging and thought-provoking read that delves into the heart of the Caribbean community and the power of the Pardner system. This novel not only entertains but also sheds light on an important aspect of Caribbean cultural heritage and financial resilience.
- Miss Hortense's Pardner Network is not only a source of financial support for the community, but also a platform for solving crimes, rooted in African and Caribbean community practices like the Box Hand or Susu.
- In the captivating new crime series, author Mel Pennant delves into the heart of the Caribbean community, exploring the power of the Pardner system in the face of injustice.
- Despite being almost destroyed by a heavy burden, Miss Hortense, the lead of the Pardner Network, is determined to use her fearlessness and power to uncover secrets and bring truth to her community.
- With a background in playwriting, screenwriting, and novel-writing, author Mel Pennant brings a unique perspective to the world of health-and-wellness, mental-health, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, books, entertainment, general-news, and crime-and-justice in her work.
- "A Murder for Miss Hortense," the first book in the series, combines a gripping crime narrative with a exploration of science, focusing on the importance of the Pardner system in the Caribbean community's financial resilience and cultural heritage.
