This Kind of Trouble: A Novel

Tochi Eze

ISBN 10: 0593475100 / ISBN 13: 9780593475102

Published by Random House USA Inc, 2025

About this Item

A riveting tale of forbidden love centered on an estranged couple brought together to reckon with the mysterious events that splintered their family. In 1960s Lagos, a city enlivened with its newfound independence, headstrong Margaret meets British-born Benjamin, a man seeking his roots after the death of his half-Nigerian father. Despite Margaret's reluctance, their connection is immediate. They fall in love in the dense, humid city, examining what appears to be their racial and cultural differences. However, as they exchange childhood stories during lazy work lunches, they uncover a past more entangled than they could have ever imagined. Margaret's deteriorating mental health combined with the shadow of events that transpired decades ago in a small village sets their gradual fracture in motion. By 2005, Margaret has retired to an upscale gated community in Lagos, and seemingly happy Benjamin lives alone in Atlanta, managing his heart problems with no options when asked to name his next of kin. But their attempt at a settled life is shattered when their grandson begins to show ominous signs echoing the struggles Margaret once faced. The former lovers are forced to reunite to confront the buried secrets they had dismissed in the passion of their youth--secrets that continue to ripple through their family. A startling and propulsive tale of forbidden love, This Kind of Trouble traces the intertwined legacies of one family's history, exploring the complex relationship between tradition, modernity, and the ways we seek healing in a changing world. With this debut novel, Tochi Eze announces herself as a dazzling new voice in world literature.

Seller Inventory # 00100305641

Bibliographic Details

• Title: This Kind of Trouble: A Novel
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593475100
• ISBN 13: 9780593475102
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

A riveting tale of forbidden love centered on an estranged couple brought together to reckon with the mysterious events that splintered their family.

In 1960s Lagos, a city enlivened with its newfound independence, headstrong Margaret meets British-born Benjamin, a man seeking his roots after the death of his half-Nigerian father. Despite Margaret’s reluctance, their connection is immediate. They fall in love in the dense, humid city, examining what appears to be their racial and cultural differences. However, as they exchange childhood stories during lazy work lunches, they uncover a past more entangled than they could have ever imagined. Margaret’s deteriorating mental health combined with the shadow of events that transpired decades ago in a small village sets their gradual fracture in motion.

By 2005, Margaret has retired to an upscale gated community in Lagos, and seemingly happy Benjamin lives alone in Atlanta, managing his heart problems with no options when asked to name his next of kin. But their attempt at a settled life is shattered when their grandson begins to show ominous signs echoing the struggles Margaret once faced. The former lovers are forced to reunite to confront the buried secrets they had dismissed in the passion of their youth—secrets that continue to ripple through their family.

A startling and propulsive tale of forbidden love, This Kind of Trouble traces the intertwined legacies of one family’s history, exploring the complex relationship between tradition, modernity, and the ways we seek healing in a changing world. With this debut novel, Tochi Eze announces herself as a dazzling new voice in world literature.

About the Author

Tochi Eze is a writer and lawyer from Nigeria., Longreads named her short story “The Americanization of Kambili,” published by Catapult, as one of “Ten Outstanding Stories to Read in 2023.” She has an MFA from Florida Atlantic University and is currently a PhD student in English Literature at the University of Virginia.