A Snake Under A Thatch

This is a sequel to my first novel, Friends and Dreams, and is narrated by its two protagonists: Cyril Jideofo and Bola Akande. In the prequel, Cyril was betrayed by his friend, Bernard Ekwekwe, and was sent to prison for eight years for a crime he did not commit. Bola, a Columbia University student, meets and falls in love with Cyril's daughter, Chizube. Cyril, obsessed by the cruel injustice of his fate, and eager to clear his name of the stain of imprisonment, desperately searches for an all-important letter written by Bernard-a letter he is sure would prove his innocence. He finds a good job with a Nigerian accounting firm, in Newark, NJ, and then gets a crucial piece of information at a welcoming party for his family, organized by the firm. Bola has two problems: he does not know who his father is; and his mother, Hannah, is unaccountably hostile to his girlfriend Chizube. Cyril's search ultimately comes to a shattering climax at the Newark International Airport. In the Epilogue, Bola's mother tells him the unvarnished story of his life.