Childhood friends Liwa Nile and Noel Glass grow up in Port Alfred bound by hope and pure love for each other. But their deep, dark desires bring in sinister trails of lust, murder and unclassified sexual escapades to the heart of Melrose Arch. When Liwa loses her beloved father, her dear friend Noel comes to the rescue. As they grow their architecture business, it emerges that Noel is no ordinary artist. Her love for darkness quickly turns Liwa's wet bed into a nightmare. With every break of dawn, a soul falls. More people are soon disappearing while their business is thriving. Tyson Manson seeks sexual pleasure. So, when a secret tryst boils over, he discovers more than he expected. As he digs deeper into the women's past, more worms emerge from the twisted soil. Will his findings destroy not only him, but also the bonds of a long-standing friendship?
Autorentext
Jackie Phamotse is the bestselling author of the BARE series of books, and has written The Tea Merchant and The Advocate for PRH. She is a writer, businesswoman, social activist and philanthropist. Her debut novel, BARE I: The Blesser's Game, was published in 2017, and was awarded the African Icon Literary Award in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2018. Her second book, I Tweet What I Like, was inspired by the late struggle icon Steve Biko's book, I Write What I Like. Jackie won the 2020 SA Book Award for Best Fiction for her novel BARE II: The Cradle of The Hockey Club. She was also nominated for a bestselling award by Nielsen BookScan and SAPnet in 2023 for her book Bare IV: Mercy. Google listed Jackie as one of the most searched personalities in South Africa in 2020. She won an award for her social activism at the Women of Wonder Awards ceremony in 2020, the same year the Generational Wealth Foundation listed her as one of the most influential educators. She was long-listed for the Sunday Times Fiction award in 2025 for The Tea Merchant and nominated for the South African Book Award. On 25 April 2026, Rand West City Local Municipality awarded her a Certificate of Recognition for perseverance and outstanding contribution to the arts. Jackie's main objective is to create awareness around and find long-term solutions to eradicate social ills. She currently lives in Sandton, South Africa.