Benjamin, My Son

by Geoffrey Philp

A Jamaican retooling of Dante’s Inferno , this literary thriller tells the story of Jason Lumley, a native Jamaican living in Miami, Florida, who returns to his homeland when his politician stepfather is murdered. Accompanied by his girlfriend, Nicole, who offers an echo of Beatrice, Lumley meets up with a mentor Rastafarian and a locksmith named Virgil who accompany them through the garrison ghetto area of Standpipe. In his quest, Lumley encounters former acquaintances and earlier manifestations of himself that offer bracing commentary on the sexism, homophobia, and corruption that have replaced the nationalist dream.

200 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2003