First published 2024
Mark Wolfe works as a technical writer in Pittsburgh, living quietly with his wife Sushila and their young daughter. His half-brother Geoff operates as a soccer agent in the UK, struggling to make his mark in the business. When Geoff discovers rumors of an African teenager called Godwin who could rival Messi's talent, he drags Mark into an international search across continents. The brothers chase leads and follow whispers, navigating the complex world of soccer recruitment while confronting the ethical boundaries of their mission. Their pursuit exposes them to both the sport's inspiring possibilities and its exploitative underbelly. As they travel deeper into unfamiliar territory, Mark and Geoff must reckon with their family bond, the colonial legacy embedded in their venture, and the human cost of treating talent as commodity. The story unfolds through Mark's perspective and that of his colleague Lakesha Williams, revealing how personal ambition collides with global systems of power and money.
Genres: fiction, adventure, contemporary, 21st-century, africa, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Africa, Pittsburgh, United Kingdom
Period: 21st Century
289 pages · Kindle Edition · Fourth Estate
Content warnings: colonialism