Rootless: A Novel

Rootless is a debut novel that explores a marriage in crisis, asking whether a home can provide stability when it is falling apart. Sam discovers that £1,300 is missing from the bank account he shares with his wife, Efe, and cannot reach her. He learns she has left London, thousands of miles away, while their toddler asks for her. When Efe and Sam met as teenagers heading to university, their relationship seemed inevitable. Efe had recently arrived in the UK from Ghana and was struggling under her parents' expectations; Sam offered stability and a clear vision for their shared future. A decade later, Efe finds that vision suffocating. Though they appear to be the perfect couple to outsiders, cracks have formed in their marriage. Faced with a life-altering decision, Efe and Sam find themselves in opposition, forced to confront how differently they envision their lives. When Efe disappears, the novel becomes a story about sacrifice, family, and ambition, examining what happens when a marriage collapses and whether it can be repaired. Winner of the NAACP Image Award.