A baby is born with a coin in her hand. An orphan crafts a mysterious wooden object. The CEO of a large corporation finds himself under extraordinary pressure at work and at home. And on a remote hilltop on a Caribbean island, a medicine man seems to understand the meaning of all these events and to hold the key to the future.
Montaro Caine, CEO of the Fitzer Corporation, is losing control of the company he built just as his teenage daughter is experiencing her own difficulties. At this moment of crisis, a man and woman appear at his office with a coin of unknown provenance, composed of a metal unknown on Earth. Montaro immediately recognizes it as the companion of a coin he analyzed as a graduate student working in a lab at MIT, which was later returned to its unidentified owner. The coin’s appearance draws the attention of scientists, collectors, financiers, and thieves, all of whom vie to get their hands on it, and Montaro himself hopes that the discovery of the coin will save his company. But the value of the coin lies not in its monetary worth but in its hold on the people who come into contact with it. These include the young woman who is not aware of the object that was found in her hand at birth; an old man who, as a boy, crafted a wooden compact as a gift for a young Montaro Caine; and the elusive healer Matthew Perch, who, from his hut on a small Caribbean island, knows precisely why these people have been brought together and what wisdom the coin imparts.
In his first novel, the beloved actor and director Sidney Poitier takes us on a wild and unexpected adventure—from New York to Europe to the Caribbean and beyond. The novel offers Poitier’s heartfelt message about the potential each of us has within ourselves, and about being open to the possibility that there are mysteries in the universe, and here on Earth, far greater than we can imagine. An enthralling journey into the magic of existence, Montaro Caine is a radiant debut from an American legend.
Praise for Montaro Caine
“Some might feel it’s quintessentially Poitier. Elegant, if a book can be elegant, with a bit of mystery and Caribbean flavor thrown in for good measure. Like his famed movie roles in Lilies of the Field and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, he once again offers up a moving performance.”—USA Today
“An intricate, electrifying journey. Academy Award winner Poitier creates multifaceted characters, with Montaro in particular exhibiting a rare realism; Montaro’s encounters with others are at once honest, intense, and mesmerizing. While the narrative has an urgency that will keep readers anticipating, it is also poetic. . . . Part mystery, part science fiction, this book excites like Agatha Christie’s Murder of Roger Ackroyd and will appeal especially to lovers of suspense.”—Library Journal
“[A] captivating blend of corporate intrigue and science fiction . . . a thought-provoking tale of caution and hope that is as elegant and riveting as the legendary actor and director himself.”—Booklist
“Surprisingly intricate . . . sure to please his many fans.”—Publishers Weekly
“Elegantly written and keenly observed . . . a Little Prince for grown-ups.”—Kirkus Reviews
