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In a Haiti where literature still tries to preserve its light amidst violence, fears, and collective disillusionments, a new name emerges with a singular intensity: Wood Jude Jean.
In a Haiti where literature still tries to preserve its light amidst violence, fears, and collective disillusionments, a new name emerges with a singular intensity: Wood Jude Jean. Previously known for his poetic writing under the name “silent poet,” he now takes a different path with The Enigma of the Twelve Gates of Heaven, his very first 284-page novel published by C3 Éditions. This work will be on sale during the 32nd edition of Livres en Folie, on June 4, 2026, at the convention center of Hôtel El Rancho in Port-au-Prince. Already, this novel attracts attention for its strange atmosphere, dramatic tension, and the depth of the questions it raises.From the very first pages of the novel, the reader understands that they are not approaching a simple detective story. The author constructs a dark, anxious, almost mystical universe, where reality seems constantly crossed by the invisible. The plot begins with a series of macabre discoveries: several decapitated bodies are found in different parts of the country. No one claims these crimes. No witness comes forward. Everything suggests that these bodies were placed in the middle of the night, ensuring that no one was watching. Fear spreads. The media quickly blame armed gangs, but something seems more complex behind this violence. Gradually, the narrative creates a sense of suffocation and mystery that drives the reader to continue reading relentlessly.At the heart of this investigation appears Inspector Lachenais, the main character of the novel. Tired, sickly — he suffers from cancer — and haunted by troubling dreams, he nevertheless becomes the man who refuses to give up the search for the truth about this case. The further the investigation progresses, the more he discovers that these murders are linked to each other through disturbing clues: they are all decapitated bodies; the victims were all born on December 12; and, furthermore, all their first names have the same number of letters: twelve. Surprised by these discoveries, the inspector decides to dig deeper to uncover the origin of these murders. The more he investigates, the more he discovers that these crimes are connected to a mysterious organization called ‘Evangelical Mission of the Twelve Gates of Heaven,’ led by Pastor Sèmèvo. This religious institution, respected by some and feared by others, occupies a central place in the story.Between belief, manipulation, fanaticism, and the quest for power, the novel constantly blurs the boundaries between the spiritual and the political.
