Angel Tungaraza has recently moved to Rwanda from her native Tanzania. Although she has her husband Pius and the five orphaned children of their late son and daughter to look after, she still finds time for her small business, baking individually designed cakes for the celebrations of her neighbours and their friends.

Entirely aware that many of the people around her have witnessed and survived horrors she can barely imagine, Angel also knows that their lives continue, and they still find reasons for joy and celebration. As her customers tell her their stories, she comes to realize how much each of them has to mourn as well as how much they have to celebrate. And, finally, she comes to accept how much that is true of her too.

Gaile Parkin was born in Zambia and lives in Africa. Baking Cakes in Kigali is her first novel.

Sandra James-Young has appeared on television in The Bill, Criminal Justice, Tripping Over, EastEnders, Hollyoaks, Holby City, Judge John Deed and Mile High. She was Chrissie in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Hope Walker in Doctors.