Leopard at the Door

Jennifer McVeigh

Jan 2017 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

Set in Kenya in the 1950s against the fading backdrop of the British Empire, a story of self-discovery, betrayal, and an impossible love from the author of The Fever Tree.
 
After six years in England, Rachel has returned to Kenya and the farm where she spent her childhood, but the beloved home she’d longed for is much changed. Her father’s new companion—a strange, intolerant woman—has taken over the household. The political climate in the country grows more unsettled by the day and is approaching the boiling point. And looming over them all is the threat of the Mau Mau, a secret society intent on uniting the native Kenyans and overthrowing the whites.

As Rachel struggles to find her place in her home and her country, she initiates a covert relationship, one that will demand from her a gross act of betrayal. One man knows her secret, and he has made it clear how she can buy his silence. But she knows something of her own, something she has never told anyone. And her knowledge brings her power.

Ratings and reviews

Leopard at the Door had me captivated from the very moment I opened the book to start reading. With the author’s beautifully descriptive writing and lyrical prose, I had no problem visualizing the story unfolding before me. The author did an outstanding job at researching British Kenya’s Mau Mau Rebellion and I applaud her for bringing her readers a very thought-provoking and enlightening story done with a manner of sophistication and exquisiteness which made this a gripping and compelling read. Jennifer McVeigh is an incredible storyteller and Leopard at the Door shows her talent in an absolutely stunning way and in the process, brings to light a disturbing and horrific conflict that occurred in the past that some readers might not have known about. This story not only pulled me into Rachel’s life, full of forbidden love, treachery, and horrific loss of life, but also the sadness of bigotry, betrayal, and upheaval which kept me in its grips until the very end. If you love and enjoy historical novels, then this is a must read.

This review was written by Marie for a guest review post on Ever After Book Reviews blog: 4.5 Stars Leopard at the Door is a coming of age story depicting the life of our protagonist, Rachel. It is a historical fiction novel set in Kenya post WWII. From the beginning, the author introduces us to a breathtaking scenery and characters that are well thought out and written with spectacular depth. As the story began, I found myself intrigued by Rachel and her life. I continued to read and found myself invested in her and her past. With the author’s guidance, I became enthralled with the dynamics of Rachel’s upbringing, the untimely death of her mother, her lie beyond Kenya, and her return to the very place she went so long trying to avoid. I was hooked! But then came Rachel's father and his wife. This is where the story started to lose me. I can somewhat understand a level of bitterness on Rachel's father's part, but this man and his absolutely awful wife were nearly too much, even for me. They were cold, unfeeling and just wretched to Rachel. Their inexcusable behavior made me despise them, which I suppose is telling of just how gifted the author truly is. Outside of Rachel's relationship with her father and his wife, this book is superb. It has historical relevance, a touching story line and what I would call a unique romance. I never would have chosen this book on my own, but I'm glad that I was given the opportunity to give it a chance. I will definitely be giving this author more reading time. ***I read and reviewed a paperback copy of the book gifted to the blog in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving a NetGalley edition of this book. This extremely well-written book is a haunting, beautiful and unflinchingly honest illustration of life in Kenya during the collapse of British colonial rule. The author does an excellent job of illustrating man's capacity for inhumanity and brutality against his fellow man, and how even innocents and those who make a concerted effort to remain separate from political events get swept up in the wake as the tide of violence washes over them. It is also a timeless portrait of a young woman's struggle to find herself in a family where she no longer fits after her father's remarriage, in a country whose political and social divisions she cannot understand and in a world where there is no one to protect her from the abuse of a locally powerful man. This book had me turning pages as quickly as I could, tied up in knots the whole time and emotionally wrung out by the end! An important story, powerfully told, this book is a must read!

About the author

Jennifer McVeigh is the author of Leopard at the Door and The Fever Tree. She graduated from Oxford University in 2002 with a First in English literature. She went on to work in film, television, radio, and publishing before giving up her day job to write fiction.