Boon's Bookcase

Leopard At The Door

by

Jennifer McVeigh

Blog Tour

Guest Review

by

Julie Williams

I was asked to read and review this ARC as Julie Boon knows that I love the author Dinah Jefferies books which this book is likened to due to its exotic location.

Rachel, an 18 year old girl returns home to Kenya after six long years in England where she was sent with her grandparents by her father after her mother’s death. 

Rachel is excited to get back to the country she knows and loves expecting the family farm and her life to pick up as before she left. However, she soon discovers that there have been many changes in her absence, one being a new woman Sara, who now lives at the farm and who has stepped into her mother’s role. 

The country is also in the midst of political unrest as a secret society Mau Mau is wreaking havoc across Kenya against white supremacy fighting and murdering in order to reclaim their land. 

Rachel experiences awkward, complicated and forbidden relationships with some horrific consequences.

This story explores the struggles Rachel and others faced: discrimination, betrayal, shame and fear. 

As I enjoy reading about the culture and traditions of other countries and this tale explored Kenya in the 1950’s era, I found this novel packed with descriptive emotion and well written characters. 

I awarded Leopard At The Door a 4 star rating.