'Burns with a fierce intensity. Passions are ignited and family dynamics laid bare. A triumph.' Paul Burston

'This book surprises, turn after compulsive turn. ' Melanie Finn

When NGO worker Nick drops unexpectedly into the lives of Pieter and Sara Lisson, he feels he has found the parents he never had. Nick is enraptured by their lives of splendour and acclaim as much as the stirring setting of the African city where they live, but he soon senses a secret at the heart of his new family.

Nick then meets Riaan, the Lissons’ son, and so begins an intense connection that threatens to erupt into a relationship neither had ever considered. In the shadow of the Brandberg, the glowing mountain that stands at the heart of the desert, Nick will discover that his passion for Riaan is not the only fire which threatens his newfound home.

What Reviewers and Readers Say:

‘This is a remarkable and beautiful book [its] power is through its realism and its subtlety’ Bookbag

'Sharp and evocative' Times Literary

'Stunningly written' New York Times

'Completely absorbing, eminently readable…' Daily Mail

'A formidable novel… The writing is searing and fierce, even the most minutely explored character has a complexity that allows for empathy' Read and Review blog

'Gives you time to think and appreciate the lyrical quality of the writing and the unique landscapes' Madhouse Family Reviews

'A complex, mesmerising read… McNeil has created so authentic a narrative that the reader becomes utterly immersed … a triumph of a book' Linda's Book bag

Jean McNeil

Books