An African Affair / Nina Darnton

An African Affair: A Novel
Nina Darnton
Plume, May 2012
ISBN: 978-0452298026

An international thriller shot through with journalistic intrigue, political corruption, and romance that may not be what it seems.

Lindsay Cameron, a journalist stationed in Lagos is looking for a story, one that will expose the corruption of Nigerian President Michael Olumide’s regime. She realizes that any attempt to unmask the truth behind the lies fed to the media may lead to her never being able to step foot in Nigeria again--that is, if she’s allowed to leave.

When one political assassination is followed by another mysterious death, Lindsay finally has the lead she was looking for. But with the CIA, mercenaries, rebels and the regime itself involved, she’s heading down an increasingly dangerous path.

In the meantime, Olumide's thugs are getting more aggressive in the streets, and rebel factions are beginning to fight back. A full-blown rebellion could sweep the entire country into dangerous anarchy. Armed with her reporting, Lindsay might be able to expose Olumide before that happens.

An African Affair offers an insider's view of life as a foreign correspondent in Nigeria in the mid-1990’s. Nina Darnton’s detailed description of the day-to-day life of a journalist in Africa, the often haunting descriptions of what life is like in Nigeria for local residents and the diplomatic staff are insightful and bring the story to life.

With An African Affair, Darnton has written the sort of political thriller that runs on adrenaline and paranoia. Its storyline is taut, and its prose is swift and wisely unadorned. And her ability to evoke a place that is foreign to most readers is considerable. An African Affair is a spectacular debut.

NINA DARNTON lived in Africa for five years, two of them in Lagos. She has been a frequent contributor to The New York Times and NPR and a staff writer for Newsweek. She lives with her husband, the novelist John Darnton, in New York.

ISBN: 978-0452298026; ISBN10: 0452298024; Imprint: Plume; On Sale: 5/29/2012; Format: Paperback; Pages: 272; $16.00