Follow Me to Africa: A Novel

(Paperback)

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The Other Einstein meets Out of Africa, with a side of Indiana Jones. FOLLOW ME TO AFRICA tells the remarkable untold story of Mary Leakey and her challenging journey to becoming an archaeologist, despite no formal education on the subject, who follows her husband, famous paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, to East Africa, where her work will define her as one of the world's most distinguished archaeologists. Historical fiction inspired by the story of Mary Leakey, who carved her own path to become one of the world's most distinguished paleoanthropologists. It's 1983 and seventeen-year-old Grace Clark has just lost her mother when she begrudgingly accompanies her estranged father to an archeological dig at Olduvai Gorge on the Serengeti plains of Tanzania. Here, seventy-year-old Mary Leakey enlists Grace to sort and pack her fifty years of work and memories. Their interaction reminds Mary how she pursued her ambitions of becoming an archeologist in the 1930s by sneaking into lectures and working on excavations. When well-known paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey commissions her to illustrate a book, she's not at all expecting to fall in love with the older married man. Mary then follows Louis to East Africa, where she falls in love for a second time, this time with the Olduvai Gorge, where her work defines her as a great scientist and allows her to step out of Louis's shadow. In time, Mary and Grace learn they are more alike than they thought, which eventually leads them to the secret that connects them. They also discover a mutual deep love for animals, and when Lisa, an injured cheetah, appears at camp, Mary and Grace work together to save her. On the morning Grace is due to leave, the girl-and the cheetah-are nowhere to be found, and it becomes a race against time to rescue Grace before the African bush claims her. From the acclaimed author of The Invincible Miss Cust and The Woman at Wheel comes an adventurous, dual timeline tale that explores the consequences of our choices, wisdom that comes with retrospection, and relationships that make us who we are, based on the extraordinary real life of Mary Leakey.

Reviews

"Follow Me to Africa is a fascinating adventure and a page turning look into the life of Mary Leakey, renowned paleoanthropologist. Combining intrepid women, wild animals, and the raw beauty of the Olduvai Gorge, Penny Haw has crafted a unique and spellbinding tale. Makes me want to book a trip to the Serengeti!" -- Sara Ackerman, USA Today bestselling author of The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West
"Fans of Circling the Sun by Paula McLain will revel in returning to Africa, this time following the story of renowned archaeologist Mary Leaky, whose ambition, curiosity, and desire to disregard norms cement her as one of the great trailblazers of her time. Atmospheric and engrossing, this novel will delight historical fiction fans and all who love a good tale about a woman determined to carry her own dirt." -- Jenni L. Walsh, USA Today bestselling author of Unsinkable and Ace, Marvel, Spy
"Which is the more beautifully dangerous adventure: stalking a cheetah across the plains of the Serengeti at night, or, following one's own defiant heart and leaping into a forbidden love that will alter everything one knows about the world Penny Haw might say both, and her readers will say it's even better when the two are interwoven, as is the case with Follow Me to Africa. In her latest work of high-stakes biographical historical fiction, Haw transports readers from the East African bush to the lecture halls of academic London and back again. Haw has gifted readers with a textured and atmospheric ode to a bold woman who dared to blaze a new path for herself and the countless others who may now look to her story." -- Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller
"A warm tale of identity and growth, as a youthful heroine breaking free of her own troubled past proves the perfect foil to the amazing life of archaeologist Mary Leakey. A story as layered as the real ancient humanity inspiring its core." -- Elizabeth Wein, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity
"An engaging dual timeline story of Dr. Mary Leaky as she immerses herself in discovery of the origins of man in the vast African panorama, and her later life mentorship of a teenage girl, encouraging her to embrace her own future career in the wild. Haw's love and respect of her subject imbue every page. A thoroughly captivating read." -- Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling author of The Tiffany Girls and The Colony Club
"Captivating and deftly woven. I loved this exploration of complex relationships, set against the backdrop of Africa's wild beauty in the cradle of humankind. I'm sure Mary Leakey would approve of Penny Haw's meticulous research, which brings the world-famous archaeologist's work to life in this skillfully crafted dual timeline novel." -- Fiona Valpy, #1 bestselling author

Author Bio

Penny Haw worked as a journalist and columnist for more than three decades, writing for many leading South African newspapers and magazines before yielding to a lifelong yearning to create fiction. Her stories feature remarkable women, illustrate her love for nature, and explore the interconnectedness of all living things. The Invincible Miss Cust is Penny's debut historical fiction. She lives near Cape Town with her husband and three dogs, all of whom are well-walked.