Brazzaville Beach cover art

Brazzaville Beach

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Brazzaville Beach

By: William Boyd
Narrated by: Pippa Bennett-Warner
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

On Brazzaville Beach, on the edge of Africa, Hope Clearwater ponders the strange circumstances that led her to leave her husband, John, and his mathematical obsessions in England and venture to Africa to help world-renowned scientist Eugene Mallabar with his studies of wild chimps.

But the more Hope studies Mallabar, the more she comes to believe that something isn't right. That behind Mallabar and his obsessive work there lies another more sinister truth: one that might also help explain Hope's reasons for leaving England....

©1990 William Boyd (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Genre Fiction Psychological Fiction Africa Suspense

Critic Reviews

"A brilliant storyteller...a book which stretches, tantalizes and delights." (Financial Times)

"A most extraordinary parable about mankind. Quite unlike anything else I have read." (Sunday Express)

"Brilliant, daring. A gripping and compulsive story." (Herald)

All stars
Most relevant  
As a primatologist myself, I found this book thoroughly enjoyable and weirdly relatable and not at all cringe (like some others in this genre). The narration is wonderful and soothing and the story and characters are excellent.

Entertaining and well researched

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