The Fever Tree - Softcover

The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh is a critically acclaimed novel set in nineteenth century South Africa.

1880. South Africa. A country torn apart by greed.

Frances Irvine, destitute in the wake of her father's sudden death, is forced to abandon her life of wealth and privilege in London and emigrate to the Cape.

In this remote and inhospitable land she becomes entangled with two very different men. One driven by ambition, the other by his ideals. Only when the rumour of a smallpox epidemic takes her into the dark heart of the diamond mines does she see her path to happiness. But this is a ruthless world of greed and exploitation, where the spoils of the rich come at a terrible human cost and powerful men will go to any lengths to keep the mines in operation.

Torn between passion and integrity, she makes a choice that has devastating consequences.

The Fever Tree is a compelling portrait of colonial South Africa, its raw beauty and deprivation alive in equal measure. But above all it is a powerful love story about how - just when we need it the most - fear can blind us to a truth.

'Place and people come alive in this book... a gripping story' Kim Edwards, author of The Memory Keeper's Daughter

'I loved it. It's a beautifully written novel of great feeling' Rachel Hore, best-selling author of The Place of Secrets

'Engrossing, emotionally poised and elegantly written - I absolutely loved it' Vanora Bennett, author of The People's Queen

'There is nothing more exciting than a new writer with a genuine voice. I loved it' Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey

'A compelling read with a Gone with the Wind feel to it - I was hooked' Katharine McMahon, author of The Alchemist's Daughter

'A skilled unfolding of a woman's struggle with desire, class divide and disease in 19th Century South Africa' Financial Times

'McVeigh's attention to the material culture of South Africa that really fascinates: no object is too small to attract her notice, and through accumulation such objects become evocative and strangely moving - well worth reading' TLS

'An epic story of love, deception and courage' Patricia Wastvedt, author of The German Boy

'A bewitching tale of loss, betrayal and love' Vogue

'Epic, enchanting, emotional and engrossing' Easy Living 'Must-read of the Month'

'An unforgettable journey into a heart of darkness: romantic and tragic, a tale of honour and redemption, it leaves wide vistas of a harsh yet beguiling landscape shimmering in the imagination long after the last page is turned' Deborah Lawrenson, author of The Lantern

'All the delicious elements of a romantic classic, seasoned by evocative prose and keen moral commentary. Gobble it up and then shelve it next to the Brontë sisters' Hillary Jordan, best-selling author of Mudbound

Jennifer McVeigh graduated from Oxford University in 2002 with a First in English Literature. She went on to work in film, television, radio and publishing, before giving up her day job to write fiction. She has travelled across East Africa and South Africa, often in off-road vehicles, driving and camping along the way. The Fever Tree is her first novel.