Death in the Long Shadows

In Death in the Long Shadows, author Francis Flavin offers a spellbinding fictional homage to Ernest Hemingway and Peter Hathaway Capstick, two icons of the classical safari saga. In the tenor of Hemingway’s The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Capstick’s Death in the Long Grass, Flavin draws the reader ever deeper into the spell of the African wild and the stark ethos of dangerous game hunting.

Coloradan Paul Thayer embarks on a perilous quest for the Cape buffalo—known in safari circles as “black death.” Along the way, he must confront not only his fear of failure and mortality but also the tangled dynamics of the safari camp. The high moral standards of Thayer and his professional hunter, Johan, clash with the ego of an unscrupulous client, “the killer,” and his licentious trophy wife.

The spell of Africa—at once dark and beautiful—tightens around the hunting party, drawing them through perilous encounters with the black death and inexorably toward a dangerous, uncertain climax.

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"If you like adventures that mix action with moral questions and realistic details, this book is worth reading." — Readers' Favorite

"If you enjoy novels that take their time, ask uncomfortable questions, and let landscapes shape the story, this one is worth the read." — Literary Titans

"Rich in atmosphere and immersive detail, Death in the Long Shadows offers a rewardingly layered narrative featuring the delicate interplay between humans and wildlife." — Independent Book Review

"If you thought all of the really engrossing African hunting literature was written decades ago, you owe it to yourself to check out Death in the Long Shadows." — African Hunting Gazette