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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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"In Death in the Long Shadows, Francis M. Flavin blends adventure with deep reflection, putting the reader right in the middle of an African safari...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
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.
--
"In Death in the Long Shadows, Francis M. Flavin blends adventure with deep reflection, putting the reader right in the middle of an African safari...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
98 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 15, 2026
I haven't been on an African safari or a hunting expedition in my life but while reading Death In The Long Shadows, I felt I was living the experience alongside the protagonist Paul Thayer. The immersive writing and imagery brings the Namibian safari landscape to life. But this book is not just another African hunting story; through Paul's inner reflections, we see a person grappling with personal fear, identity, restraint, ethics and the moral weight of killing for sport.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Atmosphere Press and the author for the digital ARC of the book.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Atmosphere Press and the author for the digital ARC of the book.
January 28, 2026
Death in the Long Shadows is a slow-burn, immersive novel that follows Paul Thayer, an American hunter on safari in Namibia, as he confronts dangerous game, personal fear, and the moral weight of killing. What begins as a traditional African hunting story steadily deepens into a psychological and ethical reckoning. The plot moves through camp politics, tense stalks, and encounters with buffalo, crocodiles, and men who hunt for the wrong reasons. By the end, the book feels less about trophies and more about identity, restraint, and the thin line between respect and destruction.
What I noticed right away was the way Flavin takes his time on the page. He doesn’t rush anything. He sits with moments longer than most writers would, and surprisingly, it worked for me. The opening scene under the baobab tree, with the shadows stretching across camp and the obnoxious hunter bragging by the fire, immediately sets the mood. The prose is dense but deliberate. You can smell dust and gun oil. You can hear insects and distant lions. At times, the descriptions run long, especially during travel scenes or landscape passages, yet they also ground the story in place. Africa here isn’t romantic wallpaper. It feels watchful and indifferent. I found myself slowing down as a reader, which felt intentional, like the book was forcing me to adopt safari time instead of rushing ahead.
The characters are where the book really clicks for me. Paul Thayer is not a swaggering hero. He doubts himself constantly. He second-guesses shots. He reflects on past hunts and missed kills. That internal tension made him feel real. The contrast with Dirk, the loud, cruel client who shoots a tame lechwe named Rufus, is sharp and effective. That scene bothered me in a good way. The casual cruelty of it sticks. Johan, the professional hunter, is another standout. He balances patience, anger, and duty in a way that feels earned. His quiet disgust after the hippo incident and his reaction to Rufus’s death say more than any speech could. I felt frustration alongside him.
The ideas in the book stayed with me longer than the action. Flavin keeps circling the difference between hunting and killing. He does it through dialogue, memory, and comparison. Paul’s reflection on the Idaho deer that eat human-salted grass is a small moment, but sticks with you. So does the recurring discomfort around buffalo, the so-called Black Death. The buffalo are not monsters, yet they are not symbols either. They are just there. Dangerous. Alive. When Paul finally faces them, the tension feels earned because of all the buildup, fear, and hesitation layered before that point. I appreciated that the book never rushes the moral questions or tries to tidy them up.
By the end, I felt quiet rather than thrilled. That feels right. This book isn’t for readers looking for nonstop action or easy heroics. It’s best for people who like reflective fiction, ethical gray areas, and vivid settings. Hunters will recognize the details. Non-hunters who are open-minded will still find a lot to chew on. If you enjoy novels that take their time, ask uncomfortable questions, and let landscapes shape the story, this one is worth the read.
What I noticed right away was the way Flavin takes his time on the page. He doesn’t rush anything. He sits with moments longer than most writers would, and surprisingly, it worked for me. The opening scene under the baobab tree, with the shadows stretching across camp and the obnoxious hunter bragging by the fire, immediately sets the mood. The prose is dense but deliberate. You can smell dust and gun oil. You can hear insects and distant lions. At times, the descriptions run long, especially during travel scenes or landscape passages, yet they also ground the story in place. Africa here isn’t romantic wallpaper. It feels watchful and indifferent. I found myself slowing down as a reader, which felt intentional, like the book was forcing me to adopt safari time instead of rushing ahead.
The characters are where the book really clicks for me. Paul Thayer is not a swaggering hero. He doubts himself constantly. He second-guesses shots. He reflects on past hunts and missed kills. That internal tension made him feel real. The contrast with Dirk, the loud, cruel client who shoots a tame lechwe named Rufus, is sharp and effective. That scene bothered me in a good way. The casual cruelty of it sticks. Johan, the professional hunter, is another standout. He balances patience, anger, and duty in a way that feels earned. His quiet disgust after the hippo incident and his reaction to Rufus’s death say more than any speech could. I felt frustration alongside him.
The ideas in the book stayed with me longer than the action. Flavin keeps circling the difference between hunting and killing. He does it through dialogue, memory, and comparison. Paul’s reflection on the Idaho deer that eat human-salted grass is a small moment, but sticks with you. So does the recurring discomfort around buffalo, the so-called Black Death. The buffalo are not monsters, yet they are not symbols either. They are just there. Dangerous. Alive. When Paul finally faces them, the tension feels earned because of all the buildup, fear, and hesitation layered before that point. I appreciated that the book never rushes the moral questions or tries to tidy them up.
By the end, I felt quiet rather than thrilled. That feels right. This book isn’t for readers looking for nonstop action or easy heroics. It’s best for people who like reflective fiction, ethical gray areas, and vivid settings. Hunters will recognize the details. Non-hunters who are open-minded will still find a lot to chew on. If you enjoy novels that take their time, ask uncomfortable questions, and let landscapes shape the story, this one is worth the read.
May 3, 2026
I thought that this was an interesting read- the aspects of the safari were well done and I appreciated the references to Hemmingway- the plot was good although it would have helped if it was a bit longer as opposed to a novella. It was a decent read.
Thankyou to Net galley and Atmosphere Press for an arc of this novella.
Thankyou to Net galley and Atmosphere Press for an arc of this novella.
April 30, 2026
This is a short novella with author following in the path of two authors he draws inspiration from Ernest Hemingway and Peter Hathaway Capstick. The story follows Paul Thayer who is on an African safari on the hunt for a Cape Buffalo, a springbok and a warthog. But the story is not just about the hunt but includes his interactions with his professional hunter and the guides along with the African environment getting to see many other varieties of animals. This story does take a dramatic and surprising twist but you will have to read it to see what that is. I do not think you will disappointed with this quick read. Pick it up and see what you think.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews