Try The Leopard’s Mouth

Charles Moberly’s blog book tour for Try The Leopard’s Mouth begins today, and I’m excited to be a part of it! Thanks to Coffee and Thorn Tours for allowing me to participate!

Author: Charles Moberly

Title: Try The Leopard’s Mouth

Genre: Romance Thriller, Historical fiction; colonial Africa

Published: Tancava Press, March 12, 2023

Print length: 375 pages

Age range: This is an adult book but could be suitable for mature older teenagers

Trigger warnings: Racial oppression and violence, violent death

Amazon rating: 5*

Blurb

AFRICA 1970
Briony and Tom, both in their twenties, are very different characters. But opposites attract. In business, as in love, they complement each other.
They buy a farm and discover a rare drug. Tom grows it and Briony markets it. At first, they are oblivious of their responsibilities to the land and its people. But gradually they realise that they have been supporting a racist and colonialist regime.
The onset of the Rhodesian – Zimbabwean War of Independence tears at the couple’s relationship. Misunderstandings arise from their conflicting personalities and from external pressures. Events pull them apart, but also bind them together.
Try the Leopard’s Mouth is a romantic thriller set in Africa. It is also a historical novel, grounded in real events in the period 1970-80.

PRAISE FOR TRY THE LEOPARD’S MOUTH

Winner of Highly Recommended Award by The Historical Fiction Company, who commented:

“Moberly is a mastermind in his craft. Painting an image so vivid of 1970s Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe, with its lush rolling hills, fertile farmland, roaring waters and rich culture that any reader would feel as though they’ve been dropped into the middle of the African bush. For they are to feel as drawn to it as the characters of the story, regretting when the time comes that they must leave. He has woven a tale of incredible stakes. A country at war with racism embedded into the very foundation of its start.

We are thrust into the middle of the goings on and the history of the story delivered is precise, it’s harsh in its truth, but it’s emotional and sucks the reader in so they are as immersed as the characters are in the plot. A man who just wants to be a farmer is sucked in by the angel he’d never intended to meet and his world of simplicity turns into one of politics, warfare and a drug that can only be fuel to the fire.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Rating: 5 out of 5.

I was knocked sideways by this book. I ended up staying up all night to finish it, and although it is in no way a sentimental book, at the end I was weeping – not for the main characters but for the country and for some of the minor characters who had moved me.
It is beautifully written – summoning a time and a place with deft strokes and capturing the lived reality of a terrible period of colonial history. Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Rating: 5 out of 5.

There are several things I enjoyed about this book, the tale itself, the characters, the competent writing, but principally – the location and setting. ….as a look at the difficult history of the period Try The Leopard’s Mouth is sensitively and expertly done. Amazon review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Rating: 5 out of 5.

Excellent read. I will read it again. Recommend. Amazon review

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My Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Rating: 5 out of 5

Try The Leopard’s Mouth transports readers into the heart of Africa during the tumultuous Rhodesian Bush War, where danger lurks around every corner. Within this historical fiction novel, Mr. Moberly expertly intertwines real events with a captivating romantic thriller, painting a vivid backdrop of civil unrest against the protagonists’ unfolding love story.

Set against the backdrop of a civil uprising, Tom and Briony find themselves drawn together despite their stark differences. Tom, enthralled by Briony’s beauty, intellect, and entrepreneurial spirit, forms an unlikely partnership with her to manage the Chingwele Farm and exploit the lucrative Tancava plant. However, their relationship is anything but smooth sailing, fraught with intrigue, uncertainty, and danger.

Tom finds himself inexorably drawn to the enigmatic Briony, whose fearless demeanor belies a deeper struggle with her own identity and familial expectations. Her daring exploits as an AG flyer, navigating treacherous skies over war-torn territories, only heighten the stakes for both. Yet, beneath Briony’s outward bravado lies a vulnerability that threatens to unravel their connection. As the narrative unfolds, one can’t help but wonder if Briony’s penchant for risk-taking will ultimately lead to their downfall. 

Over time, Tom becomes increasingly disillusioned with the racist society surrounding him, challenging his moral compass. His growing respect for an African family contrasts with the exploitation of the African majority by the white minority, prompting him to question his own complicity in the system.

As ZANLA (Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army) guerillas escalate their campaign of abductions, murder, and torture, the bonds of friendship are tested to their limits, leaving Tom and Briony grappling with their own tumultuous relationship amidst the chaos.

Through Moberly’s masterful storytelling, readers are not only swept up in a tale of romance and suspense but also confronted with thought-provoking questions about morality and social justice. Try The Leopard’s Mouth is a gripping narrative that leaves a lasting impact, offering both entertainment and insight into a pivotal moment in African history.

The author masterfully combines elements of romance and thriller against a grim and unforgiving landscape with intrigue and suspense, leaving me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. I wholeheartedly recommend Try The Leopard’s Mouth to anyone craving a captivating read that lingers long after the final chapter.

Author’s Bio

Charles Moberly’s novels are different from one another in style and genre. He likes to push boundaries, and to address subjects rarely covered by other writers. If there is a common theme, it is tension arising from misunderstandings.

Moberly has published four novels to date: The Scrotum Toad, a satirical comedy (Winner of A Chill with a Book Reader Award); The Corncrake, a historical novel set in 1909-10 and 1914-15, (Winner of a Chill with a Book Premier Award); Try the Leopard’s Mouth, a romantic thriller with a firm historical base (Winner of a Highly Recommended Award by The Historical Fiction Company); and Cooee Baby, a psychological novel with elements of a thriller. All four novels are available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon now.

In his second novel, The Corncrake, four members of a family share the narration, which passes between them over two hundred and fifty times. This powerful technique allows the reader to enter the minds of characters as they react to events, so that love, conflicts and misunderstandings are conveyed immediately. This is only possible if the voices of the characters are so strong that they are identifiable the moment they speak.

Moberly lived and worked in Africa for two years. Two of his novels are set in Africa.

AUTHOR’S AWARDS

• The Scrotum Toad – A Chill with a Book Reader Award
• The Corncrake – A Chill with a Book Premier Award
• Try the Leopard’s Mouth, Highly Recommended Award by The Historical Fiction Company, and A Chill with a Book Reader Award

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Contact Author

Website: https://charlesmoberlyauthor.blogspot.com

Book Availabe At:

• Purchase link: https://mybook.to/LeopardsMouth
• Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/151526805-try-the-leopard-s-mouth