A Guest of Honour

Larger in scope than her earlier work, this long novel is set against the minutely observed background of an unnamed, newly independent African country. The hero, a white liberal named James Bray, returns from exile and is disillusioned by the corruption and greed of the postcolonial government; when he speaks out, he is killed. The novel is often documentary-like with its inclusion of speeches, political statements, and debates about socialism vs. capitalism. It won the prestigious James Tait Black Memorial Prize.