Follow Me to Africa

Two women, decades apart. One unexpected friendship that will change them both.

From the acclaimed author of The Invincible Miss Cust and The Woman at the Wheel comes Follow Me to Africa, a transporting dual-timeline historical novel inspired by the life of groundbreaking paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey. From the cobblestone streets of 1930s London to the vast Serengeti plains of 1980s Tanzania, this is a story of resilience, discovery, and the unbreakable bonds that form across time.

In 1983, seventeen-year-old Grace Clark is grieving the loss of her mother and struggling to connect with a father she barely knows. When she's sent to help him on an archaeological dig at Olduvai Gorge, Grace meets the formidable Mary Leakey--a woman whose fierce intellect and independence helped reshape our understanding of human history.

Mary isn't just a scientist--she's a rebel who once infiltrated specialist lectures, illustrated fossils and stone tools, and carved out a place for herself in a male-dominated world. As Grace helps pack up decades of research, she's drawn into Mary's vivid memories--stories of ambition, forbidden love, and the discovery of a calling in the rugged heart of Africa.

Their growing friendship reveals unexpected parallels: the ache of being misunderstood, the courage to break rules, and the longing to find a place to belong. When Grace and a wounded cheetah vanish into the bush, it sparks a race against time--mirroring Mary's own journey to reclaim her path and protect what she values most.

Perfect for readers of historical fiction with strong female leads, Follow Me to Africa blends adventure, emotion, and real historical inspiration into a compelling tale of legacy and transformation.

Penny Haw worked as a journalist and columnist for more than three decades, writing for many leading South African newspapers and magazines before yielding to a lifelong yearning to create fiction. Her stories feature remarkable women, illustrate her love for nature, and explore the interconnectedness of all living things, including The Invincible Miss Cust and The Woman at the Wheel. She is the recipient of the 2024 Philida Literary Award and lives near Cape Town with her husband and three dogs, all of whom are well-walked.