Nightshade

Praise

“Fabulously, uncomfortably observant . . . McAfee’s prose is lyrical yet sharp, and her descriptions of both the method and the intricately researched work itself are superbly convincing . . . The novel fascinates . . . Vastly satisfying.”
—Joanna Briscoe, The Guardian (UK)
 
“A glorious novel . . . full of twisted sexuality, art and power . . . Brutal and unforgettable.”
—Alex Preston, The Observer (UK)

“Brilliant and biting. . . . Nightshade, which tells the story of a botanical artist reckoning with her legacy over the course of a single night, induces sympathy for its viperish protagonist—and then well and truly twists the knife.”
—Financial Times (UK)
 
“A magnificent and taut evocation of the passage of time, the meaning of fidelity and trust, and the prices paid in love and friendship in service of one’s art, Nightshade is a breathtaking, extraordinary exploration of the cost of art for its own sake.”
—Avenue Magazine
 
“Instilling this literary thriller with intimations of menace and death, McAfee follows Eve on a rainy winter evening as her life falls apart. From the posh street outside her former home she watches her “starchitect” husband, Kristof, with his new girlfriend. . . . An immersive depiction of the painting process and an intimate, thought-provoking portrait of the cost of staying true to an artistic vision, especially for a woman.”
—Booklist 
 
“Caustically entertaining. . . . A pleasing investigation of the limits of artistic influence.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
“Whip-smart. . . . A brilliant character study encased in a gripping plot with a fabulous final twist.”
—Kirkus Reviews