Online for Authors Episode 12-17-24

​Love and Conflict: A Mozambique Thriller Unfolds with Author Geoffrey Wells

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Geoffrey Wells, author of the book A Fado for the River. Geoffrey started writing fiction after a career in IT management at two major US TV broadcasting companies. 

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​ I just finished chatting with Geoffrey Wells, author of A Fado for the River, and I'm still catching my breath from the riveting adventure and gripping suspense.

Set in 1975 Mozambique during a bloody civil war, the story follows Raf, an American TV exec who returns to the country decades later only to be blackmailed and accused of murdering a young woman back in '75. Raf had struck up a friendship with the woman, a shipping clerk with a dangerous secret sought by three warring factions. To save her life, he stages her death in an explosion and they escape across the border. But their diverging paths and interpretations of their newfound freedom splits them apart.

Now, forced to confront his past, Raf must track her down to prove his innocence. The title comes from a Portuguese word "fado", a song of regret and nostalgia, representing the crucial Limpopo River - the center of the war, politics, and personal lives in Mozambique at the time.

What fascinated me most was the meticulous research Geoffrey did to bring this little-known part of history to life. From consulting experts to traveling to the region himself, the vivid details of the culture, setting and complex politics immerse you in the story. The unforgettable scene with the hippos, revered as ancestors by locals, was especially transporting (and nerve-wracking!)

But beyond the history, it's a deeper exploration of the meaning of freedom - both on a societal and intensely personal level for the characters. A topic Jeffrey elaborates on eloquently in his blog (seriously, check it out, it's a thought-provoking read.)

A Fado for the River is the first in Jeffrey's "Trilogy for Freedom", with the story and characters continuing in Atone for the Ivory Cloud and The Drowning Bay. I'm excited to see where Raf's journey leads. In the meantime, Geoffrey is hard at work on his next novel, revisiting two characters from his YA thriller 10 years later in their 20s. Can't wait to read it in 2025.

For more on Geoffrey and his books, head over to his website geoffreywellsfiction.com. And if you're eager to discuss A Fado for the River with fellow readers, join us in the Novels N Latte Book Club on Facebook! We're giving away a free digital copy to one lucky member.

I'd love to hear from you - what's the most gripping thriller you've read lately? Comment and let me know.

Purchase A Fado for the River  on Amazon:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3NdNx9T
Ebook: https://amzn.to/3Nd8kKR

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.