by Alan Paton
First published 1950
Afrikaner police lieutenant Pieter van Vlaanderen is a pillar of his community, until he commits a grievous crime. Caught in a forbidden affair with a black woman, he must confront the harsh realities of apartheid and his own complicity. As the noose tightens, Pieter battles his conscience and the relentless society that demands his downfall. In this gripping tale, one man's misstep threatens to shatter the fragile social order.
Genres: fiction, drama, 20th-century, african-literature, crime
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: forbidden-love, moral-dilemma, social-commentary
Setting: South Africa
Period: 20th-century
276 pages · Paperback · Scribner Book Company
Content warnings: racism, sexual-content