Nightshade

Annalena McAfee brings a woman’s art to such vivid life that the reader is drawn thrillingly into its creation. Art is no mere device in this novel, it is its beating heart. A lush and original novel.

Polly Clark

Eve is a fascinating, plausible creation, both alluring and monstrous in her all-consuming self-regard.

Metro

Nightshade is a glorious novel... full of twisted sexuality, art and power, about what it means to commit yourself entirely to the artistic life. The book's ending is unforgettable.

Alex Preston, Observer

[A] pacy tale of marital breakdown on the London art scene… Eve is an engagingly spiky anti-heroine.

Anthony Cummins, Daily Mail

The drama of creation, of impending triumph or failure, and the expert rendering of the artistic process, all lift the novel to a new level...McAfee’s prose is lyrical yet sharp… the novel fascinates…and Nightshade’s questions continue to intrigue.

Joanna Briscoe, Guardian

Brilliant and biting.

Harriet Fitch Little, Financial Times

McAfee’s engaging novel combines a dark plot with a zestful skewering of the contemporary art world.

Anthony Gardner, Mail on Sunday

Beautifully written, engrossing and provides insights into both the contemporary art scene and the individual artistic process. I loved each and every brushstroke

Ian Rankin, Guardian, *Summer Reads of 2021*