Smorgasbord Book Reviews – #Africa #Cheetahs #Thriller – Tears of the Cheetah by T. M. Clark

Delighted to share my review for the fast paced thriller set against the backdrop of Africa’s incredible landscape and the desperate race to save its wonderful wildlife from poachers and extinction. Tears of the Cheetah by T.M. Clark.

About the book

The fight to save the cheetahs is a race against time.

Mackenzie came to South Africa to escape the trauma of her past and build herself a bright new future: love is the last thing on her mind. But she’s finding it increasingly hard to ignore her feelings for the strong-minded Cole, who runs the game reserve for cheetahs just outside her town. Cole has made no secret of his feelings for her, but he realises that Mackenzie cannot be rushed, so he is prepared to wait.

Neither could have predicted the terrifying events that are about to overtake them. When Cole saves Mackenzie from a vicious attack, it is only the beginning of an ever-spiralling maelstrom of violence.

Africa’s population is being decimated, and when the poaching threat comes to their door, Mackenzie and Cole have only one option: they must fight to save the animals and life they love.

My review for the book

Having grown up reading the wonderful books of Wilbur Smith, I wondered if there was another author who could write so compellingly and authentically about Africa. I am delighted to have discovered the books of T.M. Clark and having read my first, I will be reading many more.

This book is a fast paced race against time to prevent the devastating exploitation of the remaining cheetahs roaming free across the plains. Good people are making every effort to rescue and rehabilitate these beautiful creatures and return them to the wild, but the temptation for poachers are the riches to be made from a determined collector thousands of miles away.

Several organisations are involved in the challenge to prevent the loss of 100 cheetahs to be exported through corrupt accomplices at the countries borders with the preferred being the very young and vulnerable babies. When too many perish on the arduous journey, adult cheetahs are targeted, not just from the wild but from the sancturies desperately trying to save the species.

This leads to violent confrontations often targeting innocent individuals as well as those protecting the cheetahs. As the story unfolds, other interested parties on the edges of illegal wildlife activities become involved increasing the danger considerably.

The characters involved are introduced over the first few chapters of the book providing the reader with their backgrounds and motivations for being where they are now in their lives. Mackenzie and Cole head the cast on the good side of the line and despite traumatic events from their past, they find a way to bond through their love of Africa and its wildlife. They lives become entwined with the others working in the conservation organisations as they come together to prevent the escalation of poaching of the cheetahs and they become a force to be reckoned with. And they need to be, as the other side of this war are just as determined.

The story maintains its riveting pace from page one to the exciting climax when the two sides come together determined to each win the war.

I can highly recommend the book and will be reading more from this author.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon AU –And: Amazon UK  And: Amazon US

A selection of other books by T.M. Clark

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon AU and: Amazon UK – and: Amazon US – Website: T.M. Clark – Twitter: @tmclark_author – Facebook: T.M. Clark Author

About the author

Zimbabwean-born T.M. Clark combines her passion for storytelling, different cultures and wildlife with her love for the wild in her multicultural books. Writing for adults and children, she has been nominated for a Queensland Literary Award and is a Children’s Book Council Notable. When not killing her fans and hiding their bodies (all in the name of literature), Tina Marie coordinates the CYA Conference (www.cyaconference.com), providing professional development for new and established writers and illustrators, and is the co-presenter at Writers as Sea (www.WritersAtSea.com.au). She loves mentoring emerging writers, eating chocolate biscuits and collecting books for creating libraries in Papua New Guinea.

Her books include My Brother-But-One, nominated for a Queensland Literary People’s Choice Award in 2014. Shooting Butterflies, Tears of A Cheetah, Child of Africa, Nature of the Lion and Cry of the Firebird. Her children’s picture books include Slowly! Slowly!, which is a 2018 CBCA Notable Book, and Quickly! Quickly! which are companion books to Child Of Africa.

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books… Sally.