Lightseekers

Critics Review

• A superb novel – so inventive and so well done. It’s just brilliant

  Harriet Tyce

• Gripping, beautifully written and unlike anything else you’ll read

  William Ryan

• Kayode uses this space to highlight aspects of his country, from the pervasive potency of religion to college fraternities that have morphed into criminal gangs. All are filtered through the sceptical, baffled perspective of his likeable sleuth

  Sunday Times

• What a sensational debut. Confident, beautifully-paced writing. Dr Philip Taiwo is a protagonist I want to meet again, and the setting is so well-drawn. Intelligent, suspenseful and utterly engrossing

  Will Dean

• Thrillingly good. Femi Kayode takes crime fiction – very literally – to new places … Told from the perspective of a returning expatriate, Lightseekers takes us deep into the rich complexities of contemporary Nigeria

  William Shaw

• An original and fast-paced thriller that masterfully explores the smoldering historical tensions underpinning modern-day Nigeria, the role of social media, and the complexities of family, friendship and belonging

  Lauren Wilkinson

• Tense and disturbing … An impressive debut

  Observer

• An important story masterfully told

  Leye Adenle

• With its twisty plot, engaging characters and brilliantly realised setting, Lightseekers will keep you eagerly turning the pages

  Daily Record

• An absolutely cracking debut – fresh, unique and beautifully written, a sure-fire candidate for next year’s big prizes. In a time when travel is nigh-on impossible, it’s wonderful to be transported to another world in such a vivid and memorable fashion

  Trevor Wood

• [An] exciting debut … Gripping, with an appealing protagonist and a strong sense of place

  Guardian

• [A] page-turner

  Cosmopolitan

• Lightseekers is ripe with all the twists and turns you could hope for… A fast-paced thriller that offers insight into the ever present tensions in a poverty stricken community. An action-packed and spirited debut

  Oyinkan Braithwaite, author of 'My Sister, the Serial Killer'

• The gripping tale of the mystery of three young students who are brutally murdered in a Nigerian university town

  Independent

• This ambitious debut combines the story of a fish out of water with a gung-ho thriller … Femi Kayode is an atmospheric writer

  The Times

• These brand new releases for 2021 will certainly keep you on your toes, promising spine-chilling twists and turns in their pages … the first in a major new crime series

  Metro

• This debut has an intriguing setting – the Nigerian countryside; an engaging fish-out-of-water hero in Dr Philip Taiwo, recently returned after living in the US for years; and a smart plot centring on a covered-up murder

  iNews

• Transporting us to Nigeria, this is an atmospheric, vivid and beautifully written mystery that oozes with intrigue, and a brilliant first novel from the winner of the 2019 UEA Crime Writing Prize

  Dead Good Books

• The standout thriller of the month … A stunning murder mystery … The suspense is expertly handled

  Independent

• A powerful and fast-paced thriller that will stay with you long after you have closed its pages

  Herald

• A distinctive, absorbing first novel … Taiwo is a likable, engaging presence and the interplay between him and his tough guy sidekick, Chika Makuochi, propels the action to a series of incendiary climaxes, all the while casting light on the fascinating historical and social tensions underpinning contemporary Nigeria

  Irish Times

• Kayode’s expertise brings an extra layer to an already absorbing narrative … Nigeria is vividly drawn

  Financial Times

• Femi Kayode offers a frightening picture of a society divided between rich and poor, educated and not, in which corruption and cruelty are practised at all levels and noble intentions are often subverted

  Literary Review

• A carefully crafted, subtly powerful piece of psychological crime. The first in the Philip Taiwo series of books, Lightseekers has a style and central character with the potential to run and run

  Living Magazine

• A brilliantly drawn thriller set against the backdrop of Nigerian culture and politics

  Heat

• Page by page [Kayode] racks up the tension

  Saga

• It’s difficult to believe this clever, complex and nuanced novel is Femi Kayode’s first book. Lightseekers is a carefully plotted and compelling story that explores some of the darker aspects of Nigerian life … A fantastic debut and I look forward to seeing what’s next in store for Dr Philip Taiwo

  CrimeSquad