A Good Man in Africa (1981) by William Boyd is a darkly comic novel set during the British colonial era in the fictional West African region of Kinjanja. It follows Morgan Leafy, a British diplomat at the High Commission, who is caught in a web of personal and professional scandals. As he navigates a failing love life, blackmail, and the complexities of colonial politics, Morgan’s moral compass falters. Amidst his attempts to manage relationships with his boss, a blackmailer, and an honorable African professor, he learns a harsh lesson in self-interest and downfall. The novel critiques colonialism and explores themes of ethics, power, and cultural misunderstandings.
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