My first Deon Meyer book, "Thirteen Hours" was a huge discovery for me. This author is well-loved among crime fiction readers but I was under the impression his stories were all action and no character exploration. I was wrong. The characters in this novel are sensitively portrayed in vivid detail, making it easy for the reader to relate to and sympathise with them.I loved the fact that the story was set in Cape Town and used familiar locations such as streets, hospitals, police stations and natural landmarks. It made me, as a South African, find a new perspective on my country — the perspective of an outsider looking in, learning about how South Africans get along with each other in the new democratic dispensation and how similar we are to the rest of the world in terms of sensation and drama. To me, Deon Meyer throws into high relief the positives and negatives of our society — things like the vibrancy of the local music industry and the accompanying greed of certain industry players — so that what is there becomes "more there" and what was a mere stereotype becomes a better understood system with interesting nuances and potentialities.Above all, I really enjoyed the humanity of Bennie Griesel, the inspector overseeing the cases in this book. His flawed nature, his tragic circumstances, his love for his children and his general goodness in spite of the environment he works in shines through. Not only does the book have a very satisfying ending, but it leaves you feeling warm, as if you have been in the company of someone very experienced and trustworthy. I don't know why I've never read Deon Meyer before, perhaps because he writes in Afrikaans. but I'm so pleased to have discovered English translations, they've been out for a while of course. I am now slightly obsessed and have read five of his books in the last month. As a South African born author myself, I do find it hard reading about the old 'homeland' but understanding the politics and language only makes it a better read for me. The stories are gripping and the flawed heroes make the book all the more interesting. Thirteen Hours was the first book of his I read and I was gripped from page one, unable to put it down until I'd finished it....ant 3 o'clock in the morning. Heartily recommend this author and his books to everyone that enjoys a thriller set in a fascinating landscape.
What do You think about 13 Uur (2008)?
Infanta was still the best out of the two. Can't wait to see what 7dae has instore for me.
—sarah
