I'm not the biggest fan of detective fiction, usually I read more classic stuff like Chandler and Christie from that genre. The first ones remind me of film noir (there's something utterly enchanting about Los Angeles at night) and the latter ones are just adorably entertaining (despite the grisly murders). However, when I got the chance to get a free copy of the new Finnish translation of this, I thought why not. I've wanted to read more about Africa anyway and this sounded exotic. I think I also got a sudden urge to learn Afrikaans.The result was that I almost sabotaged my own studying, because I could not put this down for too long a period. I was kind of upset that when I went to my parents' house for a couple days I forgot to take this with me. I waited anxiously to get back to the story.At first I wanted more descriptions of the surroundings. It felt like the story could have happened anywhere, because there were just brief mentionings of names and places that didn't ring a bell. As the plot thickened, however, I barely thought about it. Meyer drops small pieces of the South African society here and there, and something can also be spotted between the lines. Nothing ever seemed too glued on, and there was no dumping of information (unlike historical fiction often has). The story about the football match was touching, and got me more curious about the situation in South Africa, because I'm not very familiar about the whole continent.The two levels of time brought nice depth to van Heerden's character. He believes every human being to be fundamentally evil. Hope is not entirely lost, because Beneke would like to break through his hard and cynical barrier. Other characters were realistic as well, and none of them are either good or evil, just ordinary human beings who've had to make some tough choices.Let's be honest, this ain't special in the way that I usually consider special literature, but this is still an entertaining one in its own genre.
I very much enjoyed Blood Safari... but no so much this book.The story takes place in South Africa. There are 3 story lines with different POVs.There is the murder of Baby Marnewick, back in Zatopek's youth which he solves as a grown man and actually launches his police career.What happened between Captain Zatopek van Heerden and his police partner Nagel (and Nagel's wife). And to his surprise, where he finds his inner evil.Attorney, Hope Beneke hiring Zee to find the last will and testament for a totally clueless, femme fatale, Wilna van As. The last Will and Testament, along with US Dollars and other items in a safe belonging to her partner, Johannes Jacobus Smith (a.k.a. - Rupert de Jager). There are old letters from a past military action gone awry. Not understanding some of the language and none of the politics, I was lost to much of the sub plot. Also got tangled up in the unfamiliar acronyms and nicknames for everyone.I was fascinated by the story of the Xhosa Thobela Mpayipheli who trained in Russia. "My hate was bigger than his." I would have liked to hear more about him.
What do You think about Dead At Daybreak (2006)?
Dead At Daybreak,by Deon Meyer, a-minus, Narrated by Simon Vance, Produced by Highbridge Company, Downloaded from audible.com.Zed Van Heerden, a former cop and now a private eye in Capetown, is referred to a young lawyer representing the mistress of an antique furniture dealer who was murdered with an M-16 rifle and tortured first with a blow torch. There is a safe, large with shelves built into the wall, which is left open and is empty except for a piece of paper used for rolling American bills. While the woman was never married to the dealer, they’ve lived together for several years and he left a will leaving everything to her. But the will is gone, and that’s what they want Van Heerden to find. But as he becomes involved in the case, he realizes he will have to solve the murder, and solving the murder brings him into contact with all kinds of South African and American military intelligence and puts his life and that of his mother and everyone else in danger. As is usually truewith these books, there’s also a back story involving why Van Heerden left the police force. It’s very good, and as usual Simon Vance does a wonderful job with the accents and the narration in general.
—Kathleen Hagen
3,5 sur 5. Une enquête policière en Afrique du Sud d'apparence "classique" du sombre Zatopek van Heerden met rapidement en lumière une histoire beaucoup plus complexe qu'appréhendée. Un meurtre, bien sûr, mais un meurtre au goût de diamants et de millions de dollars américains, d'un passé que les antagonistes veulent absolument taire et d'une suite de pertes de vie pour garder ce secret et préserver ce qui se cache dans le testament à trouver. Comme dans tout bon roman du genre, l'intrigue se trame autour d'un ex-policier torturé par son passé, brillant, mais au caractère exécrable. On garde l'intérêt tout au long du roman avec quelques moments où notre rythme cardiaque augmente. Suffisamment bon pour lire au deuxième Deam Meyer
—Pierre Fortier
This title is my first experience with this author and I understand it is a translation. I was quite fascinated by it, in no small part because it is set in South Africa. The political and the cultural references are different and yet so similar. He pulls the humanity to the front of the geography. History is played out in flashbacks. He switches between first and third person so smoothly that it is non-intrusive and actually adds to the flow. Definitely, it is dark but not particularly oppressive. Lots of police procedural elements. Good character development and intricate plot and subplots. I will look for another by this author!
—Sharon Chrust
