This takes place about fifteen years after Apartheid. While the mystery is average, the depiction of South Africa is fascinating. This new government is still struggling with the political correctness of interracial relations. You have the upper class of blacks and whites living in secure dwellings that are almost like fortresses protecting themselves from the the reality outside. You have whites from the old regime trying not to do or say anything stupid that would jeopardize their positions. It is not that they believe in the old regime anymore, they do not. It is because they were part of it that makes everyone ELSE kind of mistrusts them. There are the poor or less than successful whites struggling with the fact their lives are worse now apartheid is gone. Then, there are the blacks still living in abject poverty, whose lives are no better. South Africa has a long way to go from my standpoint. It seems to be a sad society. I'm not a fan of (I guess this could be called a) police procedural, but when the setting in another country, my convictions waver. My love of the exotic is unquenchable, the book jacket spoke of a South African setting, my curiosity thus aroused... my hands made the choice... and soon I was walking away from the library with a new adventure. I'm glad I did, it was a well plotted story set against the violent, racially divided background of pre- and post-apartheid South Africa.
What do You think about The October Killings (2011)?
South African murder mystery--not too violent and not too gritty--recommended
—lena
Just won this book with Goodreads. Will review it as soon as I read it!
—Jake
Intriguing mystery set in South Africa in 2005.
—helenv5
