USA

There's something in the water (or maybe it's in the dust) in Africa at the moment.  Whilst there has been a slowly increasing number of crime or mystery books set in Africa, there's now an increasing number written by African authors appearing for our enjoyment.  Michael Stanley (the South African duo of long-time friends Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip), have now released their second book - A DEADLY TRADE (aka The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu), follow up to the very well received debut book - A CARRION DEATH.

Wrapped up in the well devised plot of a solid police procedural, A DEADLY TRADE is very much a novel of Africa.  The setting for the crime obviously helps - a tourist bush camp, made up of tents, set on the banks of crocodile and hippo infested waters.  The characters fit so well into that setting - Detective 'Kubu' Bengu the central investigator (Kubu means hippopotamus in Setswana) and Detective Sergeant Joseph 'Tatwa' Mooka (Tatwa - Giraffe in the same language) are the main investigation team, working to solve the disappearance of one man and the killing of two others at the camp.  The brutal death of Tinubu is the most baffling of the killings - despite having been declared dead many years ago during the Rhodesian war, he seems to have subsequently lead a blameless and quiet life as a much respected teacher in Botswana.  The other two elements that firmly set this book in Africa are the terminology, and a quintessential use of pacing.  Whilst the general pace of the book is rapidfire, and the investigation moves constantly forward, there is a wonderful feeling of slowing, of consideration, of reflection whenever Kubu appears in the narrative.  There's something about the writing of this character that imparts a feeling of consideration, intelligence and thoughtfulness, a large man physically, Kubu doesn't rush around no matter how hectic an investigation gets.  He thinks, he ponders, he eats (very well).  Connections have to be drawn between Kubu and Hercule Poroit in the way that they both approach an investigation, Montalbano in the way that they both approach the next meal.  Kubu has a family though, and when his beloved wife Joy and sister-in-law Patience are threatened as a result of this investigation, the reader sees a little more than his size as a link to his nickname.  Kubu enraged must be a sobering sight!  

There is another level to A DEADLY TRADE and that is the glimpses into the ongoing effects of the Rhodesian War, the current day problems in Zimbabwe and the complicated relationship between that country, and the surrounding nations.  There are also touches of the problems that beset all nations - drugs, violence and organised crime.  The fallout from the Rhodesian War is something that greatly impacts on A DEADLY TRADE, and in the way of all very good story tellers, the implications of that are spelt out in the book without it being a lesson, rather it's a revelation.

A DEADLY TRADE (as with the first book A CARRION DEATH) is just simply good crime fiction.  The crime occurs within a social situation and in a social reality that impacts on the actions of everyone.  Small events in the past don't necessarily go unforgotten, and brutality often engenders brutality.  Adding an African situation to that scenario adds a new twist to the events, at the same time that it shows that human reactions are human reactions, the world over.

Incidentally - there is a cast of characters at the front of the book to help if the unfamiliar names are phasing the reader, and a Glossary at the back which can help with understanding of some of the terminology.  As part two in a series of books, it's often best if you've read the earlier book - so that you have a background to all the characters. Having said that, it would be possible to pick up A DEADLY TRADE and start - but that's no reason why you shouldn't also seek out A CARRION DEATH.

When AFRICAN PSYCHO by Alain Mabanckou arrived in my book stack, I really wasn't sure what to expect.  I've finished it now and I'm still not sure what I got.  But I do remember it!

Gregoire is a neglected child - an ugly child - an anonymous child - abandoned by his parents - he's raised in an increasingly haphazard manner really by himself mostly.  He vows he will be different.  He will be remembered.  He vows to escape his humdrum reality and commit a spectacular murder.  Just like his idol - the serial killer Angoualima.  Angoualima is Gregoire's guide, his mentor, his hero.  He's dead, but that doesn't mean that Gregoire is separated from him, often sharing his plans when sitting on Angoualima's grave.

Told in Gregoire's own voice, AFRICAN PSYCHO is a journey into the macabre, the funny, the sad, the desperate and the disturbing.  At the same time, there are great sweeping vistas of the absurd - not the least because the author uses the most bizarre names for places - "He-Who-Drinks-Water-Is-An-Idiot" is where Gregoire lives.  The novel isn't set in a real place, just as Gregoire's life is somehow not quite real.

AFRICAN PSYCHO isn't a book that fits into any "category" that's for sure.  It's frequently weird, it's often confusing, but at the same time it's compelling, intriguing and just a little sad.  Gregoire's an unreliable narrator in some ways, not by artifice or to manipulate.  He's fragile.  He's very damaged.  The world he lives in isn't anywhere near where the rest of us lead our lives.  

It's not an easy book to read, partially because it doesn't fit into any particular pattern or mould.  It's also not an easy book to read as Gregoire's somebody who despite everything, that you could very well find yourself caring about - a lot.

I have to be honest and say that initially the idea of another historical crime fiction novel, set within the Islamic and Christian worlds left me somewhat underwhelmed.  Fortunately there is a lot more going on in THE ABYSSINIAN PROOF, although I will admit that a large part of the attraction of this book was the central character - Magistrate Kamil Pasha, who is my idea of a detective.  A little grumpy, a little shambolic, a man who is able to think through a situation and sees the clues that others may gloss over.

THE ABYSSINIAN PROOF starts out with the rescuing of a precious reliquary - supposedly containing the Proof of God - smuggled out of a city under attack.  Centuries later, the reliquary is in the protection of a shadowy sect - the Melisites, who have kept it hidden in the Sunken Village, built below the city, occupied by the Habesh.  When the reliquary is reported as stolen, Kamil must deal with the sect priestess, Balki, who is desperately unwell and her daughter Saba, to whom Kamil feels an instant attraction.  When the person who originally told Kamil of the theft is brutally murdered, Kamil's investigation becomes all the more urgent.

The story weaves through events around the sect and into Kamil's investigation from there on.  Kamil has been placed in a very difficult position, as he is well aware of corruption in his society.  He is also increasingly attracted to Saba and to the beautiful refugee artist who his sister has taken into her home.

What we have in THE ABYSSINIAN PROOF is a number of pretty standard crime or mystery fiction elements - a secretive society used to its own counsel, a romantic entanglement with complication and a police investigator who must solve the crime despite his superiors lack of support.

Kamil is also, despite his historical setting, somewhat of a typical police investigator as mentioned.  That slightly put upon persona, prepared to do whatever it takes to solve the case, complicated in love figure, grumpy, shambolic, but dedicated and with his own brand of cleverness and vision.  He's certainly one of the great attractions of this book as he is a character that it is very easy to understand, sympathise or at least empathise with.

The sense of place in this book is reasonably good, although action outside the sect perhaps isn't particularly "Turkish 1800's".  The religious elements set the book firmly in a world that is very different from a standard Western society - historical or not.

There are parts of the story that drag a little, and there is sometimes a little too much wallowing around in the comings and goings of the sect and their priestess which certainly add to the historical aspects, but slows the pace too much to remain enjoyable.  Having said that, there is exoticism in the story and the character of Kamil is definitely worth sticking with it for.

THE ABYSSINIAN PROOF is the second novel featuring Kamil - the first was THE SULTAN'S SEAL which was shortlisted for the Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award.  You certainly won't be lost if you haven't read the first book, but Kamil is somebody that you might want to get to know a little more.  I will be keeping my own eyes open for a copy of the first book.

BEFRIEND AND BETRAY is an insider’s story of this complex and murky world where you can trust no one. Not only did Caine have to be wary of the gang he was infiltrating, but he also had to be circumspect about who he trusted in law enforcement.  His is a story of creating alternative identities and living on his wits, often for months at a time. It makes compelling reading.

Just how such people live, how they maintain their own identity and the effects on their relationships outside their work is as fascinating as the details of the work itself.  In some instances Caine’s story raises as many questions as it answers.  Just how effective are these types of operations? The biggest success of his career, Caine feels is his first, the infiltration of the Bandidos.  It resulted in dozens of arrests across the USA, Canada and internationally, but ultimately it didn’t put a stop to the gang’s drug-dealing activities. It just slowed it down for a while.

I thought BEFRIEND AND BETRAY said as much about the character of Alex Caine as it did about the gangs he was infiltrating.  Caine’s seemingly burning need for danger and excitement appeared to come before anything else. With a trail of failed marriages and estranged children behind him , Caine has finally given up this work. At least that’s what he claims in his book.  The author blurb tells us that Alex Caine now works as an advisor on motor cyclegang investigations and is a frequent guest speaker at police conferences. He is a certified fifth-degree black belt martial artist. One does wonder about the ultimate cost of his unconventional life.  Will he be alone in his old age or will his desire for living on the edge once more take control and lead him back to old life and ultimately cost him his?

In THE FINDER Jin Li is a young, beautiful and very secretive Chinese woman. Supposedly a supervisor for a company that cleans office buildings in New York, she is actually an information thief who works for her wealthy brother Chen's Shanghai-based company. Chen uses the data she steals to make millions in the stock market. Good Pharma, a company with some promising new products in the pipeline, discover what Jin Li is up to and arrange for her to die. Jin Li escapes the horrible killing as she is conveniently taking a toilet break nearby.  However, two of her employees die of suffication when their car is hemmed in by trucks and filled with sewage. Realising that she was the intended victim,
Jin Li goes into hiding. Chen is worried over her disappearance, and hires her ex-boyfriend Tom Reilly to find her after Tom convinces him that he has nothing to do with her disappearance.

From here layer upon layer of plots are laid down. Twists and turns abound with enough back stories to explain how the main players got to where they are today. If you allow yourself the chance to stop and think about the things you are reading, you will realise that reality is stretched disbelievingly wide for a non-fantasy novel. But if you can suspend belief, and not question what you are reading, it is a fast paced adventure full of deliciously evil and wacky villains, who make insider traders look like kindergarten kiddies. The ending is odd – not what I would have expected at all after the remorseless build up. I enjoyed reading THE FINDER, but there was something that I couldn't quite put my finger on that stopped me from loving it.

Everything is thrown into the pie with FEARLESS FOURTEEN, with most of the supporting cast from previous novels poking their heads into the mayhem. This is comforting and familiar territory for the regular reader, and not at all a bad thing. Dear Stephanie's antics are pretty much the same as they always have been, and Evanovich remains a genius with the snap and sass of her character's life collisions. The everyday is hilarious and the stoic forward motion of Stephanie Plum when friends and foe alike go off on their own little tangents around her is something to be admired. From potato bombs to reluctant grooms (don't worry, this is not a spoiler), Evanovich finds something to work with in every situation and continues to do a sterling job in making the reader laugh at her cast, while adoring them also.

The character of Steph has had a rest from life changing decisions and is in a holding pattern here with FEARLESS FOURTEEN, making one wonder how much further this series can go. The Plum novels have all been brilliantly good fun and should go out on a bang  rather than with a whimper. The laughs are a little less, the madcap begins to seem a bit repetitive and the hammering of the supporting characters little foibles is beginning to be a bit tiring. Every book in the series has been a fun diversion from more serious reads and they have earned their place in the affections of many who now just pick up each book to catch up on what Steph, Morelli and Ranger are up to.

Who can resist a novel that features a humping monkey, gamer grannies and a fast-food joint called "Cluck-in-A-Bucket"? Enjoy FEARLESS FOURTEEN.