It's a Mystery

This covidly inspired summer of solitude has much left time for recreational reading. Among the books that spent time on my bedstand was the last of the six (so far) Benny Griessel mysteries by South African author Deon Meyer. The Last Hunt is a suspenseful and politically edgy novel. Recovering alcoholic Griessel and his partner Vaughn Cupido of the Hawks detective unit of the Cape Town police investigate the murder of a private security guard who had been thrown from a train. The trail leads them to an assassination plot extending to Bordeaux, France, against “captured” (corrupt) politicians who, in the view of the plotters, have ruined their dreams for a bright and just post-apartheid South Africa. Between corrupt officials and plotters’ allies within the government, the case could prove career-destroying or even deadly to Griessel and Cupido.

Rovos Rail, operator of the train that was the site of the murder, is a real rail service. It offers various routes through scenic countryside in southern Africa. It is touted as the most luxurious passenger train in the world. (Prices vary depending on route and options, but between $6000 and $8000 is normal.) I had never heard of it before picking up The Last Hunt but while I was halfway through the book the Smithsonian Channel, in an instance of synchronicity, happened to run an hour-long documentary on Rovos: one their Mighty Trains episodes. I chanced upon it while channel surfing one evening. It helped me visualize the setting – and tempted me to book a ride. (Maybe someday.)

Deon Meyer has become my favorite living mystery writer, and second only to Raymond Chandler if I remove the “living” limitation. He draws his individual characters well, each with strengths, weaknesses and quirks. The social setting in which they live adds a special layer to their stories. Meyer is an insightful observer of his own country, which has a uniquely complex history and demography. Yet other Western readers – Americans in particular – will find much of relevance as tensions in their own countries regarding identity politics intensify. Wherever the USA is going in these matters, South Africa is already there.

Each entry in the Griessel series works fine as a standalone novel, but the characters do develop over time. So if the reader wishes to read them in order, they are as follows:

1. Devil's Peak (2007)

2. Thirteen Hours (2010)

3. Seven Days (2012)

4. Cobra (2014)

5. Icarus (2015)

6. The Last Hunt (2019)

There is also a novella (or perhaps an extended short story) The Woman in the Blue Cloak (2018) for those who wish to be comprehensive. I recommend trying at least one, and suspect it will be its own recommendation for the others.

Rovos Rail