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Mat Joubert #1
Jusqu'au dernier
Mat Joubert, inspecteur de police au Cap qui traverse une mauvaise passe depuis la mort de sa femme, est sommé de se reprendre en main par son nouveau supérieur, le colonel Bart de Wit. Une enquête brûlante lui offre une possibilité de rédemption : une série de meurtres commis avec une arme atypique, un pistolet utilisé par les Afrikaners un siècle plus tôt pendant la guerre des Boers. Joubert, épaulé par un enquêteur prometteur, Benny Griessel, se lance sur la piste de cet assassin, mais il se heurte vite à un problème de taille : aucun lien ne semble unir les différentes victimes...
496 pages, Pocket Book
First published January 1, 1999
162 people are currently reading
1263 people want to read
About the author
Deon Meyer
58 books1,224 followersDeon Meyer was born in the South African town of Paarl in the winelands of the Western Cape in 1958, and grew up in Klerksdorp, in the gold mining region of Northwest Province.
After military duty and studying at the Potchefstroom University, he joined Die Volksblad, a daily newspaper in Bloemfontein as a reporter. Since then, he has worked as press liaison, advertising copywriter, creative director, web manager, Internet strategist, and brand consultant.
Deon wrote his first book when he was 14 years old, and bribed and blackmailed his two brothers into reading it. They were not impressed (hey, everybody is a critic ...)
Deon Meyer
Heeding their wisdom, he did not write fiction again until he was in his early thirties, when he started publishing short stories in South African magazines.
"I still believe that is the best way to learn the craft of writing. Short stories teach you a lot about story structure - and you have limited space to develop character and plot," says Deon.
In 1994 he published his first Afrikaans novel, which has not been translated, "simply because it was not good enough to compete on the international market. However, it was a wonderful learning experience".
All later novels have been translated into several languages, including English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Finnish, Czech, Romanian, Slovakian and Bulgarian.
Deon lives in Melkbosstrand on the South African West Coast with his wife, Anita, and they have four children to keep them busy: Lida, Liam, Johan and Konstanz.
Other than his family, his big passions are motorcycling, music (he is a Mozart fanatic, but loves rock 'n roll too), reading, cooking and rugby (he unconditionally supports the national Springbok team and the Free State Cheetahs provincial team).
After military duty and studying at the Potchefstroom University, he joined Die Volksblad, a daily newspaper in Bloemfontein as a reporter. Since then, he has worked as press liaison, advertising copywriter, creative director, web manager, Internet strategist, and brand consultant.
Deon wrote his first book when he was 14 years old, and bribed and blackmailed his two brothers into reading it. They were not impressed (hey, everybody is a critic ...)
Deon Meyer
Heeding their wisdom, he did not write fiction again until he was in his early thirties, when he started publishing short stories in South African magazines.
"I still believe that is the best way to learn the craft of writing. Short stories teach you a lot about story structure - and you have limited space to develop character and plot," says Deon.
In 1994 he published his first Afrikaans novel, which has not been translated, "simply because it was not good enough to compete on the international market. However, it was a wonderful learning experience".
All later novels have been translated into several languages, including English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Finnish, Czech, Romanian, Slovakian and Bulgarian.
Deon lives in Melkbosstrand on the South African West Coast with his wife, Anita, and they have four children to keep them busy: Lida, Liam, Johan and Konstanz.
Other than his family, his big passions are motorcycling, music (he is a Mozart fanatic, but loves rock 'n roll too), reading, cooking and rugby (he unconditionally supports the national Springbok team and the Free State Cheetahs provincial team).
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November 16, 2023
LA LISTA DEL KILLER
Feniks - fenice.
Anche questo romanzo uscì prima di tutto in afrikaans, e il titolo originale era Feniks.
La fenice è il personaggio femminile che è impossibile chiamare protagonista, ed è perfino difficile definire coprotagonista visto lo spazio esiguo che occupa.
Ma è pur vero che la storia ruota intorno a questo personaggio.
In inglese è stato tradotto con Dead Before Dying, classico titolo da thriller che dice tutto e niente.
L’inglese è la lingua che Meyer deve raggiungere per uscire dal circolo chiuso della letteratura in afrikaans (cinquemila copie è il massimo di vendita per un best seller in questa lingua).
E mi chiedo come mai non la adotti in partenza visto che la maneggia quotidianamente e bene – mi piacerebbe capire in cosa si sente limitato dall’uso dell’inglese, che cosa gli permette in più l’uso dell’afrikaans.
Le 26 lingue nelle quali viene poi tradotto Meyer, che sono un numero davvero considerevole, partono tutte dall’inglese, sono traduzioni di traduzioni (pratica molto più diffusa di quanto si creda, anche in case editrici serie).
In italiano è diventato Doppio colpo in questa prima edizione Piemme, altro classico titolo da thriller più d’effetto che sostanza.
La stessa Piemme l’ha ripubblicato con un nuovo titolo, La lista del killer, certo non bello, ma più calzante.
Siamo sempre a Cape Town, città nella quale ormai mi muovo virtualmente come un indigeno, posso consigliare ristoranti e percorsi stradali.
E siamo sempre nel Sudafrica post-apartheid: il cambio di politica è fresco e Meyer lo fa sentire, la politica ha più campo, le sue ‘necessità’ sono più invadenti.
L’indagine clou è nelle mani di Mat Joubert, quella secondaria affidata a Benny Griessel. Nel proseguo della serie i ruoli si invertono, Joubert diventa comprimario, perfino marginale, e Griessel protagonista assoluto.
È uno dei primi parti di Meyer, non ancora all’altezza dei più recenti. Ma anche questo è un classico unputdownable, non si riesce a mettere giù, a smettere di leggere.
Feniks - fenice.
Anche questo romanzo uscì prima di tutto in afrikaans, e il titolo originale era Feniks.
La fenice è il personaggio femminile che è impossibile chiamare protagonista, ed è perfino difficile definire coprotagonista visto lo spazio esiguo che occupa.
Ma è pur vero che la storia ruota intorno a questo personaggio.
In inglese è stato tradotto con Dead Before Dying, classico titolo da thriller che dice tutto e niente.
L’inglese è la lingua che Meyer deve raggiungere per uscire dal circolo chiuso della letteratura in afrikaans (cinquemila copie è il massimo di vendita per un best seller in questa lingua).
E mi chiedo come mai non la adotti in partenza visto che la maneggia quotidianamente e bene – mi piacerebbe capire in cosa si sente limitato dall’uso dell’inglese, che cosa gli permette in più l’uso dell’afrikaans.
Le 26 lingue nelle quali viene poi tradotto Meyer, che sono un numero davvero considerevole, partono tutte dall’inglese, sono traduzioni di traduzioni (pratica molto più diffusa di quanto si creda, anche in case editrici serie).
In italiano è diventato Doppio colpo in questa prima edizione Piemme, altro classico titolo da thriller più d’effetto che sostanza.
La stessa Piemme l’ha ripubblicato con un nuovo titolo, La lista del killer, certo non bello, ma più calzante.
Siamo sempre a Cape Town, città nella quale ormai mi muovo virtualmente come un indigeno, posso consigliare ristoranti e percorsi stradali.
E siamo sempre nel Sudafrica post-apartheid: il cambio di politica è fresco e Meyer lo fa sentire, la politica ha più campo, le sue ‘necessità’ sono più invadenti.
L’indagine clou è nelle mani di Mat Joubert, quella secondaria affidata a Benny Griessel. Nel proseguo della serie i ruoli si invertono, Joubert diventa comprimario, perfino marginale, e Griessel protagonista assoluto.
È uno dei primi parti di Meyer, non ancora all’altezza dei più recenti. Ma anche questo è un classico unputdownable, non si riesce a mettere giù, a smettere di leggere.
August 13, 2021
I am a big Deon Meyer fan and I try to read his books in order of publication, and his is one of his earlier efforts and brings us two characters, one who has faded and one who has become a star of his books. This book features Captain Mat Joubert who is still reeling more than 2 years after his wife (also a police officer) was killed on assignment. He has left himself go, gained weight, drinks and smokes too much, has gotten sloppy in his work when into his life come two cases, plus a new demanding boss. The boss demands all of his officers get in shape and he gives them deadlines to lose weight, as well as informing Joubert he must see a psychologist. This is on top of a serial murder spree that seems to have no connecting links to each murder, along with a series of bank robberies at Premier Bank branches in which a gun, similar to that used in the murders is used to intimidate the bank tellers, and in which each incident the robber uses a different disguise. And who does Joubert eventually assign to this case? Future lead character Benny Griessel! Griessel catches your attention from his very entry in the book and it is easy to understand why he became the focus of future books. This book is well plotted, with lots of interesting characters, and while not focusing as much on South Africa as in his other books, this is a really fine read led by Captain Joubert who has to solve his own demons in order to finally resolve the serial killings. Top Notch early effort by Meyer!
December 6, 2017
This year I'm doing a Reading Challenge; so I have 26 books with specific subjects that I need to read.
Book 11:A book set in your hometown/region
I couldn't find a book set in my home town, so I chose my home away form home - Cape Town.
We vacation in the Cape every year, and if given a choice I would move there tomorrow.
I think I've made a mistake to read this in English.
Meyer's dry sense of humor is not properly portrayed in the translation, and it makes the book tedious.
The main character sounds more like a teenager with raging hormones than a thirty-something grown man; but it was good to learn where everything started. How Mat became the man I got to know in the
Benny Griessel Series
I'm thinking of reading the books in order, so that the characters makes more sense. I've read a few books out of order and I think I spoiled somethings for myself.
But I need to read it in Afrikaans. - Book hunting!
October 27, 2024
I thought that I had read all of Deon Meyer’s novels, but when I read the summaries, I realized that I never had read the first book that was translated into English. DEAD BEFORE DYING is an outstanding psychological study, and at the same time, a good mystery. It would not qualify as a “thriller” because it moves too slowly, but I found it far better than the cookie cutter thrillers that are being produced today. This is a book first published 28 years ago.
Short Summary
Captain Mat Joubert is dead inside; he has felt nothing since his wife, Lara, was shot two years earlier. Lara, like Mat, was a police officer and she died while on duty. Since then, Mat has not been able to think of anything else. His work in the Murder and Robbery squad has suffered and, consequently, few of his fellow detectives want to work with him. Then a new Commanding Officer, Colonel Bart de Wit is appointed, and he insists that Mat (and the other detectives under his command) get in shape physically and mentally. For Mat, this means swimming to lose weight and seeing a psychologist. (For Mat’s friend, DS Benny Griessel, it means drying out; Benny is an alcoholic.)
Then Mat is called upon to investigate a series of murders carried out with a century-old Mauser pistol. The victims are all white men who appear to have nothing in common. Also, occurring in Cape Town, is a series of robberies at different branches of the Premier Bank by a man who calls the tellers he robs “sweetheart” and thus is called “The Sweetheart Robber”.
Mat slowly and methodically investigates the Mauser serial killer case, and gives Benny the Sweetheart Robber case (after Benny dries out in a sanatorium).
The ending provides two surprise revelations that I never predicted, and were extremely poignant.
My Perceptive
1. This is an intense psychological study of a broken man, trying to carry on. Mat is a large man, but he has always been physically clumsy and socially maladroit. Lara was the opposite, and during their marriage was his strength. So much of the story is concerned with how Mat is slowly recovering from his devastating loss.
2. The story moves slowly—Mat’s method of investigation is to try out one theory, then another, then another, until he finally finds a connecting thread. So some readers of thrillers will find it too slow. I liked the way it unfolded, definitely a psychological mystery.
3. Benny Griessel is more intuitive, and brighter, than Mat as shown by how he solves the Sweetheart Robber case. (And probably the reason that Meyer made Benny his main character after a couple of Mat Joubert novels.)
4. A reader must realize that this serial killer story was first published in 1996 (in Afrikaans), although not until 1999 in English. Val McDermid’s first serial killer novel starring Tony Hill & Carol Jordon was published in 1995. So, DEAD BEFORE DYING was current in terms of its time, but for readers of the English version, it may seem a bit dated.
5. Unlike his later novels, Deon Meyer does not mention much about the South African political situation in this one. There are a few references to the negative terms that some Afrikaners used in reference to black and coloured members of the population in that time period—slurs negatively commented upon by both Mat and Benny—but it was a novel initially written for an Afrikaans audience, and non-political.
6. The one negative mentioned by other reviewers is that it begins with an 18-year-old neighbour trying to seduce Mat, and it seems like wishful thinking fulfillment on the part of the author for a 18-year-old girl to be enamoured by a 34-year-old man. This is true in our culture. When I look back at 18-year-old me, I was enamoured by 25-year-old men, but someone in their mid-30s would have seemed too old. But I personally knew a white South African ANC member in Dar es Salaam, who, as soon as she escaped from South Africa at age 18, began a romance with a man older than 35. So, it did happen that rebellious young women in Africa were sometimes attracted to much older men.
7. There is a small hint of the dry humour that underlies most of Meyer’s books, even though most of the DEAD BEFORE DYING is somber in tone, and the humour is not as prevalent as it is in Meyer’s later books.
8. This is a first-rate novel by Deon Meyer, and shows that from the beginning of his writing career, he had an excellent grasp of character development.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for some other books by Deon Meyer:
The Last Hunt (Benny Griessel #6)
The Dark Flood (Benny Griessel #7)
Leo (Benny Griessel #8)
Trackers
Heart of the Hunter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Short Summary
Captain Mat Joubert is dead inside; he has felt nothing since his wife, Lara, was shot two years earlier. Lara, like Mat, was a police officer and she died while on duty. Since then, Mat has not been able to think of anything else. His work in the Murder and Robbery squad has suffered and, consequently, few of his fellow detectives want to work with him. Then a new Commanding Officer, Colonel Bart de Wit is appointed, and he insists that Mat (and the other detectives under his command) get in shape physically and mentally. For Mat, this means swimming to lose weight and seeing a psychologist. (For Mat’s friend, DS Benny Griessel, it means drying out; Benny is an alcoholic.)
Then Mat is called upon to investigate a series of murders carried out with a century-old Mauser pistol. The victims are all white men who appear to have nothing in common. Also, occurring in Cape Town, is a series of robberies at different branches of the Premier Bank by a man who calls the tellers he robs “sweetheart” and thus is called “The Sweetheart Robber”.
Mat slowly and methodically investigates the Mauser serial killer case, and gives Benny the Sweetheart Robber case (after Benny dries out in a sanatorium).
The ending provides two surprise revelations that I never predicted, and were extremely poignant.
My Perceptive
1. This is an intense psychological study of a broken man, trying to carry on. Mat is a large man, but he has always been physically clumsy and socially maladroit. Lara was the opposite, and during their marriage was his strength. So much of the story is concerned with how Mat is slowly recovering from his devastating loss.
2. The story moves slowly—Mat’s method of investigation is to try out one theory, then another, then another, until he finally finds a connecting thread. So some readers of thrillers will find it too slow. I liked the way it unfolded, definitely a psychological mystery.
3. Benny Griessel is more intuitive, and brighter, than Mat as shown by how he solves the Sweetheart Robber case. (And probably the reason that Meyer made Benny his main character after a couple of Mat Joubert novels.)
4. A reader must realize that this serial killer story was first published in 1996 (in Afrikaans), although not until 1999 in English. Val McDermid’s first serial killer novel starring Tony Hill & Carol Jordon was published in 1995. So, DEAD BEFORE DYING was current in terms of its time, but for readers of the English version, it may seem a bit dated.
5. Unlike his later novels, Deon Meyer does not mention much about the South African political situation in this one. There are a few references to the negative terms that some Afrikaners used in reference to black and coloured members of the population in that time period—slurs negatively commented upon by both Mat and Benny—but it was a novel initially written for an Afrikaans audience, and non-political.
6. The one negative mentioned by other reviewers is that it begins with an 18-year-old neighbour trying to seduce Mat, and it seems like wishful thinking fulfillment on the part of the author for a 18-year-old girl to be enamoured by a 34-year-old man. This is true in our culture. When I look back at 18-year-old me, I was enamoured by 25-year-old men, but someone in their mid-30s would have seemed too old. But I personally knew a white South African ANC member in Dar es Salaam, who, as soon as she escaped from South Africa at age 18, began a romance with a man older than 35. So, it did happen that rebellious young women in Africa were sometimes attracted to much older men.
7. There is a small hint of the dry humour that underlies most of Meyer’s books, even though most of the DEAD BEFORE DYING is somber in tone, and the humour is not as prevalent as it is in Meyer’s later books.
8. This is a first-rate novel by Deon Meyer, and shows that from the beginning of his writing career, he had an excellent grasp of character development.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for some other books by Deon Meyer:
The Last Hunt (Benny Griessel #6)
The Dark Flood (Benny Griessel #7)
Leo (Benny Griessel #8)
Trackers
Heart of the Hunter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 27, 2012
Deon Meyer is my absolute hero!!!! I loved this book. Reading his work in Afrikaans brings back memories of my life in South Africa, while at the same time connects me to its new and unfolding present. His characters are well developed and realistic portrayals of ordinary South Africans. Deon Meyer rules!
September 15, 2021
Dis my tweede Deon Meyer boek. Ek Hou van Hou hy skryf. Mat Joubert en Benny Griessel is nog old school polisie en men's voel regtig vir hulle. Ek kon regtig nie ophou lees nie, die boek het my geboei tot aan die einde.
June 7, 2016
This author came to our local literary festival and I was excited to pick up a detective novel set in South Africa. Who knows what I was expecting. I think I should learn not to expect anything. I finished this book last year but clean forgot to review it - probably wanted to block it from my mind.
This book is... not good. It's so typical of a male writer. A few points to illustrate why:
1. Dead wife
2. Dead wife who was a cop but made a mistake that no male character ever would, so she died
3. Male protagonist is not in the best of shape, mentally or physically
4. Nubile young thing is still obsessed with him
5. Did I mention the nubile young thing is also perfectly shaped? Or is that covered under nubile?
6. All the female characters (grand total of 3, I believe) want to get into the protagonist's pants
7. Rape is central to the story
Add to all this the book needed an eagle-eyed editor and proofreader as well - it has several annoying typos and mistakes which really shouldn't make it into a published book.
I want to say more but there's no point. This book is probably exactly what a detective novel is supposed to be - but it's the 21st century and all I want is for all art to move away from tropes. I don't want to read any more of Meyer's books - crime thrillers have a sexism problem, no need to read yet another series of books highlighting that point.
This book is... not good. It's so typical of a male writer. A few points to illustrate why:
1. Dead wife
2. Dead wife who was a cop but made a mistake that no male character ever would, so she died
3. Male protagonist is not in the best of shape, mentally or physically
4. Nubile young thing is still obsessed with him
5. Did I mention the nubile young thing is also perfectly shaped? Or is that covered under nubile?
6. All the female characters (grand total of 3, I believe) want to get into the protagonist's pants
7. Rape is central to the story
Add to all this the book needed an eagle-eyed editor and proofreader as well - it has several annoying typos and mistakes which really shouldn't make it into a published book.
I want to say more but there's no point. This book is probably exactly what a detective novel is supposed to be - but it's the 21st century and all I want is for all art to move away from tropes. I don't want to read any more of Meyer's books - crime thrillers have a sexism problem, no need to read yet another series of books highlighting that point.
September 24, 2017
A rite-of-passage for the crime writer: the serial-killer thriller. Unique setting aside, South Africa, this is unexceptional stuff. Meyer seems to recognize the thinness of the story and the need for padding: apart from the hunt for a serial murderer, the police additionally have to deal with a serial bank robber. Anyone who has seen Clint Eastwood's Harry Callahan in his fourth case, the 1983 film Sudden Impact, will be much further along in the central investigation than any of these Detectives.
August 7, 2012
Captain Mat Joubert is charged with solving the murders of a few people who are being executed with an old Mauser gun and there is no apparent link between them.
In between this, he is also trying to solve the case of a bank robber who is hitting a certain bank, calls the lady tellers Sweetheart and then ask what perfume they are wearing.
There has been a shake up in the police force and Mat is advised he needs to loose 15kg so he starts with a eating pattern and some swimming for exercise. I commiserated with him on this going through a healthy eating plan at the same time and feeling all the temptations as he does.
Mat also undergoes sessions with a psychologist in an attempt to sort out his personal life which is wrecking his career. He takes a liking to Hanna Nortier the lady psychologist.
In the background of the story is Benny Griessel ( the hero detective of many of Deon Meyer's other books) and he is struggling since he is an alcoholic. Benny goes to a sanatorium in the hope that he can sober and save his marriage and the relationship he has with his children.
I will say this about Meyer's books - they are not obvious when it comes to the perpetrators of the crime. It is not the sort of book where you can read it and figure/guess who the murderer is. The book must be read right to the end to see who the person is.
In between this, he is also trying to solve the case of a bank robber who is hitting a certain bank, calls the lady tellers Sweetheart and then ask what perfume they are wearing.
There has been a shake up in the police force and Mat is advised he needs to loose 15kg so he starts with a eating pattern and some swimming for exercise. I commiserated with him on this going through a healthy eating plan at the same time and feeling all the temptations as he does.
Mat also undergoes sessions with a psychologist in an attempt to sort out his personal life which is wrecking his career. He takes a liking to Hanna Nortier the lady psychologist.
In the background of the story is Benny Griessel ( the hero detective of many of Deon Meyer's other books) and he is struggling since he is an alcoholic. Benny goes to a sanatorium in the hope that he can sober and save his marriage and the relationship he has with his children.
I will say this about Meyer's books - they are not obvious when it comes to the perpetrators of the crime. It is not the sort of book where you can read it and figure/guess who the murderer is. The book must be read right to the end to see who the person is.
April 12, 2016
My husband has been encouraging me to read this author for ages. At last I got around to it and you can label me impressed! Of course the fact that it was set in South Africa helped a lot because it brought back memories of a very happy part of my life. And then it is a police procedural which I always like and the main character is a very attractive man who is trying to get his life together and succeeding which is a nice, original touch. I found the author to have a very dry sense of humour which came through frequently in the text and several times made me laugh out loud. It was one of those books that makes you read bits out loud to anyone who might be within hearing distance. A good story, thorough but not boring details of police work and plenty of interesting characters all helped to make this a really enjoyable read.
January 6, 2017
Surprised to find this was his first book - no wonder he has done so well!
Much better than the TV Series based on this book (entitled Cape Town), this story does a great job at digging into the deep dark places most people go to, in this case with much more drama than most. Captain Mat Joubert is believable, gritty, dark and yet able to do a lot of good. A cameo part for the hero of several later books, Bennie Griessel, already battling his drinking demons.
And this is where Meyer sets his course to lance some of the boils of South Africa, past and present. It's a thriller - and it is situated in a very real South Africa, warts and all.
Much better than the TV Series based on this book (entitled Cape Town), this story does a great job at digging into the deep dark places most people go to, in this case with much more drama than most. Captain Mat Joubert is believable, gritty, dark and yet able to do a lot of good. A cameo part for the hero of several later books, Bennie Griessel, already battling his drinking demons.
And this is where Meyer sets his course to lance some of the boils of South Africa, past and present. It's a thriller - and it is situated in a very real South Africa, warts and all.
July 12, 2010
This is a police procedural set in Capetown, South Africa. The investigating officer is on a downward spiral having lost his wife to murder while she was working undercover. When it appears there is a serial killer at large, he is given one last chance to lead the investigation. Meyer is a good writer, the secondary characters are well-developed, and the South African setting (only a few years after the end of apartheid) is interesting. Overall I enjoyed it very much, but the ending (the solution) was a little disappointing, involving a somewhat unlikely coincidence.
July 10, 2012
This book took awhile to get going but I'm glad that I stuck with it. It's more than just a mystery. The book central character's personal and professional life is the central focus, the mystery is secondary. The African setting is interesting. It gave me a glimpse into a culture that I know very little about. I look forward to reading Deon Meyer's next book.
September 17, 2024
(As jy wil my korrigeer in my Afrikaans, sal ek baie dankbaar wees. Dit is my eerste poging om in Afrikaans te skryf in my lewe)
Hierdie boek is die eerste dat ek het gelees. Só as ek die foute maak, verskoon my.
Die boek het 'n belangrike stelling van die Suid Afrikaanse geskiedenis, want dit so naby die oorgang na demokrasie het geskryf wees. Ek het met groot belang gelees hoe die simbole van afrikanernasionalisme het verteenwoordig wees. (dit en die geskiedenis van Suid Afrika is my fokus)
Dit is nie om te sê hierdie boek is baie polities, dit is 'n boek wat neem min belangstelling om te verduidelik waar Mat Joubert staan met hy gedagtes, maar dit is duidelik 'n tyd van rouheid tussen sommige polisiemanne. Sommige van hulle hê moeilik met die oorgang na demokrasie te hanteer.
Die fokus van Mat Joubert verduidelik miskien waarom Mat Joubert nie belangstel het nie vir die politiek. Hy dink steeds aan sy dooie eggenoot. Hy lewe aan sy eie wêreld en reageer meestal net aan wat die mense hom omring.
Die verhaal het ek gevind as baie interessant. Maar ek het sommige moeilikheide om die te verstaan glo ek, as ek nie kan verstaan nie al die kulturele nuanses van die meer konserwatiewe afrikaanervolk dan ons Europëers is. So ek hoop ek kan beter skryf ná my tweede boek, en ek kan meer het om te sê nadat ek het gelees 'n nuwe boek.
Hierdie boek is die eerste dat ek het gelees. Só as ek die foute maak, verskoon my.
Die boek het 'n belangrike stelling van die Suid Afrikaanse geskiedenis, want dit so naby die oorgang na demokrasie het geskryf wees. Ek het met groot belang gelees hoe die simbole van afrikanernasionalisme het verteenwoordig wees. (dit en die geskiedenis van Suid Afrika is my fokus)
Dit is nie om te sê hierdie boek is baie polities, dit is 'n boek wat neem min belangstelling om te verduidelik waar Mat Joubert staan met hy gedagtes, maar dit is duidelik 'n tyd van rouheid tussen sommige polisiemanne. Sommige van hulle hê moeilik met die oorgang na demokrasie te hanteer.
Die fokus van Mat Joubert verduidelik miskien waarom Mat Joubert nie belangstel het nie vir die politiek. Hy dink steeds aan sy dooie eggenoot. Hy lewe aan sy eie wêreld en reageer meestal net aan wat die mense hom omring.
Die verhaal het ek gevind as baie interessant. Maar ek het sommige moeilikheide om die te verstaan glo ek, as ek nie kan verstaan nie al die kulturele nuanses van die meer konserwatiewe afrikaanervolk dan ons Europëers is. So ek hoop ek kan beter skryf ná my tweede boek, en ek kan meer het om te sê nadat ek het gelees 'n nuwe boek.
March 2, 2020
I read Deon Meyer’s most recent book (“The Last Hunt”) last December, loved it and vowed to start reading Meyer’s series of South African crime/detective novels from the first. I bought “Dead Before Dying” but it took a couple of months to reach the top of my to be read pile. What a mistake!
The book is outstanding. A complicated plot with an unexpected but reasonable conclusion. Unlike some mystery writers, Meyer really thinks through his plot and keeps the reader on edge. While the solution is hard to anticipate, it’s fair. And the characters are similarly well drawn. The overweight, chain smoking detective, morose and depressed over the death of his wife is a bit cliche, but so well written that the reader really does feel his pain.
Great read. Looking forward to the rest of the books.
The book is outstanding. A complicated plot with an unexpected but reasonable conclusion. Unlike some mystery writers, Meyer really thinks through his plot and keeps the reader on edge. While the solution is hard to anticipate, it’s fair. And the characters are similarly well drawn. The overweight, chain smoking detective, morose and depressed over the death of his wife is a bit cliche, but so well written that the reader really does feel his pain.
Great read. Looking forward to the rest of the books.
September 24, 2019
Pretty good mystery, a real whodunit. A number of things going on here - the main plot & a number of subplots, the characters which are fully developed and realistic. There's not that much suspense and few red herrings. The protagonist, Captain Joubert, has some personal issues that are fleshed out and help explain him but don't really add that much to the narrative. Thinking about it, I would have maybe given this three and a half Stars. I think the book that I read by him before was better. And I've been to South Africa which adds something there for me personally. When the perpetrator is starting to be revealed, I immediately knew who it was. And I wondered How likely something like this would be in real life. As the ending concluded more was revealed that helped to make it more believable but still. I will read more by him.
June 12, 2018
Very interesting and enjoyable police procedural. The two primary detectives are friends, both failing in their personal and professional lives. Det. Mat Joubert is still reeling from the 2 yr old killing of his wife; Det. Griessel is drowning in alcoholism and horror at what he sees in his job. They are faced with two big cases. Joubert is tasked to investigate a series of murders which seem to be unrelated. Griessel investigates a series of bank robberies where the thief disguises himself, calls the tellers "sweetheart" and shows them a gun under his coat. Despite what I consider an unlikely coincidence near the end of the first case, I couldn't help but applaud Joubert's efforts to clean up his act, help Griessel, and persistently pursue the killer. Also found the setting interesting (South Africa).
January 30, 2019
My first novel by this Author and I was very impressed, the setting of Capetown was very interesting along with some good insight into the new South Africa of the 90s.
The ending was slightly disappointing for me and felt packaged together a bit quickly but for 95% of this book I was gripped. This is the Deon Meyers debut novel so as first novels go its excellent.
I really enjoyed the Joubert character and I will definitely get hold of more of the authors novels.
The ending was slightly disappointing for me and felt packaged together a bit quickly but for 95% of this book I was gripped. This is the Deon Meyers debut novel so as first novels go its excellent.
I really enjoyed the Joubert character and I will definitely get hold of more of the authors novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2018
Another awesome story from Deon Meyer! This police drama was compelling and nuanced with a fantastic plot twist that was satisfying, rather than just surprising. The background of transitional South Africa, dealing with a new future and a tortured past, added depth but never felt cliche. It felt like the author had lived the pain.
April 26, 2013
I confess . . . police procedurals/thrillers/mysteries are not my favorite reading (or audio) genre. I'm just not a huge fan of plot-driven novels, no matter how clever the plotting.
So I was particularly pleased to discover the audio version of Deon Meyer's 1996 novel, Dead Before Dying. A killer armed with a century-old German handgun is stalking Cape Town. The victims seemingly have no connection to one another . . . or do they? Captain Mat Joubert (his first name is a private acronym) of the Murder and Robbery Squad must decipher the pattern of the killings while dealing with a series of high stakes bank robberies that may--or may not be--related.
Murder, an odd weapon, mysterious disguises, a parallel subplot. These are plot standards of detective fiction. What sets this story apart is the excellent character study of the troubled Captain Joubert. "Troubled" is a generous description--this detective is in serious need of psychological help--so much so that his brash new boss sends him off to a psychologist's couch. And that's where the story rises above the norm. Joubert is a thoroughly engaging character. Visually, he's a hulking big bear of a man who's still recovering (another generous term) from the tragic (and tarnished) death of his wife, Lara. Two years later, Joubert is still struggling, not only with his slipping job performance, but with dating, dieting, drinking, and smoking. (His dieting struggles are particularly entertaining.) You're routing for Joubert not only to catch the killer (of course), but on a personal level as well. You want this bumbling beast of a man to succeed in at least one arena in his tragicomic life. Will he?
The setting in South Africa adds a welcome alternative to the traditional London/New York City scenario. Simon Vance delivers yet another exceptional performance, tackling several particularly challenging characters with ease. The audio production is equally well done. Dead Before Dying is an excellent audio experience, highly recommended for readers and listeners who are fans of the police thriller genre--and those who aren't.
So I was particularly pleased to discover the audio version of Deon Meyer's 1996 novel, Dead Before Dying. A killer armed with a century-old German handgun is stalking Cape Town. The victims seemingly have no connection to one another . . . or do they? Captain Mat Joubert (his first name is a private acronym) of the Murder and Robbery Squad must decipher the pattern of the killings while dealing with a series of high stakes bank robberies that may--or may not be--related.
Murder, an odd weapon, mysterious disguises, a parallel subplot. These are plot standards of detective fiction. What sets this story apart is the excellent character study of the troubled Captain Joubert. "Troubled" is a generous description--this detective is in serious need of psychological help--so much so that his brash new boss sends him off to a psychologist's couch. And that's where the story rises above the norm. Joubert is a thoroughly engaging character. Visually, he's a hulking big bear of a man who's still recovering (another generous term) from the tragic (and tarnished) death of his wife, Lara. Two years later, Joubert is still struggling, not only with his slipping job performance, but with dating, dieting, drinking, and smoking. (His dieting struggles are particularly entertaining.) You're routing for Joubert not only to catch the killer (of course), but on a personal level as well. You want this bumbling beast of a man to succeed in at least one arena in his tragicomic life. Will he?
The setting in South Africa adds a welcome alternative to the traditional London/New York City scenario. Simon Vance delivers yet another exceptional performance, tackling several particularly challenging characters with ease. The audio production is equally well done. Dead Before Dying is an excellent audio experience, highly recommended for readers and listeners who are fans of the police thriller genre--and those who aren't.
January 2, 2019
Hoofdinspecteur Mat Joubert is depressief en maakt het liefst een eind aan zijn leven. Omdat twee jaar eerder zijn vrouw Lara door geweld om het leven is gekomen. De politieleiding wil het liefst van hem af, maar hij krijgt nog een kans. Daarvoor moet hij zich wel onder behandeling stellen van een therapeute.
Daarnaast moet Joubert zich ook bezighouden met een aantal moorden die met een Mauser, een wapen uit de negentiende eeuw, worden gepleegd. Tegelijkertijd vinden ook enkele bijzondere bankovervallen plaats. De vraag is of de dader dezelfde is. Een overeenkomst hebben beide zaken in ieder geval, want het onderzoek naar zowel de moorden als de bankovervallen verloopt uiterst moeizaam.
Aanvankelijk begint Feniks wat stroef, maar na een paar hoofdstukken is deze aarzelende start snel vergeten. Het verhaal begint vlotter te lopen en de personages krijgen steeds meer gezicht, wat alleen maar ten goede komt aan het boek.
Wat Meyer goed heeft gedaan, is dat de lezer zich kan identificeren met Joubert. Je leeft met hem mee, hoopt dat hij beide zaken tot een goed einde brengt en ook dat hij zijn leven weer op de rails krijgt. Eveneens heeft Meyer voor wat humor in het boek gezorgd. Dat relativeert. Ook de spanning heeft een goede opbouw. De aandacht blijft daardoor behouden.
Jammer is dat het halverwege het boek al redelijk duidelijk is wie de dader van de moorden is. Toch heeft dit geen nadelige invloed op het verdere verloop van het verhaal. Dat blijft interessant en op bepaalde momenten boeiend.
Het plot, en dan vooral de reden waarom de moorden zijn gepleegd, is prima uitgewerkt en heeft een toch wel verrassend element. Het is duidelijk dat daar over is nagedacht. Feniks is al met al een prima leesbaar boek dat naar meer Deon Meyer smaakt.
Daarnaast moet Joubert zich ook bezighouden met een aantal moorden die met een Mauser, een wapen uit de negentiende eeuw, worden gepleegd. Tegelijkertijd vinden ook enkele bijzondere bankovervallen plaats. De vraag is of de dader dezelfde is. Een overeenkomst hebben beide zaken in ieder geval, want het onderzoek naar zowel de moorden als de bankovervallen verloopt uiterst moeizaam.
Aanvankelijk begint Feniks wat stroef, maar na een paar hoofdstukken is deze aarzelende start snel vergeten. Het verhaal begint vlotter te lopen en de personages krijgen steeds meer gezicht, wat alleen maar ten goede komt aan het boek.
Wat Meyer goed heeft gedaan, is dat de lezer zich kan identificeren met Joubert. Je leeft met hem mee, hoopt dat hij beide zaken tot een goed einde brengt en ook dat hij zijn leven weer op de rails krijgt. Eveneens heeft Meyer voor wat humor in het boek gezorgd. Dat relativeert. Ook de spanning heeft een goede opbouw. De aandacht blijft daardoor behouden.
Jammer is dat het halverwege het boek al redelijk duidelijk is wie de dader van de moorden is. Toch heeft dit geen nadelige invloed op het verdere verloop van het verhaal. Dat blijft interessant en op bepaalde momenten boeiend.
Het plot, en dan vooral de reden waarom de moorden zijn gepleegd, is prima uitgewerkt en heeft een toch wel verrassend element. Het is duidelijk dat daar over is nagedacht. Feniks is al met al een prima leesbaar boek dat naar meer Deon Meyer smaakt.
January 3, 2013
‘Feniks’ zit op zich uitstekend in elkaar, Meyer kan schrijven als de beste, heeft ontegenzeggelijk een humoristische pen, maar gaat herhaaldelijk over de top. Daardoor ontstaat een disbalans tussen enerzijds de humor en anderzijds de ernst van de misdrijven en van de persoonlijke misère van de personages. Gaandeweg het verhaal wordt die verhouding beter, maar dan is het eigenlijk te laat: overdaad aan humor en overbodig veel aandacht voor lichamelijke liefdesaspecten maken het lastig het verhaal nog serieus te nemen.
Deon Meyer zet zijn personages prima neer en daar waar het belangrijk is voor het verhaal gaat hij de diepte in. De lezer leert met name inspecteur Mat Joubert kennen, al blijft diens karakter ondoorgrondelijk - mooi gedaan door de auteur! Ook brigadier Bennie Griessel met zijn 'probleempje' wordt opgevoerd. Zowel Joubert als Griessel komen in latere boeken van Meyer terug.
Meyer slaagt erin mij alsnog te overtuigen met ‘Feniks’, al ligt het zwaartepunt wel heel erg achterin. De verhaallijnen monden na vele verwikkelingen en zijwegen uit in een zeer acceptabele ontknoping.
‘Feniks’ is in 1996 geschreven, maar leest als een boek van de tijd van nu, met dien verstande dat gsm's en pc's niet meedoen.
Uiteindelijk ben ik tevreden over ‘Feniks’, maar het is niet top. De boeken die Meyer hierna geschreven heeft zijn een klasse beter!
Deon Meyer zet zijn personages prima neer en daar waar het belangrijk is voor het verhaal gaat hij de diepte in. De lezer leert met name inspecteur Mat Joubert kennen, al blijft diens karakter ondoorgrondelijk - mooi gedaan door de auteur! Ook brigadier Bennie Griessel met zijn 'probleempje' wordt opgevoerd. Zowel Joubert als Griessel komen in latere boeken van Meyer terug.
Meyer slaagt erin mij alsnog te overtuigen met ‘Feniks’, al ligt het zwaartepunt wel heel erg achterin. De verhaallijnen monden na vele verwikkelingen en zijwegen uit in een zeer acceptabele ontknoping.
‘Feniks’ is in 1996 geschreven, maar leest als een boek van de tijd van nu, met dien verstande dat gsm's en pc's niet meedoen.
Uiteindelijk ben ik tevreden over ‘Feniks’, maar het is niet top. De boeken die Meyer hierna geschreven heeft zijn een klasse beter!
June 8, 2014
PROTAGONIST: Captain Mat Joubert
SETTING: Capetown, South Africa
RATING: 4.0
WHY: DEAD BEFORE DYING introduces Captain Mat Joubert and his colleagues (notably, Benny Griessel) of the Capetown police. A serial killer using an ancient German handgun is on the loose, and the detectives are unable to make a connection between the victims. At the same time, there is a bank robber who may be linked to the crimes. JOubert is an interesting creation, a man struggling to overcome the murder of his wife, Lara, two years earlier--and there's more to that story than expected. He's overweight and smokes too much and is forced to see a psychologist by his new boss. Meyer does a good job of balancing the personal and professional aspects of Mat. Although too much time is spent on establishing the victims' connection, the resolution is satisfying.
SETTING: Capetown, South Africa
RATING: 4.0
WHY: DEAD BEFORE DYING introduces Captain Mat Joubert and his colleagues (notably, Benny Griessel) of the Capetown police. A serial killer using an ancient German handgun is on the loose, and the detectives are unable to make a connection between the victims. At the same time, there is a bank robber who may be linked to the crimes. JOubert is an interesting creation, a man struggling to overcome the murder of his wife, Lara, two years earlier--and there's more to that story than expected. He's overweight and smokes too much and is forced to see a psychologist by his new boss. Meyer does a good job of balancing the personal and professional aspects of Mat. Although too much time is spent on establishing the victims' connection, the resolution is satisfying.
December 10, 2012
Feniks is helemaal niet te vergelijken met het 5-sterren verhaal '13 uur' van Deon Meyer. Feniks is in mijn ogen wel een 'aardig' boek, maar geen boek om nog lang over na te praten en aan te raden aan anderen. Leuk om gelezen te hebben maar mee rook niet eigenlijk. Een verhaal dat overschaduwd wordt door een overmatige hoeveelheid seks, iets wat het verhaal niet nodig heeft en ook zeker niet zorgt voor een betere beoordeling. Dit is een boek dat niet slecht is maar ook niet goed. Dus gewoon 3 sterren wat mij betreft voor Feniks. Snel op naar een volgend boek ;).
July 29, 2011
Captain Mat Joubert of Capetown, South Africa, has several problems he must solve. First of all, there is a polite bandit holding up the Premier Banks. He always compliments the bank clerks as he is robs them. Second, and more pressing, is the seemingly random murders of various men in town -- all killed by an old German handgun. On top of this, Joubert must cope with the recent loss of his wife, Lara, and his new boss who wants Joubert to straighten himself out or look for another job.
July 21, 2015
Voilà une 1ère rencontre avec Deon Meyer qui s'est pour le moins soldée sur une excellente appréciation !
C'est autant pour l'ambiance, les personnages et l'évolution de la double enquête que j'ai été captivée par ma lecture. En somme, on a là un livre au suspense entraînant, avec une réelle profondeur dans l'analyse psychologique du personnage principal et un dénouement pour le moins inattendu.
Bon point pour cette alléchante introduction !
C'est autant pour l'ambiance, les personnages et l'évolution de la double enquête que j'ai été captivée par ma lecture. En somme, on a là un livre au suspense entraînant, avec une réelle profondeur dans l'analyse psychologique du personnage principal et un dénouement pour le moins inattendu.
Bon point pour cette alléchante introduction !
February 22, 2015
i enjoy the heck out of deon meyer and i really think of him as a really, really good mystery writer, but i like him better nowadays, when he has dropped most of the sexism. all this commenting on women's physical attractiveness is a major pain in the neck. still, i wish his novels were inexhaustible.
May 24, 2012
Wer den Schreibstil von Deon Meyer mag, wird auch dieses Buch mögen. Ich hab 13 Stunden zuerst gelesen und daher fällt meine Bewertung für dieses Buch leider etwas geringer aus, weil's im direkten Vergleich defintiv nachhinkt.
July 21, 2016
Die Benny-Griessel-Reihe ist verdammt stark, aber dieses Buch mit Mat Joubert in der Hauptrolle (Griessel spielt hier nur eine untergeordnete Nebenrolle) ist ebenfalls famos!
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