A Death in the Family

Detective Kubu #5

by Michael Stanley

"There's no easy way to say this, Kubu. Your father's dead. I'm afraid he's been murdered."

Faced with the violent death of his own father, Assistant Superintendent David 'Kubu' Bengu, the smartest detective in the Botswana police, is baffled. Who would kill such a frail old man? Kubu's frustration grows as his boss, Director Mabaku, bans him from being involved in the investigation.

The picture becomes even murkier with the apparent suicide of a government official. Are Chinese mine-owners involved? And what role does the US Embassy have to play?

Set amidst the dark beauty of modern Botswana, A Death in the Family is a thrilling insight into a world of riots, corruption, and greed, as a complex series of murders presents the opera-loving detective with his most challenging case yet. When grief-stricken Kubu defies orders and sets out on the killers' trail, startling and chilling links emerge, spanning the globe and setting a sequence of shocking events in motion. Will Kubu catch the killers in time?

Genres: Mystery, Africa, Fiction, Crime, Botswana, Procedural, Cultural

368 pages, Hardcover

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

Michael Stanley is the writing partnership of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. Michael lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Stanley in Minneapolis.
We have travelled extensively in southern Africa and have a special love of Botswana, where our detective novels are set.
Detective Kubu investigates complex murders in his native land, justifying his nickname by his size and tenacity (Kubu is Setswana for hippopotamus).

Kubu's faces powerful people and an escalating chain of murders in his first adventure - A Carrion Death.

Next a confluence of events leads to murders whose roots lie hidden in the past, in The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu (A Deadly Trade outside north America).

The third Detective Kubu mystery, Death of the Mantis, has the plight of the Khoi-San (Bushmen) of the Kalahari as its backstory. Death of the Mantis was a finalist for an Edgar and won the Barry Award.

Deadly Harvest, the fourth Detective Kubu mystery, has as its backstory the use of human body parts for magic potions (called muti). Based on a true story, Detective Kubu and the first female detective in Botswana's CID, the young Samantha Khama, try to resurrect a number of cold cases in which young girls have gone missing. Deadly Harvest was a finalist for an International Thriller Writers award.

A Death in the Family (Kubu #5) has as its backstory the ramifications of corruption as the Chinese try to take over some of Botswana's rich mineral deposits. However the story starts with Kubu's elderly father being murdered. Despite his pleas, Kubu is kept off the case because of his personal involvement. However he keeps trying to solve it on his own.

In Dying to Live (Kubu #6) a Bushman is found dead, with internal organs far younger than his chronological age and a bullet embedded in his abdominal muscles with no entry wound. Dying to Live is a story of greed and the lengths people will go to attain immortality and make their fortunes.

Facets of Death is a prequel set in the late 1990s when Kubu first joins the Botswana CID as a raw detective. While he’s trying to build a role for himself in the CID, a massive diamond heist takes place on the road from Jwaneng — home of the world’s richest diamond mine. The robbers systematically eliminate all the witnesses, and then they are killed by the South African police, leaving the detectives with nothing to go on.

Kubu and Mabaku are sure they can solve the case if only their contacts can stay alive long enough. However, when one of the mine’s senior managers becomes the next victim, they are forced to set a trap for the crime’s mastermind. If it fails, their careers are over – in Kubu’s case before it’s even begun.

The latest mystery, A Deadly Covenant, takes place shortly after Kubu joins the Botswana Police Service and just after the diamond heist of Facets of Death.

While building a pipeline near the Okavango Delta, a contractor unearths the skeleton of a long-dead Bushman. Kubu and Scottish pathologist, Ian MacGregor, are sent to investigate, and MacGregor discovers eight more skeletons.
Then an elder of the nearby village is murdered at his home. The local police believe it was a robbery, but Kubu thinks otherwise. So does a strange woman who claims it was an angry river spirit. The situation gets more confusing when the strange woman is found dead, apparently killed by a crocodile.

Assistant Superintendent Mabaku joins them as accusations of corruption are levelled and international outrage builds over the massacre of the Bushman families. But how do the recent murders link to the dead Bushmen, if at all? As Kubu and his colleagues investigate, they uncover a deadly covenant and begin to fear that their own lives may be in danger.

The young Kubu’s second big case mixes local mythology and tradition with smart police work to make for a satisfyingly immersive mystery that begs resolution until the last, unpredictable moment.

Shoot the Bastards (Dead of Ni

Reviews

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Death in the Family" is the fifth in the Detective Kubu series set in Botswana, South Africa and my third foray into these exciting and hugely entertaining stories. As international thrillers go you'd be hard pushed in my opinion, to find a better series to indulge in. The author Michael Stanley (South African born writing duo Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip) have created a top notch and totally compelling Botswana police series, that is both atmospheric, gripping and utterly loveable.
Assistant Superintendent David Bengu, affectionately known as Kubu - which translates to hippo for his size and tenacity - loves his good food and fine wine. He is devoted to his family, wife Joy, children Tumi and Nono and his wonderful loving parents. However, when his elderly, early on-set Alzheimer's father is brutally murdered, he finds himself sidelined from his most important case so far. Grief stricken and frustrated at not being able to participate in investigating his father's death he does his usual trademark policing, following his hunches and getting into trouble with the Director of the Botswana CID, Jacob Mabaku, a regular and likeable character to the Kubu series. When Kubu is sent to America to attend a seminar, his experiences with the airport security is an absolute hoot and I loved reading his thoughts at being in a different country, so alien to what he is used to, thoroughly brilliant. As always the author incorporates important issues effecting the country, including political corruption and in this case, mineral and rare earth exploitation, whilst keeping the traditional cultures to Botswana in the story too. All the characters in this series are so endearing and you can't help but be drawn into their lives and feel totally connected to them immediately. I was saddened though, that a prominent and likeable character in Wilmon Bengu was killed off but reading how Kubu and the whole community dealt with the trauma and his search for his killer made for an excellent thriller and probably my favourite in the series yet.
I have the sixth and next book "Dying to Live" and can't wait to read that one too, I highly recommend this series of fabulously written and intelligent thrillers (though any can be read as a standalone) - they are an absolute joy to read and you will instantly fall in love with the very unique and original Detective David 'Kubu' Bengu!

A massive 5 stars!!


Paperback version reviewed.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent addition to the Detective David "Kubu" Bengu series. When his father is stabbed to death, Kubu cannot stay away from the investigation, with his ego trumping common sense. Meanwhile, there is trouble in a mining town as the elders consider whether to allow expansion and relocation of residents, which went badly the last time, antagonizing the young and unemployed. When the #2 government mining official ends up dead, an apparent suicide, Kubu finally finds a distraction from his misery, and quickly determines the death was not accidental, and he sets off the find the murderer. Meanwhile, major trouble ensues in the mining town, when the elders decide not to accept the Chinese mining company's offer. Kubu comes back from a police conference in NY, inspired to find the truth, and restore his prodigious appetite.

[Nerdish Mum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance e-book copy of A Death in the Family by Michael Stanley directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.

A Death in the Family is the fifth outing for Detective Kubu and is written by Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip (known together as Michael Stanley). I always find it mind boggling when more than one person has written a book as to how they can get on and make their ideas work together and yet these two are on their fifth book.

I've never read a Kubu book before but the synopsis sounded great and was exactly what I was in the mood for reading, When the weather turns cooler and autumn arrives, I love a good crime book. This book centres around the murder of Kubu's father and murders related to a mine expansion in a small town called Shoshong. We follow Kubu as he deals with the grief of losing his father and trying to keep away from that investigation (and failing) while trying to concentrate on the murder of an official and the troubles in Shoshong,

The story was really well written and full of twists and turns which worked perfectly without feeling shoehorned or pasted together. The characters are all really well formed and I really loved Kubu, he felt very real and you felt his emotions with him. His relationship with his family and his mother is portrayed beautifully as well and it was nice to see a strong family that loved each other and got on with each other, Seeing a detective with a wife and family that was together was really good to see for a change, I think my favourite character however is Jacob Mabaku, the Director of the Botswana CID. He is exactly the kind of boss you want, someone who respects you but is willing to put you in your place when it's needed. He came across as a really nice man but a complete badass,

Before reading this my knowledge of Botswana was a complete zero. Throughout the book I learnt so much about the country and about its culture, and it incredibly interesting. I felt that all the cultural references and explanations fit smoothly into a crime novel and it really gave a sense of the country the book is set in. I also think the fact the Kubu in Setswana (one of the languages spoken in Botswana) means hippopotamus is fantastic, it fits the character so perfectly, I definitely want to look into finding out more about this part of Africa in the future.

My only niggle about the book is that the bad guy felt a little stereotypical or cardboard cutout - actually I think I might go with panto villain, I wanted to scream "he's behind you" a few times. But really this doesn't take away from how well the rest of the book is written and how well thought out and plotted the storyline is.

Overall a really interesting and enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone even if like me you haven't read a Detective Kubu book before, you can very easily just jump in on this book. I personally will also be seeking out the earlier books to read in the future.

I give this book 4.5 Stars

A Death in the Family is out on October 27th 2015.

This review was originally posted to my blog http://lifeofanerdishmum.blogspot.co.uk/

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am loving this series!!! Detective Kubu is just such a likeable character that it’s hard not to enjoy these books. Having read Deadly Harvest I was excited to read the next installment.

A Death in the Family opens with a bit of a shock. Kubu’s dad, Wilmon, has been murdered. I loved his character in Deadly Harvest, so I was a bit sad to read that this stoic, strong man had been killed. I felt a huge array of emotions for Kubu too. It’s not difficult to see the love and respect he had for his father and it’s hard to read about his sadness.

Once I started reading, I was hooked. Being transported back to Botswana was a welcome change for me, and it really is like catching up with old friends when you read books in a series. Especially in this one because Kubu, Joy, Nono and Tumi are such a loving family and the way these books are written almost make you feel like you’re a part of the family too. There is a coziness to the Detective Kubu series that you don’t get with other books and I love it!

A Death in the Family is about Kubu’s grief and anger about his father, but there is so much more going on in the book. There is corruption, greed, power and retribution also runing through the book. Interwoven together beautifully, the authors have yet again provided an excellent novel that most certainly ticks the Sunshine Noir box.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Death in the Family (in the least morbid way possible!!!) and I would definitely recommend it!

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Booktrail locations: Death in the Family

This is only the second book I’ve read in the series but I feel as if I’ve known Kubu for ages. I felt a gamut of emotions with this book from sadness to fear as it was an eye opener in many ways to Botswana culture, looking at how death and its aftermath and how the local community come together but are still separated between male and female duties and expectations

I really felt for poor Kubu!

I also really enjoyed learning about the mining storyline – we all have some idea of how local people in countries such as Botswama suffer from the foreign companies and corrupt politicians when it comes to local resources. Definately a country in transition as well as a detective in inner turmoil.

There’s a lot going on in this novel – it’s not just the mines where there’s digging and buried things being discovered.

The story surrounding Kubu really pulled at my heartstrings and I thought it made for interesting read having two investigations with Kubu at the heart of both, albeit in different ways.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite this only being my second read in this exceptional series, set in modern day Botswana, the writing duo of Michael Stanley (Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip) have already established a firm place on my 'must read' list. The star of this series is the endearing and passionate Assistant Superintendent David 'Kubu' Bengu, a man with a remarkably big appetite for food, opera music, his family and ensuring that justice is served. Kubu's focus is all about improving the lives of his fellow natives and the inherent good of the man ensures he is excellent company!

When the Director of Botswana CID awakens Kubu with the tragic news that his elderly and frail father, Wilmon, has been the victim of a murder, the Bengu family are grief stricken and the community is shocked to the core. When an opportunistic mugging appears unlikely, Director of CID, Jacob Mabaku's first thought is that this could be a targeted attack to take revenge on Kubu, whilst Kubu himself fears the early stages of Alzheimer's could have seen his father become aggressive with the wrong person. Director Mabaku assigns the case top-priority and the members of Botswana CID are determined to do Kubu proud. Before the autopsy is even over, a ransacking at the Bengu family home leads Kubu to think that his father clearly had something of value to someone and his refusal to cease his own, off-the-record investigation, sees him jeopardising both his career and his sanity. The unidentified calls to Wilmon's mobile raise more questions and the knowledge that he met a man in Mahalapye, where his ancestors hailed from, sends Kubu on the trail of his half-uncle. Alas, with dead ends aplenty, will the murderer ever be revealed? Can the Botswana CID triumph without Kubu's trademark flashes of inspiration and honed intuition?

In a bid to keep Kubu occupied, Mabaku assigns him responsibility for a suspicious suicide of the deputy of the Department of Mines, Goodman Kanele. What is his connection to the American mining representative and the unidentified deposits that have recently appeared in his bank account? When the American gent is assaulted it leads Kubu to the take a closer look at the proposed mine expansion in the village of Shoshong. The decision on which proposal to give the green light to is down to the kgotla (an assembly consisting of the tribal chief and elders which attempts to operate on behalf of the community), and the tensions between young and old in the village are threatening to boil over. When the initial enquiries seem to hint at corruption at the highest level and implicate members of the nations own civil service, proving this turns out to be an entirely different matter. As inroads are made with this investigation, connections to the murder of Wilmon Bengu begin to loom and hint at a web of deceit and intrigue which is far darker than either Kubu or Botswana CID are prepared for.

The importance of the older members of society is recognised in Botswana, both in terms of the importance of parents to grown adults with their own children, and the concept of the extended family. Elders are venerated and this is clearly evidenced by the existence of the kgotla, the traditional decision making set-up in small towns. Considering whether this system can work alongside a national legal system based on English law and in contrast to the majority of democratic countries is just one of the points that Michael Stanley touch on in A Death in the Family.

An intrinsic part of the appeal of this series in the strong focus on characterisation and despite being only my second read I feel such a connection with the Bengu family and Kubu's colleagues. With a quirky cast, both in the community and the CID department, most notably pathologist Ian MacGregor and Detective Samanatha Khama, the focus is on realistic individuals, complete with flaws and idiosyncrasies that makes them all the more believable. Despite the dark themes, often gritty and eye-opening, there is a real 'feel good' element to this series which brims with optimism for the future and focuses on tackling problems and promoting understanding. The emphasis on wholesome good humour in an often corrupt economy is a great counter. The Batswana wear their heart on their sleeves and tensions can often run high and this exceptional series is all the better for it!

The included map of Botswana showing the principal placement of towns and the surrounding countries, along with the glossary ensures both hardened readers of the series and new readers alike can enjoy A Death in the Family to the optimum!

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An amazing book from Michael and Stanley, amazing for its contradictions and irony.
Detective Kubu is an assistant superintendent with the Botswana police. In this mystery, Kubu's elderly, early-onset Alzheimer father is murdered for no apparent reason. The village of Shoshong, like a lot of small towns in Iowa and Botswana, is in decline, with no decent employment for your men. There's a proposal to expand the local Uranium mine, it would be a hog operation in Iowa, but there's some question whether the expansion will help the village or hurt it. Throw in corruption, profit, secrets, a bunch of cardboard-cutout greedy Chinese and more murder, and you have a mystery although not much tension or drama.
Wait. Is this set in Iowa or Botswana? Here's the really amazing thing: Michael and Stanley totally eschew description. No scenes, no scenery, no buildings, no rooms, no streets, no people, no smells, no sounds, no sights, no nothing! It's like evil editing elves (EEE, like the shoe size) grabbed the manuscript and excised every reference that could have set the scene in Botswana instead of, say, Iowa.
I've never been to Botswana. I don't know what it looks like. This book made me feel as though I was right there in Cresco, Iowa, a town I have been to. I could see the four-wheel drive pickups, smell the faint hog manure scent from outside of town, watch the government clerks lounge in the shade beside the gothic courthouse on their lunch break.
So that's what my imagination filled in: familiar scenes, since Michael and Stanley chose to give me absolutely nothing to make me feel like I was Africa. What is so bizarre and ironic about this is: the mystery is rather ordinary and the prose a bit sub-average. The only reason this series exists is for the exotic setting, which is entirely missing! Ha! They told the publisher they were writing an exotic-setting mystery, and the publisher bought it without checking!
Really, read Tony Hillerman and be transplanted to the Navaho reservation in the southwest. Read Kent Krueger and be transplanted to the north woods of Minnesota. Read Michael and Stanley and be transplanted to meaningless words on a page land.
I have to wonder if the other Kubu mysteries are like this, or if they left the settings and descriptions out just for this one.
I will not need to find out.

[Carolien · Rating 4 out of 5]

One evening Kuku's world is turned upside down when he, the detective, gets the call he himself so often had to make to the family of victims his gentle father has been stabbed to death in a deserted road. Kubu is told to stay off the case and focus on the murder-made-to-look-like- suicide of a civil servant in the mining department. I enjoyed this instalment very much. Kubu is such a lovely character.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even thought this is the fifth book in the series, I do think the books work quite well as stand alone novels.

I absolutely love Kubu. He come's across as being quite a big gentle giant and the relationship between him and his wife Joy is something I will never tire of reading. There is a lot of of love between the two of them and I love how he usually is always in Joy's bad books but that's because she really cares about Kubu and wants nothing to happen to him.

The death of Kubu's father totally knocks Kubu as well as leaving him and his family totally devastated, especially as he has been murdered.

Kubu is very much a force to be reckoned with in this story, gone is the laid back man as he is hell bent on finding his fathers murderer. Obviously as he is quite close to the case he is sent off to investigate the death of a government official. This sees Kubu travelling to America.

What I love about some of the characters in this series is that the authors make them so endearing. Reading of Kubu in America was like watching a child waking up on Christmas morning. Even though he is there on a case the authors allow us to see through the eyes of someone from quite a rural country coming to America for the first time. I have to say it made me laugh as well as my heart going out to this proud man.

A Death In The Family is yet another highly enjoyable read with a really intriguing story line that keeps the readers interest throughout. This really would make a great television series and I love being transported Botswana where it's all set.

My thanks to Karen at Orenda for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This latest Detective Kubu Mystery is a gem, although the Botswana assistant superintendent of its CID is one frustrated detective throughout most of the novel. At the start, his father is killed by a lethal knife wound, and Kubu is told by his boss to take a week off and stay away completely from the investigation. But can he? Of course not. Especially when no progress seems likely as the case progresses. Will he compromise the case, should the culprit be apprehended?

Then another case seems to take precedence, when a Chinese company seeks to expand a mine by dispossessing most of the inhabitants of the village of Shoshong and razing their homes. When the village chief turns down the deal, rioting occurs and he is murdered. Also the deputy head of the Department of Mines is discovered asphyxiated in his car, an apparent suicide. Kubu thinks all the events are related, and the plot develops from there.

This is the fifth in the series written by these authors who have combined their names as one. Each has been an engrossing and intricate mystery, while reflecting life in today’s Botswana. This latest novel shows Kubu as a troubled son, but a professional and able detective, deeply involved in his family.

Highly recommended.

[Marina Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts with a family tragedy and ends up as a much more entangled, complicated tale of international corporate interests and corruption. The scenes of Kubu in the US were perhaps not strictly speaking necessary, but they were funny.

[Gingercat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Orenda books for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

A Death in the Family is the fifth book in the Detective Kubu series but can certainly be read as a standalone novel.

Assistant Superintentant David ‘Kubu’ Bengu is Botswana CID’s best detective. After many years of crime-solving, Kubu finds himself on the other side of the desk, so to speak, when his father is found murdered. Understandably devastated by the loss of his father, Kubu struggles with the knowledge that he is not allowed to be involved in the investigation into the murder.

The tale takes us from small town Botswana and all the way to bright lights of New York, whilst Kubu ignores instruction from his superiors and tries to find the answers he needs to put his father’s death behind him.

Kubu is a fantastic character. A big and gentle family man, he is certainly a force to be reckoned with – a man who lets nothing stop him from digging away until the truth is revealed. This is not your average flawed hero, but rather a normal man with a good job and a nice family. The supporting characters are all equally well-developed and well-placed by the author.

I though the writing style was absolutely perfect for this book. There is a gentle laid-back tone to the tale, which is contrary to the frantic nature of a lot of detective stories, yet it does not detract from the seriousness of the storyline in any way. There is also an underlying humour to the books which I very much appreciated. From Kubu’s love of food to his views on big-city New York and a level of cold that he could not have appreciated before, there were parts of this tale which certainly left me smiling.

I loved reading about Botswana and found myself, on several occasions, putting the book aside whilst I checked online on some aspect of Botswana geography or history mentioned within the book. The author provides some vivid descriptions of a warm and welcoming country where modern coincides with tradition and where there seems to be a gentler pace to life. On a slightly darker note, the authors also give the reader a fascinating glimpse into the corruption and greed found in the dark underbelly of Botswana society.

The plotline is well-developed and had a good flow, making for a very interesting and believable story. There are several threads to the tale, which adds a level of complexity to the story. Those thread are obviously well thought-out by the author and neatly tie together by the end of the book to give the reader a satisfactory conclusion to the tale. I also enjoyed the police procedural aspect to the tale and found it interesting to read how the different investigations linked together.

I have heard A Death in the Family described as ‘sunshine noir’. I had to look up this term and it fittingly was the description given by Icelandic crime writer, Ysra Sigurdardottir, for another of Michael Stanley’s books “Under the African Sun” and is further described as “dark stories that take place in the blinding sunshine or withering heat”. That certainly seems applicable here and I would say that A Death in the Family is a great example of sunshine noir.

A Death in the Family is a hugely enjoyable and intelligent read with an interesting storyline that kept me gripped from beginning to end. I am very keen now to get my hands on a few more of Michael Stanley’s books and to read a bit more about Detective Kubu. I would certainly recommend this book to one and all!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Death in the Family is book 5 in the Detective Kubu series written by brilliant writing team, Michael Stanley (Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip).

It’s so good to have Kubu back! At the start of August I had my first introduction to the very likeable Assistant Superintendent David ‘Kubu’ Bengu when I reviewed the wonderful Deadly Harvest. If you missed that review, you can check it out by clicking here. I was so looking forward to catching up with the man affectionately named ‘hippo’ once again and I was not disappointed! It was a joy to read this book so soon after Deadly Harvest as the characters and the stunning setting of Botswana, were still fresh in my mind.

Assistant Superintendent Bengu receives a call in the middle of the night telling him that his father is dead. A parent passing is bad enough but Kubu’s world crumbles when he discovers his father has been murdered. He’s keen to start working on the case but Director Mabaku puts a halt on any involvement immediately. Instead Kubu is tasked with investigating the apparent suicide of a government official. Elsewhere the people of Shoshong are on the brink of catastrophe. Having been offered jobs, the young men are keen to encourage the expansion of the local Chinese-run mine, but the Chief and Elders are more concerned about upholding tradition. Anger starts to build and is set to erupt with explosive consequences. Chock full of suspense, intrigue and corruption; will Kubu manage to find the cause of the official’s death, and more importantly, can he discover who killed his elderly father…?

I was surprisingly saddened by Kubu’s father’s death, having only met him once before in Deadly Harvest. He seemed like such a kind gentle man that I found his murder quite unsettling (I’d read the back of the book and was fully expecting it – maybe I’m just a softie!). I fell a little more in love with Kubu this time around, despite him being a relatively normal kind of guy and not my usual dark and dangerous detective. You find out a lot more about him and what makes him tick in this book. My feelings towards Samantha Khama haven’t changed one iota, I still dislike the woman! She really doesn’t do herself any favours in my eyes. So I was rather pleased that Kubu was a touch colder towards her.

The plot was clever, intricate and interesting throughout. My husband studied geology at university so we had a lovely chat about mining for minerals and rare earth elements (he chatted, I listened…I’m still none the wiser!).

I’m still amazed that two people can write so well together yet make it sound like one voice. Just goes to show what fantastic writer’s Mr Sears and Mr Trollip are!

Would I recommend this book? I most certainly would. I think it works well as a standalone. I, however, enjoyed it more because the characters and the landscapes were familiar to me. A cleverly written police procedural which is full of mystery and suspense featuring some wonderful characters – what’s not to love?

Four out of five stars.

Many thanks to Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for providing me with a copy of A Death in the Family in exchange for an honest review.

[Elite Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable detective story

Faced with the violent death of his own father, Assistant Superintendent David 'Kubu' Bengu is baffled. Who would kill such a frail old man? Kubu's frustration grows as his boss, Director Mabaku, bans him from being involved in the investigation. The picture becomes even murkier with the apparent suicide of a government official. Are Chinese mine-owners involved? And what role does the US Embassy have to play?

This is the fifth instalment of the author's Detective Bengu series and I enjoyed it very much without having read the previous four books. Set amidst the dark beauty of modern Botswana, it is a thrilling insight into a world of riots, corruption and greed. When Kubu defies his orders and sets out on the killers' trail, startling and chilling links emerge, spanning the globe and setting a sequence of shocking events in motion. Kubu has to do this in conjunction with investigating murders relating to a mine explosion in a small local town.

The story line and characters were very well developed and it was a breath of fresh air for a leading character to be normal and not have a dysfunctional family or several skeletons in the closet. I really bonded with Kubu and his relationship with his boss was one of the best features of this book. I also enjoyed the author's descriptions of Botswana, and it led me to reading up a little about that country, of which I know very little.

The investigation in A Death in the Family is a very complex one with many threads, and it was fascinating to read about those threads being woven into a satisfying conclusion. The facts the writing team called Michael Stanley (Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip) include in the story are fascinating and kept me reading at a good pace. In conclusion, this is yet another author that I have not heard of but have really enjoyed their book and I would recommend this one to all readers of crime fiction, especially those who prefer the story set away from the UK or the US.

Digger 95

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

[Spuddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, REALLY hope this is not the last in the Detective Kubu series! This one is a very heart-rending and personal story for Assistant Superintendent David "Kubu" Bengu, who works in CID out of Gabarone, Botswana, in which he is awakened in the middle of the night to be told that his father has died--and worse, has been brutally murdered. Kubu's father, an aging man in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, was his hero and they were very close, so imagine his dismay when he is instructed to have nothing to do with the investigation--although he knows on an intellectual level that it is only right and proper.

When he returns to work a week later, he must then deal with the apparent suicide of an official at the Department of Mining, which at least gives him something to immerse himself into--especially when the suicide theory is thrown out by evidence gained at the autopsy. But the murder of his father and lack of progress is always at the back of Kubu's mind, and he longs to just dive in and apply his long years of experience to the case.

A great story on both a personal level and professional as well, with lots of interesting information imparted to the reader throughout the course of the book. It's no secret to people who know my taste in books that I prefer police procedurals set in foreign lands to those set in America, where it seems guns and forensics have taken over from actual thinking and brain power to solve most of the crimes. Plus, since the authors of these foreign-based mystery series are usually either natives to that country or have at least spent a long time living there, I find I learn a LOT just by reading them. This series is set in the same locale as the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, but is not as cozy--you get a sense of the seedier side of Gabarone and environs. I like both series--they're just different. Will continue to be on the lookout for the next book in this series...I hope it materializes soon!

[Paul Allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective novel set in Botswana but for Kudu, this time it's personal!
The fifth in the series but the first for me, this detective story takes place in Botswana with Detective Kudu at the centre of the story. The plot involves several murders and some corruption in high places regarding a mining project.
The characters are well-defined but the book could have been shorter: it's a bit drawn-out in the first half then accelerates towards the end. Enjoyable enough without being overwhelming and not particularly dark - which makes a pleasant change nowadays.
I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a basic but entertaining detective novel. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Shabnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an early reviewer I had the pleasure of reading my first Detective Kubu Mystery. I was familiar with Botswana through another series which I feel served to train me to appreciate Michael Stanley's series all that much more.

The premise is set up well as the detective is having to face the murder of his father. Without giving away too much the dialogue and plot do well to carry the action forward and keep the reader engaged. There were a few times I read into the wee hours of the night.

The characters are not only believable but come alive. The writing is tight yet not at all formulaic. It was my first Detective Kubu novel but certainly not my last.

Highly recommended!

[Cynthia Pratt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hoped to enjoy this because of the setting of Botswana. While it was quite an involved mystery and the characters were interesting, I had expected a different approach to crime solving more in touch with the community and more charismatic detective. I probably will try another of these books at some time but better ones are calling me now.

[Moushumi Ghosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first full length Michael Stanley novel featuring Inspector Kubu. I adored the idea of a Botswanaian police procedural that steps away from the philosophical Mma Ramotswe mysteries. All the characters are well etched. The different strands of the same story come together at the end. Read because you love post colonial African detective fiction.

[Cybercrone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so disappointed that this was the last book in the series, but when I wrote the authors on another matter, they said that there was a new one in the works and it would be out in July in the UK and in October in the US.

So glad as it was a neat series and getting better all the time.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kubu is amazing every time.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the Detective Kubu books, but in general feel that they go on and on. This book seemed to be especially long. I think that some good edits wouldn't have hurt the story in the least, and could have saved the reader from feeling bogged down midway through the mystery.

Still, as I am a fan of this series I wouldn't have wanted to miss it.

[Vallery Feldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read and enjoyed the other books with Detective Kubu. This one felt flat. I'm generally not a fan of authors killing of family members of the protagonist. What was missing was the wonderful sense of place that are in the previous books. The story felt disjointed and not up to their usual standard.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

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The authors manage to combine a tragic murder with traditions and customs of Botswana creating an intriguing read. The setting isn't described as much as I would have liked, however, the details of traditions and customs filled the deficit.

The reader senses the frustration and profound grief of law enforcement professional David 'Kubu' Bengu as his father is tragically murder and he is barred from participating in the murder investigation. Kubu balances personal and professional obligations as he wades through grief and shock. I loved the closeness he shared with his mother, he's by her side as they both navigate sorrow. Exploring family life during tragedy gives the main protagonist dimensionality, he struggles with emotions while exhibiting strength, if you have suffered a loss you will find Kubu's reaction and challenges realistic. His mettle is tested as he watches from the sidelines as his professional peers rally together in finding the killer, he stumbles and rises as he is rendered professionally helpless.

The plot gains momentum, twists appear towards the end along with blindspots. A few scenarios were more than obvious, however, the predator wasn't revealed until many pieces fell into place creating a level of tight mystery. Interesting plot especially as the story unfolds, Kubu's charm and warm personality serves as the cog of the story, he's endearing and his loss is clearly felt. A few smooth moves from the police force boosts the story.

Fans of foreign mysteries with a robust main protagonist, sprinkled with comedic relief along side an affecting murder, you'll want to venture into this fascinating series.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This mystery, #5 in the series featuring Botswana policeman David "Kubu" Bengu, was just plain excellent. It was a well-plotted police procedural that allowed the reader to fully follow the Botswana crime-solving process, which is similar to that in the US.

In this installment, the reader learns about the kgotla system for making decisions in the many small villages of Botswana, under which each village is run by a tribal chief and elders. And we find out that mining in Botswana goes well beyond diamonds into various strategic minerals sought after around the world.

What starts as a single murder - the murder of Kubu's father - grows into an attempted knifing, a questionable suicide, and finally, a riot at a kgotla resulting in 9 deaths. There's a lot of action to follow and the author manages it all beautifully.

I originally started following this series because I'm so enamoured of the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency books By Alexander McCall Smith, but this book provides a different view of Botswana that I really enjoy. I smiled when I found a scene in the book in which Kubu meets a friend in a bookstore where he's looking for a copy of the first #1 Ladies' Detective Agency mystery.

It's also interesting that the author of these books is not one person, but two: Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip; hence Michael Stanley. Keep writing, gents, you're really good at it!

[Kwei Quartey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 5th novel in Michael Stanley's Detective Kubu series set in Botswana, one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most promising nations. This time, tragedy strikes Asst. Superintendent David Kubu Bengu when his own father is murdered. What follows is a very frustrating time for Kubu as his irascible boss Mabaku bars him from any participation in the investigation because of Kubu's obvious closeness to the victim. I certainly felt the frustration myself. On the one hand I understand Mabaku's wanting to make it a clean break, but I felt he could have nuanced it somewhat. Of course, as anyone who reads Kubu knows, nuance is not Mabaku's strong point.

Like the other Kubu novels, this one is multi-pronged and complex, involving Chinese miners, government officials and village chiefs, and the way it ties up the connections to the initial murder is something the Michael Stanley duo (Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip) does very well. Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, the story does include some hilarious scenes, in particular Kubu trying to fit his hulking body into a hotel bathroom.

Sears and Trollip tell the story with obvious affection for Botswana and have stimulated my interest in visiting that country (along with another promising African country, Rwanda.)

[Wildlifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hook is an essential for any good novel—how it start and keeps a leader keep on reading it.

“Wake up, Kubu!” Joy shook him. “Wake up. It’s the phone. It’ll be for you.”
Kubu shook his head trying to orient himself back to reality.
“Okay. Okay,” he grumbled, and stretched over to pick up the phone next to his bed.
“Bengu.” His voice came out like a hoarse whisper. He cleared his throat.
“Bengu.” This time he recognized his own voice.
“Kubu, this is Jacob Mabaku. I have some bad news.”
Kubu sat up, trying to think which of his cases could have blown up so badly that the director of the Criminal Investigation Department had to call in the middle of the night.
“What’s going on, Director?”
“There’s no easy way to say this, Kubu. Your father’s dead. I’m afraid it wasn’t natural causes. He’s been murdered.”

My view on any good novel, it has to shed light on a certain subject/matter which will live a read educated on the matter: i liked the passage where A professor was educating Detective Kubu about rare earth minerals and how Chinese a fighting to take control of the industry;

MIDAFTERNOON, KUBU decided that he’d had enough of the conference and headed back to his hotel. As soon as he squeezed into his room, he picked up the phone and dialed directory assistance. After struggling to negotiate the automated menu, he eventually was connected to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and asked for Professor Cretchley. Surprisingly, the professor was in his office.
Kubu reminded Cretchley of their meeting, and they enjoyed some small talk before Kubu asked him what he thought of the future of nuclear power and the potential for starting a new uranium mine. Cretchley’s answer was direct: “I’d put my money elsewhere,” he said. “There’s a chance that uranium will rebound, but there’s growing sentiment against the use of nuclear power due to the tragedy in Fukushima.”
“What about gold and diamonds?” Kubu asked.
“Gold is on a downward slope at the moment, but there is a good chance it will recover over the next few years,” Cretchley said. “As for diamonds, starting a new mine now would be very risky. The big mines in Botswana have already cut back on production, and they could ramp up quickly if demand grew.”
“Can you think of anything in Botswana that could get both an American company and a Chinese company so excited that they might be willing to go to extremes to get hold of it?”
There was a pause as Cretchley thought about the question. “Well, a really large deposit of almost anything could be worth a lot of money,” he said, “but the only deposit I’d be excited about would be rare earths. The issue would be grade. High-grade prospects, especially of the so-called heavy rare earths, would be significant. There are a couple of new mines being developed in South Africa, which used to be one of the world’s important producers. Can you tell me where we’re talking about?”
“An existing uranium mine near Shoshong in east central Botswana wants to expand, and there’s a group from Texas, I believe, who want to start a new mine in the same area. The Americans have told me that their interest is uranium. But there seems to be too much excitement for just uranium.”
existing uranium mine near Shoshong in east central Botswana wants to expand, and there’s a group from Texas, I believe, who want to start a new mine in the same area. The Americans have told me that their interest is uranium. But there seems to be too much excitement for just uranium.

Cretchley was quiet for a few moments. “I seem to recall that a couple of rare-earth prospects are being investigated north of Francistown. That’s pretty much right where you’re talking about.”
Kubu felt a twinge of excitement. “But what are these rare earths? I haven’t heard about them.”
“Well, you’re obviously not in the minerals business! Actually, the name’s a bit of a misnomer because most of these elements aren’t rare at all. The problem with them is that they aren’t often concentrated sufficiently to make mining them economical. And there’s a big demand because they’re used in all the important industries these days. Batteries for green energy. Phosphors for long-life lights. For computer screens and smartphone screens. You get the picture. This is a big deal.”
“So they’re really valuable?”
“It’s more than that. They’re hard to get. Ninety-five percent comes from China these days, and the Chinese watch them like a hawk.”
Now Kubu was getting really interested. “The Chinese have most of these minerals?”
“Indeed. And they’re not shy about throwing their weight around.”
Kubu frowned. “But then they wouldn’t be interested in a prospect in Botswana, would they?”
“On the contrary. They want to control the market. In 2011, they imposed export quotas on their rare earths, and the prices rocketed. And they’re clamping down hard on illegal exports. It’s the sort of thing you get executed for. A lot of businesses were forced to move to China to get access to them. And guess who’s partnered in the new South African development.”
“The Chinese?”
“Exactly right. So they’d be very interested in a new discovery in Botswana. Especially if it were a rich one.”
“And,” Kubu mused, “I guess you people would be very interested in a big new source not from China?”
“Certainly would.” He paused, then continued, “Rare earths are often found in proximity to uranium, so it’s a real possibility. If that’s what they’ve found, I’m not surprised they’re doing everything they can to get their hands on them.”
“That might also explain why they’re talking about uranium, wouldn’t it? They wouldn’t want anyone to know about it.”
“That’s right. If your Department of Mines knew, they’d work out a joint-venture type of arrangement like it has with De Beers—where the country really benefited from what was mined—in an open market.”
They chatted for a few minutes, and after he’d thanked the professor for his time and insights, Kubu hung up. He was now convinced that the presence of rare earths would be a powerful reason for what had happened—the murder of Kunene and the attack on Newsom, the apparent corruption within the Department of Mines, and the riot at the kgotla in Shoshong.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery set in Botswana. Kubu's father is killed and he is told he can't participate in the investigation. He does and keeps getting reprimanded. He then is assigned the death of a government official and it ends up being tied into his fathers murder. There is a mine in the area that wants to expand and it would displace a lot of local villagers and the villagers are split whether to let the mine expand or not. The chief is murdered and some elders. The clues lead to either the mine executives or the chief's son. All the murders are connected.
Kubu is dealing with trying to solve the murders and deal with his feelings of grief. Well written with some important issues effecting this country. Good descriptions of local traditions and the clash between traditions and modern life.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read one of these, but I'd forgotten the stark contrast between this depiction of Botswana, as a nation as flawed as most others, and that if Alexander McCall Smith, whose Botswana is idyllic, full of polite, respectful people who might succumb to greed, bad judgment, or witchcraft from time to time, but not much worse than that. In the Botswana of detective Kubu Bengu, all manner of nasty things are afoot, including political corruption, mineral exploitation, foreign influence and manipulation, not to mention multiple murders, some of them very close to home. This is not a terribly bleak depiction of this sunny land, but a reminder that even a country full of good people can fall prey to bad influences.

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Kubu, dislike stereotyping of Chinese people in Botswana

This series reminds me fondly of what it was like to live in Gabs for five months. But, the plot in this novel in particular hinges on racist caricatures of Chinese people. Botswana is proud of its history of anti-racism in the face of neighboring South Africa's ApartHate. This book made me very aware that the authors are not Batswana at all, but South African and White. Retired professors should know better. Stereotype US Americans all you like — in comedy, that's called "punching up." We White Americans deserve it. Might as well all be CIA, and look who we vote for? But think twice before you spread racism against people of color.