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Mat Joubert #1.5
Dead at Daybreak
An antiques dealer is burned with a blow torch, then killed, execution-style - a single shot to the back of the head with an M16. The contents of the safe are missing and the only clues are a scrap of blank paper and the unusual weapon used, the choice of mercenaries, not burglars. Now ex-cop Zatopek 'Zed' van Heerden has fourteen days in which to fill in the blanks in this dead man's past - a past which only seems to begin in 1983...Set against the backdrop of a society on the verge of breakdown, "Dead at Daybreak" spins the reader from the lush suburbs of Capetown, to a gripping climax in the searing heat of the Veldt.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
134 people are currently reading
856 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
March 23, 2023
ORION - DEAD AT DAYBREAK
Deon Meyer ha creato una comunità di personaggi che si intrecciano o sfiorano o frequentano: poliziotti, guardie del corpo, ex poliziotti, gente che vive a Città del Capo, persone/personaggi che ha introdotto sin dalle sue prime opere, per poi far crescere, o invece relegare a margine, in base a scelte creative che sono seguite.
Per esempio, qui il protagonista è Zatopek van Heerden, ex poliziotto, che ritroveremo professore di psicologia come comprimario in Proteus - The Heart of the Hunter - Codice Cacciatore.
Romanzo nel quale il protagonista è Thobela Mpayipheli, che in questo Il sapore del sangue viene introdotto, raccontando l’inizio dell’amicizia con van Heerden.
E, sempre qui, appare il poliziotto Matt Joubert, che sarà protagonista di Feniks - Dead Before Dying - Doppio colpo/La lista del killer, e poi comprimario di Benny Griessel in altre storie.
Un’umanità che s’impara a conoscere, ad apprezzare, alla quale ci si affeziona, con buona partecipazione emotiva da lettore.
”Cape Town” la serie tv in sei episodi tratta da questo romanzo nel 2016.
Anche questa volta si tratta di una ricerca contro il tempo, elemento in cui Deon Meyer sa destreggiarsi sapientemente: il time lock, si sa, funziona a meraviglia al cinema e in questo genere di narrativa - l’ansia per lo scorrere del tempo che provano i personaggi delle pagine e dello schermo si trasmette alla perfezione al lettore/spettatore.
Ma la lotta contro il tempo dei personaggi non mette fretta a Meyer, non gli impedisce di prendersi i suoi tempi: per esempio, anche questa volta, i personaggi sono descritti a fondo nella loro psicologia, nel loro aspetto emotivo e mentale, senza trascurare quello fisico.
Ne vengono fuori ritratti convincenti, credibili, affascinanti.
L’attore norvegese Trond Espen che interpreta Mat Joubert insieme a Deon Meyer.
Meyer usa la prima persona per narrare flash back che ricostruiscono la vita di Zatopek van Heerden, e diventa narratore classico in terza persona quando si attiene agli eventi in corso (e in corsa).
Con il progredire delle pagine il passato si avvicina al presente fino a convergere, a diventare un tutt’uno.
Meyer è maestro nel riuscire a inserire all’interno della narrazione le varie descrizioni, anche geografiche, gli spiegoni, gli antefatti: li introduce per bocca dei suoi personaggi, attraverso documenti, li rende ossatura del racconto, non le solite appendici noiose ma necessarie cui ci hanno abituato tanti scrittori di genere non all’altezza del sudafricano (autentico afrikaaner).
E poi il Sudafrica, personaggio memorabile, grandioso protagonista.
Deon Meyer sulle location della serie.
Deon Meyer ha creato una comunità di personaggi che si intrecciano o sfiorano o frequentano: poliziotti, guardie del corpo, ex poliziotti, gente che vive a Città del Capo, persone/personaggi che ha introdotto sin dalle sue prime opere, per poi far crescere, o invece relegare a margine, in base a scelte creative che sono seguite.
Per esempio, qui il protagonista è Zatopek van Heerden, ex poliziotto, che ritroveremo professore di psicologia come comprimario in Proteus - The Heart of the Hunter - Codice Cacciatore.
Romanzo nel quale il protagonista è Thobela Mpayipheli, che in questo Il sapore del sangue viene introdotto, raccontando l’inizio dell’amicizia con van Heerden.
E, sempre qui, appare il poliziotto Matt Joubert, che sarà protagonista di Feniks - Dead Before Dying - Doppio colpo/La lista del killer, e poi comprimario di Benny Griessel in altre storie.
Un’umanità che s’impara a conoscere, ad apprezzare, alla quale ci si affeziona, con buona partecipazione emotiva da lettore.
”Cape Town” la serie tv in sei episodi tratta da questo romanzo nel 2016.
Anche questa volta si tratta di una ricerca contro il tempo, elemento in cui Deon Meyer sa destreggiarsi sapientemente: il time lock, si sa, funziona a meraviglia al cinema e in questo genere di narrativa - l’ansia per lo scorrere del tempo che provano i personaggi delle pagine e dello schermo si trasmette alla perfezione al lettore/spettatore.
Ma la lotta contro il tempo dei personaggi non mette fretta a Meyer, non gli impedisce di prendersi i suoi tempi: per esempio, anche questa volta, i personaggi sono descritti a fondo nella loro psicologia, nel loro aspetto emotivo e mentale, senza trascurare quello fisico.
Ne vengono fuori ritratti convincenti, credibili, affascinanti.
L’attore norvegese Trond Espen che interpreta Mat Joubert insieme a Deon Meyer.
Meyer usa la prima persona per narrare flash back che ricostruiscono la vita di Zatopek van Heerden, e diventa narratore classico in terza persona quando si attiene agli eventi in corso (e in corsa).
Con il progredire delle pagine il passato si avvicina al presente fino a convergere, a diventare un tutt’uno.
Meyer è maestro nel riuscire a inserire all’interno della narrazione le varie descrizioni, anche geografiche, gli spiegoni, gli antefatti: li introduce per bocca dei suoi personaggi, attraverso documenti, li rende ossatura del racconto, non le solite appendici noiose ma necessarie cui ci hanno abituato tanti scrittori di genere non all’altezza del sudafricano (autentico afrikaaner).
E poi il Sudafrica, personaggio memorabile, grandioso protagonista.
Deon Meyer sulle location della serie.
September 4, 2021
A different sort of book from South African author Deon Meyer. It is different in that it is the story of Zet Van Heerden, a former South African police office who quits the force due to emotional issues and works as a down and out private detective. The action begins on Page 1, as he is jail after a drunken night ended in a brutal beating he took from 4 men in a bar. Nonetheless, an attorney gets him released and takes him to the office of a female attorney who has a problematic case that must be solved in 7 days. The book is divided into sections relating to each day prior to what is called D-Day as well as the events on that day.
The case is fascinating, although Zet wallows in self-pity for about half of the time. A man was found tied to a chair. He was tortured by a blowtorch and then killed with a US automatic weapon. Not only that, his walk-in vault was opened and everything in there was removed, including a Will that left the property to his live-in girlfriend of 14 years who knows little or nothing about the case.
Interspersed with the action of this case are alternating chapters revealing the backstory of Zet Van Heerden. From childhood, to his parents, to why he became a policeman, to his rise and fall in the force. It is quite a ride that Meyer takes us on and, as always, he fills the book with wonderful characters and details. By the end of the book we understand Zet, the motives behind the crime, as we follow a trail of blood, guts, murder, as well as a 25-year old secret. If politics makes strange bedfellows then so does Zet Van Heerden as he uses all possible resources to catch a killer!
The case is fascinating, although Zet wallows in self-pity for about half of the time. A man was found tied to a chair. He was tortured by a blowtorch and then killed with a US automatic weapon. Not only that, his walk-in vault was opened and everything in there was removed, including a Will that left the property to his live-in girlfriend of 14 years who knows little or nothing about the case.
Interspersed with the action of this case are alternating chapters revealing the backstory of Zet Van Heerden. From childhood, to his parents, to why he became a policeman, to his rise and fall in the force. It is quite a ride that Meyer takes us on and, as always, he fills the book with wonderful characters and details. By the end of the book we understand Zet, the motives behind the crime, as we follow a trail of blood, guts, murder, as well as a 25-year old secret. If politics makes strange bedfellows then so does Zet Van Heerden as he uses all possible resources to catch a killer!
January 18, 2025
DEAD AT DAYBREAK was the first Deon Meyer novel that I read, and it made me a lifelong fan of the author. I remember being wowed by the book, and I remembered that it was the first time that Tiny Mpayipheli appeared in one of Meyer’s books, but that’s all I remembered. I first read it more than 20 years ago, so this is a second reading.
The novel’s main protagonist is Zatopek (Zet) Van Heerden, a former SAP police officer who now works as a private investigator. Zet is a broken man, constantly drinking and fighting, and the story progresses in alternating chapters, between his narration of how he became a damaged man, and the private investigation that begins with him being hired to find a will. The will was stolen after a man was tortured to death and everything was stolen from his private vault.
So initially the story moves slowly, as a psychological study of how a man can fall into despair over what he has done—what caused Zet’s personal demons is not revealed until the end of the autobiographical sequence. Alternating with Zet’s memoirs are the details of the concurrent investigation, which slowly become more complex when he discovers that the murdered man was living under an assumed name.
As the investigation into the identity of the dead man becomes more intriguing, Zet is told that his beloved mother will be harmed if he doesn’t stop his inquiries. Tiny enters the story around the 65% point, after which the investigation begins to move more quickly; there is more violence, and more murders.
It is a psychological study of guilt, and of revenge. Of men who were broken by South Africa’s past military history during apartheid, and of those who survived it. It is a picture of South Africa just before the year 2000, and how it was coping at that time with the end of apartheid.
Unfortunately, the piece that explains how the apartheid-era military past led to the murderous rampage that Zet investigated was presented at the end of the novel in the form of a written confession, and this would feel like a letdown to readers without a good knowledge of that past history. Even I, who understood the history, felt letdown by this ending. It should have been a scene, not a narrative described in a written note.
But the rest of the story is superb. So a 4.5 star rating, upped to 5.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for some other books by Deon Meyer:
Dead Before Dying
Trackers
Heart of the Hunter
The Last Hunt (Benny Griessel #6)
The Dark Flood (Benny Griessel #7)
Leo (Benny Griessel #8)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The novel’s main protagonist is Zatopek (Zet) Van Heerden, a former SAP police officer who now works as a private investigator. Zet is a broken man, constantly drinking and fighting, and the story progresses in alternating chapters, between his narration of how he became a damaged man, and the private investigation that begins with him being hired to find a will. The will was stolen after a man was tortured to death and everything was stolen from his private vault.
So initially the story moves slowly, as a psychological study of how a man can fall into despair over what he has done—what caused Zet’s personal demons is not revealed until the end of the autobiographical sequence. Alternating with Zet’s memoirs are the details of the concurrent investigation, which slowly become more complex when he discovers that the murdered man was living under an assumed name.
As the investigation into the identity of the dead man becomes more intriguing, Zet is told that his beloved mother will be harmed if he doesn’t stop his inquiries. Tiny enters the story around the 65% point, after which the investigation begins to move more quickly; there is more violence, and more murders.
It is a psychological study of guilt, and of revenge. Of men who were broken by South Africa’s past military history during apartheid, and of those who survived it. It is a picture of South Africa just before the year 2000, and how it was coping at that time with the end of apartheid.
Unfortunately, the piece that explains how the apartheid-era military past led to the murderous rampage that Zet investigated was presented at the end of the novel in the form of a written confession, and this would feel like a letdown to readers without a good knowledge of that past history. Even I, who understood the history, felt letdown by this ending. It should have been a scene, not a narrative described in a written note.
But the rest of the story is superb. So a 4.5 star rating, upped to 5.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for some other books by Deon Meyer:
Dead Before Dying
Trackers
Heart of the Hunter
The Last Hunt (Benny Griessel #6)
The Dark Flood (Benny Griessel #7)
Leo (Benny Griessel #8)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 3, 2012
The country of South Africa is the exotic and fascinating background to Deon Meyer's thrillers. His books are filled with names and places in the Afrikaans and traditional languages: Mzimkhulu, Mpayipheli, Van Heerden, de Jager, Groote Schur, Gerhardus Basson. I loved trying to pronounce these words. They sound so beautiful and rare in my attempts at verbalization. The book also deals with contemporary issues in South Africa, especially racism. Mr. Meyer has again created a top level thriller with Dead at Daybreak. After reading Blood Safari, which I loved, I decided to read all of Mr. Meyer's thrillers.
This novel is about several things - - a lost will, a lost man and an event that occurred thirty years ago that is leaving dead men in its wake today. Zet Van Heerden is a former police officer who has spent the last several years in a drunken haze, fighting and brawling as he tries to escape his personal demons. After a night in jail, a friend rescues him and sets him up with a job as a private investigator for a female attorney who is trying to find a missing will. Zet lives a lonely life. His main interests, when he's not drinking, are cooking and listening to classical music -- especially Mozart and Beethoven., Zet is very close to his mother who is a famous South African artist. As Zet chases down the will, a conspiracy unfolds, leaving many dead men in its wake and putting those close to Zet at risk.
Concurrent with the thriller's narrative, the story of Zet's personal history unfolds. Every other chapter in the book is a chapter in Zet's memoirs. We watch Zet grow from his childhood into the man he is today. We understand how he came to believe that all of us are evil, that we carry badness within us. We watch as Zet searches for the perfect woman only to be foiled over and over again. We come to really know him and his demons.
Thrillers are ubiquitous. How does a reader find the truly exceptional ones - - those worth reading. Once way is to pay attention to reviews. This is a fantabulous book, one that came up to my every expectation. I plan to read the rest of Meyer's books and hope they're all as good as the first two I've read.
This novel is about several things - - a lost will, a lost man and an event that occurred thirty years ago that is leaving dead men in its wake today. Zet Van Heerden is a former police officer who has spent the last several years in a drunken haze, fighting and brawling as he tries to escape his personal demons. After a night in jail, a friend rescues him and sets him up with a job as a private investigator for a female attorney who is trying to find a missing will. Zet lives a lonely life. His main interests, when he's not drinking, are cooking and listening to classical music -- especially Mozart and Beethoven., Zet is very close to his mother who is a famous South African artist. As Zet chases down the will, a conspiracy unfolds, leaving many dead men in its wake and putting those close to Zet at risk.
Concurrent with the thriller's narrative, the story of Zet's personal history unfolds. Every other chapter in the book is a chapter in Zet's memoirs. We watch Zet grow from his childhood into the man he is today. We understand how he came to believe that all of us are evil, that we carry badness within us. We watch as Zet searches for the perfect woman only to be foiled over and over again. We come to really know him and his demons.
Thrillers are ubiquitous. How does a reader find the truly exceptional ones - - those worth reading. Once way is to pay attention to reviews. This is a fantabulous book, one that came up to my every expectation. I plan to read the rest of Meyer's books and hope they're all as good as the first two I've read.
February 10, 2018
Unusual but very good Police procedural by a Cape Town author recommended by a Goodreads.com librarian . For the first 3/4 of the book I had rated it at 4.154 , but the last 50 pages or so seemed like a rater frantic effort to close the intricate web of characters and circumstances he had wrought . This volume had been written in 2000 , so I suspect he has refined his close in later books .
I intend to read more by this author and would recommend him to anyone who likes this genre .
I intend to read more by this author and would recommend him to anyone who likes this genre .
February 8, 2022
2,5⭐️
Im Jahr 2000 rausgekommen- liest sich angestaubt.
Expolizist mit ich bin nix Wert Attitüde - Vergangenheit von Kindheit bis zum traumatisierenden Vorfall wird neben dem Fall den er als Privatdetektiv annimmt miterzählt (Verhältnis 50/50)
Bis zur Hälfte noch recht ansprechend : 3⭐️ Niveau.
Stellte sich sich dann raus,dass 30-40% der Rückblenden unnötig waren. Die gesamte Vergangenheit trägt nix zum aktuellen Fall bei.
Gegen Ende mischt ne weitere Partei mit, alles ganz geheim und was ganz Großes.
War zwar ne fiese Sache die aufgedeckt wurde, der Weg dahin sehr schlampig.
Klischees noch und nöcher, keine tiefere Psychologie, alles recht lahm( trotz der vielen Leichen am Ende).
Das Ding hat 2 Preise in Frankreich bekommen!
Der Bereich der angeblich die politischen und gesellschaftlichen Probleme in Südafrika aufzeigen soll und so gut einfangen sei, hat sich vor mir versteckt. Kurze Passagen ja, aber das war als würd ich Dir nen kleinen Punkt am Himmel zeigen und sagen :“ jetzt hast nen Flugzeug gesehen“ 🙄
Lest Fever von Deon Meyer, das war wirklich großartig!
Im Jahr 2000 rausgekommen- liest sich angestaubt.
Expolizist mit ich bin nix Wert Attitüde - Vergangenheit von Kindheit bis zum traumatisierenden Vorfall wird neben dem Fall den er als Privatdetektiv annimmt miterzählt (Verhältnis 50/50)
Bis zur Hälfte noch recht ansprechend : 3⭐️ Niveau.
Stellte sich sich dann raus,dass 30-40% der Rückblenden unnötig waren. Die gesamte Vergangenheit trägt nix zum aktuellen Fall bei.
Gegen Ende mischt ne weitere Partei mit, alles ganz geheim und was ganz Großes.
War zwar ne fiese Sache die aufgedeckt wurde, der Weg dahin sehr schlampig.
Klischees noch und nöcher, keine tiefere Psychologie, alles recht lahm( trotz der vielen Leichen am Ende).
Das Ding hat 2 Preise in Frankreich bekommen!
Der Bereich der angeblich die politischen und gesellschaftlichen Probleme in Südafrika aufzeigen soll und so gut einfangen sei, hat sich vor mir versteckt. Kurze Passagen ja, aber das war als würd ich Dir nen kleinen Punkt am Himmel zeigen und sagen :“ jetzt hast nen Flugzeug gesehen“ 🙄
Lest Fever von Deon Meyer, das war wirklich großartig!
June 20, 2017
my third book from this south African author. The characters are well set, the explanation for the murder are to be found in the past. I enjoyed reading this novel but the end is a bit disappointing : you have the feeling the author was willing to be done with it and took a shortcut.
February 5, 2021
Marvellous Meyer
If I could rate the book 10 stars, it would be a more accurate depiction than the 5***** above! I have now read most of Meyer's books, but this one kept me completely fixated and on the edge of boyish exhilaration. From the first page to the last, a gripping story cleverly told by a master story writer; blending action, suspense, sex and mystery, leaving me wanting more and more, to the point where I could not put the book down. I also particularly loved the involvement of other prominent characters (Tiny and Mat Joubert) within this novel. It was a superb read; I thoroughly enjoyed every page!
If I could rate the book 10 stars, it would be a more accurate depiction than the 5***** above! I have now read most of Meyer's books, but this one kept me completely fixated and on the edge of boyish exhilaration. From the first page to the last, a gripping story cleverly told by a master story writer; blending action, suspense, sex and mystery, leaving me wanting more and more, to the point where I could not put the book down. I also particularly loved the involvement of other prominent characters (Tiny and Mat Joubert) within this novel. It was a superb read; I thoroughly enjoyed every page!
May 14, 2018
6 Tage habe ich gebraucht um das Hörbuch 'Tod vor Morgengrauen' mit einer Länge von fast 13 Stunden durch zu hören. Sprecher Sven Philipp kannte ich bisher noch nicht, hat mir aber sehr gut gefallen. Seine Stimme ist sehr angenehm und ist nie eintönig, was bei einem solch langen Hörbuch wirklich von Vorteil ist.
Der Plot wird in zwei Erzählsträngen erzählt, einmal geht um das Verbrechen. Zum anderen wird über den Lebensweg des Ermittlers erzählt. Es ist spannend, aber das Buch lebt von der Erzählkunst des Autors. Mir hat es gefallen auch wenn er so manchmal sehr vom eigentlichen Fall abschweift und über ein Footballmatch berichtet. Schwer getan habe ich mir mit den vielen Personen, davon gibt es reichlich. Auch in den Zeiten wird viel gesprungen, hier kommt man allerdings gut mit.
Wer lange Schmöker mag dem sei das Hörbuch zu empfehlen.
noch mehr gute älter Hörbücher findet ihr hier:
https://hoerbuch-thriller.de/top-100-...
Der Plot wird in zwei Erzählsträngen erzählt, einmal geht um das Verbrechen. Zum anderen wird über den Lebensweg des Ermittlers erzählt. Es ist spannend, aber das Buch lebt von der Erzählkunst des Autors. Mir hat es gefallen auch wenn er so manchmal sehr vom eigentlichen Fall abschweift und über ein Footballmatch berichtet. Schwer getan habe ich mir mit den vielen Personen, davon gibt es reichlich. Auch in den Zeiten wird viel gesprungen, hier kommt man allerdings gut mit.
Wer lange Schmöker mag dem sei das Hörbuch zu empfehlen.
noch mehr gute älter Hörbücher findet ihr hier:
https://hoerbuch-thriller.de/top-100-...
April 26, 2015
3,5 sur 5. Une enquête policière en Afrique du Sud d'apparence "classique" du sombre Zatopek van Heerden met rapidement en lumière une histoire beaucoup plus complexe qu'appréhendée. Un meurtre, bien sûr, mais un meurtre au goût de diamants et de millions de dollars américains, d'un passé que les antagonistes veulent absolument taire et d'une suite de pertes de vie pour garder ce secret et préserver ce qui se cache dans le testament à trouver. Comme dans tout bon roman du genre, l'intrigue se trame autour d'un ex-policier torturé par son passé, brillant, mais au caractère exécrable. On garde l'intérêt tout au long du roman avec quelques moments où notre rythme cardiaque augmente. Suffisamment bon pour lire au deuxième Deam Meyer
November 4, 2014
This is really a 2.5'er, nothing really started happening til last 25% of book, and I just found myself not caring if any of the main characters (Zet or Hope or Joan) lived or not. The Nagel/Nonnie story line should have been brought forward. Not really worth reading I'd prefer another Mat book I think (though this one and his first Mat book are pretty much same story different names......)
December 11, 2019
Nice storyline, a few good characters and an unpredictable plot.
Lost one star for every time I rolled my eyes whenever a female character got mentioned...sadly that's getting very, very predictable...
Lost one star for every time I rolled my eyes whenever a female character got mentioned...sadly that's getting very, very predictable...
September 6, 2025
I’ll be honest: “Dead at Daybreak” is basically a Rebus novel in South African drag. Brooding PI with a busted past? Check. Loves his music, hates himself? Check. A murder that’s really just an excuse to dig through a nation’s history? Check. Then, of course, the over-the-top ending that feels like someone left the telly running on a bad action flick. All present and accounted for.
Still, Meyer can spin a yarn. The book’s dual-track structure works better than it should: one thread plodding through the investigation, the other spilling out Van Heerden’s messy backstory in first-person. Trouble is, that backstory is stuffed with every “troubled PI” cliché in the cupboard. Meyer clearly wants Zed to feel unique, but the booze, the angst, the romantic wreckage - it’s all worn down to a nub by decades of better crime fiction.
What saves the book is the South African setting. The way the country’s violent past looms over every clue, every suspect, every conversation is genuinely gripping. Post-apartheid trauma is baked into the bones of the case, and it gives the story a weight you wouldn’t find if it were transplanted to London or LA. For my money, those moments - the history creeping up on the present - are far more compelling than the murder itself.
The subplot about Van Heerden’s time as an academic is another surprise. It flickers with actual intelligence, hinting at what the novel could’ve been if it trusted its brains instead of defaulting to genre tricks. You almost get the sense Meyer wants to write something more ambitious, but doesn’t quite believe he’d get away with it.
Then you hit the final act, and it all goes to hell. Endless shoot-outs, cartoonish villains, explosions like it’s auditioning for the Die Hard franchise. After a promising slow burn, it descends into pure cliché. It’s sad to watch a book with real atmosphere torch itself in a hail of bullets.
The female characters don’t do it any favours either. Van Heerden’s mother is written like a saint on a plinth, while every potential love interest feels like a placeholder. They aren’t people, they’re functions. It’s the one part of the book that actually made me groan aloud.
And yet, it’s readable. Fast-paced, serviceable, sometimes even thoughtful. Meyer has a knack for dialogue, particularly when his characters chew over ego, evil, or gender. For a moment you almost forget you’re reading a genre thriller. He also knows how to make you care, at least a little, about these damaged people. That’s more than most writers in the field manage.
So, no, it’s not a masterpiece. It’s a solid, middle-of-the-road thriller with a few flashes of something more. Think of it as a decent pint at the end of a long day: not remarkable, not memorable, but satisfying enough. Three stars.
Still, Meyer can spin a yarn. The book’s dual-track structure works better than it should: one thread plodding through the investigation, the other spilling out Van Heerden’s messy backstory in first-person. Trouble is, that backstory is stuffed with every “troubled PI” cliché in the cupboard. Meyer clearly wants Zed to feel unique, but the booze, the angst, the romantic wreckage - it’s all worn down to a nub by decades of better crime fiction.
What saves the book is the South African setting. The way the country’s violent past looms over every clue, every suspect, every conversation is genuinely gripping. Post-apartheid trauma is baked into the bones of the case, and it gives the story a weight you wouldn’t find if it were transplanted to London or LA. For my money, those moments - the history creeping up on the present - are far more compelling than the murder itself.
The subplot about Van Heerden’s time as an academic is another surprise. It flickers with actual intelligence, hinting at what the novel could’ve been if it trusted its brains instead of defaulting to genre tricks. You almost get the sense Meyer wants to write something more ambitious, but doesn’t quite believe he’d get away with it.
Then you hit the final act, and it all goes to hell. Endless shoot-outs, cartoonish villains, explosions like it’s auditioning for the Die Hard franchise. After a promising slow burn, it descends into pure cliché. It’s sad to watch a book with real atmosphere torch itself in a hail of bullets.
The female characters don’t do it any favours either. Van Heerden’s mother is written like a saint on a plinth, while every potential love interest feels like a placeholder. They aren’t people, they’re functions. It’s the one part of the book that actually made me groan aloud.
And yet, it’s readable. Fast-paced, serviceable, sometimes even thoughtful. Meyer has a knack for dialogue, particularly when his characters chew over ego, evil, or gender. For a moment you almost forget you’re reading a genre thriller. He also knows how to make you care, at least a little, about these damaged people. That’s more than most writers in the field manage.
So, no, it’s not a masterpiece. It’s a solid, middle-of-the-road thriller with a few flashes of something more. Think of it as a decent pint at the end of a long day: not remarkable, not memorable, but satisfying enough. Three stars.
March 9, 2020
If you even “sort of” enjoy the mystery/crime novel genre, you should give Deon Meyer a try. If you’ve visited South Africa and are familiar with its colonial and modern history, even better. Meyer draws vivid characters who show there strengths and weaknesses in the midst of well constructed plots that offer a real sense of time and place.
I’ve just begun my relationship with Meyer’s writing (“Dead at Daybreak” is the third of his books I’ve read) and I know I have many hours of pleasurable reading ahead.
I’ve just begun my relationship with Meyer’s writing (“Dead at Daybreak” is the third of his books I’ve read) and I know I have many hours of pleasurable reading ahead.
July 7, 2019
Bien écrit mais pas ma "cup of tea"
Les chapitres sur la vie sexuelle de Zet m'ont ennuyé
Il m'a manqué le "sens of wonder" que j'avais ressenti dans sa série Benny Griessel malgré le thème d'actualité (exactions militaires, traumatismes, magouilles politiques)
+ beaucoup de descriptions inutilement longues (genre les détails exhaustifs quand il fait son café ...)
Bref, une déception en ce qui me concerne.
Les chapitres sur la vie sexuelle de Zet m'ont ennuyé
Il m'a manqué le "sens of wonder" que j'avais ressenti dans sa série Benny Griessel malgré le thème d'actualité (exactions militaires, traumatismes, magouilles politiques)
+ beaucoup de descriptions inutilement longues (genre les détails exhaustifs quand il fait son café ...)
Bref, une déception en ce qui me concerne.
February 23, 2019
Huh, olipa hyvä kirja!
Read
January 27, 2020gestopt met lezen op 25%. Compleet andere stijl dan de latere Bennie Griessel boeken. Geen spanning, geen leuke karakters.
April 27, 2025
• Slow burn
• Brilliantly woven plot
• Police procedural
• Dual timelines
• Gripping
• Thrilling
• Explosive ending
I loved Dead at Daybreak! Such an exciting way to finish off my Five Day Long Weekend Readathon 😄
• Brilliantly woven plot
• Police procedural
• Dual timelines
• Gripping
• Thrilling
• Explosive ending
I loved Dead at Daybreak! Such an exciting way to finish off my Five Day Long Weekend Readathon 😄
July 14, 2014
I very much enjoyed Blood Safari... but no so much this book.
The story takes place in South Africa. There are 3 story lines with different POVs.
There is the murder of Baby Marnewick, back in Zatopek's youth which he solves as a grown man and actually launches his police career.
What happened between Captain Zatopek van Heerden and his police partner Nagel (and Nagel's wife). And to his surprise, where he finds his inner evil.
Attorney, Hope Beneke hiring Zee to find the last will and testament for a totally clueless, femme fatale, Wilna van As. The last Will and Testament, along with US Dollars and other items in a safe belonging to her partner, Johannes Jacobus Smith (a.k.a. - Rupert de Jager). There are old letters from a past military action gone awry.
Not understanding some of the language and none of the politics, I was lost to much of the sub plot. Also got tangled up in the unfamiliar acronyms and nicknames for everyone.
I was fascinated by the story of the Xhosa Thobela Mpayipheli who trained in Russia. "My hate was bigger than his." I would have liked to hear more about him.
The story takes place in South Africa. There are 3 story lines with different POVs.
There is the murder of Baby Marnewick, back in Zatopek's youth which he solves as a grown man and actually launches his police career.
What happened between Captain Zatopek van Heerden and his police partner Nagel (and Nagel's wife). And to his surprise, where he finds his inner evil.
Attorney, Hope Beneke hiring Zee to find the last will and testament for a totally clueless, femme fatale, Wilna van As. The last Will and Testament, along with US Dollars and other items in a safe belonging to her partner, Johannes Jacobus Smith (a.k.a. - Rupert de Jager). There are old letters from a past military action gone awry.
Not understanding some of the language and none of the politics, I was lost to much of the sub plot. Also got tangled up in the unfamiliar acronyms and nicknames for everyone.
I was fascinated by the story of the Xhosa Thobela Mpayipheli who trained in Russia. "My hate was bigger than his." I would have liked to hear more about him.
January 10, 2019
Es gibt da so ein paar wenige, aber sehr gewichtige schwarze Flecken auf meiner Krimiliteraturkarte. Dazu gehören unter anderem Fitzek, der mich so gar nicht reizt, Mankell, den ich vielleicht mal irgendwann lese, aber auch Deon Meyer. Diesen schwarzen Fleck wollte ich zwar schon gerne länger von meiner Landkarte tilgen, doch wie es so ist, hat es bisher nicht geklappt. Wie schön, dass die Speziale mir oft Anlass geben, mich Autoren und Autorinnen zu widmen, von denen ich noch nichts gelesen habe. Und das ist auch gut so, denn ansonsten müsste ich mich jetzt ärgern, dass ich schon wieder nichts von Deon Meyer gelesen hätte und damit einen Meister seines Faches verpasst hätte.
Van Heerden, ein ehemaliger Polizist, der seinen Vornamen Zatopek aus naheliegenden Gründen nicht so sehr mag, wird von der Anwältin Hope Beneke engagiert, um das Testament des ermordeten Antiquitätenhändlers Johannes Jacobus Smit zu finden. Laut dessen Lebensgefährtin Wilna Van As vermacht Smit ihr in dem Testament Haus, Geschäft und Vermögen. Das Problem ist, dass seit dem Mord schon 10 Monate vergangen sind und Van Heerden nun nur noch 7 Tage bleiben, um das Testament zu finden, andernfalls fällt das Erbe an den Staat. Also macht sich Van Heerden auf eine fast aussichtslose Suche, die einfach beginnt, doch versteckt ein schreckliches Ereignis inne hat, welches zwar schon 20 Jahre vergangen ist, doch jetzt wieder seine Fühler ausgestreckt hat.
Van Heerden. Wie einige seiner Kollegen war er mal Polizist und schlägt sich jetzt so durch. Tatsächlich hat vor seinem Polizeidienst eine ordentliche akademische Karriere hingelegt und kennt sich mit der Psychologie von Tätern gut aus. Entgegen vieler anderer Schnüffler kann er dafür so gut wie nicht schießen. Aber er hat es. Er hat die Fähigkeit, Spuren zu erkennen und Zusammenhänge herzustellen. Er ist gut, aber er selbst denkt, er wäre kein guter Mensch. Durch seine Mutter, die eine recht bekannte Künstlerin in Südafrika ist, schlägt er ein wenig aus der Art, mag klassische Musik und kocht hervorragend. Doch weil er denkt, dass er kein guter Mensch ist, ist er aus der Polizei ausgetreten und schlägt sich so durch. Zwar trifft man ihn als erstes in einer Ausnüchterungszelle, doch Alkohol ist nicht sein Problem.
„Ein Privatschwengel, heilige Scheiße! Du warst mal gut.“ (S. 39)
Doch Van Heerden findet, er ist kein guter Mensch. Er hat den Sinn im Leben verloren, aber nichtsdestotrotz muss er sein Leben finanzieren, deshalb nimmt er den Auftrag von Hope Beneke an. Und lässt ihn fallen. Und nimmt ihn wieder an. Und lässt ihn wieder fallen. Und nimmt ihn wieder an, unwiderruflich. Er ist ein ungewöhnlicher Privatschnüffler, im Buch übrigens einmal „Privatschwengel“ genannt, aber sicher kein außergewöhnlicher. Doch die Tatsache, dass Van Heerden den Fall immer wieder los zu werden versucht, sorgte bei mir erst mal für Erheiterung. Doch der Fall packt nicht nur mich, sondern auch Van Heerden irgendwann und gemeinsam mit der ahnungslosen Hope, die wohl keinesfalls das erwartet hat, was auf sie zugekommen ist, macht er sich an die Arbeit.
Aufgeteilt ist das Buch in die 7 Tage, in denen das Testament gefunden werden muss, mit den jeweiligen Unterkapiteln. Dabei wird aber nicht nur die aktuelle Ermittlung von Van Heerden und Beneke erzählt, sondern Van Heerden erzählt, immer abwechselnd, wie er zu dem Menschen geworden ist, der er heute ist. Er beginnt bei der Kindheit, arbeitet sich durch seine Jugend, sein Studium, seine akademische Laufbahn, seinen Polizeidienst. Und dann, dann versteht man endlich, warum er so ist, wie er ist. Warum er denkt, dass er kein guter Mensch ist. Und vielleicht war er das in einer Sekunde nicht, doch dann sieht man ihn in der aktuellen Ermittlung und weiß, er ist ein guter Mensch.
„‘Ich sagte, nicht schlecht. Zwei Stunden und siebenunddreißig Minuten, nachdem wir Ihre Anfrage bekommen haben. Nicht schlecht für Schwarze, die nach afrikanischen Zeitvorstellungen arbeiten.‘ Und Ngwema kicherte leise vor sich hin.“ (S. 79)
Auch wenn wir uns in Südafrika befinden, sind die Hinweise auf Land und Kultur zunächst eher leise. Zum einen wird der Leser nicht direkt mit der Nase darauf gestoßen, doch auch der Fall, der sich zwar später noch ein wenig auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent ausdehnt, zeigt hauptsächlich Ermittlungen, die auch in jedem anderen Land hätten stattfinden können. Dies ist so, da die Tragweite des Falls um den ermordeten Antiquitätenhändler erst spät ans Licht kommt. Doch hier zeigt sich dann Südafrikas Vergangenheit, Militär und Geheimdienst tauchen auf, eine alte aber noch lange nicht vergessene Geschichte um Dollar und Diamanten taucht auf. Zuerst ist es nur eine Kleinigkeit, die auffällt, an der sich Van Heerden festhält und von da an weiter bohrt. Und Van Heerden nutzt die vierte Gewalt, die Presse, um die Täter aufzuscheuchen, heuchelt Wissen vor und schafft es, die Wespen aus ihrem Nest zu treiben. Doch Wespen werden nicht gerne aufgescheucht und so hat Van Heerden ein Finale vor sich, für dass er wohl vorher noch besser schießen hätte üben müssen.
Van Heerden ist definitiv ein Privatdetektiv, von dem ich gerne weitere Fälle lesen würde, doch wie es scheint ist Van Heerden kein „Serientäter“, denn „Tod vor Morgengrauen“ wurde schon im Jahre 2000 ursprünglich veröffentlicht und noch gibt es keinen weiterführenden Teil. Schade. Aber das hält mich natürlich noch lange nicht davon ab, mich nun den anderen Reihen des Autors zu widmen.
Fazit:
Privatschnüffler Van Heerden bietet ohne es zu wollen, eine hervorragende und spannende Ermittlung, derweil er im zweiten Erzählstrang Einblick in seine Vergangenheit gibt. Wunderbar erzählt, tiefgründig, packend und ein Lesegenuss!
Van Heerden, ein ehemaliger Polizist, der seinen Vornamen Zatopek aus naheliegenden Gründen nicht so sehr mag, wird von der Anwältin Hope Beneke engagiert, um das Testament des ermordeten Antiquitätenhändlers Johannes Jacobus Smit zu finden. Laut dessen Lebensgefährtin Wilna Van As vermacht Smit ihr in dem Testament Haus, Geschäft und Vermögen. Das Problem ist, dass seit dem Mord schon 10 Monate vergangen sind und Van Heerden nun nur noch 7 Tage bleiben, um das Testament zu finden, andernfalls fällt das Erbe an den Staat. Also macht sich Van Heerden auf eine fast aussichtslose Suche, die einfach beginnt, doch versteckt ein schreckliches Ereignis inne hat, welches zwar schon 20 Jahre vergangen ist, doch jetzt wieder seine Fühler ausgestreckt hat.
Van Heerden. Wie einige seiner Kollegen war er mal Polizist und schlägt sich jetzt so durch. Tatsächlich hat vor seinem Polizeidienst eine ordentliche akademische Karriere hingelegt und kennt sich mit der Psychologie von Tätern gut aus. Entgegen vieler anderer Schnüffler kann er dafür so gut wie nicht schießen. Aber er hat es. Er hat die Fähigkeit, Spuren zu erkennen und Zusammenhänge herzustellen. Er ist gut, aber er selbst denkt, er wäre kein guter Mensch. Durch seine Mutter, die eine recht bekannte Künstlerin in Südafrika ist, schlägt er ein wenig aus der Art, mag klassische Musik und kocht hervorragend. Doch weil er denkt, dass er kein guter Mensch ist, ist er aus der Polizei ausgetreten und schlägt sich so durch. Zwar trifft man ihn als erstes in einer Ausnüchterungszelle, doch Alkohol ist nicht sein Problem.
„Ein Privatschwengel, heilige Scheiße! Du warst mal gut.“ (S. 39)
Doch Van Heerden findet, er ist kein guter Mensch. Er hat den Sinn im Leben verloren, aber nichtsdestotrotz muss er sein Leben finanzieren, deshalb nimmt er den Auftrag von Hope Beneke an. Und lässt ihn fallen. Und nimmt ihn wieder an. Und lässt ihn wieder fallen. Und nimmt ihn wieder an, unwiderruflich. Er ist ein ungewöhnlicher Privatschnüffler, im Buch übrigens einmal „Privatschwengel“ genannt, aber sicher kein außergewöhnlicher. Doch die Tatsache, dass Van Heerden den Fall immer wieder los zu werden versucht, sorgte bei mir erst mal für Erheiterung. Doch der Fall packt nicht nur mich, sondern auch Van Heerden irgendwann und gemeinsam mit der ahnungslosen Hope, die wohl keinesfalls das erwartet hat, was auf sie zugekommen ist, macht er sich an die Arbeit.
Aufgeteilt ist das Buch in die 7 Tage, in denen das Testament gefunden werden muss, mit den jeweiligen Unterkapiteln. Dabei wird aber nicht nur die aktuelle Ermittlung von Van Heerden und Beneke erzählt, sondern Van Heerden erzählt, immer abwechselnd, wie er zu dem Menschen geworden ist, der er heute ist. Er beginnt bei der Kindheit, arbeitet sich durch seine Jugend, sein Studium, seine akademische Laufbahn, seinen Polizeidienst. Und dann, dann versteht man endlich, warum er so ist, wie er ist. Warum er denkt, dass er kein guter Mensch ist. Und vielleicht war er das in einer Sekunde nicht, doch dann sieht man ihn in der aktuellen Ermittlung und weiß, er ist ein guter Mensch.
„‘Ich sagte, nicht schlecht. Zwei Stunden und siebenunddreißig Minuten, nachdem wir Ihre Anfrage bekommen haben. Nicht schlecht für Schwarze, die nach afrikanischen Zeitvorstellungen arbeiten.‘ Und Ngwema kicherte leise vor sich hin.“ (S. 79)
Auch wenn wir uns in Südafrika befinden, sind die Hinweise auf Land und Kultur zunächst eher leise. Zum einen wird der Leser nicht direkt mit der Nase darauf gestoßen, doch auch der Fall, der sich zwar später noch ein wenig auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent ausdehnt, zeigt hauptsächlich Ermittlungen, die auch in jedem anderen Land hätten stattfinden können. Dies ist so, da die Tragweite des Falls um den ermordeten Antiquitätenhändler erst spät ans Licht kommt. Doch hier zeigt sich dann Südafrikas Vergangenheit, Militär und Geheimdienst tauchen auf, eine alte aber noch lange nicht vergessene Geschichte um Dollar und Diamanten taucht auf. Zuerst ist es nur eine Kleinigkeit, die auffällt, an der sich Van Heerden festhält und von da an weiter bohrt. Und Van Heerden nutzt die vierte Gewalt, die Presse, um die Täter aufzuscheuchen, heuchelt Wissen vor und schafft es, die Wespen aus ihrem Nest zu treiben. Doch Wespen werden nicht gerne aufgescheucht und so hat Van Heerden ein Finale vor sich, für dass er wohl vorher noch besser schießen hätte üben müssen.
Van Heerden ist definitiv ein Privatdetektiv, von dem ich gerne weitere Fälle lesen würde, doch wie es scheint ist Van Heerden kein „Serientäter“, denn „Tod vor Morgengrauen“ wurde schon im Jahre 2000 ursprünglich veröffentlicht und noch gibt es keinen weiterführenden Teil. Schade. Aber das hält mich natürlich noch lange nicht davon ab, mich nun den anderen Reihen des Autors zu widmen.
Fazit:
Privatschnüffler Van Heerden bietet ohne es zu wollen, eine hervorragende und spannende Ermittlung, derweil er im zweiten Erzählstrang Einblick in seine Vergangenheit gibt. Wunderbar erzählt, tiefgründig, packend und ein Lesegenuss!
June 13, 2010
Ca part pas très bien avec un ancien flic alcoolique et qui se traîne dans le dégoût de lui-même. Et puis ça prend petit à petit, on le voit remonter la pente à la faveur d'une enquête "de la dernière chance" tandis qu'en parallèle il déroule son autobiographie. Le côté sud-africain en toile de fond est présent sans être trop développé, Meyer n'insiste pas mais on voit bien qu'on n'est pas à L.A. Une bonne lecture au final sans être transcendante, ni pour le côté polar ni pour la peinture de l'Afrique du Sud.
April 18, 2011
Deon Meyer is een van my gunsteling skrywers, en die feit dat hy 'n Suid Afrikaanse, en Afrikaanse skrywer is, is net die kersie op die koek.
Orion se hoofkarakter - Zatopek van Heerden is 'n Afrikaanse oud-polisieman met 'n verlede wat hom teister. Meyer beskryf sy wroeging so raak.
Die feit dat ek tot 3 uur in die oggend deurgelees het, omdat ek dit eenvoudig nie kon neersit nie, moet 'n aanduiding wees van hoeveel ek die boek geniet het.
Orion se hoofkarakter - Zatopek van Heerden is 'n Afrikaanse oud-polisieman met 'n verlede wat hom teister. Meyer beskryf sy wroeging so raak.
Die feit dat ek tot 3 uur in die oggend deurgelees het, omdat ek dit eenvoudig nie kon neersit nie, moet 'n aanduiding wees van hoeveel ek die boek geniet het.
August 23, 2010
About a former police officer turned rowdy drunk who is hired to investigate the murder of a reclusive businessman. Lots of violence, lots of swearing, and a very unlikeable protagonist. It just wasn't one I wanted to stick with.
September 18, 2013
Den fand ich richtig gut, spannende Bücher macht der Herr Meyer!
December 27, 2016
More like 3.5 stars
Both storylines were gripping, but for my liking the one about van Heeren's past was told too long and therefore interrupted the current storyline way too much.
Both storylines were gripping, but for my liking the one about van Heeren's past was told too long and therefore interrupted the current storyline way too much.
December 8, 2017
Some interesting conversations about the nature of evil and about gender relations - in amongst the intense action of this thriller. Meyer writes so well - and turns a clear and baleful eye on the dark side of humanity. He also shares an authentic perspective on male sexuality and the attractions that can fly back and forth between men and women. As the blurb on the back says "this is a testosterone-infused thriller."
That this is one perspective on the darker side of life is mostly clearly articulated in this passage:
For me, this perspective about ego and narcissism is true - I can't deny the voice in my head that narrates "what will people say" about just about every action and decision I make. And it is not the whole truth. There are other motivations at the root and soul of what it is to be human that are about service and connection, about giving our gifts to a wider world. We catch glimpses of these even in this narrative - as our supposedly "evil" lead character shows that he has a warm and passionate heart even though he is devastatingly human and imperfect.
This is one of Meyer's first books. Reading it, I can see why and how he became so popular. Gritty, action-packed and suspenseful, and sex always in the air one way or another - yet so thoughtful and reflective at the same time. Uncovering apartheid's skeletons and holding a moderately positive perspective on transformation of the country. The thinking person's action thriller.
That this is one perspective on the darker side of life is mostly clearly articulated in this passage:
"...most of the decisions we make, if not all, are to feed the ego. The choice of a car, clothes, a suburb, friends, favourite drinks - all are aimed at creating a specific image for the world, to announce so that the world's perception can become a mirror to reflect ourselves and ... make us love the reflection.
For me, this perspective about ego and narcissism is true - I can't deny the voice in my head that narrates "what will people say" about just about every action and decision I make. And it is not the whole truth. There are other motivations at the root and soul of what it is to be human that are about service and connection, about giving our gifts to a wider world. We catch glimpses of these even in this narrative - as our supposedly "evil" lead character shows that he has a warm and passionate heart even though he is devastatingly human and imperfect.
This is one of Meyer's first books. Reading it, I can see why and how he became so popular. Gritty, action-packed and suspenseful, and sex always in the air one way or another - yet so thoughtful and reflective at the same time. Uncovering apartheid's skeletons and holding a moderately positive perspective on transformation of the country. The thinking person's action thriller.
May 4, 2025
I prefer reading Deon Meyer in the original Afrikaans, but getting hold of his Afrikaans paperbacks in Australia is prohibitively expensive, so I read Dead at Daybreak in the English translation.
What an amazing read! Meyer once again showed why he is not only, IMO, South Africa's top crime thriller writer, but why his works are so popular world-wide (they have been translated into no fewer than 28 languages!)
Dead at Daybreak (Orion in Afrikaans) shows Meyer at his brilliant best. The plot is tight, intriguing and with surprising twists, the tension gradually builds up, sweeping the reader along, and the characterisation is superb, as good as any to be found in classical literature. Zatopec van Heerden reminded me of Dostoyevsky’s Raskolnikov, minus the bipolar disorder of the latter. He is a complex man who is battling his own demons, while simultaneously having to combat the actual villains he encounters in his investigation, as well as having to relate to especially the women around him.
The novel introduces us to other unforgettable and equally well-crafted characters, ranging from a Cape Flats gangster to the enigmatic and troubled Kara-Ann Rousseau, from Van Heerden’s former partner Nagel to the initially innocent Hope Beneke (is her first name significant?).
The plot is divided between the third-person narrative of the events surrounding the investigation in the present, and the first-person story within a story of Van Heerden’s past. The two storylines are both extremely well presented and complement each other admirably.
An excellent read and I cannot recommend it highly enough. No wonder it won the French Prix Mystère de la critique.
What an amazing read! Meyer once again showed why he is not only, IMO, South Africa's top crime thriller writer, but why his works are so popular world-wide (they have been translated into no fewer than 28 languages!)
Dead at Daybreak (Orion in Afrikaans) shows Meyer at his brilliant best. The plot is tight, intriguing and with surprising twists, the tension gradually builds up, sweeping the reader along, and the characterisation is superb, as good as any to be found in classical literature. Zatopec van Heerden reminded me of Dostoyevsky’s Raskolnikov, minus the bipolar disorder of the latter. He is a complex man who is battling his own demons, while simultaneously having to combat the actual villains he encounters in his investigation, as well as having to relate to especially the women around him.
The novel introduces us to other unforgettable and equally well-crafted characters, ranging from a Cape Flats gangster to the enigmatic and troubled Kara-Ann Rousseau, from Van Heerden’s former partner Nagel to the initially innocent Hope Beneke (is her first name significant?).
The plot is divided between the third-person narrative of the events surrounding the investigation in the present, and the first-person story within a story of Van Heerden’s past. The two storylines are both extremely well presented and complement each other admirably.
An excellent read and I cannot recommend it highly enough. No wonder it won the French Prix Mystère de la critique.
October 6, 2018
Zuid-Afrika, antiekhandelaar Smit is gemarteld en executiestijl door het hoofd geschoten. Een inloopkluis staat open, leeg. Wat zat er eigenlijk in die kluis? Iets groot, veel van iets want waarom moet je anders zo'n grote kluis hebben. Wat er zeker in zat is een testament en dat is ook verdwenen. De partner van Smit wil dit testament hebben, het is het enige exemplaar en het verklaart dat alles voor haar is, maar zonder dat papier is niets voor haar want ze is nooit getrouwd met Smith.
Ex-rechercheur Zatopek Van Heerden wordt ingeschakeld en hij krijgt zeven dagen de tijd om het testament te vinden. Ongewild trekt hij een beerput open die bepaalde mensen liever dicht hadden gehouden. Er vallen veel meer doden van Van Heerden wil.
Tijdens het onderzoek, leren we Van Heerden kennen, eerst wie hij als tiener was, waarom hij bij de politie is gegaan, hoe hij gedoctoreerd heeft en hoe het fout is gelopen bij de politie.
Heel spannend, in een land waar corruptie hoogtij viert, waar verschillende onderzoeksgroepen (militairen, politie, en andere schimmige groepen) met het onderzoek willen gaan lopen, ieder om een eigen reden.
Deon Meyer kan erg goed schrijven, spannend, rauw zonder dat het echt overdreven of plat wordt. De plot zit goed in elkaar. Kortom de schrijver is een aanrader. Ik heb tot nu toe vooral thrillers uit de Bennie Griessel reeks gelezen, maar dit mag er zeker ook zijn.
Ex-rechercheur Zatopek Van Heerden wordt ingeschakeld en hij krijgt zeven dagen de tijd om het testament te vinden. Ongewild trekt hij een beerput open die bepaalde mensen liever dicht hadden gehouden. Er vallen veel meer doden van Van Heerden wil.
Tijdens het onderzoek, leren we Van Heerden kennen, eerst wie hij als tiener was, waarom hij bij de politie is gegaan, hoe hij gedoctoreerd heeft en hoe het fout is gelopen bij de politie.
Heel spannend, in een land waar corruptie hoogtij viert, waar verschillende onderzoeksgroepen (militairen, politie, en andere schimmige groepen) met het onderzoek willen gaan lopen, ieder om een eigen reden.
Deon Meyer kan erg goed schrijven, spannend, rauw zonder dat het echt overdreven of plat wordt. De plot zit goed in elkaar. Kortom de schrijver is een aanrader. Ik heb tot nu toe vooral thrillers uit de Bennie Griessel reeks gelezen, maar dit mag er zeker ook zijn.
November 8, 2025
I have not previously read anything by this South African writer. Zatopek van Heerden is a former South African Police officer. He is a man with an attitude problem, as well as a drinking problem, both linked to the reason he left the force, his self-loathing following the murder of a colleague for which he blames himself. He is hired as an investigator by a firm of lawyers, to find the missing will of an antiques dealer, who was tortured then murdered in his own home. The investigation uncovers past clandestine operations by the SA Defence Forces.
Chapters on the investigation alternate with chapters of van Heerden's backstory, from his childhood in a mining town, through some formative experiences, to his time with the Police, and the events that led to his resignation.
Although van Heerden is an angry man, prone to outbursts of violence, he has redeeming qualities. He has inherited a love of classical music from his mother, a well-known artist. He has taught himself how to cook well. He also seems to appeal to women, despite or perhaps because he regards himself as unworthy of them. All this unfolds against the backdrop of the South African landscape.
I enjoyed this a lot. 4.5 stars.
Chapters on the investigation alternate with chapters of van Heerden's backstory, from his childhood in a mining town, through some formative experiences, to his time with the Police, and the events that led to his resignation.
Although van Heerden is an angry man, prone to outbursts of violence, he has redeeming qualities. He has inherited a love of classical music from his mother, a well-known artist. He has taught himself how to cook well. He also seems to appeal to women, despite or perhaps because he regards himself as unworthy of them. All this unfolds against the backdrop of the South African landscape.
I enjoyed this a lot. 4.5 stars.
May 20, 2019
Most excellent
This was a vacation read. I will have to look up the author, can't believe I have not come across him before.
So, this story is multi-layered. The characters have depth and are well written. They are relatable, very interesting, smart, and vulnerable. The story is also complex, crosses over generations, socio-economic and cultural classes. It's a good mystery. You can think you have an idea of what is happening, but it is just out of your grasp. And at the end of is all explained without being didactic. It's very well put together. This is an intelligent and readable book. It's not gory or looking for shock value. The combination of writing skills is easy to take for granted and very difficult to do. Good job.
This was a vacation read. I will have to look up the author, can't believe I have not come across him before.
So, this story is multi-layered. The characters have depth and are well written. They are relatable, very interesting, smart, and vulnerable. The story is also complex, crosses over generations, socio-economic and cultural classes. It's a good mystery. You can think you have an idea of what is happening, but it is just out of your grasp. And at the end of is all explained without being didactic. It's very well put together. This is an intelligent and readable book. It's not gory or looking for shock value. The combination of writing skills is easy to take for granted and very difficult to do. Good job.
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