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Scorpio Rising: A Benny Griessel Novel
Not yet published
Expected 30 Mar 27“Deon Meyer’s name on the cover is a guarantee of crime writing at its best.”—Tess Gerritsen
Two impossible cases. One unstoppable team.
When two seemingly disparate investigations collide, detectives Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido must race against time in the latest installment of the #1 internationally bestselling series.
Aishah Fernandez, distinguished former Deputy Director General of South Africa’s nuclear power regulatory agency, is brutally attacked in her hotel room in Moscow. Four months later, Benny Griessel and his partner Vaughn Cupido—their rank as captains happily restored—find themselves investigating two tragic but seemingly unrelated cases: two small explosions and the suspicious death of private investigator Brandon Maarman. The explosions become all the more mysterious when the motor of a drone with the word “SKORPIO” stenciled on it is found in the rubble.
Dead ends bedevil Benny and Vaughn’s investigations. Strangely, Maarman’s phone records show he spoke several times with Aishah Fernandez, who has since died of an apparent suicide—though the file on her death has been seized by the government for reasons of national security. And the two men seen with Maarman just before he died are brutally murdered. Through it all, Benny is desperately trying to repair the damaged relationship with his son Fritz. As the connections between two dockets become frighteningly clear, the race to save the country from an international disaster is on, with stakes higher than a father’s bond with his son.
Two impossible cases. One unstoppable team.
When two seemingly disparate investigations collide, detectives Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido must race against time in the latest installment of the #1 internationally bestselling series.
Aishah Fernandez, distinguished former Deputy Director General of South Africa’s nuclear power regulatory agency, is brutally attacked in her hotel room in Moscow. Four months later, Benny Griessel and his partner Vaughn Cupido—their rank as captains happily restored—find themselves investigating two tragic but seemingly unrelated cases: two small explosions and the suspicious death of private investigator Brandon Maarman. The explosions become all the more mysterious when the motor of a drone with the word “SKORPIO” stenciled on it is found in the rubble.
Dead ends bedevil Benny and Vaughn’s investigations. Strangely, Maarman’s phone records show he spoke several times with Aishah Fernandez, who has since died of an apparent suicide—though the file on her death has been seized by the government for reasons of national security. And the two men seen with Maarman just before he died are brutally murdered. Through it all, Benny is desperately trying to repair the damaged relationship with his son Fritz. As the connections between two dockets become frighteningly clear, the race to save the country from an international disaster is on, with stakes higher than a father’s bond with his son.
- GenresFiction
448 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 30, 2027
About the author
Deon Meyer
69 books1,295 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 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Scorpio Rising, the 9th book in Deon Meyer's brilliant Benny Griessel series. It is expected to be published on March 30/2027. It also features Detective Cupido, his friend and frequent partner. I had been on the lookout for this book since finishing book 8. The previous police procedurals/crime thrillers in this series were both exciting and entertaining, and Scorpio Rising is a worthy follow-up.
The setting is near Cape Town, South Africa. The books were originally written in Afrikaans and have been meticulously translated into English. Some original and unfamiliar South African English terms appear in a glossary at the back, but if you're reading on a Kindle, you may not see this helpful addition until finishing the book. You can often guess many of the words and terms from context. The country's geography was informative, but I didn't feel immersed in the setting. The well-written plot was complex and ended satisfyingly. Be alert while reading, as the two main characters are sometimes referred to by only their first or last names, and it took a while to figure out who was who. A supporting character uses a nickname.
Aishah Ferdandiz, Director of South Africa's nuclear power agency, was brutally attacked in her Moscow apartment and is now reported to have committed suicide. The government has now seized her documents. Detectives Griessel and Cupido have had their ranks restored to investigate the death of private investigator Maarman and two airborne explosions. In the ruins of one of the damaged buildings, detectives found a drone motor bearing the word Scorpio. Two men seen with Maarman are dead, and the detectives learn that he communicated with Aishah before their deaths. Russians have become involved and are holding an elaborate international reception. Griessel's son, Fritz, is among those attending. The investigators fear the earlier explosions were minor practice for a larger international explosion.
There is a tense, frantic race to save the country from international disaster with a probable high death toll. Highly recommended. This works well as a standalone, but reading some previous books in the series will enrich the experience.
The setting is near Cape Town, South Africa. The books were originally written in Afrikaans and have been meticulously translated into English. Some original and unfamiliar South African English terms appear in a glossary at the back, but if you're reading on a Kindle, you may not see this helpful addition until finishing the book. You can often guess many of the words and terms from context. The country's geography was informative, but I didn't feel immersed in the setting. The well-written plot was complex and ended satisfyingly. Be alert while reading, as the two main characters are sometimes referred to by only their first or last names, and it took a while to figure out who was who. A supporting character uses a nickname.
Aishah Ferdandiz, Director of South Africa's nuclear power agency, was brutally attacked in her Moscow apartment and is now reported to have committed suicide. The government has now seized her documents. Detectives Griessel and Cupido have had their ranks restored to investigate the death of private investigator Maarman and two airborne explosions. In the ruins of one of the damaged buildings, detectives found a drone motor bearing the word Scorpio. Two men seen with Maarman are dead, and the detectives learn that he communicated with Aishah before their deaths. Russians have become involved and are holding an elaborate international reception. Griessel's son, Fritz, is among those attending. The investigators fear the earlier explosions were minor practice for a larger international explosion.
There is a tense, frantic race to save the country from international disaster with a probable high death toll. Highly recommended. This works well as a standalone, but reading some previous books in the series will enrich the experience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
SCORPIO RISING is #9 in Deon Meyer's Benny Griessel series. To follow it, a reader does not need to know what occurred in books 1 through 8; all relevant background information about Benny and his partner Vaughn Cupido, is provided in Scorpio Rising. However, to understand the subtle nuances of the novel, a reader requires some knowledge of the socio-political history of South Africa. An in-depth academic expertise is not necessary, but the type of familiarity that comes from extensive newspaper reading is. For example, when a minor character says to Benny: "It's state capture part two, it's next-level shit" this is important, and the reader who misses the reference is missing an important clue.
Deon Meyer is the preeminent crime writer in current-day South Africa, and his books are always complex (and usually long), containing psychological, sociocultural, and historical references weaved together with descriptions of criminal activities. He writes in Afrikaans, and his books are then translated into English for English-speaking South Africans. As a consequence, they are scattered with phrases familiar to both language groups—mainly expressions in Afrikaans, although some come from another one of South Africa's official languages (it has 12 official languages). Meyer does provide a glossary at the end of the novel, but most are short utterances that are understandable in context.
Short Synopsis
Usually Griessel and Cupido work together on a case, but in Scorpio Rising they are initially assigned separate cases. Cupido is looking into small dwellings being destroyed by what a few observers have described as UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomenons). One destruction resulted in a death that may have been murder.
Benny Griessel is looking into the death of Brandon Maarman, a private investigator who was once a member of SAPS, and, also, once Cupido's partner. The death looks like an accident but Benny thinks something is suspicious so he wants to conduct a thorough investigation. Cupido, distraught by the death of his friend, wants to help Griessel conduct this inquiry.
These two cases are intertwined with several other themes. There is a prologue describing an attack on South African diplomat Alshah Fernandez in Moscow, but nothing further is mentioned about this until near the end of the book. The reader (but not Benny) is privy to information that might link Brandon to something that occurred to a woman (maybe Alshah Fernandez, but the details are unclear). We see Benny Griessel finally sober and happy in his marriage to Alexa, and learn something about his early life decisions. We see Vaughn Cupido trying to keep on a diet so he can feel ready to propose to his live-in girlfriend, Desiree.
'No way is she going to say "yes" to Fats Domino, pappie, not a highly intelligent, perfectly proportioned red-hot number like her.'
That is just one of the many jovial scenes involving Cupido, whose high spirits contrast with the dark, depressing scenes that abound in this novel. It makes for an interesting, if challenging, reading experience.
Eventually the scattered themes begin to coalesce, and there is a race to stop another murder.
My Take
SCORPIO RISING is not an easy read. Several times I had to stop and re-read passages. And I had to think about the connections that occurred as the story progressed. Because it was a story that required my brain to work in overdrive, I was going to give this one 5 stars, even though I thought there were too many technical details about UAPs and how they operated—the author got a bit carried away on this topic.
Then the ending fizzled:
(1) There was not a clear explanation of what occurred in the Central African Republic and why Aishah was so involved in the inquiry into that occurrence.
(2) There was not a clear explanation of why, at the last minute, the UAP murderer was simply let go. This part, in particular, upset me. He killed innocents, so why was he not charged.
Fade out. An underwhelming ending. Too much time spent on the technical details of UAPs and not enough answers to what was occurring on the political front.
But except for that disappointing conclusion, a great story, a complex story, and one that made me think. So, for me, it was a 4.5-star read.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for some other books in this series:
The Last Hunt (Benny Griessel #6)
The Dark Flood (Benny Griessel #7)
Leo (Benny Griessel #8)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deon Meyer is the preeminent crime writer in current-day South Africa, and his books are always complex (and usually long), containing psychological, sociocultural, and historical references weaved together with descriptions of criminal activities. He writes in Afrikaans, and his books are then translated into English for English-speaking South Africans. As a consequence, they are scattered with phrases familiar to both language groups—mainly expressions in Afrikaans, although some come from another one of South Africa's official languages (it has 12 official languages). Meyer does provide a glossary at the end of the novel, but most are short utterances that are understandable in context.
Short Synopsis
Usually Griessel and Cupido work together on a case, but in Scorpio Rising they are initially assigned separate cases. Cupido is looking into small dwellings being destroyed by what a few observers have described as UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomenons). One destruction resulted in a death that may have been murder.
Benny Griessel is looking into the death of Brandon Maarman, a private investigator who was once a member of SAPS, and, also, once Cupido's partner. The death looks like an accident but Benny thinks something is suspicious so he wants to conduct a thorough investigation. Cupido, distraught by the death of his friend, wants to help Griessel conduct this inquiry.
These two cases are intertwined with several other themes. There is a prologue describing an attack on South African diplomat Alshah Fernandez in Moscow, but nothing further is mentioned about this until near the end of the book. The reader (but not Benny) is privy to information that might link Brandon to something that occurred to a woman (maybe Alshah Fernandez, but the details are unclear). We see Benny Griessel finally sober and happy in his marriage to Alexa, and learn something about his early life decisions. We see Vaughn Cupido trying to keep on a diet so he can feel ready to propose to his live-in girlfriend, Desiree.
'No way is she going to say "yes" to Fats Domino, pappie, not a highly intelligent, perfectly proportioned red-hot number like her.'
That is just one of the many jovial scenes involving Cupido, whose high spirits contrast with the dark, depressing scenes that abound in this novel. It makes for an interesting, if challenging, reading experience.
Eventually the scattered themes begin to coalesce, and there is a race to stop another murder.
My Take
SCORPIO RISING is not an easy read. Several times I had to stop and re-read passages. And I had to think about the connections that occurred as the story progressed. Because it was a story that required my brain to work in overdrive, I was going to give this one 5 stars, even though I thought there were too many technical details about UAPs and how they operated—the author got a bit carried away on this topic.
Then the ending fizzled:
(1) There was not a clear explanation of what occurred in the Central African Republic and why Aishah was so involved in the inquiry into that occurrence.
(2) There was not a clear explanation of why, at the last minute, the UAP murderer was simply let go. This part, in particular, upset me. He killed innocents, so why was he not charged.
Fade out. An underwhelming ending. Too much time spent on the technical details of UAPs and not enough answers to what was occurring on the political front.
But except for that disappointing conclusion, a great story, a complex story, and one that made me think. So, for me, it was a 4.5-star read.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for some other books in this series:
The Last Hunt (Benny Griessel #6)
The Dark Flood (Benny Griessel #7)
Leo (Benny Griessel #8)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
To be honest I found reading this a bit of a chore at times but it’s probably a three and a half stars. It’s a police procedural and the procedure is exposed in minute technical detail, which for me as a reader, who doesn’t generally try to work out who dunnit, slowed down any action or tension. There was very little of either, until about 96% into the story when there was a “race against time” scenario. Generally though, I wanted to have the answers so I willingly read to the end.
The scene is set in Cape Town, which is described down to the street names and districts. Possibly interesting if you know the area. Two detectives, Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido are investigating two seemingly unconnected crimes. Cupido is looking into what appears to be two arson attacks on a farm until the remains of a rocket are found in the area. Griessel is investigating the apparent suicide of Brandon Maarman, a private investigator, once one of their own. Griessel, looking into the scene of Maarman’s death is convinced this is a carefully staged murder, definitely not suicide. Strangely, just before his death Maarman, it’s discovered, had spoken to Aishah Fernandez, a woman high up in government, who also “committed suicide”. However, any documentation had been taken away by government agents and were unavailable for further scrutiny. There is more to this than first thought as more and more unanswered questions stack up.
Both detectives have the reputation as skilled intelligent investigators yet Cupido, investigating the rocket attacks, feels out of his depth with all the technical detail he needs to absorb…as did I. Both investigations come up to dead ends with very few leads to go on. Gradually the threads are pulled in and the two seemingly unconnected crimes are joined. What emerges is very much more than local crimes. There is a potential national disaster to avert.
I have been a bit negative in my comments but the plot did have me reading to the end when there was, as I say, a gripping exciting episode. The two protagonists are very “simpatico” ( perhaps stretching credulity somewhat) and well defined so as a reader I was definitely rooting for them.
This book is quite ingenious in the way it is plotted. It’s just the amount of techno jargon that was somewhat off putting. Also, for some reason, every now and then, there were paragraphs of an interview that Griessel was doing with a magazine journalist. Some back story and insight into his character is revealed but I think the reader would not be learning anything very new.
I had not realised that this book is part of a series and I would be willing to read more. It is well written and tightly plotted so full marks for that. I think the reader who is an aspiring Sherlock or Poirot would also enjoy this plot immensely!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle in exchange for my honest review.
The scene is set in Cape Town, which is described down to the street names and districts. Possibly interesting if you know the area. Two detectives, Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido are investigating two seemingly unconnected crimes. Cupido is looking into what appears to be two arson attacks on a farm until the remains of a rocket are found in the area. Griessel is investigating the apparent suicide of Brandon Maarman, a private investigator, once one of their own. Griessel, looking into the scene of Maarman’s death is convinced this is a carefully staged murder, definitely not suicide. Strangely, just before his death Maarman, it’s discovered, had spoken to Aishah Fernandez, a woman high up in government, who also “committed suicide”. However, any documentation had been taken away by government agents and were unavailable for further scrutiny. There is more to this than first thought as more and more unanswered questions stack up.
Both detectives have the reputation as skilled intelligent investigators yet Cupido, investigating the rocket attacks, feels out of his depth with all the technical detail he needs to absorb…as did I. Both investigations come up to dead ends with very few leads to go on. Gradually the threads are pulled in and the two seemingly unconnected crimes are joined. What emerges is very much more than local crimes. There is a potential national disaster to avert.
I have been a bit negative in my comments but the plot did have me reading to the end when there was, as I say, a gripping exciting episode. The two protagonists are very “simpatico” ( perhaps stretching credulity somewhat) and well defined so as a reader I was definitely rooting for them.
This book is quite ingenious in the way it is plotted. It’s just the amount of techno jargon that was somewhat off putting. Also, for some reason, every now and then, there were paragraphs of an interview that Griessel was doing with a magazine journalist. Some back story and insight into his character is revealed but I think the reader would not be learning anything very new.
I had not realised that this book is part of a series and I would be willing to read more. It is well written and tightly plotted so full marks for that. I think the reader who is an aspiring Sherlock or Poirot would also enjoy this plot immensely!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In South Africa, this was published on Thursday. Bought on Friday. Finished on Monday.
And so Benny and Vaughan.
Excellent
And so Benny and Vaughan.
Excellent
October 6, 2026
What better writer to take you deep into South Africa than Deon Meyer? I’ve never read a crime novel set there before, and I’ve now learned more Afrikaans than I ever expected — including the part where I realised, far too late, that the e‑book has a glossary. Very helpful, once you actually know it exists.
The plot (no spoilers, promise) drops us back in with Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido, plus a supporting cast of minor characters who are either dead, about to be dead, or deeply inconvenient. Our two beleaguered cops are handed a pair of cases that look unrelated, and like them, we readers spend a good chunk of the book muttering “what on earth is going on?” Is there a thread connecting these murders? What exactly is SKORPIO? And why are the Russians suddenly involved — did they take a wrong turn at the airport?
Don’t worry: Meyer ties it all together by the end with his usual precision. It’s a solid police procedural with characters you’d genuinely be happy to meet (preferably not in a professional capacity). The banter is a delight, especially the local expressions — “Slap me with snot snoek,” “When the paw‑paw hits the fan,” and my personal favourite from Cupido: “Cool bananas.”
Definitely recommended.
The plot (no spoilers, promise) drops us back in with Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido, plus a supporting cast of minor characters who are either dead, about to be dead, or deeply inconvenient. Our two beleaguered cops are handed a pair of cases that look unrelated, and like them, we readers spend a good chunk of the book muttering “what on earth is going on?” Is there a thread connecting these murders? What exactly is SKORPIO? And why are the Russians suddenly involved — did they take a wrong turn at the airport?
Don’t worry: Meyer ties it all together by the end with his usual precision. It’s a solid police procedural with characters you’d genuinely be happy to meet (preferably not in a professional capacity). The banter is a delight, especially the local expressions — “Slap me with snot snoek,” “When the paw‑paw hits the fan,” and my personal favourite from Cupido: “Cool bananas.”
Definitely recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Another thoroughly enjoyable read from Deon Meyer. It's always a pleasure to catch up with Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido, two characters I've really enjoyed following throughout this series.
Scorpio Rising has all the ingredients I've come to expect from Meyer: an intriguing and cleverly constructed plot, plenty of twists and turns, fascinating characters and a strong sense of place. What initially appear to be separate investigations gradually come together, building tension and keeping you guessing as the story unfolds.
As always, Meyer brings South Africa vividly to life, while weaving together crime, politics and plenty of suspense. There are quite a few threads to keep track of, and at times the plot feels a little over-complicated, but the storytelling is strong enough to keep you turning the pages.
Scorpio Rising has all the ingredients I've come to expect from Meyer: an intriguing and cleverly constructed plot, plenty of twists and turns, fascinating characters and a strong sense of place. What initially appear to be separate investigations gradually come together, building tension and keeping you guessing as the story unfolds.
As always, Meyer brings South Africa vividly to life, while weaving together crime, politics and plenty of suspense. There are quite a few threads to keep track of, and at times the plot feels a little over-complicated, but the storytelling is strong enough to keep you turning the pages.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This gives a brief look at a particular part of South Africa - murders, police and their families. You'll learn more than you imagined you'd ever want to know about the future of warfare, but also understand a bit of the traumas of crime solving. This is more fun than it sounds as the relationship between the two investigators is warm and often humorous. The glossary is very helpful.
The others in this series are also worth your time, but they don't have to be read in any specific order. And they're available now - Devil's Peak is the first.
The others in this series are also worth your time, but they don't have to be read in any specific order. And they're available now - Devil's Peak is the first.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Scorpio Rising is the ninth book in the Benny Greissel series .I had not read previous books but did not find it difficult to catch up what I did find difficult was the African local terminology woven throughout the book .I also found it a bit of a slow burner as it is a long read with multiple sub plots and political factions and corruption .Not really my sort of read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC .
Read
October 27, 2026I love this series and this is up there with the best. A very clever and well thought out plot, great characters and brilliantly written as usual
It's also really interesting to get this glimpse into life in S. Africa.
5* Thanks to publishers for offering a copy on NetGalley.
It's also really interesting to get this glimpse into life in S. Africa.
5* Thanks to publishers for offering a copy on NetGalley.
Review of advance copy
Another lovely book by Deon Meyer. Love the SA influence and the characters remain so relatable.
Review of advance copy
Always a huge pleasure to see what Benny & Vaughan are up to, fighting crime. I bought this book in. cape Town in November 2026
October 10, 2026
A solid police procedural set in the Western Cape, South Africa, with two policemen, Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido, both of who carry their own baggage, Griessel as an ex-alcoholic and Cupido being insecure in his love life despite being a larger than life character in other ways. The pair set out to work the case of an ex cop and colleague but Cupido is side tracked by another case of several unexplained fires and explosions. Seemingly unrelated the two cases swing together at the final moment when the officers realise that they are dealing with some very big fish.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book, apparently the ninth in the series, because of the language and the jokes which are very South African. (I realised only at the end that there is a helpful glossary of Afrikaans terms at the end). However, as the story went on, I enjoyed the repartee between the two men and ebb and flow of the language. The setting was very different for me, having read almost no fiction by South African writers, but I could well imagine many of the scenes having visited the country several times.
Great characters, colourful setting and good solid policing.
With thanks to Netgalley, the author and Pan Macmillan for an early copy in return for an honest review.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book, apparently the ninth in the series, because of the language and the jokes which are very South African. (I realised only at the end that there is a helpful glossary of Afrikaans terms at the end). However, as the story went on, I enjoyed the repartee between the two men and ebb and flow of the language. The setting was very different for me, having read almost no fiction by South African writers, but I could well imagine many of the scenes having visited the country several times.
Great characters, colourful setting and good solid policing.
With thanks to Netgalley, the author and Pan Macmillan for an early copy in return for an honest review.
October 9, 2026
This is a masterley police procedural and fans of Deon Meyer won't be disappointed by this latest book in the series. The plot is precise and well crafted with a whole bunch of characters that add colour and depth to the story. It helps if you've read other books on the series, if this is your first foray into the world of Benny Griessel, you'll probably want to readthe series from the beginning (although reading this first won't spoil your enjoyment it will give you an idea of how the characters develop and their relationships). In a thriller I expect high stakes, adrenaline fuelled twists and a satisfactory conclusion. Scorpio delivers on all these. 4.5 stars because I do feel Meyer has written better stories. But I'd give 5* for storytelling, wit and
keeping me guessing.
Review copy from Netgalley, but will be buying the paperback to add to my collection.
keeping me guessing.
Review copy from Netgalley, but will be buying the paperback to add to my collection.
October 6, 2026
The Benny and Vaughn show - always outstanding and another one for the 5 star rating. This time with UAV's and rocket projectiles that create a complexity that baffles the quick thinking duo.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews