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Amaka Thriller #1
Easy Motion Tourist
Easy Motion Tourist is a compelling crime novel set in contemporary Lagos. It features Guy Collins, a British hack who stumbles by chance into the murky underworld of the city. A woman's mutilated body is discarded by the side of a club near one of the main hotels in Victoria Island. Collins, a bystander, is picked up by the police as a potential suspect. After experiencing the unpleasant realities of a Nigerian police cell, he is rescued by Amaka, a Pam Grier-esque Blaxploitation heroine with a saintly streak. As Collins discovers more of the darker aspects of what makes Lagos tick - including the clandestine trade in organs - he also falls slowly for Amaka. Little do they realise how the body parts business is wrapped up in the power and politics of the city. The novel features a motley cast of supporting characters, including a memorable duo of low-level Lagos gangsters, Knockout and Go-Slow. Easy Motion Tourist pulsates with the rhythms of Lagos, reeks of its open drains, and entertains from beginning to end. A modern thriller featuring a strong female protagonist, prepared to take on the Nigerian criminal world on her own.
327 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2016
40 people are currently reading
1121 people want to read
About the author
Leye Adenle
19 books68 followersLeye Adenle is a Nigerian writer. He has written a number of short stories and flash fiction pieces. Leye has appeared on stage in London in plays including Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again. He comes from a family of writers, the most famous of whom was his grandfather, Oba Adeleye Adenle I, a former king of Oshogbo in South West Nigeria. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
May 4, 2025
Super fast-paced thriller set in Lagos underground, clever resolution, loved the narrator!
August 16, 2023
". . . the girls are prostitutes and the killers are powerful men. The media won't get involved because they're afraid of these men. The police won't investigate this murder, or the girls who disappear daily. Why? Because they are too afraid of the big men who pay them to keep the peace and the so-called black magic they use the girls for."
This one started out very strong, with the first three-quarters of the book being a good, well-paced thriller with interesting characters. I enjoyed the Lagos setting, and the look at the effects of rampant police corruption.
Things kind of went of the rails after that with an "Oh, really?" Insta-Love scenario, everything wrapping up a little too quickly and conveniently, and the author committing the unforgivable sin of having a smart, take-charge woman needing to be rescued . . . by a lame white guy, no less.
Though I liked Amaka, and was fascinated by her involvement in helping prostitutes, I will probably not be checking out the sequel.
This one started out very strong, with the first three-quarters of the book being a good, well-paced thriller with interesting characters. I enjoyed the Lagos setting, and the look at the effects of rampant police corruption.
Things kind of went of the rails after that with an "Oh, really?" Insta-Love scenario, everything wrapping up a little too quickly and conveniently, and the author committing the unforgivable sin of having a smart, take-charge woman needing to be rescued . . . by a lame white guy, no less.
Though I liked Amaka, and was fascinated by her involvement in helping prostitutes, I will probably not be checking out the sequel.
February 22, 2021
Book 25 of 2021
I enjoyed this one soooooo much!
Focusing on Amaka and Guy and their experiences in Lagos within the span of about 48 hours, this book covers a lot and does it so well. Amaka is a woman on a mission, and Guy is a British journalist sent to Nigeria to cover the upcoming elections. Their paths cross and they are thrown into chaos and have to fight for their lives against ritualists, thugs, and in Guy's case, even the police.
This book embodies Lagos SO WELL. It's astounding. It manages to capture so much of what makes Lagos Lagos, and I felt so seen and represented within the pages of this book. From the sheer amount of Lagos areas mentioned, to the addition of the ever-present Lagos traffic, and the corruption of the police force, so much accuracy and honest reflection of what Lagos living is like shone in this book. We also got to see a lot about how Lagos operates in the circles of the rich, and how connections are everything.
I actually respect the representation of sex work, and Amaka's stance as a defender and guardian of many helpless and vulnerable sex workers. The male author did not write to demean sex workers, but he sought to make their plight more human and understandable. There was a lot of exposition into how they operate, why many of them chose that line of work, and the many dangers they face day in and day out. I felt bad for so many of them, as they were exploited, manipulated, and even killed.
There was a lot of action in this book, and the criminal underbelly of Lagos was explored. The contrast and divide between the rich and poor in this book were also explored, and done really well. The writing was amazing and straight to the point, and I was carried along well all through the story. It was also very satirical and humorous, and I found myself laughing out loud a lot. The naming in this book was really something, as many of the rascals in this book had very funny names, like Catch Fire, Hot Temper, etc.
I enjoyed this and I highly recommend it.
I enjoyed this one soooooo much!
Focusing on Amaka and Guy and their experiences in Lagos within the span of about 48 hours, this book covers a lot and does it so well. Amaka is a woman on a mission, and Guy is a British journalist sent to Nigeria to cover the upcoming elections. Their paths cross and they are thrown into chaos and have to fight for their lives against ritualists, thugs, and in Guy's case, even the police.
This book embodies Lagos SO WELL. It's astounding. It manages to capture so much of what makes Lagos Lagos, and I felt so seen and represented within the pages of this book. From the sheer amount of Lagos areas mentioned, to the addition of the ever-present Lagos traffic, and the corruption of the police force, so much accuracy and honest reflection of what Lagos living is like shone in this book. We also got to see a lot about how Lagos operates in the circles of the rich, and how connections are everything.
I actually respect the representation of sex work, and Amaka's stance as a defender and guardian of many helpless and vulnerable sex workers. The male author did not write to demean sex workers, but he sought to make their plight more human and understandable. There was a lot of exposition into how they operate, why many of them chose that line of work, and the many dangers they face day in and day out. I felt bad for so many of them, as they were exploited, manipulated, and even killed.
There was a lot of action in this book, and the criminal underbelly of Lagos was explored. The contrast and divide between the rich and poor in this book were also explored, and done really well. The writing was amazing and straight to the point, and I was carried along well all through the story. It was also very satirical and humorous, and I found myself laughing out loud a lot. The naming in this book was really something, as many of the rascals in this book had very funny names, like Catch Fire, Hot Temper, etc.
I enjoyed this and I highly recommend it.
May 21, 2018
In this Nigerian noir, author Adenle partly uses the narrative of the protagonist, English journalist Guy Collins, in Lagos to cover the elections, to tell the story of a few days of violence and corruption on the city’s streets. Indeed, as Adenle describes it, Lagos is a unwelcoming and quite frightening place. The novel is hardly an advertisement for tourism in Nigeria.
The characters are raw, and therefore very convincing, short introductions to them, no duality or pretensions. Prostitution plays a key role in the novel, from the plight of street children forced into that way of life, to the character of Amaka, a lawyer, who is something of a guardian angel towards these girls.
As well as being a fast-paced noir thriller, it is an informative description of the dark side of life in the Nigerian City.
The characters are raw, and therefore very convincing, short introductions to them, no duality or pretensions. Prostitution plays a key role in the novel, from the plight of street children forced into that way of life, to the character of Amaka, a lawyer, who is something of a guardian angel towards these girls.
As well as being a fast-paced noir thriller, it is an informative description of the dark side of life in the Nigerian City.
June 20, 2021
I'm going through a pretty bad reading slump at the moment and don't enjoy books as much as before. But it didn't stop me from really enjoying this book. Its very different from many crime books I've read and it was very interesting and intriguing. Would definitely read/listen more from this author
May 22, 2016
What I most enjoyed about this novel was that the story unfolded from multiple points of view keeping me curious abut what would happen at the turn of each page. This was aided by the shorter chapters which kept the pace of the story fast and kept me guessing. Overall, it is an enjoyable read and one worth checking out!
The narrative descriptions of the various locations in Nigeria made me feel as though I had been transported there myself. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who likes a detective mystery and is looking for a quick read to get into.
My only "complaint" I guess you can call it, is that there isn't as much exposition of Amaka's personality in the novel. She is central to the overall telling of the story but as compared to Guy, she seems to be less well-rounded as a character with the emphasis mainly focusing on her relationship to Guy as it unfolds throughout the novel. I hope there will be a second novel (and the ending certainly sounded as though one may be in the making!) where more of this can be explored and she becomes even more powerful as a female lead character.
The narrative descriptions of the various locations in Nigeria made me feel as though I had been transported there myself. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who likes a detective mystery and is looking for a quick read to get into.
My only "complaint" I guess you can call it, is that there isn't as much exposition of Amaka's personality in the novel. She is central to the overall telling of the story but as compared to Guy, she seems to be less well-rounded as a character with the emphasis mainly focusing on her relationship to Guy as it unfolds throughout the novel. I hope there will be a second novel (and the ending certainly sounded as though one may be in the making!) where more of this can be explored and she becomes even more powerful as a female lead character.
February 19, 2018
4.5 stars. A fast paced crime thriller set in my home city of Lagos, Nigeria, Easy Motion Tourist does a great job of unapologetically describing the quotidian and bizarre things that make Lagos unique. The secondary characters that fuel the book’s action and humor are layered, their idiosyncrasies and motivations well described.
Deducting half a star because the interiority of one of main characters, Amaka, wasn’t as explored as Guy’s, and the women secondary characters, whose lives shaped the narrative, were glossed over compared to the male characters.
Deducting half a star because the interiority of one of main characters, Amaka, wasn’t as explored as Guy’s, and the women secondary characters, whose lives shaped the narrative, were glossed over compared to the male characters.
August 23, 2020
Lagos noir. Terrifying tale of violence and corruption that crosses every social divide from the street through the police to the highest levels of Lagos society. Amaka is a terrific creation and I'm already excited that we get to see more of her in the next book. Guy Collins, on the other hand, is almost completely useless and I struggled with the last act which sees him sweep in as the white saviour to wrestle with the bad guy. It didn't help that the chapters written from Guy's POV were in first person, while everyone else is written from an omniscient third-person perspective. But that stylistic niggle aside this was an absolute romp with ritual murders, armed prostitute bodyguards, dobermans and more. While I don't think it will do much for the Nigerian tourist industry, it has totally turned me on to Nigerian crime fiction.
March 22, 2019
If you enjoy very British police procedurals where the detectives wear suits and everything is done according to the law, this is not the book for you. However, if you enjoy a trip to Lagos and want to experience the risks and dreams that this city offers, this is a real pleasure. Introducing an English journalist into the plot allows Leye to introduce readers to the intricacies of Lagos life through the thoughts and experiences of an outsider. Complex plot and a vast cast of characters, I enjoyed this very much and look forward to the next in the series.
November 20, 2018
The prologue is entertaining but also helps the reader solve a moral puzzle that may niggle at you as you read the story. What we particularly like about this book is that it humanises prostitutes and tells their stories. This book is as much about Guy’s adventures as it is about Amaka’s own personal penance. Read our full review here http://literaryeverything.com/2018/11...
threw-across-the-room-and-stopped-r
September 26, 2018The book jacket and online descriptions plainly say “mutilated” comes into play in this book.
And yet I bought it.
And read over 1/3rd of it.
And then stopped.
I need a book about candy and unicorns now.
And yet I bought it.
And read over 1/3rd of it.
And then stopped.
I need a book about candy and unicorns now.
December 28, 2016
What if Nollywood produced action films that actually depicted crime on the ground in Lagos? Films in which armed robbers, policemen, journalists, lawyers and sex workers were portrayed in more nuanced, convincing ways? What if Nollywood(or Ghallywood or Ugawood) dispensed with ghastly, fooling-nobody CGI/sound effects, and traded instead in the very real arsenal of machetes and AK47s? Easy Motion Tourist begins to answer these questions. Crime in Lagos (or any other African city) is just as real, just as scary, just as insane as any crime depicted in Western film, but in film, as in writing, the genre must be adjusted to fit its own local context. Adenle is very conscious of the import of local context, and that care is very apparent throughout this work.
In the first place, he chooses recognizable characters and draws them in sharp, broad strokes. He then describes local bars, okadas, traffic jams, sewer smells in a no-nonsense, unapologetic manner. This is just how things are in Lagos, he seems to say. Yet even more impressive than these two stylistic choices, Adenle's prose cuts right to the quick--he is interested in the action, the active --and so he will dispense with a character's history in just a few lines in order to better describe a particular event. This sense of what to cut/leave out, without losing the reader, is the book's real strength--because it contributes to the novel's superb pace. It's also apparent in his humor--jokes are delivered quickly and in such a deadpan/matter-of-fact manner that if you blink, you just might miss them. All these things taken together have the effect of turning the novel into a page-turner. You cannot escape the curiosity. Instead, you find yourself asking: and then what happened? And what happened after that?
I enjoyed reading this, although if I had one complaint, it would be that Adenle seems somewhat hampered by the structure of the novel. He switches between an omniscient narrator and a first-person narrator, which lends the entire narrative a sort of hesitant air, as though the author can't quite decide who's in control.
At the end, the novel sets itself up for a sequel. I'd be interested to see it.
2.5 stars
In the first place, he chooses recognizable characters and draws them in sharp, broad strokes. He then describes local bars, okadas, traffic jams, sewer smells in a no-nonsense, unapologetic manner. This is just how things are in Lagos, he seems to say. Yet even more impressive than these two stylistic choices, Adenle's prose cuts right to the quick--he is interested in the action, the active --and so he will dispense with a character's history in just a few lines in order to better describe a particular event. This sense of what to cut/leave out, without losing the reader, is the book's real strength--because it contributes to the novel's superb pace. It's also apparent in his humor--jokes are delivered quickly and in such a deadpan/matter-of-fact manner that if you blink, you just might miss them. All these things taken together have the effect of turning the novel into a page-turner. You cannot escape the curiosity. Instead, you find yourself asking: and then what happened? And what happened after that?
I enjoyed reading this, although if I had one complaint, it would be that Adenle seems somewhat hampered by the structure of the novel. He switches between an omniscient narrator and a first-person narrator, which lends the entire narrative a sort of hesitant air, as though the author can't quite decide who's in control.
At the end, the novel sets itself up for a sequel. I'd be interested to see it.
2.5 stars
December 10, 2018
Brilliant fast paced crime fiction set in Lagos, Nigeria. About Amaka a lawyer who pioneered a charity looking after prostitutes and Guy, an English journalist on a trip to Nigeria to cover the presidential elections.
In a bizarre twist of fate, they meet and work together to bring down a crime network harvesting human parts.
If like me, you were initially discouraged by the multiple POV and characters to keep up with, don’t give up. Persevere and you won’t regret this fictional journey.
I’m so glad I didn’t give up on the book. It was actually a nice read. Only would have been better if there were less POVs and head hopping involved.
In a bizarre twist of fate, they meet and work together to bring down a crime network harvesting human parts.
If like me, you were initially discouraged by the multiple POV and characters to keep up with, don’t give up. Persevere and you won’t regret this fictional journey.
I’m so glad I didn’t give up on the book. It was actually a nice read. Only would have been better if there were less POVs and head hopping involved.
December 29, 2017
Fascinating murder mystery set in Lagos, Nigeria, with more than a few hairpin turns. Leading you down a stereotypically western path of black magic juju, you find yourself in the midst of gangs, murder, wealth, power, and crooked police. My favorite character is Amaka, an independent, feminist Nigerian who stands up to exploitation of women. The ending lays the scene for a follow-up novel, which I eagerly look forward to reading.
May 12, 2020
Leye Adenle’s book is a crime fiction set in Lagos, Nigeria. The book starts out with a prologue that depicts a young girl struggling to survive in Lagos and ends up a prostitute. The prologue becomes a foundation for this book that speaks about the personal travails of sex workers that many people are oblivious to. Sex workers are seen all around but rather than seeing their humanity, we see their acts and choice of trade as despicable because our own moral compass and perceptions condemn such in the vilest of ways. Sex workers are viewed as scums and unwanted members of the society and therefore, they are objectified, despised and as Adenle points out clearly in the book, they are treated badly and discarded like trash.
Guy Collins, a British Journalist comes into Nigeria to cover the upcoming elections but his case is a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is drawn to a commotion at a bar where he goes for a drink. His inquisitiveness gets the best of him and he sees the body of a girl in a gutter with her body parts removed. Being a witness, he is whisked away by the police and more drama unfolds which leads to him meeting Amaka, a lady who works for a charity organisation that helps keep sex workers safe.
The book describes the goriness and darkness that characterizes Lagos, Nigeria. Amaka and Guy work together to unmask the men behind the killing of the young girl and stop them from doing same to others. Adenle covers crimes that are popularly known in Lagos; chief of them being ritual killings, prostitution, arm robbery and banditry.
Adenle exposes the corruption at the upper echelon of society through characters like the Chief Amadi’s and members of Neighbourhood associations of elite residences, who care less about what crime happens as long as it does not affect their comfortable lifestyle and the lower echelon who would do anything to be part of the elites like the Knockouts, Go-Slows and Catch-Fire characters. They become pawns in the hands of the high and mighty to perpetuate evil and are discarded when they no longer prove useful.
The author however does not fail to poke at governing authorities who are sometimes complacent in dealing with these crimes and even when they decide to do their jobs, they do it with brutal and inhumane tactics as long as the job is done and they can please those who sit at the head of the table. Characters like Sergeant Hot-Temper makes you see the power drunken state of law enforcement agents and their inability to respect the sanctity of humanhood.
Anyone who reads this book will cringe at the vivid images that the author paints and perhaps that is the idea behind Leye Adenle’s book: that readers must know what happens in the deep crevices of the city of Lagos they have come to call home. Adenle may be passing a clear message on the rottenness of the city that we must all come together to fight. Problems of poverty and wide income gaps between the rich and the poor and mere catalyst for a variety of inhumane crimes that are witnessed day in day out and to the mere man on the street, such have become the norm. Maybe it is time for the norm of crime to become abnormal.
This book is realist in its approach and does not seem to point at any viable solution but one can infer from Amaka’s charity organisation (Street Samaritans) that it might just be the action of one, two or three people to light the match and spark a change. Amaka’s resilience must be admired and learnt from. Guy’s support might also symbolise the need for international cooperation to bind the legs and hands of the monsters of crime that roam the city. Perhaps, Amaka’s doggedness and will is the beauty and hope we can see in the cruelty and ugliness that permeates the street corners and mansions of Lagos. Through this book, Leye Adenle makes us confront the sores, wounds and goriness of the city of Lagos that we have turned a blind eye to.
True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing.
Jean Cocteau, French Poet.
The language is simple and the author manages to use the third person point of view and first-person point of view narrative style relatively well. Every page leaves you wanting to turn the next page. Many lessons can be picked from this book but Adenle opens up many topics of discussions. Definitely, the story goes on…
Guy Collins, a British Journalist comes into Nigeria to cover the upcoming elections but his case is a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is drawn to a commotion at a bar where he goes for a drink. His inquisitiveness gets the best of him and he sees the body of a girl in a gutter with her body parts removed. Being a witness, he is whisked away by the police and more drama unfolds which leads to him meeting Amaka, a lady who works for a charity organisation that helps keep sex workers safe.
The book describes the goriness and darkness that characterizes Lagos, Nigeria. Amaka and Guy work together to unmask the men behind the killing of the young girl and stop them from doing same to others. Adenle covers crimes that are popularly known in Lagos; chief of them being ritual killings, prostitution, arm robbery and banditry.
Adenle exposes the corruption at the upper echelon of society through characters like the Chief Amadi’s and members of Neighbourhood associations of elite residences, who care less about what crime happens as long as it does not affect their comfortable lifestyle and the lower echelon who would do anything to be part of the elites like the Knockouts, Go-Slows and Catch-Fire characters. They become pawns in the hands of the high and mighty to perpetuate evil and are discarded when they no longer prove useful.
The author however does not fail to poke at governing authorities who are sometimes complacent in dealing with these crimes and even when they decide to do their jobs, they do it with brutal and inhumane tactics as long as the job is done and they can please those who sit at the head of the table. Characters like Sergeant Hot-Temper makes you see the power drunken state of law enforcement agents and their inability to respect the sanctity of humanhood.
Anyone who reads this book will cringe at the vivid images that the author paints and perhaps that is the idea behind Leye Adenle’s book: that readers must know what happens in the deep crevices of the city of Lagos they have come to call home. Adenle may be passing a clear message on the rottenness of the city that we must all come together to fight. Problems of poverty and wide income gaps between the rich and the poor and mere catalyst for a variety of inhumane crimes that are witnessed day in day out and to the mere man on the street, such have become the norm. Maybe it is time for the norm of crime to become abnormal.
This book is realist in its approach and does not seem to point at any viable solution but one can infer from Amaka’s charity organisation (Street Samaritans) that it might just be the action of one, two or three people to light the match and spark a change. Amaka’s resilience must be admired and learnt from. Guy’s support might also symbolise the need for international cooperation to bind the legs and hands of the monsters of crime that roam the city. Perhaps, Amaka’s doggedness and will is the beauty and hope we can see in the cruelty and ugliness that permeates the street corners and mansions of Lagos. Through this book, Leye Adenle makes us confront the sores, wounds and goriness of the city of Lagos that we have turned a blind eye to.
True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing.
Jean Cocteau, French Poet.
The language is simple and the author manages to use the third person point of view and first-person point of view narrative style relatively well. Every page leaves you wanting to turn the next page. Many lessons can be picked from this book but Adenle opens up many topics of discussions. Definitely, the story goes on…
August 13, 2021
Easy Motion Tourist/When Trouble Sleeps
📖❣️If there is any genre I love more than romance then it'd be crime fiction. I really enjoy my crime fiction. The thrill I get from it, especially with the suspense, immeasurable!
📖❣️First there was Easy Motion Tourist then its sequel, When Trouble Sleeps and it tells the story of Amaka Mbadiwe, a lawyer running an NGO called Street Samaritans that serves as a form of rehabilitation for young women (prostitutes or not) who want to make something meaningful for themselves.
📖❣️Tragedy strikes when a prostitute's mutilated body is discovered in a gutter opposite a bar and British journalist, Guy Collins being an onlooker is arrested by the police for "questioning". A chance meeting brings him in contact with Amaka who rescues him from what was a not so nice situation. Together, they set to uncover a human organs harvesting ring even at the risk of their own lives.
📖❣️In When Trouble Sleeps, Amaka goes stirring the hornet's nest when she seeks to expose the dirty secret of Chief Ojo, the son-in-law of a kingmaker in Lagos state who sleeps with underaged girls as well as tracking down Malik, the owner of The Harem, an establishment that caters to the sexual fantasies of influential men who can pay for these services.
📖❣️When I read the prologue of Easy Motion Tourist, I was so excited and there I knew that I had struck gold and I went on a reading spree till I completed its sequel.
📖❣️It was more fun when I discovered that the book titles also have songs in that name sung by some of our Nigerian music legends 🥰🥰
📖❣️I recommend these books 100% and I'm still on the lookout for a third and even fourth book 🤗🤗
📖❣️For the full review, please click on the link below and if you watch till the end, you'll catch me dancing.
https://youtu.be/MvDV_JP4ROE
📖❣️If there is any genre I love more than romance then it'd be crime fiction. I really enjoy my crime fiction. The thrill I get from it, especially with the suspense, immeasurable!
📖❣️First there was Easy Motion Tourist then its sequel, When Trouble Sleeps and it tells the story of Amaka Mbadiwe, a lawyer running an NGO called Street Samaritans that serves as a form of rehabilitation for young women (prostitutes or not) who want to make something meaningful for themselves.
📖❣️Tragedy strikes when a prostitute's mutilated body is discovered in a gutter opposite a bar and British journalist, Guy Collins being an onlooker is arrested by the police for "questioning". A chance meeting brings him in contact with Amaka who rescues him from what was a not so nice situation. Together, they set to uncover a human organs harvesting ring even at the risk of their own lives.
📖❣️In When Trouble Sleeps, Amaka goes stirring the hornet's nest when she seeks to expose the dirty secret of Chief Ojo, the son-in-law of a kingmaker in Lagos state who sleeps with underaged girls as well as tracking down Malik, the owner of The Harem, an establishment that caters to the sexual fantasies of influential men who can pay for these services.
📖❣️When I read the prologue of Easy Motion Tourist, I was so excited and there I knew that I had struck gold and I went on a reading spree till I completed its sequel.
📖❣️It was more fun when I discovered that the book titles also have songs in that name sung by some of our Nigerian music legends 🥰🥰
📖❣️I recommend these books 100% and I'm still on the lookout for a third and even fourth book 🤗🤗
📖❣️For the full review, please click on the link below and if you watch till the end, you'll catch me dancing.
https://youtu.be/MvDV_JP4ROE
August 21, 2023
Guy Collins, a British reporter, arrives in Lagos, Nigeria to do a story. He meets Amaka, a young woman whose passion is protecting and providing safe haven for prostitutes. Some are involved in the trade voluntarily, but some are being trafficked. When Guy is brought in to jail for questioning with others rounded up gawking at a massacred woman on the side of the road, Amaka manages to get him released quickly. She believes that if he can tell the horrible story of these Nigerian women to the world, pressure from outside could force those in power, who seem to actually benefit from the status quo, to enforce humanitarian changes - for instance Ibrahim, the police chief directing the investigation of the woman's murder.
Easy Motion Tourist was written by Leye Adenle in 2016. Adenle is a talented craftsman - he spins a plot with parallel stories that gradually enmesh. At the climax our heroine tries to pull a scene right out of act 2 of the opera Tosca, but it doesn't quite work out the same way. This is a story rife with hidden identities and disguised agendas.
Crime stories of course generally involve the seedy side of life, but I become very frustrated with entire novels depicting places of rampant lawlessness, disorder, dishonesty and corruption. Somehow I seem to get past that stumbling block in westerns, but when the setting is modern day I don't deal well with it. Apparently men don't wear wedding rings in Nigeria, adultery is so rife. If the reader has any tendency to discount how badly Nigerian society is portrayed, a man who sells high-end properties to the wealthy, and has innumerable connections tells Amaka " ... this is Nigeria. You can't go about waging your own personal war on corruption and filth."
Easy Motion Tourist was written by Leye Adenle in 2016. Adenle is a talented craftsman - he spins a plot with parallel stories that gradually enmesh. At the climax our heroine tries to pull a scene right out of act 2 of the opera Tosca, but it doesn't quite work out the same way. This is a story rife with hidden identities and disguised agendas.
Crime stories of course generally involve the seedy side of life, but I become very frustrated with entire novels depicting places of rampant lawlessness, disorder, dishonesty and corruption. Somehow I seem to get past that stumbling block in westerns, but when the setting is modern day I don't deal well with it. Apparently men don't wear wedding rings in Nigeria, adultery is so rife. If the reader has any tendency to discount how badly Nigerian society is portrayed, a man who sells high-end properties to the wealthy, and has innumerable connections tells Amaka " ... this is Nigeria. You can't go about waging your own personal war on corruption and filth."
November 14, 2020
Nigerian noir fiction in all its gory glory.
On his first night in Lagos, a British journalist ostensibly in the country to report on the forthcoming presidential elections finds himself in the midst of a crime scene - the brutal murder and mutilation of a young woman. Swept up by the local police, Guy Collins laments as he finds himself in a car with me who hadn't identified themselves as police nor read him his rights; he in turn had not asked for ID; and he was being driven who knows where and no-one knew he had been taken.
Enter one tough and determined woman, Amaka, who she actually is and what her role is we the reader are never quite sure of - suffice to say this is elaborated upon as we delve further into the murky Lagos underbelly where everyone is packing heat; sex and drugs are currency; corruption is rife and accepted; life is brutal and cheap; and its all about image and the perception of power - from gang members, to police to politicians.
This will certainly not be to everyone's liking but if you are interested in differing views of the crime genre then this would be a good starting point.
On his first night in Lagos, a British journalist ostensibly in the country to report on the forthcoming presidential elections finds himself in the midst of a crime scene - the brutal murder and mutilation of a young woman. Swept up by the local police, Guy Collins laments as he finds himself in a car with me who hadn't identified themselves as police nor read him his rights; he in turn had not asked for ID; and he was being driven who knows where and no-one knew he had been taken.
Enter one tough and determined woman, Amaka, who she actually is and what her role is we the reader are never quite sure of - suffice to say this is elaborated upon as we delve further into the murky Lagos underbelly where everyone is packing heat; sex and drugs are currency; corruption is rife and accepted; life is brutal and cheap; and its all about image and the perception of power - from gang members, to police to politicians.
This will certainly not be to everyone's liking but if you are interested in differing views of the crime genre then this would be a good starting point.
February 1, 2020
I need book 2!!! I enjoyed this!
Amaka was a tad bit too stubborn at some point, I liked Guy and his somewhat naive ways.
I really didn't expect the twist + I suspected that "Ade" wasn't really "Ade" when he arrived.
Sad that knockout had to die the way he did but oh well!
And I definitely loved the way it ended, can't wait to find out who Malik is.
Amaka was a tad bit too stubborn at some point, I liked Guy and his somewhat naive ways.
I really didn't expect the twist + I suspected that "Ade" wasn't really "Ade" when he arrived.
Sad that knockout had to die the way he did but oh well!
And I definitely loved the way it ended, can't wait to find out who Malik is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2023
Goodreads glitched while I was typing my first version of this review and I’m all of patience. I’ll just cut to the chase and say that this story was a very gruesome, entertaining, and sometimes confusing mystery set in Nigeria. The tension was through the roof, so if you’re looking for a book that’ll grab you by your scalp and drag you across hot concrete, this is the perfect one.
July 25, 2020
I loved this book
Honestly, the only reason I'm not giving it is 5 stars is the somewhat rushed ending, but it's such a solid story.
It's written as if for TV almost. Detailed, fast paced and very graphic. I enjoyed every single page.
And Amaka is my new hero!
Honestly, the only reason I'm not giving it is 5 stars is the somewhat rushed ending, but it's such a solid story.
It's written as if for TV almost. Detailed, fast paced and very graphic. I enjoyed every single page.
And Amaka is my new hero!
May 6, 2024
Really enjoyed the fast pace and dark mystery, especially because the setting/characters in Nigeria is so different from what I normally read about. Good all the way up to the end. *very dark fyi* There were times when I would get some characters mixed up but it didn’t really slow me down. Hope to read the 2nd book!
August 12, 2018
Nigerian Mystery
This was a fun read because of the setting. Hopefully the sequel will be a little more polished, but this was well worth reading.
This was a fun read because of the setting. Hopefully the sequel will be a little more polished, but this was well worth reading.
May 19, 2019
This is the best Nigerian written thriller ever!
This book starts with a mad rush that keeps you glued to it till the very end.
This book starts with a mad rush that keeps you glued to it till the very end.
May 31, 2019
A truly enjoyable book. I loved how it showed many different little bits and aspects of the Nigeria every day life: the bad and the not so bad. The author's writing style was so engaging. Never loved a Nigerian literary work like this in months
May 10, 2025
3.5 rounded up. Fun story; really great audiobook narrator.
October 23, 2023
BOOK: EASY MOTION TOURIST BY LEYE ADENLE.
REVIEWER:OKOKO AYEZU TAMARAPREYE
This book for me looks at living in Nigeria as a Nigerian ,lawyer,journalist,election observer, businessman and police officer.It discusses a wide variety of topics from sex slavery to the frenzy in the inner and outer bar as well as getting unbarred in a way.
This is stresslessly creatively done by LEYE through the live of Rolake also Florentine and Florentine, looking at her life on campus and the dilemma of not selling/celling her body(bore-di with did for eat) and having to sustain herself in a venture as a sex slave(sea-ex-lay-ve with Ve for victory)
It also looks at the life of Debbie and Melissa her ex girlfriend.It looks at Debbie's experience at a bar in Ronnie (Row-nee) ND the commotion and frenzy in the bar leads to a wig loss.This is aptly use to describe the bar that is the Nigerian bar and the ritual killings(ri-chu/cha-t-al with RI for eat,chu for God , Cha for Catholic health association and t for perfect and Al for "the "pronounced "di" for come and eat in effik and Ibibio language or "having the characteristics of" in English while "killings" is described as "key-ill-inns/in) and breast(be rest) removal and dumping of body in a gutter(pronounced gore-ta for Shedding of source as blood pronounced pronounced "be lord") that plagued the environ.
It looks at politics ,elections and the use of juju(meaning right right ) by politicians to win that causes chaos.
Media reportage of the ritual killings in a scoop (sea coup/sue coup ) and girls(heh -el ) killings by kidnappers(kid-nappers ) on the kerb(care be) outside the bar in Lagos(lay-gore-us) is creatively depicted.Also the frenzy in the inner and outer bar on queens,kings and junior(ju-nee-or for right/write nee or) in Nigeria is depicted.
The book raises questions whether sea-ex lay victory is slavery or something to be done probono as of right.
The book preaches the need for unity amongst girls( geh-els with geh for "go" in Germany.
It looks at Debbie's experience drinking at the bar(dr-inking/d-ri-inking or ink- in) and "righting of eat " or getting eat right" at the bar by lawyers amidst some walking out and some getting unbarred.
It looks at police infiltration by criminals.
It depicts through the life of Bayo as a banker(ba for "no" in hausa or "their" in ikwerre or "bar" in English as pronounced with "yo" pronounced "yore" for "something of the past" and Banker for "Bar/Ba-Earn-Ka/Car with ka for great in ikwerre or ka for sorry in Engenni language the role of the Nigerian banker.
It looks at the story of a banker who drives a black Toyota (be-la-k- To-yo-ta with la- k for "continuation and suspension of going or halting and Toyota as take-go-come in Engenni language.
It looks at sea ex sea lay victory or work and the rules and ethic of washing away the last client.This reference is to the act of ensuring that there is closure for past and future relations that the labour of our heroes past as ,"wee-men" is not in vain.
It looks at police(Pole-is) investigation (invest-t-geh-t-on/ police investigation after such ritual killings (key-ill-inns/in) at Ronnie's (row-nees) and police(Pole-is) bribe(be-ra-e-be) in Nigeria with Ra for sell/cell or "no".
It looks at visit to Nigeria by foreigners(for-reign-ahs/na's with ahs for the "open"sound to mean operation earn" and "na" for "go" in ikwerre language.It looks at Debbie's visit to Nigeria,Africa as an election observer and the duty of election observing done by foreign(for-reign) observers or party(Pa-t with Pa for "out "in ijaw/ izon language and "t" for perfect) representative in an election as done by many democracy.
It looks at Robbery(Raw-be_ri with eat as RI in ikwerre language) and criminal threats from neighboring (nay-boring with nay for no or "and" with and signifying a partnership) countries.
It looks a journalists and core(core-va for core affair) of elections as done by the journalists of the presidential election having to first visit(ve-sea-t with Ve for victory and "t" for perfect) the British high commission (come/core-mission)
The Falomo Bridge is used in symbolism as the "No-more-laws" or "no go more" and pronounced F-ar/F-ah/Far with bridge as "Be-ridge" with Fa for No in ijaw or izon and "lo" for go or law in Yoruba or English as pronounced.
Ar is also depicted as the Arsenal team of sports and it's defeat and trashing as the fall of laws.
The Dolphin Estate with the Dolphin fish for the fee-shh/she type or characterised Air/Err- State where knockout(Nok-out with Nok as a society in northern central,Nigeria and west Africa) stood at the foot of the bridge(Be-ridge) or foundation of the bridge pronounced "be ridge")
There is also symbolic reference to Sanusi Fafunwa(Sa-nu-sea for "great-hear-sea/see with sa for great in ikwerre or Iboand "nu" for "hearing" in Ibo or ikwerre and Fafunwa as "No-Book/Boo-k-come with Fa for "no" ,fun for book in ijaw/izon and WA for come in Yoruba language.
It also looks at the role of police check points on roads.
This looks at the issue of rape and sex for freedom pressure (ray-pu /ray a pee as pronounced with pu for out in Igbo and sex as sea ex and freedom as "free Dom") ;the legality of standing for the right of sex(sea ex) workers and payment for such sex services as a lawyer;the legality of a case against the Nigerian police (Pole-is) for acts of rape and imprisonment.
The book also looks at the job of a lawyer in the outer bar and the job insecurities of charity,probono or voluntary service.
It looks at police salary and improved welfare for police and whether it made them motivated to do their job.
It looks at the move against detention of British(be-ri-t-sh with RI for eat in ikwerre language) citizens at police (Pole-is) stations.
The book in its chapters discusses the role of the bench and girl and women(wee-men rights ) advocates and the challenges of the journalist.
It looks at the character Amaka(Ama-ka with Ama for village in ijaw or izon and Ka for great in Igbo or ikwerre together to mean ville-age is great) and her care for women(woo-men/wee-men) preventing incidents like the 1996 Otokoto(Oh/Owe- to -kowtow) rituals.
It looks at Faith and the search for help in God and then crime when God fails described in armed men encounter with females,badgering and then attacking later on.
It looks at physical abuse of girls in harem and whether punishment in the wee hours for such men was appropriate or physical violence and abuse.
It looks at peer and superior pressure in the incident between Chucks and Saliu where Chucjs is warned not not to go to his house and his trade shop but to go to Salius house and delete Salius number.Don't know if this could be linked to the act of marriage and spouse abandonment or not caring for ones spouse.Also don't know if within it is a call for an exception whether some form of act beyond ones control influences abandonment.
The book looks at the job of a journalist(jo-na-lee-st with Jo for please in Yoruba,na for go in Igbo ,lee for way and St for strike,saint or street) and giving of information (inn -formation/in-form-a-t-sh/cha-on) and the risk of depth to kowtow/Co-To.
It looks at the use of Prostitutes(pro-st-t-tooths for "before strike perfect tooth/32/thirty-two/tree-to) being used as body guards(bore-di-guards for bore-eat/bore here/bore come- guards with did for here in ijaw or izon and eat and come in effik and Ibibio).
The book brings to the fore my measure questions always asked:Is there possibility of birth without the "push" African woman birth or "coitus"; what is information,is it a message(mess-age),fact(fa-act) as "no act " with da for "no" in ijaw language;Does the world and God intend a world of no procreation;Is the world anti career or anti earning of ones living i.e.boko Haram for western education is sinful?;e.t.c
It looks at the profitability of "Bar beach work" pronounced Bar-Be -Cha.
It looks also at physical abuse and beaten of female as someone being "bee-ten/tin" with bee to mean and described using the bee buzz sound as bore-US or "be-e" and t-en/t-in to mean "perfect earn or inn/in.
The book is basically on the right of the girl child,rape,sexual,assault depicted in the use of guns against girls protecting the girl(geh-els) right and women(wee-men) right.
It looks again at giving information by recording it in a data (da or father and ta for source)base that grew faster by night in the wee hours and whether it was good enough solution for the journalist or his problem.
It delves into police brutality of an accused(ark-used) or suspect(source- pet).
Living in Nigeria as a Togo citizen and the need to have papers(pay-pa).
Raises questions whether there is need for UN(Hue-Earn/You-Earn) observers in election to prevent rigging as people would rarely want to participate in the act of "right" without appreciation for service and labour time.
Amaka's hobby of swimming (sea-wee-mean);traveling (tra-ve-lee-in) and clubbing(core-law-be -Inn /in) could be good advise on what it takes to make the ville age great.
The book looks at Amaka again from the view of one who acts as the court and bench(be-earn-cha) that causes and ensures Justice for the girl child and women(wee-men) with Justice for both sides depicted in the cover page f the walking figure that is faced one side and feet headed the other side.
The book looks at the difference between a house and a mansion (man-sh-on).Chief Amadi and Amaka and the rumour of his love for two (to)girls (geh-els) at a time.This could be linked to Amaka's hobby of swimming (sea-wee-mean) with mean having a mathematical connotation or terrorising connotation.
Amadi(Ama-di for village eat) and his physical abuse and kidnapp of Amaka(Am-aka for I'm hand in mix-up of English and Igbo).
Chief Amadi taking Amaka through a "do-or' with a gun and knife to her neck raises questions on marriage to wee-men and if it was kidnapp(kid-nap) which police and doctors could intervene to contain.
The book raises questions whether naval medical personnel were more ideal to handle issues pertaining to the ville-age or ville-eat as seen in the referral of Amaka to the hospital at the naval base
REVIEWER:OKOKO AYEZU TAMARAPREYE
This book for me looks at living in Nigeria as a Nigerian ,lawyer,journalist,election observer, businessman and police officer.It discusses a wide variety of topics from sex slavery to the frenzy in the inner and outer bar as well as getting unbarred in a way.
This is stresslessly creatively done by LEYE through the live of Rolake also Florentine and Florentine, looking at her life on campus and the dilemma of not selling/celling her body(bore-di with did for eat) and having to sustain herself in a venture as a sex slave(sea-ex-lay-ve with Ve for victory)
It also looks at the life of Debbie and Melissa her ex girlfriend.It looks at Debbie's experience at a bar in Ronnie (Row-nee) ND the commotion and frenzy in the bar leads to a wig loss.This is aptly use to describe the bar that is the Nigerian bar and the ritual killings(ri-chu/cha-t-al with RI for eat,chu for God , Cha for Catholic health association and t for perfect and Al for "the "pronounced "di" for come and eat in effik and Ibibio language or "having the characteristics of" in English while "killings" is described as "key-ill-inns/in) and breast(be rest) removal and dumping of body in a gutter(pronounced gore-ta for Shedding of source as blood pronounced pronounced "be lord") that plagued the environ.
It looks at politics ,elections and the use of juju(meaning right right ) by politicians to win that causes chaos.
Media reportage of the ritual killings in a scoop (sea coup/sue coup ) and girls(heh -el ) killings by kidnappers(kid-nappers ) on the kerb(care be) outside the bar in Lagos(lay-gore-us) is creatively depicted.Also the frenzy in the inner and outer bar on queens,kings and junior(ju-nee-or for right/write nee or) in Nigeria is depicted.
The book raises questions whether sea-ex lay victory is slavery or something to be done probono as of right.
The book preaches the need for unity amongst girls( geh-els with geh for "go" in Germany.
It looks at Debbie's experience drinking at the bar(dr-inking/d-ri-inking or ink- in) and "righting of eat " or getting eat right" at the bar by lawyers amidst some walking out and some getting unbarred.
It looks at police infiltration by criminals.
It depicts through the life of Bayo as a banker(ba for "no" in hausa or "their" in ikwerre or "bar" in English as pronounced with "yo" pronounced "yore" for "something of the past" and Banker for "Bar/Ba-Earn-Ka/Car with ka for great in ikwerre or ka for sorry in Engenni language the role of the Nigerian banker.
It looks at the story of a banker who drives a black Toyota (be-la-k- To-yo-ta with la- k for "continuation and suspension of going or halting and Toyota as take-go-come in Engenni language.
It looks at sea ex sea lay victory or work and the rules and ethic of washing away the last client.This reference is to the act of ensuring that there is closure for past and future relations that the labour of our heroes past as ,"wee-men" is not in vain.
It looks at police(Pole-is) investigation (invest-t-geh-t-on/ police investigation after such ritual killings (key-ill-inns/in) at Ronnie's (row-nees) and police(Pole-is) bribe(be-ra-e-be) in Nigeria with Ra for sell/cell or "no".
It looks at visit to Nigeria by foreigners(for-reign-ahs/na's with ahs for the "open"sound to mean operation earn" and "na" for "go" in ikwerre language.It looks at Debbie's visit to Nigeria,Africa as an election observer and the duty of election observing done by foreign(for-reign) observers or party(Pa-t with Pa for "out "in ijaw/ izon language and "t" for perfect) representative in an election as done by many democracy.
It looks at Robbery(Raw-be_ri with eat as RI in ikwerre language) and criminal threats from neighboring (nay-boring with nay for no or "and" with and signifying a partnership) countries.
It looks a journalists and core(core-va for core affair) of elections as done by the journalists of the presidential election having to first visit(ve-sea-t with Ve for victory and "t" for perfect) the British high commission (come/core-mission)
The Falomo Bridge is used in symbolism as the "No-more-laws" or "no go more" and pronounced F-ar/F-ah/Far with bridge as "Be-ridge" with Fa for No in ijaw or izon and "lo" for go or law in Yoruba or English as pronounced.
Ar is also depicted as the Arsenal team of sports and it's defeat and trashing as the fall of laws.
The Dolphin Estate with the Dolphin fish for the fee-shh/she type or characterised Air/Err- State where knockout(Nok-out with Nok as a society in northern central,Nigeria and west Africa) stood at the foot of the bridge(Be-ridge) or foundation of the bridge pronounced "be ridge")
There is also symbolic reference to Sanusi Fafunwa(Sa-nu-sea for "great-hear-sea/see with sa for great in ikwerre or Iboand "nu" for "hearing" in Ibo or ikwerre and Fafunwa as "No-Book/Boo-k-come with Fa for "no" ,fun for book in ijaw/izon and WA for come in Yoruba language.
It also looks at the role of police check points on roads.
This looks at the issue of rape and sex for freedom pressure (ray-pu /ray a pee as pronounced with pu for out in Igbo and sex as sea ex and freedom as "free Dom") ;the legality of standing for the right of sex(sea ex) workers and payment for such sex services as a lawyer;the legality of a case against the Nigerian police (Pole-is) for acts of rape and imprisonment.
The book also looks at the job of a lawyer in the outer bar and the job insecurities of charity,probono or voluntary service.
It looks at police salary and improved welfare for police and whether it made them motivated to do their job.
It looks at the move against detention of British(be-ri-t-sh with RI for eat in ikwerre language) citizens at police (Pole-is) stations.
The book in its chapters discusses the role of the bench and girl and women(wee-men rights ) advocates and the challenges of the journalist.
It looks at the character Amaka(Ama-ka with Ama for village in ijaw or izon and Ka for great in Igbo or ikwerre together to mean ville-age is great) and her care for women(woo-men/wee-men) preventing incidents like the 1996 Otokoto(Oh/Owe- to -kowtow) rituals.
It looks at Faith and the search for help in God and then crime when God fails described in armed men encounter with females,badgering and then attacking later on.
It looks at physical abuse of girls in harem and whether punishment in the wee hours for such men was appropriate or physical violence and abuse.
It looks at peer and superior pressure in the incident between Chucks and Saliu where Chucjs is warned not not to go to his house and his trade shop but to go to Salius house and delete Salius number.Don't know if this could be linked to the act of marriage and spouse abandonment or not caring for ones spouse.Also don't know if within it is a call for an exception whether some form of act beyond ones control influences abandonment.
The book looks at the job of a journalist(jo-na-lee-st with Jo for please in Yoruba,na for go in Igbo ,lee for way and St for strike,saint or street) and giving of information (inn -formation/in-form-a-t-sh/cha-on) and the risk of depth to kowtow/Co-To.
It looks at the use of Prostitutes(pro-st-t-tooths for "before strike perfect tooth/32/thirty-two/tree-to) being used as body guards(bore-di-guards for bore-eat/bore here/bore come- guards with did for here in ijaw or izon and eat and come in effik and Ibibio).
The book brings to the fore my measure questions always asked:Is there possibility of birth without the "push" African woman birth or "coitus"; what is information,is it a message(mess-age),fact(fa-act) as "no act " with da for "no" in ijaw language;Does the world and God intend a world of no procreation;Is the world anti career or anti earning of ones living i.e.boko Haram for western education is sinful?;e.t.c
It looks at the profitability of "Bar beach work" pronounced Bar-Be -Cha.
It looks also at physical abuse and beaten of female as someone being "bee-ten/tin" with bee to mean and described using the bee buzz sound as bore-US or "be-e" and t-en/t-in to mean "perfect earn or inn/in.
The book is basically on the right of the girl child,rape,sexual,assault depicted in the use of guns against girls protecting the girl(geh-els) right and women(wee-men) right.
It looks again at giving information by recording it in a data (da or father and ta for source)base that grew faster by night in the wee hours and whether it was good enough solution for the journalist or his problem.
It delves into police brutality of an accused(ark-used) or suspect(source- pet).
Living in Nigeria as a Togo citizen and the need to have papers(pay-pa).
Raises questions whether there is need for UN(Hue-Earn/You-Earn) observers in election to prevent rigging as people would rarely want to participate in the act of "right" without appreciation for service and labour time.
Amaka's hobby of swimming (sea-wee-mean);traveling (tra-ve-lee-in) and clubbing(core-law-be -Inn /in) could be good advise on what it takes to make the ville age great.
The book looks at Amaka again from the view of one who acts as the court and bench(be-earn-cha) that causes and ensures Justice for the girl child and women(wee-men) with Justice for both sides depicted in the cover page f the walking figure that is faced one side and feet headed the other side.
The book looks at the difference between a house and a mansion (man-sh-on).Chief Amadi and Amaka and the rumour of his love for two (to)girls (geh-els) at a time.This could be linked to Amaka's hobby of swimming (sea-wee-mean) with mean having a mathematical connotation or terrorising connotation.
Amadi(Ama-di for village eat) and his physical abuse and kidnapp of Amaka(Am-aka for I'm hand in mix-up of English and Igbo).
Chief Amadi taking Amaka through a "do-or' with a gun and knife to her neck raises questions on marriage to wee-men and if it was kidnapp(kid-nap) which police and doctors could intervene to contain.
The book raises questions whether naval medical personnel were more ideal to handle issues pertaining to the ville-age or ville-eat as seen in the referral of Amaka to the hospital at the naval base
June 6, 2021
I loved this book so much, it was a bit triggering for me because of some of the stories and all the things the prostitutes went through because that is their reality in Nigeria and I counsel victims of human trafficking so I know what these girls go through. I learnt a lot from this book and the history of Nigeria. I am going to be reading more Nigerian thrillers in the future
July 31, 2020
If Nigeria is even half as dangerous as it’s portrayed in Leye Adenle’s “Easy Motion Tourist” I’m not sure I will ever go anywhere near the place. (And, according to multiple travel advisories, Nigeria is definitely not safe!) So I enjoyed the vicarious journey to a land where crime gangs run rampant, gun battles are an everyday occurrence and, if you're not too careful, your internal organs might just wind up being removed without your permission.
So it goes with Guy Collins, a British journalist with a broken heart who ventures out on his own one night, despite warnings, to see the real Lagos. He soon winds up witness to a butchered corpse, harrowing police brutality, and a stay in the local jail before he crosses paths with the mysterious Amaka, a woman with a mission to protect ladies of the night against potentially dangerous Johns, who appear to be everywhere.
Personally I found the plot line of EMT hard to follow with so many bad guys with very similar nicknames and the frustrating peculiarity of no one in this book having a physical description. I’m all for spare writing but a few details go a long way. It also really isn’t until halfway through the book that the plot establishes itself. I also found Guy’s discovery of the destination for the stolen body parts a little facile and the story underdeveloped. There are perhaps too many gun battles. But the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind and there are some memorable scenes, particularly Guy’s jail stay, and some wonderful characters and use of language a local could only know. It all felt very authentic. Early on I decided just to roll with the story and enjoy it as it unfolded. Readers of international crime looking for something new will not be disappointed.
So it goes with Guy Collins, a British journalist with a broken heart who ventures out on his own one night, despite warnings, to see the real Lagos. He soon winds up witness to a butchered corpse, harrowing police brutality, and a stay in the local jail before he crosses paths with the mysterious Amaka, a woman with a mission to protect ladies of the night against potentially dangerous Johns, who appear to be everywhere.
Personally I found the plot line of EMT hard to follow with so many bad guys with very similar nicknames and the frustrating peculiarity of no one in this book having a physical description. I’m all for spare writing but a few details go a long way. It also really isn’t until halfway through the book that the plot establishes itself. I also found Guy’s discovery of the destination for the stolen body parts a little facile and the story underdeveloped. There are perhaps too many gun battles. But the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind and there are some memorable scenes, particularly Guy’s jail stay, and some wonderful characters and use of language a local could only know. It all felt very authentic. Early on I decided just to roll with the story and enjoy it as it unfolded. Readers of international crime looking for something new will not be disappointed.
May 20, 2017
The publisher's description of Easy Motion Tourist grabbed me straight away. British journalist Guy Collins is at a nightclub, enjoying his first drink in Lagos, Nigeria when suddenly people come rushing into the club. They are clearly running from something. Collins goes outside to see what all the commotion is about and stumbles upon the mutilated body of a woman. Collins quickly learns that the reason people were running into the bar is because standard police protocol in Lagos is apparently to arrest everyone at the scene of the crime, regardless of whether they have done anything wrong or not. That is how Collins finds himself inside a Lagos jail cell. He isn't there for long. A mysterious women he has never met arrives and convinces the police to let the journalist go.
Amaka is that mysterious woman. The publisher described her as a Pam Grier-esque heroine. I'm not sure if I would agree with that but I will say she is pretty impressive. Author Leye Adenle depicts Lagos as a city of prostitutes, corrupt police officers, and a select group of wealthy residents who take advantage of both. Amaka is one of the few people who is trying to do something about it, running a charity for prostitutes, and punishing the men who like to take things too far. In Collins Amaka believes she has found a journalist who can broadcast the plight of women forced into prostitution. Whoa, things just got serious. Easy Motion Tourist isn't serious. It does tackle a serious a topic but mostly it is a fast paced thriller.
It wasn't a perfect book. The multiple perspectives got confusing at times. There is a completely unnecessary and unbelievable romance that makes no sense on either side. The casual way women are treated and talked about bothered me. Most of the female characters in this story are described as prostitutes. I don't think prostitute is the right word to describe these women since many of the women were forced into selling their bodies one way or another. Further, many of the women aren't women at all, but young girls. So that bugged me, but at least there is Amaka, fighting the good fight against the odds.
I couldn't find much information about the author Leye Adenle. I think this might be his debut novel, but am not a 100% sure. If it is then Easy Motion Tourist was a pretty good first book. The last line left me wanting more. If there is a sequel, I will read it.
Amaka is that mysterious woman. The publisher described her as a Pam Grier-esque heroine. I'm not sure if I would agree with that but I will say she is pretty impressive. Author Leye Adenle depicts Lagos as a city of prostitutes, corrupt police officers, and a select group of wealthy residents who take advantage of both. Amaka is one of the few people who is trying to do something about it, running a charity for prostitutes, and punishing the men who like to take things too far. In Collins Amaka believes she has found a journalist who can broadcast the plight of women forced into prostitution. Whoa, things just got serious. Easy Motion Tourist isn't serious. It does tackle a serious a topic but mostly it is a fast paced thriller.
It wasn't a perfect book. The multiple perspectives got confusing at times. There is a completely unnecessary and unbelievable romance that makes no sense on either side. The casual way women are treated and talked about bothered me. Most of the female characters in this story are described as prostitutes. I don't think prostitute is the right word to describe these women since many of the women were forced into selling their bodies one way or another. Further, many of the women aren't women at all, but young girls. So that bugged me, but at least there is Amaka, fighting the good fight against the odds.
I couldn't find much information about the author Leye Adenle. I think this might be his debut novel, but am not a 100% sure. If it is then Easy Motion Tourist was a pretty good first book. The last line left me wanting more. If there is a sequel, I will read it.
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