Veils of Smoke

by Sarah Key

Sinazo Biyela is in mortal danger. Serial killer, Tomas Ndaki, has slipped between the bars of Pretoria C-max prison, intent on revenge. Three ruthless, evil men hurtle towards The Empress apartments at steel magnate, Lukas Makubena’s behest, murder their mission. Imprisoned in the penthouse in Sandton Central, Sinazo’s fairy-tale romance with Makubena brutally imploded, she considers joining Kwetsi and her Ancestors in the River of Stars. Nonhlanhla, Sinazo’s sister, travels to Alexandra Township to find her. Mama Zama, Shebeen Queen at The Place on the Corner, tells Nonhlanhla that promises of better prospects lured Sinazo to glitzy upmarket Sandton. In her search, Nonhlanhla hooks up with a centre for abused women at Wits University and her trepidation escalates. Can Nonhlanhla harness the help she needs to avoid heart-breaking consequences? Will those who knew Sinazo break their silence? A contemporary psychological thriller with elements of African magical realism, Veils of Smoke exposes greed, lust and social ills in Egoli, City of Gold, notorious for violence and crime. Sarah Key ramps up tension and suspense in this, her fifth novel.

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2020

About the author

English teacher, Adult Educator, Life and Communications Skills lecturer, HIV and AIDS activist, and mentor to apprentice jockeys, Sarah's working life has been varied. Her love of education, facilitation and writing has fueled her work for decades.

Sarah’s debut novel, Tangled Weeds, was published in 2014 by Rebele Publishers (Detroit). Her collaboration with Rebele saw the further release of The Sisters of Light trilogy - The Dandelion Clock, The Butterfly Wind and The Starlight Tide. Her novels are set in southern Africa and her characters are drawn from the rich and diverse cultures that populate this extraordinary part of the world. Sarah's fifth novel, Veils of Smoke was released in July, 2020.

Sarah is married and lives with her husband, two daughters and two mixed breed dogs. She loves good food, gardening, dogs and wine.

Reviews

[Sonja Arlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always happy to support South African writers so I don’t regret buying this but I think had I not been South African I would have found the story more fascinating.

Most of the themes in the book I have already read somewhere else or is something we see in the news on a daily basis. Abject poverty, crime in the townships, the disparity between rich and poor black people and the corruption around government tenders.

The blesser and blessee concept also plays a big part in the story. For those who do not know what this is, it’s a highly disturbing trend where older wealthy black men seek and keep young black women as their side chicks in the lap of luxury.

This form of transactional sex has become so prevalent that our government has started stepping in pleading with teenage girls to stay in school rather than drop out to shack up with a 60 year old. But for most girl this is a way out of poverty and still continues to this day.

I can highly recommend The Blessed Girl if you want to read about it without the thriller element (which this book also provides).

This book was not a hardship to read but its not something I will remember for years to come.

[Heinrich Böhmke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This riveting novel begins in my home province, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Ixopo is the rural homestead of the Biyela sisters but, in 2002, its rolling canefields are haunted by the femicidal serial killer, Tomas Ndaki. The young Biyelas (Sinazo and Nonhlanhla) witness one of Ndaki’s murders but are threatened into silence. The girls refer to this traumatic incident, from which they never recover, as the “Upside Down World.” The girls are later caught up in Ndaki’s court case.

Time passes. Sinazo dreams of escaping her penniless life , willing to barter anything for success. She moves to Alexandra Township in Jo’burg, finding work with a shrewd Shebeen Queen, at a tavern frequented by highflying folk. One of them is Lukas Makubena, who seduces Sinazo. Lukas turns out to be a cruel and confining Sugar Daddy.

From there, Key’s tale delves into themes of lust and domination and the seething misogyny of our blighted land. But Sinazo’s sister comes looking for her and there are stirring scenes of female solidarity, reunion and justice.

Veils of Smoke is a thriller of course, Sarah Key’s forte, but it's also a bit of detective story, interwoven with gritty crime procedural elements. We get to see a social worker and academic researcher teaming up with a street-smart township guy, following the clues to Sinazo’s location. Although it’s a staple for contemporary South African fiction, this was still a refreshing plot element with well-drawn characters and banter.

There’s a twist with the murderer, Ndaki, and a finale that keeps your knuckles white and your fingers flipping virtual pages, praying for comeuppances.

One of the iconic books of South African literature is Alan Paton’s Cry the Beloved Country, also set Ixopo way. In Veils of Smoke we hear a sadly realistic echo of those continuing cries. However we also glimpse the tenacious counter-power of sisterhood. Sarah Key has written a fantastic and inspiring book.

[Puleng Hopper · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the novel Veils Of Smoke, Key weaves an enthralling tale of how young women in South Africa are forced to navigate life through a destructive, violent and deadly veil .

The protagonist, Sinazo Biyela escapes childhood trauma and leaves her village in Ixopo Natal. After a brief stay in Alexandra township, she leaves unceremoniously on being lured and seduced by an unscrupulous and callous older man. Sadly, she learns that, all that glitters is not gold, and that, easy come easy go.

VEILS OF SMOKE is a uniquely SA narration that incorporates Sesotho, Isizulu, Afrikaans and colloquial language. "Babalas" , "ayoba" , blesser", "dimamzo" , "zol", "gwaai" , "beemer" "I sporty" , "nyaope" and " mellow yellow" are some of the words only South Africans will resonate with. The glossary helps too.

A psychological thriller that speaks to the supernatural. Kwetsi, after her tragic passing, is said to have gone to 'The river of stars". We note also how she speaks to Sinazo from the dead. "The Upside down world" is where serial killer Ndaki terrorized the village, also where Nonhlanhla and Sinazo grew up. Lucas is visited by his deceased grandparents who are not content with his evilness on earth.

Often we think that rape is a Black problem. The character Cassidy helps dimistify the myth. We are also usually under the false impression that serial killers, rapists ,and perpetrators of Gender Based Violence are aliens from space. In the story, as in real life, the murderers and molesters are well known to their victims.

To bekezela by wives is hugely problematic. The spouses of killer, Tomas, and philanderer, Lucas, demonstrated the emotional abuse of wives who will stay on in marriages despite despicable acts by their husbands . The serial killer Tomas had the audacity to expect his wife Lindiwe, to assist in his escape from jail.

Key , positions and writes Black characters with understanding and empathy. It is evident that the research was mainly through personal experience and interaction.

However, mama Zama performing burial rights and burying her business partner and admirer, Josiah, when there is a surviving biological sister is taboo. Regardless of Josia's wishes, it would never happen in real life in Black families; mainly because , the two were not romantically involved, did not stay together, were not married, and there would possibly be other blood relatives. It is unheard of for outsiders to bury one who still has surviving blood family. .

Sarah Key is an English teacher, HIV and Aids activist, content developer and a communication skills lecturer. She holds a masters degree in adult education. Her other books are " Tangled Weeds" (2014) , a trilogy that constitutes "The dandelion clock" (2016) , "The butterfly wind"(2016) and "Starlight Tide" (2017)

VEILS OF Smoke, although a work of fiction, paints contemporary South Africa to the tee. The interracial associations, Cassidy (white) had Black friends Sinazo and Jackson. Emile (white), was Bongani's girlfriend. The violence, crime, poverty, inequality, new Black emerging Black middle class , blesser and blesee relationships are the order of the day. The book is fast paced, free flowing, with short chapters. I highly recommend it.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the cast of characters that Key always pulls together in her novels, and this one does not disappoint. The early chapters weave an enthralling web of the ever-building intrigue... this one set in current day Gauteng (Johannesburg).

A great setting for this thriller and I loved discovering the back stories to modern day life in the "City of Gold" - it's 20+ years since I lived in South Africa.

A little less of the gory thrills that we've seen in her other novels, this one delves a little more into the psychological side of relationships at various levels. But as always, there is a steady ever increasing pace to the story as characters veer out of control. Another page turner from Sarah Key - I really enjoyed Veils of Smoke.

[Sarah Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinazo and her sister Nonhlanhla are children of the village, brought up with traditional values and in the harsh natural environment that their ancestors called home. When they witness serial killer Tomas Ndaki murder a woman in the hills near their village, their lives take different directions. Nonhlanhla grows into a strong young woman, winning a sports scholarship to study a degree in Social Work, and Sinazo, haunted by her childhood experiences, sets off to Alexandra Township to seek her fortune as a hostess in a glitzy restaurant in Sandton.
Sinazo thinks her fortunes have changed for the better, when she begins a relationship with wealthy, but married, businessman, who sets her up in a swanky apartment. Things soon turn ugly when she reveals that she is pregnant with his child. The situation is complicated when her lover, contracts the services of Tomas, who has recently escaped from prison. Nonhlanhla senses that something is wrong, and with the help of the University team, who are researching women’s issues and domestic violence, sets out to save her sister.
Key’s novel is a powerful and thought-provoking examination of the real threat of domestic and general violence towards women in South Africa today. Her characters are believable, endearing, and the situations they find themselves in are all too real. Your heart breaks for every “Sinazo” out there with no one to save them. A wonderful and moving read.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veils of Smoke is Sarah Key's fifth book. She has written The Sisters of Light trilogy, The Dandelion Clock, The Butterfly Wind and The Starlight Tide, and Tangled Weeds.

Veils of Smoke, is more than a story of a you girl coming out of rural Ixopo to search for her pot of gold in the City of Lights, Johannesburg.

Sinazo's story is an indictment on our society which is depply rooted in patriachal structures where men prey on vulnerable girls. Human trafficking, migratory complexities, Gender Based Violence, drug abuse, The Slay Queen Phenomenon, the state of Sa prisons and how they are designed to NOT rehabilitate prisoners, grieving as a black woman how performatory grief is imposed on these widows, and how far is our govenment with their Millenium Development goals are some of the themes explored here.

Veils of Smoke is a thought-provoking book tackling so many societal ills. Thank you for writing it. Thank yiu for bringing the plight of vulnerable young girls trapped by illusions of perceived success.

Beautifully written and sharply narrated in a staccato-esque manner, this fast pased thriller will have you gripping the edge of your seat and leave you panting for breath. The twists and turns will keep you turning the pages. Sarah Key has multiple sub-plots going but they all lead to the main plot, Sinazo's story.

A fantastic psychological thriller based on the outskirts of my favourite city, Johannesburg

[Baratang · Rating 3 out of 5]

VEILS OF SMOKE by SARAH KEY

It is always such a pleasure to read a good fiction book based on familiar stories in one’s own country. The setting in Alexander, Sandton, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Kgoši Mampuru C-Max Prison was real, vivid and almost palpable. The author nailed the “tsotsi taal” and everyday language usage and expressions in the South African and Gauteng township setup, and some aspects of township life. She even knew the sentiments on black women wearing wigs which did not emulate their natural hair, ancestral beliefs and related manifestations and practices and witchcraft stories.

The plot spans a period of 7 months mainly, from November 2016 to June 2017, with flashbacks of events that happened in Kwa-Zulu Natal in 2002 mainly, and other times. It unfolds in a chronological manner, showing what the characters are doing on a specific day and time, and the flash backs helped with a bit of background to understand the present. The story did not give away everything at once though, and the author tortured her readers there. The last day was fast paced and full of suspense, and it felt like I was watching an American action movie.

Before I get into the characters, I would like to express my criticism of the editorial team and publisher. The spelling mistakes in the book, especially at the beginning and the misspelt character names, were glaring. Also, even though there were a few white characters (people of European descent), the book was mainly based on black ones (people of African descent), and I felt that the author should have done more research to know how different ethnic groups in South Africa (SA) called their relatives and other things. I thought it was unlikely (even thought possible) that Lukas’ maternal grandmother in the Eastern Cape Province would be calling spirits “moea” (Sotho) and that there would be a rakgadi in the same house. These people should be speaking isiXhosa and a rakgadi is a seSotho word for an aunt on the father’s side. If these are the maternals, what is rakgadi (a paternal aunt) doing there? And, in isiXhosa, rakgadi is called dabawo. The aunts at one’s maternal family house are mam’ncane (if younger than one’s mother) or mam’khulu (if older than one’s mother). The correct nomenclature goes a long way in making a fiction book “real” and enjoyable.


Getting to the characters: Ruth Senatla was my all-time favourite. She came across as a woman who has experienced many hardships, setbacks, disappointments and sadness, but survived them all. It seems like her not wearing her emotions on her sleeves stemmed from those experiences. She had to find a safe and vigilant modus operandi. Ruth clearly loved Josiah and I couldn’t help but wonder why she turned down his marriage proposal three times. Was it because of past hurts? Was she scared of the possibility of being a widow earlier given the line of work Josiah was in? Was it a string of failed past relationships? I wish the author could have given us a scoop on who the father of her son was, and a bit of history around that so that we could have a clearer understanding.


Bra Josiah struck me as a man who was made and hardened by the streets, otherwise he wouldn’t have made it that long in the informal taxi industry. I wondered if he had ever had a wife and children, but something told me that Ruth was his soulmate but it was never meant to be. The bit narrated about him in the novel made me build a picture of a seasoned man who played different roles at different times, and that to me, made him human and a professional. I loved him.


Who was Papa Zeb really? Was he Ruth’s father or her old husband? It wasn’t clear. However, it was clear that Ruth cared about him and treated him with decency. I wish there was a brief account on his relationship with Mrs. Senatla and when or how he got to be in the condition he was in. I thought he was going to meet his maker before Josiah, but I guess it is true that humans will never know the ways of the LORD.

Lwazi, the boy raised by his aunt, and got on the wrong and dangerous side of life, was another of the people I liked and wished well for. I think his personal circumstances, e.g his mother and father not caring for him, being raised in a shebeen and surrounded by hardened criminals influenced his decisions and swayed him towards crime. I felt that he could be rehabilitated and saved, given that he still had a conscience and didn’t derive pleasure from the mission they pulled in the suburbs. I could see him being a friend of the good and hardworking Jackson from Autograph later on. Axle and MJ, like Masanabo Makubena, are far gone and I did not see any hope for them but premature death or long jail sentences.The latter was even on the same level as satan.


Tomas Ndaki was the devil himself. I have no words to describe how I felt about him and his actions. Men like him are found in seemingly normal households, roam the streets of SA daily and continue to kill and mime women with impunity. It is terrifying to be a woman in SA. At the rate at which Jongwe Makubena was going, like Karabo Mokwena, I could see his wife or girlfriends being murdered by him at some fancy Sandton apartment in the near future. Aggressive interventions must be done to stop gender based murders and violence in SA.


Lucas Makubena represented our country’s ugly and shameful truth. I imagined an elderly man, sweaty and over weight (don’t ask me why), who had no morals, shame or any inclination to steer the country and its future (through the youth) towards a brighter side. He was a killer of families, both literally and figuratively, a destroyer and a thief. He arrogantly crossed too many boundaries and his end was definitely fast approaching. Chubba Lethega the DG was just as bad. Hopefully something will come out of the Zondo Commission which is currently taking place in the country and such men will face the full might of the law.


The ugly side of cultural practices or the law, or their misuse, were shown through the experiences of the young girls and ladies in this book. By law, Cassidy’s father had a right to have her come over on weekends or during holidays, and her life changing abuse started there. Will she ever be fully healed? We do not know. Kwetsi never even had a shot at receiving formal education and she and her half-sisters existed because of, and lived terrible lives under the banner of a customary “law” which allowed a man to marry more than one wife. This “law” is practiced even when a man could barely support himself and one wife. Kwetsi and Sinazo’s fate stemmed from their backgrounds. What chance of decent living and survival in modern day SA does a child who does not have natural artistic and other talents, who was never taught lawful money generating skills, and who stopped schooling at 14 years have? It is a recipe for disaster which leads to exploitation, abuse and early death. Nonhlanhla was fortunate but she will share her sister’s burdens unfortunately. I pray for the “blessed” girls, Onge and Naledi Hadebe, to flee whist they still can.


Pamela Cunningham’s character and description was similar to that of a few professors I know and I just laughed when reading about her. The work done by the likes of her should be supported in many ways.


Thanks to the author for her contribution in raising awareness about transgenerational sexual relationships (blesser – blesse) which always disadvantage and ruin the lives of young girls, gender based violence and corruption in SA. I give the book 3.5 out of 5.

[Olivia Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who doesn’t really read thrillers, I found Veils of Smoke to be enjoyably well written. The tempo of the book was well established, beginning with considerable thought given to each character and then building suspense towards the climax with increasing drama.

One can say that the book focuses on disturbing subject matter and this can be uncomfortable for some readers but it does highlight contemporary South African issues. Many of these topics such as GBV, trans generational sex and corruption are actively ignored by many in affluent areas like the one in which the book is based. Just because these topics are emphasised in the novel, in my opinion, doesn’t project the depiction that South Africa is only recognised or defined by its criminal underbelly.

I think what Veils of Smoke does particularly well is depict the nature of the South African individual. The resilient, kind hearted and warm nature that throughout the world South Africans are known to possess. Of course there are bad guys, but they are there in every story. Despite the traumas that many face, people like Sinazo, Nonhlanhla and Cassidy are able to build strong bonds with others and love abundantly despite the hardships they have faced. The novel creates a deep love centred around and between women and shows how they uplift and support each other whether they want it or not. I think this sends a strong message of collaboration and solidarity of the female struggle against GBV. This is a particularly hopeful message that the author signals to their readers.

By writing a story where Sinazo does not take her own life, the novel chooses to refuse the status quo and prefers a hopeful resolution. This is important in the fight against GBV and displays the care and deep diligence the author has in creating a story with such sensitive topics and the diverse contextual setting that is South Africa

[Melina Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Keys latest novel, Veils of Smoke is just as I expected....exciting, very real and steeped in a deep understanding of South African of all races. I thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling ride from the Ixopo mountains to my old home town of Johannesburg. The characters are so relatable I know I could bump into them if I walked through Sandton city tomorrow. I loved how Sarah built the plot and drew all the characters in too.

The book isn’t without all the sad disappointing realities of everyday South African life, from murder, violence against women, corruption and tenderpreneuring to drug abuse and serial murderers. But all is not lost! There is hope, and I’ll say no more, but as South Africans, sometimes all we have to go on is hope, and so I dare you to read this book with that in mind. Furthermore if you live in South Africa, you should read this book!

Congratulations on a fab read Sarah! You can be so proud!

[Margie Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping from the very first page, Veils of Smoke follows the story of Sinazo and her sister Nonhlanhla from their hardships and trauma in their rural home in KwaZulu-Natal, to the bright lights of Johannesburg.
Heartbreaking at times; devastating at others; but eye-opening throughout. Sarah Key’s thrilling storytelling exposes the seedy underbelly of the glitz and glamour of the city, and highlights the very real issues of trans generational relationships and the all too prevalent gender based violence. This novel kept me riveted from beginning to end.

[Bonnie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller by Sarah Key. She took me straight into the lives of her characters and set the scene perfectly. The plot revolves around the very real and relevant issues of trans generational relationships and gender based violence in South Africa today. This fast paced, often disturbing, novel kept me reading late into the night.

[Mary D'Alto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound. Intense. Deeply moving. This book takes the reader by the hand and guides them into a story so overwhelmingly real they will be glad they can simply close the book to escape. But that’s just the point of this book; safety is not always an option.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping, addictive page turner till the end, this novel kept me reading late into the night.
It is an important read as the author takes us into the dark side of life, exposing the very real and relevant issues of GBV in South Africa today.

[Sarah Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book

I read this book in a day. I could not put it down. While the plot was thrilling, it was the drama of the characters' back stories slowly unfolding that kept me hooked. What a skilful author Key is that you are so caught up in her characters' lives, that when the book ends it is an unwelcome shock. I would highly recommend this book. It is superbly written and provides a moving insight into a way of life that you often only read/hear about on the news.

[Carly Jane Walterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful subject matter. How could one enjoy writing this?
Pseudo writing without any experience of suffering or trauma.
How could one enjoy reading this ...