Dance of the Monkeys

by Ciku Kimeria

From the author of the well-acclaimed, unputdownable, Of Goats and Poisoned Oranges, comes this gripping mystery novel that will have you on the edge of your seat!A fancy Nairobi engagement party turns deadly. What is to be a special night for Mwende and her fiancé, Oti, takes an unexpected twist. Private investigator, Wanjiru Mdaku, is in a race against time to find the culprit out to get Mwende, the daughter of the infamous local businessman, Al Capone wa County. In trying to solve this mystery, Wanjiru Mdaku finds herself navigating treacherous waters of the Lamu drugworld, county mafia, political rivalries, a well-connected megachurch and countless love triangles. Can our heroine solve this mystery before the culprit gets Mwende?

Genres: Mystery

257 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2020

About the author

Ciku Kimeria lives and works in Kenya as a consultant focusing on international development issues. In her free time, she enjoys writing and traveling. She is particularly fascinated by the universality of human emotions and enjoys reading books about people whose culture she knows little about. She hopes to use her work to reach more people with stories about Kenyan people that they can relate to - even if they do not know much about Kenya. She holds a BSc in Management Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Reviews

[Wamboi Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the Kenyanese in this book & how easy it was to relate to some of these characters. There was however too much drama going on towards the end which makes one loose touch with some of the characters and just wanting the conclusion to come along. It was for the most part an enjoyable read.

[Empress of Bookingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

“...don't let guilt and blame consume you. Forgive yourself. I think you've given blame and guilt enough years of your life. Now, it's time to forgive yourself and let others forgive you.” 
 
Dance of The Monkeys, Ciku Kimeria 
 
~~~ 
 
When I said I really enjoyed this book I mean I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK! 😂😂Sorry I had to shout.  
 
I was honestly shocked that I enjoyed it. I love the fact that our local authors are showing me that they can blow my mind and then some. Standing ovation! We have amazing authors and writers among us.  
 
I love myself a good mystery and when it's wrapped in a life lesson or two the better. 'Dance of the Monkeys' can be read as a purely entertaining read but deep within the thread of the story are so many truths about our society and human nature. And when you really think about it the commentary runs deep.  
 
The setting and how twas described made me feel so at home because most of the places she mentioned I have been to more so around the university area. I lived around there for a while and I saw all the drama that follows university students. Trust me, the drama in the book doesn't touch the real life. 😂 
 
For me love and relationships as a whole was the thing holding the world together. It's interesting seeing how we as Kenyans view relationships, interact with each other... Again true to facts.  
 
How we've normalized cheating, domestic violence, corruption et al, baffles me. Those kinda commentary were the link between the fictional world and real life Kenya for me that I also enjoyed.  
 
The main character, Mdaku, reminded me of PI Kinsey Milhone a character that Sue Grafton well crafted and that I love in her alphabet serial books. That made me settle more easily into the read. She has a funny way of looking at life. While Wacuka was a character when you begin the book 'hate' but at the end I kinda loved her.  
 
There was this comment Kimeria made about love that hit home had: “It was as if the pursuit of love was actually more exciting than love itself. That is why Mwende really loved Pasi Toma - because his love was not a given. That was the love most people had gotten accustomed to - fragile love. Love that one needed to work for. Love that needed to be earned, guarded, fought for. PhD love.” 
 
Thank God I am past that kinda love. 
 
At this rate I have so much to say about the book than space allows me 😂😂 
 
Last but not least the author is just easy, fun, should I say knows what she is doing or one who is constantly sharpening her skills? I can't wait to read more from her.

[Ashley Muthaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, I loved the characters and the different plot twists. Also loved how Kenyan it was in terms of the lingo.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved Kimeria's first novel, Of Goats and Poisoned Oranges. Though Dance of The Monkeys uses similar elements - multiple, time-shifted perspectives, interlinked character backstories - this experience was more like binge-watching a soap opera than a suspenseful mystery novel. You keep reading for ever more shocking reveals, but ultimately the plot serves as a means for the broad cast of characters to revel in their personal intrigues, rather than the other way around. The various love triangles and catty infighting also drown out Kimeria's attempted socio-political commentary, which would have added welcome substance if it hadn't been mostly shoehorned into the end. Entertaining for a light beach read, but I had hoped for more.

The choice of narration seemed to contribute to this story's lack of depth. Detective Wanjiru Mdaku predominately narrates from a first-person perspective, interspersed occasionally with chapters about other characters, written in the third-person. This does give Wanjiru the opportunity to deal out savage quips about all her frenemies (the first 30 pages is straight-up Mean Girls) and the reader to identify with her voice, but strangely ends up giving us little insight into her deduction process. Perhaps this still could have worked if there had been more variety in narrators? Wanjiru directly narrates 70% of chapters (and 8 of the first 10) in a novel with arguably at least five major point-of-view characters. Why not just write it entirely in first-person and let us solve the mystery as Wanjiru does? Or sample multiple POVs in third-person and wow us with Wanjiru's dramatic reveal at the end? Having it both ways - focusing on the detective as the sympathetic protagonist while sampling "sidequests" into other character perspectives to muddy the true solution- ultimately deprives the reader of both the detective experience and the moral ambiguity of deeply empathizing with opposing characters, who end up only briefly profiled. Kimeria has executed the latter approach well before, but I think Dance of the Monkeys' variation on that formula didn't work.

[Rachael Njuguna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, humorous, easy to read. Very Kenyan.
Perfect for those times when you are coming from a heavy read

[Fayande Kimenju · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reads 4//25: DANCE OF THE MONKEY BY CIKU KIMERIA
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#2025readingchallenge
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The tango with words can be a delicate and frustrating balance. I can't refer to myself as a writer (yet) but I know what it feels to dance with words, to have your psych concoct them, to bask in the embrace and comfort that only words can avail. This makes it quite difficult to write this review because I can't even attempt to imagine the effort and labour of love that into writing a whole book. However, I still have to express my genuine thoughts about the book.
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Dance of the monkey by Ciru Kimeria felt like a prolonged exaggerated story you hear in a salon. The story line, characters and plot didn't have depth and felt disconnected. To add to that, as much as I do enjoy authors who manage to digress as they spew words, I never thought I'd ever encounter a digress situation that feels too much until I read this book.
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All to say I wouldn't particularly recommend that you pick up this book unless you are those people who enjoy the over-exaggerated bollywood and nollywood films.
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Food for thought:

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#MenWhoRead 😍 #GirlsWhoRead 💪
#SGI
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#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict
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[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kenyan stories are often layered. I have found that not one person has a linear story. This book breathes life into these words. With each character, Ciku so skillfully takes us on a journey of the many hats the characters wear. I most enjoyed Pasi Toma’s persona, I liked that he was striking, introducing this moral dilemma. I could see Mama Mwende and her grandiose. I wanted to take Oti out for lunch and smack some sense into him. Mwende needs to start bringing her own drinks to gatherings and Wanjiku and Were’s conversation towards the end was such a beautiful bow to tie the book.
While I felt some angles were irrelevant, the story is well told and I’d definitely recommend it to someone who wants to hear a Kenyan voice.

[Stacy Maina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely inhaled this book it was impossible to put down! The story is so captivating; one moment you feel like a detective piecing together clues, and the next you’re knee deep in the juiciest gossip of your life. The twists and turns were masterfully done not once did I suspect the real culprit because I wasn’t even looking in their direction! I was completely lost in all the delicious drama 😂

It honestly felt like a Knives Out story set right here in Kenya fresh, clever, and wildly entertaining. It’s such a breath of fresh air to read a mystery this good. Ciku truly did her big one with this book. I loved every single page!

[Wangari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pure Nairobi drama! Secrets, scandals, attempted murders, and toxic friendships had me hooked like a detective in Murder Mystery🕵🏿 . Every page was a new clue, a fresh betrayal, or a past sin resurfacing.
Nieri stole the show for me scandalous, sassy, and
absolutely villainous (the kind of character you hate but secretly enjoy 😂). Wacuka's misunderstood arc was another highlight. Throw in messy friendships, complicated families, and power hungry elites, and you've got a story that's as addictive as it is sharp.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book from my local bookshop, looking for something light and entertaining—and wow, it did not disappoint! I laughed so hard I thought I’d crack a rib. I mean, who calls themselves Wanjiru Mdaku, wears it like a crown, thrives in it, and is actually proud of it? Iconic!

I found myself reading it every evening, completely hooked. I didn’t even want to finish it—that’s how much I was enjoying it. It’s hilarious, relatable, and surprisingly heartwarming. Highly recommend!

[Ceh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Second and absolutely engaging read by Ciku Kimeria. It kept me on my toes. wanting to find the culprit and moreso why. It's a book with many characters but written in a way that is easy to remember and keep track of them throughout the entire story. Set in 🇰🇪 , it's a widely relatable book with just the right amount twists and turns to keep you turning the pages

[Catherine Maina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that this book was so relatable and an easy, engaging read. It kept me guessing almost until the end, trying to solve the mystery right along with Wanjiru Mdaku. Great read; hoping for a second one in the series.

[Naly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the suspense and drama. Well written and an easy read. 🙌🏽

[Ivy Rahedi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the Kenyanesse, I found myself laughing a lot. The mystery was intriguing as well! It was just the perfect light read for me🙏🏾

[Kevin Isaac · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has a predictable Kenyan plot. At many points it lacked depth for me. Obviously a quick page-turner because I was hooked to the thought that it will turn into some great suspense.

[Adoyo Olango · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. A lot of aha’s

[Muthoni Ngocho]

This was quite on enjoyable read. I liked the “Kenyanese” and the easy flow of the story.

[mayriiee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dance of the Monkeys" was my first novel by a Kenyan author (excluding setbooks—but honestly, shame on me), and I couldn’t be happier that it was. This book was such a simple, delightful read that pulled me in effortlessly.

What I loved most was how it felt like home. Unlike many Western reads, this book didn’t just tell a story—it invited me in. It was so refreshing to see myself, my city, and my culture reflected in its pages. The way the author captured Nairobi’s essence was incredible. I found myself laughing, gasping, clapping in disbelief, and connecting deeply with the characters.

It was as though I knew them all—I could swear I’d gone to school with some, shared a pew with others, or even lived next door to a few. Their stories felt so familiar yet so entertaining.

This book is a 10/10 for me, and I can’t wait to read more from this brilliant author!

[Julie Ambani · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Kenyan, I loved that I could relate to this book 100%. The stories and descriptions were those that I was well familiar with! I loved the suspense the book gave us as well as the drama. This whole story can be described as scandalous and that's unfortunately how Nairobi is. A little comical and definitely a gripping, page turner. Would recommend. Best to be read when already in a happy mood as it makes the read even more interesting!