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S-boek reeks #4
Red Tide
A week before getting married, Janien Steyn is found dead on her parents’ farm in her wedding dress. Desperate for answers, retired top cop Jaap Reyneke begs Sarah Fourie, a convicted hacker, to help him find out what happened to his niece. Was Janien’s death suicide or murder? Why did she erase everything on her laptop? And why was her body arranged so carefully, almost artistically, as if someone was making a statement?
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
56 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Irma Venter
12 books155 followersIrma Venter is a thriller writer. She writes books about strong women, interesting men and that fascinating space between right and wrong. Her first book, Skoenlapper, was published in 2012, in Afrikaans. Six of her books have been translated.
Irma Venter is 'n misdaadskrywer. Haar eerste boek word in 2012 gepubliseer. Skoenlapper word gevolg deur Skrapnel, Sondebok, Skarlaken, Sirkus, Sondag en Sewe-en-veertig. Minder as Niks verskyn in 2021, en is die begin van 'n nuwe krimireeks met Ami Prinsloo as die hoofkarakter. Die Verkeerde Vrou is die tweede boek in die reeks, gevolg deur Al Wat Tel. Die vierde boek in die Ami-reeks het pas verskyn – Die Drie Weduwees.
Irma Venter is 'n misdaadskrywer. Haar eerste boek word in 2012 gepubliseer. Skoenlapper word gevolg deur Skrapnel, Sondebok, Skarlaken, Sirkus, Sondag en Sewe-en-veertig. Minder as Niks verskyn in 2021, en is die begin van 'n nuwe krimireeks met Ami Prinsloo as die hoofkarakter. Die Verkeerde Vrou is die tweede boek in die reeks, gevolg deur Al Wat Tel. Die vierde boek in die Ami-reeks het pas verskyn – Die Drie Weduwees.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 14, 2020
Om Afrikaanse boeke te lees, is soos om te leer rooiwyn drink. Die goeie soort, dus trots Suid-Afrikaans. Ek het gesukkel met die eerste 2 boeke in Irma Venter se 'S' reeks, maar teen die 3de een het ek die aas gewaar. Met Skarlaken (nr 4), is ek 'n vis aan 'n hoek. Die reeks is soos 'n goeie rooiwyn, word net beter hoe ouer dit raak. ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ van my af. Ek kon niks fout vind nie en dit ook nie neersit voor dit nie klaar was nie!
December 24, 2015
Ek voel nou soos na enige goeie riller: uitgeput en pê. Min slaap, ja, maar ook die snelle pas van onthulling en ontdekking, verskuiwing van die aksie en die finale snak van besef.
Die afgetrede polisieman Jaap Reyneke kan ná drie jaar steeds nie die moord op sy peetdogter Janien Steyn laat gaan nie. Haar ouers wel: haar ma wil nou al haar goed verbrand en áánleef. Sestien uur voor die verbranding begin, kry Sarah Fourie, rekenaarkundige met 'n rekord as kuberkraker, kans om vas te stel wat Janien weggesteek het. Hiermee begin 'n proses wat, ten spyte van enkele valse spore, meedoënloos afstuur op die flambojante einde.
Klein taalkwessies, soos: As die vyf-en-twintigjarige Sarah "it does" vertaal as "dit doen", kan 'n mens dit nog glo (nie soseer aanvaar nie, maar dit blyk 'n verlore stryd te wees). Maar die vyftigjariges in die verhaal? Nee.
Maar gegewe die kompleksiteit van die karakters en die komplot is sulke beswaartjies klein.
Die lysie krimiskrywers wat ek voor die voet lees, groei: Deon Meyer, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Robert Galbraith, Martin Steyn. Irma Venter. Meyer se aanhaling op die voorblad noem haar 'wêreldklas'. Ek voel aan hy's reg. En daar's drie vorige boeke om in te haal!
Irma Venter weaves an intricate plot of murder, starting in a small town, gyrating in bigger and bigger circles, encompassing more and more complex, fascinating characters until she leaves the reader exhausted yet satisfied. I'm adding her to the short list of crimewriters that I read from pillar to post. And I'm three previous novels behind ...
Die afgetrede polisieman Jaap Reyneke kan ná drie jaar steeds nie die moord op sy peetdogter Janien Steyn laat gaan nie. Haar ouers wel: haar ma wil nou al haar goed verbrand en áánleef. Sestien uur voor die verbranding begin, kry Sarah Fourie, rekenaarkundige met 'n rekord as kuberkraker, kans om vas te stel wat Janien weggesteek het. Hiermee begin 'n proses wat, ten spyte van enkele valse spore, meedoënloos afstuur op die flambojante einde.
Klein taalkwessies, soos: As die vyf-en-twintigjarige Sarah "it does" vertaal as "dit doen", kan 'n mens dit nog glo (nie soseer aanvaar nie, maar dit blyk 'n verlore stryd te wees). Maar die vyftigjariges in die verhaal? Nee.
Maar gegewe die kompleksiteit van die karakters en die komplot is sulke beswaartjies klein.
Die lysie krimiskrywers wat ek voor die voet lees, groei: Deon Meyer, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Robert Galbraith, Martin Steyn. Irma Venter. Meyer se aanhaling op die voorblad noem haar 'wêreldklas'. Ek voel aan hy's reg. En daar's drie vorige boeke om in te haal!
Irma Venter weaves an intricate plot of murder, starting in a small town, gyrating in bigger and bigger circles, encompassing more and more complex, fascinating characters until she leaves the reader exhausted yet satisfied. I'm adding her to the short list of crimewriters that I read from pillar to post. And I'm three previous novels behind ...
March 2, 2016
Skitterend!
September 11, 2020
Wow wow wow
June 14, 2016
Om een of ander rede het ek tot nou toe nie 'n enkele Irma Venter book gelees nie . Hierdie een het ek in die boekklub krat opgetel, dieselfde aand begin lees en kon hom nie neersit voordat ek klaar was nie. Wat 'n heelrike ontdekking - nog 'n lekker speurstorie skrywer in Afrikaans.
Jaap Reynecke kan nie die dood van sy peetkind, Janien Steyn daar laat tot hy haar moordenaar gevang het nie. Al is dit nou 3 jaar later. Hy vra Sarah Fourie, hacker en rekenaar genie om hom te help in sy ondersoek en kort voor lank bevind sy haar kniediep in die omdersoek.
Janien is kort voor haar troue met haar universiteitsliefde gevries in die pan op hul plaas gevind - halflyf in die modder , op 'n fiets met 'n vliegbril en in haar trourok. Boonop met 'n dekoraiewe skarlaken drapeersel. Op die oog af 'n gewilde kunstenaar en besigheidsvrou ontdek Sarah veel meer oor haar.
Ek het die boek baie geniet- dit het my fasineerd gehou reg tot op die laaste bladsy. Wondelike kleurvolle effe anderse karakters gee die boek sy lewe. Ek kan nie wag om meer Sarah stories te lees nie - uiteindelik 'n sterk vroulike hoofkarakter en protoganis.
Jaap Reynecke kan nie die dood van sy peetkind, Janien Steyn daar laat tot hy haar moordenaar gevang het nie. Al is dit nou 3 jaar later. Hy vra Sarah Fourie, hacker en rekenaar genie om hom te help in sy ondersoek en kort voor lank bevind sy haar kniediep in die omdersoek.
Janien is kort voor haar troue met haar universiteitsliefde gevries in die pan op hul plaas gevind - halflyf in die modder , op 'n fiets met 'n vliegbril en in haar trourok. Boonop met 'n dekoraiewe skarlaken drapeersel. Op die oog af 'n gewilde kunstenaar en besigheidsvrou ontdek Sarah veel meer oor haar.
Ek het die boek baie geniet- dit het my fasineerd gehou reg tot op die laaste bladsy. Wondelike kleurvolle effe anderse karakters gee die boek sy lewe. Ek kan nie wag om meer Sarah stories te lees nie - uiteindelik 'n sterk vroulike hoofkarakter en protoganis.
January 2, 2016
Irma Venter verken ruimtes en landskappe hierdie keer op 'n nuwe manier: die slagoffer, Janien, word na haar dood opgestel om te herinner aan die landskapkuns van Strydom van der Merwe. En sy is blykbaar nie die enigste een nie. Benewens Jaap en Sarah se reise na die Vrystaan, Pretoria, Stellenbosch, Namibië, ens. vind mens ook die spel met kartografie (ook die natrek van die mens se DNA). Skarlaken het my idee van Sarah Fourie en Jaap Steyn - twee karakter waarvan ek in vorige boeke nie besonder baie van gehou het nie, totaal verander. En my boonop, soos ek gehoop en verwag het, 'n lekker spannende verhaal met substansie gegee.
April 9, 2016
Die probleem met Irma Venter, is dat jou tydsberekening oor wanneer jy begin lees, baie mooi gekies moet word. Onneersitbaar!
Ek het al vergeet hoe lekker dit is om ou karakters lagie vir lagie beter te leer ken en verstaan soos 'n reeks aangaan. Ek kan nie wag om vir Adriana ook beter te leer ken nie. Jaap was fasinerend!
In hierdie boek het Irma die vermoë om elke 'skildery' so visueel en kleurvol te skryf, dat dit moeilik ooit nie deel van jou prentjiegebeue sal wees nie.
Dankie Irma Venter. Dis 'n fabelagtige reis!
Ek het al vergeet hoe lekker dit is om ou karakters lagie vir lagie beter te leer ken en verstaan soos 'n reeks aangaan. Ek kan nie wag om vir Adriana ook beter te leer ken nie. Jaap was fasinerend!
In hierdie boek het Irma die vermoë om elke 'skildery' so visueel en kleurvol te skryf, dat dit moeilik ooit nie deel van jou prentjiegebeue sal wees nie.
Dankie Irma Venter. Dis 'n fabelagtige reis!
October 22, 2015
Loved it like all of Irma Venter's books. I'm glad Sarah is the main character - she fascinated me with her hacking skills since the first book! :-)
April 3, 2016
Manjifiek! En dit was so lekker om Sarah beter te leer ken. Hoop daar kom nog!
March 31, 2016
Wow!
Kan nie wag vir Irma se volgende een nie
Kan nie wag vir Irma se volgende een nie
July 15, 2023
This is the first book by Irma Venter that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really liked the character of Jaap, and I found the plot interesting and with just enough pace and mystery.
If I hadn’t known it was translated from Afrikaans to English, I wouldn’t have noticed so kudos also to the translator.
If I hadn’t known it was translated from Afrikaans to English, I wouldn’t have noticed so kudos also to the translator.
May 28, 2019
Irma Venter mag maar.
December 29, 2019
Absoluut fantasties!! Kon dit nie neersit nie!
October 11, 2024
10 out of 10 for this one!! Absolutely gripping! This South African Author is brilliant! Her thrillers are up there with the best!! You just have to get a copy and read this book!
February 11, 2019
In Skarlaken vat Alex en Ranna 'n blaaskans en skuif Sarah en die oud-polisieman Jaap Reyneke in die hoofkarakters se stoele in.
Jaap krap nog steeds aan die onopgelosde moord op sy peetdogter Janien 3 jaar tevore. Met Janien se ouers wat al haar goed tot niet wil maak raak Jaap se tyd min en hy roep Sarah se hulp in. Soos hulle dieper krap kom hulle agter dat Janien se dood dalk net die puntjie van 'n nare ysberg was. 'n Beskermende gemeenskap en familiebande en vriendskappe wat tot breekpunt gedryf word dra by tot die spanning.
Weereens 'n puik boek deur Irma Venter.
Jaap krap nog steeds aan die onopgelosde moord op sy peetdogter Janien 3 jaar tevore. Met Janien se ouers wat al haar goed tot niet wil maak raak Jaap se tyd min en hy roep Sarah se hulp in. Soos hulle dieper krap kom hulle agter dat Janien se dood dalk net die puntjie van 'n nare ysberg was. 'n Beskermende gemeenskap en familiebande en vriendskappe wat tot breekpunt gedryf word dra by tot die spanning.
Weereens 'n puik boek deur Irma Venter.
Read
August 12, 2020Die eerste Afrikaanse boek wat ek gekies het om te lees, en dit was a uitstekende keuse. Ek is al van kind af mal oor speur stories, ek het groot geword op Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, en die Famous Five.
Teenspyte van my kennis van die genre, was hierdie boek net op n ander vlak. Die storielyn trek mens in, net as jy dink jyt dit uitgefigure verander dit, maar wat rereg vir my die boek gemaak het was die verhoudings tussen karakters en die karakter ontwikkeling wat daarmee kom. Ek is gek oor Jaap en Sarah se Father Daughter bon, wat net alhou sterker gemaak is deur die karakterontwikkeling waardeur hulle gaan.
n Fantastiese boek vir mense wat hou van rillers, karakter ontwikkeling, en laat aand wakker bly.
Teenspyte van my kennis van die genre, was hierdie boek net op n ander vlak. Die storielyn trek mens in, net as jy dink jyt dit uitgefigure verander dit, maar wat rereg vir my die boek gemaak het was die verhoudings tussen karakters en die karakter ontwikkeling wat daarmee kom. Ek is gek oor Jaap en Sarah se Father Daughter bon, wat net alhou sterker gemaak is deur die karakterontwikkeling waardeur hulle gaan.
n Fantastiese boek vir mense wat hou van rillers, karakter ontwikkeling, en laat aand wakker bly.
December 25, 2025
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Deep in the South African Karoo, a small desert town runs red with old grudges and deadly secrets.
Three years after his niece is found dead the week of her wedding, Jaap Reyneke, a retired detective, is still doggedly looking for answers. Why was her body displayed so carefully, like a macabre art installation? Who erased all correspondence from her devices? But the townspeople of Carnarvon seem content to let dead bodies lie.
Desperate for help, Jaap turns to Sarah Fourie, a convicted hacker seeking reprieve from her own demons. Together, they sniff out the truth of Janien's death, setting in motion a chain of events that will tear the town apart from within.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: South Africa fascinates me because it has so many of the same disfiguring flaws as US culture has, and an ugly side it likes to pretend it doesn't have like the US does. I've watched its soap operas in an effort to get to grips with what it thinks of itself; I read its mysteries and thrillers to find out what scares it from within.
Jaap's retired from the police force, but Janien's unresolved death, a murder without closure, refuses to let him rest. He needs more skilled help to get information from the internet age that, franjly, does not interest him nor does he want to get into its guts. Enter Sarah, convicted of hacking for profit, and now seeking redemption. How better than to get the data Jaap needs to finally close Janien's murder?
It's a good mystery, keeps a solid pace, plays fair...but wow, does the author need some computer tech lessons. This being fiction, I get the need to compress time scales but hacking is not as straightforward nor as quick to produce results as this story suggests. I felt I needed to withhold a star for that; but the reason Janien was murdered, the ugliness the solution uncovered, and Jaap's dogged quest to fix this rent in Ma'at's fabric all compelled me to keep the pages turning.
As the motive for multiple crimes came to light the story had a fascinating tonal shift. A matter-of-factness entered the narrative that, the more I thought about it, was so much more pointedly a comment on the sickness of the world that hides, empowers, allows suchlike than a more condemnatory tone would've been that I got a chill. That's the half-star returned.
I hope we'll see more of Irma Venter's work in English soon.
The Publisher Says: Deep in the South African Karoo, a small desert town runs red with old grudges and deadly secrets.
Three years after his niece is found dead the week of her wedding, Jaap Reyneke, a retired detective, is still doggedly looking for answers. Why was her body displayed so carefully, like a macabre art installation? Who erased all correspondence from her devices? But the townspeople of Carnarvon seem content to let dead bodies lie.
Desperate for help, Jaap turns to Sarah Fourie, a convicted hacker seeking reprieve from her own demons. Together, they sniff out the truth of Janien's death, setting in motion a chain of events that will tear the town apart from within.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: South Africa fascinates me because it has so many of the same disfiguring flaws as US culture has, and an ugly side it likes to pretend it doesn't have like the US does. I've watched its soap operas in an effort to get to grips with what it thinks of itself; I read its mysteries and thrillers to find out what scares it from within.
Jaap's retired from the police force, but Janien's unresolved death, a murder without closure, refuses to let him rest. He needs more skilled help to get information from the internet age that, franjly, does not interest him nor does he want to get into its guts. Enter Sarah, convicted of hacking for profit, and now seeking redemption. How better than to get the data Jaap needs to finally close Janien's murder?
It's a good mystery, keeps a solid pace, plays fair...but wow, does the author need some computer tech lessons. This being fiction, I get the need to compress time scales but hacking is not as straightforward nor as quick to produce results as this story suggests. I felt I needed to withhold a star for that; but the reason Janien was murdered, the ugliness the solution uncovered, and Jaap's dogged quest to fix this rent in Ma'at's fabric all compelled me to keep the pages turning.
As the motive for multiple crimes came to light the story had a fascinating tonal shift. A matter-of-factness entered the narrative that, the more I thought about it, was so much more pointedly a comment on the sickness of the world that hides, empowers, allows suchlike than a more condemnatory tone would've been that I got a chill. That's the half-star returned.
I hope we'll see more of Irma Venter's work in English soon.
June 19, 2025
Red Tide is an interesting book written in Afrikaans, set in South Africa, translated by Karin Schimke into English. Jaap, a retired police officer, continues to investigate the death of Janien Steyn’s death which happened three years back, suspected to be a murder, but nothing was proven. He takes the help of Sarah, a convicted hacker start investigating the death afresh. They find quite a few clues linked to two other murders that happened on the same date of the year, with clues left on the body that are strikingly similar. The story is all about how they connect all these threads and discover an even bigger mystery. The story is well written with a good storyline, strong character development and a complex mystery that is unravelled by an unconventional but effective partnership investigating a crime.
Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing a copy of this book for review. The opinions expressed herein are my own.
Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing a copy of this book for review. The opinions expressed herein are my own.
May 1, 2023
I don’t easily give 5 stars, but this crime novel was absolutely brilliant. Original, creative, and, believe it or not, originally written in Afrikaans. The translator did an amazing job too. This book is full of twists and red herrings, and every time I was sure I knew the ending, I was left scratching my head again. Extremely absorbing - I read the second half in one afternoon. One for the South Africans! Well worth a read.
November 6, 2025
4/5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The main characters were realistic and I cared about them. Most of the supporting characters rang true as well, though there were a few cardboard cutouts here and there. But none of them had a large role in the story.
The pacing was good. The story kept my interest throughout.
I take off one full star for relying on a hacker character who can magically access all computers in the world. Handy I know, but unrealistic and lazy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The main characters were realistic and I cared about them. Most of the supporting characters rang true as well, though there were a few cardboard cutouts here and there. But none of them had a large role in the story.
The pacing was good. The story kept my interest throughout.
I take off one full star for relying on a hacker character who can magically access all computers in the world. Handy I know, but unrealistic and lazy.
January 9, 2025
What a great start into the new reading your. I was hooked, pretty much from page 1 on. Even though the back and worth of who done it, was a bit tedious, I really enjoyed the story and its characters. Knowing the landscapes and the kind of people that live there, also helped to appreciate this book! Was my first Irma Venter and will soon get more of her books!
November 24, 2022
enjoyable romp through SA
I did enjoy this book. Was a good enough story, and despite it being a little predictable was well written enough to keep me reading even when I’d worked out the outcome. Thanks!
I did enjoy this book. Was a good enough story, and despite it being a little predictable was well written enough to keep me reading even when I’d worked out the outcome. Thanks!
May 16, 2019
Baie goeie intrige. Was mal oor die skarlaken tema in die boek.
August 9, 2020
Ek kon dit nie neersit nie.
February 2, 2021
Heerlike riller1
December 20, 2025
Loved it!
February 1, 2016
Uitstekend! Nou gaan ek die ander 3 boeke ook soek om te lees. Die boek boei jou tot op die laaste bladsy.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews