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Umbilical
It's the early nineties in southern Africa. Not far from Cape Town, a small chartered plane on its way to Namibia crashes unexpectedly. On board is a nun who is hiding an undocumented baby.
Today, thirty years later, two people have very different reasons for wanting to find out what happened to the Ruth Masisi, a prominent African judge about to be appointed to the International Criminal Court, and Arthur Coleman, a pharmaceutical industry tycoon from America, who is finalising the deal of a lifetime with China to establish southern Africa's first full-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Botswana. Werner and Ella, the descendants of the men who rescued the child, know nothing of the complex history that connects them, but when Ruth tracks them down and pleads for their help, they find themselves faced with an almost impossible situation. Will they be prepared - or able - to sift through their shared past and find the child in time?
In Umbilical, Jane Kay weaves a tale of an unwelcome inheritance, one that is as inescapable as it is perilous.
Today, thirty years later, two people have very different reasons for wanting to find out what happened to the Ruth Masisi, a prominent African judge about to be appointed to the International Criminal Court, and Arthur Coleman, a pharmaceutical industry tycoon from America, who is finalising the deal of a lifetime with China to establish southern Africa's first full-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Botswana. Werner and Ella, the descendants of the men who rescued the child, know nothing of the complex history that connects them, but when Ruth tracks them down and pleads for their help, they find themselves faced with an almost impossible situation. Will they be prepared - or able - to sift through their shared past and find the child in time?
In Umbilical, Jane Kay weaves a tale of an unwelcome inheritance, one that is as inescapable as it is perilous.
- GenresMystery
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2022
2 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Jane Kay
1 book7 followersJane Kay was born in South Africa and spent her childhood in a dusty mining town in the north of the country, the first place that taught her the joy of inventing stories. Her high school and university years were spent in the Cape Town area. She graduated from Stellenbosch University and later continued her studies at the University of Johannesburg.
Like her parents and many in her extended family, her early career was in teaching. She went on to do research for the management consulting industry and started writing and editing a few years later. She has lived and worked in South Africa, Canada and Russia and currently lives in northern Portugal with her nomadic husband Tom. Umbilical is her second novel.
https://jane-kay.com/
https://www.facebook.com/janekaybooks
Jane Kay also writes as Janet Rogers.
Like her parents and many in her extended family, her early career was in teaching. She went on to do research for the management consulting industry and started writing and editing a few years later. She has lived and worked in South Africa, Canada and Russia and currently lives in northern Portugal with her nomadic husband Tom. Umbilical is her second novel.
https://jane-kay.com/
https://www.facebook.com/janekaybooks
Jane Kay also writes as Janet Rogers.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 30, 2022
This book was stunning! A fast-paced story kicking off in a river canyon and taking us back to a plane crash in the nineties in a fragile post-Apartheid South Africa and introducing the reader to a narcissistic big pharma tycoon with grand plans for Africa, a nun hiding a baby whose life was in serious danger, a prominent African judge with a secret in her past readying for a brilliant career opportunity abroad, a rising rock star preparing for a series of concerts in South Africa, and two young professionals from different continents being brought together to carry the responsibility of their parents' actions thirty years ago. Complex relationships, political intrigues and many pressing questions to be answered come together in this thrilling page turner! Jane Kay impressed with an excellent novel that I could not put down.
October 16, 2022
“Umbilical” is a satisfying and rewarding novel. Throughout I admired the quality in the writing and layered intricacies of story development. The characters are very well portrayed and the pace is good with plenty of twists and turns to keep the suspense taut for the reader. Also, descriptions of locations are evocative.
What will stay in my memory in the mix of all of that will be the music making sections with Scott, Ella and the musicians enjoying the rehearsals, the serious business and then the improvs, the riffing and joy of comradeship in their profession before giving of their all in the actual concert performance. Have never read anything quite like that before; so authentic and atmospheric - a triumph.
Nor will I forget that sublime description when Ella arrives at the airport, flying out from Canada to South Africa: “the pulse in the air, like an inaudible but perceivable beat”
George Canizal Ipswich UK
What will stay in my memory in the mix of all of that will be the music making sections with Scott, Ella and the musicians enjoying the rehearsals, the serious business and then the improvs, the riffing and joy of comradeship in their profession before giving of their all in the actual concert performance. Have never read anything quite like that before; so authentic and atmospheric - a triumph.
Nor will I forget that sublime description when Ella arrives at the airport, flying out from Canada to South Africa: “the pulse in the air, like an inaudible but perceivable beat”
George Canizal Ipswich UK
October 14, 2022
A surprise-filled mystery of multiple levels of family secrets, that when revealed, delivers an emotionally satisfying, and moving climax. I loved it.
September 30, 2022
This was a really well done story, it worked in the Suspense Thriller genre. The characters were what I was hoping for and they worked really well in the world. The plot was what I was hoping for and I was really glad I was able to read this.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 13, 2023
A page turner, where each character was developed in such a way that I felt like I knew them. Complex developing plot that kept me engaged and interested. Don’t want to spoil the story, but it was a culturally rich dive into the twisted oppression of 1990s in South Africa. I am looking forward to the next book from Jane Kay!!
April 1, 2023
Secrets and danger, forbidden romance, and complicated family relationships, all the ingredients of a satisfying mystery, are mixed into Umbilical Cord in ample measures.
Unlike the run-of-the-mill mystery, Jane Kay has crafted a crisply written tale that does not begin with a dead body but with the rescue of a tiny, new life, and this original premise provides intrigue from the start.
The thread of the story begins in the early nineties in southern Africa with the unexpected crash of a small plane on its way to Namibia. On board is a nun who is hiding an undocumented baby. The infant is miraculously rescued by three men with no former connection to the child. Thirty years later, two people with very different motives are on a mission to find out what happened to the child. Ruth Masisi is a prominent African judge about to be appointed to the international Criminal Court, and Arthur Coleman, an American tycoon, is finalizing the deal of a lifetime to establish southern Africa’s first full-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Botswana.
Werner and Ella, the descendants of the men who rescued the child, know nothing of the complex history that connects them. But when Ruth seeks them out and pleads for their help, they face a seemingly impossible and perilous situation as they try to find the child, whose identity has remained a secret and who again faces life-threatening danger.
I was a bit skeptical about why the child was in danger in the past and in the present, but in the context of apartheid and its aftermath in South Africa, the characters soon make this premise believable. My only criticism of this part of the narrative is that in an environment that is inseparable from race and racism, the author holds back the description of the child’s race for a bit too long.
In the first few chapters, the many characters introduced from far-flung locations and from the past and present is almost overwhelming, but when their lives and relationships start intersecting, the story takes off and doesn’t stop, with urgency and tension building up to the last pages.
The contrast of personalities, like Werner’s trusting nature with Ella’s sharp edges, adds rich layers to the story. All the details of the backgrounds of the characters make them come alive. Readers and writers will appreciate Kay’s skill in creating distinct voices of each character, a feat that is difficult for even many seasoned writers to achieve.
The author dips the reader into the array of cultures, peoples, and landscapes of different parts of Africa with her descriptive details. Of musician Scott Kete: He was taller than she imagined, perhaps also a little older, and he possessed a certain restrained handsomeness. He flashed the group a sudden, wide smile, and she could almost feel the room fall in love with him, like they’d undoubtedly done dozens of times before her arrival. Of a house in the South Africa countryside: He took them through the house to a sun porch at the back, where a tray with teacups and a plate of Oreo biscuits awaited them. Werner could smell wet dogs in the room but saw none.
Umbilical takes no wasted side trips; everything that happens affects the next thing that happens. The plot and its resolution were a bit too predictable, but even though I knew, perhaps too soon, where the story was going, this did not keep me from enjoying the ride until the end. The story moves along at a pace that will make you not want to put this book down until you have navigated all the detours, rerouted from the dead ends, figured out the right path, and know all the answers and how they matter.
--Patricia A. Watts
Unlike the run-of-the-mill mystery, Jane Kay has crafted a crisply written tale that does not begin with a dead body but with the rescue of a tiny, new life, and this original premise provides intrigue from the start.
The thread of the story begins in the early nineties in southern Africa with the unexpected crash of a small plane on its way to Namibia. On board is a nun who is hiding an undocumented baby. The infant is miraculously rescued by three men with no former connection to the child. Thirty years later, two people with very different motives are on a mission to find out what happened to the child. Ruth Masisi is a prominent African judge about to be appointed to the international Criminal Court, and Arthur Coleman, an American tycoon, is finalizing the deal of a lifetime to establish southern Africa’s first full-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Botswana.
Werner and Ella, the descendants of the men who rescued the child, know nothing of the complex history that connects them. But when Ruth seeks them out and pleads for their help, they face a seemingly impossible and perilous situation as they try to find the child, whose identity has remained a secret and who again faces life-threatening danger.
I was a bit skeptical about why the child was in danger in the past and in the present, but in the context of apartheid and its aftermath in South Africa, the characters soon make this premise believable. My only criticism of this part of the narrative is that in an environment that is inseparable from race and racism, the author holds back the description of the child’s race for a bit too long.
In the first few chapters, the many characters introduced from far-flung locations and from the past and present is almost overwhelming, but when their lives and relationships start intersecting, the story takes off and doesn’t stop, with urgency and tension building up to the last pages.
The contrast of personalities, like Werner’s trusting nature with Ella’s sharp edges, adds rich layers to the story. All the details of the backgrounds of the characters make them come alive. Readers and writers will appreciate Kay’s skill in creating distinct voices of each character, a feat that is difficult for even many seasoned writers to achieve.
The author dips the reader into the array of cultures, peoples, and landscapes of different parts of Africa with her descriptive details. Of musician Scott Kete: He was taller than she imagined, perhaps also a little older, and he possessed a certain restrained handsomeness. He flashed the group a sudden, wide smile, and she could almost feel the room fall in love with him, like they’d undoubtedly done dozens of times before her arrival. Of a house in the South Africa countryside: He took them through the house to a sun porch at the back, where a tray with teacups and a plate of Oreo biscuits awaited them. Werner could smell wet dogs in the room but saw none.
Umbilical takes no wasted side trips; everything that happens affects the next thing that happens. The plot and its resolution were a bit too predictable, but even though I knew, perhaps too soon, where the story was going, this did not keep me from enjoying the ride until the end. The story moves along at a pace that will make you not want to put this book down until you have navigated all the detours, rerouted from the dead ends, figured out the right path, and know all the answers and how they matter.
--Patricia A. Watts
January 19, 2023
** spoiler alert ** This is an interesting story, written by an Author who was born and lived in the locales of her book. (Botswana and Johannesburg, South Africa.)
I was unsuccessful in locating any other titles by Jane-Kay so I’ll describe this as a great debut novel. The story winds around and through several families, but the people who are called upon to straighten the mess out had a hard time understanding what they were supposed to do, and why. Unbeknownst to them, they’d been called back to their childhood homes at the behest of the perpetrators of a well meaning, if not self-serving, scheme motivated by the racial ramifications of the remains of Apartheid. They thought they were doing the best for all concerned, motivated by the mores of their experiences… By the end of this heartwarming story, most is set to rights, though at a price. I HIGHLY recommend this book. This is an indie publication (Atmosphere Press) Cover Art is answered by the story, something I adore. Author info: www.Jane-kay.com To avoid any spoilers, I will highly recommend this book to ALL of the adventurous Goodreads
community, and I hope that everyone enjoys it as much I did!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2024
I had the pleasure to attend a local author event and was excited to read this after hearing Jane Kay read & speak about her book. To be completely honest, much of this book was so out of my wheelhouse that I wasn't sure what to expect. I was a young American when the events surrounding this story unfolded and was then (woefully) clueless about events outside my bubble.
I loved it. Here are my thoughts (I'll speak to some themes without details to try to avoid spoilers).
First, I'll say that Umbilical is a fantastic read - very enjoyable, front to back. From tying adventure to history with engaging characters to striking a balance between tension and her characters' development, Jane Kay reveals just enough of the mystery to keep you engaged and guessing until the final chapters.
I want to also say, this was an important story for me to read. My eyes were opened to parts of history that I only knew about on the surface. Several times I had to set the book aside to go down a rabbit hole on the internet and learn more.
Last thought: Though it is not the focal point of the story, themes of adoption, biological families and found-family are the fiber that the story is built upon. As an adoptee who has gone through some of the same journies myself I can say that the author handled these moments with authenticity and great care. I could write an essay on this alone, but to avoid spoilers I'll just, again, say I loved it. Highly recommend.
I loved it. Here are my thoughts (I'll speak to some themes without details to try to avoid spoilers).
First, I'll say that Umbilical is a fantastic read - very enjoyable, front to back. From tying adventure to history with engaging characters to striking a balance between tension and her characters' development, Jane Kay reveals just enough of the mystery to keep you engaged and guessing until the final chapters.
I want to also say, this was an important story for me to read. My eyes were opened to parts of history that I only knew about on the surface. Several times I had to set the book aside to go down a rabbit hole on the internet and learn more.
Last thought: Though it is not the focal point of the story, themes of adoption, biological families and found-family are the fiber that the story is built upon. As an adoptee who has gone through some of the same journies myself I can say that the author handled these moments with authenticity and great care. I could write an essay on this alone, but to avoid spoilers I'll just, again, say I loved it. Highly recommend.
November 5, 2022
Why is a nun carrying an baby on a charter flight to Namibia? From the opening scene in the magnificent Fish River Canyon to the final scene on the dramatic Chapman’s Peak Drive, Umbilical races the reader through the pages to answer this burning question.
Jane Kay has written a remarkable book, combining pacey and intriguing page-turning action with beautifully written vignettes and sympathetic characters Ruth Masisi is deeply relatable, elegantly drawn character who evokes empathy and admiration from the first meeting, and Werner and Ella are protagonists who have you rooting for them from the get-go. The legacy of actions taken by three men who were flawed but did the best that they knew in difficult circumstances ripples into the lives of their child and grandchild in a plot that spans decades and generations, and two continents.
Kay is an expert capturer of scene, space, and time. Her descriptions of seventies and eighties South Africa are bang on target and had me feeling a nostalgia I had no idea that I had. And her portrait of the vibrancy of current day South Africa resonates through the pages.
The rhythm of the action and the intrigue meant that I found it hard to put this book down and I read it in two days flat. Hugely recommended.
Jane Kay has written a remarkable book, combining pacey and intriguing page-turning action with beautifully written vignettes and sympathetic characters Ruth Masisi is deeply relatable, elegantly drawn character who evokes empathy and admiration from the first meeting, and Werner and Ella are protagonists who have you rooting for them from the get-go. The legacy of actions taken by three men who were flawed but did the best that they knew in difficult circumstances ripples into the lives of their child and grandchild in a plot that spans decades and generations, and two continents.
Kay is an expert capturer of scene, space, and time. Her descriptions of seventies and eighties South Africa are bang on target and had me feeling a nostalgia I had no idea that I had. And her portrait of the vibrancy of current day South Africa resonates through the pages.
The rhythm of the action and the intrigue meant that I found it hard to put this book down and I read it in two days flat. Hugely recommended.
October 21, 2022
Umbilical is a terrific mystery novel with a complex (but very skilfully constructed) plot, and believable, multi-dimensional characters who talk and act like real human beings. None are mere ciphers with a role to play; each has his or her own motivations and problems, and since the cast is quite large, Ms. Kay has to sustain an elaborate juggling act, never letting us forget what certain characters are up to, and making all the connections between them clear. This she does with great aplomb. With its themes of racism and corruption in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa, the novel reminded me in many ways of John Le Carre's The Constant Gardener. While never neglecting the suspense, Ms. Kay is unafraid to tackle important ethical issues, and does so with consummate skill. The novel doesn't attempt to be a state-of-the-nation novel, like Disgrace by JM Coetzee, for example, or Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country; nevertheless the glimpses we get of contemporary South Africa are vivid and completely convincing. Highly enjoyable, even for people who usually only read literary fiction.
August 23, 2023
Suspense, intrigue, momentum. Great book!
Easy to read, yet by no means simple, Umbilical instantly carries you into the heart of Southern Africa, with its dark political history and present day complexities, a well hidden secret about a newborn child comes to light, 30 years later. From page one the novel has unstoppable momentum, entangling you in a mysterious thread that keeps you guessing and turning the pages to join the main characters in their quest. The personalities of the cast evoked in me a range of emotions that included empathy, admiration, annoyance, hope and disquiet. Jane Kay deftly manages to spin her story across two timelines, over a radically changed political socio-economic landscape, and around a rainbow of cultures, yet without so much as a bump in the read. You are quite literally taken on a journey around South Africa as the story unravels, in a well researched and easy ride. If only it didn’t have to end. Thoroughly looking forward to her next novel!
Easy to read, yet by no means simple, Umbilical instantly carries you into the heart of Southern Africa, with its dark political history and present day complexities, a well hidden secret about a newborn child comes to light, 30 years later. From page one the novel has unstoppable momentum, entangling you in a mysterious thread that keeps you guessing and turning the pages to join the main characters in their quest. The personalities of the cast evoked in me a range of emotions that included empathy, admiration, annoyance, hope and disquiet. Jane Kay deftly manages to spin her story across two timelines, over a radically changed political socio-economic landscape, and around a rainbow of cultures, yet without so much as a bump in the read. You are quite literally taken on a journey around South Africa as the story unravels, in a well researched and easy ride. If only it didn’t have to end. Thoroughly looking forward to her next novel!
June 16, 2023
This was a book group choice. It's set in South Africa, which isn't common for books I read. The setup is a mysterious baby survives a plane crash but is being pursued; meanwhile, 30 years later, a group of people are trying to find out what happened to the baby. It kept me interested enough to finish it, but it wasn't riveting. It's described as a mystery, but there doesn't seem to be a major stake in whether the mystery is solved or not. There are two main characters in the present day, both related to people who were involved in the initial episode. These two really don't have anything invested in finding out the solution other than family curiosity. One of them, Ella, is pretty problematic for me. Every time she interacts with her father, she whines about how selfish he is, but he doesn't do much to show this, and she really comes across as much more selfish ("daddy, why don't you pay more attention to meeeeeeeee???")
October 13, 2022
I’m not a fan but try to keep an open mind. The story opens up with you being dropped into a hiking scene and you feel like you’re completely lost until about a third of the way through the book. It’s bad enough that you’re thrown around between timelines, which I am fine with, but each one is like being dropped into the middle of a conversation you are expected to understand when you have no clue what the topic of discussion has been. By the time your head stops spinning and you finally get to enjoy the story it’s not half bad. Not my cup of tea but if you like being thrown around it’s not a horrible read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 27, 2023
In this captivating novel set in Southern Africa, the reader is transported on a emotional journey between past and present, navigating through a web of mystery in search of an answer so desperately wanted by one woman but a truth that one man will go to any length to keep hidden forever.
In Jane Kay’s second novel she explores the pressures faced by a young black woman in the Apartheid era and how the power wielded by the wealthy and connected can manipulate the lives of those they’re seeking to control.
If you’re a reader who enjoys a thought provoking whodunit, then put Umbilical on your must read list now!
In Jane Kay’s second novel she explores the pressures faced by a young black woman in the Apartheid era and how the power wielded by the wealthy and connected can manipulate the lives of those they’re seeking to control.
If you’re a reader who enjoys a thought provoking whodunit, then put Umbilical on your must read list now!
April 20, 2024
Suspenseful and Enlightening
Jane Kay explores the seeds of racism and oppression in apartheid-era South Africa in this gripping mystery. How these seeds become entrenched in the fabric of society to shape the destiny of individual lives for generations to come. Rich character development reveals a single thread that runs through us all, and illustrates how personal choices perpetuate or terminate the vicious cycle. I was thoroughly immersed in the outcome of the events and lives of the characters as they unfolded. Waiting in anticipation for Jane Kay’s next book!
Jane Kay explores the seeds of racism and oppression in apartheid-era South Africa in this gripping mystery. How these seeds become entrenched in the fabric of society to shape the destiny of individual lives for generations to come. Rich character development reveals a single thread that runs through us all, and illustrates how personal choices perpetuate or terminate the vicious cycle. I was thoroughly immersed in the outcome of the events and lives of the characters as they unfolded. Waiting in anticipation for Jane Kay’s next book!
January 9, 2023
Skilfully developed characterisation is a great strength of Umbilical. Throughout I enjoyed the quality of the writing and layered intricacies of story development. The characters were very well portrayed and the pace was great. Suspenseful and riveting. Highly recommended.
January 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the format going back and forth in time. The storyline kept me interested from start to finish. The chapters flowed really well into each other. The characters came to life . I loved it. Looking forward to reading more books from Jane Kay.
July 17, 2025
Once I got into the story, I could not put it down! Kept me engaged from beginning to end and the twists and turns kept me guessing. Having never visited South Africa, I found the setting to be intriguing and learnt about a culture I know nothing about.
August 12, 2024
I loved this book! I could really feel the characters and felt like I knew them and could picture them in my mind. A great story, The best book I've read in a long time. Looking forward to the next one from Jane Kay
December 11, 2022
The story starts with a past event, a plane crash and a survivor, a mysterious baby. With no history and identification. A time jump into the future, people are intrigued with this mysterious survivor and will do anything to discover the secrets of this event. The author gives clues throughout the story, but twists are thrown in to keep the story interesting. A gripping thriller and suspenseful plot makes for a great story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 23, 2022
A riveting read. I thoroughly enjoyed how the story lines unfolded and resolved. And much if it against the wonderful backdrop of Southern Africa.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews