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Detective Kubu #1
A Carrion Death
Smashed skull, snapped ribs, and a cloying smell of carrion. Leave the body for the hyenas to devour—no body, no case.
But Kalahari game rangers stumble on the human corpse mid-meal. The murder wasn't perfect after all. Enter Detective David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department, an investigator whose personality and physique match his moniker, the Setswana word for hippopotamus—which is a seemingly docile beast, but one of the deadliest, and most persistent, on the continent.
Beneath a mountain of lies and superstitions, Kubu uncovers a chain of crimes leading to the most powerful figures in the country—cold-bloodedly efficient and frighteningly influential enemies who can make anyone who gets in their way disappear.
But Kalahari game rangers stumble on the human corpse mid-meal. The murder wasn't perfect after all. Enter Detective David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department, an investigator whose personality and physique match his moniker, the Setswana word for hippopotamus—which is a seemingly docile beast, but one of the deadliest, and most persistent, on the continent.
Beneath a mountain of lies and superstitions, Kubu uncovers a chain of crimes leading to the most powerful figures in the country—cold-bloodedly efficient and frighteningly influential enemies who can make anyone who gets in their way disappear.
477 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
140 people are currently reading
2834 people want to read
About the author
Michael Stanley
55 books174 followersMichael Stanley is the writing partnership of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. Michael lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Stanley in Minneapolis.
We have travelled extensively in southern Africa and have a special love of Botswana, where our detective novels are set.
Detective Kubu investigates complex murders in his native land, justifying his nickname by his size and tenacity (Kubu is Setswana for hippopotamus).
Kubu's faces powerful people and an escalating chain of murders in his first adventure - A Carrion Death.
Next a confluence of events leads to murders whose roots lie hidden in the past, in The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu (A Deadly Trade outside north America).
The third Detective Kubu mystery, Death of the Mantis, has the plight of the Khoi-San (Bushmen) of the Kalahari as its backstory. Death of the Mantis was a finalist for an Edgar and won the Barry Award.
Deadly Harvest, the fourth Detective Kubu mystery, has as its backstory the use of human body parts for magic potions (called muti). Based on a true story, Detective Kubu and the first female detective in Botswana's CID, the young Samantha Khama, try to resurrect a number of cold cases in which young girls have gone missing. Deadly Harvest was a finalist for an International Thriller Writers award.
A Death in the Family (Kubu #5) has as its backstory the ramifications of corruption as the Chinese try to take over some of Botswana's rich mineral deposits. However the story starts with Kubu's elderly father being murdered. Despite his pleas, Kubu is kept off the case because of his personal involvement. However he keeps trying to solve it on his own.
In Dying to Live (Kubu #6) a Bushman is found dead, with internal organs far younger than his chronological age and a bullet embedded in his abdominal muscles with no entry wound. Dying to Live is a story of greed and the lengths people will go to attain immortality and make their fortunes.
Facets of Death is a prequel set in the late 1990s when Kubu first joins the Botswana CID as a raw detective. While he’s trying to build a role for himself in the CID, a massive diamond heist takes place on the road from Jwaneng — home of the world’s richest diamond mine. The robbers systematically eliminate all the witnesses, and then they are killed by the South African police, leaving the detectives with nothing to go on.
Kubu and Mabaku are sure they can solve the case if only their contacts can stay alive long enough. However, when one of the mine’s senior managers becomes the next victim, they are forced to set a trap for the crime’s mastermind. If it fails, their careers are over – in Kubu’s case before it’s even begun.
The latest mystery, A Deadly Covenant, takes place shortly after Kubu joins the Botswana Police Service and just after the diamond heist of Facets of Death.
While building a pipeline near the Okavango Delta, a contractor unearths the skeleton of a long-dead Bushman. Kubu and Scottish pathologist, Ian MacGregor, are sent to investigate, and MacGregor discovers eight more skeletons.
Then an elder of the nearby village is murdered at his home. The local police believe it was a robbery, but Kubu thinks otherwise. So does a strange woman who claims it was an angry river spirit. The situation gets more confusing when the strange woman is found dead, apparently killed by a crocodile.
Assistant Superintendent Mabaku joins them as accusations of corruption are levelled and international outrage builds over the massacre of the Bushman families. But how do the recent murders link to the dead Bushmen, if at all? As Kubu and his colleagues investigate, they uncover a deadly covenant and begin to fear that their own lives may be in danger.
The young Kubu’s second big case mixes local mythology and tradition with smart police work to make for a satisfyingly immersive mystery that begs resolution until the last, unpredictable moment.
Shoot the Bastards (Dead of Ni
We have travelled extensively in southern Africa and have a special love of Botswana, where our detective novels are set.
Detective Kubu investigates complex murders in his native land, justifying his nickname by his size and tenacity (Kubu is Setswana for hippopotamus).
Kubu's faces powerful people and an escalating chain of murders in his first adventure - A Carrion Death.
Next a confluence of events leads to murders whose roots lie hidden in the past, in The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu (A Deadly Trade outside north America).
The third Detective Kubu mystery, Death of the Mantis, has the plight of the Khoi-San (Bushmen) of the Kalahari as its backstory. Death of the Mantis was a finalist for an Edgar and won the Barry Award.
Deadly Harvest, the fourth Detective Kubu mystery, has as its backstory the use of human body parts for magic potions (called muti). Based on a true story, Detective Kubu and the first female detective in Botswana's CID, the young Samantha Khama, try to resurrect a number of cold cases in which young girls have gone missing. Deadly Harvest was a finalist for an International Thriller Writers award.
A Death in the Family (Kubu #5) has as its backstory the ramifications of corruption as the Chinese try to take over some of Botswana's rich mineral deposits. However the story starts with Kubu's elderly father being murdered. Despite his pleas, Kubu is kept off the case because of his personal involvement. However he keeps trying to solve it on his own.
In Dying to Live (Kubu #6) a Bushman is found dead, with internal organs far younger than his chronological age and a bullet embedded in his abdominal muscles with no entry wound. Dying to Live is a story of greed and the lengths people will go to attain immortality and make their fortunes.
Facets of Death is a prequel set in the late 1990s when Kubu first joins the Botswana CID as a raw detective. While he’s trying to build a role for himself in the CID, a massive diamond heist takes place on the road from Jwaneng — home of the world’s richest diamond mine. The robbers systematically eliminate all the witnesses, and then they are killed by the South African police, leaving the detectives with nothing to go on.
Kubu and Mabaku are sure they can solve the case if only their contacts can stay alive long enough. However, when one of the mine’s senior managers becomes the next victim, they are forced to set a trap for the crime’s mastermind. If it fails, their careers are over – in Kubu’s case before it’s even begun.
The latest mystery, A Deadly Covenant, takes place shortly after Kubu joins the Botswana Police Service and just after the diamond heist of Facets of Death.
While building a pipeline near the Okavango Delta, a contractor unearths the skeleton of a long-dead Bushman. Kubu and Scottish pathologist, Ian MacGregor, are sent to investigate, and MacGregor discovers eight more skeletons.
Then an elder of the nearby village is murdered at his home. The local police believe it was a robbery, but Kubu thinks otherwise. So does a strange woman who claims it was an angry river spirit. The situation gets more confusing when the strange woman is found dead, apparently killed by a crocodile.
Assistant Superintendent Mabaku joins them as accusations of corruption are levelled and international outrage builds over the massacre of the Bushman families. But how do the recent murders link to the dead Bushmen, if at all? As Kubu and his colleagues investigate, they uncover a deadly covenant and begin to fear that their own lives may be in danger.
The young Kubu’s second big case mixes local mythology and tradition with smart police work to make for a satisfyingly immersive mystery that begs resolution until the last, unpredictable moment.
Shoot the Bastards (Dead of Ni
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
April 25, 2013
Rating: 3.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Smashed skull, snapped ribs, and a cloying smell of carrion. Leave the body for the hyenas to devour-no body, no case.
But when Kalahari game rangers stumble on a human corpse midmeal, it turns out the murder wasn't perfect after all. Enough evidence is left to suggest foul play. Detective David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department is assigned to the case.
The detective's personality and physique match his moniker. The nickname "Kubu" is Setswana for "hippopotamus"-a seemingly docile creature, but one of the deadliest on the continent. Beneath Kubu's pleasant surface lies the same unwavering resolve that makes the hippopotamus so deceptively dangerous. Both will trample everything in their path to reach an objective.
From the sun-baked riverbeds of the Kalahari to the highest offices of an international conglomerate, Kubu follows a blood-soaked trail in search of answers.
Beneath a mountain of lies and superstitions, he uncovers a chain of crimes leading to the most powerful figures in the country-influential enemies who will kill anyone in their way.
A memorable detective makes his debut in this gritty, mesmerizing thriller. Set amid the beauty and darkness of contemporary Africa, A Carrion Death is the first entry in an evocative new series cutting to the heart of today's Botswana-a modern democracy threatened by unstable neighbors, poachers, and diamond smugglers. Those trying to expose the corrupt ringleaders will find themselves fighting for their lives...
My Review: I want to smack the copywriter who created the promo copy above, and on the dust jacket of my library's hardcover. “Detective” Kubu is “Assistant Superintendent” Kubu. And there's something very uncomfortable to me about the “darkness” of modern Africa cited above. Just tin-eared phrasing, I'm sure. No one in publishing could be unconsciously playing with stereotypes. No no.
Mm. That's as may be. I found Kubu and his Botswana to be a welcome new angle on territory once owned, in the US market and mind, by McCall Smith's rather more twee Mma Ramotswe series. Kubu, the dangerous hippo of a detective in the series, is a Mozart-singing grocery hound, a kind of African Nero Wolfe-cum-Inspector Morse with a very nasty boss, a very appealing wife, and a large country to help police.
It's a nice debut novel about an interesting character with a lot of promise. The writing team, one Afrikaner and one Minnesotan, do a lot with their man's appetites for food, truth, justice, and facts. They're a bit less facile with the villains, using a lot of shortcuts...wealth equals evil...and failing to avail themselves of opportunities to work in some believable offsets to the faults.
The Superstitious Natives Who Are Right trope isn't one I like much, either, but I'll let that go for this book. If it happens again, there will be discussion of it then.
On balance, the series deserves another shot, and the sleuth a chance to grow and shine. Until next year, then.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
This review also appears on my blog, Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.
The Publisher Says: Smashed skull, snapped ribs, and a cloying smell of carrion. Leave the body for the hyenas to devour-no body, no case.
But when Kalahari game rangers stumble on a human corpse midmeal, it turns out the murder wasn't perfect after all. Enough evidence is left to suggest foul play. Detective David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department is assigned to the case.
The detective's personality and physique match his moniker. The nickname "Kubu" is Setswana for "hippopotamus"-a seemingly docile creature, but one of the deadliest on the continent. Beneath Kubu's pleasant surface lies the same unwavering resolve that makes the hippopotamus so deceptively dangerous. Both will trample everything in their path to reach an objective.
From the sun-baked riverbeds of the Kalahari to the highest offices of an international conglomerate, Kubu follows a blood-soaked trail in search of answers.
Beneath a mountain of lies and superstitions, he uncovers a chain of crimes leading to the most powerful figures in the country-influential enemies who will kill anyone in their way.
A memorable detective makes his debut in this gritty, mesmerizing thriller. Set amid the beauty and darkness of contemporary Africa, A Carrion Death is the first entry in an evocative new series cutting to the heart of today's Botswana-a modern democracy threatened by unstable neighbors, poachers, and diamond smugglers. Those trying to expose the corrupt ringleaders will find themselves fighting for their lives...
My Review: I want to smack the copywriter who created the promo copy above, and on the dust jacket of my library's hardcover. “Detective” Kubu is “Assistant Superintendent” Kubu. And there's something very uncomfortable to me about the “darkness” of modern Africa cited above. Just tin-eared phrasing, I'm sure. No one in publishing could be unconsciously playing with stereotypes. No no.
Mm. That's as may be. I found Kubu and his Botswana to be a welcome new angle on territory once owned, in the US market and mind, by McCall Smith's rather more twee Mma Ramotswe series. Kubu, the dangerous hippo of a detective in the series, is a Mozart-singing grocery hound, a kind of African Nero Wolfe-cum-Inspector Morse with a very nasty boss, a very appealing wife, and a large country to help police.
It's a nice debut novel about an interesting character with a lot of promise. The writing team, one Afrikaner and one Minnesotan, do a lot with their man's appetites for food, truth, justice, and facts. They're a bit less facile with the villains, using a lot of shortcuts...wealth equals evil...and failing to avail themselves of opportunities to work in some believable offsets to the faults.
The Superstitious Natives Who Are Right trope isn't one I like much, either, but I'll let that go for this book. If it happens again, there will be discussion of it then.
On balance, the series deserves another shot, and the sleuth a chance to grow and shine. Until next year, then.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
This review also appears on my blog, Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.
January 28, 2020
A wonderful debut mystery set in Botswana. It's not super gritty. It's like if Donna Leon set a book in Botswana (the home of Alexander McCall Smith's Precious Ramotswe).
This book has a rather involved plot, part conspiracy, part murder mystery. The main detective "Kubu" is a wonderful creation. He likes cricket, wine, and opera. He is also a very canny detective.
If I have one complaint, it is the ending and denouement. I felt there was something missing. A loose end. Maybe if I talked to Mr Stanley he'd explain it better.
This book has a rather involved plot, part conspiracy, part murder mystery. The main detective "Kubu" is a wonderful creation. He likes cricket, wine, and opera. He is also a very canny detective.
If I have one complaint, it is the ending and denouement. I felt there was something missing. A loose end. Maybe if I talked to Mr Stanley he'd explain it better.
October 31, 2009
I read elsewhere that the author is really the joint venture of two different people, and this explained my sense of distinctness of two separate plot lines, one related to westerners and their obsession with diamonds and money, the other a much more African viewpoint. Nevertheless, the book works well and was a very enjoyable listen, well read.
Detective Kubu (Swahili dialect for hippopotamus, his nickname) is a sort of fat Columbo. He's extremely likable, the assistant superintendent of police in Gaborone, sings opera in his car, loves his wife (the scenes where he and Joy visit his relatives is very entertaining in its apparently authentic formalistic dialogue between father and son,) and is very wily and smart. I love characters who appear somewhat bumbling or unattractive on the surface, but who have a core of competence and character. Kubu fits that bill nicely. His nickname is appropriate not only for his appearance but also because the hippopotamus is one of the most feared animals in Africa, extremely dangerous when challenged.
Recounting the plot would be spoiling and redundant. Suffice it to say the contrast between a very professional African society with the European BCMC diamond owners is instructive. The ending becomes a bit chaotic as things begin to unravel for the bad guys/gals. Those looking for a pure version of one of those genres will be disappointed, but I did not find the mixture distracting.
It's impossible not to think of Alexander Smith's Ladies Detective Agency series while reading this, but they are similar only in geography. Both authors clearly love Africa in general; and Botswana in particular.
Interview with the authors at http://www.onceuponacrimebooks.com/st...
Detective Kubu (Swahili dialect for hippopotamus, his nickname) is a sort of fat Columbo. He's extremely likable, the assistant superintendent of police in Gaborone, sings opera in his car, loves his wife (the scenes where he and Joy visit his relatives is very entertaining in its apparently authentic formalistic dialogue between father and son,) and is very wily and smart. I love characters who appear somewhat bumbling or unattractive on the surface, but who have a core of competence and character. Kubu fits that bill nicely. His nickname is appropriate not only for his appearance but also because the hippopotamus is one of the most feared animals in Africa, extremely dangerous when challenged.
Recounting the plot would be spoiling and redundant. Suffice it to say the contrast between a very professional African society with the European BCMC diamond owners is instructive. The ending becomes a bit chaotic as things begin to unravel for the bad guys/gals. Those looking for a pure version of one of those genres will be disappointed, but I did not find the mixture distracting.
It's impossible not to think of Alexander Smith's Ladies Detective Agency series while reading this, but they are similar only in geography. Both authors clearly love Africa in general; and Botswana in particular.
Interview with the authors at http://www.onceuponacrimebooks.com/st...
August 23, 2022
The good: it was sufficiently culturally different to bring both curiosity and interest at all times. It came with an intricate plot, that sometimes did not move forward very much and that gave a reality feeling - at best of times paralleling the classic Martin Beck Collection 10 Books Set, The Terrorists, Cop Killer, The Abominable Man, The Locked Room, he Laughing Policeman, The Fire Engine That Disappeared, Murder at the Savoy, Roseanna, The Man Who Went Up in Smoke, The Man on the Balcony series. At many other times, just being very tedious.
The bad: The story sprawls in all directions and I really had no reason to be so put off by the enormous character list that it starts with (as I had no need to remember very many of them - or even notice if they were mentioned in the narrative). At quite a few times I was tempted to put this down as I really did not care about what happened. I would have been right - a few plot lines and characters just went sideways with no explanations and I can only guess to be used in follow-ups (which I won't be reading) and to top it off we are served a non-ending...
The bad: The story sprawls in all directions and I really had no reason to be so put off by the enormous character list that it starts with (as I had no need to remember very many of them - or even notice if they were mentioned in the narrative). At quite a few times I was tempted to put this down as I really did not care about what happened. I would have been right - a few plot lines and characters just went sideways with no explanations and I can only guess to be used in follow-ups (which I won't be reading) and to top it off we are served a non-ending...
November 13, 2012
Kubu (hippopotamus) is a very likeable detective. Even though I didn't enjoy this mystery as much as I have others I've read from foreign locations this year, I think Kubu is a promising character.
This was the first book written by Michael Stanley (Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip), and it was a great first book. While I could detect the different writing styles of Sears and Trollip, it didn't really ruin the reading experience for me.
The jumps in time got a bit confusing, because at no point the authors attempt to explain a timeline. So by the end, when vital information is discovered about the body discovered at the beginning of the story, it caught me with my pants down. Not literally thankfully. But I was really shocked, not because I didn't expect it, but because I somehow missed something in the timeline and it would have been impossible for that person to be dead.
Also, the book got a little bit too long...but I don't know if shortening would have affected the story, maybe it was unavoidable. Long books don't really scare me off, except the the amount of weight they put on my purse's shoulder strap. No, this wasn't a Kindle book.
It was great to see a small glimpse of the life and culture of Botswana, and read about the rich and the poor, the white and the black. I enjoyed reading about diamond mining, I really knew nothing about it,and now I know just a tiny step above nothing (but I consider myself quite the expert). And I also enjoyed the incorporation of Bushmen witchcraft into the story, it gave a little umph to the mystery.
This was the first book written by Michael Stanley (Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip), and it was a great first book. While I could detect the different writing styles of Sears and Trollip, it didn't really ruin the reading experience for me.
The jumps in time got a bit confusing, because at no point the authors attempt to explain a timeline. So by the end, when vital information is discovered about the body discovered at the beginning of the story, it caught me with my pants down. Not literally thankfully. But I was really shocked, not because I didn't expect it, but because I somehow missed something in the timeline and it would have been impossible for that person to be dead.
Also, the book got a little bit too long...but I don't know if shortening would have affected the story, maybe it was unavoidable. Long books don't really scare me off, except the the amount of weight they put on my purse's shoulder strap. No, this wasn't a Kindle book.
It was great to see a small glimpse of the life and culture of Botswana, and read about the rich and the poor, the white and the black. I enjoyed reading about diamond mining, I really knew nothing about it,and now I know just a tiny step above nothing (but I consider myself quite the expert). And I also enjoyed the incorporation of Bushmen witchcraft into the story, it gave a little umph to the mystery.
February 9, 2012
Actually 2.5 stars for the characters of Kubu and his boss Mabaku, and for the Botswana local color. I hope they get better treatment in the next book.
BUT - this book is at least 150 pages too long. The plot starts out decently and then doesn't so much unravel as pick up more and more loose ends till it is a hopeless snarl. The writing is clunky in parts and uneven - perhaps because there are two authors, or just because they need better editing.
The one gratuitous sex scene reads as though the writer perhaps has seen the activities described - in a Super 8 soft porn movie, maybe - but has never actually experienced anything like them.
BUT - this book is at least 150 pages too long. The plot starts out decently and then doesn't so much unravel as pick up more and more loose ends till it is a hopeless snarl. The writing is clunky in parts and uneven - perhaps because there are two authors, or just because they need better editing.
The one gratuitous sex scene reads as though the writer perhaps has seen the activities described - in a Super 8 soft porn movie, maybe - but has never actually experienced anything like them.
June 8, 2014
It is very pleasant to read a book where the main detective is well-adjusted, loves his food and drink, happily married and you do not have to deal with his issues as well as all the other characters' issues.
The authors use the cultural overlap of the region very well - South Africa/Namibia/Botswana/Angola/Zimbabwe with their respective languages as well as some of the tribal and other issues typical of the region.
The initial puzzle is well thought through although it becomes more of a "whydunnit" towards the end of the book. I'll be checking the rest of the series.
The authors use the cultural overlap of the region very well - South Africa/Namibia/Botswana/Angola/Zimbabwe with their respective languages as well as some of the tribal and other issues typical of the region.
The initial puzzle is well thought through although it becomes more of a "whydunnit" towards the end of the book. I'll be checking the rest of the series.
February 2, 2018
3.5 stars.
April 24, 2015
Well, I'm giving this book 2 stars because it's really pretty good for what it is...but I'm not really a fan of mysteries. I have come across a few in the past that drew me in but "on the whole" I just don't find myself really a "mystery reader".
What we get here is the story of a local detective (again) with a gift. It's placed in a good, interesting location. It is I will say for those of you who like mysteries a good to great read.
The detective, David “Kubu” Bengu is well written and a pretty complete person. After game rangers find a body in the process of being eaten he's drawn in and follows the trail from "bush to city".
So, why do I give it only 2 stars? Because I never really got involved and was glad to get it over. However I say good things because I see a book others will I think enjoy if they enjoy this "type and/or style" of story.
All I can say is try it for yourself. I don't plan to follow the character but that's more from personal taste. I suppose that in general I'll just never be a mystery fan.
What we get here is the story of a local detective (again) with a gift. It's placed in a good, interesting location. It is I will say for those of you who like mysteries a good to great read.
The detective, David “Kubu” Bengu is well written and a pretty complete person. After game rangers find a body in the process of being eaten he's drawn in and follows the trail from "bush to city".
So, why do I give it only 2 stars? Because I never really got involved and was glad to get it over. However I say good things because I see a book others will I think enjoy if they enjoy this "type and/or style" of story.
All I can say is try it for yourself. I don't plan to follow the character but that's more from personal taste. I suppose that in general I'll just never be a mystery fan.
May 28, 2017
I liked the setting and the detective, but the book was way too long, there was a cringe causing (and irrelevant) sex scene and the plot was convoluted. I may give the author another try, but I'm not sure.
February 27, 2019
We read the third book of this series, Death of the Mantis, liked it, and then read the second A Deadly Trade. But the library did not have the first book, so we ordered it from a bookshop and I have now finished reading it. It is every bit as good as the other two, and in some ways better.
These are detective stories -- whodunit/police procedurals -- with a local southern African flavour, set in Botswana, and are interesting on that account alone, since we have been at or near many of the locations mentioned in the stories.
A word of warning, however. Many readers of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and others of that series , also set in Botswana, should be aware that these are police procedurals. This is not about a private eye looking for stray dogs and errant husbands, but cops looking for killers.
Being local also adds authenticity to the plot, and A Carrion Death seems almost prophetic, because it rings truer now than it would have ten years ago when it was first published. The kind of thing that happens in the story is what we see on TV all day every day (except weekends) with live blow by blow accounts of corrupt deals involving prominent businessmen and politicians.
Such corruption is not unique to southern Africa, of course. Every day I see my social media friends posting links to similar reports of corruption in other countries: Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA and more.
The characters are also believable and consistent with what we had learned about them in the later books in the series.
This one, however, hints at bigger mysteries than the other two books (and it looks as though later books in the series may expand on that theme), and that is the supernatural thriller. I had recently finished reading All Hallows Eve by Charles Williams, a master of the genre. In that an investigation of a murder gets nowhere until it linked to the activities of a satanist. In A Carrion Death there are mysterious appearances of a witchdoctor, who seems to have an uncanny knowledge of what is going on when the police are baffled.
But one mystery, which I had hoped would be solved by this book, remains, and it is more puzzling than ever. I thought that, being the first of the series, it would tell more of the backstory of the characters, but in that respect, it disappoints.
How does a young ecologist, Bongani Sibisi, who seems to be a Motswana of the Batswana, whose roots seem to go deep into Botswana soil and traditional culture (it is he who encounters the mysterious witch doctor) end up with a Zulu name? Enquiring minds want to know!
That surely needs some explanation , and having wondered about it in the other two books, I hoped that all would be revealed here. But it wasn't.
Everything else about the books rang true. I could see no notable anachronisms, and the descriptions of places and what the characters did there seemed to be true to the time and the place. The only thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the foreign names of some of the characters, with no explanation of what they were doing in Botswana.
Even the surname of the protagonist, detective David "Kubu" Bengu sounds a bit foreign. And there are others -- people in the Botswana police with names like Zenele and Mandla. Was Botswana so short of trained police officers that it had to import them from Zululand?
In spite of that unresolved mystery, I still give the book five stars. It was excellent in every way but that one. Oh, and one other small discrepancy. One of the murder victims was said to have been shot by a .22 bullet, which later turned to have come from a 9mm Beretta pistol, which, in my memory, is quite a bit bigger than a .22,
I'd better stop here before I think of something else that doesn't fit. I still think it was an excellent read, and lovers of crime and detective stories who live in southern Africa and have lived on a diet of stories set in the UK, the USA or Sweden might find this one more involving because the settings, characters and plots are local.
These are detective stories -- whodunit/police procedurals -- with a local southern African flavour, set in Botswana, and are interesting on that account alone, since we have been at or near many of the locations mentioned in the stories.
A word of warning, however. Many readers of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and others of that series , also set in Botswana, should be aware that these are police procedurals. This is not about a private eye looking for stray dogs and errant husbands, but cops looking for killers.
Being local also adds authenticity to the plot, and A Carrion Death seems almost prophetic, because it rings truer now than it would have ten years ago when it was first published. The kind of thing that happens in the story is what we see on TV all day every day (except weekends) with live blow by blow accounts of corrupt deals involving prominent businessmen and politicians.
Such corruption is not unique to southern Africa, of course. Every day I see my social media friends posting links to similar reports of corruption in other countries: Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA and more.
The characters are also believable and consistent with what we had learned about them in the later books in the series.
This one, however, hints at bigger mysteries than the other two books (and it looks as though later books in the series may expand on that theme), and that is the supernatural thriller. I had recently finished reading All Hallows Eve by Charles Williams, a master of the genre. In that an investigation of a murder gets nowhere until it linked to the activities of a satanist. In A Carrion Death there are mysterious appearances of a witchdoctor, who seems to have an uncanny knowledge of what is going on when the police are baffled.
But one mystery, which I had hoped would be solved by this book, remains, and it is more puzzling than ever. I thought that, being the first of the series, it would tell more of the backstory of the characters, but in that respect, it disappoints.
How does a young ecologist, Bongani Sibisi, who seems to be a Motswana of the Batswana, whose roots seem to go deep into Botswana soil and traditional culture (it is he who encounters the mysterious witch doctor) end up with a Zulu name? Enquiring minds want to know!
That surely needs some explanation , and having wondered about it in the other two books, I hoped that all would be revealed here. But it wasn't.
Everything else about the books rang true. I could see no notable anachronisms, and the descriptions of places and what the characters did there seemed to be true to the time and the place. The only thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the foreign names of some of the characters, with no explanation of what they were doing in Botswana.
Even the surname of the protagonist, detective David "Kubu" Bengu sounds a bit foreign. And there are others -- people in the Botswana police with names like Zenele and Mandla. Was Botswana so short of trained police officers that it had to import them from Zululand?
In spite of that unresolved mystery, I still give the book five stars. It was excellent in every way but that one. Oh, and one other small discrepancy. One of the murder victims was said to have been shot by a .22 bullet, which later turned to have come from a 9mm Beretta pistol, which, in my memory, is quite a bit bigger than a .22,
I'd better stop here before I think of something else that doesn't fit. I still think it was an excellent read, and lovers of crime and detective stories who live in southern Africa and have lived on a diet of stories set in the UK, the USA or Sweden might find this one more involving because the settings, characters and plots are local.
May 28, 2012
If you are a fan of Dick Francis-type mysteries, then maybe you will like it more than I did. I found the book to be sexist in the same ways I find Francis' books to be. I found the plot to be overly obvious and the depictions of black Africans are highly problematic. I gave the book two stars because I did keep reading it until the end, hoping that something redeeming could happen. But the last chapter was a recap of the entire plot of the mystery--just in case you didn't get it along the way. My biggest regret was that I bought the first and second book of this series together. So, now do I just give up on the second one because life is too short to read bad books? Or do I give Kubu (who is actually a somewhat endearing character) another try?
May 2, 2015
As much as I love to read a series in order, I don't usually find a new mystery author from a first book. It takes two or three cases before a new detective finds his or her stride. But Detective Kubu scored with case number one and for that might possibly deserve five stars, not four.
The case was complex enough to keep me intrigued until the end and unlike a Christie, half-way through there were plenty of clues to work with. Unfortunately, all the suspects kept dying. The two cases intertwined worked well and even though the devastation from family favoritism is not a new motivation, strong, nuanced characters kept the story fresh.
Plot, motivation, and murders aside, the true beauty of the book lies in the near-perfect balance of historical details, description, and back story,verse the mystery itself. Without the dust, the pigs in the road,and the new police building covered in monkeys.Without a fat detective who sings opera and sneaks out the house in the morning to eat steak and eggs rather than eat the fruit his wife buys for him, dreams about good wine, and forbids his wife to own a gun because he must be the one to protect her.
Without the bits from other languages, the traditional polite gestures, the witch doctor and the Scottish Pathologist. Without the sights, sounds, and smells of Africa and the little details that make her people individuals as well as a whole tossed into the story like a hand of red sand from the Kalahari to lie side-by-side and unnoticed with the corpse eaten by hyenas, the torched jeep, the mysterious letter, and all the other plot devices which on their own would create a book as dry as the desert. But together they make a great mystery and an even better story of hate and destruction and of one good man, his grumpy boss, and a shy scientist who try to put things right.
The case was complex enough to keep me intrigued until the end and unlike a Christie, half-way through there were plenty of clues to work with. Unfortunately, all the suspects kept dying. The two cases intertwined worked well and even though the devastation from family favoritism is not a new motivation, strong, nuanced characters kept the story fresh.
Plot, motivation, and murders aside, the true beauty of the book lies in the near-perfect balance of historical details, description, and back story,verse the mystery itself. Without the dust, the pigs in the road,and the new police building covered in monkeys.Without a fat detective who sings opera and sneaks out the house in the morning to eat steak and eggs rather than eat the fruit his wife buys for him, dreams about good wine, and forbids his wife to own a gun because he must be the one to protect her.
Without the bits from other languages, the traditional polite gestures, the witch doctor and the Scottish Pathologist. Without the sights, sounds, and smells of Africa and the little details that make her people individuals as well as a whole tossed into the story like a hand of red sand from the Kalahari to lie side-by-side and unnoticed with the corpse eaten by hyenas, the torched jeep, the mysterious letter, and all the other plot devices which on their own would create a book as dry as the desert. But together they make a great mystery and an even better story of hate and destruction and of one good man, his grumpy boss, and a shy scientist who try to put things right.
September 24, 2008
Detective David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department is on the case when Kalahari game rangers discover a body being devoured by hyenas. There is enough of the corpse left to discover that the individual did not die of natural causes.
Kubu's investigation leads him to the family of an old school friend, Angus Hofmeyr. Angus's family owns the Botswana Cattle and Mining Company (BCMC). It has been run for years by Angus's uncle, Cecil Hofmeyr, but will be turned over to Angus on his 30th birthday. As Kubu continues to investigate, more "hinky" details concerning the BCMC start to surface, as well as more dead bodies.
A Carrion Death is nothing short of brilliant. My summary of the plot oversimplifies the complexity of this first novel by authors Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip.
Kubu is the Setswanan word for hippopotamus, and that nickname immediately endeared Kubu to me as the reader; the endearment only grew as Kubu's character was further developed throughout the novel. Kubu is cultured: he enjoys opera and sings along to it in his car. He is respectful of both his wife and his parents. And Kubu loves to eat - thus, hippopotamus! Kubu is constantly concerned about the next meal and where it is coming from. But Kubu is also an intelligent investigator.
The plot does not take place in strict chronological order. This adds to the mystery of the novel, constantly adding possibilities to the list of suspects. But "who done it" is not the only mystery in this novel..."who it was done to" is also a mystery throughout. Several individuals end up missing, so who exactly is the corpse from the watering hole? This high-level puzzle was exciting to try to figure out. I would never classify this book as an "easy, quick read." Instead it challenged me as a reader to think above and beyond the norm. I devour books that challenge me!
Another challenge that the book brings forth is the contrasts that exists in Botswana - contrasts between the native people and the outsiders who are less concerned with the land than they are with the possibilities of personal wealth.
The setting in Africa is amazing. The inclusion of elements such at the Bushman witch doctor and diamond mining issues help to bring the setting to life.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone who enjoys crime fiction and mystery. It is a must read and will definitely be on my top ten of 2008!
Kubu's investigation leads him to the family of an old school friend, Angus Hofmeyr. Angus's family owns the Botswana Cattle and Mining Company (BCMC). It has been run for years by Angus's uncle, Cecil Hofmeyr, but will be turned over to Angus on his 30th birthday. As Kubu continues to investigate, more "hinky" details concerning the BCMC start to surface, as well as more dead bodies.
A Carrion Death is nothing short of brilliant. My summary of the plot oversimplifies the complexity of this first novel by authors Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip.
Kubu is the Setswanan word for hippopotamus, and that nickname immediately endeared Kubu to me as the reader; the endearment only grew as Kubu's character was further developed throughout the novel. Kubu is cultured: he enjoys opera and sings along to it in his car. He is respectful of both his wife and his parents. And Kubu loves to eat - thus, hippopotamus! Kubu is constantly concerned about the next meal and where it is coming from. But Kubu is also an intelligent investigator.
The plot does not take place in strict chronological order. This adds to the mystery of the novel, constantly adding possibilities to the list of suspects. But "who done it" is not the only mystery in this novel..."who it was done to" is also a mystery throughout. Several individuals end up missing, so who exactly is the corpse from the watering hole? This high-level puzzle was exciting to try to figure out. I would never classify this book as an "easy, quick read." Instead it challenged me as a reader to think above and beyond the norm. I devour books that challenge me!
Another challenge that the book brings forth is the contrasts that exists in Botswana - contrasts between the native people and the outsiders who are less concerned with the land than they are with the possibilities of personal wealth.
The setting in Africa is amazing. The inclusion of elements such at the Bushman witch doctor and diamond mining issues help to bring the setting to life.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone who enjoys crime fiction and mystery. It is a must read and will definitely be on my top ten of 2008!
September 28, 2021
Assistant Superintendent Kubu is a Botswana police detective who tries to tie together a corpse left in the Kalahari for scavengers to dispose of, and deadly corporate espionage. Kubu is a great character, likeable and clever, a nice marriage of respectful and traditional African with modern African, spiced with some eccentric loves (cricket, fine wine, and opera even!).
I'm going to file this book under 'Really Wanted to Like It', because there're some clever plot turns and enjoyable characters, but the overall plot falls flat on its face. What really hurts it is, early in the book we have a gratuitous sex scene between two secondary characters. And at the end of the book, we have, kind of, a vague idea of who killed who and why, but not the specifics. Hint, it involved those secondary characters. So we focused on those secondary characters for their sex, but don't want to focus on them for any kind of closure in the novel? That's a pain in the ass disappointment.
There are a lot of aggravating time jumps that make things confusing, and seem to be included just to muddy the trail of clues. One character is hypnotized, on sight, by a witch-doctor; which I think is baloney, and perhaps realizing this is too farfetched, the book has the witch-doctor drug that character to help with the hypnotizing - AFTER actually hypnotizing him on sight. This book was co-written by two people and sometimes it shows. Painfully.
Really want to read more mysteries with Detective Kubu, but too worried they'll be as disjointed and go nowhere as this one.
I'm going to file this book under 'Really Wanted to Like It', because there're some clever plot turns and enjoyable characters, but the overall plot falls flat on its face. What really hurts it is, early in the book we have a gratuitous sex scene between two secondary characters. And at the end of the book, we have, kind of, a vague idea of who killed who and why, but not the specifics. Hint, it involved those secondary characters. So we focused on those secondary characters for their sex, but don't want to focus on them for any kind of closure in the novel? That's a pain in the ass disappointment.
There are a lot of aggravating time jumps that make things confusing, and seem to be included just to muddy the trail of clues. One character is hypnotized, on sight, by a witch-doctor; which I think is baloney, and perhaps realizing this is too farfetched, the book has the witch-doctor drug that character to help with the hypnotizing - AFTER actually hypnotizing him on sight. This book was co-written by two people and sometimes it shows. Painfully.
Really want to read more mysteries with Detective Kubu, but too worried they'll be as disjointed and go nowhere as this one.
October 24, 2014
Three and a half stars, rounded up to four because I fell in love with the detective and because the story and setting were interesting enough to keep me turning the pages.
I'm a big fan of books set in exotic locales that give me a sense of other cultures. A Carrion Death fits the bill perfectly, and has the added attraction of a very likable detective, David 'Kubu' Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department.
Like Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti, Kubu, whose nickname means 'hippo', loves his food and drink and family. Alas, Michael Stanley, a writing duo on their first outing here, lack Donna Leon's ear for language and gift for tight, suspenseful plotting. I'm hopeful that their skills will be sharpened in later books since I really want to explore more of Africa with dear Kubu!
Thanks to Carolien for recommending this one.
PG Warning: Not much violence or gore (the vultures and hyenas had picked the bones clean) and though rather too many additional bodies turn up later, it's all rather at a distance. There is one completely unnecessary and dreadfully clinical sex scene. Other scandalous goings on are implied rather than detailed.
I'm a big fan of books set in exotic locales that give me a sense of other cultures. A Carrion Death fits the bill perfectly, and has the added attraction of a very likable detective, David 'Kubu' Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department.
Like Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti, Kubu, whose nickname means 'hippo', loves his food and drink and family. Alas, Michael Stanley, a writing duo on their first outing here, lack Donna Leon's ear for language and gift for tight, suspenseful plotting. I'm hopeful that their skills will be sharpened in later books since I really want to explore more of Africa with dear Kubu!
Thanks to Carolien for recommending this one.
PG Warning: Not much violence or gore (the vultures and hyenas had picked the bones clean) and though rather too many additional bodies turn up later, it's all rather at a distance. There is one completely unnecessary and dreadfully clinical sex scene. Other scandalous goings on are implied rather than detailed.
August 20, 2011
"A Carrion Death: Introducing Detective Kubu","Michael Stanley"
"This book is set in Botswana, the same site as The Ladies' No. 1 Detective Agency stories. The main character is a pleasant , enormous black detective, nicknamed Hippo. This Botswana is not the gentle country where Precious Ramotswe efficiently solves her quiet mysteries. This case involves 7 killings related to conspiracy and intrigue in the valuable diamond industry. I started to lose confidence in the detectives skillful abilities when I realized it was taking him 480 pages to solve the murders. I think the authors spent too much time describing everything the fat detective had to eat and drink, which was considerable, and should have concentrated more on the mystery. Nevertheless, I look forward to the sequel and hope it is shorter with fewer meals for Hippo."
"This book is set in Botswana, the same site as The Ladies' No. 1 Detective Agency stories. The main character is a pleasant , enormous black detective, nicknamed Hippo. This Botswana is not the gentle country where Precious Ramotswe efficiently solves her quiet mysteries. This case involves 7 killings related to conspiracy and intrigue in the valuable diamond industry. I started to lose confidence in the detectives skillful abilities when I realized it was taking him 480 pages to solve the murders. I think the authors spent too much time describing everything the fat detective had to eat and drink, which was considerable, and should have concentrated more on the mystery. Nevertheless, I look forward to the sequel and hope it is shorter with fewer meals for Hippo."
July 20, 2012
Although the ending was a bit of a letdown, I found the excursion into the Botswana culture to be exhilerating.
March 19, 2013
There are detectives you develop an instant liking to - and there are others you would never want to meet - in fiction or in real life. David Bengu, "Kubu", central character of this attention-grabbing and highly entertaining tale, clearly belongs into the first category. A gentle giant whose nickname was well chosen by his school chum Angus. "Kubu" means hippopotamus in Setswana, the language of the people of Botswana in Southern Africa. Kubu is the creation of a new South African writing team, Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip, two long-standing safari pals with a deep affinity to Botswana and African wild spaces. This is exciting, intricate and sometimes mind-bending stuff. Intended as the first in a series of novels, it is very easy to get hooked on Kubu.
In a game park in Southern Botswana, a hyena is feasting on her dinner. Vultures are circling high above, indicating a lion kill or some such. Approaching the remote Kassami waterhole, conservation researcher Bongani and the assistant game warden initially don't see anything unusual. However, Bongani's astute observation reveals that the "prey" is human. Was the victim left for the animals to destroy any evidence of a possible murder? Kubu, the Assistant Superintendent of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Division, is called upon to investigate: establish the identity of the body and the circumstances of his death. This quest is at the centre in what turns into a multi-layered story of love and hate, personal and corporate greed, intrigue and revenge.
At the centre of the action are the people running one of the diamond mines of the Botswana Cattle and Mining Company. Angus Hofmeyr, Kubu's school-years friend, and his twin sister Dianna are to inherit controlling shares on their upcoming 30th birthday. Since their father's fatal accident some years before, their uncle Cecil has been running this lucrative, and for Botswana, important venture. He also happens to be a friend of Jacob Makabu, Kubu's boss. Complications abound as the story unfolds, more murders, related or not, increasingly upset even the level-headed detective. What is really going on? As he pursues an ever-increasing circle of witnesses and suspects, his well-trained observation skills comes to the fore. He is assisted by his new young friend Bongani, whose unusual connections introduce additional clues. While we as readers are sometimes led to believe that we are perhaps ahead of Kubu in deducing new associations, most of the time we have to accept that we, like the investigators, are being tricked into a dead end.
In smooth easy-going prose, the authors introduce us not only to believable, well-developed characters, they also familiarize us with the natural beauty of Botswana and its fragility. There are hints of McCall Smith's Botwana and of the traditional ways of life encapsulated in Mma Ramotswe, the No 1 Lady's Detective. Yet, Botswana reality as described here is not so easy-going and gentle. Michael Stanley's understanding of the natural environment, the cultures and traditions, as well as of the political issues of today adds authenticity to the settings.
In a game park in Southern Botswana, a hyena is feasting on her dinner. Vultures are circling high above, indicating a lion kill or some such. Approaching the remote Kassami waterhole, conservation researcher Bongani and the assistant game warden initially don't see anything unusual. However, Bongani's astute observation reveals that the "prey" is human. Was the victim left for the animals to destroy any evidence of a possible murder? Kubu, the Assistant Superintendent of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Division, is called upon to investigate: establish the identity of the body and the circumstances of his death. This quest is at the centre in what turns into a multi-layered story of love and hate, personal and corporate greed, intrigue and revenge.
At the centre of the action are the people running one of the diamond mines of the Botswana Cattle and Mining Company. Angus Hofmeyr, Kubu's school-years friend, and his twin sister Dianna are to inherit controlling shares on their upcoming 30th birthday. Since their father's fatal accident some years before, their uncle Cecil has been running this lucrative, and for Botswana, important venture. He also happens to be a friend of Jacob Makabu, Kubu's boss. Complications abound as the story unfolds, more murders, related or not, increasingly upset even the level-headed detective. What is really going on? As he pursues an ever-increasing circle of witnesses and suspects, his well-trained observation skills comes to the fore. He is assisted by his new young friend Bongani, whose unusual connections introduce additional clues. While we as readers are sometimes led to believe that we are perhaps ahead of Kubu in deducing new associations, most of the time we have to accept that we, like the investigators, are being tricked into a dead end.
In smooth easy-going prose, the authors introduce us not only to believable, well-developed characters, they also familiarize us with the natural beauty of Botswana and its fragility. There are hints of McCall Smith's Botwana and of the traditional ways of life encapsulated in Mma Ramotswe, the No 1 Lady's Detective. Yet, Botswana reality as described here is not so easy-going and gentle. Michael Stanley's understanding of the natural environment, the cultures and traditions, as well as of the political issues of today adds authenticity to the settings.
November 6, 2014
I see by another reviewer's remarks that "Michael Stanley" is actually two different people. That explains quite a lot. This is most evidently a first novel, and while the writing is good, there's too much. Too many characters, too many sub-threads, too many changes in location and jumps back and forth in time, not to mention variations in tense and POV; it becomes first confusing, and then annoying. At times there is far too much description of minor actions, in which several phrases are repeated word for word--how many times need we be told that someone "poured himself a scotch with just a few drops of water"? What was the point of the "witchdoctor" subplot which occupied such a large portion of the end? The wealthy have sophisticated satellite technology and cellphones--and yet still use tape recorders?
I figured out who the "bad guy" was less than halfway through the book, thanks in part to the clunky foreshadowing. Even the attempted red herrings didn't confuse the issue. One thing I disliked is the fact that the female characters (save one) are more background than real participants, mostly relegated to "wife or mother" status--Pleasant and Joy serve drinks and meals and talk to each other on the phone, for example. No policewomen in Botswana, it seems.
This is not Precious Ramotswe's Botswana; there's sex, violence, gore, and even some rather violent sex. In some ways, the people act more like real people...up to the end. The explanation does not ring true and having read about 400 pages I was underwhelmed to find yet again a mystery/crime novel that felt the necessity of some character explaining (telling) what happened and why.
I see this is yet another series. Will I read more of it? I might. Kubu himself is a likeable character, though not the first policeman with a passion for classical music, nor the first fat Botswana detective obsessed with food, particularly cake. I am also moved to wonder if the balding Scottish forensic scientist with the unlit pipe is an homage to McCall Smith?
I figured out who the "bad guy" was less than halfway through the book, thanks in part to the clunky foreshadowing. Even the attempted red herrings didn't confuse the issue. One thing I disliked is the fact that the female characters (save one) are more background than real participants, mostly relegated to "wife or mother" status--Pleasant and Joy serve drinks and meals and talk to each other on the phone, for example. No policewomen in Botswana, it seems.
This is not Precious Ramotswe's Botswana; there's sex, violence, gore, and even some rather violent sex. In some ways, the people act more like real people...up to the end. The explanation does not ring true and having read about 400 pages I was underwhelmed to find yet again a mystery/crime novel that felt the necessity of some character explaining (telling) what happened and why.
I see this is yet another series. Will I read more of it? I might. Kubu himself is a likeable character, though not the first policeman with a passion for classical music, nor the first fat Botswana detective obsessed with food, particularly cake. I am also moved to wonder if the balding Scottish forensic scientist with the unlit pipe is an homage to McCall Smith?
February 18, 2012
I found this book perplexing - although I was frustrated I continued to read. I am not sure it was worth it. While I enjoyed the characterisation of Kubu, some of the descriptions irked me (I kept noticing the use of "beautiful") and the language was sometimes awkward enough that I put the book down. Some of the scenes, including the sex scene at the start, had me feeling like I was reading a cheap spy novel from the 1980s. Disappointing given the tenor of many of the reviews I had read (although I had been warned about the sex scene).
December 13, 2015
I'm going to file this under "not a bad book, but not for me". Maybe it's because I don't want to ruin my unrealistic version of Botswana as portrayed in the Precious Ramotswe series, but this was a bit gritty for me. I liked Kubu and his family but some of the stuff was pretty graphic and found myself losing track of the mystery. Despite that, I was still able to predict who did it pretty early on. Still, it's not a bad book, but just something that I'm not especially into.
March 20, 2009
So far this is an intriguing mystery, but readers should be aware it's somewhat explicit. Not necessarily for Alexander McCall Smith readers (although I am one of those too).
May 3, 2018
Oh no, baby, what is you doing??
About all I can say about this book is that it has a solid plot. I liked the story itself. But that's where it ends and me tearing out my hair and rending my clothes in editor agony begins.
The writing is ... not good. I badly wanted it to be, because I love both African lit and Minnesotan authors, and having both at once was like Christmas! But, well, no. The characters are flat and overwrought, the dialogue is laughable. Now we're in past tense, now we're in present tense! Whee!
Sometimes that happens, and the writing still has good bones, so things get fixed in editing. Fine. But nothing was fixed in editing here (what are you doing, Harper?) The text was not only poorly written, but poorly edited, full of errors and random, misused punctuation marks.
All of that, and I just could not get past the way this book stole just about every detail from AMS. It's a traditionally-built detective in Botswana! Not just anywhere in Botswana, Mochudi! The white van is now a Land Rover! There's even an obvious AMS character who speaks in a painful Scottish brogue. And No 1 was released in 1998, ten years before this book, not to mention it was a wildly-popular best seller. It is simply not possible that the authors were unaware of the similarities. If this were my client I would have refused to work on this book until they got permissions because of the obvious infringement, but I guess they ran with it.
I wish I could give this more than 2 stars, but it hurt my heart to read this.
About all I can say about this book is that it has a solid plot. I liked the story itself. But that's where it ends and me tearing out my hair and rending my clothes in editor agony begins.
The writing is ... not good. I badly wanted it to be, because I love both African lit and Minnesotan authors, and having both at once was like Christmas! But, well, no. The characters are flat and overwrought, the dialogue is laughable. Now we're in past tense, now we're in present tense! Whee!
Sometimes that happens, and the writing still has good bones, so things get fixed in editing. Fine. But nothing was fixed in editing here (what are you doing, Harper?) The text was not only poorly written, but poorly edited, full of errors and random, misused punctuation marks.
All of that, and I just could not get past the way this book stole just about every detail from AMS. It's a traditionally-built detective in Botswana! Not just anywhere in Botswana, Mochudi! The white van is now a Land Rover! There's even an obvious AMS character who speaks in a painful Scottish brogue. And No 1 was released in 1998, ten years before this book, not to mention it was a wildly-popular best seller. It is simply not possible that the authors were unaware of the similarities. If this were my client I would have refused to work on this book until they got permissions because of the obvious infringement, but I guess they ran with it.
I wish I could give this more than 2 stars, but it hurt my heart to read this.
October 22, 2020
I enjoyed this mystery set in Botswana that was nothing like the No. 1 Ladies Detective cozy series. This mystery deals with the diamond industry, mines, family dynasty, diamond business and government corruption and many mysterious murders. It begins with the finding of a badly decomposed and dismembered body left at a wildlife watering hole; found by a naturalist and a game resort manager and takes off from there with many twists and turns. Early on we are introduced to Detective David "Kubu" Bengu, kubu being Botswana for hippopotamus. Mma Romotswe, No. 1 lady detective, would describe him as having a comfortable build. :)
Written by the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanly Trollip, I was grateful they included a cast of character list at the beginning of the book because there were a lot of people to keep track of! I also appreciated the map of Botswana and a glossary of terms which helped in understanding of things unique to Botswana and mining. I would have given this a higher rating except that it seemed unnecessarily long (close to 500pp) and was a little convoluted. But, it was an interesting mystery with a good cast of what I assume will be regular characters in the subsequent entries into this series. I liked it well enough to check out the next book, The Second Death Of Goodluck Tinubu, also available from a nearby library.
Why I'm reading this: IRL friend and fellow Goodreader, Anthony, gave this book a thumbs up. A close-by library had it on the shelf. Why wait!
Written by the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanly Trollip, I was grateful they included a cast of character list at the beginning of the book because there were a lot of people to keep track of! I also appreciated the map of Botswana and a glossary of terms which helped in understanding of things unique to Botswana and mining. I would have given this a higher rating except that it seemed unnecessarily long (close to 500pp) and was a little convoluted. But, it was an interesting mystery with a good cast of what I assume will be regular characters in the subsequent entries into this series. I liked it well enough to check out the next book, The Second Death Of Goodluck Tinubu, also available from a nearby library.
Why I'm reading this: IRL friend and fellow Goodreader, Anthony, gave this book a thumbs up. A close-by library had it on the shelf. Why wait!
April 20, 2019
Parts of a body and the stench of death are discovered by two game rangers in the desert of Botswana and create a mysteries for Botswaa CID Det. David "Kubu" Bengu. But all his means of gathering evidence and clues fail to resolve who is the man, why did he die and how did he get to where he was found.
But Kubu — which means hippo in the Setswana language — keeps picking at the case and comes across more mysteries happenings involving an oil company that is being inherited by a friend of his. Soon there are more bodies and details that just don't add up. It makes for an interesting, detailed mystery that is just a bit too long (450 pages!)
I enjoyed the story and thought the author did a masterful job of reflecting the setting, its people, culture and challenges. But there seemed to be far too many things going on that weren't part of the mystery making it a bit of an overly long book and the dialogue 'felt' simple — if that makes sense to anyone else. Hopefully, its because it is the first book in the series.
But Kubu — which means hippo in the Setswana language — keeps picking at the case and comes across more mysteries happenings involving an oil company that is being inherited by a friend of his. Soon there are more bodies and details that just don't add up. It makes for an interesting, detailed mystery that is just a bit too long (450 pages!)
I enjoyed the story and thought the author did a masterful job of reflecting the setting, its people, culture and challenges. But there seemed to be far too many things going on that weren't part of the mystery making it a bit of an overly long book and the dialogue 'felt' simple — if that makes sense to anyone else. Hopefully, its because it is the first book in the series.
December 10, 2021
A very enjoyable detective crime fiction set in Botswana. Assistant Superintendent Kubu and his boss Mabaku were fun main characters and the plot kept twisting and turning right until the end. I was a bit underwhelmed by the denouement of the plot, but the ride to get to there was so enjoyable that I forgive the book for its somewhat slapdash ending. I will definitely keep on with this series.
February 23, 2018
It is hard to decide if I want to recommend this book due to the engaging main character and the charming supporting cast or the solid procedural plot. But the setting in Botswana steals the show.
May 8, 2020
I really liked this book! Detective Kubu is endearing in his own way. The setting, Botswana, makes the book even better! Entertaining! I could barely put it down.
June 19, 2020
I really love the insights that the book gives of the culture and thought patterns of the people of Southern Africa. I am extremely happy to have found the works of Michael Stanley.
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