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Benny Griessel #2
Thirteen Hours: A Novel
Some would call Detective Benny Griessel a legend. Others would call him a drunk.
Either way, he has trodden on too many toes over the years ever to reach the top of the promotion ladder, and now he concentrates on staying sober and mentoring the new generation of crime fighters: mixed race, Xhosa, and Zulu. But when an American backpacker disappears in Capetown, panicked politicians know who to call: Benny has just thirteen hours to save the girl, save his career—and crack open a conspiracy which threatens the whole country.
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First published January 1, 2008
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About the author
Deon Meyer
59 books1,229 followersDeon Meyer was born in the South African town of Paarl in the winelands of the Western Cape in 1958, and grew up in Klerksdorp, in the gold mining region of Northwest Province.
After military duty and studying at the Potchefstroom University, he joined Die Volksblad, a daily newspaper in Bloemfontein as a reporter. Since then, he has worked as press liaison, advertising copywriter, creative director, web manager, Internet strategist, and brand consultant.
Deon wrote his first book when he was 14 years old, and bribed and blackmailed his two brothers into reading it. They were not impressed (hey, everybody is a critic ...)
Deon Meyer
Heeding their wisdom, he did not write fiction again until he was in his early thirties, when he started publishing short stories in South African magazines.
"I still believe that is the best way to learn the craft of writing. Short stories teach you a lot about story structure - and you have limited space to develop character and plot," says Deon.
In 1994 he published his first Afrikaans novel, which has not been translated, "simply because it was not good enough to compete on the international market. However, it was a wonderful learning experience".
All later novels have been translated into several languages, including English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Finnish, Czech, Romanian, Slovakian and Bulgarian.
Deon lives in Melkbosstrand on the South African West Coast with his wife, Anita, and they have four children to keep them busy: Lida, Liam, Johan and Konstanz.
Other than his family, his big passions are motorcycling, music (he is a Mozart fanatic, but loves rock 'n roll too), reading, cooking and rugby (he unconditionally supports the national Springbok team and the Free State Cheetahs provincial team).
After military duty and studying at the Potchefstroom University, he joined Die Volksblad, a daily newspaper in Bloemfontein as a reporter. Since then, he has worked as press liaison, advertising copywriter, creative director, web manager, Internet strategist, and brand consultant.
Deon wrote his first book when he was 14 years old, and bribed and blackmailed his two brothers into reading it. They were not impressed (hey, everybody is a critic ...)
Deon Meyer
Heeding their wisdom, he did not write fiction again until he was in his early thirties, when he started publishing short stories in South African magazines.
"I still believe that is the best way to learn the craft of writing. Short stories teach you a lot about story structure - and you have limited space to develop character and plot," says Deon.
In 1994 he published his first Afrikaans novel, which has not been translated, "simply because it was not good enough to compete on the international market. However, it was a wonderful learning experience".
All later novels have been translated into several languages, including English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Finnish, Czech, Romanian, Slovakian and Bulgarian.
Deon lives in Melkbosstrand on the South African West Coast with his wife, Anita, and they have four children to keep them busy: Lida, Liam, Johan and Konstanz.
Other than his family, his big passions are motorcycling, music (he is a Mozart fanatic, but loves rock 'n roll too), reading, cooking and rugby (he unconditionally supports the national Springbok team and the Free State Cheetahs provincial team).
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September 9, 2023
CORSA CONTRO IL TEMPO
Table Mountain: il sentiero che si vede è quello per il quale scappa Rachel Anderson.
Tredici ore soltanto: per risolvere due delitti, e il caso di una ragazza sequestrata, e il tentato suicidio di un’ex grande cantante, e un losco traffico, e una vita che va a rotoli, e una carriera che non decolla, e un paese che combatte nel post-apartheid, e…
Il tempo incalza per i personaggi e il fiato corto viene anche al lettore che non riesce a mettere giù un libro così, perché rimane incollato tra le mani.
La chiesa luterana St. Martin in cima a Long Street in downtown Cape Town. È da qui che Benny Griessel riceve la chiamata alle 05:37 del mattino, proprio all’inizio del romanzo.
Però, Deon Meyer non ci racconta ‘solo’ una serie di delitti e situazioni criminali da risolvere, episodi di corruzione e di violenza dilagante.
Ci racconta anche un paese affascinante e poco conosciuto, il suo paese natale: il Sudafrica, dove convivono undici gruppi etnici con altrettante lingue (zulu, xhosa, afrikaans, inglese, venda, tsonga, ndebele, siswati, sesotho, tswana, nlu), di cui ben nove ufficiali, e l'inglese è solo la quinta più parlata del paese.
Lo stesso Meyer scrive in afrikaans e poi viene regolarmente tradotto in inglese e altre 26 o 27 lingue.
Dietro la coppia seduta al tavolo si intravede il telefono pubblico dal quale Rachel telefona a casa.
Meyer è un omone di 57 anni che parla un buon inglese e viene da chiedersi come mai non lo usi anche come lingua madre dei suoi romanzi. Sua moglie Anita lo accompagna, è alta come e più di lui, è bella, partecipe, e viene ringraziata pubblicamente dal marito.
Bennie Griessel, il protagonista di questo libro (e di Sette giorni e di Cobra), è apparso inizialmente come personaggio marginale di un altro romanzo dove restava in scena poche pagine.
Ma col tempo è cresciuto, ha preso la mano al suo creatore, è diventato protagonista, ha acquisito personalità a 360°.
Il ristorante e delicatessen ‘Carlucci's’ a Montrose Street. All’esterno si vede l’insegna del telefono pubblico. La strada in discesa è Orange Street, direzione downtown Cape Town: Rachel scappa di qua.
Bennie non beve più da sei mesi, ma per dieci anni è stato un alcolista, pur essendo un eccellente poliziotto, tanto da diventare capitano nonostante l’eccessiva frequentazione con la bottiglia.
Per descrivere e raccontare la malattia che prima di tutto è l’alcolismo, Meyer ha smesso di fumare, ha voluto provare sulla sua pelle gli effetti della brusca interruzione di una forte dipendenza.
La casa di Brownlow Street che ha ispirato quella del personaggio Xandra Barnard, la celebre cantante che nel romanzo si sveglia e trova il cadavere del marito sul pavimento accanto al letto.
Per scrivere le sue storie e i suoi casi criminali, all’inizio di ogni nuovo libro passa una settimana insieme alle forze scelte della polizia sudafricana, i Falchi, gli Hawks celebrati in Cobra.
I ringraziamenti a fine libro raccontano questo e il resto del lavoro di ricerca e documentazione, che si percepisce leggendo, e rende la lettura più robusta e divertente, rende il lettore più curioso e appassionato, e, oltre l'intrattenimento, gli lascia la sensazione finale di aver imparato qualcosa e viaggiato un pochino.
Il lungo minuzioso lavoro di ricerca e documentazione che io sento così assente dalla maggior parte degli italici libri, di genere e non solo, e dagli italici film di finzione, e che è invece trovo sia punto di partenza imprescindibile di ogni opera.
La chiesa luterana dove viene scoperto il corpo di un giovane turista proprio accanto all’albero di palma sulla destra.
Meyer scrive con capitoli brevi, e talvolta il successivo riprende esattamente dove si era interrotto il precedente: una sorta di sospensione, di ralenti, dal sapore decisamente cinematografico, che personalmente apprezzo molto.
Bennie Griessel sembra che approderà presto sullo schermo impersonato da Sean Bean.
Lo stesso Meyer ha esperienza diretta di cinema e televisione: ha scritto sceneggiature dai suoi libri e non solo, sia per il grande che per il piccolo schermo. Ha scritto e diretto un film (L’ultimo tango) e nel 2017 storia e sceneggiatura per un film intitolato Jagveld – Hunting Emma che non sono riuscito a vedere fino in fondo per quanto era fatto male.
Mi ha detto che lo affascina la differenza tra il lavoro essenzialmente solitario della scrittura e quello invece collettivo della regia.
Gli ho risposto che secondo me sia lo scrittore che il regista alla fine sono soli con la loro opera, unici responsabili del suo successo o fallimento.
Long Street dove si svolgono la maggior parte dei fatti del romanzo.
Table Mountain: il sentiero che si vede è quello per il quale scappa Rachel Anderson.
Tredici ore soltanto: per risolvere due delitti, e il caso di una ragazza sequestrata, e il tentato suicidio di un’ex grande cantante, e un losco traffico, e una vita che va a rotoli, e una carriera che non decolla, e un paese che combatte nel post-apartheid, e…
Il tempo incalza per i personaggi e il fiato corto viene anche al lettore che non riesce a mettere giù un libro così, perché rimane incollato tra le mani.
La chiesa luterana St. Martin in cima a Long Street in downtown Cape Town. È da qui che Benny Griessel riceve la chiamata alle 05:37 del mattino, proprio all’inizio del romanzo.
Però, Deon Meyer non ci racconta ‘solo’ una serie di delitti e situazioni criminali da risolvere, episodi di corruzione e di violenza dilagante.
Ci racconta anche un paese affascinante e poco conosciuto, il suo paese natale: il Sudafrica, dove convivono undici gruppi etnici con altrettante lingue (zulu, xhosa, afrikaans, inglese, venda, tsonga, ndebele, siswati, sesotho, tswana, nlu), di cui ben nove ufficiali, e l'inglese è solo la quinta più parlata del paese.
Lo stesso Meyer scrive in afrikaans e poi viene regolarmente tradotto in inglese e altre 26 o 27 lingue.
Dietro la coppia seduta al tavolo si intravede il telefono pubblico dal quale Rachel telefona a casa.
Meyer è un omone di 57 anni che parla un buon inglese e viene da chiedersi come mai non lo usi anche come lingua madre dei suoi romanzi. Sua moglie Anita lo accompagna, è alta come e più di lui, è bella, partecipe, e viene ringraziata pubblicamente dal marito.
Bennie Griessel, il protagonista di questo libro (e di Sette giorni e di Cobra), è apparso inizialmente come personaggio marginale di un altro romanzo dove restava in scena poche pagine.
Ma col tempo è cresciuto, ha preso la mano al suo creatore, è diventato protagonista, ha acquisito personalità a 360°.
Il ristorante e delicatessen ‘Carlucci's’ a Montrose Street. All’esterno si vede l’insegna del telefono pubblico. La strada in discesa è Orange Street, direzione downtown Cape Town: Rachel scappa di qua.
Bennie non beve più da sei mesi, ma per dieci anni è stato un alcolista, pur essendo un eccellente poliziotto, tanto da diventare capitano nonostante l’eccessiva frequentazione con la bottiglia.
Per descrivere e raccontare la malattia che prima di tutto è l’alcolismo, Meyer ha smesso di fumare, ha voluto provare sulla sua pelle gli effetti della brusca interruzione di una forte dipendenza.
La casa di Brownlow Street che ha ispirato quella del personaggio Xandra Barnard, la celebre cantante che nel romanzo si sveglia e trova il cadavere del marito sul pavimento accanto al letto.
Per scrivere le sue storie e i suoi casi criminali, all’inizio di ogni nuovo libro passa una settimana insieme alle forze scelte della polizia sudafricana, i Falchi, gli Hawks celebrati in Cobra.
I ringraziamenti a fine libro raccontano questo e il resto del lavoro di ricerca e documentazione, che si percepisce leggendo, e rende la lettura più robusta e divertente, rende il lettore più curioso e appassionato, e, oltre l'intrattenimento, gli lascia la sensazione finale di aver imparato qualcosa e viaggiato un pochino.
Il lungo minuzioso lavoro di ricerca e documentazione che io sento così assente dalla maggior parte degli italici libri, di genere e non solo, e dagli italici film di finzione, e che è invece trovo sia punto di partenza imprescindibile di ogni opera.
La chiesa luterana dove viene scoperto il corpo di un giovane turista proprio accanto all’albero di palma sulla destra.
Meyer scrive con capitoli brevi, e talvolta il successivo riprende esattamente dove si era interrotto il precedente: una sorta di sospensione, di ralenti, dal sapore decisamente cinematografico, che personalmente apprezzo molto.
Bennie Griessel sembra che approderà presto sullo schermo impersonato da Sean Bean.
Lo stesso Meyer ha esperienza diretta di cinema e televisione: ha scritto sceneggiature dai suoi libri e non solo, sia per il grande che per il piccolo schermo. Ha scritto e diretto un film (L’ultimo tango) e nel 2017 storia e sceneggiatura per un film intitolato Jagveld – Hunting Emma che non sono riuscito a vedere fino in fondo per quanto era fatto male.
Mi ha detto che lo affascina la differenza tra il lavoro essenzialmente solitario della scrittura e quello invece collettivo della regia.
Gli ho risposto che secondo me sia lo scrittore che il regista alla fine sono soli con la loro opera, unici responsabili del suo successo o fallimento.
Long Street dove si svolgono la maggior parte dei fatti del romanzo.
October 6, 2024
A rush against time. This book is cutting edge. The building of angst and hope amazing. Loved everything about it.
May 10, 2021
Eine junge Amerikanerin wird ermordet. Ihre Freundin ist auf der Flucht vor den Mördern. Und eine berühmte Sängerin wird neben ihrem toten Ehemann gefunden. Hat sie ihn erschossen? Inspector Bennie Griessel hat alle Hände voll zu tun, die Morde aufzuklären und das junge Mädchen zu finden, bevor es auch ermordet wird!
Wow, dieses Buch ist an Tempo und Spannung kaum zu überbieten! Schon auf den ersten Seiten geht es mit der Spannung los, und so bleibt es auch bis zur letzten Seite. Es gibt zwei Morde, die zunächst nicht zueinander passen wollen, aber die dann im Laufe der Geschichte doch miteinander verknüpft werden - wenn auch erst zum Ende des Buches hin!
Bis zuletzt kann der Leser die Zusammenhänge nicht erkennen, was es so unglaublich spannend macht! Das Ende war für mich jedenfalls überraschend. Erst ganz am Ende des Buches erfährt der Leser, warum die Morde verübt wurden und wer letztendlich hinter allem steht. Bei all der Ermittlungsarbeit kommt aber auch das Menschliche nicht zu kurz; die Protagonisten sind sehr sympathisch, und die verschiedenen Charaktere werden sehr gut beschrieben.
Von mir bekommt "Dreizehn Stunden" auf jeden Fall die volle Punktzahl, und ich werde mit Sicherheit noch andere Bücher von Deon Meyer lesen!
Wow, dieses Buch ist an Tempo und Spannung kaum zu überbieten! Schon auf den ersten Seiten geht es mit der Spannung los, und so bleibt es auch bis zur letzten Seite. Es gibt zwei Morde, die zunächst nicht zueinander passen wollen, aber die dann im Laufe der Geschichte doch miteinander verknüpft werden - wenn auch erst zum Ende des Buches hin!
Bis zuletzt kann der Leser die Zusammenhänge nicht erkennen, was es so unglaublich spannend macht! Das Ende war für mich jedenfalls überraschend. Erst ganz am Ende des Buches erfährt der Leser, warum die Morde verübt wurden und wer letztendlich hinter allem steht. Bei all der Ermittlungsarbeit kommt aber auch das Menschliche nicht zu kurz; die Protagonisten sind sehr sympathisch, und die verschiedenen Charaktere werden sehr gut beschrieben.
Von mir bekommt "Dreizehn Stunden" auf jeden Fall die volle Punktzahl, und ich werde mit Sicherheit noch andere Bücher von Deon Meyer lesen!
March 19, 2024
Thirteen Hours, the second in the Benny Grizzell series, again delivers a heart pounding police procedural. Meyer does an excellent job of transporting the reader to the streets of Cape Town, South Africa. Benny has been tasked with mentoring several young detectives. When two separate violent crimes occur simultaneously, he is pulled in multiple directions. There’s the murder of a young American woman, with her friend on the run from the murderers, and then the murder of a well known music executive.
The story alternates between multiple PoVs, including Benny, the young woman on the run and the three young detectives. This allows for a breathtaking pace with never a dull moment. Meyers captures the issues with post apartheid South Africa - the attempts at assimilation, the prejudice against “Coloreds” and women and the corruption.
Benny is a fascinating main character. He’s a recovering alcoholic, still in the early stages of sobriety with only five months of being dry.
While this is the second in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone.
I sometimes struggle with books translated from the original language, in this case, Africaans, but K. L. Seegers did a good job and I didn’t feel anything was lost in translation.
I listened to this and was extremely pleased with the narrator, Simon Vance.
The story alternates between multiple PoVs, including Benny, the young woman on the run and the three young detectives. This allows for a breathtaking pace with never a dull moment. Meyers captures the issues with post apartheid South Africa - the attempts at assimilation, the prejudice against “Coloreds” and women and the corruption.
Benny is a fascinating main character. He’s a recovering alcoholic, still in the early stages of sobriety with only five months of being dry.
While this is the second in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone.
I sometimes struggle with books translated from the original language, in this case, Africaans, but K. L. Seegers did a good job and I didn’t feel anything was lost in translation.
I listened to this and was extremely pleased with the narrator, Simon Vance.
February 27, 2020
Goodreads has introduced me to many great writers previously unknown to me. This is the third police procedural I have in recent weeks by prize-winning South African writer, Dan Meyer. This author of the Detective Benny Griessel series has become one of my favourite crime novelists. Not only are his novels thrilling, but there is an authentic sense of place, with strong characterization, an unflinching look at problems in the new South Africa. The books were written in Afrikaans and expertly translated into English without losing their power.
The setting is Cape Town following the end of apartheid. Benny is an alcoholic police detective. He was kicked out of his home by his wife. She ordered him to stay sober for 6 months and then she might consider allowing his return. He misses his teenage children and has managed to avoid drinking for 5 months, but it has been a struggle. His past drunkenness has prevented him from receiving promotions.
Cultural diversity and politics in the new South Africa have come with turmoil and suspicion. This is evident in the police force. Benny is the only white man in his division and is faced with the task of mentoring recent recruits. These include Zulus, Xhosa, and Coloreds (mixed race and South Asian). Racial diversity and prejudice against women in the police force prevails, as well as hard feelings towards affirmative action.
There are two crime cases addressed in this gripping plot. One is the murder of one of two young American girls who had been backpacking on a tour through Africa. They were being chased by a group of young men and running for their lives. One was caught and killed and her terrorized friend is running with the men still in pursuit. She is exhausted, hungry and thirsty. She runs and hides throughout the book. She has been in possession of something they desperately want and are willing to torture and kill for it. We do not know what they are after until near the end. Benny promises her father in the USA that he will do everything in his power to find her and keep her safe. There is diplomatic pressure as the murdered American girl and the now missing one could cause international problems by publicizing crime in the country. There is concern that this might affect the tourist industry.
The other case has to do with the murder of a prominent music executive and fraud within the recording business. His abused and alcoholic wife wakes to find that he has been shot dead in the room where she has been asleep in her usual drunken stupor. It seems obvious that she has killed him, but Benny has his doubts. This case exposes sex scandals and corruption within the music business.
The overland tour company is found to be implicated in a very nasty conspiracy.
These books are well-plotted, tense, complex, with intriguing characters. I look forward to the next one in the series.
The setting is Cape Town following the end of apartheid. Benny is an alcoholic police detective. He was kicked out of his home by his wife. She ordered him to stay sober for 6 months and then she might consider allowing his return. He misses his teenage children and has managed to avoid drinking for 5 months, but it has been a struggle. His past drunkenness has prevented him from receiving promotions.
Cultural diversity and politics in the new South Africa have come with turmoil and suspicion. This is evident in the police force. Benny is the only white man in his division and is faced with the task of mentoring recent recruits. These include Zulus, Xhosa, and Coloreds (mixed race and South Asian). Racial diversity and prejudice against women in the police force prevails, as well as hard feelings towards affirmative action.
There are two crime cases addressed in this gripping plot. One is the murder of one of two young American girls who had been backpacking on a tour through Africa. They were being chased by a group of young men and running for their lives. One was caught and killed and her terrorized friend is running with the men still in pursuit. She is exhausted, hungry and thirsty. She runs and hides throughout the book. She has been in possession of something they desperately want and are willing to torture and kill for it. We do not know what they are after until near the end. Benny promises her father in the USA that he will do everything in his power to find her and keep her safe. There is diplomatic pressure as the murdered American girl and the now missing one could cause international problems by publicizing crime in the country. There is concern that this might affect the tourist industry.
The other case has to do with the murder of a prominent music executive and fraud within the recording business. His abused and alcoholic wife wakes to find that he has been shot dead in the room where she has been asleep in her usual drunken stupor. It seems obvious that she has killed him, but Benny has his doubts. This case exposes sex scandals and corruption within the music business.
The overland tour company is found to be implicated in a very nasty conspiracy.
These books are well-plotted, tense, complex, with intriguing characters. I look forward to the next one in the series.
November 20, 2013
Thirteen Hours Review – Redux
I attended a Deon Meyer book signing this weekend and it played a big part in my decision to expand this review. At the time of writing this, Thirteen Hours is the only Meyer book I’ve read, but that is definitely about to change.
I’m not changing my rating, but I think some perspective is in order. South Africa is a country with eleven official languages, which should give you some idea of the cultural diversity. Why is this important? Meyer takes great snapshots of the inner workings of SA culture in his writing. He’s truly what we would call “proudly South African” and I think he’s doing a commendable job of bringing Cape Town to overseas readers. He also happens to be quite a nice guy.
You’ve read Nesbo, Larsson and the like: now it’s time to read some Meyer!
Original Review – Verbatim
Afrikaans. My native tongue. It has been a very long time since I read any Afrikaans fiction. It has been an even longer time since I read any Afrikaans fiction that I enjoyed.
I read this in Afrikaans: 13 Uur
but it is translated into English as: Thirteen Hours
As an Afrikaans novel, this is certainly an accomplishment. Yes, there is swearing, but the people in this book talk exactly like the most people in Cape Town talk. I am a recent Capetonian and really enjoyed this novel. It does an excellent job of introducing some of the cultural diversity to be found here. And then there is the plot...
Deon Meyer weaves a web of intrigue, deception and thrills. The characters are flesh and blood. The scares are real. This is as good a murder mystery / police procedural as you're likely to get. If you enjoy this kind of thing, but haven't read Meyer yet, I suggest you give it a try. I'm not sure how some of this can be translated into English without losing a lot of the specific meaning or humour, but readers of the English translation seems to have nothing but praise for it.
So, check it out.
September 22, 2016
Another great book by this South African writer. Set in Cape Town, post Apartheid, there is a lot of political and social fact in the book as well as a great fictional story. Benny, the main character is yet another alcoholic cop, but I like him. He is actually dealing with his problems (and he has many) and he is making progress with his life and maybe even with his career.
There are two main threads to this book, each following a different murder. I was slightly more interested in one than the other, but the constant swapping of story lines kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.
I read this while on a plane. I intended that it would last me several days and read it in one. I am very happy that there is a sequel still waiting for me.
There are two main threads to this book, each following a different murder. I was slightly more interested in one than the other, but the constant swapping of story lines kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.
I read this while on a plane. I intended that it would last me several days and read it in one. I am very happy that there is a sequel still waiting for me.
January 25, 2021
Πυκνό και καλογραμμένο,τούτη τη φορά το άρωμα Αφρικής,με όλα τα κοινωνικοπολιτικά της θέματα, ήταν διάχυτο:διακρίσεις φυλετικές, διακρίσεις εις βάρος των γυναικών που θεωρούνται υποδεέστερες νοητικά και σκεύη σεξουαλικής ικανοποίησης-οι όμορφες,γιατί οι φαγανές χοντρούλες που γουστάρουν KFC υφίστανται μπούλινγκ ακατάσχετο-η διαφθορά στα υψηλά κλιμάκια δεδομένη,και δεκατρείς ώρες που εξελίσσονται real time.Πιο σφιχτοδεμένο από την Κόμπρα,της οποίας η ανάγνωση συνιστάται πριν από αυτό, που είναι το δεύτερο της σειράς.
5⭐
5⭐
March 19, 2023
If a policier could be beautiful, Thirteen Hours would do the job. A charming narrative style, plenty of content, a main character (of course, Benny) which makes you empathize with, some very credible scenes and people, including policemen (...), and, of course, some type of happy-end, all of these together are seducing the reader.
It matters less that Rachel is somehow a silly girl, as she eats, takes a bath and a long chat BEFORE calling her father, Benny's pure penknife-luck or that vagueness (for me, at least) about Adam's gun, as he has been killed by another weapon, Thirteen Hours is one of the best books I've read in recent years.
It matters less that Rachel is somehow a silly girl, as she eats, takes a bath and a long chat BEFORE calling her father, Benny's pure penknife-luck or that vagueness (for me, at least) about Adam's gun, as he has been killed by another weapon, Thirteen Hours is one of the best books I've read in recent years.
October 5, 2012
this book is good and engaging and fun and informative. it has the mainstay-ish worn-out alcoholic cop and the mainstay-ish young female victim, but unlike in most american thrillers, the story is complicated by the interracial dynamics of post-apartheid south africa. also, the female victim (not the one they kill right at the beginning, the other one) totally kicks ass.
i didn't know many things about south africa and now i know some. they are pretty basic things, like that afrikaans is a language and those who speak it are called afrikaners (i thought the language was called afrikaan and the people afrikaans). it was pretty dumb of me not to know this but what can i say, i'm not proud. i also know that there are at least two black african ethnic groups: the xhosas and the zulus. yeah, i didn't know that either.
i think i want to see cape town. it sounds gorgeous from a natural point of view and interesting from an urban point of view. the downside is that it seems hot as hell. but the book is set in january so i can hope that the winters will be coolers.
mostly, though, i couldn't put the book down. it's 500 some pages but it went so fast. my days went smoothly because i knew i had this book to come back to. i'm going to read all of this guy's books. at the end, i'll know so much about south africa, i will know all about the various temperatures in the various seasons, languages, ethnic groups, history, the bar scene, traffic patterns, power cut patterns, slang. frankly, i can't wait.
i didn't know many things about south africa and now i know some. they are pretty basic things, like that afrikaans is a language and those who speak it are called afrikaners (i thought the language was called afrikaan and the people afrikaans). it was pretty dumb of me not to know this but what can i say, i'm not proud. i also know that there are at least two black african ethnic groups: the xhosas and the zulus. yeah, i didn't know that either.
i think i want to see cape town. it sounds gorgeous from a natural point of view and interesting from an urban point of view. the downside is that it seems hot as hell. but the book is set in january so i can hope that the winters will be coolers.
mostly, though, i couldn't put the book down. it's 500 some pages but it went so fast. my days went smoothly because i knew i had this book to come back to. i'm going to read all of this guy's books. at the end, i'll know so much about south africa, i will know all about the various temperatures in the various seasons, languages, ethnic groups, history, the bar scene, traffic patterns, power cut patterns, slang. frankly, i can't wait.
February 21, 2022
Meyer writes a smart crime thriller, alternating between two murders, a chase, and an abduction. Some characters are good, some are bad, but they are all interesting. I hope to encounter Inspector Mbali Kaleni in the next book of the series, with her big black handbag, her black bound notebook, and her lunch of Kentucky Fried Chicken. The setting in Cape Town and other parts of South Africa imparts a good feel for the social structure and racial uneasiness of the new Africa.
I’m expecting the next in this series to be just as pleasurable.
I’m expecting the next in this series to be just as pleasurable.
March 4, 2022
Boeke Prize in South Africa 2011. South African police Detective Inspector Benny Griessel has one frenetic day. It starts out in the early morning hours with the discovery of a young woman with her throat slashed in a churchyard in Cape Town. It doesn’t take long to discover that the young woman is American, causing the investigation to become ‘sensitive’ in this tourism-dependent country. Therefore, Commissioner John Africa decides to have Benny mentor Inspector Vusumuzi Ndabeni (Vusi) who is nominally in charge.
The police barely have the crime tape up, when another body is discovered in another part of the city. Alexandra (Alexa) Barnard wakes up from a drunken stupor to discover that her music producer husband is lying dead from bullet wounds beside her. Benny is asked to mentor Inspector Fransman Dekker on this case too. Benny seems to be racing from one case to the other for the rest of the day. Each is complicated with multiple twists.
And just to make events even more harrowing. The friend of the dead woman is trying desperately to evade the five young men responsible for the killing. Much of the novel revolves around this chase resulting in an action-packed plot.
Meyer’s notable female Inspector is the Zulu Mbali Kaleni. This charming woman is not given near enough ink. Hopefully, Meyer corrects this oversight in future offerings. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
The police barely have the crime tape up, when another body is discovered in another part of the city. Alexandra (Alexa) Barnard wakes up from a drunken stupor to discover that her music producer husband is lying dead from bullet wounds beside her. Benny is asked to mentor Inspector Fransman Dekker on this case too. Benny seems to be racing from one case to the other for the rest of the day. Each is complicated with multiple twists.
And just to make events even more harrowing. The friend of the dead woman is trying desperately to evade the five young men responsible for the killing. Much of the novel revolves around this chase resulting in an action-packed plot.
Meyer’s notable female Inspector is the Zulu Mbali Kaleni. This charming woman is not given near enough ink. Hopefully, Meyer corrects this oversight in future offerings. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
May 6, 2017
A gem of a mystery. Read it after a number of "serious" reads and enjoyed very much. A very fast-paced and well-crafted mystery. Bonus was the virtual tour of CapeTown. I am going to read more of this writer.
Highly recommend to all.
Highly recommend to all.
June 15, 2015
I hadn't actually heard of this author, who writes in Afrikaans, until I heard him being interviewed on a BBC Radio Programme some months ago. I was intrigued by what he said and by the setting of his novels in Cape Town, one of the relatively few places in the world I have personally visited.
An initial synopsis of this novel makes it sound like "crime writing by the numbers". The lead character, Inspector Benny Griessel, is a middle-aged detective with a drink problem and marital troubles, and the main part of the plot involves the "young woman in danger" scenario. However, don't be put off, Inspector Griessel is a most engaging lead character, the potential victim is resourceful, and the storyline in every way justifies the tag of "thriller".
The story takes place over the "Thirteen Hours" of the title, starting early in the morning, and Inspector Griessel has the sort of day that would have had me cracking under the strain by about half-past eight. As an experienced detective he is assigned to "mentor" younger members of his Department, and has to constantly keep switching between two high profile cases that arise on the same morning. One involves the murder of a big player in the local Afrikaans music scene, the other a search for an American backpacker who is being hunted by local criminals who have already murdered her companion. Her frantic flight through the city, and Griessel's search for her, really is edge of the seat stuff. I particularly liked the characters created by the author for the junior detectives, each of whom has their own strengths and weaknesses, and Meyer also draws a convincing picture of the racial and gender politics of South Africa, where everyone is conscious of their group identity and where any ambiguous remark can be interpreted as a deliberate racial slight.
A really excellent thriller. I'll certainly read more of this author's work in the future.
An initial synopsis of this novel makes it sound like "crime writing by the numbers". The lead character, Inspector Benny Griessel, is a middle-aged detective with a drink problem and marital troubles, and the main part of the plot involves the "young woman in danger" scenario. However, don't be put off, Inspector Griessel is a most engaging lead character, the potential victim is resourceful, and the storyline in every way justifies the tag of "thriller".
The story takes place over the "Thirteen Hours" of the title, starting early in the morning, and Inspector Griessel has the sort of day that would have had me cracking under the strain by about half-past eight. As an experienced detective he is assigned to "mentor" younger members of his Department, and has to constantly keep switching between two high profile cases that arise on the same morning. One involves the murder of a big player in the local Afrikaans music scene, the other a search for an American backpacker who is being hunted by local criminals who have already murdered her companion. Her frantic flight through the city, and Griessel's search for her, really is edge of the seat stuff. I particularly liked the characters created by the author for the junior detectives, each of whom has their own strengths and weaknesses, and Meyer also draws a convincing picture of the racial and gender politics of South Africa, where everyone is conscious of their group identity and where any ambiguous remark can be interpreted as a deliberate racial slight.
A really excellent thriller. I'll certainly read more of this author's work in the future.
November 3, 2021
Digital audiobook performed by Simon Vance
From the book jacket: Morning dawns in Cape Town, South Africa. A teenage girl’s body has been found on the street, her throat cut. She was an American. Somewhere in Cpae Town her friend, Rachel Anderson is, hopefully, still alive. Rachel is terrified, unsure of where to turn in the unknown city. Who can she trust? How long can she stay ahead of her relentless pursuers? Racing against the clock, Detective Benny Griessel desperately tries to solve the murder and bring Rachel home safe, all in a single day.
My reactions:
This is a hard-hitting, fast-paced, police procedural with a complicated plot, a second, unrelated (or is it?) killing, and multiple twists: drugs, human trafficking, the music industry, and, of course, Benny’s continuing struggle as a recovering alcoholic.
He's also been named as a mentor to a group of younger investigators, and Griessel is having a hard time with his recent assignment: Inspector Mbali Kaleni, a black woman, a Zulu, a feminist. She’s eager and intelligent, but lacks the experience of Griessel and his previous partners. And she has her own agenda: trying to equate the effort expended by the police investigating cases of dead black women with that expended in the cases of missing white women. This is an interesting pairing, and I’d like to see it continue in future books.
Simon Vance is marvelous, as usual, performing the audiobook.
From the book jacket: Morning dawns in Cape Town, South Africa. A teenage girl’s body has been found on the street, her throat cut. She was an American. Somewhere in Cpae Town her friend, Rachel Anderson is, hopefully, still alive. Rachel is terrified, unsure of where to turn in the unknown city. Who can she trust? How long can she stay ahead of her relentless pursuers? Racing against the clock, Detective Benny Griessel desperately tries to solve the murder and bring Rachel home safe, all in a single day.
My reactions:
This is a hard-hitting, fast-paced, police procedural with a complicated plot, a second, unrelated (or is it?) killing, and multiple twists: drugs, human trafficking, the music industry, and, of course, Benny’s continuing struggle as a recovering alcoholic.
He's also been named as a mentor to a group of younger investigators, and Griessel is having a hard time with his recent assignment: Inspector Mbali Kaleni, a black woman, a Zulu, a feminist. She’s eager and intelligent, but lacks the experience of Griessel and his previous partners. And she has her own agenda: trying to equate the effort expended by the police investigating cases of dead black women with that expended in the cases of missing white women. This is an interesting pairing, and I’d like to see it continue in future books.
Simon Vance is marvelous, as usual, performing the audiobook.
February 19, 2021
Book 2 of the series which has taken me a while to get around too, prompted by having watched his recent foray into TV with his other series featuring a character called Lemmer in “Trackers”.
Fast start as the title would suggest!
We have murder(s) that sees Inspector Bernie Griessel front & centre in his new role as “mentor” to an upcoming new group of detectives who are all from differing backgrounds, certainly not of the old establishment which he was a fixture in….. I will add here that the book helps paint the political & social landscape at junctures throughout, with Bernie being the token white South Afrikaans in a changing police force, which helps non South Africans to understand the nuances/challenges that folk of that country face. It does split characters out into white, coloured & black when first describing them & it took me a few chapters to work out the ethnic/tribal diversities & hence the subsequent fractions/friction between certain characters which I found added to the complexity/depth of story as you learnt about South Africa & her politics in the early 2010’s.
The story as you might have guessed takes place over 13 hours!! And is thusly laid out, making it action packed as they rush against the clock to solve the crime(s). Its retold through various POV’s & although jumps around a bit in each chapter, its’ easy to follow each character & never confusing. The pacing is spot on, always pulling you forward without overwhelming you as some of these styles can do.
The plot features / centres equally on the South Afrikaans music scene where it goes into some depth about its history, it doesn’t matter if you know nothing about this culture but I’m sure it would help if you did? As well as an American tourist trying to evade capture……
Bernie Griessel reminds me a tad of Harry Hole in some ways, in a good way too, as an incorrigible rogue, his heart in the right place (mostly) but not always in control. Some scenes/narratives in the early chapters took me right back to comparison’s off the writing in the earlier Nesbo books.
His colleagues were fleshed out as we went along, meat added on via the situations they found themselves in, come journeys end I felt I knew them all. I hope they will feature in the series going forward.
The author managed to work in a Russian gangster connection too…. They do seem to be the no.1 villains of the last decade getting everywhere! I say Hurrah as It always used to be us Brits……. 😉
I’m going to give it 5 stars from a roundup of 4.5, a very entertaining read & a second venture with Deon Meyer, a series I shall most certainly be continuing on with.
Fast start as the title would suggest!
We have murder(s) that sees Inspector Bernie Griessel front & centre in his new role as “mentor” to an upcoming new group of detectives who are all from differing backgrounds, certainly not of the old establishment which he was a fixture in….. I will add here that the book helps paint the political & social landscape at junctures throughout, with Bernie being the token white South Afrikaans in a changing police force, which helps non South Africans to understand the nuances/challenges that folk of that country face. It does split characters out into white, coloured & black when first describing them & it took me a few chapters to work out the ethnic/tribal diversities & hence the subsequent fractions/friction between certain characters which I found added to the complexity/depth of story as you learnt about South Africa & her politics in the early 2010’s.
The story as you might have guessed takes place over 13 hours!! And is thusly laid out, making it action packed as they rush against the clock to solve the crime(s). Its retold through various POV’s & although jumps around a bit in each chapter, its’ easy to follow each character & never confusing. The pacing is spot on, always pulling you forward without overwhelming you as some of these styles can do.
The plot features / centres equally on the South Afrikaans music scene where it goes into some depth about its history, it doesn’t matter if you know nothing about this culture but I’m sure it would help if you did? As well as an American tourist trying to evade capture……
Bernie Griessel reminds me a tad of Harry Hole in some ways, in a good way too, as an incorrigible rogue, his heart in the right place (mostly) but not always in control. Some scenes/narratives in the early chapters took me right back to comparison’s off the writing in the earlier Nesbo books.
His colleagues were fleshed out as we went along, meat added on via the situations they found themselves in, come journeys end I felt I knew them all. I hope they will feature in the series going forward.
The author managed to work in a Russian gangster connection too…. They do seem to be the no.1 villains of the last decade getting everywhere! I say Hurrah as It always used to be us Brits……. 😉
I’m going to give it 5 stars from a roundup of 4.5, a very entertaining read & a second venture with Deon Meyer, a series I shall most certainly be continuing on with.
September 14, 2022
Spennende krim, men klisjeene kommer på rekke og rad. (Anti)helten er en alkoholisert etterforsker med personlige problemer, men med en enorm politifaglig intuisjon. Historien går stort sett hele tiden på høygir, og hvert avsnitt bytter fortellerperspektiv. Jeg har ikke lest nok krim til å si noe plottets originalitet, men det vil ikke overraske meg om det finnes en rekke andre krimbøker med relativt lignende plot. Forfatteren lykkes godt i å flette in under- og overliggende samfunnskonflikter i Sør-Afrika som preger for eksempel hierarkiet innad i politiet.
April 25, 2023
All in 13 hours… wow.
February 22, 2011
Afrikaner Deon Meyer's latest pulse-pounding thriller hits the ground running--literally. In Cape Town, South Africa, at six in the morning, an American teenage tourist is running for her life. Her best friend's throat was slit in front of her and she is bolting from the perpetrators' clutches. The story hits its stride early and swiftly as events unfold over thirteen-hours. Vicious outlaws and the snarl of conspiracy; Afrikaner, Xhosa, and Zulu crime-fighters; and crooners and corporate fleecers storm the pages of the book. Besides Rachel Anderson, the pursued and wily tourist, there's music industry giant, Adam Barnard, found shot and dead near his hard-drinking, faded-diva wife.
This is my third Meyer book (this is his seventh), after reading Dead at Daybreak and Blood Safari, all set in the author's home country. The narrative is bracing and the characters resonant and ripe. Meyer delivers with sizzle in this dual-crime novel; his terse prose lances the pages, and the pitch-perfect pace purrs and thrums. The reader feels like a detective as fragments eventually pull together from the grime of corruption. You suspect, you speculate, and you quiver. The knot of Barnard's death is teased out concurrently with Rachel's web of intrigue. Meyer is brilliant at interlocking disparate characters, events, and scenes, and at solving parallel puzzles.
The crisp story is supported by trenchant characters. Benny Griessel, the Slavic-eyed, bushy-haired Inspector with a sinking marriage and six months sobriety, has a sharp radar and a fox's energy, as well as a tarnished reputation. He pursues the perps with thirsty zeal while trying to keep his inner demons at bay. Can he save his marriage? Can he rescue the girl? Will the lure of drink undo him? Benny struggles to keep it together while people's lives are falling apart.
Fransman Dekker, an apt, avid cop with a strident temper, is furious about the racial hiring practice in the department. He's close to losing his cool over the results of affirmative action--not black enough, not white enough, feeling the statistical stab of "eight percent coloured." His nemesis, Zulu Mbali Kaleni, is one of the most delightfully imperious and exotic policewomen I have come across in fiction. She looks like an "overstuffed piegeon," with a "big bulge in front and a big bulge behind in her tight black trouser suit." Dekker, Griessel, and Kaleni, like the other players in the book, are dimensional and sympathetic. Meyer has a knack for fiery characters that vault from the pages while they crackle and burn.
The story is taut and the climax is gripping. Although more cinematic and conventional than his previous work, Meyer's brio is seductive, his pointed narrative is spicy. Some parts are predictable, yet without feeling tired and shopworn. He tells the story with a candid depth that is wholly humane and authentic. A primal essence buzzes and hums as he juxtaposes scenes, cutting from one jolting moment to the next. And although I am typically put off by cell phone bits in a novel, Meyer's snappy insertions actually increase the story's tensile strength. The chapters revolve around the clock and the minutes fly with the pages. He controls the fluid narrative with an acid restraint and never goes overboard. It vibrates with soul, but it's not for the faint of heart.
This is my third Meyer book (this is his seventh), after reading Dead at Daybreak and Blood Safari, all set in the author's home country. The narrative is bracing and the characters resonant and ripe. Meyer delivers with sizzle in this dual-crime novel; his terse prose lances the pages, and the pitch-perfect pace purrs and thrums. The reader feels like a detective as fragments eventually pull together from the grime of corruption. You suspect, you speculate, and you quiver. The knot of Barnard's death is teased out concurrently with Rachel's web of intrigue. Meyer is brilliant at interlocking disparate characters, events, and scenes, and at solving parallel puzzles.
The crisp story is supported by trenchant characters. Benny Griessel, the Slavic-eyed, bushy-haired Inspector with a sinking marriage and six months sobriety, has a sharp radar and a fox's energy, as well as a tarnished reputation. He pursues the perps with thirsty zeal while trying to keep his inner demons at bay. Can he save his marriage? Can he rescue the girl? Will the lure of drink undo him? Benny struggles to keep it together while people's lives are falling apart.
Fransman Dekker, an apt, avid cop with a strident temper, is furious about the racial hiring practice in the department. He's close to losing his cool over the results of affirmative action--not black enough, not white enough, feeling the statistical stab of "eight percent coloured." His nemesis, Zulu Mbali Kaleni, is one of the most delightfully imperious and exotic policewomen I have come across in fiction. She looks like an "overstuffed piegeon," with a "big bulge in front and a big bulge behind in her tight black trouser suit." Dekker, Griessel, and Kaleni, like the other players in the book, are dimensional and sympathetic. Meyer has a knack for fiery characters that vault from the pages while they crackle and burn.
The story is taut and the climax is gripping. Although more cinematic and conventional than his previous work, Meyer's brio is seductive, his pointed narrative is spicy. Some parts are predictable, yet without feeling tired and shopworn. He tells the story with a candid depth that is wholly humane and authentic. A primal essence buzzes and hums as he juxtaposes scenes, cutting from one jolting moment to the next. And although I am typically put off by cell phone bits in a novel, Meyer's snappy insertions actually increase the story's tensile strength. The chapters revolve around the clock and the minutes fly with the pages. He controls the fluid narrative with an acid restraint and never goes overboard. It vibrates with soul, but it's not for the faint of heart.
March 19, 2018
Excellent thriller.
The best I’ve read so for from this author. The book gives a good insight in south african society and racial problems. There are quite a few plot twists and the book is suspenseful till the end.
The best I’ve read so for from this author. The book gives a good insight in south african society and racial problems. There are quite a few plot twists and the book is suspenseful till the end.
August 19, 2021
"A Gripping Page Turner, A South African Nightmare"
This is the second Deon Meyer book I have read and like `Devil's Peak', `Thirteen Hours' is a real page-turner that gripped me from the first word, to the very last.
The clock is ticking from the word go, as thirteen hours is the deadline to solve the case of the American teenage tourist who is brutally murdered, the tension being heightened even more with the book being broken down into time-lined chapters, making me ultra aware of the passing of minutes, indeed seconds!!
The storyline is gripping and full of tension, as a police system in seeming disarray, undermanned with insufficiently trained, inexperienced officers; who come up against a system full of corruption, racial and sexual prejudices, strive to bring two separate, seemingly unrelated murders, to satisfactory conclusions, whilst maintaining some level of integrity and professionalism.
The build-up is cleverly crafted and full of suspense, as the two apparently divergent cases, slowly begin to have common links, with clues and information being introduced sporadically during the course of the day. The book jumps between plots frequently as the action hots up and Benny Griessel fights to keep control of the situation in both investigations, in his role of mentor to the new recruits that have been assigned as investigating officers.
The pace of the plot has natural peaks and troughs as we take short breaks from the action, which carries on in the background, when new clues are introduced, thus linking a fast paced action novel with the more methodical aspects of a police procedural, a format which worked well for me and held my interest throughout.
The characters are totally real and believable; from their barely concealed racial views; acceptance as the norm of the corruption within the force by colleagues, on whom their life may ultimately depend; animosity towards DI Benny Griessel, who they see as a drunken has-been and certainly not fit to be their case mentor, especially when they get to know of his promotion to Captain, meted out as a way of testing securing his loyalty and integrity.
In Benny himself, still on the rocky road to recovery from his alcoholism, we start to see a shadow of the former man emerging, scarred and scared, fearing his wife and family's rejection and afraid of his own mortality.
He is gaining an inner strength all the time, as his mentees realise that his skill in case solving has not diminished and begin to establish a strong working relationship with him. He is even able to take the ultimate blow, with some degree of equanimity and we leave him busily trying to re-invent himself and restore his battered pride
The only observation that I would make, is that there seemed to be many more words in this book, which were in the author's native Africaans and left untranslated. However, as many of these words were either derogatory slang words or swear words, then maybe that is not such a bad thing. In fact I did consider that this may have been orchestrated intentionally to make the book more of a social statement about the trials and tribulations that still prevail, in the life of a modern day South Africa. `Devil's peak' could have been set in any modern day, mulit-cultural society, however, `Thirteen Hours' has it's roots firmly set in the soil of a post apartheid SA, that is still struggling to come to terms with it's new found racial freedom and unable to shake off the inherent corruption and violence that has hitherto been prevelant.
A gripping, insightful read, that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. Brilliantly executed by Deon Meyer
This is the second Deon Meyer book I have read and like `Devil's Peak', `Thirteen Hours' is a real page-turner that gripped me from the first word, to the very last.
The clock is ticking from the word go, as thirteen hours is the deadline to solve the case of the American teenage tourist who is brutally murdered, the tension being heightened even more with the book being broken down into time-lined chapters, making me ultra aware of the passing of minutes, indeed seconds!!
The storyline is gripping and full of tension, as a police system in seeming disarray, undermanned with insufficiently trained, inexperienced officers; who come up against a system full of corruption, racial and sexual prejudices, strive to bring two separate, seemingly unrelated murders, to satisfactory conclusions, whilst maintaining some level of integrity and professionalism.
The build-up is cleverly crafted and full of suspense, as the two apparently divergent cases, slowly begin to have common links, with clues and information being introduced sporadically during the course of the day. The book jumps between plots frequently as the action hots up and Benny Griessel fights to keep control of the situation in both investigations, in his role of mentor to the new recruits that have been assigned as investigating officers.
The pace of the plot has natural peaks and troughs as we take short breaks from the action, which carries on in the background, when new clues are introduced, thus linking a fast paced action novel with the more methodical aspects of a police procedural, a format which worked well for me and held my interest throughout.
The characters are totally real and believable; from their barely concealed racial views; acceptance as the norm of the corruption within the force by colleagues, on whom their life may ultimately depend; animosity towards DI Benny Griessel, who they see as a drunken has-been and certainly not fit to be their case mentor, especially when they get to know of his promotion to Captain, meted out as a way of testing securing his loyalty and integrity.
In Benny himself, still on the rocky road to recovery from his alcoholism, we start to see a shadow of the former man emerging, scarred and scared, fearing his wife and family's rejection and afraid of his own mortality.
He is gaining an inner strength all the time, as his mentees realise that his skill in case solving has not diminished and begin to establish a strong working relationship with him. He is even able to take the ultimate blow, with some degree of equanimity and we leave him busily trying to re-invent himself and restore his battered pride
The only observation that I would make, is that there seemed to be many more words in this book, which were in the author's native Africaans and left untranslated. However, as many of these words were either derogatory slang words or swear words, then maybe that is not such a bad thing. In fact I did consider that this may have been orchestrated intentionally to make the book more of a social statement about the trials and tribulations that still prevail, in the life of a modern day South Africa. `Devil's peak' could have been set in any modern day, mulit-cultural society, however, `Thirteen Hours' has it's roots firmly set in the soil of a post apartheid SA, that is still struggling to come to terms with it's new found racial freedom and unable to shake off the inherent corruption and violence that has hitherto been prevelant.
A gripping, insightful read, that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. Brilliantly executed by Deon Meyer
September 2, 2015
My eerste probeerslag met n Deon Meyer boek was ‘n Engels vertaalde sample wat ek by Amazon gekry het en vir een of ander rede kon ek nie in die storie kom nie en het dit na die eerste paar bladsye eenkant gesit.
Ek het 3 van sy boeke vir die afgelope 6 maande heen en weer karwy na en van my boek club met die beste voorwensels om ten minste een te lees. So toe ek uiteindelik een lees kon myself skop omdat ek so lank gevat het om dit te doen.
Hierdie is ‘n vinnige aksie belaaide speurverhaal wat jou nie los nie.
Bennie Griesel is ‘n moeilike man, hard op himself en ander, hy vloek asof dit ‘n olimpiese sport is (en mens KAN so lekker vloek in Afrikaans) maar is ‘n gedrewe polisieman. Alhoewel hierdie boek die 2de in die reeks is dink ek nie ek het vreeslik baie gemis deur dit uit volgorde te lees nie.
Ek dink die polisie en lands politiek is ongelooflik goed uitgebeeld en die storie het my van die eerste bladsy gegryp tot ek klaar was. Ek kon nie anders as lag toe ek lees dat Eskom se *#@*$*% loadshedding ook sommer deel van die storie gemaak is nie!
Hoogs aanbeveel – moet nie so lank wag soos ek nie.
Ek het 3 van sy boeke vir die afgelope 6 maande heen en weer karwy na en van my boek club met die beste voorwensels om ten minste een te lees. So toe ek uiteindelik een lees kon myself skop omdat ek so lank gevat het om dit te doen.
Hierdie is ‘n vinnige aksie belaaide speurverhaal wat jou nie los nie.
Bennie Griesel is ‘n moeilike man, hard op himself en ander, hy vloek asof dit ‘n olimpiese sport is (en mens KAN so lekker vloek in Afrikaans) maar is ‘n gedrewe polisieman. Alhoewel hierdie boek die 2de in die reeks is dink ek nie ek het vreeslik baie gemis deur dit uit volgorde te lees nie.
Ek dink die polisie en lands politiek is ongelooflik goed uitgebeeld en die storie het my van die eerste bladsy gegryp tot ek klaar was. Ek kon nie anders as lag toe ek lees dat Eskom se *#@*$*% loadshedding ook sommer deel van die storie gemaak is nie!
Hoogs aanbeveel – moet nie so lank wag soos ek nie.
January 15, 2024
O poveste antrenanta, plină de suspans, care te prinde încă din primele pagini.
O tânără este urmărită si asta naște curiozitatea sa afli de către cine?
O altă tânără este ucisă în fața bisericii... de către cine?
Apoi, in paralel se deschide o altă filă, unde poliția trebuie sa investigheze un alt caz de ucidere... dar la fel te întrebi: cine este criminalul?
Personajele sunt multe, diferite si ca naționalitate si ca temperament, însă autorul le creionează bine și te face sa îți dorești să afli mai mult despre ele.
O carte bunicică, dar poate sunt subiectivă pentru ca imi plac genul acesta de cărți.
5 stele
O tânără este urmărită si asta naște curiozitatea sa afli de către cine?
O altă tânără este ucisă în fața bisericii... de către cine?
Apoi, in paralel se deschide o altă filă, unde poliția trebuie sa investigheze un alt caz de ucidere... dar la fel te întrebi: cine este criminalul?
Personajele sunt multe, diferite si ca naționalitate si ca temperament, însă autorul le creionează bine și te face sa îți dorești să afli mai mult despre ele.
O carte bunicică, dar poate sunt subiectivă pentru ca imi plac genul acesta de cărți.
5 stele
September 13, 2016
I read this as it was part of the 2016 BookBuzz program for year 7 pupils. For this age group it's a pacy, dramatic read with plenty of tension while exploring some big ideas.
Anni is a young carer, but she keeps her mother's illness quiet and does everything she can to avoid anyone finding out. When Anni and her mother are broken into, we quickly get a situation that we imagine to be of real concern.
As an adult I really felt this was rather light on some of the details I'd have liked to see. I felt the group who broke into the house were not particularly realistically portrayed, but it was an interesting idea to use their appearance as the catalyst for bringing about the developments in the relationship between Anni and her mother.
Anni is a young carer, but she keeps her mother's illness quiet and does everything she can to avoid anyone finding out. When Anni and her mother are broken into, we quickly get a situation that we imagine to be of real concern.
As an adult I really felt this was rather light on some of the details I'd have liked to see. I felt the group who broke into the house were not particularly realistically portrayed, but it was an interesting idea to use their appearance as the catalyst for bringing about the developments in the relationship between Anni and her mother.
December 5, 2013
Disappointing, after the solid first book in the series. Too many ten-line scenes jumping from POV to POV, too little Benny, and I'm growing weary of the female rape/torture motif without any corresponding strong female characters to alleviate that. You know sometimes you see a horror movie and you think, the writer/director really has some problems with women? I'm thinking that with these books.
September 5, 2018
fun reading. not the deapest but do we look for a deap story. not always. good to know a south african thriller writer with a speady plot
April 12, 2021
I was completely absorbed in this terrific, heart-racing read. Highly recommended.
May 6, 2024
Ziemlich viele Handlungsstränge in allerlei Kurzkapiteln wild durcheinander gewürfelt. Leser, die einen persönlichen Bezug zum Personal aufbauen konnten, empfanden das Buch als spannend, wenn man die 5*-Rezis auf GR als Maßstab nimmt. Da mir die Vorkenntnisse fehlten, bestand das Team aus lauter Xen und Ypsilontinnen, so dass mir private wie ermittlungsbedingte Leiden so ziemlich am Arsch vorbei gingen. Die Auflösung bestand aus typischen Elementen jener Ära. ich will nicht grundsätzlich davon abraten oder Deon Meyer als Stümper abtun, aber man sollte die Reihe um Bennie Grissel wohl wirklich chronologisch angehen. Aber da ich keine Verbindung zum Chefermittler und seinem Team aufbauen konnte, - das jump and run der verfolgten Touristin ließ mich genau so kalt, mache ich persönlich einen Haken drunter.
June 15, 2017
A cracking crime novel set in Cape Town over a Thirteen Hour period. The book conveys the fast pace of murders committed and which are solved in the first day; the police run around, run into dead ends, new tasks are assigned, communication confusion. It also conveys the fragility of South African infrastructure, ongoing tensions between whites and blacks, tribal and language differences and shows the commitment needed to get things done. In the end it also shows if you something done give it to a busy man, especially if his name is Benny Griessel.
January 29, 2018
Benny Griessel, aging alcoholic Cape Town detective, has been tasked with mentoring less experienced detectives. This puts him in the position of running two different murder cases. Swear words, fists, interracial conflicts, plot lines and bullets fly as Benny, Vusi, Dekker and Mbali follow seemingly unconnected crimes and corruption in the city. The pace of Thirteen Hours ramps up to a thundering end. I couldn’t put it down!
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