Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer

First line in the book:  05:36: a girl runs up the steep slope of Lion's Head.

I like Captain Benny Griessel.  He is a legend.  He has been on the SAPS for 25 years.  He has just been promoted to Captain.  He is still under the 6-month exile imposed by his wife, Anna, to stay sober from his drinking addiction.  He is trying his damndest best to stay sober.  On the other hand, he finds that he has grown to like living on his own and having his own space.  His latest job is to mentor a group of young policemen from different ethnic backgrounds.  He is grateful for this job and grateful for not been posted to a station like most of his colleagues after the dissolution of the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit.

Then, two events occur. 

1)  A woman walking her dog reported seeing a group of young black and white men running with intent after a girl one early morning.  Why?

2)  Adam Johannes, owner and music producer of AfriSound, a record company, was killed seemingly over a mysterious DVD containing randy sex.  Money was of course involved.  His wife and colleagues were implicated in his murder. 

Inspector Vusumuzi Ndabeni and Captain Benny Griessel fight against time to find the girl and among all the hubbubs in the latter's life including that of his son quitting school unexpectedly to play in gigs and his wife wanting to meet him for the first time since the exile, he achieves it in 13 hours, hence the title of the book.  The murder of Adam Johannes is led by Inspector Fransman Dekker, a serious and ambitious man in the Provincial Task Force aided by a KFC-loving, handbag-carrying Inspector Mbali Kaleni.

The above two events were narrated back and forth at approximately 2-page intervals which give the reader an edge-of-the-seat suspense as well as capturing the reader's attention full-time.  The characters, plot, dialogue, social context and pace are strong, fast, compelling, entertaining and at times funny.  Meyer also gives the reader an insight into the new South Africa 20 years after the release of Nelson Mandela with its escalating unease, frustrations, tensions, conflicts, corruptions and politics within the police force and "it's-not-my-problem" attitude underlying its safari parks, abundant wildlife and incredible landscapes. 

Meyer also writes empathically about alcohol addiction, the side effects of giving up alcohol and how addictions of any sort can be a vicious cycle for some people. 

Meyer's latest is a well-written, well-translated and thought-provoking book.  I highly recommend it and look forward to his next book.

Click here for amazing photos taken by Meyer during the writing of Thirteen Hours:  http://www.deonmeyer.com/xtra/xtra_13hours.html

Here is Meyer's explanation on why he writes in Afrikaans and the translation of his books into other languages: 



Thirteen Hours is shortlisted for the 2010 CWA International Dagger award.

Rating: 5/5 (Terrific read)