Description
Stumbling upon a briefcase full of cash on a lonely road in the middle of the night, Jay and Heidi find themselves unable to resist picking it up–and are suddenly in the crosshairs of a ruthless poacher and a corrupt official. The police, meanwhile, have a far more vexing problem on hand: a Scotland Yard detective has flown in to investigate the mysterious death of a young British tourist in a game reserve.
With the unwitting involvement of a diverse cast of characters, the stage is set for a mystery adventure with nerve-racking twists and turns. As Jay and Heidi outwit the not-so-smart poachers, they become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on poaching. Interspersed with wry humor and witty dialogue, the story takes the reader on a fast-paced African safari through Nairobi (the mile-high “Green City under the Sun” in Kenya) and the famous wildlife game parks in a region from where the word ‘safari’ originates.
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Kathryn McClatchy –
This review is long overdue, as I read the book months ago. I also should disclose that I read it mainly because, although I love mysteries, I had met Prakash Dighé through the Dallas, TX writing community and found him to be a very kind man who had lived an interesting life. I wanted to see how that would translate into his story.
I originally gave this novel 3-stars, but as the weeks and months went by after reading it, my mind kept returning to the characters and the setting, and I realized that this debut novel had accomplished more than I first thought. I have since edited my rating to 4-stars.
The book, true to the promotional information, is easy to read. At first I mistook that for a simple story. It is not. Mr Dighé speaks five languages, and wrote this as a non-native speaker for an international audience. And he did a brilliant job of it.
The story is set in Kenya. It includes the urban capital with a vast variety of characters from local police, thugs, and politicians to British expats and international professionals. The author also does a fabulous job at describing the land and animals through characters who act as tour guides for visiting friends or investigators. The story requires a large cast, so only a few characters seemed fully developed. However, thinking back critically, all characters were essential to the story’s plot, and were used to give a fascinating glimpse into the people, culture, and complexities of Kenya.
I definitely recommend this book. I add the caveat to remember that although the author is now a Texas Writer (and we are glad to have him!), this story is written by a man who has lived in many countries and cultures, and rather than writing a mainstream American police procedural, has incorporated the techniques from many storytelling traditions. It took me a bit longer than usual to get hooked and get into the rhythm of the narrative, but my patience and persistence was rewarded.
Lawrence Dsouza –
It is definitely a page-turner as the spotlight moves between different suspected groups of people. The author deftly intersperses some light humor to keep the reader’s adrenaline level from going too high. Interestingly, this is not about the gory details of poaching but what happens after the hunt goes awry. An adventurous couple find they have a live wire on their hands.
I recommend this book with enthusiasm!
Claire –
This is an exciting read that I found impossible to put down! I learned a lot while at the same time being captivated by the action-packed storyline. I would recommend this book to everyone and am looking forward to this author’s next novel!