One last chance. Almost fired for insubordination, detectives Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido find themselves demoted, exiled from the elite Hawks unit and dispatched to the leafy streets of Stellenbosch. Working a missing persons report on student Callie de Bruin is not the level of work they are used to, but it's all they get. And soon, it takes a dangerous, deeply disturbing turn.
One last chance. Stellenbosch is beautiful, but its economy has been ruined by one man. Jasper Boonstra and his gigantic corporate fraud have crashed the local property market, just when estate agent Sandra Steenberg desperately needs a big sale. Bringing up twins and supporting her academic husband, she is facing disaster. Then she gets a call. From Jasper Boonstra, fraudster, sexual predator and owner of a superb property worth millions, even now.
For Sandra, the stakes are high and about to get way higher.
For Benny Griessel, clinging to sobriety and the relationship that saved his life, the truth about Callie can only lead to more trouble.
Taut with intrigue, murder and suspense, exploding with action and excitement, The Dark Flood is a masterpiece from the author of Trackers and The Last Hunt.
What did I think?
The Dark Flood starts with a bang and the pacing doesn't slow at all; I had to put it down at times just to stop and catch my breath. It's the first book I've read in the Benny Griessel series so don't be put off by this being book 7 in the series as you can definitely read it as a standalone. It's originally written in Afrikaans and translated beautifully by K. L. Seegers; there's even a glossary at the back to explain the words that have been left in for authenticity.
I loved both Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido from the start when they're setting off in pursuit of security van robbers in South Africa. When it all goes wrong, they find themselves demoted and shipped off to the university town of Stellenbosch. Their first case is to investigate a missing student that uncovers a lot more than they bargained for. I loved the camaraderie between the pair and enjoyed finding out about their personal lives too.
Running alongside the missing persons case is a story about estate agent Sandra who is experiencing what it's like to be a woman in a man's world. It really made my skin crawl when I was reading the passages detailing her interactions with her boss and her client. Unfortunately, a lot of women have experienced similar things so it's good to keep highlighting it. Sandra's plotline is superb - I'll never forget it!
So you may be wondering, like I was, how the two stories relate to each other. Well, it all comes together brilliantly; it's so good that The Dark Flood would be the perfect book to study in a crime writing masterclass.
Accomplished, tense and gripping, I absolutely loved The Dark Flood and it's certainly made me want to read the earlier books. If you like all the great modern crime writers (such as Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and James Patterson) then you will LOVE Deon Meyer. Very highly recommended.
I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.
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