Meyer,
Deon. Dead Before Dying. Tr. from Afrikaans by Madeleine van
Biljon. Little, Brown. May 2006. c. 352p. ISBN 0-316-00013-2.
$24.95. Mystery.
Capt. Mat Joubert, a detective in the
South African Police Service, is despondent. Two years ago,
his wife died in the line of duty (exactly how is revealed
in a heart-rending scene late in the novel). The new police
chief wants him to lose weight, quit smoking, and see a psychiatrist.
And his next-door neighbor’s 18-year-old daughter is
trying to seduce him. Not to mention other pressures, like
tracking down a serial killer at work in Cape Town and stopping
a bank robber who changes disguises with each attempt. As Joubert
wrestles with his inner demons during sessions with an attractive
female psychiatrist and tackles his weight by measuring portions
of health food in grams and milliliters, the dead bodies pile
up. To save his job, Joubert will have to solve the mystery
that ties together seven seemingly unrelated murder victims.
In his third novel, Meyer (Dead at Daybreak) creates an enjoyable
character-driven crime story that gently tweaks some of the
genre’s stereotypes. An appealing protagonist, a plot
rich in detail, and a shocking conclusion make this a gripping
read. Highly recommended.