Crime Beat

Couple of weeks ago I called around the publishers to see what was upcoming for the 2010 crime fiction year. Well, it turns out that I’m kick-starting the programme with the publication of the second book in my Revenge Trilogy, Killer Country, and then next month comes the second thriller from Sue Rabie called Blood at Bay followed in April by Deon Meyer’s greatly anticipated Thirteen Hours.

Later in the year there are books from Jassy Mackenzie with Stolen Lives; Sarah Lotz with Tooth and Nail (the next in her legal series featuring a particularly scrofulous lawyer); and then another Wessel Ebersohn title, Nights Like These. After breaking his 19-year silence last year with The October Killings we’re all pleased that he’s got back into the swing of things. If you wanna catch him in action he’ll be at the Franschhoek Literary Festival in May, along with Deon Meyer.

In September Roger Smith hands down a new novel called Wake Up Dead and unscheduled as yet is Malla Nunn’s second Detective Emmanuel Cooper called Let the Dead Lie.

The debut of the year is likely to go to a book planned for June entitled Young Blood by Sifiso Mzobe. I was fortunate to read the manuscript of this fast-paced, hell-on-wheels ride through the townships and streets of Durban and without a doubt it’s going to add a new dimension to our crime fiction. Another hot newcomer is Trevor Corbett’s An Ordinary Day – a thriller from a man who worked for the NIA.

The Afrikaans scene is equally as vibrant with new books due from all the established names, Deon Meyer, Francois Bloemhof, Riana Mouton, Chanette Paul, Piet Steyn, Quintus van der Merwe and Chris Karstens among them.

As they say, this year’s gonna be a killer.