In Johannesburg, prosperous whites live behind gates; when they exit their cars to open the gates, carjackings are common. But seldom is the victim killed, much less shot twice, like Annette Botha. And now, Piet Botha, the husband of the wealthy woman, is the primary suspect in his wife's murder.
PI Jade de Jong fled South Africa ten years ago after her father was killed. Now back in town, she offers to help her father's former assistant, Superintendent David Patel, with his investigation of this case. Under apartheid, Patel, of Indian descent, could never have attained his present position. But he is feeling pressure from his "old line" boss with respect to this investigation and fears lingering prejudice is at work.
As Jade probes into this and other recent carjacking cases, a pattern begins to emerge--a pattern that goes back to her father's murder and involves a vast and intricate series of crimes for profit.
About the Author :
Jassy Mackenzie is the author of the Jade de Jong series. She lives in South Africa.
Justine Eyre has turned her passion for reading and remarkable facility with accents into her dream career. This classically trained, multilingual actress has narrated well over 400 audiobooks and has been honored to receive a coveted Audie Award and multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. Appearing in leading roles onstage in King Lear and The Crucible, she has also graced the screen in Two and Half Men and Mad Men amongst her many television credits.
Review :
"Random Violence excels in its ability to translate our propensity for violent crime into a clever plot that could take place only in South Africa."
-- "Sunday Times (South Africa)"
"Even as Mac-kenzie captures Johannesburg's 'crazy boomtown energy, ' she doesn't shy away from the rough stuff. None of which, it should be said, is quite rough enough to scare this remarkable new sleuth, whose future exploits should be worth watching."
-- "New York Times Book Review"
"Grim, gritty, and violent, the novel offers a revealing view of modern South Africa...Recommend Random Violence to readers of Roger Smith and Deon Meyer, both of whose series are also set in contemporary South Africa."
-- "Booklist"
"Key characters and a gritty style augur well for proposed future installments."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"
"Mackenzie delivers a thriller that will hopefully be the first of many."
-- "Star (South Africa)"
"Mackenzie's triumphant debut introduces PI Jade de Jong...The plot has more than its fair share of nice twists, and Mackenzie does a superb job of making the reader care for her gutsy lead while offering a glimpse at life in South Africa after apartheid. Readers will wish Jade a long fictional career."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"South African writer Mackenzie has created a strong female character with amazing resilience, unusual friends, and incredible luck."
-- "Library Journal (starred review)"
