MYSTERY
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HISTORICAL
FICTION
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Coronation of Queen Elizabeth
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Sign during Apartheid
in Durban decades even decades after book's setting
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Indians arriving for the first time in Durban, South Africa. The date
is unknown, but very likely before World War I.
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Modern Day Durban
Photo credit: |
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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Merrimon Book Reviews
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Let The Dead Lie
by Malla
Nunn
Second book in a most promising series!
Second
in the Emmanuel Cooper series, LET THE DEAD LIE opens in 1953 in
Durban, South Africa after a brief prologue in set in 1945 Paris which
casts a framework defining Cooper's career and determined search for
justice. The National Party's apartheid laws are in effect.
The port town of Durban with its diverse racial groups and tribes does
not easily fit into a black and white view of race. After his
case in the first book, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE, now former detective
and ex-soldier Emmanuel Cooper, does surveillance work of corrupt
policemen on the seedy docks of Durban, a place frequented by
prostitutes, thieves and other low life activities. When Cooper
discovers the dead body of a young errand boy, he cannot let the crime
go. As he becomes a suspect in the crime, Cooper races against
the clock to solve the murder. Several complications and
interwoven connections expose several layers of corruption and danger.
In LET THE DEAD LIE, Malla Nunn, Swaziland born filmmaker
and author, creates a murder mystery rich in detail that
takes the reader to the heart 1950s South African culture. Every
gesture or word between characters carries with it the
social construct of apartheid. As in her first novel, Malla Nunn
instills a keen sense of place and history into the mystery. Against
this rich background, LET THE DEAD LIE creates complex characters in
which various types of corruption, overt and those hidden beneath
surface appearances come into play.
Cooper's investigation takes the reader beyond the stereotypes
created by apartheid, while exposing the unintended consequences of the
apartheid laws. The preparations for Queen Elizabeth's coronation
in the background provide a stark contrast to life around the Durban
dockyards and the other places where Cooper's investigation leads while
also placing the mystery within a larger historical framework. As
in the first book, Malla Nunn digs deeper behind the surface to reveal
those human connections and passions that seethe below the surface of
the society and the individual.
Like her debut mystery, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE, LET THE
DEAD LIE is a riveting mystery where clues and
carefully laid twists and turns make for a fast page turner and also a
rich work of fiction to satisfy a deeper longing within the
reader for depth in setting, characterization and history. The
second novel can be read as a stand alone although I would encourage
first time readers to read both books in order. The second novel
will be all the richer in the context of the first when a reader
already knows the history of many secondary characters, particularly
the Scottish voice of the phantom staff sergeant that reappears from
time to time, which is likely to be more confusing to first time
readers. This voice, however, give insights into Cooper's past
and his internal thoughts. The framing of the mystery as a deal
quickens the pace and yet, somehow, feels unbelievable.
Nevertheless, once one suspends belief and follows the story, the
intricate connections that make the mystery make LET THE DEAD LIE more
satisfying than a straight line to the culprit with a few
red herrings mystery.
As a whole, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE, was slightly better as a mystery
than LET THE DEAD LIE, yet it is this second Malla Nunn mystery that
truly develops the series with a more intimate look at Emmanuel
Cooper. LET THE DEAD LIE is a crucial important book
to carry the series forward precisely because of the author's character
development. The insights into his character become even
more fascinating here as past and present once again combine to create
him the man that he is, making this reader most curious where this case
will lead him next. While I love the first book of the series,
this book, despite its minor imperfections, makes the choice to read
the author's third automatic more so than just the first alone.
Together, the two books create a complex character worth
following. In both books, setting and history play a crucial
role, not just as background but as fully integrated into the
mystery. Twelve questions and a short interview at the end will
facilitate a deeper reading either for individual readers or as a
starting point for book club discussions. Malla Nunn is a must
read for the mystery lover looking for something rich, original and
refreshingly different.
Publisher: Washington Square Press
(April 20, 2010)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
Courtesy of Amazon Vine
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