Dead Before Dying, by Deon Meyer

Surprised to find this was his first book - no wonder he has done so well!

Much better than the TV Series based on this book (entitled Cape Town), this story does a great job at digging into the deep dark places most people go to, in this case with much more drama than most. Captain Mat Joubert is believable, gritty, dark and yet able to do a lot of good. A cameo part for the hero of several later books, Bennie Griessel, already battling his drinking demons.

Cape Town, murder and complex cop characters: the perfect combo for a thrilling read. Deon Meyer is truly in a league of his own. Captain Mat’s backstory is so sad. He has experienced so much loss that one can’t help but root for his success. A multi-layered story line with murder, mystery, horrible bosses and elusive criminals and women. The best yet.

This is the type of book that takes a little while to get going but if you decide to stick along you will not be disappointed at all. It is just another masterpiece by Deon Meyer, a compelling police drama with a fantastic plot and a very interesting background story.

Meyer is a mystery writer, and the endings always surprises me. The book is an easy read and a crime story. South Africans might like the book more because it is based in Cape Town. Meyer is a very descriptive writer, and he did not fail in this book. Sub-plots in Dead before dying helped the serial killer plot line. The characters internal conflict makes them human