by André Brink
First published 2011
Flip Lochner covers crime stories for a newspaper, but the work has left him tired and cynical. When he meets someone casually and grows curious about their background, he decides to travel into Devil's Valley to learn more. The valley proves to be an strange place filled with unusual residents and inexplicable occurrences. As Lochner moves deeper into this isolated community, he encounters Emma, a woman whose sexuality and mystery captivate him. His investigation becomes a personal quest to understand who Emma really is and what she represents. The valley challenges everything Lochner thought he understood about reality and his own world. Through his encounters with the valley's inhabitants and his pursuit of Emma's story, the jaded reporter finds himself questioning his assumptions about truth and meaning.
Genres: 20th-century, adventure, suspense, mystery, crime, psychological-thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, mystery, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Devil's Valley
Period: 20th-century
368 pages · Kindle Edition · Vintage Digital