by Malla Nunn
First published 2013
Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper faces another case in apartheid-era South Africa. When a body surfaces in the small border town of Roselet, Cooper must navigate the complex racial tensions that define every aspect of the investigation. The dead man's identity leads Cooper into the tangled relationships between white farmers, black laborers, and mixed-race families caught between worlds. As Cooper digs deeper, he uncovers secrets that powerful people want to keep buried. The case forces him to confront not only the murderer but also the brutal realities of a system that divides people by skin color. Cooper's mixed heritage puts him in constant danger as he pursues justice in a country where the law itself enforces inequality. The investigation becomes personal when Cooper realizes that solving this murder might cost him everything he has worked to protect.
Genres: historical-fiction, african-literature, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, personal-stakes
Setting: Roselet, South Africa
Period: Apartheid Era
402 pages · Paperback · Mantle
Content warnings: racism