Review: Blessed are the Dead
Blessed are the Dead
By Malla Nunn
Blessed are the Dead was
a wonderful surprise. I had no idea what to expect when I received the book
from Simon and Schuster. I figured the setting would be some exotic place
because of the cover. As it turned out
the location is the foothills of the
Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. I
know little about South Africa and certainly had no foreknowledge of anything
about the setting. The author did a wonderful job of painting word pictures of
the area and the culture.
When a Zulu girl, daughter of a
Chief is murdered, Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper and Detective Constable
Samuel Shabalala investigate. They are hindered by the beliefs of the Zulus and the strange customs of the people living in the
farmlands, black and white. The two detectives must depend upon their own
knowledge of human nature, local beliefs, and their own capabilities as they follow the
clues. The area is so rugged that most of the time they must walk miles to
investigate crime scenes and questions potential witnesses.
This is an intriguing mystery
with surprising twists and turns and best of all, a glimpse into the lives of
people groups I knew nothing about. I didn’t read about the author until I was
finished with the book and was surprised the author was female because she did
such a believable job of tell this story from a male point-of-view.
Highly recommended to any mystery
lover.
Marilyn Meredith, author of No
Bells
(This book was given to me by Simon and Schuster with no strings attached.)
Comments