Summary:
When wealthy Pamela Jordaan hires PI Jade de Jong as a bodyguard after her husband Terrance disappears, Jade thinks keeping an eye on this anxious wife will be an easy way to earn some cash. But when a determined shooter nearly kills them both and Jade finds Terrance horrifically tortured and barely alive, she realizes that she has been drawn into a wicked game.
At the same time, her relationship with police superintendent David Patel is on the rocks, and things only get more complicated when his son is kidnapped and his wife is blackmailed. It soon becomes clear that the kidnapping and the attempted killings of Pamela and her husband are tied to a human trafficking ring that stretches from Johannesburg to London.
At the same time, her relationship with police superintendent David Patel is on the rocks, and things only get more complicated when his son is kidnapped and his wife is blackmailed. It soon becomes clear that the kidnapping and the attempted killings of Pamela and her husband are tied to a human trafficking ring that stretches from Johannesburg to London.
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 314 pages (Hardcover)
Source: Toronto Public Library
Available Formats: Print/E-book/Audio
Publication Date: April 19th 2011 by Soho Crime (first published 2010
Not to knock American, and British mystery and crime writers but it is so nice and refreshing to read a mystery novel set somewhere other than the UK, Ireland or the U.S. As good as those mysteries are the settings seem to get over used and so when I came across and read this series last year I was ecstatic. I love novels set in Africa, especially South Africa so finding a mystery set in Johannesburg was a real treat for me.
In her second adventure, Jade deals with a broken heart, and more death than she'd probably like along with certain dark secrets she's been keeping as to why she left South Africa 10 years ago. What I love about Jassy Mackenzie's writing is that it can be dark, with light hearted moments but she makes her stories and characters realistic. She confronts the dark side of what people will do for love and money and plain old revenge in a great way.
As I said Jade's investigations take place in South Africa and the fact that the author was born and raised there gives the book an authentic feeling. For me it makes me really immerse myself in the story because I know that the author is using what she knows to create the setting and describe the people. I loved the mystery of this one because there was a lot more going on in this volume than the first (which I did love) but now that she's established Jade as a character I felt like the focus was more on the investigation than her.
Between Pamela Jordaan's missing husband, daughter and a human trafficking ring and running from bullets Jade certainly has her hands full but she's tough as nails and I really like seeing how she solves crime. Jade isn't afraid to use the criminal element to help solve a case especially when there are young women involved and I love how ballsy she is. She's able to channel her fear and use it to push forward regardless of the personal danger to herself.
Full of adventure, thrills and murder and an ending that surprised me with how the whole story came together I've got to say that this was a great second book in this series that shows an author who isn't afraid to tackle hard issues, talk about her country in sometimes less than flattering ways and was able to keep the momentum going. I loved Stolen Lives and can't wait to read the next one in the series to see what dark alley's Jassy Mackenzie will take Jade down.
I'd recommend Stolen Lives to mystery fans who want a thrill and a mystery that will have them guessing and not wanting to put the book down until their done. While this is the second book in the series and I suggest reading the first book before this, I suppose you could read it without having read the first as long as you don't mind a few holes in the characters back stories from the first book. It offers a unique setting and one that brings to life it's setting exceptionally well.
Loved It!
★★★★★
★★★★★
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Sounds interesting - I had not heard of this series before and not sure if I have ever read anything set in Africa.
ReplyDeleteI love African fiction, there are some great authors from there and Jassy is one of them :) Not many people know about her but she's great.
DeleteYou're right. Having a different setting makes for good reading. I haven't read enough books set in South Africa.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever need any recommendations Laura just ask me :)
DeleteIts neat there are more books now that are not always in the same typical place. Glad you enjoyed the book. Hopefully there will be a third
ReplyDeleteWell hello. This sounds fantastic, and I adore the setting. I love crime thrillers, and you are so right..most I read take place in the UK or America..so these are going on my list...awesome find and fab review Kimberly!
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