Title: A DEADLY COVENANT
Author: Michael Stanley
ISBN: 978 1914 5854 25
Publisher: Orenda Books
Pages: 235
Source: Review Copy from the Publisher
Blog Tour Organised by Random Things Tours
While building a pipeline near the Okavango Delta, a contractor unearths the skeleton of a long-dead Bushman. Kubu and Scottish pathologist, Ian MacGregor, are sent to investigate, and MacGregor discovers eight more skeletons.
Then an elder of the nearby village is murdered at his home. The local police believe it was a robbery, but Kubu thinks otherwise. So does a strange woman who claims it was an angry river spirit.
Assistant Superintendent Mabaku joins them as accusations of corruption are leveled and international outrage builds over the massacre of the Bushman families. But how do the recent murders link to the dead Bushmen, if at all? As Kubu and his colleagues investigate, they uncover a deadly covenant and begin to fear that their own lives may be in danger.
The young Kubu’s second big case mixes local mythology and tradition with smart police work to make for a satisfying immersive mystery that begs resolution until the last, unpredictable moment.
Official Summary
01 December 2022
My day job allows me to plan flying safaris all over Africa and one of our most popular destinations is the Okavango Delta. I loved Facets of Death last year, so when I received an invitation to participate in the blog tour for A Deadly Covenant, I jumped at the chance. If you are new to these books you can expect an entertaining look at life in Botswana, local customs and beliefs all wrapped up in stunning scenery. The authors tell an intriguing tale that will keep you entertained from start to end.
I love the detail Michael Stanley adds to their stories. You are given a taste of local customs while experiencing how remote the location in this book is. They include information about wildlife as well as local custom and beliefs. If you have never been to Africa, this book will give you a sneak peek of what to expect should you be planning a visit.
Kubu is sent to a small village near the Okavango Delta with Scottish pathologist Ian MacGregor when a local contractor working on a water pipeline unearths a skeleton. This was meant to be a training experience for Kubu. However, when an elder in the village is murdered and the local police are convinced a Bushman who is new to town is guilty, Kubu finds himself caught up in an international media outrage about a Bushman massacre, accusations of corruption, two old missing person cases and two new murders. When Assistant Superintendent Mabaku joins them, the three men are left to untangle the web of lies the locals are sharing with them.
I love these quirky characters. This is a quick, easy read filled with detail and just enough mystery that keeps you entertained.
Kubu is a brilliant character. I love this young man’s insecurity. The authors did a marvellous job with this guy and I look forward to reading more about him in the future. I am eager to see what will happen with his romance.
This book is a light entertaining read, I loved it. If you are looking for a scenic, entertaining read that will give you a taste of African custom then I would highly recommend this book. A Deadly Covenant is an entertaining, light crime mystery that will keep you flipping pages from start to end.
Remember to Visit the outher tour stops
Also by Michael Stanley
Facets of Death
Facets of Death is a prequel. In the previous books, Kubu is the senior detective in the Criminal Investigation Department in Gaborone. A large man — as his nickname Kubu (hippopotamus) suggests – he investigates complex murder cases with southern African backstories.
Facets of Death is set in the late 1990s when Kubu first joins the Botswana CID as a raw detective. While he’s trying to be accepted by the current staff and to make a role for himself in the CID, a massive diamond heist takes place on the road from Jwaneng — home of the world’s richest diamond mine.
It’s immediately clear that this is no opportunistic robbery. The mine has a complicated security scheme in place, and Kubu and his boss, Assistant Superintendent Mabaku, immediately suspect an inside job. The robbers systematically eliminate all the witnesses, and then they are killed by the South African police, leaving the detectives with nothing to go on. Everyone who knew the mine’s security plan is a possible suspect, including the director of the CID and the owners of the mine. And Mabaku and Kubu can’t even trust the South African Police – maybe they grabbed the gems after they shot the robbers. Kubu and Mabaku are sure they can solve the case if only their contacts can stay alive long enough to point them in the right direction. However, when one of the mine’s senior managers becomes the next victim, they’re forced to set a trap for the crime’s mastermind. If it fails, their careers are over – in Kubu’s case before it’s even begun.
About The Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Michael Stanley is the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. Both are retired professors who have worked in academia and business. Sears is a mathematician, specializing in geological remote sensing. Trollip is an educational psychologist, specializing in the application of computers to teaching and learning, and a pilot. They were both born in South Africa. They have been on a number of flying safaris to Botswana and Zimbabwe, where it was always exciting to buzz a dirt airstrip to shoo the elephants off. They have had many adventures on these trips including tracking lions at night, fighting bush fires on the Savuti plains in northern Botswana, being charged by an elephant, and having their plane’s door pop open over the Kalahari, scattering navigation maps over the desert. These trips have fed their love both for the bush and for Botswana. It was on one of these trips that the idea surfaced for a novel set in Botswana.
Thank you to Anne Cater, from Random Things Tours, and to Orenda Books for this review copy. I loved this book and look forward to reading more about Detective Kubu. Have you read any of the Detective Kubu books? Leave a comment below sharing your thoughts. Until next time…Happy Reading!
Thanks for the blog tour support x
It’s a pleasure. I love these books, thank you for including me on the tour.
Thanks very much, Zelda. We’re delighted you enjoyed A Deadly Covenant and Facets of Death and like Kubu so much. Interesting that you plan trips to the Okavango. One of the most wonderful places in the world!
All the best.
Michael and Stanley.
Thank you for the awesome read….
Sounds like a good read!
I enjoyed this character, these books are Africa at it’s best