A Carrion Death

Introducing Detective Kubu

By: Michael Stanley

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Smashed skull, snapped ribs, and a cloying smell of carrion. Leave the body for the hyenas to devour - no body, no case.

But when Kalahari game rangers stumble on a human corpse midmeal, it turns out the murder wasn't perfect after all. Enough evidence is left to suggest foul play. Detective David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department is assigned to the case.

The detective's personality and physique match his moniker. The nickname "Kubu" is Setswana for "hippopotamus" - a seemingly docile creature, but one of the deadliest on the continent. Beneath Kubu's pleasant surface lies the same unwavering resolve that makes the hippopotamus so deceptively dangerous. Both will trample everything in their path to reach an objective.

From the sun-baked riverbeds of the Kalahari to the highest offices of an international conglomerate, Kubu follows a blood-soaked trail in search of answers. Beneath a mountain of lies and superstitions, he uncovers a chain of crimes leading to the most powerful figures in the country - influential enemies who will kill anyone in their way.

A memorable detective makes his debut in this gritty, mesmerizing thriller. Set amid the beauty and darkness of contemporary Africa, A Carrion Death is the first entry in an evocative new series cutting to the heart of today's Botswana - a modern democracy threatened by unstable neighbors, poachers, and diamond smugglers. Those trying to expose the corrupt ringleaders will find themselves fighting for their lives.

©2008 Michael Sears and Stanley Raynes Trollip (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Intricate plotting, a grisly sense of realism, and numerous topical motifs...make this a compulsively readable novel." (Publishers Weekly)
"A first novel saturated with local color....[Audiences] may be lured to Africa by the landscape, but it takes a great character like Kubu to win our loyalty." (The New York Times Book Review)

A Carrion Death

A thoroughly good read. It's hard to believe that this is a first novel; the writing and plot were stylish. I'm hoping that it isn't too long until a second book is in print.

Too long

Actually a 2 1/2 star. This book has great potential, but just drags on too long. It has wonderful characters and an interesting location but the actual story became boring.

Wow

I thought this was a great book. It was so well written and the narration was also terrific. I will be getting the rest of his books.

Such a treat gets rarer and rarer

Kubu is a richly enjoyable character, surrounded by a fine ensemble. The writing is quite funny. Even the dog is funny. This might really be only a 4-star -- there are far too many characters, perhaps because way too much time is spent on bit players; some of the schtick gets repetitious, such as the drinking; the mystery gets game-y in that the reader isn't privy to many of the facts that Kubu discovers; and the POV bounces all over the place. But, with the fresh story, fascinating locale, and likable characters, I've gone for a 5.

AUDIO: The reader is adequate but has a limited vocal range, so it's often difficult to figure out who's speaking.

a carrion death

Very different and a real peak into another world. The ending was too fast and the well delineated characters had issues that remained unsolved. Good listen, a complex group of characters that you'll like

Simply Fabulous

I was initially drawn to this book because of the setting in Botswana. I found the start to a wonderful detective series. I can't wait to hear more about detective David "Kubu" Bengu.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency. It's also a good mystery in its own right.

A Remarkable Book

This book is truly remarkable. It has the most incredibly complex and interesting plot that I have ever come across while reading detective mysteries. It is extremely well written, and extremely well read. It is actually fine literature, and a superb book to listen to.

A very wonderfull read.

What did you love best about A Carrion Death?

This was a great intricate detective story in an exotic setting. I believe that I learned much about the atmosphere in that Southern African part of the continent. Learning about a locale that I previously had very little knowledge about is one of the criteria that I use in choosing a book. The characterizations were extremely well-done. I really wish that I knew a character such as Kubu and his family in real life. We would get along very well.

Often, a novel will come to a conclusion very abruptly, as though there was a publisher's timetable that had to be met. Everything is summed up in a paragraph or two. Here, there was no indication of that. The story was very nicely concluded and did not lead to a

Who was your favorite character and why?

Obviously, it was the 1st character Kubu (Hippopotamus) the detective, and also his wife. They were people that I would really like to know and call friends in real life. I even liked their dog.

Have you listened to any of Simon Prebble???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first experience with Simon Prebble and I thought he did an exceptional job in distinguishing between the various characters and their accents. He did a very good job with his interpretations.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Unfortunately, I really do not have time to listen to any book in one sitting. But, in this case, I found that I put off a number of pressing things in order to finish the book. I have no regrets in that regard, as it was very well-rewarded.

Any additional comments?

This would make for a great movie. But, I am not sure that there is anyone in Hollywood that would be up to it, without destroying it.

The other authors that I have liked for much for the same reasons as for this novel are:
Amitov Ghosh, Bryce Courtenay, and Patrick O'Brian. The books that I have read by them are not

Disappointed

I've been purchasing audio books for many years and I have to say this was the most disappointing mystery/procedural I've ever heard. The book got good reviews but there are major flaws. There is no suspense or mystery to the book - it unfolds, slowly answers are obtained, and then it goes on and on before petering out at the end. I've always stuck with audiobooks giving them a chance to entertain but this one got worse and it progressed until I couldn't wait for it to end. Very disappointed.

disappointing in so many ways

Maybe it's because I've never read anything else by this author that I was so unhappy with this. I chose the book by the description, listened to a sample and read reviews. I was expecting an interesting mystery set in Africa with a lot of local flavor. I was intrigued with the idea of a new detective. The begininng was fine and I was getting into the storyline when the whole thing morphed into a bad romantic novel. The sex scenes (which didn't need to be there at all) were really badly written. It was as if the author lost the thread of the African mystery and decided to throw a little sex in to pick things up. The only thing I actually did like about this book was the narration. That, however, was not enough to save it. This is the first Audible seclection I have chosen not to finish in several years of membership.