Thirteen Hours

By: Deon Meyer, K. L. Seegers - translator

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Some would call Detective Benny Griessel a legend. Others would call him a drunk.

Either way, he has trodden on too many toes over the years ever to reach the top of the promotion ladder, and now he concentrates on staying sober and mentoring the new generation of crime fighters: mixed race, Xhosa, and Zulu. But when an American backpacker disappears in Capetown, panicked politicians know who to call: Benny has just 13 hours to save the girl, save his career - and crack open a conspiracy which threatens the whole country.

©2008 Original material © 2008 Deon Meyer. Translation © 2009 K. L. Seegers. Recorded by arrangement with Atlantic Monthly Press, an imprint of Grove/Atlantic, Inc. (P)2010 (p) 2010 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

“Best-selling South African novelist Meyer delivers another exciting if brutally violent crime novel.... Meyer also steeps his novel in the day-to-day life of a country still reeling in the wake of radical transition.” ( Booklist)

“With... cliff-hanging suspense, and shocking plot twists, Meyer again has produced a winner. Highly recommended.” ( Library Journal)

“Deon Meyer is one of the unsung masters. Thirteen Hours proves he should be on everyone’s reading list. This book is great!” (Michael Connelly)

Liked the story- interesting South Africa take

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I liked the story and would recommend it...... but, and this may have been only on my recording, the last few minutes didn't download and the story ended playing before it was finished.

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

I hadn't heard Simon Vance narrate before. It took me a while to get used to his voice and accent, but found him enjoyable to listen to.

Do you think Thirteen Hours needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yes, there are a few lose ends that could be followed.

A window into urban Africa

I enjoyed the dialog in this story, learned a bit about the culture in South Africa and was brought on an exciting ride as the drama played out in this crime story. At times I felt that the character develpment became drawn out, but in the end I think I appreciated it. The story is built along believable lines and events were described well and brought the reader into the complicated world of the detective, who is heroic without being superenatural in any way. The dialog is well done and after a wihile you begin to enjoy the banter with all the local slang that is expressed between the seperate South African cultural factions.

Good Thriller

What did you like best about this story?

It keeps moving. The characters are interesting and numerous.

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

Yes, I really like his performances, his American accent needs work though.

Outstanding audiobook

I've never listened to an audiobook twice, but I listened to this one twice in 6 months. The plot moves quickly, but it's the characters and their stories that drive the book. The author is a superb storyteller, and I found myself engrossed in the histories of the individual characters and impatient to find out what happens to each. In addition, the politics and culture of the "new" South Africa are complex and fascinating. The narrator does a great job with the voices and accents, which makes the book come alive. Altogether my favorite recent audiobook.

Outstanding in Every Way

For some reason, this one has sat in my library and I even started it once and never finished it. Until this week. WOW! Outstanding. Interesting, compelling, intriguing, and informative. I've already bought another of Deon Meyer's works on Audible and have it queued up for tomorrow.

Really worth it

Any additional comments?

My first book by Deon Meyer. Listening...is a little difficult at first to follow the characters because of their strange sounding names, but you catch on quick enough. The performance is really outstanding and well done...Vance really makes you feel you are there. The story, as the title implies, takes place over 13 hours. Tension and drama from the get go. The police work is top notch and realistic. Excellent characters and character development. I'm often critical of this type novel because they don't deliver...this one does.

Great

My first Deon Meyer mystery; it won’t be my last. There are some aspects of South African society that were a little disconcerting at first (for example, the odd structure of the police force). But the suspense is great and the characters are compassionately drawn. A very convincing portrait of the struggles of an ex-drinker.

Action packed thirteen hours

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. The narration was excellent in differentiating each character, to the point you could imagine each person easily as they spoke. The story is a fast paced double murder investigation, with a frantic manhunt to find a young college student on the run for her life. You come to love the main character Benny, the investigator in charge of finding the girl, as along the way we hear of his own personal struggles in his tormented life. It takes place in South Africa, so at times the names of characters are hard to follow, if you aren't personally acquainted with the dialect, but that comes back to the perfect narration, as he pronounces everything as it show be.

Deon Meyer = Excellent writer

Again, I was facinated by the story, the characters and the writer's attention to detail.

Tension would make this a Great Movie

My second Benny Griessel book, Thirteen Hours would make a great movie! Lots of excitement, clock ticking down to "save the girl," and too many clues to make the police who dunnit easy to solve. I enjoyed it more than book one, and loved getting to know BG.

I still struggle a bit with social issues in South Africa, but they are becoming clearer.

The narrator is perfect!