7 Days

De: Deon Meyer

Narrado por: Saul Reichlin

From the author of Harry's Game - A Sunday Times '100 best crime novels and thrillers since 1945' pick

I'll shoot a policeman every day until you arrest the murderer of Hanneke Sloet.

Shortly after the South African Police Services receive this threatening email, a policeman is shot by a sniper and recovering alcoholic Benny Griessel is ordered to reopen the Sloet case.

Hanneke Sloet was a sensual and ambitious lawyer. At the time of her murder she was working on one of the biggest Black Empowerment deals in South African history. She was found dead in her luxury Cape Town apartment, a single stab wound to her chest.

After forty days, the trail has gone cold. The first investigation could find no motive and no leads, only a set of nude photographs, an ex-boyfriend with a rock-solid alibi, conniving attorneys and financial double-dealing.

Benny has to deal with immense pressure from his superiors, the media and the unfathomable sniper, whose emails keep coming and who won't stop shooting. And then there's Benny's love interest, former pop sensation Alexa Barnard, who is also trying to rebuild her life after the ravages of alcohol, and Benny has to make sure she stays sober for her comeback.

At the same time, Benny's feisty colleague, Captain Mbali Kaleni, is hunting the shooter, trying desperately to find what connects him to Hanneke Sloet.

Both Benny and Mbali are about to endure seven days of hell.

(P)2012 Hodder & Stoughton©2012 Deon Meyer

Reseñas de la Crítica

The reader is plunged into a maelstrom of murder investigation, political corruption, racial tension and the clock is ticking for that all-too-human cop Benny Griessel who is also fighting his battle with alcohol on an emotional second front this time . . . Deon Meyer is a top notch plotter and has created one of the best ensemble (and multi-racial) casts of any modern police procedural series.

How fulfilling the rewards are for those seeking crime fiction with real texture and intelligence . . . The author presents an unsparing picture of social divisions in post-apartheid South Africa . . . TRACKERS is a sprawling, invigorating and socially committed crime novel.

An ambitious, multi-threaded tale . . . comprehensively pulling the reader into the melee of modern South Africa . . . this is a book that tells a cracking story and captures the criminal kaleidoscope of a nation.

Meyer is the leading chronicler of South Africa, and his latest novel shows off his technical skill . . . a dazzling performance.

This year's great discovery: classy, edgy writing, subtly plotted and beautifully balanced between fast-paced action, pungent social comment and the process of investigation.

The Thriller Shot of the Year title goes to South African Deon Meyer for his superb tour-de-force TRACKERS which combines a spy plot worthy of Le Carre ("spy the beloved country") with several tense and violent criminal sub-plots and a complex and stunningly impressive narrative structure. All in all, a masterpiece of South African crime writing; which is rapidly proving to be the bench-mark of international crime fiction.'

This South African kind of crime is going global fast. TRACKERS shows why: three deftly-braided plot strands join political sophistication, strongly-drawn characters and a passionate concern with the Rainbow Nation's fate.

An unusually intriguing story about modern South Africa.

The book that stayed with me most from this year is Deon Meyer's TRACKERS . . . a dazzling performance.

Critics were struggling to come up with new adjectives to praise the South African writer Deon Meyer's TRACKERS, a menacing tale of smuggling and disappearances on a sprawling canvas of post-apartheid South Africa.

The author is proclaimed to be "South Africa's answer to Stieg Larsson" in a banner headline on the cover. I wouldn't disagree with that. He is certainly as powerful a writer, although his style is slightly different, and considerably more complex . . . this is one of the most absorbing crime stories you are ever likely to read.

Meyer's ambition matches his execution in this brilliantly complex standalone thriller set in his native South Africa . . . Few readers will anticipate exactly how the separate plot strands will be resolved. This powerhouse read, which captures the many facets of modern South Africa, should be the American breakthrough book this talented author deserves.

A good listen

The obsession with alcoholic melancholy notwithstanding, we very much enjoyed this book - a gripping and intricate story, very well read.

Pleasantly Surprised

What did you love best about 7 Days?

I'm a Deon Meyer fan so I knew I would enjoy the story. It was the first time I tried the audible format and I was sceptical. I'm very critical of narrators and I'll rather not listen to a book if I don't like the narrator for fear of ruining the story. I'm Afrikaans but enjoy reading in English. I thought I'd take a chance on this one. I was so impressed with Saul Reichlin. What a pleasure! You are a true artist Sir. How wonderful that I could listen to a fantastic story narrated by someone as good as you. Thank You for making a great story even more fun! You've got the accents down to a tee!

What was one of the most memorable moments of 7 Days?

Deon Meyer makes a character so "relatable". The effort to stop swearing, the inner demons you try to overcome daily, the insecurities you try to hide from the world, the way you wanted to write something down but forgot, the woollies meals, the challenges and joys dealt with daily in a very mixed culture environment in South Africa.... You feel like you can completely relate.

Which scene was your favorite?

The one where Mr Griesel met the artists he admired and the moment overwhelmed his carefully planned responses completely. LOL...

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

Yes! I couldn't wait to get back to it!

Any additional comments?

More Misters Meyer and Reichlin... We want more! :-)

Amazing story, would have preferred it in afrikaans

Amazing story, would have preferred it in Afrikaans as it was originally written in. Would recommend to any Griesel fans

Deon Meyer Perfection

Where does 7 Days rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my top favourites.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Griessel - so human, so good a policeman, so typically lost between work and family.

Which character – as performed by Saul Reichlin – was your favorite?

Mbali, the policewoman, with the typical South African (Zulu) accent.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The final phone call by the girl's father from the USA.

Any additional comments?

I loved the fast-moving pace of the book and the suspense. Could not stop listening. I am looking forward to the next Griessel book - and also more of the Deon Meyer-Reichlin combination on Audible.

Deon Meyer you are a brilliant writer

7 days are age restricted, but a wonderful listen. Meyer has a fantastic writing style which keeps you guessing until the end.