Thirteen Hours

By: Deon Meyer

Narrated by: Saul Reichlin

Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's Summary

They killed her best friend. Now they are chasing Rachel Anderson through the streets of Cape Town. The young tourist doesn’t trust anyone - except her father, back in America. When he puts pressure on the politicians, they know that they must find Rachel before the killers do. So Benny Griessel - detective, maverick and father - has just 13 hours to crack a conspiracy which threatens the whole country.

©2008 Deon Meyer (P)2011 W F Howes Ltd

Captivating

This is a great book and I enjoyed the whole story. Saul Reichlin did a really commendable job narrating the story. The story had me on the edge of my seat most of the time. Highly recommend this book

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Nail biting from beginning to end

What did you love best about Thirteen Hours?

As a South african, It was fascinating to listen to our lives unfold. The whole story had a

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

absolutely, while your head said its a book, it grabbed you into the plot sio that you felt you knew the charactyers personally and were as concerned as benny Griesel for their well being.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

He didn't

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Awesome Listen and an even better Read!!!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Thirteen Hours to be better than the print version?

No - Both are very complementary to each other

What was one of the most memorable moments of Thirteen Hours?

When everything comes together - but I don't want to give too much away

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

Benny Griessel

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

13 Hours to stay sober, rescue a girl, find a killer and save his marriage - jislaaik but it's tough in Africa.

Any additional comments?

Buy it! Read it! Listen to it! Make a movie out of it please, Deon Meyer is a very very good writer.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Unputdownable. Top story, superb narration

What made the experience of listening to Thirteen Hours the most enjoyable?

Edge of your seat story cleverly written with stand out narration. Suspense, action and humor. Brilliant.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

What an epic, action-packed romp!

Where does Thirteen Hours rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Thirteen Hours is among the top 5 most enjoyable audiobooks I've listend to.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bennie Griesel, the main character, is easy to enjoy. However, I really like some of the supporting cast, such as police commissioner John Africa, etc.

What about Saul Reichlin’s performance did you like?

He has a massive range of voices which he uses to great effect. His pronunciation of difficult Afrikaans words is spot-on, and his performance has a constant energy that sets it apart.

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

The way that the entire plot unfolds, as per classic whodunnits, is really the pivotal moment in the book. The reader is kept in suspense for hours, until, eventually, it all comes together beautifully.

Any additional comments?

Deon Meyer's books have become some of my favourite reads. 7 Days is even better than 13 Hours, though it is better to read 13 Hours first. His characters are rich and easy to relate to, even if you aren't a South African. Overall, 13 Hours had it all: Comedy, suspense, drama and a great audio performance to bind it all together. I can't wait for the next instalment in Bennie Griesel's life.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Spellbinding

What did you love best about Thirteen Hours?

Meyer has three story lines that compete to captivate the listener.

What other book might you compare Thirteen Hours to and why?

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Like Larsson, Meyer has a concise way of telling the story that captivates the reader.

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

It would be Bennie Griesel. But I don't see Sean Bean playing him, as they are planning to for the film trilogy - in my minds-eye I see a middle aged, slightly overweight Afrikaner in the role. I hope Sean can pronounce his 'r' sounds right.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Worthwhile, but read Devil's Peak First.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would recommend that any friend that is not easily offended, read the fantastic Devil's Peak and then move on to this book.

What other book might you compare Thirteen Hours to and why?

The book is a continuation from Devil's Peak, one will get much more out of this book if they read Devil's Peak first. This book is not as good as Devils Peak in my opinion, but if you loved Devil's Peak, then I urge you to buy this book.

What does Saul Reichlin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Saul Reichlin is clearly the best narrator of audio book I have heard so far. In the narration of adventure fiction he is in a class of his own. His care with accents and pronunciation clearly helps the story as does his pace and flow.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Deon Meyer delivers another page turner

Deon Meyer delivers another page turner with master narrator Saul Reichlin bringing characters and surroundings to life. Set amid the turmoil of post Aparthied South Africa, a penchant for alcohol and a fragmented family, Inspector Benny Griessel pulls off the impossible to save a young girl's life and in doing so uncovers a human smuggling and organ harvesting operation. Another top tier effort which has me looking forward to the next in the series.

from T(w)inkle Tinkle Little Star to a crescendo!

This was my first book by Deon Meyer. I bought it because he’s a South African author and I like to support local talent.

I expected the worst, mainly because of the sample: … he went to the toilet, lifted the lid, aimed, and peed. Really? Did that achieve the first 4 steps of the 13, I wondered. Is there any part of this procedure you forgot to mention, Mr Meyer? Then, to bring a decidedly low-class flavour into our hero’s morning, he bursts out with “Jissus!” in every other sentence. Maybe they speak that way in the Cape, but not Pretoria cops, I’m quite sure (tic).

Then, quite suddenly, Meyer starts leaving the low-life stuff to the criminals (there are enough of those to carry the brunt) and it starts getting better. And better. Till in the end it’s a damn good South African detective novel. Our two heroes are Bennie Griessel and Vusi Ngubane. (The character of Bennie reminds me of well known South African detective Piet Byleveld, who made every killer grow a shade whiter when he took the case.) There’s enough complexity in the plot to keep the reader’s interest, and all the knots are neatly unravelled in the end.

Mr Meyer redeems himself as an author whose books I will most likely buy again, provided Saul Reichlin narrates. What a narrator! I would guess that he grew up in South Africa, as the Afrikaans accent is too genuine for anything else. This, too, was a lovely surprise.

Giving credit where credit is due

I have previously reviewed the narration by Saul Reichlin with less than positive commentary. I would like to state for the record that he does an excellent job on this book. Maybe the contemporary setting suits his talents better. Whatever it is, it works here. I thought the book by Deon Meyer was good and interesting. It was my first exposure to contemporary South African crime writing. I picked the book because I was traveling to Cape Town and thought this could be an interesting perspective. There is a lot to like. However, I got the feeling that a lot of the character development has happened in previous installments. I really liked what I was reading but I did feel like I was missing half the story since I haven't read any other books in this series.

brilliant plot and characters

This is a brilliant story and fab characters one of my favourites to date,well worth a listen and a great narrator..
This is up there with the very best of them!

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Tense thriller

Tense thriller, that leaves you feeling hunted. At times too well described for comfortable listening, but is fast paced and as ever exceptionally well narrated. Thrilling ending.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A new culture to experience

What did you like best about this story?

I've not read/listened to anything based in post-apartheid South Africa, so I found this an interesting introduction to the country and some of the issues it still faces - even though it's a crime novel!

Any additional comments?

Now and again the plot seemed to drag a bit - I'm not sure if this was because I listen in quite a fragmented way (an hour or so most days) and so it was less cohesive, but I found myself wondering sometimes *why* something was getting described? Was it necessary for the plot? I'm not sure now whether it was, or whether some tighter editing would have helped, but overall it was a good and interesting story, with well-described characters and two seemingly unconnected threads which were obviously going to come together somehow, but just how they would do so was hard to predict.

I've found myself thinking since then (partly because Mandela's death brought South Africa back to mind again) that I might read/listen to more of his books, so that in itself is an indication that this book was good (IMO).

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great Read.

This is my first venture into the books of Deon Meyer. I am happy to say it will not be my last, since reading Thirteen Hours, I have purchased another two Deon Meyer novels, they are sitting in my library, and I don't think that I'll be able to wait much longer before I return to Cape Town.

This is a well crafted book, a great plot, good procedural police thriller set amongst the beutiful backdrop of table Mountain, Cape Town is brought to life by Meyer, the lifestyle of all races, Black White and coloured are portrayed in a well balanced ansympathetic way. Meyer really does appear to be trying to give the reader a reflection of what it is like to live in the rainbow nation that is the modern South Africa.

Written in a gritty style, some horrific scenes, but all delivered with more than a little humour. Fast paced, great Characters, I can't wait to meet them again. I highly recommend that you take some time and enjoy this great book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

for Capetown fans

an absolute "must have". A fast and suspensful story, lot's of interesting and colourful characters and the best narrator I know. Even though the plot was too slim for my liking the story told was one of the best especially with Saul Reichlin making up all the different southafrican accents - a fantastic listen !

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

An engaging listen....

Where does Thirteen Hours rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is an exciting listen. The book certainly rates highly amongst all the books I have listened to. Once I find an author I tend to listen to everything that is available in the AUDIBLE library. This book stands out as spectacular.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Thirteen Hours?

The best part is when the heroine manages to befriend an older man who lets her clean up and gives her some food. The listener almost expects the heroine to get caught but luckily the old man looks after her whilst she contacts her parents.

What does Saul Reichlin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Saul Reichlin is a South African and is adept at voicing all the characters from Black South Africans to the Voortrekkers and the more modern whites working in the large cities. His depiction of the characters lends a strength and credence to the book that carries you along the trail superbly laid by Deon Meyer.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh or cry? No but the emotions that are raised are ones of outrage at the ineptitude of the local police force, protectiveness about the heroine and a frisson of fear at the antics of the "baddies".

Any additional comments?

A recommended listen!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fast paced and involved.

As the title suggests the book zings long at a great tempo but it still leaves you guessing until a good distance through the book. It becomes a little predictable toward the end, but by then you are ready for the finale anyhow. I think a little more time could have been spent perhaps intertwining the perspective of the bad guys to make you dislike them a little more intensely, thus making the ending more dramatic, but none the less, I really enjoyed this! Its gritty, different and vivid in its storytelling.

Deon & Saul deliver again!

Another breath of thrilling South African air! Going to buy the next book now ☺

Gripping

I found this to be an edge of the seat thriller - but was somehow a bit disappointed in the way the ending was put together, I felt it was a little too rushed and pat.

Saul Reichlin is one of my favourite narrators, he is brilliant with different accents and really makes the story come to life.

I enjoyed this overall.

Meyer magic

Would you listen to Thirteen Hours again? Why?

No but cant wait too long for my next Meyer book

Who was your favorite character and why?

Benny of course

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

Capt Benny Griessel

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

The tourture of racheal