Book Review: The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu, Detective Kubu Book 2, Michael Stanley
Book Review: The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu, Detective Kubu Book 2, Michael Stanley
When a guest is found murdered at a Botswana tourist lodge, the police are greatly concerned about the effect on tourism. A major part of the Botswana economy, they want this murder solved quickly. Therefore, they insist on sending their best officer to oversee the investigation.
Detective David “Kubu” Bengu arrives to find that it was not just one guest who was killed, but two. A third, possibly the killer, is missing. Goodluck Tinubu was originally from Zimbabwe but had been living in Botswana for many years. He had actually been the headmaster of a school in Kubu’s hometown and was loved and respected by the people there, including Kubu’s parents. This makes one of the early discoveries even more troubling: Tinubu’s fingerprints belonged to a man, George Tinubu, who had been killed more than 20 years earlier in Zimbabwe. That man, George Tinubu, was part of a resistance group responsible for attacks against both the government and white minority landholders, attacks that included rape and brutal murder. Could the mild mannered and highly regarded school headmaster be the same person?
The white proprietors of the resort, along with their manager, were also from Zimbabwe. The other victim was from South Africa, and he was also not who he first seemed to be. The missing guest was also from Zimbabwe. Two English writers staying at the resort had a mysterious connection to Tinubu. A South African salesman apparently sold more than music. Another South African couple who collected native and cultural artifacts and enjoyed birdwatching seemed to know more than they were saying, and when the husband is murdered a few days later it is impossible to think it is unrelated.
Oh, and Detective Kubu’s sister-in-law gets kidnapped.
This book left me gobsmacked time after time. The characters are powerfully drawn. I can close my eyes and hear the voices of Kubu’s parents. I can see the big man himself enjoying his steelworks. I can picture Joy defying her husband’s wishes and escaping the watchful eyes of the officers assigned to protect her, crawling through a bathroom window to find her sister.
Although these are murder mysteries, I suspect that the Botswana Tourism Board is quite happy with these novels. They describe a country of intense beauty and diverse environments, a place where one can go to see the majestic wildlife and stunning landscapes, home to tropical forests and harsh deserts. And it can’t hurt to have Detective Kubu working to put criminals behind bars and to keep the country safe for ordinary people.
Also see:
Book Review: Facets of Death, Detective Kubu Mysteries Book 7, Michael Stanley
Book Review: The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu, Detective Kubu Book 2, Michael Stanley