I have enjoyed crime fiction since my teenage years. When in India for the first three decades of my life, I had limited access to crime fiction and I read and reread the few books I could lay my hands on. After moving to Canada, thanks to the public library I have free and unlimited access to crime fiction! I have been steadily devouring books since I came here 11 years ago!
As mentioned elsewhere, I have recently developed a fancy for crime fiction set in countries which are similar to India...i.e. countries with high crime rate, corruption and poverty. I greatly admire writers who set their stories in these countries. The hero/heroine in the novels set in these countries has to face near insurmountable odds to solve crimes. The odds include corrupt bosses in the police force, low pay, lack of adequate resources and of course, powerful criminals. To pull off an exciting yet, 'convincing' story in these countries is far more difficult than a detective novel set in USA or any west European country. That's my opinion.
I Googled for crime fiction set in Asian & African countries without much hope of finding good stuff. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered so many exciting and fantastic crime books, it's unbelievable!
Here are a list of the books I really enjoyed. I hope you get access to these books. They are really good. Keep in mind, dear reader, I have at least sub-clinical level of attention deficit disorder(ADD) and if I could complete these books... with enjoyment, you too will definitely love them! Satisfaction guaranteed! All the books given here are available in Toronto Public library.
The books below are set in South Africa
The 4 books in Jade De Jong series by Jassy Mackenzie
Random violence2010
Stolen lives2011
The fallen 2012
Pale horses 2013
Bad seeds 2017
Jade is a female PI in south Africa and I find that unusual! She is in love with a police officer who has some Indian blood in him and that is another exciting thing for me! ( I am so thrilled if there is an Indian in any crime fiction book as Indians don't seem to figure much in crime fiction books. That is changing now) There is quite a bit of violence and sometimes when reading her books, I feel it must be scarier to live in South Africa than in India!
Books by Deon Myer :
Benny Griessel series:
Devil's peak 2007
Thirteen hours 2010
Seven days 2012
Cobra 2014
Icarus 2015
The woman in blue cloak 2018
The last hunt -2019 (unfortunately this is not in Toronto public library and I would love to read this one!)
Blood safari 2010
Trackers 2012
Heart of the hunter 2012
Dead before dying 1996 (I cant find this book; Toronto public library seem to have only audio book)
Dead at daybreak2010
Fever 2016
I loved Deon Myer's books more than Jassy Mackenzie. They have depth, are realistic and the people seem real. I have not read all his books. I returned some of his books without reading as I was fatigued by my relentless non-stop reading! Also I simply cannot bear to read any book where animals get hurt and his book Blood safari is a bit about wild-animal poaching.
Deon writes in Afrikaans and has been translated to English and other languages.
Another fantastic author I discovered was Malla Nunn, a lady born on the African continent and now living in Australia. Her books are set in Apartheid Africa and the main characters are a team of a white detective, a Jewish doctor and a Zulu police constable, all three of who belong to the disrespected groups of the then African society.
Her four books are
Let the dead lie 2010
A beautiful place to die2009
Present darkness2014
Blessed are the dead2012
I am also in the process of reading
Instruments of darkness by Robert Wilson
Zulu by Caryl Ferey (translatedfrom French)
The song dog by James McClure
Once I finish reading these three books, I will write a brief note about their 'readability'.
As mentioned elsewhere, I have recently developed a fancy for crime fiction set in countries which are similar to India...i.e. countries with high crime rate, corruption and poverty. I greatly admire writers who set their stories in these countries. The hero/heroine in the novels set in these countries has to face near insurmountable odds to solve crimes. The odds include corrupt bosses in the police force, low pay, lack of adequate resources and of course, powerful criminals. To pull off an exciting yet, 'convincing' story in these countries is far more difficult than a detective novel set in USA or any west European country. That's my opinion.
I Googled for crime fiction set in Asian & African countries without much hope of finding good stuff. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered so many exciting and fantastic crime books, it's unbelievable!
Here are a list of the books I really enjoyed. I hope you get access to these books. They are really good. Keep in mind, dear reader, I have at least sub-clinical level of attention deficit disorder(ADD) and if I could complete these books... with enjoyment, you too will definitely love them! Satisfaction guaranteed! All the books given here are available in Toronto Public library.
The books below are set in South Africa
The 4 books in Jade De Jong series by Jassy Mackenzie
Random violence2010
Stolen lives2011
The fallen 2012
Pale horses 2013
Bad seeds 2017
Jade is a female PI in south Africa and I find that unusual! She is in love with a police officer who has some Indian blood in him and that is another exciting thing for me! ( I am so thrilled if there is an Indian in any crime fiction book as Indians don't seem to figure much in crime fiction books. That is changing now) There is quite a bit of violence and sometimes when reading her books, I feel it must be scarier to live in South Africa than in India!
Books by Deon Myer :
Benny Griessel series:
Devil's peak 2007
Thirteen hours 2010
Seven days 2012
Cobra 2014
Icarus 2015
The woman in blue cloak 2018
The last hunt -2019 (unfortunately this is not in Toronto public library and I would love to read this one!)
Blood safari 2010
Trackers 2012
Heart of the hunter 2012
Dead before dying 1996 (I cant find this book; Toronto public library seem to have only audio book)
Dead at daybreak2010
Fever 2016
I loved Deon Myer's books more than Jassy Mackenzie. They have depth, are realistic and the people seem real. I have not read all his books. I returned some of his books without reading as I was fatigued by my relentless non-stop reading! Also I simply cannot bear to read any book where animals get hurt and his book Blood safari is a bit about wild-animal poaching.
Deon writes in Afrikaans and has been translated to English and other languages.
Another fantastic author I discovered was Malla Nunn, a lady born on the African continent and now living in Australia. Her books are set in Apartheid Africa and the main characters are a team of a white detective, a Jewish doctor and a Zulu police constable, all three of who belong to the disrespected groups of the then African society.
Her four books are
Let the dead lie 2010
A beautiful place to die2009
Present darkness2014
Blessed are the dead2012
I am also in the process of reading
Instruments of darkness by Robert Wilson
Zulu by Caryl Ferey (translatedfrom French)
The song dog by James McClure
Once I finish reading these three books, I will write a brief note about their 'readability'.
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