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A review by pannapark
Trackers by Deon Meyer
4.0
Trackers is an epic novel reaching across the South African landscape - city, suburb, coast line and Karoo - involving three stories of people from different walks of life. First we meet Milla Strachan, the 40 year old disillusioned wife of a straying husband and mother of a manipulative teenaged son. Milla summons the courage to leave them and her stultifying suburban neighbourhood. She seeks out a job that might use her college background in journalism and satisfy her desire to get back into writing. Milla answers a fairly innocuous ad in a local paper for a journalist, “previous experience preferred”. Milla musters the courage to apply despite having no experience and is recruited quite quickly by the National Intelligence Agency. She begins to find purpose putting together reports for the higher ups amidst the camaraderie of her new colleagues and against the backdrop of increasing intel of a possible terror plot.
Next, we are propelled into Lemmer’s life whose mantra is, “I don’t go looking for trouble, it comes looking for me.” Lemmer is enjoying a quiet Saturday morning breakfast at the Red Pomegranate with his girlfriend, Emma, when a pack of executive type Harley Davison riders pulls in, parks and proceeds to insult both the restaurant owner and Emma. Lemmer is distracted from reacting physically by the entrance of Diederick Brand, local legend and farmer, who has a one off job for him. Lemmer is reluctant as he already has a job as a body guard for another outfit and thinks his boss wouldn’t be pleased. After checking in with his boss, Lemmer gives into the pressure from Diederick and Emma to act as a body guard for the pick up of two rare black rhinos who Diederick wants to rescue.
Lastly, we’re introduced to Mat Joubert who has recently retired from 30 plus years with the South African Police Service, and is starting day one as a private detective. His first client is desperate to find her husband, Danie Flint, who disappeared leaving his Audi outside the gym after a regular workday. To date, the police have had no luck finding him alive or dead. Mat’s forte as a cop was his ability to dig up information, slog through details and build a hypothesis and he brings this work ethos with him. While Mat uncovers the reasons why Danie might have gone missing, links between the three plot lines intersect and are drawn to a close.
I read Trackers as a e-book and regret not having a paper copy to flip back through more easily to keep track of characters, places and details. I would have given this a 5 star rating, but I’m left feeling that I would have rather read separate novels focusing on each character. I definitely want to read more books by Deon Meyer!
Next, we are propelled into Lemmer’s life whose mantra is, “I don’t go looking for trouble, it comes looking for me.” Lemmer is enjoying a quiet Saturday morning breakfast at the Red Pomegranate with his girlfriend, Emma, when a pack of executive type Harley Davison riders pulls in, parks and proceeds to insult both the restaurant owner and Emma. Lemmer is distracted from reacting physically by the entrance of Diederick Brand, local legend and farmer, who has a one off job for him. Lemmer is reluctant as he already has a job as a body guard for another outfit and thinks his boss wouldn’t be pleased. After checking in with his boss, Lemmer gives into the pressure from Diederick and Emma to act as a body guard for the pick up of two rare black rhinos who Diederick wants to rescue.
Lastly, we’re introduced to Mat Joubert who has recently retired from 30 plus years with the South African Police Service, and is starting day one as a private detective. His first client is desperate to find her husband, Danie Flint, who disappeared leaving his Audi outside the gym after a regular workday. To date, the police have had no luck finding him alive or dead. Mat’s forte as a cop was his ability to dig up information, slog through details and build a hypothesis and he brings this work ethos with him. While Mat uncovers the reasons why Danie might have gone missing, links between the three plot lines intersect and are drawn to a close.
I read Trackers as a e-book and regret not having a paper copy to flip back through more easily to keep track of characters, places and details. I would have given this a 5 star rating, but I’m left feeling that I would have rather read separate novels focusing on each character. I definitely want to read more books by Deon Meyer!