Primary Texts A-L
Bibliography |
Author Details |
Sub-Genre |
Detective & Paratext |
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Abrahams, Peter. A Night of Their Own. New York: Knopf, 1965. |
Protest writer |
Mystery / literary fiction |
Set in SA during apartheid. Published by Faber in the UK, Knopf in USA. |
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Ackermann, Lourens. Mandla Maseko, PI: The Gun Smugglers. Johannesburg: Sached Books, 1996. |
Illustrations by Guy Feyen |
Writing for new literates |
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Airth, Rennie. River of Darkness. London: Pan, 2000. |
SA born former journalist |
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Allen, Grant [and Arthur Conan Doyle]. Hilda Wade: A Woman with Tenacity of Purpose. Fairfield, Ind.: 1st World Library Literary Society, 2004. |
Final chapter written with Doyle as Allen was dying. |
Takes place partly in SA. First published in serial form in 1900. |
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Andersson, Muff: Bite of the Banshee. Johannesburg: STE, 2002. |
Part-time academic & journalist |
Thriller |
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Andrew, Sally. Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery. Cape Town: Umuzi, 2015. |
Mystery |
Tannie Maria, amateur detective |
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Anonymous. One Man. Cape Town: Kwela, 2014. |
Thriller |
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Badal, Sean. Dead Sanctities. Bombay: Citron Press, 1999. |
Former journalist, now writer |
Thriller |
Corporate, biotech themes |
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Bernstein, Hilda. Death is Part of the Process. London: Sinclair Browne, 1983. |
British-born activist & non-fiction author |
Set in 1960s. Won the Sinclair Prize. Banned for being political, depicting revolution & armed struggle. |
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Beukes, Lauren . The Shining Girls. Cape Town: Random House Struik, 2012. |
Award-winning author. Other works not crime. |
Mystery / literary fiction |
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Blackburn, Douglas. Kruger’s Secret Service. London: John Macqueen, 1900. |
SA journalist. Aka One Who Was In It. |
Spy |
Available online |
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Blumenthal, Ryan. The Rain Beetle. Hextable, Kent: G2 Rights, 2012. |
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Bolaji, Omoseye. Tebogo and the Bacchae. Bloemfontein: Eselby Jnr, 2012. |
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Bosman, Herman Charles. Willemsdorp. Johannesburg: APB, 1977. |
Famous SA writer |
Murder mystery / literary fiction |
Written before his death in 1951; censored in 1977 due to portrayal of police. APB now Human & Rousseau; re-ed 1998. |
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Brechin, David. Nic Barber IDB. Cape Town: Nasionale Boekhandel, 1963. |
Scottish-born journalist; edited Kimberly newspaper. Translated from Afrikaans. |
Nic Barber private mine detective |
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Brierley, David. Death & Co. London: Little, Brown, 1999. |
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Bright, Cayleigh. Close to Home. Johannesburg: Jacana, 2014. |
Editor & journalist |
Thriller |
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Brink, Andre. An Act of Terror. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992. |
Protest writer |
Literary fiction |
Crime / terrorism elements |
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Brown, Andrew. Coldsleep Lullaby. Cape Town: Zebra, 2005. |
Also non-fiction author |
Mystery |
Detective Eberard Februarie. 2006 Sunday Times Literary Award. |
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Brynard, Karin. Weeping Waters. Johannesburg: Penguin, 2014. |
Journalist. Translated from Afrikaans |
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Bulbring, Edyth. The Club. Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball, 2009. |
Thriller |
Set in JHB school, corruption. |
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Burmeister, Jon. A Hot and Copper Sky. London: Michael Joseph, 1969. |
SA author (1933–2001) |
Thriller / adventure / suspense |
Few titles set in SA. Also published by Sphere. Running Scared filmed as Tigers Don’t Cry, as Target of an Assassination, & as Fatal Assassin. |
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Butler, K. R. A Desert of Salt. London: John Long, 1964. |
UK journalist working in SA (Katharine Rosemary) |
Adventure |
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Byron, Ronald. Hamilton Avenue. New York: Macmillan, 1958. |
Pseudonym of Montague Goldberg |
Gangsters |
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Campbell, Alexander. Fell Purpose. Cape Town: Howard Timmins, 1945. |
Detective fiction |
Colonel Jurie Malan, “the Cape Sherlock”. Fell Purpose also published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton. |
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Carstens, Brandon. Project H. Cape Town: Wonjoolaai Studios, 2009. |
Graphic novel |
Investigator Sam Hart. Self-pub. |
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Caulfield, John. A Season of Glass. N. p.: Solstice Publishing, 2014. |
Author & lawyer, moved to UK. |
Psych thriller |
Superintendent John Murdoch; Capt James Black, police. The Atom Heart Murders also published by Karabeth. |
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Church, Peter. Bitter Pill. Cape Town: Burnet Media, 2011. |
Works in IT |
Thriller |
Amateur sleuth. Dark Video also published by Random House, Umuzi, and Mercury. |
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Clarke, Anna. The Darkened Room. London: Chatto & Windus, 1968. |
SA-born author, later moved to UK (1919–2004) |
Mystery / cosy |
Very popular cosy murder mysteries, still in print. Some feature Professors Paula Glenning & James Goff. |
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Clarke, P. H. C. Adventures at Dabanga School. Cape Town: Oxford University Press, 1954. |
Author. (Philip sometimes listed as Pauline) |
YA |
Two stories with a South African setting: “The Detectives” and “The Smugglers” (82 pp). Reissued 1990. |
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Cleeve, Brian Talbot. Portrait of My City. London: Jarrolds, 1952. |
English author, lived in SA during early years of NP rule and was expelled due to opposition to apartheid. |
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Coetzer, Owen. The Secret of St Augustines. Johannesburg: Covos, 2001. |
YA |
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Coetzee, Amanda. Bad Blood. Johannesburg: Pan Macmillan, 2011. |
Deputy headmistress |
Thriller |
Harry O’Connor / Badger (Major Crimes detective). Set in London. |
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Corbett, Trevor R. Allegiance. Cape Town: Umuzi, 2012. |
Counter-intelligence strategist |
Spy / political thriller |
NIA Agent Kevin Durant |
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Cowell, Alan S. Permanent Removal. Johannesburg: Jacana Media, 2016 |
Britishjournalist, assigned to JHB in mid-1980s and ordered to leave by government. |
Political thriller |
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Cramer, Laurence. How to Look After Burt Reynolds. Cape Town: Penguin, 2014. |
Author, died in 2013. |
Thriller |
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Crocker, Gareth. Never Let Go. Cape Town: Penguin, 2013. |
Other works not crime. |
Thriller |
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Cronjé, Jan F. The Hunter. Cape Town: Contentlot.com, 2002. |
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Croudace, Glynn. Blackadder. London: Macmillan, 1969. |
British-born journalist & author. Other works not crime. |
Thriller / adventure |
1956 short stories originally published in The Outspan and The Cape Argus. Amateur detectives; otherwise thrillers. Dassie Books also CNA (Central News Agency) |
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De Beer, Louise. Beyond the Darkness. Johannesburg: Cobble Crab, 2010. |
YA |
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De Waal, Johann. Machado. Johannesburg: Penguin, 1990. |
English lecturer |
Published simultaneously in Afrikaans by HAUM. Small-town detective Inspector Du Toit. |
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Dison, David. Death in the New Republic. Johannesburg: Jacana, 2007. |
Former lawyer & author |
Thriller |
Lawyer Jerome Nossel |
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D’lovu, Nandi. Angel of Death. London: Macmillan Pacesetters, 1982. |
Pseudonym of Mary Phillips; wrote under own name post-1994. First name sometimes listed as Annoi. |
Mystery |
Detective Jon Zulu. Also published by Heinemann. |
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Dreyer, Peter. A Beast in View. London: Andre Deutsch, 1969. |
Anti-apartheid activist. Other works not crime. |
Political thriller |
Banned; Futuristic political thriller, set in SA. |
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Drin, Michael. Signpost to Fear. Cape Town: Simondium, 1964. |
Pseudonym; Canadian-born radio personality, lived in SA. |
Thriller |
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Driscoll, Peter. Spearhead. London: Bantam , 1988. |
UK writer educated, lived in SA. |
Thriller |
Wilby set in SA, film version 1975; banned. 1988 Lincoln Kumalo inspired by Mandela. |
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Drummond, June. Burden of Guilt. London: Victor Gollancz, 1991. |
SA writer, “SA’s Queen of Crime”. |
Mystery / Golden Age tradition |
Amateur sleuths. USA editions with Holt Rhinehart, Schuster, Dodd Mead, and Walker. |
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Du Camp, Alwyn. Cyclone Capricorn. Clairwood: Mercantile Printing Works, 1969. |
Self-pub? |
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Earle, Peter J . Purgatory Road. Haarlem: PJE Publishing, 2008. |
Thriller |
“a double murder, with a one-way ticket to hell” (front cover). Published by Matador in UK & self-pub (?) in SA. |
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Eaton, Tom. The De Villiers Code. Johannesburg: Penguin, 2005. |
Parody of The Da Vinci Code, set in South Africa. |
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Ebersohn, Wessel. A Lonely Place to Die. London: Gollancz, 1979. |
Author & editor of Succeed magazine |
Detective |
Prison psychiatrist Yudel Gordon & lawyer Abigail Bukula. Also published by Pantheon and Penguin. Store up the Anger banned because of allusions to Steve Biko. |
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Edwards, Tom. No Greater Freedom. Durham, Conn.: Eloquent Books, 2010. |
Partial SA setting. |
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Eland, Charles. The Desperate Search. London: Hale, 1971. |
Detective |
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Ellis, Kurt. By Any Means. Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 2014. |
Sales & author |
Thriller |
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Erasmus, Barbara. Chameleon. N. p.: Book SA, 2008. |
Author & freelance journalist. Other works not crime. |
Thriller |
White-collar / corporate crime |
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Etherington, Graham. Black Madonna. Port Elizabeth: BrenGrey Publishing, 1999. |
Author |
Thriller |
Dan Brown-type theme. Self-pub? |
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Folscher, Barbara. Blind Faith. Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 2007. |
TV reporter & writer |
Thriller |
TRC background |
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Fouche, James. Jack Hanger. New York: Raider Publishing, 2010. |
Psych thriller / noir |
Dave Matters |
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Friedman, Graeme. The Fossil Artist. Johannesburg: Jacana Media, 2010. |
Clinical psychologist |
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Galgut, Damon. A Sinless Season. Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball, 1982. |
Award-winning SA author. Other works not crime. |
Mystery / literary fiction |
Amateur sleuths, with some police involvement. The Quarry was filmed. Also published by Penguin and Black Cat. |
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Gardiner, Gordon. At the House of Dree. London: Chapman & Hall, 1928. |
Scottish author who worked in SA; set in SA. |
Also published by Sampson Low & Marston |
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Gilpin, Tracy. Double Cross. N. p.: Black Star Crime, 2008. |
Journalist |
Thriller / romance |
Black Star Crime is an imprint of Mills & Boon |
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Glanville, Ernest. A Fair Colonist. London: Chatto & Windus, 1894. Et al. |
SA writer. Transported the first printing press from Grahamstown to Griqualand West by ox wagon in 1870 & began publishing a newspaper in Kimberley. |
Adventure |
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Godfrey, Peter. Death under the Table. Cape Town: SA Scientific, 1954. |
Short stories |
Inspector Dirk Joubert & Rolf le Roux, Cape Town CID. Stories first published 1948–1986. |
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Golakai, H. J. The Lazarus Effect. Cape Town: Kwela Books, 2011. |
Liberia-born author. (Hawa). |
Mystery |
Journalist Vee Johnson |
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Graham, Mark. The Harbinger. London: Headline, 1988. |
US author. Other works not set in SA. |
Political thriller |
Homicide detective Nigel Mansell |
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Gray, Andrew. The Fence. Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 2007. |
Legal & business advisor |
Thriller |
Investigator Jan Klein |
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Gray, Stephen. Drakenstein: A Novel. Johannesburg: Justified Press, 1994. |
SA academic & poet. Many other books not crime. |
Mystery / horror |
“A Johannesburg studio is shooting a horror movie on location in the Maluti mountains when events overtake them”. |
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Greenberg, Louis. Dark Windows. Cape Town: Umuzi, 2014. |
Writes with Sarah Lotz |
Thriller |
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Greene, L. Patrick. Dynamite Drury. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co, 1929. |
UK-born author, lived in Southern Africa & USA. First name spelt Louis or Lewis. |
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Grosskopf, Hein. Artistic Graves: A Political Thriller. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1993. |
Former MK member |
Political thriller |
Crime & revolution |
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Gumbi, Vusi. Don't Kill the Dead. Pittsburg, PA: Dorrance Publishing, 2011. |
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Harman, Neal. Yours Truly Angus MacIvor. London: Arthur Barker, 1952. |
Detective |
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Harris, Peter. Cry Hold! London: John Long, 1970. |
Journalist |
Mystery / psych thriller |
Also published by The Mystery Book Guild. |
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Harris, L. J. Revival. Kloof: SASSPA, 2006. |
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Harris, Rex. A Hand in Diamonds. London: Constable, 1961. |
Pseudonym of Reginald Duckett Harris, born in SA. |
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Hayward, Glynnis. A Telling Time. Baltimore: PublishAmerica, 2002. |
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Helman, Cecil G. The Golden Toenails of Ambrosio P. London: Atlas, 1990. |
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Herrmann, Lee. Mystery at Mount Mountbatton. Cape Town: That's Bone Publishing & Media, 2011. |
YA |
Based on 2001 radio drama Murder in the Morning created by Lee Herrmann and Jannes Eiselen. |
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Heyns, Michiel. Lost Ground: A Novel. Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball, 2011. |
Well-known literary authors. Many works not crime. |
Mystery / literary fiction |
Sunday Times Literary Award 2012. |
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Heyns, Werner. Bushveld Gold. Johannesburg: Transvaler Boekhandel, [1966?] |
YA |
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Hichens, Joanne, ed. Bad Company. Johannesburg: Pan Macmillan, 2009. |
Author |
Short stories |
Stories by Margie Orford, Deon Meyer, Richard Kunzmann, David Dison, Jassy Mackenzie, Diale Tlholwe, Andrew Brown, Tracey Farren, Mike Nicol, Peter Church, Tim Keegan, Michael Williams, Jane Taylor, Michael Stanley, Dirk Jordaan, Meshack Masondo, and Joanne Hichens. |
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Hichens, Joanne. Divine Justice: A Rae Valentine Mystery. Kenilworth: Mercury, 2011. |
Mystery |
PI Rae Valentine. Sweet Paradise self-pub. |
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Hichens, Joanne and Mike Nicol. Out to Score. Cape Town: Umuzi, 2006. |
Hard-boiled thriller |
PI (former cop) Mullet Mendes & Vincent Saldana |
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Hinds, L. D. The Hidden Dream. New York: Raider Publishing International, 2008. |
(Leigh Dale) |
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Hobbs, Jenny. Thoughts in a Makeshift Mortuary. London: Grafton Books, 1990. |
Acclaimed SA author. Other works not crime. |
Literary fiction |
Murder seen as effect of apartheid? |
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Holmes, Priscilla. Now I See You. Cape Town: Modjadji, 2014. |
Other works not crime. |
Thriller |
Detective Inspector Thabisa Tswane |
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Human, Charlie. Apocalypse Now Now. Cape Town: Umuzi, 2013. |
Supernatural thriller |
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Jacobs, Steve. Diary of an Exile. Johannesburg: Ad Donker, 1986. |
SA writer & sub-editor |
YA / legal drama |
Lawyer Jeremy Spielman. Also published by Heinemann. |
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Jenkins, Geoffrey. A Grue of Ice. London: Collins, 1962. |
Very popular & prolific author. Other works not crime. |
Thriller / adventure |
Thrillers without specific detectives. Later HarperCollins; re-issued in Fontana. |
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Jute, Andre. Reverse Negative: A Novel of Suspense. Melbourne: Hyland, 1979. |
SA author. Also wrote as Andrew McCoy (e.g. The Insurrectionist). |
Adventure / spy |
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Kallaway, Dee. Summer of the Wasps. Cape Town: Tafelberg, 1995. |
YA |
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Karsten, Chris. Face-Off. Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 2014. |
Other works of non-fiction, true crime, Afrikaans. |
Mystery / thriller |
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Katz, Steve. Black Heat. [Elland, UK]: Kinglake Publishing, 2010. |
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Keegan, Tim. Tromp's Last Stand. Cape Town: Umuzi, 2007. |
Author well-known for non-fiction / history. |
Crime satire |
Detective Jake Tromp |
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Kendal, Rosamund. The Murder of Norman Ware. Johannesburg: Jacana, 2012. |
Doctor & author. Other works not crime. |
Mystery |
Detective de Villiers |
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Kunzmann, Richard. Bloody Harvests. Johannesburg: Pan Macmillan, 2005. |
Namibian-born novelist |
Mystery / police |
Detectives Harry Mason & Jacob Tshabalala. Also published in England by Macmillan. |
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La Guma, Alex. Time of the Butcherbird. London: Heinemann, 1979. |
Protest writer |
Crime elements |
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Lazarus, Greg. Paradise. Cape Town: Kwela, 2014. |
Writing pair Greg Fried & Lisa Lazarus |
Thriller / psych |
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Lee, Jeffrey. Dog Days. London: Bantam, 2002. |
SA born |
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Levitt, Wilfred. Fetish: Another Captain Rhino Rheeders Murder Thriller with a Sharp Strain of Deviant Sex. Johannesburg: Janus, 1998. |
SA writer |
Mystery |
Captain Rhino Rheeders |
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Lindsay, Kathleen. The Slasher. Pietermaritzburg: Albatross, 1939. |
Aka Hugh Desmond. UK writer who lived in SA. Many pseudonyms. |
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Lorimer, Penny. Finders Weepers. Cape Town: Umuzi, 2014. |
Author |
Mystery |
Journalist Nix Mniki |
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Lotz, Sarah. Exhibit A. Johannesburg: Penguin, 2009. |
Other works not crime. |
Courtroom |
Lawyer Georgie Allen |
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Luman, Reginald E. Blind Justice: A Thriller. Cape Town: Reginald E. Luman, [1977?]. |
Self-pub |
Thriller |
Last Modified :Thu, 11 Aug 2016 12:53:12 SAST