Blood Safari by Deon Meyer

37. - 550.) Blood Safari by Deon Meyer – Lemmer is a private bodyguard in South Africa who has experienced a brutal upbringing, a successful career as a government bodyguard and years in jail for killing a man in a fight. He is assigned to guard the lovely Emma le Roux who is searching for her brother who disappeared in the Louveld over 20 years ago. She challenges his first law of not becoming involved with the client. Beneath Lemmer’s professionally calm interior a simmering violence is always present. The investigation leads them into the area of the Krueger National Park and the increasing danger to wildlife from modern and ancient societies. The book preaches a bit too much about environmental issues. Sara Paretsky often focuses her novels around her causes but does not make them seem like part of the book was copied from non-fiction research. The violence of modern South Africa is present throughout the book. It discourages me from visiting the country. Meyer does explore the collective psyche of modern Afrikaner residents of South Africa. We learn far more of the personal history of the characters than the average thriller mystery. Lemmer, in the grand tradition of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser, pokes around until the reaction against him breaks open the investigation. Lemmer has the strong moral code of the avenger. His personality is darker than most mystery heroes. He reminds me of Joe Pike, the dark hero, created by Robert Crais. I wonder alittle at how effective the translation is from Afrikaner. It is a good book. Paperback (Sept. 19/10)