Four must-read SA crime books

“Ruben ignored the cold wind whipping against his skin and returned the phone to his ear. The voice continued. ‘I know all about your training, Detective. But you need to recognise that you have no power here. I am the rainmaker. If you do anything — anything to make me nervous I will push a button and your daughter will drop two hundred and thirty feet to her death. Are we clear?’”

From the opening lines of the prologue, Gareth Crocker’s Now You Suffer, his latest offering, is a chilling psychological thriller, the first in his new Reuben Ellis series.

Detective Ellis is grappling with unimaginable personal tragedy. Having lost both his wife and daughter under horrific circumstances, he is on the edge of self-destruction. There’s only one thing driving him: to find the man who brutally murdered his little girl. 

During his investigation, Ellis finds another victim held captive in a terrifying underground world. He must move fast to save her. With support from his loyal partner, Zander Malan, and his unconventional therapist, Melissa Grove, Ellis traverses the dark, winding tunnels beneath Johannesburg’s old gold mines. As they dig deeper, they encounter “Thing — a tormented figure keeping secrets that threaten to unravel everything”. 

Crocker’s character-driven storytelling creates compelling characters who drive a plot that seamlessly blends intense drama with moments of humour. The expertly crafted twist ensures readers remain emotionally invested right up to the final page. 

No quiet life for SA’s favourite detectives 

Deon Meyer needs no introduction. Fans of the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author will be thrilled to know that his latest gripping crime thriller, Leo, brings back detectives Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido.

In this new instalment, the once-celebrated duo find themselves demoted and stuck in a low-ranking police station. However, their luck changes when they are pulled into a high-stakes case involving special forces soldiers and a charming wildlife guide. 

The layered story quickly escalates into a high-stakes, multimillion-dollar heist that leaves a trail of gruesome deaths in its wake. As always, Meyer masterfully weaves a complex narrative filled with rich sociopolitical commentary, painting a vivid picture of contemporary SA in a captivating mix of action, suspense, and meticulous detail.

In Thrill Zone, Dutch reviewer Marinus van de Velde describes Leo as follows: “Central to the book is the suspense. It is a thriller in every sense, and Meyer shows why he belongs in the top echelon of the genre. His style is unique, infectious, and so easily accessible. In addition to Benny, there’s a special place for Vaughn Cupido’s character. This big, dark detective is an absolute star. His humour and temper are delightful, his dialogue sharp. Leo perfectly hits the mark. Deon Meyer is an undisputed star in thrillerland. Any criticism? It is over too soon.” 

A high-stakes game of survival 

Deadly Benefits by Kurt Ellis is a gripping thriller that plunges readers into the desperate world of Gabriel Laucus, a man on the brink of financial collapse.

After losing his job and facing the imminent repossession of his family’s home, Gabriel takes a reckless gamble by devising an insurance scam to turn his life around. But his plan spirals out of control, setting off a deadly chain of events against the backdrop of a gritty Johannesburg. 

What begins as a quick-fix soon becomes into a life-or-death struggle, as Gabriel and his friends find themselves hunted by a psychopathic hitman, a ruthless drug lord and a relentless investigator. With every turn, the stakes rise, pushing Gabriel into a dangerous underworld where survival depends on staying one step ahead. 

Ellis crafts a fast-paced story filled with complex characters and high-stakes tension, making it an unforgettable ride through the darker side of human ambition​. 

In the darkest corners of the human psyche

Psychologist Brin Hodgskiss interviewed some of SA’s most terrifying serial killers to produce Killer Stories: Conversations with South African Serial Murderers, a chilling yet insightful exploration into their minds.

Together with true-crime podcaster Nicole Engelbrecht’s detailed accounts of the crimes, his gripping narrative sheds light on the dark complexities of these individuals. 

Profiler Micki Pistorius praised the book for its fresh perspective on understanding the minds of offenders, and the insight into the minds, motives, and memories of these men, as told in their own words.

“Brin identifies and allocates a narrative theme — like The Fog, Isolation, Revenge, Disintegration and The Other, to each of his subjects ... he touches upon the topic that serial killers are not monsters – that sitting at a table across them, one is struck with their humanity and that they differ so much from the media persona projected on them... Instead of a two-dimensional photograph on a newspaper front cover, Brin introduces them to his readers as humans, in all their dimensions.”

It’s an account that challenges readers to see these criminals not just through the lens of their horrific acts but as individuals shaped by their circumstances.