Yet Evil Remains could not be more South African if the cover was made of biltong and it came with a free six pack and season tickets for Kings Park.
When Peter Cleary turned his astute business brain to the ‘business’ of book writing, he met with immediate success – chalking up a string of no-nonsense, energetic and highly credible novels.
He is fast becoming the Alistair MacLean of South African authors.
For me, the greatest plus lies in the familiarity of the people, places and plots found in the pages of each book.
His latest is no exception, as he again writes as ‘one of us’, with story lines we can clearly identify with: a driveway hijacking gone wrong that kills his family; the botched court case; crooked cops; political skullduggery; apartheid legacy; cover-ups, bribery and corruption; a media frenzy – you can’t get more ‘Safrican’ than that.
It’s as sadly relevant as the front pages of newspapers.
For added measure, throw in the mandatory tormented hero and the gentle, alluring female as his perfect counterpart.
Like a kid in the candy store, it’s tough to decide which of Cleary’s books is his best (so far).
But what I will say about this one is that I cannot remember ever reading any novel where I arrived at the last pages so quickly.
The pace is hectic but the ride is smooth, despite all the unpredictable twists and turns, and ultimately there are no loose ends as the story comes to a satisfying stop after a most enjoyable journey.
‘Yet Evil Remains’ is ‘yet another must read’.
Dave Savides – Zululand Observer
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