Diverse reads serve mix of crime and fun

the norm. The book includes about 50 historical photographs of personalities of the 1930s and 40s.

It’s a fascinating peek at the past and a chance to “hobnob”, as it were, with the famous of yesteryear. I can readily recommend it as an excellent and “eye-opening” read.

Death threats were issued against the honest policemen who were working hard to secure a conviction against him. There were also death threats against the judges at some of his trials.

However, in April last year, Krejcir was sentenced to a long prison term for kidnapping, attempted murder and dealing in drugs related to the kidnapping and torture of Bheki Lukhele, whose brother, Doctor, had allegedly disappeared with 25kg of tik.

There are some hair-raising revelations in the book and by the time the last page is turned, the reader is left thinking this is one mean man not to tangle with. Bob” and most readers will be tickled pink learning how the expressions we use so freely these days originated. BURKE sets his story in America of the early 1950s, in this case 1952, and writes about young love, peer pressure and murder.

SeventeenyearTexan Aaron meets beautiful Valerie who has just broken up with Grady, a particularly jealous type.

But after the death of a young girl in the neighbourhood, Aaron’s life becomes enmeshed with a police detective and over time he realises that some of his young associates are involved with drugdealing and other crimes.

Aaron’s schoolboy scrapes are amusing and add some diversion but he is very much aware that members of the local police are as corrupt as the criminals and he needs to pull out all the stops to protect himself and Valerie.

The author weaves events of the early 50s into the tale, for example the Joseph McCarthy Communist witch-hunts as well as the musical hits of the day. A 2017 release, it’s a riveting read and one I can recommend for readers of this genre. — reviews by Peter Martin