Mixed bag
New titles for young and old
GREEKS BEARING GIFTS
By PHILIP KERR QUERCUS Munich, 1957. Bernie Gunther, who was a police detective in the Third Reich, is living under his new identity of Christof Ganz and working as a mortuary attendant. But when a corrupt cop threatens to expose Bernie’s past he gets a new job as an insurance claims investigator.
As one of his first tasks he’s sent to Athens, Greece, to investigate a claim for The Doris, a salvage boat that sank. Bernie takes an instant dislike to the claimant and when he discovers that The Doris once belonged to a Greek Jew deported to Auschwitz, he’s convinced the sinking was no accident. All his instincts and skill as an former ace detective kick in.
I’m not usually a fan of fiction set in the past, whether recent or not, but this 13th novel in the Bernie Gunther series grew on me.
Kerr, who died earlier this year, had such knack for vividly describing places – such as Athens – it almost feels as if you’re there yourself. There’s no need to have read any of the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. – ANDRÉ J BRINK
THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND
By KAREN HAMILTON HEADLINE As the title suggests, Juliette is the perfect girlfriend to Nate . . . until he starts to feel he needs some space.
Juliette uses what she considers a time-out from their relationship to carve a career for herself while also becoming a little more independent. After all, it’s what Nate said she should do. But he didn’t count on his crazy ex-girlfriend taking up a job in his industry, or cosying up to his colleagues and friends . . .
What starts out as a gripping page-turning thriller in the same vein as Gone Girl quickly becomes a predictable story about obsession – without a single plot twist.
Author Karen Hamilton tries to weave some complexity into Juliette’s character by introducing a past trauma to explain her psyche, but the character feels unfinished – as does the book.
But while The Perfect Girlfriend is far from perfect, this debut novel shows potential and you get the feeling that Hamilton’s career as a writer is going to go from strength to strength. She’s one to watch. – LAVERN DE VRIES
HOW TO GET A SARS REFUND
By DANIEL BAINES PENGUIN This book isn’t a tax-refund-fordummies guide, but it’s helpful – if you understand the Sars lingo. I understood most of what Daniel Baines explains, thanks to a mother who’s an accountant, but it would be overwhelming for someone who doesn’t know their IRP5 from their ITR12.
If you’re willing to take the time to figure it out, your effort may just net you a refund. The book features fairly simple tables and examples to help you on your way.
One area that’s definitely worth taking a look at is the medical aid fund contributions you make each month (either on your own or by your employer), as well as your out-of-pocket medical expenses. These are all explained in the book.
Capital gains tax – the tax paid by people selling assets such as long-term investments, property or shares – is also covered.
All in all, this book informs you of what your chances are of getting a refund and how you can reduce your tax burden. With tax season upon us, many people might benefit from the advice in this handy and practical guide. – SHOUNEES MOOLA