Synopses & Reviews
Girls are disappearing in Botswana. The rumor is they're being harvested for muti, a witch doctor's potion traditionally derived from plants and animals—and which, some believe, can be made more potent by adding human remains. Detective David "Kubu" Bengu joins the investigation with the police force's newest detective—and only woman—Samantha Khama, for whom the case is personal.
Soon one girl's father, convinced that his daughter's death is linked to the recent popularity of a political candidate, takes the law into his own hands. After the father flees, what Kubu and Samantha find in the politician's home confirms their worst fears: muti containing human DNA is real.
Now Kubu and Samantha are thrust into a harrowing race to stop a serial killer or killers—and those who would pay for their special, lethal muti.
Review
“Kubu is also hugely appealingbig and solid and smart enough to grasp all angles of this mystery. Readers may be lured to Africa by the landscape, but it takes a great character like Kubu to win our loyalty.” New York Times Book Review
Review
“Assistant Superintendent Kubu is back....Michael Stanleys enthralling series is a must-read for anyone who enjoys clever plotting, terrific writing, and a fascinating glimpse of todays Africa.” Charles Todd, New York times bestselling author of A Matter of Justice
Review
“[Kubu is] the African Columbo.” Entertainment Weekly
Review
“Deadly Harvest is number four in this fascinating crime series. Detective David ‘Kubu Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling…Compelling and deceptively written, its the perfect summer read.” < i=""> New York Journal of Books <>
Review
“These darker, grittier entries featuring the portly and perceptive Detective Kubu blend intricate plotting and a compelling cast.” < i=""> Booklist <>
Review
“Grisly murders and heart-wrenching societal issues mark… fascinating police procedural [Deadly Harvest]…. Sears and Trollip write so seamlessly…. An intricate crime puzzle.” < i=""> St. Paul Pioneer Press <>
Review
“Believable and utterly menacing…. Tight plotting is seasoned with African culture.” Steve Steinbock, < i=""> Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine <>
Review
“One of the finest crime thrillers of 2013.” < i=""> SHOTS Crime & Thriller Ezine <>
Synopsis
"Detective David 'Kubu' Bengu is a wonderful creation, complex and beguiling. The exotic smells and sounds of Botswana fill the pages as well as the changes and struggles of a country brimming with modern technology yet fiercely clinging to old traditions. Compelling and deceptively written, it's the perfect summer read." -- New York Journal of Books
Deadly Harvest in Michael Stanley's beloved Detective Kubu series tracks a series of murders and a mysterious witch doctor whose nefarious potions might hold the key to a web of missing persons.
When young girls start to go missing, Samantha, a new detective on the Botswana police force suspects that muti, a traditional African medicine, is the reason. Though muti is a term for traditional African medicine derived from plants and sometimes animals, there is recent evidence that suggests human parts are being incorporated into potions to conjure up a more potent formula. She and Detective David "Kubu" Bengu race to stop a serial killer, while the father of one of the victims threatens to take matters into his own hands.
Weaving together a thrilling mystery with a fascinating look at modern-day Africa, Deadly Harvest is filled with elements suspense and plot twists that will keep you captivated until the very end.
Synopsis
Deadly Harvest in Michael Stanleys beloved Detective Kubu series tracks a series of murders and a mysterious witch doctor whose nefarious potions might hold the key to a web of missing persons.
When young girls start to go missing, Samantha, a new detective on the Botswana police force suspects that muti, a traditional African medicine, is the reason. She and Detective David “Kubu” Bengu race to stop a serial killer, all as the father of one of the victims threatens to take matters into his own hands.
Weaving together a thrilling mystery with a fascinating look at modern-day Africa, Deadly Harvest is filled with elements suspense and plot twists that will keep you captivated until the very end.
About the Author
Michael Stanley is the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. Sears was born in Johannesburg, grew up in Cape Town and Nairobi, and teaches at the University of the Witwatersrand. Trollip was also born in Johannesburg and has been on the faculty of the universities of Illinois, Minnesota, and North Dakota, and at Capella University. He divides his time between Knysna, South Africa, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.