Twenty years later Abby is a lawyer whose career is blossoming under the new government. She is surprised when Leon Lourens makes contact with her again. Leon is worried. One by one the members of the team who killed her parents, of which he was one, are being killed off. Only Leon and one other man, Marinus van Jaarsveld, are still alive.

Abby has no easy way to get in touch with Van Jaarsveld who is currently in a high security prison, but she feels that if she can make contact with this man it may increase her chances of helping Lourens. She discovers that the way to achieve her goal may be through the help of one man, Yudel Gordon.

Gordon is a psychologist who has worked at the prison for many years and has contacts there. After meeting with Gordon, Abby is hopeful until she learns than Leon has been abducted. She fears that time is running out because rumor has it that those responsible for the killings want their task completed by the anniversary of the massacre, which is imminent.

In addition to being a competently written mystery, The October Killings gives a brief insight into the troubles of South Africa after the fall of the apartheid government. The glowing promises of the government newly in power was a lot more glowing in principle than in fact. Although the chances for better jobs for blacks were evident, as Abby herself is an example, those reared and educated abroad (and, obviously those whose families had the wealth to make this happen) were the people who were the prime candidates for these positions.

The culture and mores of life in South Africa are a part of the story. This tale could only have occurred in this country in this time period. Unlike many novels where the action could be taking place in any large metropolitan area, Mr. Ebersohn’s novel is firmly located in South Africa in the first decade of the twenty first century.

The novel is well constructed. Events occur for a reason. Actions and events are not easily predictable. Bad things happen, but there is a distinct lack of gratuitous violence. Most of the bloodshed takes place off stage or is not described in gory detail. Surnames of the characters may not roll easily off the western tongue, but seem authentic to a novice in African culture.

The characters are well drawn and their actions are consistent with their personalities. One can easily empathize with Abby, Yudel, and Leon. While life has not always been kind to any of them they have persevered. Yet they don’t always act in predictable ways which adds interest to the story. The character themselves add depth to the mystery story as does the setting and political situation.

Wessel Ebersohn is a writer who well understands his craft. His way with words adds to the enjoyment of the novel. It appears from the advance publicity that this novel is planned as the first in a series. Hopefully, we will see more of Abby Bukula and her friends in the not too distant future.

--Andy Plonka