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mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
4.0
The second book in the Detective Kubu series was an enjoyable read and solid second offering. A little lighter in tone than the first one but still incorporates some difficult themes. The story is complex and has ties to the Rhodesian War from 30+ years ago--the question is how much the past has bearing on the present. Many potential suspects and motives are in play but Kubu's tenacity and partnership with a lanky junior detective (Tatwa, a play on the word "giraffe") are key to solving the case. With the "Hippo" and the "Giraffe" on the case, the perpetrator will surely have met his/her match, especially when kidnappers target Kubu's family. I enjoyed the mix of real issues (Zimbabwe's history, Botswana's uneasy relationship with its neighbor, drug trafficking, and race) and Kubu's family life--I particularly loved Kubu's relationships and interactions with his wife, sister-in-law, and parents and feel like those scenes add a richness and depth to the characters. The writing duo of Michael Stanley have delivered again and made me eager to start reading the third Detective Kubu mystery soon!
liberrydude's review against another edition
3.0
If you like "The Number One Ladies Detective Agency" but want more violence or reality than you will enjoy this series in the same locale with the rotund detective, Kubu, who lives to eat and is just as insatiable when it comes to solving cases. Murder after murder unfolds and the police are left pondering just when they thought they were closing in on a suspect. This was an enjoyable read but too long. It could have been wrapped up in fewer pages. However, I got a new respect for Kubu's boss,Mabuku, for whom I had previously harbored the impression of incompetence and political hackdom. Mabuku has never had any problem exerting his authority but in this story he displays competence, compassion, and integrity- still grumpy but a boss who's always on top of things. Mabuku appears human and a little less insufferable and Kubu's interaction with him leaves the reader chuckling or silently acknowledging a feeling of shared experience.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
3.25
Finished reading: June 4th 2023
“Just because something is incredibly stupid, it doesn't mean they wouldn't have done it.”
I loved the prequel and first book of this series back when I read it in 2021, and I'm still not sure why it has taken me this long to return to Detective Kubu. This author duo really makes Southern Africa come alive through their vivid and thorough descriptions, and Kubu himself is a character that is extremely easy to warm up to. The Second Death Of Goodluck Tinubu is the second book, and I would recommend reading the books in order (including the prequel) to fully understand the character dynamics. The case itself is completely separate though, and it's easy to pick things up again even if you (like myself) don't remember all of the details about what happened previously. I do have to say that this sequel was less successful than the first two books for me. I felt that the pace was way too slow and the plot itself way too combobulated and dragged out. As a result it took me a lot longer than expected to actually make it to the end, and I think I would have enjoyed the story a lot better with less descriptions of what the characters were eating all the time and a tighter plot in general. That said, I can't deny that I had a great time meeting up with Kubu again, and the case itself was intriguing enough. It was just overshadowed with too many insignificant details and repetitions, and as a result the real tension and suspense was lost. The many descriptions of the setting and the local customs were a bonus though! And I will still read the next book, because I'm curious to see what the authors have in store for Kubu.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Murder, Violence, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Rape, Torture, Xenophobia, and War
usbsticky's review against another edition
4.0
This book, like the majority of crime series I've read, is big on the cast and setting and less so on the mystery. This is the second Assistant Superintendent Kubu book I've read. It is set in Botswana and is rich in depiction of the country, geography, politics and people. It's the second best thing to traveling there.
In two books I've also grown to like the cast of characters. Kubu, the main man is an easy going and nice big man who likes his food. I'm not sure of the hierarchy of the different ranks. Kubu seems to be the top ranker (Botswana CID) in the capital city of Gaborone as there seems to be other assistant superintendents in charge of other cities. His boss is Jacob Mabaku but he's not a superintendent, he's the director of Botswana CID and seems to be in charge of all the CID. There is a commissioner who seems to be the head of all police. But so far I have not seen other police chiefs (non-CID) appear. Apart from Kubu, there are various other detective sergeants and police.
The other big part of the recurring cast is Kubu's family. This includes his wife, parents and in-laws as well as his dog. And their personal stories are also part of the book.
Spoiler/synopsis: A couple of tourists in a bush camp are murdered and the killer seems to have vanished. A little investigation reveals that a lot of money is missing. This is either a drug deal gone bad or a revolutionary movement gone bad. The criminals are desperate enough to put Kubu's family in their sights in order to get their money back.
Overall, I liked the setting and the cast of characters. The action is a little bit slow and the authors don't seem to be able to ramp up the suspense so we are left with mechanical plodding as the detectives reveal the plot clue by clue in the most undramatic way possible. I think there is too much going on, too many clues and too many people. This book took me a long time to read. But it is an improvement on the first book and I hope the next one to be even better. But I like Kubu enough to continue.
In two books I've also grown to like the cast of characters. Kubu, the main man is an easy going and nice big man who likes his food. I'm not sure of the hierarchy of the different ranks. Kubu seems to be the top ranker (Botswana CID) in the capital city of Gaborone as there seems to be other assistant superintendents in charge of other cities. His boss is Jacob Mabaku but he's not a superintendent, he's the director of Botswana CID and seems to be in charge of all the CID. There is a commissioner who seems to be the head of all police. But so far I have not seen other police chiefs (non-CID) appear. Apart from Kubu, there are various other detective sergeants and police.
The other big part of the recurring cast is Kubu's family. This includes his wife, parents and in-laws as well as his dog. And their personal stories are also part of the book.
Spoiler/synopsis: A couple of tourists in a bush camp are murdered and the killer seems to have vanished. A little investigation reveals that a lot of money is missing. This is either a drug deal gone bad or a revolutionary movement gone bad. The criminals are desperate enough to put Kubu's family in their sights in order to get their money back.
Overall, I liked the setting and the cast of characters. The action is a little bit slow and the authors don't seem to be able to ramp up the suspense so we are left with mechanical plodding as the detectives reveal the plot clue by clue in the most undramatic way possible. I think there is too much going on, too many clues and too many people. This book took me a long time to read. But it is an improvement on the first book and I hope the next one to be even better. But I like Kubu enough to continue.
mactammonty's review against another edition
3.0
Kubu is not the typical detective. He is a large man who stays calm and does not use violence to find the perpetrator. It is a nice change from other novels in this genre.
It also exposes a different world in which several countries, who are very different, work together to locate the bad guy. The countries are small making it easy to cross into another. The police follow procedure by asking permission and for help from other countries. A refreshing change.
Family dynamics, history and politics are all part of the story giving it depth.
A good solid read.
It also exposes a different world in which several countries, who are very different, work together to locate the bad guy. The countries are small making it easy to cross into another. The police follow procedure by asking permission and for help from other countries. A refreshing change.
Family dynamics, history and politics are all part of the story giving it depth.
A good solid read.
cmbohn's review against another edition
4.0
When a man is discovered murdered and mutilated at a holiday camp in Botswana, police assume they know what happened - another camper, now missing, must be the murderer. All they have to do is catch him. But if they want to catch the murderer, they must first find out who it is that was really murdered. The kind, caring schoolteacher everyone loved? A freedom fighter in Zimbabwe's messy recent struggle for independence? The longer they look, the more complicated it gets.
I really enjoyed this book. It is the second in the series, after A Carrion Death, but I didn't feel too lost by just jumping in. It's an interesting contrast to the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books which are set in the same country, just a few years earlier. It's interesting to see what has changed in the country - cell phones are everywhere, crime scene science has improved - and what hasn't. Detective Kubu's respect for his elderly parents is still very strong. And the situation with neighboring countries South Africa and Zimbabwe is still complicated.
This one is not really a cozy, like the Mma Ramotswe books, but more of a police novel. I recommend it and now I will have to go back and read the first.
I really enjoyed this book. It is the second in the series, after A Carrion Death, but I didn't feel too lost by just jumping in. It's an interesting contrast to the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books which are set in the same country, just a few years earlier. It's interesting to see what has changed in the country - cell phones are everywhere, crime scene science has improved - and what hasn't. Detective Kubu's respect for his elderly parents is still very strong. And the situation with neighboring countries South Africa and Zimbabwe is still complicated.
This one is not really a cozy, like the Mma Ramotswe books, but more of a police novel. I recommend it and now I will have to go back and read the first.
robinwalter's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
A very creditable second in the series, looking forward to more. A well-told story, credible mystery and solid detective work to solve it.
jon63f07's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0