Having
a new Roger Smith book published is always a special event and Smith has
certainly outdone himself with his latest book, Nowhere. If you have been
following Smith throughout his career you know that he has serious writing
chops and can create characters that have strong moral centers, but he balances
that with some of the darkest, soul-crushing antagonists that you will ever
find. This book brings back his protagonist, Disaster Zondi, and introduces us
to a real slice of evil in Steve Bungi.
There
are two seemingly separate storylines ongoing in this great novel. Zondi is
tasked with bringing a former white supremacist to justice by arresting him on
a murder charge. While it seems like an open and shut case, many things are not
as they appear and Zondi is not the type to let something go once he sinks his
teeth into it. He becomes determined to get to the bottom of why the pieces of
this case don’t quite fit together.
Steve
Bungi is on a mission to clear the name of his boss, the South African
president, after he brutally murders his own wife. Bungi uses blackmail and
many other dirty moves to set the table to help his boss avoid justice. Bungi
is one hell of an evil character and a great character creation. Just when you
think he can’t do something more evil than what he has done, he sinks to a new
low.
Roger
Smith seems to have flown under many peoples’ radars and I think this book will
be a breakthrough for him. His strength as a writer comes from writing in crime
dramas that feature believable characters that have both strengths and flaws
and Smith tailors his story perfectly to both extremes. This book is like a
double shot of espresso; dark, bitter, and leaves a burn. This is strong shit
that needs to be read like you drink the previously mentioned espresso; quick
and in one shot.
Highly
Recommended.
Reviewed
by Derrick Horodyski.
