Silent Valley

I enjoyed Silent Valley by Malla Nunn an author now living in Australia who grew up in Africa, so she has an insight into the culture she writes about.  This is the latest Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper story, set in South Africa in the early 1950s where residents were conscious of race and their "place" in society.  Cooper is tasked with investigating the murder of a 19 year old Zulu girl, Amahle, and together with his Zulu constable, Shabalala, he sets out to find the killer.  At first the cause of death and motive is a mystery but although facing obstacles to his investigation, Cooper eventually unravels the mystery. 4/5