This is the eighth book in the Detective Kubu series and the second with him as a young man.
"A Deadly Covenant provides the reader with an exciting insight into crime in Botswana. A thoroughly enjoyable read." -- Alexander McCall Smith
"...a real page turner. Perfect for those who like their mysteries complex..." -- Strand Mystery Magazine
"Brilliant! The pair, known jointly as Michael Stanley, has brought to life Botswana's flora and fauna, its days and nights, its culture, mythology, and superstition, and more than enough murder in this second prequel in their Detective Kubu Mysteries. . . . What an outstanding read! A top contender for my Best of 2022! — Kathleen Costa, Kings River Life
"Edgar finalist Stanley's excellent eighth mystery … Stanley gets everything—the dialogue, the terrain descriptions, the plot beats—right. More prequels fleshing out this complex and endearing protagonist would be welcome." --- Publishers Weekly starred review
"I found A Deadly Covenant completely intriguing and engrossing, and the Bushman scenes fascinating. Vividly painted scenery, and I can feel the oppressive heat. Talk about Sunshine Noir!" – Kwei Quartey, author of the Emma Djan and Darko Dawson mysteries
"The unmatched beauty, spirit, and mystery of Africa never fails to come to life in Michael Stanley's award-winning Botswana-based Detective 'Kubu' series. A Deadly Covenant is an irresistible page-turner and a powerful contribution to the Kubu saga." – Jeffrey Siger, author of the Andreas Kaldis series
Detective Kubu is still new to the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department . . . smart, eager to learn, but naïve.
Scottish pathologist, Ian MacGregor, is sent to rural Botswana to investigate the skull of a long-dead Bushman that was unearthed by a backhoe. Kubu goes along to watch and learn. A cold case. Not interesting. Then MacGregor discovers eight more skeletons, all murdered. But how long ago?
No one in the area knows anything about the massacre. Or so they claim.
The cold case hots up when an elder of the nearby village is murdered at his home. The local police believe it was a robbery, but Kubu thinks otherwise. As does a strange woman, who claims it was an angry river spirit. The situation gets more confusing when the strange woman is found dead, apparently killed by a crocodile.
How do the recent murders link to the dead Bushmen, if at all? Kubu and his colleagues have to navigate the politics of a rural village as they try to solve the puzzle. And when they uncover a deadly covenant, they fear that if they don't solve the puzzle quickly, the killer may take still more lives, including their own.
A Deadly Covenant is a compelling, character-driven mystery perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Tony Hillerman, William Kent Krueger, and Alexander McCall Smith.
