“A Short Life” is an
excellent read and highly recommended. I wish Nicky Greenwall much success with
her debut as a writer, and trust that her output will be prolific in the future
- (Review by Barry Meehan)
A Short Life is the debut novel of Nicky Greenwall, a well-respected South African producer, journalist and former TV presenter.
We can but hope that this novel will not be her only offering, especially in the mystery genre.
Her writing is succinct and to-the-point, moving the story along at a cracking pace, even though quite a bit of it is told in flashbacks.
Readers also need to have their wits about them, as the various chapters are told from the differing viewpoints of the main characters, there being six in all, great friends with interlocking backgrounds and experiences. When tragedy strikes, doubt and distrust raise the guilt stakes, and the realisation hits home that the group will never be the same.
“I think I might have killed someone”
This thought could be attributed to more than one of the group, and the author keeps us guessing as to who the perpetrator of the accident might be, right up to the conclusion. The other questions being asked are “Why was the victim out on the road at an early hour of the morning, and was there a passenger present in the car? If so, who was it?
Readers with a thorough knowledge of the Hout Bay, Constantia and Llandudno areas of Cape Town will be at a definite advantage when reading this novel, as everything take place in this area. Those not familiar with the winding roads with ultra-sharp bends on the Constantia Nek drive need not fear that they might be missing out on something. Nicky Greenwall’s descriptive passages paint a very clear picture of the action and the surrounding beauty of the environment in that part of the world. A map of the area (albeit a rather small one with not much detail) is provided for those new to the area.
A Short Life is an excellent read and highly recommended. I wish Nicky Greenwall much success with her debut as a writer, and trust that her output will be prolific in the future - Barry Meehan
A Short Life is published by Penguin Random House South Africa - ISBN 978-1-77638-031-2