This Kramer and Zondi novel, one of eight in the series written before the author’s death in 2006, was first published in Great Britain in 1972. It is now reprinted for our enjoyment. Unlike The Steam Pig, which focused on the horrors of apartheid, Caterpillar centers its attention on the repressive sexual attitudes of the South African regime of that time.
The case begins when a 12-year-old boy is found strangled and with multiple stab wounds, with the area around his genitals virtually destroyed. Initially it is believed to be an act by a pedophile. It was known that the boy was spying on someone. As Lt. Kramer and his sidekick, Bantu Sgt. Zondi, investigate, a link develops to what is termed an accidental death of a visiting American teenager.
This novel is more akin to a traditional murder mystery, as the police procedural progresses, as opposed to the initial entry in the series, The Steam Pig. A new twist to complement the by-play between Kramer and Zondi is the introduction of a young would-be detective, Pembroke, as a foil for the Boer detective. McClure’s ability to offset grim details with amusing interplay between the characters is truly remarkable, as is the smoothness with which he develops the plot, especially with the twist at the end.
Recommended.
This takes me back! The Kramer/Zondi books were excellent crime stories and also a fascinating look at apartheid throught the eyes of characters who bought into it without question.