Mini Book Review: THREE BODIES - by Nechama Brodie

 

The first body was found in the Hartbeespoort Dam. An unidentified woman, presumably drowned, washed up on the banks of an exclusive golf estate. Next came the discovery of a grisly crime scene deep underground in Johannesburg, somehow connected to a second woman found dead in the Jukskei River where it ran through Alexandra.

When the body of a third woman is pulled out of the Vaal River, south of Joburg, Captain Reshma Patel starts to wonder if a serial killer is at work - or if the mutilated corpses have anything to do with the spate of cash-in-transit heists she's busy investigating. When a fourth woman goes missing Reshma and her partner, former police officer Ian Jack, have to figure out who is behind the killings - and to stop them, before they can strike again.

Information about Three Bodies

Goodreads

Published March 2020

Pages 296

Genres Adult | Contemporary fiction | Thriller

Triggers/Content Advisory Adult themes | Drug abuse | Sexual innuendos | Bad language

My review of Three Bodies 

I love thrillers (although if you're a frequent visitor on my blog, then you already know that!) and I've been wanting to read more local authors for a while now. 

Nechama's writing and plot are rich with authentic South African culture (or more accurately, a blend of our diverse cultures), offering slang and personal touches that likely only a South African would appreciate. And unlike many stories that include slang and pop culture references, this book didn't come across cheesy or cringy. I appreciated that, and enjoyed it. But I still found the story disappointing.    

The plot is boring. I wasn't gripped, and the ending climax is underwhelming, too - I was expecting lots of action, excitement, and confrontation, but instead it was understated and ended before I realised it had even started. 

I didn't find the plot clever, either. It's dragged out, vague, and dialogue heavy. It doesn't help that the dialogue is also very weak.

The characters are flat, and I couldn't connect to them. Their personalities are bland, predominantly indistinctive, and I felt as if the plot was leading them, instead of the other way around. 

Three Bodies is a disappointing, tedious thriller that fails to live up to its intriguing premise.