I tried so hard to enjoy this book as the pace was just too slow for me. I didn't connect with any of the characters very well so I think that added on to why it was difficult for me to get into.

I did enjoy the setting as this book was set in Zimbabwe and that this book gave insight on issues of colonialism and racism.

Overall, if it were more fast-paced, I think I would've enjoyed this book more.

I tried so hard to enjoy this one more than I did. It really had such a great premise behind it and the writing was really good but my heart just wasn’t quite in it.

I love a good murder mystery, especially a good detective story and this one had all the marks of an Agatha Christie or Hercule Poirot style whodunit. Unfortunately for me it was just a little too bumbling and confusing.
It seemed way too long, as if the end would never arrive, but I desperately wanted to know what happened because I was actually invested in the characters. I think that’s where my frustration lay. Because it seemed too long it was often a chore to get there.

Set in Zimbabwe, the author expertly wove in issues surrounding racism and colonialism with stories past and present intertwining as it all came together. It’s a really slow burn style read, which I am absolutely a fan of, just again, because this was such a hefty book, it just took too long to reach the conclusion for me.

A great idea and premise for a story, just could have done a bit more tweaking and editing and my rating would absolutely have been higher.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first story from a Zimbabwean perspective I've read, and I quite enjoyed it. It was a really interesting read with a lot of character development. A murder that may not actually be a murder is a great premise for a story. I also loved that it was one policeman determined to get to the bottom, no matter how many times he's told to leave it be. It added to the suspense and trying to work out just who was behind it all.

I felt as though the beginning was a little slow, and the pace picked up about halfway through. I have to say, I never figured it out until things were revealed, so it was well written. The last third was probably my favourite part as things started to unravel more and more.

I like that it was told with both past and present perspectives and how there were so many connections I didn't pick up on.

All in all, a well written story with a strong character focus.

What a great little murder mystery unlike any that I have read before, a first for me in Zimbabwean literature.

I really enjoyed this however I have seen other reviews of those who state it wasn’t for them, and a small part of me can see why.

The story is brilliant, well thought out, enjoyable to read and had such a good start to the book however the pace didn't stick and it got relatively slow through the middle.

It really is worth sticking around through thee slow pace though as the story really does pick up.
The outcome of the mystery at the end, certainly made this whopper of a book worth it.

Many thanks to the Publisher/Netgalley/Author for an advanced copy of this book.

When Marcia Pullman is found dead,Chief Inspector Dube,goes to investigate,however soon the victim's husband and even the rest of the police want him off the case.This is a VERY slow burn that goes for 500 pages, but I did enjoy the detail of the investigation and it kept me hooked,you never know what's going to happen next. Set in Zimbabwe, it touches corruption and racial themes.

‘’All Come to Dust’’ is a typical-not-so-typical murder mystery. Set in post-colonial Zimbabwe, the book is written in a detailed and colourful prose. However, the book is very slow. Actually very slow. Sometimes for pages nothing really happens and it feels like the story gets completely lost within all sorts of unnecessarily small details. I honestly got pretty lost, and judging from the other reviews: I wasn’t the only one.

This was a deeply character driven murder mystery with some intriguing insights into life in post-colonial Zimbabwe. There were some twists and turns that were exciting, but this is a slow-paced novel to be certain. Worth the read in the end if only for Rheam’s prose.

I was not able to finish this book.
I finished a few chapters and I was lost, and quite frankly bored.
I looked ahead to see it was 500 pages and I just didn’t want to commit to it.
I am sure it is a great novel, I just didn’t want to complete.

A really great book, constantly on edge to find out what happened including a lot of tiny details which kept making me even more and more curious

This is a great read and i would recommend you read this! This was a really fun read which I read so so quickly. I was kindly gifted an e-book in return a honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Based in Zimbabwe, it’s a long meandering tale but written so well that I enjoyed every twist and turn. The characters are interesting and the plot really good.

A Reminiscence Of His Own…
A death at a home in the suburbs of Bulawayo brings the enigmatic Chief Inspector Edmund Dube to the scene. When it becomes clear that people don’t want to answer questions, the Inspector begins a reminiscence of his own. A well written whodunnit which evolves into so much more as the tale progresses. Written with a sharp eye, dry humour and a keen observance of life. A wholly satisfying read.

All Come to Dust is a novel by a Zimbabwean set in modern Zimbabwe. On the surface, it is a classic—and very complex—mystery. I thought it was beautifully written and very descriptive; however, it touched on several characters’ pasts too much to be a true mystery.

I loved this book thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read it. I would add it to my collection.

I really enjoyed this book. It was my first time reading a book set in Zimbabwe and I didn't have any particular expectations, but this was actually an awesome murder mystery with an unusual setting. I was pleasantly surprised and I will definitely be reading other books by this author. Sometimes the descriptions were a little bit lengthy, but at the same time I liked how vivid the places seemed so I didn't mind it that much. It was a 4 star read for me.

What a great . Book! .it has everything a great mystery needs to make you not want to put it down. The characters were all interesting, the story took place in Zimbabwe which was different from most of the m books I read and the mystery held my interestuntil the end. The story is about a “sort of”. murder of a most unlikable woman. Edmund, the only policeman on the force that is not corrupt is determined to get the killer. But, Edmund is fighting his own personal demons which add to the intensity of the story. This all makes for a most intense story!

I didn't know what to feel about this book when I first started it. Though well-written and the characters development was not up to par. It can be slow at first, as it took me a while to read and finish the book. I felt as though the author really took their time in describing every detail in the first half, and then not know how to finish the other half so it felt a bit rushed. But all in all, I did enjoy reading the book - just not the fast-paced thriller/mystery that I'm familiar with.

All Come to Dust is a novel by a Zimbabwean set in modern Zimbabwe. On the surface it is a classic—and very complex—mystery. But I felt throughout as though there was a literary novel manifesting as a shadow behind the screen of a conventional mystery. The writing is often quite lovely, and the story is told from various points of view, each one shedding light not only on the diverse characters but also on the details of living in Zimbabwe. Add to this the fact that much of the suspense concerns the characters’ pasts, not the present murders of a disliked middle-class white woman, and you have a book that feels much more like literary fiction than a genre novel.

The mystery suffers somewhat. Its resolution is extremely clever, with one of those endings where you discover that every character’s story is an interlocking piece of the puzzle; but the clues leading up to the resolution are somewhat murky, often requiring cultural knowledge the average reader may not have (I didn’t). It takes a plot strategist and practiced writer like Agatha Christie to pull off the sleight of hand of showing the clues in such a way as to make them ignored but present enough in the subconscious for an “Aha—that was it!” moment at the end. This was not such a mystery, though it has enough of the trappings of a mystery to make the reader wonder exactly what it is trying to be. The reader who wants to be sure may need to reread the book—and this is a book that merits rereading, primarily because of the vivid picture of Zimbabwe.

I found myself highlighting often, to capture insightful and painterly passages about Zimbabwe. Bryony Rheam’s slow, observant, and graceful writing calls to life the dusty roads, the smell of grasses, and the blossoms tossing in the trees, while limning an elderly generation of impoverished British non-leavers, a sleazy group of exploitative whites, and a mixed race underclass attempting only to find a job and make a contented life in a country where not even the electricity and water can be relied on. Bryany Rheam writes of this country with authority and astuteness. In Zimbabwe, she has found her ordained setting. I am not certain that the mystery is her genre. But I am sure she is a writer to watch; and I look forward to her next book with considerable eagerness.

I would like to think @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review @allcometodust. I appreciated the opportunity to read such an intriguing study of another country by an author to watch.

Wow! I haven’t had a book captivate me like this one in a long time. I intended to just read a chapter to get a feel for it and 100 pages in I was in heaven.

This is a great plot for me personally. At its most basic, this is a murder mystery set in current day Zimbabwe. It evolves into something so much more to include issues of repressed memories, trauma, racism, colonialism, family and mental health. Instead of telling us about these issues, we are shown through narrative, the effects of past decisions and events on current everyday lives of the individuals and their families. I love books where I’m entertained as I learn that this is very well accomplished here. There is often a bit of a philosophical tone which I quite enjoyed.

Our main investigator is not the typical hunky detective type, rather an insecure male who is very aware of his flaws and is consciously working on his self-confidence. I loved Edmund for the first half of this novel as he proves himself not to be as pathetic as he would have led us to believe. There are some unexpected twists to his story that I did not anticipate, and I ended the book not quite as enamored with him. Human beings are not perfect and none of the characters in this book is without fault. I love how real and flawed they are.

The plight of a poor white man in a newly independent African nation was engrossing. We get to know Craig pretty well and his back story is most intriguing. Rheam gradually reveals each player to the reader when his/her that perspective is revisited, and they all grow in complexity and the reader grows in understanding. Mrs. Whitstable was the biggest surprise for me. We get to know a few of the “good” characters quite well but none of the bad guys. I’d have liked to see some of the story from Marcia or Mr Pullman’s perspective. Many subplots were woven together for a satisfying ending. I do have a few questions though, especially regarding the plight of the women who were transported over the border.

There is a wonderful sense of place; smells, sounds, sights transported me to Bulawayo. The writing is amazingly easy to read, and it moves everything along every quickly. The use of some local language is perfectly integrated so that I never felt I had to look something up.

I loved this book and look forward to more from a highly talented author. I will be checking out her other novel, This September Sun, as soon as I can.

Thanks to Net Galley and Parthian books.

I really appreciated the opportunity to read this book ahead of its publication. The book gives a really good glimpse of a country I am very unfamiliar with which I really enjoyed.

Unfortunately I really struggled with the pacing and this was unfortunately a did not finish. I think the book and author have enormous potential and would happily try another book in the future.