An excellent crime novel set in South Africa and Australia. Well written and plotted with plenty to say about life, politics and more in both countries.

The second novel in the Schalk Lourens series, SHADOW CITY uses his home of South Africa as one location for the story, introducing a new character, Sergeant Jackie Rose to lead the action in Sydney. The story begins with the discovery of the body of a battered and tortured young woman in a food court in Sydney's Chinatown. To Jackie Rose, initially it looks suspiciously like yet another drug murder, but there is an odd tattoo on the young girl and some complications when it comes to identifying her. 

What Rose doesn't know is around the same time, in Cape Town in South Africa, a young girl supposedly with a scholarship to study in Sydney has disappeared, her family very worried about where she could have gone having supposedly started at the college before vanishing. Lourens, meanwhile, has been suspended from duty with the South African police force, and unable to ignore the distress of the young girl's mother, takes on a background investigation, which can coincide with a visit to his daughter and her partner, who recently moved to Sydney to pursue work opportunities. It turns out that there are a lot of South African's who have recently moved to Sydney, and via a series of connections, Schalk finds himself with somewhere to stay, something to drive, and time on his hands when he arrives. Although, as a suspended cop, he didn't expect to find himself drawn into Rose's investigation team, and neither of them could have dreamed of just how depraved, powerful, and desperate to rid themselves of any opposition, the forces they find themselves up against could be.

Interweaving politics, policing, corruption and crime, Conyer has tackled some horrendous subject matter in SHADOW CITY, culminating in the discovery of a ring of modern day slavers. Readers may find the sparse, carefully described details of what is happening to young women and men who think they are coming to get an education, and a future, confronting to say the least. It's an awful story, that somehow comes across as even more uncomfortable when you compare it with the happy home / happy relationships / love affairs that go on around the two main characters. Schalk and Rose find themselves attracted to each other and his daughter is soon in a new relationship with the laid-back, Aussie bloke whose home includes the granny flat Schalk is staying in. Convenient, and a touch of soap opera maybe, but by the same token it wasn't totally unbelievable. His daughter's previous partner is a bit player at best in this story, but he is part of the ex-pat community and the gateway for Schalk to come across some people who are shoulder-deep in corruption. It turns out that many of the reasons for so many people to be participating in some pretty depraved behaviour are depressingly inter-generational, speaking of some serious, long-term, damage and patterns of repetition.

The investigation teams in Sydney and South Africa work in cooperation with each other and there are elements that kick off on both sides of the equation, to be clarified or finalised on the other. Both investigations, however, do settle around who and what Schalk in particular knows. He's the glue that brings both these teams together, and the impetus for much of the action, particularly in the later part of the book.

SHADOW CITY needless to say is exposing some complicated issues, but it's doing it in a novel that's both powerful and surprisingly engaging, given the subject matter. The dialogue is believable, and the mixing of Aussie slang and South African terminology gives it a lighter touch when required. Schalk's part tourist viewpoint of Sydney works and the comparisons between there and Cape Town give the reader a real sense of the foreigner in a foreign land, a nice combination of nothing dividing like a common language, and a love for home despite the challenges. The plot moves along at a reasonable clip, although some of the elements of the ending are a bit drawn out, but then there's enough twists and turns to keep you engaged. There's also a big twist at the end that, upon reflection, makes enormous sense, setting up some potential for surprises come book three.

Finished this book this morning, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the second book by this talented author I've read, and I really think she will become one of my go-to authors. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good read that keeps you entertained until the very end.
TB

This story conveys a powerful message about a pressing issue we face today: trafficking. It sheds light on the number of individuals involved in each trafficking group. I particularly enjoyed our characters and the way their interactions felt natural and organic. This isn’t a straightforward story; it delves into various aspects and offers a comprehensive exploration of the case.

Natalie Conyer drew considerable praise, and a Ned Kelly Award, for her excellent first novel, Present Tense, which dived convincingly into the maelstrom of modern South Africa. Now with her second novel, Shadow City she continues her examination of the complexity of politics and policing in that country, while also addressing the broader issue of modern day slavery.

Shadow City moves seamlessly between Cape Town and Sydney, and reintroduces us to veteran South African detective Schalk Lourens and a new character in the form of Sydney Homicide Detective, Jackie Rose.

The book opens with the discovery of the body of a young woman in a food court in Sydney’s Chinatown. She had been beaten, tortured and tattooed with the image of a sun. Called to the scene, Jackie asks herself whether this was a drug murder, or something else. But before her investigation can get under way, she is ordered to hand the case over to the Australian Federal Police.

Meanwhile in Cape Town, a local girl recruited to study in Australia has fallen off the radar. Veteran detective Schalk Lourens, recently suspended from duty over allegations about past misconduct during white rule, has already made plans to visit his daughter in Sydney. Unable to neglect the plea from the missing girl’s mother, however, he decides to search for her while he is there.

Once in Australia, Schalk finds himself caught up in Jackie’s investigation, and together they join forces to expose a trail of corruption and crime stretching from the Sydney foreshore to the picturesque Blue Mountains and across the world.

Shadow City is a powerful and engaging novel. The descriptions are crisp and evocative, and the characters are nicely nuanced and convincing. Schalk’s outsider views of Sydney are interesting, and spot on, and the descriptions of Cape Town are also striking. The plot moves along at a brisk pace and the ending, although a little drawn out, is thought provoking, and offers the requisite excitement and twists you expect in a crime novel.

Underpinning the plot are seemingly astute observations on the political and social situation in South Africa, and the hidden trade in people smuggling and modern day slavery. There are also pointed reflections on policing in Australia and the influence of international politics. These troubling concerns are well conveyed and add some good flesh to the story, and help to propel it along.

Some of the relationships in the book are a little too convenient, but overall Shadow City is one of the best crime thrillers I have read this year.

Quote: “I don’t believe in coincidence. There has to be a connection.”

Review: I want to say thank you to the author for allowing me the opportunity to arc read Shadow City. I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. During this story you will follow along side of detective Jackie and Schalk as two case lead them to each other and they must team together to solve it. I am a HUGE mystery book lover and I feel like not very mystery book is well written but Shadow City blew me away. A true page turner and so many questions that made you keep coming back for more. I just love the relationship between the two main characters and the development of their characters. As this story unfolds everything starts to take shape, we learn shocking information that rattles you to your core. The ending truly was insane and I had no clue what in the world happened. I will definitely be recommending this book whenever I get the chance.

I love a good crime thriller fiction book. Shadow City quenched my appetite for a great thriller fiction. Don't miss out on this book, you will regret it.