Discover one of the most suspenseful crime thrillers you’ll read this year. Winner of the Joffe Books Prize.
TRUST NO ONE.
Johannesburg, 1980s Apartheid South Africa. The neglected streets hum with tension as Augustine flees her vengeful ex-boyfriend with nothing but her child and the clothes on her back, terrified he will find her.
Because she also possesses a dangerous secret.
One he will kill for. One he will never stop hunting her for.
But Augustine is rescued by a wealthy white housewife who takes pity on her, offering both employment and refuge. Or so she thinks.
It might seem that she is safe inside the walls of the prosperous Diamond family home, but outside her every move is watched. Her sanctuary has become her prison.
In this city, where trust is a rare commodity, Augustine has made a mistake that could cost her everything.
I had written short stories, poems and travel journals under a pen name, Bianca M., and been published in South African magazines and journals in the 90s. I had also been published in various poetry journals around the same time, in England. But had not been writing steadily for some years, focussing instead on my career and family. Whenever I am in London, I take short courses at the Literary Consultancy. My assessments are also done at the LC.
I have self-published this novel on Amazon in August 2022.
My thoughts: This was really good, Joffe Books often bring new (to me) writers to the fore and this is no exception. I am really pleased that I got to read this for the blog tour and can recommend it to all of you.
Set in 1980s Johannesburg, during apartheid, we first meet Augustine and baby Justice as she runs away from her white boyfriend, her former school teacher Teddy. She’s taken with her some things that could get him into serious trouble – more serious than the law he’s breaking by being with her.
Taken in by the Diamond family as a maid and nanny to their infant son Nicholas, she thinks she landed on her feet. But after Kimberley Diamond dies, she’s in danger again.
Meanwhile Teddy has hired a PI, Segert, to find Augustine and his son. And more importantly the proof of his crimes that she’s stolen. Not that he shares that little detail.
Segert takes over the story as he hunts for Augustine, becoming increasingly concerned that hardly anyone seems to care that’s she gone. Certainly not her parents, but a friend, Rosalind, helps him to search for her.
What he discovers is tragic and criminal and someone will go to great lengths to protect this secret. It will take years to prove the crimes that Augustine unwittingly became a part of. She just wanted a better life for herself and her son, instead she became the victim of terrible men and miscarriages of justice that allowed them to get away with their crimes for a long time.
Shocking, moving and tragic, this was a powerful and intense read that had me hooked from the beginning. I really liked Augustine and Segert too. He was a total slob, but he loved his dogs and was determined and dedicated to his cause. I can’t wait to see what else this author writes.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 
Thank you so much for being a part of the tour x
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This sounds like a good read! I hadn’t heard of it before
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