Although written in English (unlike his compatriot Deon Meyer who writes in Afrikaans), Nicol's Cape Town-set series of thrillers are as much a total immersion into an alien environment for an English reader. This is the final volume in the Revenge Trilogy (previous titles were Killer Country and Payback) and is packed with thrills and surprises and in security entrepreneurs Mace and Pylon, he has created a fascinating  pair of anti-heroes. Cool and stylish.

Synopsis

CAPE TOWN: winter. A wealthy Native American couple, looking to invest in a local casino development. A German weapons scientist, on the run from a gang of Eastern European thugs. Ordinary enough security jobs for Mace Bishop and Pylon Buso, it seems, but when one of the Americans is kidnapped and a local reporter starts showing too much interest in the scientist's murky Balkan past, things quickly spiral out of control.

Mace, raw from the murder of his wife, soon finds himself fighting for his own survival while struggling to hold onto his grief-stricken teenage daughter. Behind the scenes, everywhere and nowhere, the beautiful and sinister Sheemina February pulls the strings, stalking him at every turn, intent on revenge for past misdeeds. Mace's only hope is to find her before she gets to him . . .

Reviews

'Compelling . . . terrific dialogue, and Nicol's Cape Town is cool, dangerous, full of humour and very far from its touristy image . . . Black Heart paints a vivid portrait of the moral confusion of post-apartheid society. If Deon Meyer is still the king of South African crime fiction, Mike Nicol is a clear heir apparent, not too far behind.'
MARCEL BERLINS, THE TIMES

'Mike Nicol is one of the brightest thriller writing talents to have emerged in the last decade, and the Mace and Pylon novels are as good as any being written in the field today. This is not just superb genre writing: it is superb writing, period, and proves that the thriller, at its best, can both entertain and provoke, while tackling serious issues with the lightest of touches. Read Mike Nicol now, before everyone else starts telling you how wonderful he is'
JOHN CONNOLLY

'Shady characters, twists, turns, murder, mayhem, humour, wonderful dialogue, white-knuckle pace and lots of authentic Cape Town colour'
DEON MEYER

'World class . . . pace, wonderful characters and brilliant dialogue'
ELLE

About the Author

Mike Nicol was born in Cape Town, where he still lives. The Revenge Trilogy is his first foray into crime fiction, and has met with widespread acclaim. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation