Death by His Grace

Written by Kwei Quartey

Narrated by Corey Allen

Katherine Yeboah's marriage to Solomon Vanderpuye is all the talk of Accra high society. But when it becomes apparent that Katherine is infertile, Solomon's extended family accuses her of being a witch, hounding her until the relationship is so soured Solomon feels compelled to order Katherine out of the house they shared. Alone on her last night there, Katherine is brutally murdered by an intruder wielding a machete. Chief Inspector Darko Dawson of the Ghanaian federal police has personal as well as professional reasons to find the killer fast: Katherine was the first cousin of his wife, Christine, who is devastated by the tragedy. As Darko investigates, he discovers that many people close to Katherine had powerful motives to kill her, including: Solomon, her husband; James Bentsi-Enchill, her lawyer and ex-lover; and her filthy rich pastor, Bishop Clem Howard-Mills. In order to expose the truth, Darko must confront the pivotal role religion plays in Ghana-and wrestle with his old demons the investigation stirs up.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781501959882

Reviews for Death by His Grace

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Death by his Grace by Kwei Quartey is the fifth book in the police procedural series that features Chief Inspector Darko Dawson of Ghana. In this outing Darko is investigating the murder of his wife’s friend and cousin. Katherine had married into a family where both her mother-in-law and sister-in-law didn’t think she was good enough. Then when she failed to get pregnant, her marriage fell apart. The couple tried marriage counselling with a Pentecostal Bishop, but Katherine’s husband still left and she was being called a witch by her in-laws. Then the night before Katherine was going to move out of the marriage home, she is attacked and murdered.This mystery played out against the backdrop of the city of Accra and the culture of Ghana and while the investigation plays out in a straight forward manner, we are also drawn into Darko’s private problems with his father’s dementia and his concern over his adoptive son, Sly, who appears to be hanging out with the wrong people. Along with these problems and the investigation, he is also dealing with training a new assistant and a re-occurrence of his malarial attacks.I enjoy these books and appreciate learning about the culture of the country. I didn’t appreciate that this particular book ended with a massive cliffhanger and since it appears that the author has moved on to a new series, I am left wondering if this is the end of the series or whether there will be another book.

[ritaer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting mystery set in Ghana. Inspector Dawson is reluctant to take the case of the murder of his wife's favorite cousin. He is aware that murder investigations sometimes turn up secrets that are unwelcome. However the case is put in his hands, and aided by his new, female partner he begins to probe the private life of his cousin, her estranged husband, a prominent Bishop and various suspects. The texture of daily life in Ghana, including tribal divisions, common foods, the trials of daily electrical blackouts and the role of religion are an interesting background to a soundly written mystery.

[tea58 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In Accra, Ghana, there is a brutal murder of a woman for cultural reasons. Inspector Darko Dawson's life goes through extreme stress as he works to find the killer along with his new partner, Mabel Safo. Since this mystery in the Darko Dawson mystery series involves a high amount of Charismatic religion, it is not problematic to write that Inspector Dawson's family along with himself are fighting with temptations and trials and definitely need support from the rest of the family.In Accra, Ghana, there is a brutal murder of a woman for cultural reasons. Inspector Darko Dawson's life goes through extreme stress as he works to find the killer along with his new partner, Mabel Safo. Since this mystery in the Darko Dawson mystery series involves a high amount of Charismatic religion, it is not problematic to write that Inspector Dawson's family along with himself are fighting with temptations and trials and definitely need support from the rest of the family.I felt surprised that Darko Dawson is allowed to remain on the case. The case is so brutal it causes Christine to lose her balance and serenity. Sadly, she has lost not only a cousin but her best friend. During this time, there is an obedience problem with Sly, their son. Inspector Darko must handle it immediately before it gets out of hand.In this novel "Death By His Grace," by Kwei Quartey, there is the chance to explore Darko Dawson's feelings about every day life. His ideas about religion and the leaders, his ideas about Cannabis and his feelings about an older parent who has become a child again. Lastly, his role as a brother to Cairo, a quadriplegic.It is a mystery deeply involving an African family. It is about Mental Illness, religious doctrines like speaking in Tongues, Demonology and how to handle infertility when two people desire a baby. Also, there is the chance to experience how far the human mind can fall as it ages. Jacob, the father, can not remember his son's name or their relationship. He asks for his wife who disappeared years and years ago as if she should walk in the door at any minute. He gets lost and becomes disheveled along the way.This mystery will also take you deeper into the culture of Africa. There are the foods, the people and language named Ga and the ideas of witchcraft. It is thought provoking. I did feel happy to have read earlier novels. I now feel personally involved with Christine, Hosiah, Sly and the in laws. I hope to learn more about Mabel Sabo in the next mystery. I also hope Inspector Dawson continues to reveal more about himself, his likes and dislikes, as he travels around on his bike.

[cathyskye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you are an armchair traveling sleuth who loves to solve mysteries set in other countries, I recommend Kwei Quartey's Darko Dawson series. Quartey sets you down firmly on Ghanian soil and lets you immerse yourself in the land, the culture, and the food of this amazing country. The author also gives you characters with very real lives. Dawson's father has Alzheimer's and must be cared for. Dawson and his wife Christine are also dealing with a son who likes to hang out with gang members. Add a wheelchair-bound brother, a busybody mother-in-law, and the fact that Christine is a woman who speaks her mind, and it's easy to see that family life can be a bit challenging for a man who throws himself into each of his investigations.Quartey has created a strong mystery with excellent misdirection, but he does leave some loose ends, like Dawson's new (female) partner whom I'd certainly love to know more about or the things his father began to tell him about his mother which Darko had never heard before. Is the author planting seeds for his next book? I hope so-- especially because Death by His Grace has an abrupt jaw-dropper of a cliffhanger that many readers probably aren't going to like. What did I think? I was shocked but liked the author's bravery in doing what he did. After all, this is a police procedural, not a cozy mystery. Readers should expect to be rattled from time to time. Now that I have been well and truly rattled, I can't wait to get my hands on the next Darko Dawson mystery!