African Mysteries: Detective Kubu

By Michael Stanley

A new collection of four southern African mystery short stories from Michael Stanley, author of the award-winning Detective Kubu series, including a never-before-published Kubu mystery.

Serial Killer is set in 1999, when Kubu is a brand new detective, wet behind the ears and trying to find his role in the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department. As a new detective, Kubu is assigned a trivial case trying to catch a prankster. But then the pranks start to escalate and seem headed towards murder.

"Informal recycling" is a common profession in South Africa (and many other places). On garbage-collection days, the informal recyclers go from bin to bin searching for anything they can use or resell. In The Ring one of these recyclers makes a horrifying discovery in a rich, Johannesburg woman's bin.

The Otter Trail is a wonderful five-day hike along South Africa's south coast. In Three on a Trail, two girls start the trail but only one comes out. And that one can't remember what happened. The missing girl's brother decides to find out, but gets much more than he bargained for.

The final story in this short collection is The Last Case of Inspector Fourie. Angry about being overlooked for promotion and sour about the lack of success with prosecutions in South Africa, an embittered policeman investigates a murder and the theft of diamonds from a De Beers facility. The puzzle is how did the diamonds leave the building through all the automated security, and what happened to them after that?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Stanley Books
• Release date: May 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393659785

Book preview

Introduction

We published our first collection of short stories, Detective Kubu Investigates , seven years ago, and last year we followed it up with more Botswana mysteries. Over the years we’ve also written several stories set in South Africa, and with everyone looking for things to read during lockdowns and social distancing, we thought it would be a good idea to make a selection of these available. We just couldn’t leave Kubu out altogether, so to complete this short selection, we’ve written a new Kubu story especially for the collection.

In our latest Kubu novel, Facets of Death, we wrote about Kubu’s first big case in 1998. He was a brand new detective, wet behind the ears. It allowed us to explore how Kubu developed both as a detective and as a person. Readers have been enthusiastic about the young Kubu, and there will be a couple more similar novels in the future. Serial Killer is set in the same period. As a new detective, Kubu is assigned a trivial case trying to catch a prankster. But then the pranks start to escalate and seem headed towards murder.

The Ring was written for the special anthology–Ten Year Stretch–celebrating ten years of Crimefest, the international crime fiction convention, held each year in Bristol in the UK. Informal recycling is a common profession in South Africa (and many other places). On garbage-collection days, the informal recyclers go from bin to bin searching for anything they can use, as well as materials like cardboard and glass that can be collected, lugged into town on homemade trolleys, and sold for a small sum to professional recycling companies. In The Ring, one of these recyclers makes a horrifying discovery in a rich, Johannesburg woman’s bin—her head.

Three on a Trail appeared in one of the regular UK Crime Writers Association collections that had the theme Mystery Tour. The Otter Trail is a wonderful five-day hike along South Africa’s south coast. Although you have to carry everything you need, there are cabins where you can spend the four nights. In the story, two girls start the trail but only one comes out. And that one can’t remember what happened. The missing girl’s brother decides to find out, but gets much more than he bargained for.

The final story in this short collection is The Last Case of Inspector Fourie. An embittered policeman, angry about being overlooked for promotion and sour about the lack of success with prosecutions in South Africa, investigates a murder and the theft of diamonds from a De Beers facility. The puzzle is how did the diamonds leave the building through all the automated security and what happened to them after that?

We hope you enjoy these stories. If you find Kubu appealing, try one of the Kubu novels. The first one is A Carrion Death.

"Despite a shared setting with Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, this fast-paced forensic thriller will resonate more with fans of Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta."  - Publishers Weekly, starred review

Or if you haven’t read our Detective Kubu Investigates collections, you could start there.

Michael and Stanley, May 2020.

Serial Killer

Detective Sergeant Kubu Bengu returned to his office after lunch, reluctant to get back to work. Although he loved his job at the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department, he had to admit that he was bored. No exciting cases had come his way recently, and the straightforward ones that he’d solved had generated what seemed an unending stream of paperwork. He accepted that most detective work was routine, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

Well, he thought as he entered the building, as the newest detective at the CID, I suppose I can’t expect to get the most challenging cases.

As he walked past the reception desk, Elias called him over.

Bengu! I’ve got a case for you. This is a real doozy. Assistant Superintendent Mabaku said I should give it to you.

Kubu pricked up his ears and hurried over. The assistant superintendent wanted me on the case?

Well, he actually said someone who was available, but you should be ideal. There’s a constable at the scene, and he called in a few minutes ago. He needs support urgently. Elias shook his head. Hard to believe. The victim was found outside the house with a nail—a big builder’s nail—right through the forehead. He drilled a finger between his eyes, and shuddered theatrically. Horrible. Anyway, here’s the address. You’d better get moving.

Kubu was puzzled. Elias was usually unfriendly and unhelpful. He wondered what had produced this apparent change of attitude.

AS KUBU DROVE, HE HOPED that Elias had alerted the forensics people and the pathologist. This didn’t sound like the domestic violence that was all too prevalent in Botswana, but a full-blown murder. They would certainly send a more senior detective as soon as one was available.

He thought about the nail. Perhaps it had been fired from a nail gun. Unless knocked unconscious first, the victim wasn’t going to wait to be attacked with a hammer and a nail. Kubu blanched. He knew he wasn’t going to enjoy seeing the body.

Kubu found the house and parked behind a police vehicle. He was surprised to find that the house wasn’t sealed off with crime-scene tape. The constable must be on his own. He hoped the man knew what he was about, and that the scene wasn’t being contaminated.

He walked up to the house and banged on the front door. It opened a few seconds later, and a man glared at him.

Who are you? What do you want?

Kubu passed the man his identification. After he’d given it a cursory glance, the man walked back into the house. You’d better come through to the back veranda. It’s there. My daughter was hysterical, so my wife’s put her to bed and is sitting with her.

But you don’t seem that upset, Kubu noted. Perhaps the nonchalance was a clue