"The King of South African Crime Writers" Mariella Frostrup on Open Book, BBC R4 Dawn light on the mountains, a two-metre swell coming off False Bay. PI Fish Pescado – lithe, blonde-haired, six-pack – is surfing. To Fish this is paradise. Except, he has no work, and a diminishing bank balance. Until a young surfer paddles up: 'Hey, Fish, there's a pretty chick looking for you.' The pretty chick is Vicki Kahn, poker addict by night, lawyer by day. She's bright, sharp, lovely. The best woman he's ever had. And she's got a job for him: find the murderous bastard who wiped out a bystander at an illegal drag race. If only it were that easy. Thing is the drag racer has connections high up. Really high up, right to the police commissioner. Thing is the police commissioner has his eye on Vicki Kahn. Thing is the police commissioner has a past, a nasty past. A past that has something to do with the bad old days and hit squads and the kind of information that no one in the new rainbow nation wants uncovered. The kind of information that involves lots of money – gold bullion in fact. The commissioner's also got a taste for the lush life. A taste that is ruthless, savage. AUTHOR: Mike Nicol was born in Cape Town, where he still lives. SALES POINTS: . A classy, break-out thriller from a rising star, admired by critics and fellow authors . Wonderful reviews, with more to come... . Terrific plot (illegal gold, rhino horn smuggling, drag racing: what's not to like?) . A likeable, flawed and sexy pair of investigators . Vivid, authentic evocation of modern Cape Town and South Africa REVIEWS: 'Incisive . . . top-class . . . riveting . . . Nicol is a superb storyteller, with vibrant characters and stunningly vivid dialogue. A gripping thriller, which is also an insight into a fascinatingly flawed society.' -The Times on Of Cops and Robbers 'A superlative talent . . . Explosive, topical and coruscating, this lifts the lid off the other side of the African dream.' -Maxim Jakubowski on Of Cops and Robbers ' I think I may have read the best crime novel of the year; certainly one of them . . . An absolute belter . . . makes most Scandi-crime look as if it's been set in Legoland' -Shots Magazine on Of Cops and Robbers 'This is not just superb genre writing: it is superb writing, period ... 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 . . . Everything I love about the genre in just the right amount' -Deon Meyer ALL TITLES BY MIKE NICOL: Payback 9781906964160 Killer Country 9781906964191 Black Heart 9781906964993 Of Cops and Robbers 9781908699602