First published in English in 2000, this South African crime novel continues where Dead Before Dying left off . . . sort of. Police captain Mat Joubert (the investigator and subject of the terrific Dead Before Dying: A Novel), has been promoted to Superintendent, moved on with his personal life (hooray!), and now takes on a supporting role in Dead at Daybreak. Zatopek (Zet) Van Heerden (he can thank his eccentric artist mother for the unusual first name) is the former police officer at the center of this story--and it's an even grittier, shadier world than Joubert experienced.

An antiques dealer is found dead execution style, the contents of his safe missing, and the woman in his life left without the combination to the safe--or any knowledge of the missing contents. She's the heir to his fortune, if the will can be unearthed. Attorney Hope Beneke convinces the relectant Van Heerden to take the job. But the assignment proves even trickier than the safe combination: the dealer isn't who he claims to be, and his background includes false identification and a murky past. As Van Heerden peels back the rotting layers to uncover the truth, the professional turns personal when the underworld threatens the lives of Hope and Van Heerden's mother.

At almost 12 hours playing time, the audio version is a fast-paced, exciting listening experience. Narrator Simon Vance turns out yet another exceptional performance, deftly managing the numerous cast of characters. If you like your action adventure/detective thrillers gritty and hard-boiled, Dead at Daybreak is for you. One note of caution: the language is very strong, the situations very violent, the deaths many, and the sexual content relatively explicit--so make sure the kids are in another part of the house (or town). Van Heerden is a tougher, nastier character than Mat Joubert--what Mat had in sad-sack humility, Van Heerden has in brash, aggressive force. Recommended for fans of detective fiction, action adventure, and Meyer fans. (Posted on 12/3/12)