Payback

​Author: Priscilla Holmes
Publisher: Modjaji
Reviewer: Nancy Richards
‘You can’t possibly be serious.’ said the voice in my imaginary conversation with author Priscilla Holmes. ‘It’s completely OUTRAGEOUS!’ ‘Yup’ came the reply. Guess she’s not wrong – if you’re going to write a killer-thriller, what for to hold back. Certainly not on detail, and in Payback, Ms Holmes has spared none.
Quick catch up, if you’re not familiar with her 

first Thabisa Tswane novel Now I See You, you should know that the intuitive investigative Detective Inspector Tswane has recently been promoted to Major in the Eagles, a South African crime-fighting unit (bird of prey similarity intended). But while the Major, her muscular and intriguing husband Zak (another force for good in remote and secret places) and her twin sons Kwezi and Langa are key to this stand-alone story, the real outstandingly outrageous protagonist is Julia McEwan aka Eloise du Pont whose ‘couverture’ is not blown so much as completely over le top. ‘In this job you will have to play many parts,’ says the couverture coach, ‘you stand out because you’re tall, so sometimes you must learn to stoop, tu comprends?’
Francophiles will love this book with its linguistic segues. Fashionistas also indulged with much dress detail hot from the style avenues of Paris, and for those with cultural curiosity, there’s a visit to a rural red ochre valley with precious, protected beadwork, traditional dancing and the revered if terrifying utatomkhulu. For good measure there’s quite a bit of steamy sex, infidelity, suspicion and revenge too.
The big fromage however, is the obscenely wealthy and less-than-scrupulous Victor Maseko whose prime objective is to create and launch an uber-opulent shrine to his ego, The Maseko. Forests of trees and flowers are brought in for the opening bash, sushi and frosted flutes of champagne are served, the Mamelodi Youth choir and Nkosazana the people’s princess sing, presidents, press and personalities are invited and all are treated to a dazzling ‘carrieres de lumierers’ sound and light finale. Did I mention outrageous?
The first Thabisa Tswane title came out eight years ago, since when it seems Ms Holmes has been amassing some pretty meaty material for this one and, one suspects, delving into her own well-travelled experience and memory bank. ​