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"When a cold case dossier lands on Captain Benny Griessel's desk, he and his partner Vaughn Cupido, fellow member of the Hawks elite police unit in South Africa, reluctantly set to work reviewing the evidence of the disappearance -- and possible murder -- of ex-cop Johnson Johnson on the world's most luxurious train line. Two fellow travelers might have the answers Griessel and Cupido need-but they too seem to have disappeared into thin air, and the few clues that exist suggest a cover-up. Meanwhile, Daniel Darret has settled into a new, quiet life in Bordeaux, France, far from his native South Africa and his revolutionary past. But when a man from that past reappears to commission his unique skills one more time, Daniel is forced to decide whether to remain anonymous or to strike a forceful blow against a corrupt government. Benny and Vaughn's investigation and Daniel's decision eventually collide in an ending as dramatic as it is unexpected, leaving Griessel and Cupido uncertain of their own future. With its rapid-fire plotting and beloved characters, The Last Hunt shows one of today's great crime writers operating at the peak of his powers and makes a brave and powerful statement about the pervasive corruption that has stolen so much from Meyer's native country"--… (more)
User reviews
Benny is an officer on an elite police force dubbed the Hawks. He is divorced, loves music and plays in a band on his off-hours. He has a drinking problem. The drinking flares up, often, seemingly in almost every book. I am impatient with it, and not at all sympathetic; for me it has been a huge negative for most of this series. I will add two other comments about Meyer’s books before addressing “The Last Hunt” (LH). I felt the previous book, #5, “Icarus” was perhaps the best in the series: a big plus was it’s featuring all of the officers in the unit and getting to know each, along with his/her special skills. Unfortunately, most of that cast was missing in LH. Finally, Meyer is, for me at least, unique in that I enjoyed his stand alone novels as much, probably more than, the anchor Benny series (try “Blood Safari” first!)….
LH begins with a new “hero”, Daniel Darret, who cannot sleep and takes a middle of the night walk in Bordeaux, France. Where he encounters a woman being chased by five screaming young men; they are not playing tag. Daniel saves the day. In the next chapters, Benny and partner Cupido, are picking up a new case, the apparent murder of a private investigator who may have been thrown off the luxury train to Pretoria; the case moves along. And suddenly we are back to Daniel in France. And like a tennis match, chapters flip characters back and forth, with no obvious connection….for a rather long time. Then Benny and partner get involved with another death, a personal matter involving their boss. Murder? Suicide? Let’s get into the evidence, and wow, do we get into the evidence. Maybe too much. For me, way too much. Got a bit yawny here. After too long, all three elements (Daniel, the train thing, and the murder/suicide) link up , and perhaps like me you will get a déjà vu sensation, like is this Meyer’s “Day of the Jackal”? Hmmm. Definite similarities in some respects. Bottomline, LH is good but it’s not another “Jackal”. Intriguing title “Last Hunt” Last Benny? OK by me, but I’d like to see a new Meyer series.
Recommended.