Dead in the water

Dead in the Water is Irna van Zyl's highly anticipated debut thriller. Set on the coast near Hermanus in the fictitious town of Grootbaai, shark-cagediving capital of the world, the novel features oddball detective Storm van der Merwe. Stocky, smart and unconventional, Storm was banished to Hermanus after demonstrating against the shooting of beached whales. She now keeps out of trouble in the seaside town by working on cold cases. But how can she keep a low profile when bodies, limbs and other evidence keep appearing on the sandy shores of Grootbaai?

When the body of investigative journalist Jessica Stander washes up on the beach minus an arm, Storm realises that the situation at Grootbaai is even more dangerous than she suspected.

In Irna van Zyl's page-turning thriller, everyone's a suspect and the stakes are deadly.