Death in Kenya [Hardcover]

M. M. Kaye (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1983

Written by one of the most gifted storytellers of our time, Death in Kenya is a wonderfully evocative mystery, reminiscent of the best classic novels of Agatha Christie.

When Victoria Caryll is offered a position at Flamingo, her aunt's family estate in Kenya's Rift Valley, she accepts-knowing full well that the move will give her a chance to see Eden DeBrett once again, the man she was previously engaged to. But she doesn't realize that coming to her aunt's home will introduce her to an unstable region still recovering from the bloody Mau Mau revolt, and to a household thrown into grief by a recent murder. Distinguished by its mystery, romance, and exotic setting, Death in Kenya is as graceful as it is chilling-it is the beloved novel of one of our finest and most accomplished writers.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

M.M. Kaye was born in India and spent much of her childhood and adult life there. She became world famous with the publication of her monumental bestseller, The Far Pavilions. She is also the author of the bestselling Trade Wind and Shadow of the Moon. She lives in England.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: St Martins Pr (July 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312186118
• ISBN-13: 978-0312186111
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,079,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous blend of mystery, suspense and romance!, May 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Death in Kenya (Paperback)

Before I read this book, the only works of M.M. Kaye that I had read were the Far Pavilions and Shadow of the Moon. Both were excellent but I had seen her as more of a romance writer and was therefore surprised to learn that she has written mysteries as well. Death in Kenya is a very well-written mystery with a nice touch of romance but the best part is the atomosphere. Kaye does a masterful job of recreating Colonial Kenya at the end of WWII where many settlers were born and bred in the country yet clung stubbornly to their British roots. The world they inhabit is one of bungalows, afternoon tea parties, card parties at clubs, and hunts - this sounds old-fashioned even for the 1950's, but you recognize that the winds of change were already blowing over the remaining colonized countries and the white settlers were desperately trying to hold on to a disappearing lifestyle. The mystery itself is intruiging - Victoria Caryll, a young girl who had been born in Kenya but was subsequently sent to England for her education is asked to come out and be with her aunt, Lady Emily DeBrett. Victoria is reluctant because returning to Kenya would meen meeting her cousin Eden DeBrett, who she had been formerly engaged to. As a teenager, she had been in love with Eden when he had broken her heart by abruptly calling off their engagement and marrying another girl. However, her aunt prevails upon her to come. But as she is on her way out, Eden's wife Alice is brutally murdered and the story takes off from there. The mystery is interesting and genuinely suspenseful and reading about Kenya was amazing! Kaye had actually lived in Kenya and her love for the country and indeed all of Africa clearly comes through. Highly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the finest mysteries, February 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Death in Kenya (Hardcover)

It's been some time since I read Death in Kenya, but I know that I've read it at least 3 or 4 times over the past several years. It lead me to read her other Death in books. I liked them, and recommend them, but none can compare to Kenya. An exceptionally rousing and clever mystery that also succeeds as a romance -- and as a history lesson! Few, if any, readers will be disappointed by Death in Kenya.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I think the best of Kaye's mysteries, January 2, 2006

By 

A. Woodley "Patroness, Janeites, the Austen list" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Death in Kenya (Paperback)

Having lead a life of great travel and adventure (she was married to an army officer in British Colonial times and posted all around the world, Kaye then sat down to write a series of mysteries based in the places she had been, there were six of the "Death in..." series including Kashmir, Zanzibar, Kenya, the Andamans and Berlin.

Of the 6 of them I think this is the best so far, but I have one left to read, Death in Kashmir which I am most looking forward to. I haven't found any of these books to match the extraordinary and sweeping writing of her romances, or indeed the scope they cover, but they are reasonable and fun reads if somewhat dated.

Victoria, raised in Kenya returns at her aunt's bidding to assist her in her farm in the rift valley. She is also returning to see Eden, the cousin whom she loved but who dumped her to marry another woman, Alice. While on her way out Alice is brutally murdered. This is all in the shadow of the Maumau uprising and the incipient violence is palpable beneath the surface of the book.

There are some genuinely surprising twists in this book and Kaye doesn't cheat too much, you can actually figure this one out from the clues she makes available. If you're smart that is....I'm not, but I did go back and check!