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Diablos de Polvo

Roger Smith (Goodreads Author)

4.01 · Rating details · 439 ratings · 71 reviews

TO AVENGE WHAT HE LOVES, HE BECOMES WHAT HE HATES
Framed for murdering his family, South African journalist Robert Dell's only ally is his oldest enemy: his father, an ex-CIA hitman with one last shot at redemption. Hunting the real killer, father and son take a bloody road trip into the heart of darkness, uncovering a conspiracy reaching to the highest levels of the state. ...more

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Paperback, Colección Pulpo Negro, 344 pages

Published May 2012 by Es Pop ediciones (first published June 27th 2011)

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· 439 ratings · 71 reviews

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Jan 30, 2014 Kemper rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: noir, spy-vs-spy, politics, crime-mystery, over-there, 2014

(I received a free copy of this book from New Pulp Press for this review.)

This book starts out with infidelity, murder, more murder and political/police corruption.

Then things really get dark.

Robert Dell is a white South African journalist who protested apartheid. He’s a liberal, a committed pacifist and married to a black woman. His father, Bobby Goodbread, proves that sometimes the apple falls a long way from the tree. Goodbread is an American who got up to all kinds of evil deeds as part of h (I received a free copy of this book from New Pulp Press for this review.)

This book starts out with infidelity, murder, more murder and political/police corruption.

Then things really get dark.

Robert Dell is a white South African journalist who protested apartheid. He’s a liberal, a committed pacifist and married to a black woman. His father, Bobby Goodbread, proves that sometimes the apple falls a long way from the tree. Goodbread is an American who got up to all kinds of evil deeds as part of his job as a CIA agent fighting communism in various hot spots. He worked with the right-wing whites in South Africa to keep apartheid in place and liked to brag that it was his information that led to the capture of Nelson Mandela. As you would expect, the two have little to talk about.

Dell is framed for a horrible crime by Inja Mazibuko, a brutal enforcer for a high ranking government official. As he’s about to be transferred to a prison where he’ll almost certainly be killed Dell is rescued by his estranged father. With no other options, Dell reluctantly joins Goodbread on a mission of revenge.

Mazibuko has returned to a remote region that he runs like a warlord so that he can marry his fourth wife. Sunday is a young girl who has essentially been sold to Mazibuko, and the prospect is terrifying since she witnessed him murdering her family when she was a child. Her desperate attempt to seek help in the form of a fax to an old phone number lands on the desk of Disaster Zondi, a police officer who just saw his department gutted by corruption. Zondi is from the area and used to be part of the same crew as Mazibuko before changing his ways. He also knew Sunday’s mother, and he returns to his old stomping grounds for reasons he doesn’t fully understand.

The opening chapters of this made me think that his was going to be a fast-paced violent thrill ride, and while the pace is brisk and there’s no shortage of carnage, there’s a lot more going on in this book than just a story about people trying to kill each other in the wilds of Africa. The poverty stricken area here is a mix of Zulu tribal rituals and superstitions mixed with bits of the modern world like BMWs, cell phones and AK-47s.

The major characters are all extremely well developed, and Smith makes you completely understand them all from the liberal and educated Dell to the teenaged Sunday who has never used a modern bathroom. Zondi’s return to the place he grew up stirs mixed emotions about the boy he used to be and the man he became once he left. Goodbread is fascinating as an aging Cold Warrior who thought he was doing the right thing at the time. Particularly disturbing is Mazibuko whose is almost a force of nature in his ruthlessness, and he makes for one spectacularly evil villain.

Just when you think you know where the story is going, there’ll be a surprising but logical twist and nothing goes as expected. It’s not a happy read, but it’s an intriguing one.

Also posted at Kemper's Book Blog. ...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Ed rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: hardboiled/noir fans

Recommended to Ed by: previous reader of his work

For my money, the top echelon of literary crime noir creates separate narrative threads of the main characters and then, somehow, weaves them together into one volatile, propulsive story. Roger Smith does just that and with seamless ease. I enjoyed reading his Mixed Blood earlier this year, and I consider Dust Devils even a notch better. The antihero, Robert Dell, South African journalist, finds his family killed, and reacts with fiery red in his eyes. His seeking revenge and justice feels right ...more

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Jan 26, 2014 Jason Bradley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, ebook, mystery, thriller

(New Pulp Press offered me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

In this story, the author takes you on a twisting, turning jaunt that not only introduces you to some of the most interesting, fully fleshed-out characters I have ever read, but also keeps your heart racing for the entire read. This is one read you will never forget.

Amazing!

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Feb 06, 2014 Don Bradshaw rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: political-fiction, damaged-individual, detective-police, thriller, murder, military

Set in the corrupt days after apartheid in South Africa, this is a story vividly spiced with native culture, modern thinking and the space between the two. The abject forced poverty and the utter disregard for human life made this story a tough one to read. The writing was flawless and kept the story moving well. The characters and their customs especially the Zulu, were well developed and three dimensional whether you liked them or not. I highly recommend this thriller.

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Feb 19, 2014 Marvin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

The violence piles up quickly in Roger Smith's action packed yet depressingly realistic thriller Dust Devils. Set in South Africa, it tells a story full of deception, corruption, murder, revenge and pretty much everything else you might find in a thriller. The author's strength is not just that he can handle all of this and keep you on the edge of your seat but that he can also transport you into the South African culture in a way that makes you feel you are there. At the end you may be glad you ...more

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Jan 30, 2014 Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, thrillers, crime-drama, author-request

Dust Devils by Roger Smith is a 2011 publication.
It's bad enough that Robert Dell, a white journalist in South Africa, has lost his family, but now he is being blamed for it. In order to hunt down the real killer, Robert must team up with his father. The thing is, he hates his father. The two have a few differences when it comes to politics. But, Robert is out of options by this time and has no choice but to join forces with his father.
The person behind Robert's frame up is set to marry his fo ...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Benoit Lelièvre rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

You have to understand two things to fully enjoy this novel. First, it's a very angry political novel, so the purpose is bigger than the story and you have to stop sometimes to let the horror seep in. Two, while Roger Smith is a decent writer, where he truly leaves everybody behind is as a storyteller. He will constantly mess with your expectations, but will articule a story of a spectacular scope without ever betraying your trust. Dust Devils is a noir novel as fine as anything ever written in ...more

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Oct 10, 2014 Las rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I never write reviews, someone has always said what I want to say. This book won't be for everyone. It's violent, shocking, raw and confronting. A gripping story, but there's no happy ending. A reflection of African politics, culture and issues of that era. It won't be the last book I read from Roger Smith, but at least I'm prepared. ...more

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Jun 21, 2019 Mark rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My reading tastes lean mostly towards crime and thriller and horror. But I'm getting jaded. When looking for a little 'darkness' fix, noir mainlines my enjoyment 100%.

There are many great writers and great books but personally, truly excellent ones are rare.

Dust Devils sat on a charity shop shelf. Creased like a pensioners face. Heavily dog eared and discoloured. The synopsis: Robert is a journalist framed for murdering his family. The only friend he has is his father, an ex CIA hitman. They ar ...more

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Aug 22, 2018 David Bridges rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Perfectly executed noir novel right here. This is my first round with Roger Smith but will definitely not be my last. I don't know much about South Africa, but despite that, I totally felt like I was there. From the metro coasts to the scorching heat of a Zulu village, Smith has you right there with his characters.

The book clocks in at 302 pages but I have to admit that I blew through the book quickly. The storytelling is gripping and the characters are flawed yet believable. The narrative is c ...more

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Nov 24, 2019 Z.A. Coe rated it liked it · review of another edition

Dust Devils is bleak and gritty but apparently quite accurate in its portrayal of the setting. The book is very well written and Roger Smith has an exquisite command of language. I don't think I'll read more of his books because this was a bit too bleak for me, but for anyone who likes well-written action or thriller novels, Dust Devils is a good showcase of Smith's talent. ...more

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Oct 16, 2017 Mark M. Williams rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Good read

Exciting and setting captures your imagination. Cultural interplay was also rewarding. I would recommend this book without hesitation. Reminds me a little of Wibur Smith novels.

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Dec 12, 2019 Jeremiah Dube rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Amazing. Thrilling all the way. Very stark and harsh writing, but it describes the reality of the crime context in which these poor people have to survive.

Very dark and violent and very exciting to read.

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Jan 20, 2021 Blake Tomlinson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Very good. Violent and stark but very authentic. The characters are drawn in broad outline with little complexity but that works well for the kind of thriller we have here.

Sparse dialogue, and the action is dark and thrilling. Most enjoyable to read.

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Jul 08, 2011 Elizabeth A. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A man who protested alongside black South Africans for the end of apartheid, freelance journalist Robert Dell is a devoted pacifist with a deeply ingrained sense of justice. When his wife and children are killed after a truck deliberately forces them off the road, Dell's grief turns into outrage when he is accused of being the one responsible for their deaths.

Initially placing his trust in the justice system to set things straight, Dell quickly realizes those responsible for the deaths of his fa A man who protested alongside black South Africans for the end of apartheid, freelance journalist Robert Dell is a devoted pacifist with a deeply ingrained sense of justice. When his wife and children are killed after a truck deliberately forces them off the road, Dell's grief turns into outrage when he is accused of being the one responsible for their deaths.

Initially placing his trust in the justice system to set things straight, Dell quickly realizes those responsible for the deaths of his family have connections in both the police force and court; he's being railroaded, and the only way he can prove his innocence is to bring down the real culprit. Not an easy task, and one with which Dell reluctantly accepts his father's help. Ironically, his father, Bobby Goodbread, was himself only recently released from prison, where he was serving time for his involvement with death squads under the apartheid government. Fortunately Goodbread is still connected to his old network, because the man he and Dell are after is big game.

Inja Mazibuko is both a corrupt police officer and a Zulu Chief. He also happens to be suffering from full-blown AIDS, a situation he intends to cure with a traditional remedy; marrying a young virgin. His intended, 16-year-old Sunday, wants nothing to do with the warlord but has little choice. Her shot at salvation comes in the form of Disaster Zondi (who also appeared in Smith's Mixed Blood), a former police officer who returns home in order to lay the demons of his criminal youth to rest. When Zondi inadvertently receives an invitation to the wedding he realizes he may actually know Sunday, and that under no circumstances can she be allowed to marry the vicious Mazibuko.

Author Roger Smith weaves the threads of these five individuals' lives into an intense, evocative, and ultimately stark tapestry. Though most are familiar with South Africa's apartheid past and its fall, few are probably aware of the current state of the country. Smith very adeptly uses the plights of the individual characters as embodiments of the challenges facing the country itself. The struggle for justice and redemption that Dell, Goodbread, and Zondi are wrestling with serves as a mirror for the country's struggle to find the same, while Mazibuko and Sunday are reflections of the dichotomy of the Zulu culture; one foot planted firmly in the past, the other striding toward a new, more enlightened future.

It's not often something so bleak can also be beautiful, but Smith paints such a vivid, realistic picture of the characters and their hopes and motivations that one can't help but appreciate and be overwhelmed by the desire for happiness they - and the country - are all striving to reach in their own ways. Smith's writing is a master class in how to create a novel that speaks to the reader on multiple levels, as well as how to infuse a work with a message without beating the reader over the head with it. Dust Devils is truly powerful writing.
...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Quentin Stewart rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

DUST DEVILS is one of those hard to put down books once you get started. It gives one an over view of what life is like in South Africa with one portion of the country stepping into the 21st century and part of the country still living by the rules and standards set in the times of tribal rule throughout Africa. I found this clash of belief systems to be interesting and fascinating. It shows that the hatreds created by the British rule continue to simmer just beneath the surface and at times bre ...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Kevin Bowser rated it liked it · review of another edition

I have always been intrigued by the apartheid and post-apartheid period in South Africa. And Dust Devils by Roger Smith weaves an interesting if not convoluted story into a complex plot with many characters. The method of storytelling made it a little hard to follow for one who reads only a few chapters per night. So, my first step each time I picked up the book was to try to remember who was who!

The book is set in present day Cape Town in South Africa. It opens with a woman who is involved with ...more

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Aug 12, 2011 April rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-thriller-fiction-police-proc

DUST DEVILS by Roger Smith is an exciting South African crime thriller set in present day Cape Town,South Africa. It is well written with depth and details. The characters are believable,engaging and will capture your heart. It has corruption,revenge,redemption,arranged marriage,conspiracy,AIDS,South Africa,violence, lawlessness,political and civil corruption and murder. This is a fast paced,heart pumping thriller where the characters are engaged in political and civil corruption and where young ...more

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May 18, 2012 C.K. Raggio rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Couldn't put this down!!

DUST DEVILS by Roger Smith kept me on the edge of my seat from the first sentence. This was a quick, highly entertaining read. Set in present Cape Town in South Africa, it starts with a woman who makes a mistake, one her family pays the worst price for.

Add in drug lords, a crooked cop, a man wrongly accused, a young Zulu girl betrothed to a monster, a native son of a chief who left behind his demons in search of more; and you have one heck of a roller coaster ride.

There ...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Scott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: review, favorites

I'm left a little speechless by how engrossing this book is. Thrilling, enlightening, caustic, moving, and thought provoking. The toxic legacy of colonialism scars this narrative, leaving all its characters damaged and lashing out with pain, ignorance, and grief that just won't go away. Smith's facility with point of view leaves you hating a character in one scene and empathizing with him in the next. This book burns with a distilled rage, and paints a devastating portrait of the many-sourced in ...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Dana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I think Roger Smith is the best writer of crime fiction today. I have read them all over the years starting with Mickey Spillane to Joseph Wambaugh, then Lee Child, James Lee Burke. Elmore Leonard and John Sandford (and on and on). They are absolutely great and I wait for each book they publish, but someone has to be the best and Roger Smith has taken that position.

If you enjoy crime fiction do yourself a favor and read "Dust Devils". Everything about this book is perfect. It is very violent and ...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Diane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

When I read this book, I rushed back round to Foyle's and bought Roger Smith's two other books which were available there. The real crime here is that Smith is not huge, worldwide, New York Times list and all the rest. Highly entertaining, but utterly believable South African noir, which at times will make you laugh, and at others will make you cry. Cape Town is the setting and the cast of characters is awesome.
A cracking tale, I hope he gets the recognition he deserves very soon. Far, far bette ...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Gavin Greenwood rated it liked it · review of another edition

Another great book from Roger Smith. Evil characters like Inja make one's skin crawl.

And a clear ability to capture African moments: "Dell followed the coast road, along the edge of Africa. To the left the cane fields, to the right the Indian Ocean. He caught glimpses of water, flat and greasy, through the fungus of condos and golf estates - the privileged hunkered down behind razor wire and electric fences, staring off toward far Australia and wondering why the hell they hadn't got the hell ou ...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Robin Jonathan Deutsch rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Roger Smith delivers again. He weaves another amazing South Africa novel replete with the same dark, gritty and realistic flair he's offered in his previous novels.

I will not write much about Dust Devils except to say that it's an absolute page turner; but then again, every one of his novels are. There are enough descriptions of Dust Devils around to get the basic details, but you really have to spend time with it to get the complete story. I found myself re-reading passages. Smith's depictions ...more

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Feb 15, 2016 Bernie Charbonneau rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, thriller-suspense-mystery

This is my third book by this wonderful author and I seem to enjoy his tales more and more. His writing is both gritty and dark that you must not enter his books on a full stomach! The scenery and characters are so seedy that at times you will need to force that days lunch down. The story centers in the outskirts of Johannesburg in the Zulu district and let me tell you, after reading this thriller, I have no desire to visit that part of the world any time soon! Mr. Smith does such an excellent j ...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Trent Smith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Dark. Bleak. Violent. Noir.

When you start out a novel with adultery and the murder of one's family the trajectory hopefully arcs upwards. Not so with Smith's latest. He grabs a hold of the reader, throws you in a runaway coal cart, and heads you to the depths of human suffering, mining one disturbing image after another.

Redemption and hope, faith and love, are in short supply. Roger squeezes joy until it's naught but a burnt photograph left to fade in the African sun.

Other reviews can be found ...more

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Aug 03, 2015 Roxanne Grenville rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Great thriller. Violent, dark, very noir. Interesting insights into current day violent crime in South Africa. Lots of action, very reflective of the real world (as far as I can see from the daily reporting from that country). Very enjoyable. Some might think the violence is gratuitous. Not me: I think it's real and very present, and in your face. Maybe to unrelenting. Would like to see more reflective moments showing the human side of these dark characters. Interesting to read other authors fro ...more

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Jan 17, 2016 Robbie Denvil rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Read this last week and finished it on June 16th. Maybe because of that it made me realise how far and how not so far we've come as a country.

I liked it even more than I liked Ian Patrick's first two books Devil Dealing and Gun Dealing. Those were brilliant, and I intend to read the others in his series. But this one is even more exciting. Lekker action, amazing violence, lovely characters. Must get more of this guy to read when I finish the 'Ryder' series.

So much to read. So little time. ...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Polly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is an excellent book, but if you don't like violence, this book is not for you. It's dark and raw and gritty. There are multiple story lines on a converging path that build tension right up to the last page. I particularly enjoyed Smith's use of similes. Never were they strained, something lesser writers never quite master. The setting is South Africa, complete with warlords and corruption that I'm afraid is all too real. If you're looking for an exciting read, I recommend Dust Devils. ...more

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Jun 13, 2013 Rory Costello rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Smith captures an absolutely horrific underside of South Africa, but without ever having set foot on the continent, you can tell that his vision is true. It is extremely graphic, but that's what makes it compelling too. I appreciated the many small cultural details.

This book could be the harder, meaner grandson of Robert Ruark's Something of Value (1955), which was set in Kenya against the backdrop of the Mau Mau rebellion. ...more

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About Roger Smith

Roger Smith

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Roger Smith's thrillers Nowhere, Man Down, Sacrifices, Capture, Dust Devils, Wake Up Dead, Mixed Blood & Ishmael Toffee are published in eight languages and two are in development as movies in the U.S.

His books have won the German Crime Award and been nominated for Spinetingler Magazine Best Novel awards. He also writes horror under the pen name Max Wilde.

“Roger Smith writes with brutal beauty ...more