Announcing "Operation: Genocide"

An inhuman agenda…

In 1982, Annette Pretorius lives a life of privilege afforded to those of European descent in South Africa, but when her husband is murdered, she discovers a shattering secret: he’d been commissioned by the whites-only South African government to develop a lethal virus aimed at controlling the growth of the black population--already oppressed under the cruel system of apartheid.

A clandestine organization…

The murder came with a warning to Annette from a secretive organization: keep our secrets or you too will die. Captain Trevor Watson, Annette’s former boyfriend, is appointed to lead the investigation. Watson’s loyalty is tested as the evidence stacks against his high school sweetheart.

And the killing isn’t over yet…

When the investigation points in a terrifying direction, Annette and Watson face a wrenching choice: protect those they love or sacrifice all to save innocents from racial extermination.  

Operation: Genocide by Yvonne Walus. Coming out soon from Stairway Press.  

Photos from the book launch of "Murder @ Play"

Murder Mysteries throughout Africa....

For those of you interested in African Murder Mysteries, here is a cool magazine, Mystery Readers' Journal, featuring two articles of mine. You won't be able to view much of the contents online, though of course you're welcome to purchase the PDF or the hard copy.

South Africa in 1994

South African News Headlines in 1994 (the time in which Murder @ Play is set):

• 10 May Nelson Mandela is sworn in as the first President of South Africa and FW de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki become joint deputy presidents
• The United Nations lifts its arms embargo on South Africa
• Princess Anne, Princess Royal, visits South Africa
• The African National Congress hold their 49th National Conference in Bloemfontein

"Murder @ Play" is here!

My copies of "Murder @ Play" have finally made it to New Zealand and I'm delighted to see that the cover is actually made up of tiny white bricks (i.e., it's not white the way it looks online) - it just goes to show that, amazing as the Internet is, The Real Thing is sometimes better!

Incidentally, if you read "Murder @ Play", you will notice that while some characters communicate by email, and while the solution relies on the detective's understanding of electronic files, the Internet plays no part in the story and Google is a word not invented yet (the book being set in 1994). Oh, and only affluent businessmen carry cell phones - which weigh more than a brick!

If you think that weird, wait till my next book comes out. That one is set in 1982... no cell phones, no Internet and spoiled rich kids play Atari TV games!!!! :-)

Genderism in South Africa and USA

Apartheid in South Africa was not only about race: it was also about gender. In those days, women were not allowed to enter a bar or join the Toastmasters Association. Even if a woman earned a higher salary than her husband, she was not allowed to open a credit account in a shop without her husband's permission (read "Murder @ Work" for more insights on the topic).

All that has changed. And yet, in the run-up to the 2009 General Elections, there is no sign of women candidates. I imagine South Africa is simply not ready for a woman president. What about USA?

Says Earl Ofari Hutchinson in "The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Affects the Race to the White House":

(...) There were also mixed signals if whether being a woman would help more than hurt Clinton even with women in a wide segment of America. In a Newsweek poll in July 2007, fewer voters said they would vote for a woman candidate for president than a black candidate. Hillary scored just as dismal when asked whether the country was ready for a female president. More said no to this question than said no for a black president. The gender reluctance by big chunks of voters was in part offset by the experience factor. Hillary scored big on this in the polls.

The Hillary distaste in part explained why in February 2007 Hollywood mogul David Geffen, a long time Clinton family cheerleader and campaign bankroller sucker punched Clinton with the knock that she would polarize voters. The implication was that she would be a disaster for the Democrats if she were to get the party presidential bid. Geffen rapped Clinton at the moment that he and some other Hollywood movie big shots pumped a reported cool million dollars into Obama’s campaign coffers. (...)

At the same moment, a slew of conservative hit groups loudly announced they had sunk loads of cash into a pack of “stop Hillary” websites, muckraking pieces and scheduled attack ads on her. They vowed this was just the start of a freewheeling, no holds barred disinformation effort to sabotage her campaign.

For more information about Earl Ofari Hutchinson and The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Affects the Race to the White House, visit his blog blitz homepage - http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Ethnic+Presidency+Blitz. To order your copy of the Ethnic Presidency, visit www.ethnicpresidency.com orwww.amazon.com/Ethnic-Presidency-Decides-White-House/dp/1881032256