Die By The Sword, Tony Park’s twenty-third novel, is a sweeping, dual timeline story, from the battle fields of the Anglo-Zulu war, to present day KwaZulu-Natal.
1880: Former Captain Peter Gregory of the British Army, second son of an aristocratic British family and veteran of the ferocious battle of Isandlwana, Zululand, the previous year, is attempting, without much success, to farm in the Natal Midlands, and now working as member of the Natal Mounted Police. Peter has been ordered to escort an American woman to meet up with the Empress Eugenie, mother of the late Prince Imperial of France, who is travelling to the memorial site where her son lost his life fighting with the British army in the Anglo-Zulu war, on the first anniversary of his death. Peter is also tasked with tracking down the sword the prince carried into battle, which had belonged to his great-uncle Napoleon Bonaparte.
Adam, who is now Professor Kruger, is working with two of his young students at the beach at Bhanga Nek to protect and save endangered turtle eggs from impending storms. Adam’s partner, Lieutenant Colonel Sannie van Rensburg, is in the KZN hinterland, having taken temporary control of the Hawks’ Stock Theft and Endangered Species unit while the regular commander is recovering from a car accident. Sannie and Warrant Officer Marilyn Msani are investigating the slaughter of sixteen rhinos by David Gregory, the owner of the farm on which they lived, and his apparent suicide.
Adam and his students make an astonishing find which leads them into dangerous territory; meanwhile, Sannie and Marilyn become involved in their own dangerous discoveries.
This is a complex story but the alternating chapters keep it under control and it is not difficult to keep up with the changes in centuries, and locations. Tony captures the vividly contrasting changes of scenery, and highlights the ethical problem of whether it should be legal to harvest rhino horn, for the sake of the preservation of this magnificent species. It is a ripping yarn, with lots of action, a little bit of romance and, of course, usual message of the absolute importance of animal conservation. Thank you, Pan Macmillan, for my ARC.
Published by Pan Macmillan.
Tony Park is my son.
