The Whitewashed Tombs by Kwei Quartey
“It’s an exhilarating, suspense-filled learn with pleasure that doesn’t let up till the ultimate web page.”
The Whitewashed Tombs is the fourth ebook that includes Non-public Investigator Emma Djan on this “sunshine noir” thriller collection so named for its foundation in coastal equatorial Ghana by Ghanaian American writer, Howard College Faculty of Medication graduate, and retired doctor Kwei Quartey.
For 20 years throughout his profitable profession in medication, he disciplined himself to rise pre-dawn to write down, motivated by his ardour for creating memorable detective fiction literature celebrating the nation of his delivery. His Ghanaian father and Black American mom had been each college lecturers who crammed their dwelling with books. Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are acknowledged influences on a budding writer who started writing crime novellas at a younger age and in addition creating the quilt artwork for them!
His books are primarily based in and round Accra, the capital, largest metropolis and the executive and enterprise heart of Ghana, located on the Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. The nation borders the Ivory Coast to the west, Burkina Faso is due north with tiny Togo to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Lagos, Nigeria, necessary within the third ebook Final Scene in Lapaz, is 50 minutes by aircraft or torturous 10 or extra hours by automobile with a number of checkpoints and border crossings via slender Togo and Benin.
Kwei Quartey assists readers by starting every quantity with a useful checklist of main characters and a map of ebook areas following his introductory notes. Behind every ebook, he consists of closing remarks, tribes and their languages referenced and a glossary of generally used slang.
English has been the official language in Ghana because the colonial period. Over 80 languages are spoken there with 11 separate tribal African languages formally acknowledged by the federal government. Ewe, Ga and Twi are the three most often spoken within the Emma Djan collection. Descriptions of meals, clothes, marketplaces, customs and traditions are as richly, colorfully vivid because the best journey guides. One envisions many individuals draped in Kente fabric, the fabric of royalty because the 12th century; hand-woven strips of brightly hued silk and cotton, worn toga type for ceremonial events.
You possibly can sense the shimmering year-round fixed equatorial warmth and excessive humidity and listen to a deafening cacophony of sounds. Ghana, significantly Accra at night time, has earsplitting music and is LOUD always. Kwei Quartey beckons and welcomes readers to fashionable Africa.
Thriller Collection Primarily based on Actual-Life Conflicts in Ghana
His compelling novels are densely layered and thought-provoking with every combining an intricate central plot that features the thriller on the coronary heart of the novel and several other subplots that shine a probing gentle on precise human rights violations and different issues inherent in a fast-growing nation.
There have been political assassinations. Many points outcome from the rampant uncontrolled development of Accra with its crushing poverty for almost all and horrendous fixed visitors jams. This excessive disparity in wealth has contributed to bribery and corruption changing into so commonplace that they’re accepted and ignored inside the authorities and the police. Scapegoating or focusing on harmless events to make fast arrests and coerced confessions has left harmless people to rot or die in jail with little or no authorized illustration or recourse.
Sexual abuse of girls staff is tolerated or coated up. Intercourse trafficking is a significant downside and there are quite a few prostitution rings working out of inns with brothel house owners taking the lion’s share of the earnings. Human trafficking schemes abound designed to fleece potential migrants by “arranging” for his or her unlawful transportation via Niger and Libya throughout the deserts with spurious guarantees of higher alternatives in Italy and Germany.
These crossings are costly and threatening; often extra funds are demanded. It isn’t uncommon that the lure of false guarantees ends with indentured servitude, imprisonment, prostitution and all too often demise earlier than the hardiest reach reaching Europe which then doesn’t welcome them with open arms.
Introduction to the Collection and Characters
Whereas it isn’t essential to have learn the three earlier books within the collection to totally take pleasure in studying The Whitewashed Tombs, it may be useful to get acquainted with the recurring characters via synopses of their important plots. (This reviewer learn all 4 in fast succession in two weeks however not all of us are ebook obsessives.)
The Lacking American, nominated for an Edgar Award for Finest Novel, introduces the 26-year-old Emma Djan whose life ambition is to observe within the footsteps of her late father Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Djan, a extremely revered Murder Detective within the Ghana Police Service (GPS) who died instantly six years earlier of a mind hemorrhage on the age of 55.
As a substitute of enjoying with toys and dolls, his solely youngster cherished conversations with him about his instances, quizzed him on police procedures and the introduction of forensic evaluation in Ghana. The ideas of detecting had been her legacy together with the self-defense techniques he taught her. Emma graduated from the Police Academy with the rank of Constable. The GPS didn’t allow new recruits to request assignments and arbitrarily despatched her to a tedious dead-end job with the Business Crimes Unit (CCU) investigating fraudulent land acquisition transactions.
Pissed off and bold, she quickly met with Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Cleophus Laryea, an trustworthy man and recurring character, to precise her curiosity in working within the murder division. He agreed to the switch pending a last determination from Commissioner Andoh whose prevailing curiosity in her was as a sexual object. Emma’s self-defense coaching successfully thwarted his rape try but in addition terminated her profession with the police.
DCOP Laryea suspected one thing untoward had occurred and provided her a chance to fulfill his previous buddy Yemo Sowah, proprietor of Sowah Non-public Investigators Company, a small however efficient bureau in Accra specializing in instances involving marital infidelity, lacking individuals, insurance coverage investigations, and diverse work for authorized companies. He instantly hires her. Emma is razor sharp, fearless, intuitive and desperate to work the company’s uncommon murder instances.
The crew, featured in all 4 novels consists of their director Yemo, his administrative assistant Beverly, tech guru Gideon who can expertly get hold of information from telephones, computer systems and CCT cameras, non-public investigator Jojo Ayitey who turns into Emma’s frequent associate and good buddy and Walter Manu one other older, extra skilled investigator. The crew works intently with forensic pathologist Rosa Juaregui and CID murder Detective Chief Inspector Boateng whom they secretly nicknamed “Diboat”. Each are devoted and incorruptible people who willingly cooperate with the Sowah Company.
The Lacking American is Emma Djan’s first murder case and practically her final. American Gordon Tilson, a lonely widower who met his Ghanaian spouse whereas serving within the Peace Corps was The Lacking American. He was bilked out of a number of thousand {dollars} by a “girl” he met on-line. Satisfied he’s in love, he flew to Accra to fulfill her on the airport and was surprised to find she didn’t exist. He had fallen sufferer to one of many many Sakawa scams; laptop primarily based theft with criminals skilled by fetish clergymen who demand varied sacrifices in addition to cash from their acolytes. The Sakawa system is secret and hierarchical with the clergymen reporting to the overlord or Godfather; a high stage member of the police power which is rife with corruption.
They are going to readily kill anybody who makes an attempt to get of their method. When Tilson decides to remain in Ghana and try to reveal the criminals who scammed him, he turns up lifeless. Emma and the company resolve the crime whereas figuring out these accountable for this prison community on this thrilling, gritty drama. Ghana and Nigeria are leaders in laptop primarily based scams. This case is closed however new leaders will emerge and the hazards to the unwary will solely develop worse with rising AI fakery.
Homicide, Trafficking and Harmful Assignments
Within the second ebook Sleep Nicely, My Woman, Emma is assigned a excessive profile homicide case when Woman Araba, Ghana’s high clothes designer and head of a vogue empire is discovered murdered in her mattress hours earlier than a significant vogue present. This self-made rich, revered enterprise chief had first realized to stitch as a baby, taught by her Aunt Dele who was a seamstress. She shortly was creating distinctive, sought-after designs.
Woman Araba resided in a multi-million greenback Beverly Hills sort gated neighborhood in an overcrowded metropolis the place many laborers earn lower than one US greenback per day. After the police scapegoat Woman Araba’s trusted chauffeur via a sham confession, her auntie hires the detective company to find the true killer. Suspects embrace members of the family, the alcoholic wastrel boyfriend, his household who disliked her and jealous vogue trade rivals. It’s one other harmful project for the brave, thorough younger detective.
Final Seen in Lapaz tackles twin scourges of criminality, intercourse and human trafficking networks via a gripping story a few younger Nigerian girl who vanishes and is presumed to be kidnapped. Ngozi is the attractive, well-educated, pampered and naive daughter of a outstanding Nigerian Diplomat, till not too long ago the chief envoy to Ghana, and shut private buddy of Yemo Sowah who owns the eponymous detective company.
As a substitute of making ready to attend legislation college, she turns into drawn to Femi, an alluring “unhealthy boy”. He’s a good-looking con artist and prison a decade her senior. When she disappears from her mother and father’ luxurious dwelling in Lagos, it’s believed she fled to Accra. Fears for her security mount when Femi is discovered murdered in an upscale brothel masked as an opulent lodge. Emma balances hazardous conditions with time spent with the 2 folks most necessary in her life, her mother and Emma’s boyfriend Braveness whom she met in The Lacking American. His tribe is Ewe recognized for giving youngsters sturdy, aspirational names. He works for the GPS of their Panther SWAT Division.
Fixing Homicides and Hate Crimes
PI Emma Djan returns in The Whitewashed Tombs in what could also be her most perilous project but to resolve a number of brutal homicides of outstanding LGBTQ+ neighborhood members. The primary particular person killed was activist Marcelo Tetteh, lured to his demise at a abandoned development web site via a courting app and hacked to demise with machetes.
The Sowah Detective Company is employed by the younger man’s rich father who doesn’t belief the police power to totally examine the case. Many flip a blind eye to the frequent harassment and assaults on gay males and most instances are both not investigated or just dismissed. Different mates and associates grow to be subsequent victims brutally killed in the identical horrific method. Trusted police forensic pathologist Dr. Rosa Jauregui surmises there have been two murderers of differing heights and strengths wielding machetes in every occasion. When a well-known singer and brazenly Trans entertainer is discovered lifeless hacked to demise in her own residence, the police start to take this string of crimes a bit extra severely.
Emma is lead detective on this difficult case, partnered for the primary time with the older, married and considerably homophobic Walter Manu. Nonetheless, he’s truthful, thorough and element oriented. Her traditional associate Jojo is formally off the case; solely a handful of the company workers is aware of he’s gay and knew a number of the victims.
The Worldwide Congress of Households (ICF), a strong, well-funded group primarily based within the USA has elevated their efforts to criminalize homosexuality in African nations. They’ve made alliances with different Christian organizations to place strain on the legislature and aligned with extraordinarily conservative mega church Pastor JB Timothy. He infamously levels “performances” throughout his companies to drive the demons out of LBGTQ+ people who find themselves coerced by households to attend.
The ICF advocates the doubtful practices of conversion remedy for adults and remedy camps for youth along with draconian prison punishments. The group is led by a brother and sister crew, Christopher and Gertrude Cortland together with Diane Cortland, former homecoming queen and radiant blond magnificence who’re the figureheads for sturdy household values. Emma Djan goes undercover as a Bible quoting volunteer Angel Ambassador. She may be safer in a den of pit vipers than amongst these hypocrites who’ve darkish buried secrets and techniques. It’s an exhilarating, suspense-filled learn with pleasure that doesn’t let up till the ultimate web page.
Sir Alexander McCall Smith fills reader’s hearts with optimistic sunshine and the gentle facet of detecting in his beloved Botswana primarily based Quantity One Women Detective Company. Kwei Quartey tells tales of the darkest noir in Ghana. This reviewer heartily recommends them as nice examples of worldwide fiction and suggests {that a} fast web search will yield a plethora of up to date Ghanaian writers revealed in lots of genres and extensively obtainable within the USA. A number of award-winning and bestselling writer Kwei Quartey is included within the high 50 on these lists.
The Origin Story of The Whitewashed Tombs
The Whitewashed Tombs is a heartbreaker not for its advanced fictional thriller however for the all-too-real political scenario in Ghana which instructed the plotlines. Creator Kwei Quartey has said it’s his most private novel. It facilities on the rising hate crimes as much as and together with homicide perpetrated on members of Accra’s LBGTQ+ neighborhood. He has deftly integrated stunning present legislative modifications on this fast-paced, dramatic detective story.
On February 29th, 2024 Ghana’s Parliament unanimously handed the “Human Sexual Rights and Household Values Invoice” which had been favored by an estimated 93% of the populace. This draconian far-reaching proposed legislation would signify one of many world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ+ legislations. Ought to it’s enacted, individuals who determine as apart from heterosexual could possibly be sentenced to a few years in jail on that foundation alone.
Activists, together with members of the family, discovered responsible of “promotion, sponsorship or help of LBGTQ+ actions” threat as much as ten years in jail. Media retailers and their journalists or broadcasters decided to be pro-LGBTQ+ may additionally face prosecution. Whereas homosexual intercourse has already been punishable by as much as three years imprisonment, nobody has been convicted to this point. Though this pending laws has engendered broad condemnation, Ghana’s Supreme Courtroom dismissed a authorized problem in search of to dam parliament from passing the stringent invoice. President Nana Akufo-Addo as of this writing has neither signed it nor moved to veto it.
Since this invoice was first proposed, assaults of each bodily and psychological violence, murders, extortion, hire hikes, evictions, and a myriad of different types of discrimination have escalated. Job safety is nonexistent and unemployment is disproportionately increased. Organizations providing data and help have been forcibly closed down as have some clinics treating HIV-AIDS sufferers. LGBTQ+ folks dwell with worry and ostracization day by day.
Ghana just isn’t distinctive in Africa: 31 out of its 54 nations have legal guidelines oppressing this minority inhabitants with the demise penalty merely for being gay being authorized in Uganda. The centuries-old African precept of “Ubuntu”, emphasizing humanity to others and the idea that “I’m what I’m due to who all of us are” appears steadfastly ignored by the advocates of this laws.
Kwei Quartey is courageously taking a stand to assist protect these guiding ideas in The Whitewashed Tombs. The foreword to this impactful, nice work is a Biblical quote: “…Hypocrites! You might be like whitewashed tombs. They give the impression of being stunning on the skin. However inside they’re filled with lifeless bones and all types of filth.”
About Kwei Quartey:
Kwei Quartey is a criminal offense fiction author and retired doctor primarily based in Pasadena, California. Quartey was born in Ghana, West Africa, to a Ghanaian father and a black American mom, each of whom had been lecturers on the College of Ghana. His novel Spouse of the Gods made the Los Angeles Instances bestseller checklist in 2009. The next yr, the Nationwide E-book Membership voted him Finest Male Creator. He has two thriller collection set in Ghana: the Detective Inspector Darko Dawson investigations and the Emma Djan investigations.
Publish Date: 9/3/2024
Style: Crime, Thriller
Creator: Kwei Quartey
Web page Rely: 336 pages
Writer: Soho Crime
ISBN: 9781641295888
