Random Violence

As P.I. Jade de Jong probes into the murder of a prosperous Johannesburg white and other recent car-jacking cases, a pattern begins to emerge, a pattern that goes back to her own father's murder and involves a vast and intricate series of crimes for profit.

In Johannesburg prosperous whites live in gated communities; when they exit their cars to open the gates, car-jackings are common. But seldom is the victim killed, much less shot twice, like Annette Botha. Piet Botha, the husband of the wealthy woman, is the primary suspect in his wife's murder.

Jade fled South Africa ten years ago after her father was killed. Now back in town, she offers to help her father's former assistant, Superintendent David Patel, with his investigation of this case. Under apartheid, Patel, of Indian descent, could never have attained his present position. But he is feeling pressure from his "old line" boss with respect to this investigation and fears lingering prejudice is at work.