The Bottom Line: Don’t miss this action-packed, location-rich adventure set in the darkest corners of Africa.
Missing in Tanzania opens as Australian rancher Ann Thompson arrives in Stone Town, Zanzibar, in search of a shadowy local fixer named Anton. It seems that Ann’s twin sister, Jane, vanished after a safari on the Serengeti. The mission hardly comes out of sisterly love. As a result of complex family dynamics, Ann’s objectives are purely self-serving. Without Jane’s signature on a critical loan document – or proof that she’s dead – their vast cattle ranch, Molly Creek, will fall into foreclosure.
Anton’s help won’t come cheap. His price is a $50,000 retainer, plus a princely $100,000 bonus if he can find Jane or prove she’s dead. By the time he’s stated his fee, he’s already proved his worth by saving Ann from human traffickers that have been following her since she hit town.
James E. Merriman, author of the award-winning thriller Red Sun Over Africa, turns what could have been a straightforward missing person search into an intricate web of betrayal, greed and survival. A prime example is a critical plot pivot involving Jane that comes early in the book. Just as Merriman has readers wondering what grisly fate poor Jane has fallen to, we learn that she’s been luxuriating in a Seychelles villa with a ruthless banker, Singh Bakshi, and conspiring to strip her own family of their land for its mineral wealth. It’s an earth-shaking reveal that invites readers to witness Ann’s dogged investigation collide with a conspiracy. The exotic setting is definitely icing on the cake, but the story is good enough to take place anywhere on Earth.
Merriman’s twin versus twin setup is a winner, bristling with emotional dynamics throughout. Ann’s Outback-hardened resourcefulness and Anton’s intelligence-world savvy make a compelling partnership. The well-crafted plot equals Merriman’s strength as an immersive storyteller. From the get-go, he draws us into Stone Town’s spice-scented alleys – with danger lurking around every corner – and demonstrates his flair for sensory prose throughout. That’s especially true in a memorable and chaotic scene involving a couple of poachers and bull elephants in the latter part of the story.
Anton, a Stanford graduate with his mix of Silicon Valley polish and Tanzanian street smarts, is Merriman’s standout creation. Watching him navigate both the corrupt corridors of finance and the criminal underworld with equal ease is a true pleasure. Through Anton, Merriman delivers a memorable adventure that will keep readers turning pages late into the night. Here’s hoping Merriman brings Anton back for a sequel.
