If all men on earth were named based on what lengths they could go for their friends, Gary Edwards would be called “Brother’s Keeper.” In A Debt Repaid by Peter Prinsloo, Jeremy Winters had just finished closing a huge deal and thought his firm’s end of the year party was the perfect place to let loose, so he partied hard with Amanda, a paralegal, before passing out in his car. Startled awake, he was bewildered when he saw the police banging on his car and threatening to break in. Jeremy opened the door, only to be arrested for raping and killing Amanda! Before long, Jeremy was facing life in the slammer. But Gary stepped up. Risking his livelihood for Jeremy, who doubted his own innocence, Gary assembled a team and fought for Jeremy. Now faced with overwhelming evidence and Jeremy’s self-doubt, will it be worth the risk?

A Debt Repaid by Peter Prinsloo is a nerve-wracking crime novel that gets you emotionally involved and makes your heart beat. Fast-paced with periodic slow moments, this tale will excite both readers of fast-paced and slow-paced stories alike. Peter Prinsloo is such a gifted writer. I loved how he did not bog the plot down with excessive backstories, opting instead for flashbacks and only when it was crucial to the plot and character development. I am pleased with the author for allowing the characters’ actions and heated conversations to describe their personalities instead of wasting time describing their features. The book was also properly edited and almost sounded like a real-life story. Yet, Peter did not stop there. I encountered another plot twist right at the story’s end. These all made for a wonderful time between the pages of this novel. I will surely be on the lookout for more books by Peter Prinsloo.

A Debt Repaid by Pieter Prinsloo is set in South Africa in 2019. Homicide Captain Thabani Kumalo and Sergeant Dhanraj Pillay arrest Jeremy Winters on suspicion of rape and murder, taking him to a holding cell at Johannesburg Murder and Robbery Squad in Hillbrow Police Station. Jeremy and Amanda Shelton both work at Plaistowe Incorporated and attend a party before Amanda’s body is found at Egoli Hotel in Sandton City. David Plaistowe, the chairperson of the legal firm, and his son Roger are disliked by their employees, both having an air of arrogance and a sense of entitlement. Lawyer Gary Edwards takes on Jeremy’s case and informs Jeremy that Amanda was seen leaving a party with him, though Jeremy was too drunk to remember. Carol Ibbets, David’s personal assistant, may hold the key to solving the complicated case. Instructed to leave the investigation to the police, Gary is forced to choose between defending Jeremey and remaining at Plaistowe.

Peter Prinsloo has created a thrilling novel filled with suspense and intrigue. The places and locations around Johannesburg are all accurately described, including the police station and hotel. Each of the many characters is well defined with their unique personality traits and attributes from police officers to lawyers and witnesses. As a South African born in Johannesburg, I enjoyed all the details that Prinsloo included. The sequence of events makes for a smooth-flowing story, filled with twists, turns, and surprises. A Debt Repaid is an exceptional story written by an outstanding author. I highly recommend this novel to all adults who enjoy a good investigative page-turner.

If there’s one thing Pieter Hendrik Prinsloo does well in A Debt Repaid, it’s keeping the reader wondering after a thrilling opening. The image of rising star lawyer, Jeremy Winters, passed out in his car, with his shirt off and pants zipper open is far from flattering. More importantly, it’s incriminating when the lovely young paralegal, Amanda, with whom he was noticeably involved at a staff party is found dead not far from his car. For readers, this is a captivating opener to a great story. From that scene on, Prinsloo keeps us questioning why the police seem so convinced Jeremy raped and murdered Amanda when the pair were so into each other at the party. Furthermore, the head officer in the investigation, Kumalo, is remote, even nasty when Jeremy’s law associate and good friend, Gary, risking his job, questions the evidence. What’s the reason for Kumalo’s lack of co-operation?

Gary forges on looking for proof of Jeremy’s innocence. His diligent team plays and replays CCTV cameras, analyzes the movements of everyone at the party, including the highest members of the law firm, and spots one crucial detail the police have missed. From that point on, other possible suspects emerge and readers have the pleasure of seeing if they can nail the correct killer. Isn’t this just the kind of tantalizing suspense we look for in mystery and crime novels? A Debt Repaid will keep readers guessing almost to the end when a most unexpected twist or two finally explains everything: there is so much more to Amanda’s murder and Kumalo’s reluctance to help Gary. Pieter Hendrik Prinsloo’s crime novel is a pleasing blend of mystery, romance, and good human values. His style is tight, the dialogue plentiful, and the pace steady. A most entertaining read.