When the Ground Is Hard

three miles from our house, Mother says. Three miles across dry fields pocked with snake and scorpion holes. A dangerous walk. A Christian would see our suffering and pick us up. But our neighbors who call themselves Christians and stuff the church pews every Sunday they drive by and leave us in their dust.
 
The phone booth appears in my flashlight beam: a rectangle of silver metal cemented into the red earth. Right Path, Left Path, and Center Path split off and disappear into vacant land covered in weeds. Bored children and drunks have left their initials and their boot prints on the glass walls, but, by some miracle, the interior light still gives off a dim glow, which attracts a circling cloud of white moths.
 
Mother feeds four silver coins into the change slot and dials a number. Her hands shake, and her breath comes short from walking the uneven road in high heels. As a rule, she never leaves our house in flat sandals or, Lord save us, the loose cotton slippers worn by women who value comfort over fashion sense. The coins drop, and she shapes her mouth into a smile.
 
It s me, she says in a throaty voice that she reserves for the telephone.
 
The voice on the other end says something that makes her laugh, and she flashes me a triumphant glare. You see? her look says. I call every Thursday night to talk about what s happening with you, me, and your brother, Rian, and he answers just like that . . .
 
Mother wants me to know that, no matter what names the church ladies call her, her relationship with him is special. She has a good man she can rely on, and how many loose women and tramps can say the same thing? Zero. That s how many. Mother, I think, wants me to be proud of our weekly walk to the p

themes are as modern as ever. Book & Film Globe

Swaziland-born Nunn writes with keen perception of an intricate caste system and the layers within it . . . Readers will find plenty to discuss here as they explore the parallels in our own culture. The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books

Praise for Malla Nunn's Detective Emmanuel Cooper Series:

"Superlative."  Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Gripping and thoughtful . . . Nunn brilliantly combines character and fair play clues." Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Stellar"  Publishers Weekly, starred review

"With this gripping sequel...Nunn deftly balances suspense and deduction."  Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Consistently engaging."  Booklist

"Unforgettable."  The Sydney Morning Herald

"Historical hindsight may make readers a bit more self-congratulatory about recognizing the evils of apartheid, but it won t help them see around the curves Nunn has plotted or rise above her insight into the enduring dilemmas of her separate-and-unequal world." Kirkus Reviews

"A disturbing book with a morally compelling hero." Booklist

"An engrossing and compelling read . . . saturated with the feel of 1950s South Africa." Mike Nicol, author of the Revenge trilogy

"The suspense is irresistible, and the mystery sustains itself well. This is a wonderfully effective addition to Nunn s already masterful series of novels. A highly recommended novel." Historical Novel Society

"This well-plottedbook is like a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces fit together with a terribleprecision, and yet can be read with hope that the good guys will prevail. (Itis a series, after all.) Recommended for anyone who loves a good mystery with acomplicated, tough protagonist worth falling for." Historical Novel Society

"Malla Nunn s books have it all: fast-paced, intricate storylines; an exotic setting in a dangerousera; a deeply flawed hero; and an Oscar-worthy cast of supporting characters." Bookpage

"We're fortunate indeed that writers like Malla Nunn are here, working on books like PRESENT DARKNESS. This is crime fiction that goes into an area of human behaviour and a history that needs to be held up to the light, remembered, examined and understood." Reviewing the Evidence