Deadly Safari (Jazz Jasper) - Softcover

One of the best mystery novels I have read in a long time.  It has everything--good plotting with pace and action, high-quality writing, good characterization and dialogue, and of course, the wonderful descriptions of wildlife.  What more can I say?  It is a page-turner to the end.  Dorothy Simpson

I really loved Deadly Safari.  It is absolutely remarkable for a first mystery novel.  Karin McQuillan's obviously expert love of Africa and its animals gives it a special quality and an extra dimension of enjoyment."  Patricia Moyes
McQuillan is a born writer.  I loved the vivid descriptions--the Masai tribesman, the elephants, the drive through the animal-teeming dark.  It's a privilege to be offered a prior glimpse of a book by a newcomer of such talent and originality.   Sheila Radley
Fast, well-plotted and fun to read... The plot is clever, but more important, McQuillan's affinity for (Kenya is) memorable and vivid...Don't miss this first trip!  St. Louis Post-Dispatch
This is truly a debut novel--and a great one. All the elements are perfect--plot, characterization, dialogue, but even more inventive is the author's captivating technique with her setting. . . (Jazz) is real, and above all, she's extremely likable.  Mystery News
In her first novel, McQuillan develops an ingenious variation on the classic English country-house murder....McQuillan's thorough homework in the genre works to good effect, as crisp pacing and plausible plotting mix comfortably with evocative descriptions of the Kenyan wilds.  A quite effective surprise ending provides the right finishing note in what is, all in all, an auspicious debut.  Booklist
Among the better first novels . . . a nice twist on the English country-house style of whodunit.  McQuillan's familiarity with modern Africa ... a cast of interesting characters, major and minor . . . the author's love of Africa and concern for its wildlife will provide entertainment that's both colorful as well as thought-provoking.Rocky Mountain News
McQuillan's evident love for the African countryside, animals and people set this...mystery apart, as does a sensitively handled love affair.  Her fine eye for detail and a deft touch with characterization promise much for the future. Publisher's Weekly
Well-paced and thoughtful . . .Omondi's humor is winsome, beguiling . . . characterizations are singular and distinct...a first-rate mystery novel . . . the mystery genre is hers. Harvard Book Review
Deadly Safari is bound to be a treat for anyone who gets a charge out of fantasizing about safaris, or might even be planning an actual one and would like to know what to expect or perhaps avoid.  Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Writers
Here's a change from the misty moors or the mean streets- And a pleasant change it is, too.... dialogue is brisk and real....a likable heroine...magnificent wildlife.  The Atlanta Journal and Constitution
McQuillan has fashioned her intriguing plot in the richest of settings, and every page of this 293-page mystery is a delight.  We are struck by the wildlife and lifestyle in Kenya, by the depth and honesty of the characters--particularly Jazz Jasper, the heroine, and by the well-crafted mystery itself. --North Shore Magazine
A good, solid mystery that is fun to read. . . the Kenyan wilderness comes to life under her pen .Knoxville News Sentinel

(Jazz) provides expert and enthusiastic leadership on the novel's thrilling wild animal hunts.  Ms. McQuillan, a former Peace Corps volunteer, writes about Kenya with informed affection.  So intense is the sensory detail ...that the scenes ... linger long after.  New York Times
With Deadly Safari, Karin McQuillan establishes herself as an excellent writer with the expertise of a seasoned novelist....charming, witty and sexy....genuine love, respect and admiration for the people, the land and the animals of Kenya....a most propitious debut. Washington Post


Reading the quotes from praising authors regarding Ms. McQuillan first novel is like paging through a list of who's who in the mystery genre. . . I haven't heard a discouraging word about this book.  I was skeptical.  It couldn't be THAT good, could it?  Well, it IS that good!  Try as I might to remain aloof, I was quickly drawn into the sensuous and exciting world of Jazz Jasper.  The Kenyan wilderness comes alive...the characters engaging and the plot well developed...you (won't) be able to figure out whodunit.  Over My Dead Body


Karin McQuillan has written a brilliant first novel. I read Deadly Safari through in a sitting and loved it.  Robert B. Parker
Suspense, real people as characters, and real, untamed Africa.  Tony Hillerman
I like the setting and the sound of your writing.  You obviously know what you're doing.  Elmore Leonard
McQuillan is a born writer.   It's a privilege to be offered a prior glimpse of a book by a newcomer of such talent and originality. Sheila Radley

This is truly a debut novel--and a great one. All the elements are perfect--plot, characterization, dialogue, but even more inventive is the author's captivating technique with her setting. . . (Jazz) is extremely likable. Mystery News
An ingenious variation on the classic English country-house murder....McQuillan's thorough homework in the genre works to good effect, as crisp pacing and plausible plotting mix comfortably with evocative descriptions of the Kenyan wilds.  A quite effective surprise ending provides the right finishing note in what is, all in all, an auspicious debut.  Booklist

Among the better first novels . . . a nice twist on the English country-house style of whodunit.  McQuillan's familiarity with modern Africa gives the novel a well-realized setting and a cast of interesting characters, major and minor . . . the author's love of Africa and concern for its wildlife will provide entertainment that's both colorful as well as thought-provoking.  Denver Rocky Mountain News