Divine Justice

Joanne Hichens is an author and editor living in Cape Town. She has published several novels, including Out To Score (co-authored), Divine Justice, Sweet Paradise, and for young adults, Stained and Riding the Wave. She had edited numerous short story collections, including Bad Company, an anthology of South African crime fiction endorsed by Lee Child. Her memoir, Death and the After Parties, was released by Karavan Press in November 2020.

"Divine Justice is both an intriguing mystery and a brilliant character study, presenting vivid snapshots of desperate people straddling the fault lines in contemporary South Africa. A gripping narrative that rushes to a thrilling climax." Roger Smith, author of Mixed Blood, Nowhere, Wake Up Dead, and Dust Devil.“[A] South African crime gem….Joanne Hichens gives us multiple viewpoints—from the sexy rookie investigator Rae Valentine to her ex-boyfriend and her unreliable partner Vince to the classic villain, who has a Freudian mother fixation, and even a collective viewpoint into the police and a thuggish right wing gang. From the harrowing opening scene atop a burning Table Mountain to the nail biting finish where Rae must fight for her life, [this book] is a gritty, fast-paced thriller that pits impossibly real characters against an outrageously over-the-top plot.” Anthony Ehlers, Citizen“A gripping thriller that will pull you along page by page to an explosive climax with an unpredictable and surprising twist.” Brian Joss, Entertainment“Highly recommended. This is South Africa. For real. Love it or leave it. (But if you’re going to leave, take along a copy and make sure a friend sends the next one.” Mercury“Cape Town’s underbelly gets exposed. And it is rotten! Standing up out of the intestines to make herself noticed is newly licensed PI Rae Valentine, the most junior partner of a dysfunctional Private Investigation business. Rae’s senior partners are more hindrance than help. There is her ex-boyfriend who is too busy facing a murder charge and bedding his lawyer. Then there is her dear friend, Vince Saldana, dedicated to the bottle in memory of his late wife. Battling her own demons, [disabled] ex-drug addict Rae is sexy, sassy and stubborn; refusing to back off when things get really nasty. The Pastor has a fetish for amputees, so Rae fits the bill as his dream wife, and Loots will provide her in exchange for the stones…Hichen’s voice flows; the story is gritty and the characters are extreme; so much so that you may be forgiven for suspecting a little tongue-in-cheek. The next Rae Valentine adventure is under the pen and it can’t come soon enough.” Mean Streets