Tusk Justice
Series: A Kenya Kanga Mystery #2
Author: Victoria Tait
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 300
Release Date: October 9, 2020, by Kanga Press
Summary:
At a summit on poaching, the keynote is homicide. Can a veterinarian solve the case before she becomes an endangered species?
Kenya, 2016. Community vet and skilled sleuth ‘Mama’ Rose Hardie is passionate about saving elephants. As she runs her monthly clinic for the animals at the local resort, she plans to attend a conference on the issue with her ailing husband. But things turn sour when a world-renowned conservationist is found brutally stabbed to death.
With the authorities tied up in Nairobi, Rose sets out to bring the killer in herself. But with multiple suspects all hiding secrets and scandalous truths surrounding the victim, the culprit may be too slippery for the aged amateur detective to handle.
Can Rose trap the murderer before she ends up as the next target?
Tusk Justice is the second book in the thrilling Kenya Kanga Mysteries series. If you like quirky characters, lush African locales, and a love of animals, then you’ll adore Victoria Tait’s adventurous whodunit.
Interview with Rose Hardie
How did you and your author meet?
Hello, I’m Rose Hardie, known to many in the community as ‘Mama Rose’. Victoria and her young family moved to Nanyuki, three hours north of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, for her husband’s work. He was away or working long hours, so she became involved in the community. My friends and I, who live in Nanyuki, jumped at the chance to have a new, enthusiastic person to help and we persuaded her to join the Pony Club and Mount Kenya Horse Show committees. She also became involved with charity events such as the Lewa Marathon and the 10 to 4 Mountain bike race.
Victoria had ridden horses. I was given two rescue ponies by the KSPCA (Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals) to rehome, so I taught Victoria’s children to ride. Then she bought a horse and kept it with me. Despite an age difference of over twenty years, our friendship grew.
Why did this writer decide to feature you in a book?
Victoria told me she wanted to share her experiences of Kenya. I guess I’ve encountered a lot in my life, the good and the bad, which gave me a depth Victoria could write about.
Victoria loved Kenya and really threw herself into life here. It’s not easy and many wives can’t make the transition from a well-organised, generally safe, western society to Kenya. In the book Chloe highlights some of the differences. Life exists on the edge here. There is amazing scenery and wonderful weather but a far higher chance of being injured or killed: I have lost too many friends too early from road traffic accidents or plane crashes. Many of the conveniences of a first world society don’t exist. We suffer frequent power failures, shortages of varieties of food, such as sugar, and there are far fewer products in general available here.
Victoria told me she would never view the world in the same way having lived in Kenya. She said she wouldn’t take anything for granted, but would appreciate the smaller things in life. A birthday is to be celebrated for another year experienced rather than ignored or hated because it is a symbol of aging. Life is to be lived and I have certainly done that and continue to do so. I think that’s why I ended up in Victoria’s book.
Do you have any friends or family helping you out?
My husband Craig is a great sounding board and he’s mentally strong and sensible. This keeps me grounded but unfortunately he’s ill and in pain so I’m trying not to bother him too much with this case. He also worries about what I might get myself into.
As well as the murder of Davina Dijan, I promised the Mount Kenya Resort and Spa manager that I’d look into some recent thefts at his hotel. My two younger friends, Chloe and Thabiti, have agreed to help with that, whilst I assist the young Constable Wachira with the murder case, until her boss returns from security meetings in Nairobi.
Do you have a regular job and investigate on the side or are you a full time detective?
I’m not a detective. I just help out where I can. Many years ago Craig lost his job and with it our house. Whilst he sought a new position I started treating animals in the surrounding area. Demand for my services grew and so did my knowledge and expertise. I became a community vet but I’m not formally trained. In 2011, the government changed the veterinary legislation so I thought I’d have to retire.
Dr Emma, the only qualified vet in Nanyuki, doesn’t like treating larger animals and prefers her patients to visit her pharmacy. I now work under her as a ‘veterinary para-professional’ and continue to attend to animals in Nanyuki, and the surrounding Laikipia county.
The job doesn’t pay particularly well and many of my African clients can’t pay me in cash, but they give me fruit and vegetables which means we always have food on our table.
What is the funniest thing that happens to you or another character in this story?
I don’t think anything funny happens. I was delighted to see the orphan elephant I helped rescue recovering at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Nairobi orphanage.
Have you solved other cases or is this your first one?
I was involved in my first case recently when my old school friend Aisha Onyango was murdered. Her son, Thabiti, helped me with this one. He can work wonders with a computer and discover things I cannot.
Do you have a gift or special talent?
The only gift I have is a long life. My many varied experiences help me understand other people. I’m also nosey, inquisitive and impulsive which helps me solve cases but can also land me in trouble.
Who is the most important individual in your life?
My husband Craig. We’ve been married for 41 years. I met him in 1970 after he’d arrived from Scotland. He was working in Nakuru, where I was living at the time, as a newly qualified accountant. I was a bit wild and he was a strong and calm. We’ve had a colourful journey through life but we’ve always been there for each other. Now I have to consider my future without him.
What is your ideal vacation?
I don’t have any interest traveling abroad now although it would be nice to see more of my daughter, Heather and her family.
I enjoy going on safari and seeing animals in the wild but Craig and I can’t usually afford lodge or hotel prices, even though we get discounted rates for living in Kenya.
Sosian Lodge is a particular favourite as we are always made to feel very welcome and I can ride horses out into the bush. Riding with wildlife is an amazing experience. The drive to Sosian is across the vast untamed Laikipia plateau. We often see giraffe and zebra cross the road, or a pair of small Dik Dik antelopes. Sometimes we spot a gerenuk antelope, standing on its hind legs and reaching into a bush to nibble leaves with its distinctive long neck. We may even see a small herd of elephants.
Lake Baringo is very special. The lake’s water level has risen dramatically over the past 8 to 10 years which has flooded many houses around its perimeter. We stay on Samatian, a small island, with groups of friends. It is self-catering, but in Kenya that means taking food and having someone else cook it. The rooms are open-sided and face the lake. I once gave a local fisherman quite a shock as he sailed around the island and came face to face with me using an open outdoor shower!
If you could change anything about your life what would it be?
Nothing. I’ve accepted all life throws at me. I would have liked to know my mother as she died when I was young.
First Book in the Series
About the Author
Victoria Tait is the exciting new author of the Kenya Kanga Mystery series. She’s drawn on 8 years living in rural Kenya, with her family, to write vivid and evocative descriptions. Her readers feel the heat, taste the dryness, and smell the dust of Africa. Her elderly amateur sleuth, “Mama Rose” Hardie is Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple reincarnated and living in Kenya.
Like all good military wives, Victoria follows the beat of the drum and has recently moved to war-scarred Sarajevo in Bosnia. She has two, fast-growing nearly teenage boys. She enjoys horse riding and mountain biking but is apprehensive about learning to ski. Victoria is looking forward to the sun, sand, and seafood of neighbouring Croatia when the world returns to normal.
Giveaway
Prize: (1) A hardback copy of the book and 1-year Adoption of Roho, a young elephant orphaned by poachers who is at the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya.
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Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
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