An Empty Coast (Sonja Kurtz)

An Empty Coast is the second book in the Sonja Kurtz series by Australian author, Tony Park. Already on her way to South Africa after a personal mission in Vietnam, Sonja Kurtz is alarmed by text from her daughter Emma, on an archaeological dig in Namibia, asking for help. Not until she illegally crosses the border into Namibia does she discover it's a false alarm, by which time she resolves to find her daughter anyway.

Emma has uncovered a body, but not one of the mass grave bodies her team is looking for at a proposed mine site. Instead, it appears to be an airman from the armed conflict some thirty years earlier. What was the plane doing there, and where is it now? When the find becomes public, other interested parties converge on the scene, each with their own agenda.

American ex-CIA liaison, now safari guide and part-time PI, Hudson Brand was on that plane, the victim of a set-up, and he hopes that the find will draw in those on whom he'd like to inflict payback. Matthew Allchurch is determined to find the remains of his son, Gareth, the young co-pilot, and to learn why he was there.

As Gareth Allchurch's temporary squad commander, Andre Horsman has spent years trying to find the plane, but was this on Matthew's behalf, or does he have another reason? The man in charge of Emma's dig, Professor Dorset Sutton, seems unusually eager to help Horsman find the plane, enlisting his team to participate.

Also along for the ride are a Namibian student who is unconvinced about Sutton's motives for the dig; a wildlife researcher more concerned about the fate of the area's desert lions; Horsman's young nephew, Sebastian Lord; some Russians; and perhaps someone unhappy with Sonja's most recent mission.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, and Park manages to pack in quite a bit: illegal trade in rhino horn; conflict archaeology; Chinese and Russian infiltration of African countries; and anti-poaching strategies. Park's main protagonist is one tough woman, easily able to take care of herself, even when hung-over, and with few qualms about killing when she deems it necessary or deserved.

The plot is all action, including gun-battles and helicopter attacks, a Molotov cocktail, a German-built castle, a bit of sex, quite a lot of violence, and some twists before the thrilling climax, and a pretty high body count by the final pages. It all plays out on the rich and dramatic canvas of the African landscape, and Park's intimate knowledge of the country is apparent on every page.

Certainly a map would have been appreciated by readers, but fans will be looking forward to the third instalment of Sonja Kurtz, The Cull. A gripping read.