The Death of Rex Nhongo

Set in Zimbabwe’s sweltering stewpot of poverty, violent crime, and rampant corruption, George’s debut novel is a tragic tale of five crumbling marriages and the gun that unites them. That fateful weapon may or may not have been used to kill Rex Nhongo, the nom de guerre of Gen. Solomon Mujuru, whose remains were found inside a burned farmhouse in the village of Beatrice in August 2011 (the nonfictional event explained in the author’s preface). George is a brilliant storyteller, carefully weaving together Zimbabwe’s political instability in 2011–2014 with unhappy husbands and wives locked in marriages of resentment and indifference. Mr. Mandiveyi, a bumbling official in the secret police, loses a gun used in an assassination, jeopardizing his marriage and his life. Patson, married to Fadzai, is a cab driver who finds the gun and hides it out of fear. Jerry is a British nurse who is discouraged and angry with his life and his marriage to a minor British diplomat. Shawn is an opportunistic American hoping to cash in on Zimbabwe’s illegal mineral trade while he struggles to maintain his unstable family. And Gilbert, an idealistic man who is married to Bessie, Jerry’s housekeeper and Fadzai’s sister, cannot cope with big city violence. The gun ultimately ties the five couples together in a sudden conclusion, but other events connect them through adultery, political and criminal intrigue, alcoholism, and a suspicious mugging and arrest. This is a superbly intricate novel, but perhaps the best part of it is George’s vivid portrayal of Zimbabwe as a kleptocracy, a failed state ruled by fear. Agent: Zoe Pagnamenta, Zoe Pagnamenta Agency. (July)