Human Rights in Fiction

Crime fiction has never really been a favourite genre, but two recent books by Richard Crompton, The Honey Guide and Hell’s Gate (see richardcrompton.com ) set in Kenya, stood out for me, due to their sensitive–raw treatment of human rights, social as well as criminal justice issues. The plots are swift and energetic. The scenes and settings are evocative—one can see them reel out as clearly as in a film—and traditions are described with a refreshing frankness.

The unorthodox and appealing detective Mollel, a former Maasai warrior, given to introspection and moral judgement, holds his own against all odds in the complex morass of politics, policing, corruption, human rights violations, criminality, criminology, and tribal rivalries. Crompton does not hesitate to treat any of these to his incisive, but careful scrutiny. He writes with understanding and appreciation of the people and peoples, and his characters roll off the pages to leave a lasting reflection on numerous inter-related issues, and of life as it is lived.