Christian Botha, Private Investigator

Books  |  Reviews of Shallow Grave and Other True Crime Stories (Book 1)

Don Bryce, The Daily Dispatch, East London.

‘Professional writer and journalist Chip Michie has recorded some of Christian Botha’s more spectacular cases in a brilliant paperback. Michie has
skilfully captured Botha’s empathy and fervour as well as the distress of those seeking his services. She avoids a dry, documentary style, instead managing to lend credibility and the excitement of the chase to each story.

Michie has effectively written a detective thriller better than anything Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle could have dreamed up, all based on fact! With clever scene-setting and her human approach, the cases are brought to life, keeping readers aware all the time that these are current incidents, real characters and familiar, identifiable places.

Susan Gladwell, The Cape Times, Cape Town.

‘Botha is thorough and tenacious in his investigation and he tackles his cases with intelligence. Some have been researched by journalist Chip Michie
and compiled in this gripping page turner. Michie has taken each case and built a story around the facts, creating a good read. Events are traced step
by step and scenery and people brought to life through vivid description and characterisation.’

Mieke Erasmus, chairwoman, Lord Charles Ladies Club, Somerset West.

‘You won’t be able to put it down once you have started reading it, it’s fabulous. It’s full of compassion. Christian really cares about people and it’s not scary at all. Some stories bring a tear to your eye. Chip writes with such compassion and warmth, you can’t help wanting to read on right through the night.’

Stanley Cierenberg, Purser from The Queen Mary Cruise Ship. From New Zealand.

‘I picked up your book in Durban and couldn’t put it down. Give us more details of how Christian Botha solves his cases – they are so compelling I was spellbound. Send me the next book as soon as it’s written.’

Sarah Walker, a reader.

A thoroughly enthralling and absorbing book which kept my attention from page one to the end. I appreciated the descriptions of places, they became real and tangible. I particularly enjoyed the variety of stories portraying human qualities of sympathy and morality, as well as the ultimate crime investigations. A really great read.

Engela Neethling, District Mail, Talk of the Town.

The book contains gripping real-life stories in which the reader is taken step by step through each case, together with photos of crime scenes. Many of the cases will be familiar to readers who followed the events in the newspapers or on television.’

Women from a variety of Book Clubs and Ladies Clubs around South Africa.

‘Hurry up with the next book. How Christian Botha solves these cases, often so many years later, is fascinating. I read it from start to finish and couldn’t put it down. It kept me awake all night. Now my husband is enthralled and our teenage son is waiting for it. He never reads but he’s dipped into it and now he can’t wait for his turn. When is the next book coming out?