Deon Godfrey Meyer was born on the 4th of July 1958 in Paarl. He matriculated in 1976 at the Schoonspruit High School in Klerksdorp. He studied at Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education where he studied for a BA degree with English and History as majors. He later obtained an honours degree at the University of the Free State.
In the 1980s he worked as a journalist at Die Volksblad, at the public relations office of the University of the Free State, and begins work as advertising copy writer at Sanlam.
In 1991 he was appointed manager of Internal Communication and creative director of Sanlam’s Publicity department. After Sanlam he started his own business specialising in the creation and management of virtual communities on the internet, and thereafter he was manager of special projects at BMW motorcycles. He currently writes full time.
Deon’s novels have been translated into more than 25 languages. He’s already won two prizes in France: Le Grand Prix de Littérature Policiére 2003 for Feniks, the Prix Mystère de la Critique 2004 for Orion. Proteus appeared on the IMPAC literary award’s long list and he receive the 2006 Deutsche Krimi Preis in the international category.
Did you know?
|
· |
The Heart of the Hunter was named as one of the 10 best crime thrillers in America. |
|
· |
He attained his master’s degree in creative writing under Marlene van Niekerk at the University of Stellenbosch. |
|
· |
Deon was the first South African to receive the Deutsche Krimi Preis. It is regarded as one of the oldest and most coveted German literary awards for Kriminalliteratur, or crime literature. |
|
· |
The Swedish edition of Orion (Död i gryningen) appeared on the shortlist for the 2008 Martin Beck award for translated crime fiction. |
|
· |
Orion was made into a TV-series and Deon helped writing the script. He also wrote the script for the TV-series Transito, which was broadcast in 2008. |
Author bookshelf
7 Dae, Human & Rousseau (2011)
Spoor, Human & Rousseau (2010)
Karoonag en ander verhale, Human & Rousseau (2009)
13 Uur, Human & Rousseau (2008)
Wie met vuur speel, Tafelberg (2008)
Proteus, Human & Rousseau (2008)
Orion, Human & Rousseau (2008)
Onsigbaar, Human & Rousseau (2007)
Feniks, Human & Rousseau (2004)
Awards
(Visit www.deonmeyer.com for latest information about awards)
ATKV Prose Prize (2001) – Orion
Le Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in France (2003) – Jusqu’au dernier (Feniks)
ATKV Prose Prize (2003) – Proteus
Prix Mystère de la Critique in France (2004) – Les soldats de l’aube (Orion)
ATKV Prose Prize (2005) – Infanta
German Krimi Preis (2006) – Proteus
ATKV award for Best Television Script (2007) – Orion
ATKV Prize for Best Suspence Fiction (2008) – Onsigbaar
List of titles
Prose
1994 Wie met vuur speel, Tafelberg
1996 Feniks, Queillerie
1997 Bottervisse in die jêm, Van der Walt
2000 Orion, Human & Rousseau
2002 Proteus, Human & Rousseau
2005 Infanta, Lapa
2007 Onsigbaar, Human & Rousseau
2008 13 Uur, Human & Rousseau
2009 Karoonag en ander verhale, Human & Rousseau
2010 Spoor, Human & Rousseau
2011 7 Dae, Human & Rousseau
Translations
Deon’ Meyers novels have been translated into more than 25 languages. (Visit http://www.deonmeyer.com/ for latest information about translations.)
|
Feniks |
English (Dead Before Dying, 1999), French (Jusqu’au Dernier), German (Die Traurige Polizist), Spanish (Sombras del Pasado) and Italian (La Lista del Killer). |
|
Orion |
English (Dead At Daybreak, 2000), French (Les Soldats de L’aube), German (Tod for Morgen Grauen), Norwegian (Tod ved Daggry) and Italian (Il Sapore Del Sangue), Swedish (Död i gryningen). |
|
Proteus |
English (Heart of the Hunter, 2003), French (L’ame du Chasseur), German (Das Herz de Jägers), Norwegian (Jegerens Hjerte) and Italian (Codice: Cacciatore). |
|
Infanta |
English (Devil’s Peak, 2007), French (Le Pic Du Diable), German (Der Atem des Jägers) and Italian (Afrikaan Blues). |
|
Onsigbaar |
English (Blood Safari, 2008), French (Lemmer L’Invisible) and German (Weißer Schatten). |
|
13 Uur |
English (Thirteen Hours, 2010). |
Reviews
“This is the first of Meyer’s novels I have read, and it is a competently executed thriller. It all adds up to a pacy, well-plotted thriller, with the familiarity of the setting giving an added something to local readers.” – Margaret von Klemperer on Blood Safari, The Witness (2008)
“This was so good it could have gone on forever … In peeling off the plot layers, Meyer dishes up a host of South African problems, including ecological ones. While the action scenes are plentiful and excellent, the plot is refined — a delicately prepared five-course meal.” – Yolandi Groenewald on Onsigbaar, Mail & Guardian, 2007
“The insight which runs through Deon Meyer’s third thriller is as sharp as the sawn-off assegai, which was Thobela Mpayipheli’s weapon of choice when he was a Stasi assassin. Heart of the Hunter is nothing short of excellent.” – Sue Blaine, Business Day (2004)