I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Before turning to a life of crime, I was a screenwriter, director and producer. I now live in Cape Town, a city as violent as it is beautiful.
My first novel, MIXED BLOOD, was published in the U.S. in hardcover by Henry Holt in March 2009 and Picador paperback in December.
MIXED BLOOD was named among the best books of 2009: Dave Zeltserman @ Flashlight Worthy, Alan Cranis @ Bookgasm, and Deadly Pleasures Magazine (a best first novel)
MIXED BLOOD was published in Germany as "KAP DER FINSTERNIS" and won the DEUTSCHER KRIMI PREIS 2010 (German Crime Award) and was voted #1 crime novel of the year by the influential KRIMIWELT.
My next book, WAKE UP DEAD, is now available in the U.S.
PRAISE FOR WAKE UP DEAD
"[A] stellar thriller. Bad choices, not bad luck, drive human depravity in this brutal fable. One fundamental irony unforgettably lingers: that these characters, trapped in poverty, ignorance, and prejudice, have really had no choice at all." – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"From the terrific first sentence, the reader is firmly hooked in this dark South African thriller of murder, drugs, corruption, and revenge . . . with bizarre characters Elmore Leonard might appreciate and an intricate plot of tangled relationships across racial divides. Highly recommended for those wanting their noir as hard-boiled as it gets" – Library Journal (starred review)
"An intricate Robert Altman–like narrative that, when the pieces finally connect, forms a terrifying portrait of the Cape Flats. [A] searing vision of characters trapped in a fetid purgatory." Kirkus Reviews
"Racial tension, gang warfare, prison life, and witchcraft – with a nod to cannibalism – will make this thriller a prime destination for readers who like to detour from crime-fiction’s beaten path." – Booklist
"Violent, uncompromising, unflinching, Wake Up Dead grabs you by the throat and will haunt you long after you've finished its last blood-soaked pages." Dave Zeltserman, author of Small Crimes & Pariah
"With his second novel, Roger Smith reaches another level of unrelenting noir, with all the elements of the genre given homage yet wonderfully mutated. Dark and brutal, the novel has a focused poetic style that stays with you long after you finish reading." Ken Bruen, author of The Guards & Once Were Cops
James Sallis, Elmore Leonard, Cormac McCarthy, Pete Dexter, Jim Thompson, Richard Stark, Patricia Highsmith, Ken Bruen, Dave Zeltserman, Philip Roth, Norman Mailer, Denis Johnson, James Ellroy, Ian McEwan
Movies And TV Shows I Like:
No Country for Old Men, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Fargo, Dr Strangelove, Raging Bull, Point Blank, The American Friend, Sunset Boulevard, Big Lebowski
Roger, thanks, and congrats with your own book. Holt's a top publisher here in the states. Btw. The South Africa paper, The Citizen gave my latest, Small Crimes, a nice review.
Thanks, Roger, glad you liked the blog. And congrats on the US publication of MIXED BLOOD. It looks like something that'll be finding its way onto my TBR list.
You can get my new book (SQUID PULP BLUES, a collection of 3 bizarro-crime fiction novellas) at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. But if you send me your address, I'll send you a copy as a gift.
Btw, what are your favorite Thompson / Leonard / Stark books??
Roger -- Thanks for the invite, and for being the first to comment. We do seem to have similar taste in authors. Best of luck with your debut thriller, which I look forward to reading.
By the way, I'm also a fan of The Big Lebowski. Here in the U.S., that movie has acquired quite a cult following. There are actually Lebowski Fests in several cities, where attendees dress up as the Dude, Walter and even the Nihilists!
Hey Roger, It seems McGuane spends most of his time raising Quarter Horses and fishing. I loved that whole Montana group of writers, Crumley, McGuane, and Jim Harrison. It's a shame about Westlake. Have you read the Stark novels with Alan Grofield as the main character? The booze got a hold of me pretty good. I somehow managed to break away. I read an autobiography that centers around England, Ireland, and drinking that as good a book as I've ever read; 'The Grass Arena' by John Healy. I hope you can find it although I think it's being reprinted this year. Congrats on your book, I'll be grabbing a copy in March. Good luck!
Well I quite like her! She had great movie posters too. Given my line of work perhaps I should aim to be more like a crime writer and less like a dead actress! Who do you fancy being today?
I don't think you get much cooler than Robert Mitchum. There's a photo of him from around then where he's wearing a suit but paddling in the sea, it's a great shot. I have to dash I was cooking dinner, now I'm just burning it, A x
Jason Chambers
We just reviewed your book on our blog.
threeguysonebook.blogspot.com. We will rerun the post when the book comes out.
Oct 4, 2008
Jason Rice
Oct 7, 2008
Jason Rice
Oct 7, 2008
Cormac Brown
Feb 1, 2009
Cormac Brown
Feb 1, 2009
Fabrizio Fulio - Bragoni
Is that your book coming out?
congratulations...
bye,
fabrizio
Feb 1, 2009
JordanKrall
looking forward to reading your book
Feb 1, 2009
Cullen Gallagher
Feb 2, 2009
Dave Zeltserman
Feb 2, 2009
John DuMond
Feb 2, 2009
Craig McDonald
Feb 2, 2009
Paul Bishop
I am looking forward to reading Mixed Blood when it hits the American book stores. It sounds like my kind of story.
"Cheers"
Bish
Feb 2, 2009
JordanKrall
Btw, what are your favorite Thompson / Leonard / Stark books??
Feb 2, 2009
jedidiah ayres
Feb 3, 2009
Reece Hirsch
By the way, I'm also a fan of The Big Lebowski. Here in the U.S., that movie has acquired quite a cult following. There are actually Lebowski Fests in several cities, where attendees dress up as the Dude, Walter and even the Nihilists!
Feb 3, 2009
Jack Green
Feb 4, 2009
crimogenic
Feb 4, 2009
Alison Bruce
sorry I was so slow at responding to your 'add', I wasn't being rude! All the best, Alison
Feb 10, 2009
Alison Bruce
Feb 10, 2009
Alison Bruce
Feb 10, 2009
Alison Bruce
Feb 10, 2009
Jason Chambers
jc
Feb 26, 2009