Pietermaritzburg author Sue Rabie is the librarian at a boy’s school and this, her third book, will find firm favour amongst the youngsters who crowd her library because it has everything an action adventure tale should have, from a noble hero [disbarred doctor David Roth], a beautiful femme fatale, and non-stop deeds of derring do.

Durban-based logistics manager Roth is distracted by the disturbing behaviour of his girlfriend when he is kidnapped, first by one government agency then another, involved in a shoot-out at the Royal Natal Yacht Club, chased through the streets of Durban from the Point to the uShaka Marine World, and finally parachuted into Swaziland in search of his uncle, a government secret agent.

A quick and easy read, this is ideal relaxation for anyone who wants to forget about end-year exams or enjoys Alistair Maclean with a local flavour: the characters are still somewhat cardboard and the situations predictable but Fallout is a vast improvement on Rabie’s previous books, marking her as a writer who can be relied on to deliver clean and proudly South African escapism. ( )