Deon Meyer’s biography, fact, career, awards, net worth and life story

Deon Godfrey Meyer is a South African thriller novelist, writing in Afrikaans. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has also written numerous scripts for television and film.

Life and career

Meyer was born on 4 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. He was a long-time resident of historical coastal resort of Melkbosstrand where he wrote most of his novels.

In the 1980s he worked as a journalist at Die Volksblad, at the public relations office of the University of the Free State, and began 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. His hobbies include touring Southern Africa on a motorcycle

Novels

Deon Meyer’s novel-writing career started when the Afrikaans magazine, Huisgenoot, published a short story he had submitted. Since then he has published eleven novels and two collections of short stories. His novels reflect current social issues in South Africa

Bibliography

• (1994) Wie met vuur speel
• (1996) Feniks (English title: Dead before Dying)
• (1997) Bottervisse in die jêm: 13 kortverhale (A collection of thirteen short stories)
• (2000) Orion (also dramatised for television) (English title: Dead at Daybreak)
• (2002) Proteus (English title: Heart of the Hunter)
• (2007) Onsigbaar (English title: Blood Safari)
• (2009) “Transito” (series written for television)
• (2010) Karoonag en ander verhale (A collection of short stories)
• (2010) Spoor (English title: Trackers)
• (2016) Koors (English title: Fever)

Benny Griessel series

• (2004) Infanta (English title: Devil’s Peak)
• (2009) 13 Uur (English title: Thirteen Hours)
• (2011) 7 Dae (English title: Seven Days)
• (2013) Kobra (English title: Cobra,2014)
• (2015) Ikarus (English title: Icarus,2015)

Film rights awarded for novels

• Feniks (Dead before dying) was the first novel for which film rights were awarded. The screenplay, written by South African writer, Johann Potgieter, was finalised in 2008 but never made a motion picture. It was adapted again in 2015 by German TV-producer Annette Reeker as Cape Town, an international co-produced TV-series.
• In August 2009 the film rights for 13 uur (Thirteen Hours), were awarded to British producers Malcolm Kohll and Robert Fig. Roger Spottiswoode has been appointed to direct the film.
• The film rights for Proteus (Heart of the Hunter) have also been granted to a South African company.
• Transito” was specially written for television. The novel “Orion” was dramatised for television.

Awards and nominations

Meyer has also been nominated and has also won numerous awards.

• 7 Dae awarded the M-Net Literary Award (Film category) in 2012.
• Devil’s Peak was awarded the Martin Beck Award (“Den gyllene kofoten” or The golden crowbar) by the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers in 2010.
• Le pic du diable, the French translation of Devil’s Peak wins the Readers’ Award from CritiquesLibres.com for Best Crime Novel or Thriller in 2010.
• 13 Hours wins the ATKV Prize for Best Suspense Fiction in 2009
• Weisser Schatten (‘Blood Safari’) receives the German Krimi Award (third place) in 2009.
• The Swedish edition of ‘Dead at Daybreak’ (Död i gryningen) was shortlisted for The Martin Beck Award for best translated crime fiction in 2008.
• Blood Safari wins the inaugural ATKV Prize for Best Suspense Fiction in 2008.
• Dead at Daybreak awarded best television script for the South African series by the ATKV in 2007
• Heart of the Hunter (German title: Das Herz des Jägers) wins Deutscher Krimi Preis in 2006.
• Devil’s Peak (Afrikaans Title: Infanta) wins ATKV Prose Prize for 2004.
• Dead at Daybreak (French title: Les Soldats de l’aube) wins the French Prix Mystère de la critique 2004.
• Heart of the Hunter (Afrikaans title: Proteus) wins the ATKV Prose Prize for 2003.
• Dead Before Dying (French title: Jusqu’au Dernier) wins Le Grand Prix de Littérature Policière 2003.
• Dead at Daybreak (Afrikaans title: Orion) wins the ATKV Prose Prize for 2000.
• Dead at Daybreak (Afrikaans title: Orion) shortlisted for the M-Net Book Prize.
• Dead at Daybreak shortlisted for The Sunday Times Literary Prize.