Review of Criminals and Crocodiles

Mehul P · Post by **Mehul P** » 25 Aug 2023, 04:04

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Criminals and Crocodiles" by Arnold Woolley.]

4 out of 5 stars

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Criminals and Crocodiles

"Criminals and Crocodiles" chronicles the author's initiation into the realm of law enforcement, encapsulating his inaugural years within the British South Africa Police, colloquially known as the Rhodesian Police Force. Within the pages of this narrative, the author retraces his odyssey, which commenced with an August 1964 voyage from Southampton aboard a mail-ship. The narrative threads through his evolution from a squad leader within the training depot to his tenure as a District Uniformed Officer in Victoria Province.

Incidents unfurl, painted with the hues of duty - from tragic road mishaps to stock theft investigations, from murders that etch their mark on memory to riveting encounters with the indigenous wildlife that inhabits this land. The narrative deftly ushers readers into the nascent days of counter-terrorism endeavors, wherein the author served within the Support Unit for an extensive span of over two years. Leading a cohort of ten African Policemen, he danced on the precipice, juggling tasks encompassing Restriction Camp Guard Duties, a slew of patrols, and the art of ambush maneuvers, unraveling against the backdrop of Zambezi Valley and beyond. The narrative embraces the nation's history and archaeology, unearthing these layers alongside candid depictions of comrades, officers, and civilians woven into the fabric of his life during four years adorned in the uniform and insignia of the BSA Police. Embedded like jewels amidst the narrative are photographs, captured by the author's lens whenever the camera was close at hand.

I was terrified while reading the book. Thinking of what our dear soldiers go through everyday rolled down tears from my eyes. It is truly a great book describing the life of a British South African policeman and his daily works. The book is extremely good. The narrative was clear, and I didn't need to go through anything more than once. I was so focused while reading. The book was also extremely professionally edited as I encountered no spelling or grammatical errors.

The only downside I found, that could become a concern for the book is that sometimes, memoirs can be quite boring and uninteresting. Readers tend to lose interest after some time. This book was interesting for me, but it did lack somethings in middle phase. I wouldn't be surprised if I'd come to know of people reading this book only halfway through.

Overall, I'd rate this book a good 4 out of 5 stars. The reason for deduction is given above. Also, the pricing of the book is a concern as well. I don't know if I've the right to discuss the pricing, so I'll leave it here only.

Thank You.

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Criminals and Crocodiles
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Amy Luman · Post by **Amy Luman** » 31 Aug 2023, 16:47

Memoirs are not my favorite genre, but this does seem to cover his time in the police service very well.

Mehul P · Post by **Mehul P** » 02 Sep 2023, 07:26

Amy Luman wrote: ↑31 Aug 2023, 16:47 Memoirs are not my favorite genre, but this does seem to cover his time in the police service very well.

You should definitely give it a try. It might surprise you.

Jimmy_20 · Post by **Jimmy_20** » 02 Sep 2023, 11:18

I don't think I'd have bought the book before seeing this review but now I don't regret buying the book.
I've always been fascinated by policemen's lives.

Uchechi uk · Post by **Uchechi uk** » 04 Sep 2023, 04:39

This wil be an emotional book and I am not down for it. Thanks for an engaging review.

Nenye Charles · Post by **Nenye Charles** » 05 Sep 2023, 07:14