He's been a journalist, advertising copywriter, press liaison, creative director, web manager, internet strategist, and brand consultant. But Deon Meyer is best known as the author of novels like 'Heart Of The Hunter' which, translated, have reached audiences from France, Germany and Denmark and Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia.

And now there's 'Devil's Peak'. It's the gritty, intricate story of Thobela Mpayipheli, a former freedom fighter turned vigilante killer after the murder of his son; Bennie Griessel, the alcoholic cop on his tail; and Christine, a young prostitute who becomes a vital part of the police investigation.

There's a lot more to Meyer than crime fiction, though — like a passion for motorbikes, music, and cooking. So we speak to the Mozart and rugby fanatic about writing, security in South Africa and the World Cup.

Why do you think your books — based in Cape Town and very specifically addressing South African issues — resonate with an international audience?

This is a question I only get asked in South Africa, and it always leaves me a little bemused. My initial reaction is to ask "Is it that hard to believe that people in other countries can be interested in books set over here — in the same way we are interested in books set in foreign countries?"

An honest answer to your question would be "I honestly don't know". Going on the letters and e-mails I receive from overseas readers, it seems that they like the stories and characters, irrespective of the setting.

Is there some sense of trepidation in having your books translated — you're effectively handing over your work to a complete stranger who doesn’t know the characters as well as you do…

With the first translation, I was a bit worried, but have since learned that all those translators are extremely professional people who go to great lengths to ensure that they understand the characters as well as I do. Answering their endless questions while they are translating can be a full-time job.

There has been a dramatic upsurge in good South African crime fiction — the likes of you, Margie Orford and Mike Nichol. Why do you think this is?

Because nature abhors a vacuum.

But there still aren't many local authors writing crime fiction. Why?

I think the number is fast approaching a healthy and normal percentage of total scribes. One must keep in mind that we are not a first world country yet.

Do you think there's a prejudice towards the genre — as there is towards fantasy fiction for example — that it's not as "worthy" as others?

To the contrary, everybody seems to be going out of their way to give the genre, its books and authors a break — the reviewers, the media, the trade, the book buyers. Obviously, it's not regarded as high literature, but that's because it is not.

Do you find the crime genre an effective framework in which to address other issues?

I think if one wants to address issues, one should not write crime fiction — perhaps a letter to the editor of a daily newspaper will serve the purpose better. My job is to write a story that will hopefully enthrall the reader, and for that purpose the genre is not rigid at all.

So would you consider exploring other avenues — like the crime author John Connolly who took a detour into fantasy for 'The Book Of Lost Things'?

As an author who is still very much struggling to establish myself in a hugely competitive international market, I simply cannot afford to even contemplate the possibility at the moment.

As an author, is it your role to "entertain" or "inform" your audience? Or is it a bit of both?

Nope, my job is to entertain.

How long do you spend researching your books?

I usually do two to three months of initial research before I start writing, but the research process only stops when the final chapter is written.

For 'Devil's Peak', I researched crime against children, the local and international drug trade, the life of expensive sex workers, alcoholism, forensic psychology, the origin and manufacture of assegais, Xhosa history ...

Did you base the characters of Thobela and Benny on people you know, or know of?

No, I never base characters on people I know.

So why did you decide to make one of the main characters, Bennie Griessel, an alcoholic? Weren't you afraid that a "flaw" like that would alienate the audience?

I did not make Benny an alcoholic in 'Devil's Peak'. That happened when he made his first appearance as a lesser character in 'Dead Before Dying' — and I had to stick to his history.

I wasn't worried that his alcoholism would alienate the audience, because it is not uncommon in the genre for a protagonist to battle with the bottle, and I believe readers actually prefer deeply flawed characters.

What would you like people who read the book to walk away with?

The satisfaction that the reading thereof was time well spent.

What are your thoughts on the state of crime in South Africa? Would you consider emigrating?

To do justice to the complexity of the crime situation in our country would take several pages, which would not be appropriate here. So let me just say I have absolutely no intention of emigrating.

Standing on the sideline pointing fingers, or running away, have never seemed like intelligent solutions to me. I would much rather get involved in community policing, or become a police reservist...

After writing your first book aged 14, you didn’t return to fiction until in your early 30s. Do you regret waiting so long?

No. It gave me time to grow up a little.

What do your brothers, who weren't impressed by the book you wrote as a teenager, think of your success now?

They are still completely unimpressed and continue to give me a hard time. After all, that's what brothers are for.

What do you think now of what you wrote back then?

I now know that what I wrote back then was total and absolute crap.

Moving beyond writing now, are you still actively involved in the motorbike community ?

Yes, I've been organising the Great African GS Challenge for the past four years.

You are a big rugby supporter — any predictions for the World Cup?

Australia will beat New Zealand in the semi's. We will beat the Australians in the final.

You're also into rock 'n roll — what are you listening to at the moment?

The brilliant Lize Beekman.

And finally, how do you outsell 'Spud' in South Africa?

Take out a contract on John van der Ruit. I write crime fiction. I know people...