PhD student in Education Ms Jennifer Sheokarah has launched her new book, The Intruder, a suspense thriller inspired by living through the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘I was stuck indoors during the first lockdown last year and it was therapeutic to write. I wanted to write about the pandemic in ways that people would be able to grasp so I personified the virus – the Intruder in the novel,’ she said. ‘It is easier to deal with a person than a pandemic. There are numerous references to the pandemic in a different form, a metaphor, throughout the novel. However, the book is a work of fiction.’

The novel follows a young woman, Jen who finds her relationship with doctor boyfriend, Wren, strained to breaking point as he is repeatedly called out to deal with victims of the Intruder’s merciless attacks. The death toll rises to a level where the South African government places the country under a state of emergency and lockdown. Spurred by a desire to return to normality, Jen undertakes her own investigation to uncover the hooded man.

No one is safe from the Intruder.

The book began as short pieces that Sheokarah submitted to UKZN’s Creative Network Magazine. Comments from readers and their desire for more led to the story’s development into a novel.

‘The Intruder is about how the main character grapples with life while the hooded, masked man lurks, stopping her plans and making her question everything. She conducts own investigation to find out who the Intruder is and hidden connections from the past reveal themselves. Working on the novel made me realise that writing is my escape. I believe you need some place to go when you can’t move your feet,’ said Sheokarah.

The book is available on Amazon as a paperback and on Kindle. The list of bookstores that will stock it will be announced shortly. Signed copies are available from the author: jennifer_sheokarah@yahoo.com