Looking for something to read these cold South African winter nights? You could do a lot worse than picking up a copy of Lauren Beukes’ latest book, Broken Monsters, which goes on sale today.

For those who don’t know Beukes’ is far and away South Africa’s best alternative reality/sci-fi author. Her previous three books, Moxyland, Zoo City and The Shining Girls are deep, twisted takes on the world around us that – in the best traditions of sci-fi and fantasy – use inventive devices to comment on the world as it really is.

(Personally, my favourite is still her debut Moxyland, which uses an online games firm as a metaphor for apartheid and corporate takeovers of public space. And yes, it really is that good.)

I’m heading out to pick up a copy of Broken Monsters today – I recommend you do the same. And if you’re still not quite convinced go and read the interview we did with Lauren last year in which she talks about the premise of the book (Detroit as a simulacrum for Hillbrow).

Here’s the official blurb for Broken Monsters:

Detective Gabi Versado has hunted down many monsters during her eight years in Homicide. She’s seen stupidity, corruption and just plain badness. But she’s never seen anything like this.

Clayton Broom is a failed artist, and a broken man. Life destroyed his plans, so he’s found new dreams – of flesh and bone made disturbingly, beautifully real.

Detroit is the decaying corpse of the American Dream. Motor-city. Murder-city. And home to a killer opening doors into the dark heart of humanity.

A killer who wants to make you whole again…

I may not have read Broken Monsters yet, but some of the many Beukes fans on GoodReads have. So far, reader reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

There’s no Kindle edition yet – you’ll have to wait for the UK release date at the end of the month to get that – but you can catch Lauren on a press tour of South Africa to promote hard copies here.

If you want to be the first to purchase a copy, get to The Book Lounge in Cape Town tonight.