Nothing Hidden Under The Sun: A Review of In Broad Daylight
Title: In Broad Daylight
Author: Nneoma Michelle Egeonu
Publisher: Ifeadigo Publishing Company Limited
Pagination: 395
Year of Publication: 2023
Reviewer: Cheta Igbokwe
In Broad Daylight is the second offering of fiction from bestselling author, Nneoma Michelle Egeonu, the first being Nightmare In Sicily, a complex collection of short stories that explores grave themes and flits between locations in Nigeria, Italy and Germany. With her second book, this brilliant work of full-length crime fiction, Egeonu reinforces through its striking title and complex plot the potency of the popular saying that “There is nothing hidden under the sun.” Partly derived from a passage of the Holy Bible, specifically Luke 8:17, which says “Nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light,” the saying has been taken to mean that every secret act or covered misdeed has its day of exposure, reckoning or judgment. Over the epic span of nearly 400 pages, Egeonu crafts a riveting addition to crime fiction that serves equal measures of thrilling detective work, gruesome crime, dense mystery, relatable settings, sharp dialogue and fast-paced action, all made to cohesively marinate in startling and gritty social realism.
Largely, the novel’s intricate plot revolves around the character of Inspector Kachi Obi: a formidable detective, fully-rounded and sharply drawn, but like most hard-boiled sleuths of the literary subgenre within which he operates, shadowed by past trauma. This painful past later assumes a significance that is sure to astound even avid readers who are adept at predicting plot twists. Back to the plot of In Broad Daylight, Kachi finds himself entangled in the webbed center of an enormous criminal conspiracy, one that extends beyond initial suspicions of serial homicide. Heading a dedicated squad of officers, Kachi pursues a trail that meanders through illegal arms dealing, identity theft, grainy CCTV footage, autopsies, news archives and medical examinations: a trail that finally and ironically circles back to him. Gradually, we observe the frustrations and acquired triumphs of detective investigations, an experience peculiar to law enforcement and echoed in classic TV shows like HBO’s The Wire and True Detective, or in David Fincher’s Se7en.
However, In Broad Daylight avoids becoming just an ambitious pastiche of genre tropes and clichés, choosing instead to grow its originality from an inspired landscape that is as unique as the city it unfolds within: Onitsha. The novel features cultural and social sensibilities one can only attribute to an authentic Igbo background, and in doing so, lends itself a distinctiveness necessary to stand out. And yet, the true spirit of the book owes much to a rich history of The Detective Novel, in the manipulation of evidence that calls back to Agatha Christie, or the complication of a plot with red herrings, ruses and dead ends that Arthur Conan Doyle mastered with Sherlock Holmes. Diverging from its primary purpose of entertainment, the novel also offers a candid critique of the society it imitates, drawing attention to the deeply entrenched and systematic enablement of criminality, especially one that jam-packs “small prison cells…with bare-chested inmates” (193) while bigger criminals exist freely in “palatial” and “stately” mansions (315). And from the cynical viewpoint of Kachi, we are made to admit that more often than not, there exists a strong linkage between the criminals we abhor, such as the serial killer, and the criminal elements who hide behind facades of respectable authority or public service, like Governor Philip Ugwu and his ties to organ trafficking. In this vein, In Broad Daylight almost proves prophetic or merely mirrors reality, for not too long ago, the shocking conviction of a prominent politician and statesman on charges of organ harvesting made news headlines.
Additionally, what brilliance can be seen in In Broad Daylight is largely due to Egeonu’s characters, all of whom are convincing in their humanity. Sometimes, we applaud their heroism; and other times, we condemn their dastardly or duplicitous acts: but it is the truest testament to Egeonu’s shrewd grasp of compelling characterization that we can still afford to understand these characters and their motivations. But who is this epic tale of crime and consequences for, really? The answer is the reader who seeks the relentless thrill of good storytelling. However, In Broad Daylight is more than a breezy paperback, weighted as it is by historical references, medical research, Biblical undertones and intense interrogations of the human mind capable of good and evil. As such, it is a text worthy of serious critical examination, not just for the literary gem it is, but also for the revelatory relevance it offers our dynamic society.
In the bittersweet conclusion that follows its exhilarating climax of clues, the novel’s protagonist, Kachi, regrets “being a detective” (338), a crisis of the self that illuminates one of In Broad Daylight’s hardest lessons: sure, “secrets abound” (158), but in digging for the truth, are we always prepared for the answers we may uncover? Ultimately, we should take the advice given to Kachi by a clergyman: “Do what your heart tells you…” (138), which basically charges us to always trust our gut feelings and instincts whenever chaos reigns, for in doing so, we can come close to not only knowing our truest selves, but the real measure of our lives.
Copyright © 2023 Cheta Igbokwe
Cheta Igbokwe (born Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe; 1996) is a renowned Nigerian playwright, poet, author and reviewer. His play Homecoming won the 2021 Association of Nigerian Authors’ (ANA) Prize for Drama and was nominated for the 2023 Nigeria Prize for Literature.
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