Deon Meyer's THIRTEEN HOURS has been shortlisted for The Barry Award in the Best Thriller category. Named after book reviewer Barry Gardner and supported by Deadly Pleasures magazine, The Barry Award for Best Thriller Category showcases the best works that are published in the field of crime fiction every year and is a coveted prize among crime writers. Previous winners include Barry Eisler and Val McDermid and this year's list features Daniel Silva, Vince Flynn, Noah Boyd, Charles Charters and Mark Greaney. The winner will be announced during the Bouchercon mystery and crime writing convention in St Louis, Missouri, 15-18 September 2011.

With his books sold in 23 countries, Deon Meyer has received wide recognition for THIRTEEN HOURS, originally published in Afrikaans in South Africa by Human & Rousseau, and in the UK by Hodder, in Canada by Random and in the US by Grove Atlantic. THIRTEEN HOURS won the ATVK Prize in South Africa in 2009, was shortlisted for the CWA International Dagger Award in 2010 and is optioned for film by Malcolm Kohll and Robert Fig.

Deon Meyer will be a featured guest author at Crimefest in Bristol in the UK, 19-22 May 2011.

Praise for Deon Meyer:

'THIRTEEN HOURS proves Deon Meyer should be on everyone's reading list. This book is great!' -- Michael Connelly

'THIRTEEN HOURS has breathtaking suspense, psychological understanding, and one of the most inspiring detectives ever. Deon Meyer deserves his international reputation.' -- Thomas Perry

'I look at this wonderfully realized book as a two-for-one - an exciting chase thriller and a puzzling murder mystery. This is my favorite novel of the year.' -- George Easter, Deadly Pleasures

'Meyer is a writer to take seriously - the best crime writer out of South Africa." -- Crime Time

'If you want a glimpse of the soul of the new South Africa in all its glory, and with all the gory details of its problems and corruption, Meyer is your man.' -- Matthew Lewin, Guardian

'I've been reading a new book by Deon Meyer, a South African writer of crime fiction, set in his homeland. I love crime fiction and I'm always on the lookout for a new talent and Mr Meyer certainly fits the bill.' -- Michael Parkinson, from his website