Donker Web {in english}
1. Overview of Events
• John’s Death:
John dies due to an overdose/selfmoord (suicide). This motivates Greg Owen to
track down The Baker, the individual he believes is responsible.
• Mission to Find The Baker:
Greg receives a book from an anonymous source to help him track The Baker. He
contacts Xander for assistance.
• Travel to Turkey (Turkye):
Greg travels to Turkey where Xander lives with his girlfriend, Ayla. They use the
dark web to trace The Baker but are forced to flee when The Baker’s people find
them.
• Move to Italy (Italië):
Greg and Xander follow The Baker to Italy, but he escapes when he discovers
they are on his trail.
• Venice (Venesië):
They track him to Venice, but The Baker finds them first.
• Significance of the Chapter Title:
It emphasises that Greg is beginning a new life after John’s death and intends to
move to Stellenbosch to escape his trauma.
• Note on Italics:
Anything in italics is taken directly from a newspaper, website, text message, or
refers to a previous conversation.
EPILOOG (Epilogue)
Scene in John’s Room
-Greg and his mother are in John’s room after he is oorlede (deceased).
-They speak about his selfmoord (suicide).
-Greg’s mother shares her grief, frustration, and wroeging after his dood
(death).
Hoofstuk 1 – Suid-Afrika: Sandhurst
Die aand voor Greg se vertrek na Stellenbosch
Setting and Background
-Time: End of January, one year after Greg’s matric year.
-Brief references to the final events of the previous novel, Onderwêreld.
1
, -Greg reflects on Lawson College, which he left during matric.
-His luggage is packed for his departure to Stellenbosch the next day.
-Greg and his mother talk in John’s room about his death and their
emotional struggle.
Hoofstuk 2 – On the Way to Stellenbosch
Journey to Stellenbosch
-Greg leaves in his BMW 118i sport model to study Sportwetenskap
(Sports Science) at Stellenbosch.
-He thinks about Xander (Eckardt Wilken), the cause of his family’s
breakdown, and their last day at Lawson College.
-He recalls his father’s court case and the strange woman who attended
only one day of the proceedings.
Hoofstuk 3 – Beaufort West Guesthouse (Beaufort-Wes Gastehuis)
Arrival in Beaufort West
-A woman at the guesthouse recognises Greg and refers to his father who
had doodgemaak/vermoor (killed) people.
-An onderonsie (confrontation) follows.
-Greg arrives at his new woonstel (apartment) in Stellenbosch.
-He meets Chloe and her friends.
-His school friend Plank arrives.
Hoofstuk 4 – Maties Orientation Week (O-week)
First-Year Orientation
-First week of student life: O-week.
-A strange woman vra uit (asks) Plank about Greg.
-Konflik (conflict) arises when a student at the Vensters street theatre
verwys na (refers to) Greg’s father’s wandade (actions).
Hoofstuk 5 – Campus and Lisa
Lisa and the Artwork
-Plank tells Greg about Lisa, the girl with the elfiegesig and swart hare.
-Greg sees the artwork BROKEN TRUST at the SMAC Gallery.
-Lisa’s father, Dirk Schutte, drops Lisa and Plank off where Greg waits.
-Dirk dwing (forces) Lisa back into the bakkie, recognising Greg and
waarsku (warns) him to stay away from her.
2
,Hoofstuk 6 – Greg’s Frustration and Motivation (Stellenbosch)
Judgement from Others
-Greg becomes gefrustreerd (frustrated) that his father’s wandade
(actions) veroorsaak (cause) people to oordeel (judge) him.
Decision to Investigate The Baker
-Because of this frustration, Greg decides to find out more about Die
Baker.
Hoofstuk 7 – Compiling a Profile of The Baker (Stellenbosch)
Creating a Profile
-Greg tries to opstel (compile) a profile of The Baker.
Discovery of a Photograph
-He finds a foto (picture) of his father with Dr. Rian Trollip.
Childhood Memory
-Greg remembers a partytjie (party) from his childhood where Dr. Trollip
and his wife were teenwoordig (present).
• Dr. Trollip was part of Plus Ultramed.
Trollip as a Suspect
-Greg initially considers the doctor a suspect.
-He discovers an article about Trollip’s arrest for kinderpornografie (child
pornography).
-Trollip later committed selfdood (suicide) in his prison cell.
Hoofstuk 8 – Contacting Trollip’s Widow (Stellenbosch)
Phone Call with the Widow
-Greg skakel (contacts) Dr. Trollip’s widow.
-He realises she is under the invloed van alkohol (influence of alcohol).
Abrupt End to the Call
-She beëindig (cuts) the call when Greg says he is looking for Die Baker.
Continuing the Investigation
-Greg continues gathering information from people who might have known
Dr. Trollip.
Hoofstuk 9 – New Connections and a Warning
Social Circle
-Greg gets to know Dain February and his classmates better.
3
, Dirk’s Appearance
-Lisa’s father, Dirk, appears at the Workout Café.
Dirk’s Apology and Warning
-Dirk vra om verskoning (apologises) for his earlier behaviour.
-He warns Greg to stop the hacking.
Hoofstuk 10 – The Package and the Watcher (Stellenbosch)
Arrival of the Package
-A pakkie (package) containing a letter and a gebrande (burnt) book is
delivered to Greg’s woonstel (apartment).
Plank’s Visit
-Plank comes to kuier (visit) and tells Greg about his problems with Lisa.
The Motorbike Watcher
-A man on a motorfiets (motorbike) is seen dop (watching) Greg’s
apartment.
Contents of the Burnt Book
-Greg and Plank examine the burnt book containing formules (formulas),
diagramme (diagrams), and kriptiese notas (cryptic notes).
-On the final page, the word “Valkyrie” is written.
Hoofstuk 11 – Valkyrie and the Easter Weekend (Stellenbosch /
Johannesburg)
Discovering “Valkyrie”
-Greg finds out what Valkyrie means.
The Motorbike Man Again
-Greg sees the same man who previously dopgehou (watched) him on
the motorbike outside the Workout Café.
Trip to Johannesburg
-During Paasnaweek (Easter weekend), Greg flies from Cape Town
International Airport to OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg to visit his
mother.
Hoofstuk 12 – Sandhurst and Kgosi Mampuru II Prison
Andre Symington
-Greg is onsteld (upset) when he sees his mother’s secret boyfriend,
André Symington, at their home in Sandhurst.
Visiting His Father
-The next day, Greg visits his father, Chris Owen, at Kgosi Mampuru II
gevangenis (prison) in Pretoria.
-His father waarsku (warns) him to leave The Baker alone.
4
1. Overview of Events
• John’s Death:
John dies due to an overdose/selfmoord (suicide). This motivates Greg Owen to
track down The Baker, the individual he believes is responsible.
• Mission to Find The Baker:
Greg receives a book from an anonymous source to help him track The Baker. He
contacts Xander for assistance.
• Travel to Turkey (Turkye):
Greg travels to Turkey where Xander lives with his girlfriend, Ayla. They use the
dark web to trace The Baker but are forced to flee when The Baker’s people find
them.
• Move to Italy (Italië):
Greg and Xander follow The Baker to Italy, but he escapes when he discovers
they are on his trail.
• Venice (Venesië):
They track him to Venice, but The Baker finds them first.
• Significance of the Chapter Title:
It emphasises that Greg is beginning a new life after John’s death and intends to
move to Stellenbosch to escape his trauma.
• Note on Italics:
Anything in italics is taken directly from a newspaper, website, text message, or
refers to a previous conversation.
EPILOOG (Epilogue)
Scene in John’s Room
-Greg and his mother are in John’s room after he is oorlede (deceased).
-They speak about his selfmoord (suicide).
-Greg’s mother shares her grief, frustration, and wroeging after his dood
(death).
Hoofstuk 1 – Suid-Afrika: Sandhurst
Die aand voor Greg se vertrek na Stellenbosch
Setting and Background
-Time: End of January, one year after Greg’s matric year.
-Brief references to the final events of the previous novel, Onderwêreld.
1
, -Greg reflects on Lawson College, which he left during matric.
-His luggage is packed for his departure to Stellenbosch the next day.
-Greg and his mother talk in John’s room about his death and their
emotional struggle.
Hoofstuk 2 – On the Way to Stellenbosch
Journey to Stellenbosch
-Greg leaves in his BMW 118i sport model to study Sportwetenskap
(Sports Science) at Stellenbosch.
-He thinks about Xander (Eckardt Wilken), the cause of his family’s
breakdown, and their last day at Lawson College.
-He recalls his father’s court case and the strange woman who attended
only one day of the proceedings.
Hoofstuk 3 – Beaufort West Guesthouse (Beaufort-Wes Gastehuis)
Arrival in Beaufort West
-A woman at the guesthouse recognises Greg and refers to his father who
had doodgemaak/vermoor (killed) people.
-An onderonsie (confrontation) follows.
-Greg arrives at his new woonstel (apartment) in Stellenbosch.
-He meets Chloe and her friends.
-His school friend Plank arrives.
Hoofstuk 4 – Maties Orientation Week (O-week)
First-Year Orientation
-First week of student life: O-week.
-A strange woman vra uit (asks) Plank about Greg.
-Konflik (conflict) arises when a student at the Vensters street theatre
verwys na (refers to) Greg’s father’s wandade (actions).
Hoofstuk 5 – Campus and Lisa
Lisa and the Artwork
-Plank tells Greg about Lisa, the girl with the elfiegesig and swart hare.
-Greg sees the artwork BROKEN TRUST at the SMAC Gallery.
-Lisa’s father, Dirk Schutte, drops Lisa and Plank off where Greg waits.
-Dirk dwing (forces) Lisa back into the bakkie, recognising Greg and
waarsku (warns) him to stay away from her.
2
,Hoofstuk 6 – Greg’s Frustration and Motivation (Stellenbosch)
Judgement from Others
-Greg becomes gefrustreerd (frustrated) that his father’s wandade
(actions) veroorsaak (cause) people to oordeel (judge) him.
Decision to Investigate The Baker
-Because of this frustration, Greg decides to find out more about Die
Baker.
Hoofstuk 7 – Compiling a Profile of The Baker (Stellenbosch)
Creating a Profile
-Greg tries to opstel (compile) a profile of The Baker.
Discovery of a Photograph
-He finds a foto (picture) of his father with Dr. Rian Trollip.
Childhood Memory
-Greg remembers a partytjie (party) from his childhood where Dr. Trollip
and his wife were teenwoordig (present).
• Dr. Trollip was part of Plus Ultramed.
Trollip as a Suspect
-Greg initially considers the doctor a suspect.
-He discovers an article about Trollip’s arrest for kinderpornografie (child
pornography).
-Trollip later committed selfdood (suicide) in his prison cell.
Hoofstuk 8 – Contacting Trollip’s Widow (Stellenbosch)
Phone Call with the Widow
-Greg skakel (contacts) Dr. Trollip’s widow.
-He realises she is under the invloed van alkohol (influence of alcohol).
Abrupt End to the Call
-She beëindig (cuts) the call when Greg says he is looking for Die Baker.
Continuing the Investigation
-Greg continues gathering information from people who might have known
Dr. Trollip.
Hoofstuk 9 – New Connections and a Warning
Social Circle
-Greg gets to know Dain February and his classmates better.
3
, Dirk’s Appearance
-Lisa’s father, Dirk, appears at the Workout Café.
Dirk’s Apology and Warning
-Dirk vra om verskoning (apologises) for his earlier behaviour.
-He warns Greg to stop the hacking.
Hoofstuk 10 – The Package and the Watcher (Stellenbosch)
Arrival of the Package
-A pakkie (package) containing a letter and a gebrande (burnt) book is
delivered to Greg’s woonstel (apartment).
Plank’s Visit
-Plank comes to kuier (visit) and tells Greg about his problems with Lisa.
The Motorbike Watcher
-A man on a motorfiets (motorbike) is seen dop (watching) Greg’s
apartment.
Contents of the Burnt Book
-Greg and Plank examine the burnt book containing formules (formulas),
diagramme (diagrams), and kriptiese notas (cryptic notes).
-On the final page, the word “Valkyrie” is written.
Hoofstuk 11 – Valkyrie and the Easter Weekend (Stellenbosch /
Johannesburg)
Discovering “Valkyrie”
-Greg finds out what Valkyrie means.
The Motorbike Man Again
-Greg sees the same man who previously dopgehou (watched) him on
the motorbike outside the Workout Café.
Trip to Johannesburg
-During Paasnaweek (Easter weekend), Greg flies from Cape Town
International Airport to OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg to visit his
mother.
Hoofstuk 12 – Sandhurst and Kgosi Mampuru II Prison
Andre Symington
-Greg is onsteld (upset) when he sees his mother’s secret boyfriend,
André Symington, at their home in Sandhurst.
Visiting His Father
-The next day, Greg visits his father, Chris Owen, at Kgosi Mampuru II
gevangenis (prison) in Pretoria.
-His father waarsku (warns) him to leave The Baker alone.
4
