Reading Notes : A Beautiful Place To Die by Malla Nunn

There have been a number of high quality debut Australian book releases in the last couple of months that have come my way. I’m gradually getting to each one and have been impressed by all of them.

A particularly strong novel is A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (Pan Macmillan Australia), a murder mystery set in South Africa in the 1950s. The time and setting are significant because of the Racial Segregation laws that were in place at the time. The story explores these laws throughout the book and the attitudes of characters play a major role in the tone of the book and in the story’s outcome.

A Beautiful Place To Die introduces police detective Emmanuel Cooper who is called to a small town to investigate the murder of the town’s police captain. What he has walked into, though is a dangerously poised tinderbox of emotions as the sons of the dead man deal with their rage and grief by looking for someone to blame. Their attention sits squarely on the black community and Cooper is forced to act as the voice of reason, unsure of the authority he might be able to exert in such a remote town.

Moving in to take over are the police Security Branch, the feared enforcers of the racial laws that rule the land. Their intention is to find the kind of suspect that suits their needs, which leaves it up to Cooper to work surreptitiously to find the true murderer, regardless of the colour of his skin.

The story builds quickly in intensity as pressure is placed on Emmanuel - and not from the direction you would expect it to come. This is obviously a heartfelt subject for the author and it is told with great style.

Reading Notes : As Darkness Falls by Bronwyn Parry

Another new voice in Australian literature has just been heard with the release of As Darkness Falls by Bronwyn Parry. The book is published by Hachette Australia. This novel combines the pulse-racing thriller story with a country Australia setting that is rarely experienced by city-dwellers.

It is the kind of story that allows you to comfortably fall into, losing yourself in the smooth, flowing story told by a gifted storyteller.

As Darkness Falls is a romantic suspense novel set in the north-west corner of New South Wales in the tiny town of Dungirri. The setup is that Isabelle O'Connell is asked to return to her home town a year after she is nearly killed by an angry mob while trying to protect a suspected murderer. The man she was trying to protect was implicated in a child abduction and murder case.

Now, a year later, Isabelle is living alone on a remote property on extended leave from the police force and only a week out from retirement. The call to duty comes from DCI Alex Goddard who has come to tell her that another child has gone missing in Dungirri. She instinctively agrees to help.

There is no let up from the emotional turmoil that surround everyone the moment our attention turns to the small town. Pressure comes from the urgency that is put into finding the small girl. Added pressure comes from attacks on Isabelle herself. And finally, caught up in the midst of all this is the desperate romance hopelessly complicating it all.

This is a fine debut novel from go to whoa, a desperate thriller that also works as a moving love story.

Bronwyn Parry was awarded the 2007 Golden Heart Award by the Romance Writers of America for As Darkness Falls.

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Reading Notes : Ghostlines by Nick Gadd

The 2007 Victorian Premiers Literary Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript was won by Nick Gadd for a novel about a washed up award-winning investigative journalist who now works for a suburban newspaper. That book has now been published as Ghostlines by Scribe Publications and it is an emotionally-charged debut occasionally marked with despair and guilt but presented with admirable style.

A tragic accident at a local railway crossing sees him simply going through the motions, more intent on getting home and drinking himself to sleep to the strains of Coltrane’s saxophone. Somewhere between asking people how they felt about the accident and filing the story his usual numbness to the people affected begins to wear off and he finds that there may be more to the story than a simple level-crossing accident.

A Melbourne art group from the 1950s, the work of a noted local artist and the haunting image of a woman captured in a portrait found in the house of a lonely old man are the catalysts to a most intriguing mystery. Phillip Trudeau is the troubled protagonist in the story, a man who has had his share of hardships, paying for crossing the wrong powerful people in the past. He’s the down but not out type of underdog whom you hope will succeed, but it could go either way.

Ghostlines is a worthy winner of the 2007 VPLA, it’s a powerful novel that is not without its surprises. Definitely one to look out for and a strong contender for future awards down the track. Put Nick Gadd down as an author to follow for the future.

I have written a full review for Ghostlines by Nick Gadd and it can be found by clicking on the link.

Three Authors You Couldn't Live Without

Karen at Aust Crime Fiction has listed the Three Authors She Couldn’t Live Without, an idea she pinched from David J Montgomery at Crime Fiction Blog who borrowed it from elsewhere. At the end Karen asked others to pick up the challenge so what the hell.

Now this is going to seem to be flying in the face of the subject of my own blog, but my number 1 and 2 favourite authors are not Australian.

Dennis Lehane. I’m still mourning the end of the Kenzie and Gennaro series and occasionally go back to re-read the books. Mystic River made up for the loss somewhat, though.

George Pelecanos. Gritty, tough and nothing at all held back, Pelecanos gets down into the sleaziest, drug riddled parts of Washington DC hitting the mark time and again with scene depiction and use of language. I’ve enjoyed the work these two have done on The Wire, too, by the way.

Chris Womersley. I’m a big fan of noir fiction and Chris’ debut novel, The Low Road is exactly the kind of desolate story that my warp mind really appreciates. I’m waiting with the hope that he will see his way clear to write another similarly dark and moody tale.

So there you go folks, challenge acknowledged and met. Anyone else out there with authors they'd like to bestow their praise upon?

Reading Notes : Blood Sunset by Jarad Henry

A couple of years ago I read Head Shot by Jarad Henry, his debut novel and was very excited to have discovered a crime novel that was both set in Australia and characteristic of the hardboiled crime novels I consider to be my favourite. After reading Head Shot I was eager to read more like it – as we spoilt, demanding crime readers are prone to do I was impatiently waiting for Jarad to write another. Apparently, writing another wasn’t a problem so much as finding a publisher.

A Welcome Hardboiled Novel

Then came the welcome news that Allen & Unwin picked up Blood Sunset and we find ourselves in business again. Blood Sunset is a follow up to Head Shot, featuring detective Rubens McCauley. McCauley is a no-nonsense, play outside the rules type of detective who works in the hectic inner Melbourne suburb of St Kilda.

To get what you want, you’ve got to know what you want. My mother first told me this when I was a young boy. Think hard about what you want, she said, for knowing what you want is more difficult than actually getting it.
It wasn’t until a few weeks before my fortieth birthday that I fully understood what she’d meant. I was sitting in an unmarked squad car, tired and hungry and thinking about bed, when a call came over the dispatch that would change the direction of my life forever. (pg 1)

Rubens has just returned to work after recovering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder, the after effects of Head Shot. The opening paragraphs quoted above warn us that what is about to come is more than just your standard case.

Brief Synopsis of the Book

When he reaches the scene he finds what looks to be a routine drug overdose in one of St Kilda’s many back alleys. His first mistake is to hastily declare the death accidental. The second was the way he went around making up for the first mistake. Naturally, the first impressions were misleading and the truth, as it slowly unravels, reveals something far more shocking and dangerous.

Brief Impressions About the Book

Okay, that’s the shorthand synopsis of the book that gives you a feel for the plot. Now a few of my own impressions…

Jarad Henry has worked some powerful social commentary about life in Australia into the storyline through McCauley’s character. Issues such as the worrying growth of drug use by youths and the losing battle fought by police, the fear and neglect felt by members of the aging population and the sleazy side of inner city living.

The story is set in heatwave conditions with bushfires surrounding Melbourne and encasing the city in a choking smoke haze giving everything an otherworldly, energy sapping presence.

Rubens McCauley reinforces the impression that he is the typical hardboiled detective with many of the usual character traits. Even when he’s being circumspect he steps on toes. His methods get results and break rules. He owns a cat and is involved in a marriage that is in trouble. He has let down relatives and friends many times, feels guilty about it but ultimately his job takes precedence.

St Kilda is the sad, dirty backdrop to the story and is summed up by this Rubens McCauley observation:

A used condom, a dirty needle and a crime scene cop crawling around a palm tree. Very St Kilda. Maybe they could make a postcard out of it and sell it to the tourists. (pg 254)

Blood Sunset is a solid crime thriller that speaks loudly and, rather than merely touching on delicate issues, it charges boldly through them and tears them apart. It’s hardboiled, typically tough and definitely engaging. Rubens McCauley is by no means a saint but his is a character for whom you can’t help but feel empathy.

Brief Urge to Read the Book

This has just been released (May '08) and if you're serious about reading good, thought-provoking Australian crime fiction, then get yourself out and find a copy.

Mystery Book Reading : Blood Redemption by Alex Palmer

Alex Palmer's second novel The Tattooed Man is about to be released in February and to prepare myself I grabbed a copy of her debut novel, Blood Redemption. Blood Redemption was published back in 2002 and won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel, the Canberra Critics Circle Award for Literature and was the joint winner of the Sisters-in-Crime Davitt Award for Best Crime Novel by a woman. All plaudits, awards, what have you are definitely well justified - this is one very strong crime novel.

It starts with a shooting on the streets of Sydney in which a man lies dead, his wife is critically wounded and their son is traumatised having witnessed it all. Leading the investigation is Detective Inspector Paul Harrigan who is joined at the crime scene by a raw newcomer to the detective ranks, Detective Constable Grace Riordan. Both police officers are given incredibly complex backgrounds which Palmer does a tremendous job incorporating into the story without adversely affecting the pace or rhythm of the story.

This isn't a mystery story, it's a crime novel. That is to say, we know the identity of the killer, Lucy Hurst a homeless young woman who has been brainwashed into taking such drastic action. It's an act that will torment her for the remainder of the book.

"You've seen me when I'm wasted and the only thing I want to feel is nothing. When the only thing that keeps me going is the blood pumping through my veins because I can't fucking stop it. Sometimes I want that blood to run down the nearest drain and take me with it." pg 25

This is as much an examination of Lucy and the past she has had to endure that has led her to this point. Hers is a terrible background, a story of horrible abuse that makes you shudder at the injustice she has suffered. You can feel sympathy for a killer, Alex Palmer proves it.

Alex Palmer paints a tragic story populated with rich characters who demand to be explored further. Paul Harrigan is single father to a very clever teenage boy with cerebral palsy, Grace is marked with a deep scar across her throat, the work of a former lover.

It's been 6 years since this book was written and now we're on the verge of being able to read the sequel. The astonishing thing is: there has been no fanfare for the upcoming release of The Tattooed Man (pub: HarperCollins). That may have to do with the fact that it's been such a long time between drinks, but fair warning to all, if the new one is half as good as Blood Redemption you're in for another cracking read. Go out and get Blood Redemption and enjoy a compelling thriller.

Genre Flash

I picked this up from Angela Savage's blog the other day, but the credit goes to Lindy Cameron for her outstanding initiative and the creation of a very snazzy looking catalogue of genre fiction.

Lindy says that Genre Flash is: "a small, simple but elegant pdf catalogue of any genre fiction or related SinC books, that have been published by Sisters in Crime members - or their Australian women writer friends - in the past 2 years."

Not only does it give a quick review of recently published books, along with publication details and author's websites, there are also previews of some forthcoming releases too. Certainly worth checking out and printing out as you are trying to decide on some worthy summer holiday reading when stocking up the bookshelves.

In an industry that is jam-packed with contenders looking for a brief moment in the spotlight and with the window of opportunity getting seemingly smaller and smaller, authors are looking for ways to get their product out into the attention of the population of readers. Genre Flash is an enterprising idea and deserves a little fanfare, even if it's only through my blog and website.

The initial plan is to produce Genre Flash twice a year but the option to increase that will depend on the traffic it enjoys and on the number of new releases that have been published at the time. I'm pretty sure that when other authors learn of this new opportunity to showcase their work they'll be beating down Lindy's door to be included in future editions.

I reckon it's such a great idea I've put the link over on the right hand border.

A Few New Kiwi Releases

So hands up all those who can name more than one New Zealand crime writer - and you're not allowed to include Ngaio Marsh.

Time's up.

We're about to broaden our horizons by checking out a few recent releases by authors from New Zealand so sharpen your pencils. The "Down Under" part of the blog's name has given me free reign to hop across the ole ditch and, thanks to a little prompting (for which I am grateful) from Thomas Mitchell (author of the short story First Off the Blocks), I present a few of the latest offerings from New Zealand for you to hunt down.

• The Cleaner & The Killing Hour by Paul Cleave pub. Randam House) - Firstly, The Cleaner has been longlisted for the Ned Kelly Award, not only for Best Debut Crime Novel but also for best Novel. It's a powerful story that takes you into the terrifying mind of a serial killer. He has since followed that up with The Killing Hour (published June 2007) in which a man wakes up with a bump on his head, blood on his shorts and the news that the two young women he was with the night before have been brutally murdered.

• Overkill by Vanda Symon - this is a murder mystery set in New Zealand's South Island and introduces Police Constable Sam Shepherd. This is a small-town mystery that oozes with local flavour and is proposed as the first of a series.
  



• The Windsor Conspiracy by Mike Ponder (pub. Random House) - this is an explosive thriller in which a London journalist receives the gruesome little package of a bloody finger and is told the finger belongs to Prince Charles, now a kidnapping victim. It's the start of a wild, conspiracy-filled story of murder, manipulation and some serious questions over the possible ruthlessness of a few members of the royal family.
  
  
• Chad Taylor - his latest novel is Departure Lounge (pub. Jonathan Cape) which Taylor warns is a mystery with no resolution and that it plays with the genre. It's about a career burglar who breaks into an apartment and cleans it out before moving on to the next. Along the way he comes to an apartment whose occupants have recently died and he is startled to discover that he has a connection with them from his past which prompts a detailed examination of self.
  
  
• Opportunity by Charlotte Grimshaw (Random House) - this is a book of dark short stories that can be read separately or combined to read as a whole novel. Her previous books - Provocation, Guilt and Foreign City lean towards the darker, more troubled side.

Spotlight Australian Male Private Investigators

Continuing my spotlight series of some of the broader categories of Australian crime I have moved on to Australian Male Private Investigators. After the long list of female P.I.'s I was expecting a formidable list of male detectives to feature. But the list is surprisingly short which leads me to believe that I have a lot still to read or a lot that I have missed.

So if you notice any glaring omissions let me know and I'll add them (it would also be handy to pick up some recommendations myself).

And away we go...

Author : Peter Corris P.I. : Cliff Hardy

Recognised as the godfather of Australian crime Peter Corris epitomises the essence of Australian crime writing. With 31 books in the Cliff Hardy series he has cemented himself at the forefront of hardboiled fiction in Australia. Cliff Hardy has seen it all. He's been knocked out at least once per book, suffered through a succession of failed relationships, been shot at, blown up and generally abused in more ways than one can imagine. If it's tough, lean crime writing you're after then you should start with The Dying Trade and work your way through to the just released Appeal Denied.

Visit the official Peter Corris website for more on Cliff Hardy.

Author : Kel Richards P.I. : Benjamin Bartholomew

Here is a most innovative idea for a detective series. Set in Jerusalem at around 33A.D. but with all the mod-cons of the 20th century, Bartholomew investigates some of the most important mysteries mentioned in the bible. And the first is the disappearance of the body of Jesus Davidson, a man who was executed but whose body mysteriously disappeared 3 days later. These books are very clever filled with irony and a just a hint of theological philosophy.

Titles : The Case of the Vanishing Corpse, The Case of the Secret Assassin, The Second Death, The Case of the Damascus Dagger

Author : Susan Geason P.I. : Syd Fish

Fish is a Sydney-based private detective who features in 3 books - the first, Shaved Fish a book of short stories. His realm is in and around the inner-Sydney hotspot of Kings Cross. He has a dry wit that is in abundant display while he calls in favours from near and far. a big drawing factor of the series is the vivid descriptions of the local Sydney scenes.

Titles : Shaved Fish, Dogfish, Shark Bait

Author : Steve Wright P.I. : Barry Donovan

Another series of only 3 books written in the early 1990s, they introduce Barry Donovan who was doing it particularly tough in London before relocating to Sydney. Donovan has the daunting task of adjusting to life in Australia while trying to fit in as a private detective. In evidence is a superb wit (something that most of these series share), but also many of the traditional features of hardboiled PI's - the drinking, the introspection, the loneliness, the tendancy to get beaten around the head.

Titles : Love Avalon, A Drop In the Ocean, A Break In the Traffic

Author : Scott Bywater P.I. : Sam Chauvel

Although Bywater and Chauvel have already been covered in my Comic Novels post, I'll quickly mention the series again. Sam Chauvel is a wannabe private investigator just starting out on the job with a lot to learn. More blundering than effective, there are 2 books to enjoy filled with good-natured crime fighting fun.

Titles : Captain Zooba To the Rescue, Love Is In the Air-Conditioning

We can also move back to the pulp era and include the vast Larry Kent series, and Carter Brown's Rick Holman books, Robert Dudgeon wrote Max Strong books. There are surely many others from this era who also may or may not have been Australian authors.

As I said earlier there must be heaps of P.I. series I've missed so I'll be more than happy to be reminded of them.

Spotlight Australian Female Private Investigators

Last week I discussed humorous Australian crime authors (or was that Australian crime authors who write humorous books - yeah, that probably sounds better).

This week I want to run my eye over female private investigators...er, that's not meant to be as creepy as it sounds. The list is not exhaustive and I haven't read all books by all authors listed below, but I reckon this will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect from each series.

Author : Marele Day P.I. : Claudia Valentine

I'll start with the Claudia Valentine series by Marele Day becaue this is the series I read first, so it seems only fitting.

The series begins with The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender which was published in 1988 and immediately asserts itself as a hardboiled detective novel. Claudia wakes with a killer hangover, an empty bottle of Jack Daniels and a full ashtray lying beside her bed and a sleeping blonde lying in it. The series lasts for 4 books and puts Claudia into all manner of dangerously tight spots requiring measured ingenuity over brawn. A messy marriage break-up involving two children gives her a complicated past and a reason to lapse into self-examination. This is a strong, complex series set in Sydney.

Titles : The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender, The Case of the Chinese Boxes, The Last Tango of Dolores Delgado and The Disappearances of Madalena Grimaldi.


Author : Gabrielle Lord P.I. : Gemma Lincoln

The Gemma Lincoln series is now 4 books strong with Shattered having been released earlier in the year. All of these books are complex thrillers that contain multiple threads running at once. She runs a detective agency employing a string of agents who report to her. Much more business-like than your average P.I., as well as maintaining a fast pace throughout the series, we also find that the personality of Gemma Lincoln plays a major role, growing as the series progresses. Whereas most other P.I. novels focus mainly on the crime that is being investigated, Lord gives us a lot more development of the Gemma Lincoln character.

Titles : Feeding the Demons, Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing, Spiking the Girl, Shattered.

Author : Cathy Cole P.I. : Nicola Sharpe

Nicola Sharpe features in 2 detective novels, Dry Dock and Skin Deep. She lives and works in Sydney's inner west suburb of Balmain dealing with dodgy property developers, hardened dock workers and slimy union officials all of whom operate on the shady side of the game and are less than impressed to have a woman butting in on their deals. Out of necessity she's got to be tough and capable and this ensures that the books are strong and interesting.

Titles : Dry Dock, Skin Deep

Author : Leigh Redhead P.I. : Simone Kirsch

Simone Kirsch is a P.I. with a real difference, coming from a background where she worked as a stripper. As a matter of fact, over the course of the 3 books so far in the series, she still hasn't completely given up the stripping. The big advantage with this kind of a background is that it gives Simone great contacts in the nightclubs and brothels around Melbourne. She is also willing to take whatever chances necessary to make her investigation work.

Titles : Peepshow, Rubdown, Cherry Pie.

Author : Angela Savage P.I. : Jayne Keeney

So far, Angela Savage is the author of one book, Behind the Night Bazaar, which features Australian private detective Jayne Keeney who has relocated to Bangkok. Filled with all of the dangers and customs of Thailand, Savage's prose is filled with authenticity and realism and Keeney battles through the unfamiliar territory with unparalleled tenacity. This is a top quality debut thriller which earned Savage the 2004 Victoria Premiers Literary Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript.

Author : Tara Moss P.I. : Makedde Vanderwall

I have only read 1 of the 4 Mak Vanderwall books and I found that the character appears to be closely based on the author herself. Canadian ex-pat, former model now living in Australia. I've got to say, I was far from impressed with Hit finding the story was continually bogged down my Mak moping over her personal life while the investigation dragged to the point that it was unfinished by the time the book ended (obviously you're to read the next one). I'd recommend this one last on my list if I were to rank them.

Titles : Fetish, Covet, Split, Hit

Author : Lindy Cameron P.I. : Kit O'Malley

Kit O'Malley is an ex-police officer turned P.I. working the seedy side of Melbourne's streets. She's tough, likable and a lesbian and features in 3 books. I've read Blood Guilt and found it a fast-moving crime novel that shows off Kit's detective skills to good effect. It also establishes her as a hopeless romantic who eats herself up with unfulfilled sexual frustration.

Titles : Blood Guilt, Bleeding Hearts, Thicker Than Water

Author : Kirsty Brooks P.I. : Cassidy Blair

I haven't read any of Kirsty Brooks' books but having read some of the reviews for her Cassidy Blair books, perhaps I should have included her in the humorous post. Cassidy Blair is a P.I. (at least, I think she is) and while she works cases, it seems that the results are more in the realm of the hilarious rather than the hardboiled. Plenty of talk about bad fashion and dangerous guys, these books sound like great fun.

Titles : The Vodka Dialogue, The Happiness Punch, The Millionaire Float, The Lady Splash.

Author : Claire McNab P.I. : Kylie Kendall

Again, I haven't read any of Claire McNab's books. She is now based in the USA and is the author of 3 long-running series, the 3rd of which features P.I. Kylie Kendall. Because I know little about the series, I will simply quote the introduction on Claire's website: "Think Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum blended with Crocodile Dundee. That's brash, enthusiastic Kylie Kendall, raised in the remote Outback of Australia. She's familiar with perilous situations and dangerous animals. Even so, nothing has prepared her for the challenges Los Angeles provides when Kylie inherits a private eye business and decides to lob in and run it herself."

Claire McNab's 2 other series feature Detective Inspector Carol Ashton (18 books) and Denise Cleever, an Australian Intelligence Organisation agent.

Titles : The Wombat Strategy, The Kookaburra Gambit, The Quokka Question, The Dingo Dilemma.

There should be something amongst these 8 authors for everyone to enjoy, whether it's hardboiled, humour, thriller or a bit of each.

Favourite Comic Crime Novels

Recently over on Detectives Beyond Borders, Peter cited a few examples of some of his favourite comic crime stories, listing Joe Gores (I second that), Donald Westlake's Dortmunder series (second that too), Norbert Davis (yup, yup, agree, agree). He then asked for a few of our own so, reaching for the spectrum of Australian novels, allow me to name a few from around these parts...

Max Barry - Company. This was released earlier this year and is a wickedly funny corporate satire that will appeal to anyone who has ever sat in a 5 foot x 5 foot cubicle. The ridiculousness of the petty office squabbles, accusations of who ate the last donut and the fear that the Personnel Department can strike into the rest of the organisation just rings extraordinarily truly.

Robert Gott - The Will Power novels surprised me with their great appeal, particularly when I was all set for a more serious detective mystery when I picked up the first book, Good Murder. Will Power is a man who is quick to point out the faults of others while remaining completely oblivious to his own glarin shortcomings. The farcical nature of the detective-work undertaken by Power is matched by his ability to completely and utterly piss people off within minutes of meeting him. Read Good Murder, A Thing of Blood and Amongst the Dead.

Shane Maloney - The Murray Whelan series is hugely popular in Australia thanks to the biting political satire that saturates it. Through his main character Maloney wryly comments on some of the most outlandish aspects of Australian politics and big business and while you're laughing at the comic situation, you're struck by the fact that this kind of thing has happened in real life.

Geoff McGeachin - Geoff's latest book, Sensitive New Age Spy, is the second Alby Murdoch comic spy thriller. This follows his outrageously titled Fat, Fifty & F***ed which spears wildly into madcap encounters with offbeat characters up and down Australia's Eastern seaboard. McGeachin delights in flirting with the ridiculous while retaining a tenuously sober grip on his plots delivering a more serious Hiaasen-like message. The humour is dry and his characters laconic and unmistakably Australian.

Robert G. Barrett - Speaking of unmistakably Australian, bloody hell, meet Les Norton, the knockabout Aussie larrikin brawler from Queensland who came down to Sydney to play football before a busted knee sent him to the door of an illegal casino as a bouncer. Occasionally the humour has a tendency to degenerate to the juvenile level but the series provides plenty of "brain in neutral" reading.

Scott Bywater - Published by the independent Equilibrium Books, Bywater's comic detective series features Sam Chauvel is pure satire reveling in the ineptitude and inexperience of the lead character, much like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series does.

Chris Nyst - I'm going to throw in Nyst's legal thrillers Gone and Crook As Rookwood due to the sparkling wit and wry observations on Australia's political and legal fraternities. That's for starters but what has my mouth watering in anticipation of his next book is the prospect of once again meeting up with his obnoxious defense attorney Eddie Moran who quite simply steals every scene.

I'm sure Peter will be keen to hear from anyone else with their own favourite humorous crime authors they'd like to offer.