Most members thoroughly enjoyed this many layered novel by Australian writer, Peter Temple, written in 2005.
The main character, homicide detective, Joe Cashin, was felt to be many faceted, credible and sympathetic, notably humane in his police work including the treatment of the enigmatic 'swaggie', Rebb.
The story revolves around Cashin's return to his home town and routine police work after a particularly harrowing stakeout in Melbourne. How the stakeout failed causing the death of his police partner and Cashin's guilt about it are gradually revealed throughout the novel, together with details of his childhood and family life.
Cashin's rehabilitation and enjoyment of a peaceful existence at the run-down family home with his dogs - two unlikely French poodles - are interrupted when he is asked to help investigate a brutal attack on a local notable, Charles Bourgoyne. Suspicion falls on three young Aboriginal men but Cashin is not so sure.
Members gave the novel high praise, agreeing that what makes this a standout Australian novel - which won the international Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award - are the number of issues which Temple manages to weave effortlessly throughout the story, including: racism, police corruption, alcoholism, urban development, regional vs city views, political interference, mental health and child abuse. This sets the book apart from the average crime novel.
The dialogue between the characters (particularly the male police officers) is very well done and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. The descriptions of the countryside, the changing weather and the antics of the dogs are also first rate. One member found the staccato language hard to read but it is easy to follow when read to you on Audible. It also sets a brisk pace to the book. She also thought there was some discrimination against country people expressed in the book, about which we will let the reader make up their own mind.
The novel has a number of story lines introduced about the characters, plentiful red herrings and enough loose ends at the conclusion to make you want to pick up the next novel in the series.
Who was Peter Temple?
Peter Temple was an Australian crime author who died last year from cancer at the age of 71. He was the first Australian crime novelist to win the Miles Franklin Award - for Truth, the follow up novel to The Broken Shore, written in 2010. Readers were waiting for the third novel in the series, provisionally called The Light on the Hill, when he died.
Peter was born in South Africa but fled apartheid and moved to Australia in 1980 where he became a popular local in Ballarat.
Before writing full time in the 1990s he was a journalist and a journalism teacher. He was the first Australian to win the Gold Dagger award. In addition, he was a five-time winner of the Ned Kelly award for the best crime novel.
His popular books featuring the loveable rogue, Jack Irish, were made into a television series featuring Guy Pearce.
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