Snapshot

May 1, 2006
Fans of grim, uncompromising police procedurals will welcome Australian Disher's gritty, well-plotted third novel to feature Insp. Hal Challis (after 2005's Kittyhawk Down
). A dedicated but haunted man, the Melbourne homicide detective is still recovering emotionally from his late wife's attempt to kill him. When Janine McQuarrie, a therapist who happens to be the daughter-in-law of Challis's police superintendent, is gunned down in front of her seven-year-old daughter, Challis and his longtime partner, Ellen Destry, get on the case. Their discovery that the victim had recently sent pictures from an orgy to some of its participants—including her own husband—leads to a number of suspects, including their boss. Soon, more bodies turn up, suggesting that McQuarrie may have been mistaken for someone else. A fully realized character, Challis is the fitting center of what will hopefully be a long series.

May 1, 2006
With a lurid beginning, Disher's third Australian procedural (after "Kittyhawk Down") grips the reader from page one. Inspector Challis is a likable, average guy who realizes he has the supervisor from hell when the boss's daughter-in-law is murdered. Superintendent McQuarrie belittles, threatens, and stops just short of interfering in the investigation. However, Challis remains true to his profession and to himself. Disher is masterly at character development, offering more than fleeting glimpses into the lives of police, criminals, and their families. Most fascinating are the -Australianisms -: the goodie bags police give to courteous drivers, expressions like "footy "(football) and "crims "(criminals), and a befuddled, traffic-stopping koala. Despite too many coincidences, this book fascinates to the last page, when the tangled twists and turns finally unravel. An excellent addition to all mystery collections." -Susan G. Baird, Chicago"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2006
The third Hal Challis mystery finds the Australian police detective on the trail of a murderer who killed a woman in front of her young daughter. As Challis digs deeper, he learns that, in the dead woman's family, there were more than the usual secrets--the kind that could get somebody killed. Disher is one of the most popular mystery writers in Australia, and he deserves to be. His compelling brand of procedural has appeal for readers who want investigative detail, but it also will satisfy the character-driven crowd as well as those looking for atmosphere above all else.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)