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Cato Kwong #1
Prime Cut
The world is in economic meltdown, but a mining town on the edge of nowhere is booming. With the town’s population exploding, it’s easy enough to hide a crime—or even a dirty past. Banished to the stock squad after the fallout from a police frame-up, Detective Senior Sergeant Cato Kwong is brought in from the cold to solve the case of a torso washed up on the wild shores of the Great Southern Ocean. When Kwong’s investigation lifts the lid on the exploitation of migrant workers and disturbs an even darker criminal mind, the fallen cop faces powerful opposition. Drawing in globally relevant issues, such as immigration, racism, and the economic crisis, this is a humorous and tightly plotted crime narrative.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
38 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
About the author
Alan Carter
10 books91 followersAlan Carter is an award-winning crime author and sometimes television documentary director. His Cato Kwong series – Prime Cut, Getting Warmer and Bad Seed – has been published in the UK, France, Germany and Spain. His latest novel, Marlborough Man, is set in New Zealand. Alan was born in Sunderland, UK and immigrated to Australia in 1991. These days he divides his time between his house near the beach in Fremantle and a hobby farm up a remote valley in New Zealand. In his spare time he follows a black line up and down the local swimming pool. Alan Carter has won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel (2018) and the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction (2011).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
August 23, 2017
Cato Kwong (of Asian descent and nicknamed after Cato in the Pink Panther movies) has been sidelined to the stock crimes arm of the WA police after making some bad mistakes as a rookie policeman. He is therefore delighted when a headless body washes up on a remote south western beach and he is seconded to the local police to investigate the crime until more able detectives are available. Add in some fraudulent dealings with foreign workers at the local mine and a retired detective who thinks he's solved a British cold case from 30 years ago and the murderer is hiding in south Western Australia and the plot becomes very busy indeed. The Aussie setting feels very authentic, the text wry and witty and sprinkled with good honest Aussie vernacular. The plot is a bit disjointed at times, jumping around between the various threads but I loved the true blue characters and the writing enough to look out the next book in the series. 3.5★
February 13, 2025
Prime Cut is a brilliant read - quintessentially Australian settings, great characters, a tautly-plotted storyline and lashings of dark humour make this my favourite read of 2025 so far...
A prologue depicts a grisly 1973 crime scene in Sunderland, UK, an experience that has haunted young homicide detective Stuart Miller ever since. The action then moves forward thirty-five years to the scorching heat of inland southern Western Australia.
Western Australian Detective Senior Constable Phillip "Cato" Kwong has found himself exiled to the ignominy of the "stock squad", investigating rural crime involving cattle and other livestock, after he was scapegoated for a homicide investigation that resulted in a miscarriage of justice. He can barely contain his relief when he and his superior officer Detective Sergeant Jim Buckley receive orders to abandon their roadside necropsy of a felled cow to assist Senior Sergeant Tess McGuire, the sole officer based in the coastal town of Hopetoun, to investigate a suspicious death. A human torso has been washed ashore on the town's beach, partially mauled by school sharks but bearing the hallmarks of a preceding human attack. McGuire and Kwong were previously a couple, and McGuire has also had her fair share of negative experiences on the job, after suffering a traumatic attack by a member of the public and subsequently being sidelined to her solo regional posting.
Kwong, Buckley and McGuire work to identify the corpse, interviewing locals and the Australian and foreign FIFO ("fly in, fly out") population who work at the nearby mine. Meanwhile, Stuart Miller, now retired from the police force and having emigrated to Busselton, south of Perth, becomes aware of an active investigation that might finally track down Davey Arthurs, the notorious "Cup Final Killer", who's evaded capture for over three decades.
As the detective trio close in on their quarry, another murder and several other dramatic events ensue, drawing more police to Hopetoun and causing tensions to rise within and outside the investigative team. As events hurtle towards a thrilling conclusion, the present investigation becomes intertwined with Miller's cold case, placing all the protagonists in the cross-hairs of a dangerous and desperate villain.
Prime Cut is a thoroughly engrossing read, with plenty of dry humour to balance the gritty police procedural storyline. The central characters are three-dimensional and the setting evocative. I can't wait to read more of this series!
I should add that Prime Cut is currently FREE for Kindle via Amazon.com.au! Link here
A prologue depicts a grisly 1973 crime scene in Sunderland, UK, an experience that has haunted young homicide detective Stuart Miller ever since. The action then moves forward thirty-five years to the scorching heat of inland southern Western Australia.
Western Australian Detective Senior Constable Phillip "Cato" Kwong has found himself exiled to the ignominy of the "stock squad", investigating rural crime involving cattle and other livestock, after he was scapegoated for a homicide investigation that resulted in a miscarriage of justice. He can barely contain his relief when he and his superior officer Detective Sergeant Jim Buckley receive orders to abandon their roadside necropsy of a felled cow to assist Senior Sergeant Tess McGuire, the sole officer based in the coastal town of Hopetoun, to investigate a suspicious death. A human torso has been washed ashore on the town's beach, partially mauled by school sharks but bearing the hallmarks of a preceding human attack. McGuire and Kwong were previously a couple, and McGuire has also had her fair share of negative experiences on the job, after suffering a traumatic attack by a member of the public and subsequently being sidelined to her solo regional posting.
Kwong, Buckley and McGuire work to identify the corpse, interviewing locals and the Australian and foreign FIFO ("fly in, fly out") population who work at the nearby mine. Meanwhile, Stuart Miller, now retired from the police force and having emigrated to Busselton, south of Perth, becomes aware of an active investigation that might finally track down Davey Arthurs, the notorious "Cup Final Killer", who's evaded capture for over three decades.
As the detective trio close in on their quarry, another murder and several other dramatic events ensue, drawing more police to Hopetoun and causing tensions to rise within and outside the investigative team. As events hurtle towards a thrilling conclusion, the present investigation becomes intertwined with Miller's cold case, placing all the protagonists in the cross-hairs of a dangerous and desperate villain.
Prime Cut is a thoroughly engrossing read, with plenty of dry humour to balance the gritty police procedural storyline. The central characters are three-dimensional and the setting evocative. I can't wait to read more of this series!
I should add that Prime Cut is currently FREE for Kindle via Amazon.com.au! Link here
January 30, 2022
Cato was on a deadline; due to be shunted out by one of Hutchens’ puppets in a few days anyway, he figured the career-benefits of a quick result would hopefully outweigh Hutchens’ displeasure at his little game. He frowned. Quick results and little games, wasn’t that what got him into trouble in the first place?
Set at the time of the Global Financial Crisis, Prime Cut is the first in the crime series featuring West Australian police detective Philip Kwong, of Chinese descent, nicknamed “Cato” at the police academy after the butler in the Pink Panther. Once the poster boy for multi-cultural policing in WA, he was sidelined to the stock squad following his role in a rushed/fumbled murder inquiry where the wrong man was charged and imprisoned.
His supervisor at the time, Fremantle DI Hutchins, was also sidelined to Albany, but short-staffed, Hutchins calls in Cato and his stock squad supervisor Jim Buckley, to assist the local police in picturesque Hopetoun, on the coastline of the Southern Ocean, to investigate a headless corpse washed ashore. The local contingent is PC Greg Fisher, of Indigenous descent, who sees Cato as a role model, and single mother DS Tess Maguire, with whom Cato once had an affair.
They had been partnered up, working nights out of Midland, Perth’s bandit country, in the souped-up unmarked Commodore.
While Jim is reluctant to get involved, for Cato it is an opportunity to resurrect his reputation and career. When no one reports a missing person, attention turns to the nearby mine, rising tensions between the locals and migrant workers on visas, and drug-use. With the police hierarchy wanting a result, local businesses hiding dirty linen, and the media hovering in the background, Cato has his work cut out.
After a weekend of relying on news feeds from the stringers in regional, the city editors had swung into action. The glamourati had descended and were prowling around Hopetoun desperate for quotes and complaining about what the wind was doing to their hair. The police mobile command post had arrived and now sat on the gravel outside the town hall. Until the IT nerds descended on the afternoon flight to plug everything in, it was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
The back story here is of a brutal double killing of a wife and son in Sunderland, England, back in 1973. The detective at the time was convinced the husband was guilty, and after moving to Australia and marrying, he hears of a report of the same man seen 17 years later at Bunbury.
Previously I had read Bad Seed and Heaven Sent, which I really enjoyed, but in this one at times the murder themes seemed over-shadowed by Cato’s relationships: his failing marriage to Jane, with whom he has a son Jake, the re-appearance of Tess Maguire (with her own raft of problems), and the Machiavellian Lara Sumich. Cato comes across as indecisive in his personal life yet dogmatic in his search for the truth.
There are plenty of surprises, excellent descriptions of the landscape and weather, but the ending where Cato confronts the vicious killer, was a bit rushed for me. Overall a good start to an excellent series.
Set at the time of the Global Financial Crisis, Prime Cut is the first in the crime series featuring West Australian police detective Philip Kwong, of Chinese descent, nicknamed “Cato” at the police academy after the butler in the Pink Panther. Once the poster boy for multi-cultural policing in WA, he was sidelined to the stock squad following his role in a rushed/fumbled murder inquiry where the wrong man was charged and imprisoned.
His supervisor at the time, Fremantle DI Hutchins, was also sidelined to Albany, but short-staffed, Hutchins calls in Cato and his stock squad supervisor Jim Buckley, to assist the local police in picturesque Hopetoun, on the coastline of the Southern Ocean, to investigate a headless corpse washed ashore. The local contingent is PC Greg Fisher, of Indigenous descent, who sees Cato as a role model, and single mother DS Tess Maguire, with whom Cato once had an affair.
They had been partnered up, working nights out of Midland, Perth’s bandit country, in the souped-up unmarked Commodore.
While Jim is reluctant to get involved, for Cato it is an opportunity to resurrect his reputation and career. When no one reports a missing person, attention turns to the nearby mine, rising tensions between the locals and migrant workers on visas, and drug-use. With the police hierarchy wanting a result, local businesses hiding dirty linen, and the media hovering in the background, Cato has his work cut out.
After a weekend of relying on news feeds from the stringers in regional, the city editors had swung into action. The glamourati had descended and were prowling around Hopetoun desperate for quotes and complaining about what the wind was doing to their hair. The police mobile command post had arrived and now sat on the gravel outside the town hall. Until the IT nerds descended on the afternoon flight to plug everything in, it was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
The back story here is of a brutal double killing of a wife and son in Sunderland, England, back in 1973. The detective at the time was convinced the husband was guilty, and after moving to Australia and marrying, he hears of a report of the same man seen 17 years later at Bunbury.
Previously I had read Bad Seed and Heaven Sent, which I really enjoyed, but in this one at times the murder themes seemed over-shadowed by Cato’s relationships: his failing marriage to Jane, with whom he has a son Jake, the re-appearance of Tess Maguire (with her own raft of problems), and the Machiavellian Lara Sumich. Cato comes across as indecisive in his personal life yet dogmatic in his search for the truth.
There are plenty of surprises, excellent descriptions of the landscape and weather, but the ending where Cato confronts the vicious killer, was a bit rushed for me. Overall a good start to an excellent series.
July 29, 2018
Liked the voice; the first scene is a blazing hot tease; but at $12.99 for the Kindle edition, no.
September 16, 2017
From BBC Radio 4 - Drama:
Banished to the Stock Squad after his involvement in a police frame up, one-time golden boy DSC Cato Kwong is given a final chance at redemption. When the Great Southern Ocean washes up a headless torso, Cato is called in from the cold and sent to the remote mining town of Hopetoun, Western Australia to investigate. If he can quickly solve the case then maybe he can get his career back on track. Only his investigation takes him deep into the murky waters of migrant worker exploitation and multiple senseless murders.
Crime Down Under showcases the best crime fiction from contemporary Australia. Prime Cut by Alan Carter was shortlisted for the 2010 Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Award. It is the first in a series of Cato Kwong mysteries. Prime Cut has been adapted for radio by Adrian Bean.
Part 1 of 2.
Directed by Helen Perry
A BBC/Cymru Wales production.
Melbourne-born Christine Stephen-Daly shot to small screen prominence as Lara Stone in BBC's Casualty and Holby City. Fellow Australian Mark Little is famous for playing Joe Mangel in the long-running Australian soap Neighbours. Richard Dillane spent ten years living in Australia before moving back to the UK. He is well-known for his TV (Silent Witness, Wolf Hall) and film roles (Argo, Oranges and Sunshine). Andrew Leung is a rising star of stage (Olivier winning Chimerica) and screen (Phoneshop, Doctor Who).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0938f8w
Banished to the Stock Squad after his involvement in a police frame up, one-time golden boy DSC Cato Kwong is given a final chance at redemption. When the Great Southern Ocean washes up a headless torso, Cato is called in from the cold and sent to the remote mining town of Hopetoun, Western Australia to investigate. If he can quickly solve the case then maybe he can get his career back on track. Only his investigation takes him deep into the murky waters of migrant worker exploitation and multiple senseless murders.
Crime Down Under showcases the best crime fiction from contemporary Australia. Prime Cut by Alan Carter was shortlisted for the 2010 Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Award. It is the first in a series of Cato Kwong mysteries. Prime Cut has been adapted for radio by Adrian Bean.
Part 1 of 2.
Directed by Helen Perry
A BBC/Cymru Wales production.
Melbourne-born Christine Stephen-Daly shot to small screen prominence as Lara Stone in BBC's Casualty and Holby City. Fellow Australian Mark Little is famous for playing Joe Mangel in the long-running Australian soap Neighbours. Richard Dillane spent ten years living in Australia before moving back to the UK. He is well-known for his TV (Silent Witness, Wolf Hall) and film roles (Argo, Oranges and Sunshine). Andrew Leung is a rising star of stage (Olivier winning Chimerica) and screen (Phoneshop, Doctor Who).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0938f8w
June 14, 2011
There's absolutely nothing like a quintessential Aussie bloke, a cop in purgatory, stuck in outback Western Australia, doing time on the Stock Squad for offending the powers that be. Alan Carter's debut novel PRIME CUT starts out with considerable promise, despite the slightly unrealistic picture of a Stock Squad peering that closely at roadkill!
But the setup is beside the point as DSC Cato Kwong has to be out in the middle of nowhere for some reason, therefore becoming the only option on hand when a mangled torso is washed up on the beach of mining town Hopetoun. Much to his old bosses displeasure. But then it's just for a few days until some resources can be freed up in Perth. So Kwong has a mystery, an existing force of two cops, and a deadline if he wants to drag himself back from the brink of investigating rustling for the rest of his born days. And things are even more complicated when he arrives in Hopetoun to find that one of the local cops is an ex of his, sidelined to the bush because she was badly injured in an incident after they split up, Tess Maguire has problems of her own.
Because Kwong and Maguire both have pasts (separate and their failed relationship) there's obviously going to be a hefty dose of self-evaluation and backward looking focus at points in the book, but that's handled with considerable aplomb - and helped immensely by some really deft touches of humour, and a laid back, Australian sensibility. There's also a point at which you can see that this author has spent some time in this town, he has a keen eye for the effects of a mining boom on a quiet little seaside town and he's developed a good sense of place - albeit a place in the middle of nowhere, a 21st century outback Australian frontier of a sort.
The pressure of the deadline gives the story a good feeling of tension, without it being played overtly. There's a nice balance of investigative ability and observation, assisted by some risky moves and some strong local knowledge. There's also a lot of threads playing out in the book, so the reader is kept well on their toes keeping track of who is who and what is what, let alone why! The characters are really well handled, from the ambitious but flawed Kwong, to the local policeman who can hold his own. Tess Maguire was interesting, her life obviously considerably derailed by her encounter with a man who injured her badly when on duty one night, her story weaves its way into the narrative, just the same as Kwong's personal story is drawn out. The only downside is that towards the end Maguire disappears a bit in the hurly burly. The series stars DSC Cato Kwong, but Carter may just have a team on his hands here. And let's hope that we see a lot more of one or both of them into the future. PRIME CUT really is a terrific debut novel.
But the setup is beside the point as DSC Cato Kwong has to be out in the middle of nowhere for some reason, therefore becoming the only option on hand when a mangled torso is washed up on the beach of mining town Hopetoun. Much to his old bosses displeasure. But then it's just for a few days until some resources can be freed up in Perth. So Kwong has a mystery, an existing force of two cops, and a deadline if he wants to drag himself back from the brink of investigating rustling for the rest of his born days. And things are even more complicated when he arrives in Hopetoun to find that one of the local cops is an ex of his, sidelined to the bush because she was badly injured in an incident after they split up, Tess Maguire has problems of her own.
Because Kwong and Maguire both have pasts (separate and their failed relationship) there's obviously going to be a hefty dose of self-evaluation and backward looking focus at points in the book, but that's handled with considerable aplomb - and helped immensely by some really deft touches of humour, and a laid back, Australian sensibility. There's also a point at which you can see that this author has spent some time in this town, he has a keen eye for the effects of a mining boom on a quiet little seaside town and he's developed a good sense of place - albeit a place in the middle of nowhere, a 21st century outback Australian frontier of a sort.
The pressure of the deadline gives the story a good feeling of tension, without it being played overtly. There's a nice balance of investigative ability and observation, assisted by some risky moves and some strong local knowledge. There's also a lot of threads playing out in the book, so the reader is kept well on their toes keeping track of who is who and what is what, let alone why! The characters are really well handled, from the ambitious but flawed Kwong, to the local policeman who can hold his own. Tess Maguire was interesting, her life obviously considerably derailed by her encounter with a man who injured her badly when on duty one night, her story weaves its way into the narrative, just the same as Kwong's personal story is drawn out. The only downside is that towards the end Maguire disappears a bit in the hurly burly. The series stars DSC Cato Kwong, but Carter may just have a team on his hands here. And let's hope that we see a lot more of one or both of them into the future. PRIME CUT really is a terrific debut novel.
April 18, 2014
The strengths of Prime Cut are the evocative sense of place, the characterisation, and the mordant sense of wit. Carter places the reader on the southern shore of Western Australia, with its scenic beaches and desolate landscape, and into Hopetoun, a small town being transformed by a massive nearby mine. He populates the town and story with an interesting set of characters who are nicely penned, especially Cato Kwong and Tess Maguire, two damaged cops clinging onto their roles and rethinking their futures. The storytelling is engaging, aided by a very nice dose of dark wit, expressed through some zinging one-liners. For the most part the plot worked well, with a couple of decent hooks and steady pace, but as the story progressed it fractured into too many subplots and some of the scenes felt a little over-the-top and melodramatic. Personally, I felt the Sunderland-linked plotline was not needed and was rooted in too much coincidence - it was if Carter couldn’t decide which case the tale should be about, the washed up torso or the Sunderland murderer and rammed together two plots that could have been the central focus of the story in their own right. Sometimes, less is more. Regardless, I’d be interested to read the second book in the series to see how Cato fares in trying to get his career and personal life back on track.
December 12, 2024
4.5 rounded up. Mixed reviews here but I loved it. People complain about numbers of characters but I had no problem in following characters or storylines. It really worked. I enjoyed the characterisation and the pace. For a debut this is awesome. Looking forward to reading on.
October 23, 2020
Prime Cut by Alan Carter
Synopsis /
The world is in economic meltdown, but a mining town on the edge of nowhere is booming. With the town’s population exploding, it’s easy enough to hide a crime—or even a dirty past. Banished to the stock squad after the fallout from a police frame-up, Detective Senior Sergeant Cato Kwong is brought in from the cold to solve the case of a torso washed up on the wild shores of the Great Southern Ocean. When Kwong’s investigation lifts the lid on the exploitation of migrant workers and disturbs an even darker criminal mind, the fallen cop faces powerful opposition. Drawing in globally relevant issues, such as immigration, racism, and the economic crisis, this is a humorous and tightly plotted crime narrative.
My Thoughts /
1. Alan Carter's debut novel. Starts off okay. Wow, lots of characters to learn.
2. Okay, lots of characters…. wait, which one are you again and where do you fit in?
3. This plot is totally disjointed and is jumping around all over the place between various threads of the story – literally from one sentence to another. Have I told you there are a lot of characters?? I think I need a pen and notebook.
4. Maybe I can speed read my way through the rest of this.
5. There are a lot of threads playing out in this book. Have I mentioned there are a lot of characters??
6. I think I just had a microsleep and honestly, just lost all concept of the last chapter I read.
Let’s wrap this up. I was close to a DNF, but well, persevered, because often it’s the latter part of the story which makes you say I’m glad I read to the end. But alas, ‘twas not the case here – someone put me out of my reading misery! THE GOOD: The strengths of Prime Cut are its evocative sense of place and the characterisations (of landscape). Mr Carter places the reader on the southern shore of Western Australia, with its scenic beaches and desolate landscape. Then into Hopetoun, a small town being transformed by a massive nearby mine. The descriptions are lifelike. THE BAD: He then populates the town and story with an uninteresting set of main characters, yes, I’m talking about Cato Kwong and Tess Maguire, two damaged cops clinging onto their roles and rethinking their futures – they were utterly boring (hence my microsleeps). The storytelling is confusing – it fractured into too many subplots and a lot of the scenes felt over-the-top and too melodramatic. I thought the Sunderland-linked plotline was not needed in this story and was rooted in too much coincidence - it was as if Mr Carter couldn’t decide which case the tale should be about - the washed up torso or the Sunderland murderer, and rammed together the two plots. Whereas each one could have been the central focus of the story in their own right. Sometimes, less is more. THE UGLY: The winner would have to be the train wreck that tried to pass itself off for a (ugh) sex scene. It had to be one of the worst pieces of writing I’ve ever read and what’s more, it had absolutely NOTHING to do with the story and added no value whatsoever, except maybe to the word count.
Final Say? I was not a fan of the style of writing in this book.
Synopsis /
The world is in economic meltdown, but a mining town on the edge of nowhere is booming. With the town’s population exploding, it’s easy enough to hide a crime—or even a dirty past. Banished to the stock squad after the fallout from a police frame-up, Detective Senior Sergeant Cato Kwong is brought in from the cold to solve the case of a torso washed up on the wild shores of the Great Southern Ocean. When Kwong’s investigation lifts the lid on the exploitation of migrant workers and disturbs an even darker criminal mind, the fallen cop faces powerful opposition. Drawing in globally relevant issues, such as immigration, racism, and the economic crisis, this is a humorous and tightly plotted crime narrative.
My Thoughts /
1. Alan Carter's debut novel. Starts off okay. Wow, lots of characters to learn.
2. Okay, lots of characters…. wait, which one are you again and where do you fit in?
3. This plot is totally disjointed and is jumping around all over the place between various threads of the story – literally from one sentence to another. Have I told you there are a lot of characters?? I think I need a pen and notebook.
4. Maybe I can speed read my way through the rest of this.
5. There are a lot of threads playing out in this book. Have I mentioned there are a lot of characters??
6. I think I just had a microsleep and honestly, just lost all concept of the last chapter I read.
Let’s wrap this up. I was close to a DNF, but well, persevered, because often it’s the latter part of the story which makes you say I’m glad I read to the end. But alas, ‘twas not the case here – someone put me out of my reading misery! THE GOOD: The strengths of Prime Cut are its evocative sense of place and the characterisations (of landscape). Mr Carter places the reader on the southern shore of Western Australia, with its scenic beaches and desolate landscape. Then into Hopetoun, a small town being transformed by a massive nearby mine. The descriptions are lifelike. THE BAD: He then populates the town and story with an uninteresting set of main characters, yes, I’m talking about Cato Kwong and Tess Maguire, two damaged cops clinging onto their roles and rethinking their futures – they were utterly boring (hence my microsleeps). The storytelling is confusing – it fractured into too many subplots and a lot of the scenes felt over-the-top and too melodramatic. I thought the Sunderland-linked plotline was not needed in this story and was rooted in too much coincidence - it was as if Mr Carter couldn’t decide which case the tale should be about - the washed up torso or the Sunderland murderer, and rammed together the two plots. Whereas each one could have been the central focus of the story in their own right. Sometimes, less is more. THE UGLY: The winner would have to be the train wreck that tried to pass itself off for a (ugh) sex scene. It had to be one of the worst pieces of writing I’ve ever read and what’s more, it had absolutely NOTHING to do with the story and added no value whatsoever, except maybe to the word count.
Final Say? I was not a fan of the style of writing in this book.
September 2, 2011
Alan Carter has written a fantastic debut novel, in the Crime genre. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved that it was set in Australia & that Carter set the book in places with which he was obviously very familiar. My suggestion is that if you like crime novels, READ THIS BOOK. Hopefully there will be more to come from this author & these characters.
October 26, 2018
3 1/2 stars. Bit gruesome and violent in parts but a compelling story with interesting characters
January 15, 2019
Not a bad debut crime novel set in the southern region of WA. If you’ve ever been to Hopetoun, Ravensthorpe or Esperance it’s worth a read.
There’s three more Cato Kwong novels I’m keen to get into.
There’s three more Cato Kwong novels I’m keen to get into.
March 25, 2015
Detective Senior Constable „Cato“ Kwong ist gewiss keine Zierde der australischen Polizei. Schlampig, faul, bestechlich und inkompetent, hat er es endgültig mit seinen Vorgesetzten verdorben. Man hat ihn abgeschoben ins Viehdezernat, das in Viehdiebstählen ermittelt und nach gestohlenen Landmaschinen fahndet. Doch aus purem Personalmangel wird Cato gebraucht, als an Australiens Südküste ein kopfloser Torso angeschwemmt wird, über den sich schon die Haie hergemacht haben.
Aus anderen Gründen ist Tess Maguire nach 9 Monaten Dienstunfähigkeit in Hopetoun gelandet. Die kleine Dienststelle, die noch nicht einmal über eine Arrestzelle verfügt, soll Tess die Wiedereingliederung ermöglichen, nachdem sie in Ausübung ihres Diensts übel zusammengeschlagen worden ist.
Parallel zu den Ermittlungen im Fall des Torsos hat der pensionierte Polizist Stuart Miller die Spur eines 1981 noch nicht zu lösenden Falls aus Großbritannien aufgenommen. Miller ist nach Australien ausgewandert und vermutet eine Verbindung zwischen dem britischen und dem australischen Fall, in denen ein Mann jeweils Frau und Kinder mit einem auffälligen Tatmuster tötete. Miller müsste nun beweisen, dass auch der Täter nach Australien ausgewandert ist. Die Kollegen in Australien haben nicht gerade auf einen „Pommie“ gewartet, der am liebsten wieder die Polizeiuniform anziehen und in ihre Ermittlungen einsteigen würde.
Tess und Cato befassen sich derweil mit dem sozialen Umfeld ihrer Wasserleiche. Die ausgesprochen ertragreiche Nickel-Mine des Western Mineral Konzerns hat die Bevölkerung des kleinen Orts von ein paar Dutzend auf 2000 Einwohner anwachsen lassen. Das bunte Gemisch aus Angestellten und Leiharbeitern aus aller Herren Länder verbirgt unter einer glatten Oberfläche sicher so manchen Konflikt, doch bisher hat die Firma die Reihen geschlossen gehalten. In der Mine wird gut verdient und daran verdienen wiederum Einwohner Hopetouns, die mit Drogen handeln. Zu schnell um ihm zu glauben gesteht ein Minenarbeiter den Mord an dem bisher unbekannten Toten. Als ausgerechnet der Ermittler ums Leben kommt, der die Nummer eines Verdächtigen in seinem Handy gespeichert hat, müssen einheimische und hierher abgeordnete Ermittler einen Zahn zulegen.
Alan Carter hat mich mit seiner unkomplizierten, leicht hemdsärmligen Sprache gleich gepackt. Die Entwirrung mehrerer Handlungsfäden verläuft mit unerwarteten Wendungen und einem klug gewählten Anteil privater Probleme seiner Ermittler. Carters Kriminalpolizisten sind ganz und gar keine Engel, sondern sperrige, traumatisierte, gefrustete Figuren. Bei diesem Auftaktband einer Reihe hat alles gepasst – Nachschub ist zum Glück schon in Aussicht.
Aus anderen Gründen ist Tess Maguire nach 9 Monaten Dienstunfähigkeit in Hopetoun gelandet. Die kleine Dienststelle, die noch nicht einmal über eine Arrestzelle verfügt, soll Tess die Wiedereingliederung ermöglichen, nachdem sie in Ausübung ihres Diensts übel zusammengeschlagen worden ist.
Parallel zu den Ermittlungen im Fall des Torsos hat der pensionierte Polizist Stuart Miller die Spur eines 1981 noch nicht zu lösenden Falls aus Großbritannien aufgenommen. Miller ist nach Australien ausgewandert und vermutet eine Verbindung zwischen dem britischen und dem australischen Fall, in denen ein Mann jeweils Frau und Kinder mit einem auffälligen Tatmuster tötete. Miller müsste nun beweisen, dass auch der Täter nach Australien ausgewandert ist. Die Kollegen in Australien haben nicht gerade auf einen „Pommie“ gewartet, der am liebsten wieder die Polizeiuniform anziehen und in ihre Ermittlungen einsteigen würde.
Tess und Cato befassen sich derweil mit dem sozialen Umfeld ihrer Wasserleiche. Die ausgesprochen ertragreiche Nickel-Mine des Western Mineral Konzerns hat die Bevölkerung des kleinen Orts von ein paar Dutzend auf 2000 Einwohner anwachsen lassen. Das bunte Gemisch aus Angestellten und Leiharbeitern aus aller Herren Länder verbirgt unter einer glatten Oberfläche sicher so manchen Konflikt, doch bisher hat die Firma die Reihen geschlossen gehalten. In der Mine wird gut verdient und daran verdienen wiederum Einwohner Hopetouns, die mit Drogen handeln. Zu schnell um ihm zu glauben gesteht ein Minenarbeiter den Mord an dem bisher unbekannten Toten. Als ausgerechnet der Ermittler ums Leben kommt, der die Nummer eines Verdächtigen in seinem Handy gespeichert hat, müssen einheimische und hierher abgeordnete Ermittler einen Zahn zulegen.
Alan Carter hat mich mit seiner unkomplizierten, leicht hemdsärmligen Sprache gleich gepackt. Die Entwirrung mehrerer Handlungsfäden verläuft mit unerwarteten Wendungen und einem klug gewählten Anteil privater Probleme seiner Ermittler. Carters Kriminalpolizisten sind ganz und gar keine Engel, sondern sperrige, traumatisierte, gefrustete Figuren. Bei diesem Auftaktband einer Reihe hat alles gepasst – Nachschub ist zum Glück schon in Aussicht.
September 12, 2015
Easy to read, lots of pace and suspense (not one but two intertwined murder mysteries), and a wonderful evocation of place. I loved the short-and-snappy scenes that alternated between different characters and points of action, and was impressed at the complexity of intercultural tensions underpinning the whole plot (Australian-Chinese hero, cheap international labour, Anglo city-types vs. Anglo country-types, English immigrants, a glimpse from an Aboriginal point-of-view, and a Maori fit to play with the All Blacks).
I loved the Western Australian Hopetoun/Ravensthorpe setting (branching out as far afield as Katanning and Esperance). I know all these places well and the author certainly evoked them vividly. Further, the short-lived Ravensthorpe mining boom, which erupted upon this area like a rogue volcano, is portrayed in very believable brush-strokes.
I was tempted to rate this at 5 stars, but a couple of relatively minor irritations held me back. Firstly, the point-of-view in many scenes is muddled, veering between omniscient to third person head-hopping. It's a little disorienting, and is a rare indicator of the author's debut status. Secondly, the matter of the starving sheep is never explained! This is a very minor plot detail, but, as a WA sheep-farmer's daughter, the proposition that sheep were starving and dying of thirst at the end of October (when sheep are normally at their fattest at the end of spring and get plenty of water from pasture alone) needed explication. And who is this sheep-abuser and why is he doing it? The mystery was never revealed.
That said, Prime Cut is a pacy, hilarious and gripping roller-coaster read. I devoured it in three sittings over three days - practically unheard of for this slow reader - and that speaks for itself.
I loved the Western Australian Hopetoun/Ravensthorpe setting (branching out as far afield as Katanning and Esperance). I know all these places well and the author certainly evoked them vividly. Further, the short-lived Ravensthorpe mining boom, which erupted upon this area like a rogue volcano, is portrayed in very believable brush-strokes.
I was tempted to rate this at 5 stars, but a couple of relatively minor irritations held me back. Firstly, the point-of-view in many scenes is muddled, veering between omniscient to third person head-hopping. It's a little disorienting, and is a rare indicator of the author's debut status. Secondly, the matter of the starving sheep is never explained! This is a very minor plot detail, but, as a WA sheep-farmer's daughter, the proposition that sheep were starving and dying of thirst at the end of October (when sheep are normally at their fattest at the end of spring and get plenty of water from pasture alone) needed explication. And who is this sheep-abuser and why is he doing it? The mystery was never revealed.
That said, Prime Cut is a pacy, hilarious and gripping roller-coaster read. I devoured it in three sittings over three days - practically unheard of for this slow reader - and that speaks for itself.
November 19, 2011
This is a fantastic book - especially given it is a debut novel. The writing is commanding, assured & controlled with dialogue that I found realistic, great, well drawn, individuated characters & clever, fast-paced plotting. I could not put it down - eagerly awaited travelling back to Hopetoun, WA whenever I picked it up & was reluctant to leave when closing the book. I don't want to give too much plot away, other than to say disaffected cops wrestling their own demons, a mining boom town & a mounting body count make for an entertaining & griping read. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Jam packed with goodness.
September 12, 2017
A really entertaining piece of Australian crime fiction. Cato Kwong is a fantastic creation, although he's not funny at all, and I thought this might have some lighthearted moments. Not really, instead it's grimly compelling - Western Australian rural life, tough semi corrupt police, vicious crimes, badly damaged traumatised people, not much to laugh about there. I enjoyed it a lot.
January 4, 2012
An Australian police procedural set primarily in rural Western Australia. A busy, intricate plot that spans some 30 years and does require a degree of concentration on the readers behalf as the many different threads evolve throughout the book, but worth the effort. A rewarding and enjoyable read.
November 9, 2014
Great Aussie crime fiction read. Will definitely read the next in the series.
The only problem I had was in the Kindle edition, it jumped from one scene to another without warning, sometimes had to go back & start reading that sentence again once you realised you were "with" someone else
The only problem I had was in the Kindle edition, it jumped from one scene to another without warning, sometimes had to go back & start reading that sentence again once you realised you were "with" someone else
Read
March 6, 2011Thought it was very good. Particularly liked it as it had a very Australian flavour. Cato Kwong a flawed but honest cop
December 27, 2016
Wenn ich an Australien denke, dann denke ich an Sonne, Sand, viel Wüste, hohe Temperaturen, Sydney, die berühmte Oper – Urlaubsbilder eben. Natürlich ist klar, dass das nicht alles von einem Land sein kann. Und das ist es auch nicht. Allerdings habe ich mir Worte wie Minenarbeiter, Gastarbeiter, Ausländerfeindlichkeit und Ausbeutung nicht im Kopf gehabt. Aber warum sollte es das nicht auch in Australien geben? Es ist wie immer erstaunlich, wie geschickt und nebenbei Kriminalromane Wissen vermitteln, den Horizont erweitern und einen in eine fremde Kultur eintauchen lassen.
Detective Cato Kwong hat Mist gebaut und fristet jetzt sein Dasein im Viehdezernat. Da kommt ihm ein angeschwemmter und von Haien angenagter Torso gerade recht, um endlich wieder zu ermitteln, da Hutchens, sein früherer Chef, grade keinen anderen zur Verfügung hat. Also macht sich Cato gemeinsam mit seinem Kollegen Jim Buckley, der eigentlich den höheren Rang hat, auf nach Hopetoun, einem bis vor Kurzem verschlafenen Nest, welches durch die kürzlich eröffnete und nahe Nickelmine einen Boom erlebt. Dort trifft er auf eine alte Verflossene, Sergeant Tess Maguire, die ihm die Arbeit nicht unbedingt erleichert. Doch die Ermittlungen laufen an, wenn auch schwierig ohne zu wissen, wer das Opfer ist. Als dann Buckley ermordet wird, fällt eine Horde Polizisten in das kleine Städtchen ein und keinen interessiert mehr der übrig gebliebene Torso. Bis auf Cato Kwong.
“Er ist tot. Ich habe ihn umgebracht.”
“Schweinehund.”
“Ja, das war er wohl.”
“Näh, Sie habe ich gemeint.” (S. 361)
Cato Kwong ist ganz sicher kein einfacher Protagonist für den Leser. Er mag zwar auf den ersten Blick sympathisch erscheinen, vielleicht ein wenig überheblich, aber doch ein ganz Netter. Doch wenn man seine Geschichte kennt und ihn eine Weile begleitet, muss man dieses Urteil doch schnell revidieren. In seinen Anfangsjahren hat er sich von seinem Chef dazu hinreißen lassen, Beweise zu manipulieren. Ein korrupter Bulle also – aber einer, dem man es nachweisen konnte. Dumm nur, dass er der einzige war, dem man etwas nachweisen konnte. Sein Chef ist fein raus aus der Sache. Cato ist auch nicht dumm und durchaus fähig zu ermitteln, aber er hat eben Fehler gemacht. Unglücklicherweise zerfließt er in Selbstmitleid, was die ach so schreckliche Welt ihm angetan hat. Dabei müsste er sich an die eigene Nase fassen. Das passiert allerdings erst, als nicht nur Tess Maguire sondern noch ein paar andere ihm den Kopf gerade rücken. Tess, die an einem Überfall zu knabbern hat, stellt sich sowieso als die Heldenhaftere heraus. Auch wenn sie einen 11jährigen tasert. Na, ok, gerade darum. Die Szene ist göttlich – alleine deswegen hat sich die Lektüre gelohnt.
Aber natürlich hat sich die Lektüre auch so gelohnt. Zwar braucht der Fall eine ganze Weile, bis er in Fahrt kommt, doch am Anfang wird man gleich mit einem Prolog gefüttert, der es in sich hat. Sunderland in England, 70er Jahre: Ein Familienvater meuchelt seine Frau und seinen Sohn, er erschlägt sie und hat sie außerdem noch mit Stromschlägen malträtiert. Der Täter ist bis heute auf der Flucht – sehr zum Missfallen von Stuart Miller. Der tritt kurz darauf aus dem Polizeidienst aus und siedelt mit seiner kleinen Familie nach Australien um. Was nun dieses Verbrechen mit dem gefundenen Torso in Hopetoun zu tun hat, ja, das ist die Krux an dem ganzen Krimi, denn das gilt es herauszufinden. Bis die beiden Fälle zusammenfinden soll es aber noch eine ganze Weile dauern, vielleicht sogar ein wenig zu lange.
Derweil beschäftigt sich der Autor mit seinen Figuren, aber auch mit dem Städtchen Hopetoun. Darüber hab ich nur gar kein Bild im Kopf, denn so richtig beschreibt der Autor das Nest gar nicht (und ja, auch das boomende, von seinen Einwohner liebevoll Hopey genannt, ist immer noch ein Nest), dafür wird landschaftlich viel geboten. Und gesellschaftlich. Die Einheimischen beschuldigen die Zugezogenen – da sind sie auch nicht wählerisch, ob australischer Vertragsmitarbeiter oder ausländischer Gastarbeiter. So tummeln sich in der Mine Maori, Indonesier, Chinesen und Philippiner gemeinsam mit den Einheimischen und Zugezogenen – und es gibt Streit, Pöbeleien und Gewalttätigkeiten. Ein wenig gewundert hat es mich schon, so viel Fremdenfeindlichkeit in Australien anzutreffen, aber es vermutlich das gleiche Phänomen, welches sich in den USA finden lässt: ein Staat, welcher fast ausschließlich aus Immigranten besteht, fürchtet die neuen „Immigranten“. Sehr erschütternd ist übrigens auch die „Stop the boats“ Initiative, mit welcher der vorige Premierminister seinen Wahlkampf gewonnen hat, in der die australische Marine Flüchtlingsboote abwehrt, bzw. am anlanden hindert. Diese Initiative wird in dem Krimi keineswegs aufgefasst – dies hab ich durch meine Recherche nach der Lektüre aufgestöbert. Doch zeigt sich die Fremdenfeindlichkeit, das Missfallen und das Misstrauen im kleinen Ort Hopetoun mal unterschwellig, mal direkt – und Cato Kwong, von den Genen zwar Chinese, aber weder des Chinesischen mächtig noch mit China in irgendeiner Weise, abgesehen von seiner Abstammung, verbunden, bleibt davon auch nicht verschont.
Fazit:
Ein gut konstruierter Fall, der zwar etwas braucht, um in die Gänge zu kommen, aber mit einer interessanten, wenn auch unbequemen Hauptfigur und spannendem Hintergrundwissen punkten kann.
Detective Cato Kwong hat Mist gebaut und fristet jetzt sein Dasein im Viehdezernat. Da kommt ihm ein angeschwemmter und von Haien angenagter Torso gerade recht, um endlich wieder zu ermitteln, da Hutchens, sein früherer Chef, grade keinen anderen zur Verfügung hat. Also macht sich Cato gemeinsam mit seinem Kollegen Jim Buckley, der eigentlich den höheren Rang hat, auf nach Hopetoun, einem bis vor Kurzem verschlafenen Nest, welches durch die kürzlich eröffnete und nahe Nickelmine einen Boom erlebt. Dort trifft er auf eine alte Verflossene, Sergeant Tess Maguire, die ihm die Arbeit nicht unbedingt erleichert. Doch die Ermittlungen laufen an, wenn auch schwierig ohne zu wissen, wer das Opfer ist. Als dann Buckley ermordet wird, fällt eine Horde Polizisten in das kleine Städtchen ein und keinen interessiert mehr der übrig gebliebene Torso. Bis auf Cato Kwong.
“Er ist tot. Ich habe ihn umgebracht.”
“Schweinehund.”
“Ja, das war er wohl.”
“Näh, Sie habe ich gemeint.” (S. 361)
Cato Kwong ist ganz sicher kein einfacher Protagonist für den Leser. Er mag zwar auf den ersten Blick sympathisch erscheinen, vielleicht ein wenig überheblich, aber doch ein ganz Netter. Doch wenn man seine Geschichte kennt und ihn eine Weile begleitet, muss man dieses Urteil doch schnell revidieren. In seinen Anfangsjahren hat er sich von seinem Chef dazu hinreißen lassen, Beweise zu manipulieren. Ein korrupter Bulle also – aber einer, dem man es nachweisen konnte. Dumm nur, dass er der einzige war, dem man etwas nachweisen konnte. Sein Chef ist fein raus aus der Sache. Cato ist auch nicht dumm und durchaus fähig zu ermitteln, aber er hat eben Fehler gemacht. Unglücklicherweise zerfließt er in Selbstmitleid, was die ach so schreckliche Welt ihm angetan hat. Dabei müsste er sich an die eigene Nase fassen. Das passiert allerdings erst, als nicht nur Tess Maguire sondern noch ein paar andere ihm den Kopf gerade rücken. Tess, die an einem Überfall zu knabbern hat, stellt sich sowieso als die Heldenhaftere heraus. Auch wenn sie einen 11jährigen tasert. Na, ok, gerade darum. Die Szene ist göttlich – alleine deswegen hat sich die Lektüre gelohnt.
Aber natürlich hat sich die Lektüre auch so gelohnt. Zwar braucht der Fall eine ganze Weile, bis er in Fahrt kommt, doch am Anfang wird man gleich mit einem Prolog gefüttert, der es in sich hat. Sunderland in England, 70er Jahre: Ein Familienvater meuchelt seine Frau und seinen Sohn, er erschlägt sie und hat sie außerdem noch mit Stromschlägen malträtiert. Der Täter ist bis heute auf der Flucht – sehr zum Missfallen von Stuart Miller. Der tritt kurz darauf aus dem Polizeidienst aus und siedelt mit seiner kleinen Familie nach Australien um. Was nun dieses Verbrechen mit dem gefundenen Torso in Hopetoun zu tun hat, ja, das ist die Krux an dem ganzen Krimi, denn das gilt es herauszufinden. Bis die beiden Fälle zusammenfinden soll es aber noch eine ganze Weile dauern, vielleicht sogar ein wenig zu lange.
Derweil beschäftigt sich der Autor mit seinen Figuren, aber auch mit dem Städtchen Hopetoun. Darüber hab ich nur gar kein Bild im Kopf, denn so richtig beschreibt der Autor das Nest gar nicht (und ja, auch das boomende, von seinen Einwohner liebevoll Hopey genannt, ist immer noch ein Nest), dafür wird landschaftlich viel geboten. Und gesellschaftlich. Die Einheimischen beschuldigen die Zugezogenen – da sind sie auch nicht wählerisch, ob australischer Vertragsmitarbeiter oder ausländischer Gastarbeiter. So tummeln sich in der Mine Maori, Indonesier, Chinesen und Philippiner gemeinsam mit den Einheimischen und Zugezogenen – und es gibt Streit, Pöbeleien und Gewalttätigkeiten. Ein wenig gewundert hat es mich schon, so viel Fremdenfeindlichkeit in Australien anzutreffen, aber es vermutlich das gleiche Phänomen, welches sich in den USA finden lässt: ein Staat, welcher fast ausschließlich aus Immigranten besteht, fürchtet die neuen „Immigranten“. Sehr erschütternd ist übrigens auch die „Stop the boats“ Initiative, mit welcher der vorige Premierminister seinen Wahlkampf gewonnen hat, in der die australische Marine Flüchtlingsboote abwehrt, bzw. am anlanden hindert. Diese Initiative wird in dem Krimi keineswegs aufgefasst – dies hab ich durch meine Recherche nach der Lektüre aufgestöbert. Doch zeigt sich die Fremdenfeindlichkeit, das Missfallen und das Misstrauen im kleinen Ort Hopetoun mal unterschwellig, mal direkt – und Cato Kwong, von den Genen zwar Chinese, aber weder des Chinesischen mächtig noch mit China in irgendeiner Weise, abgesehen von seiner Abstammung, verbunden, bleibt davon auch nicht verschont.
Fazit:
Ein gut konstruierter Fall, der zwar etwas braucht, um in die Gänge zu kommen, aber mit einer interessanten, wenn auch unbequemen Hauptfigur und spannendem Hintergrundwissen punkten kann.
June 1, 2021
hmmm, have just finished this one and still not quite sure....Previous to this novel I read the author's Nick Chester novels which were very good. Not sure why I started there as usually I like to read an authors books chronologically but in this instance given that they were two separate series I'm not thinking it mattered too much.
In any case, Cato Kwong #1 was the next place to start and I did enjoy it (3.5 stars for the first book in a series). Like all good series, the central character was strong, the book had a decent length about it and the plot was a good one. I've bought the next two and I'm really looking forward to seeing some of the lesser characters play out a little more.
You can clearly see the authors writing maturity when comparing Kwong #1 with Chester #1 and #2. I read alot and I'm surprised I hadn't really heard of Alan Carter prior. He's on the list now and I look forward to the next offerings.
In any case, Cato Kwong #1 was the next place to start and I did enjoy it (3.5 stars for the first book in a series). Like all good series, the central character was strong, the book had a decent length about it and the plot was a good one. I've bought the next two and I'm really looking forward to seeing some of the lesser characters play out a little more.
You can clearly see the authors writing maturity when comparing Kwong #1 with Chester #1 and #2. I read alot and I'm surprised I hadn't really heard of Alan Carter prior. He's on the list now and I look forward to the next offerings.
May 22, 2017
This is only the second Australian book I have read. Cato Kwong is a police officer who got into some trouble and has been demoted to the Stock Squad, investigating live stock crimes. A shortage in officers and a rise in crime puts Cato right in the middle of a homicide investigation in rural far western (?) Australia, where a former girlfriend of his is a local police officer. Cato has a chance to prove himself a truly good investigator and to right some wrongs of his past. I found some of the slang and different expressions jarring and would take me out of the book trying to figure them out. In all fairness, I only had a chance to read this book in little bits at a time. I also found the book to be slow going until maybe the last 1/4. All in all, a good read, but not a great one.
April 28, 2021
I enjoyed the Alan Carter novel set in New Zealand (Marlborough Man) but was disappointed in this one. The setting (an isolated town on the south coast of Western Australia, now close to a mine employing cheap overseas labour) is realistic and the plot works well. There were moments of clever humour too. What put me off were the undercurrents of violence towards migrants and women, which seemed to be presented in an unproblematic way, even though the detective is an Australian of Chinese origin (many generations back). It was almost as if, by choosing this protagonist, Carter let himself off the racist hook. Don't think I'll be pursuing more of this series.
May 13, 2024
I don’t “do” reviews, but the Cato Kwong series are excellent Australian crime mysteries; with exceptionally colorful characters (Cato and his boss Hutchins stand out), and engaging storylines. Found myself paying more attention to details and characters than the usual junk I’ve encountered of late. I’m an audiophile junkie and the narrator, John Stretton is simply brilliant and outstanding in this field. Doesn’t miss a beat, and maintains the voices and personalities on the many characters. He and author Alan Carter make a good team. I’m on the last Cato Kwong book, and sad there aren’t more to look forward to.
June 20, 2025
How has Alan Carter gone under my radar? I feel I haven't seen Carter talked about as much as some other Aussie crime writers. In fact, I only picked this up as it was a freebie on Audible but it was a great read.
The book starts out strong with one scene featuring a horrific double murder in England and the other the discovery of a torso on an isolated Western Australian beach. The latter case sees Phillip 'Cato' Kwong, an ex-hotshot city police detective who is now lingering in the Stock Squad, seconded to investigate with the local cops, including Tess McGuire, with whom he was previously romantically involved.
Cato and Tess were likeable characters, as were the other supporting police officers and criminals. I empathised completely with Tess's PTSD and struggles as a single mum of a teenager.
The murders/mystery plots were also unique and engaging. They were complicated enough and quite gritty but not graphic enough that I was put off.
I will definitely pick up the other books in this series.
Highly recommended for fans of writers such as Chris Hammer and Dave Warner.
4 1/2 out of 5
The book starts out strong with one scene featuring a horrific double murder in England and the other the discovery of a torso on an isolated Western Australian beach. The latter case sees Phillip 'Cato' Kwong, an ex-hotshot city police detective who is now lingering in the Stock Squad, seconded to investigate with the local cops, including Tess McGuire, with whom he was previously romantically involved.
Cato and Tess were likeable characters, as were the other supporting police officers and criminals. I empathised completely with Tess's PTSD and struggles as a single mum of a teenager.
The murders/mystery plots were also unique and engaging. They were complicated enough and quite gritty but not graphic enough that I was put off.
I will definitely pick up the other books in this series.
Highly recommended for fans of writers such as Chris Hammer and Dave Warner.
4 1/2 out of 5
July 8, 2025
Multiple unsolved crime threads, current and cold case are combined with just as many if not more interrelationship issues with the characters involved make this a different sort of crime novel. Toss in a somewhat uninspiring main character made this an interesting though perhaps at times a bit drawn out read.
I'm still unsure if I will take up the option of reading more in this series but it is easy to rate it at a solid three stars, and I can certainly recommend it for those wanting to piece the puzzles together and prove their investigation skills prior to the eventual author revelations.
I'm still unsure if I will take up the option of reading more in this series but it is easy to rate it at a solid three stars, and I can certainly recommend it for those wanting to piece the puzzles together and prove their investigation skills prior to the eventual author revelations.
April 25, 2019
This book was fun and clever. I really loved the author’s sense of humour which sparkled all through the book. The characters are well rounded,real and the plot galloped along. I saw some things coming and others came out of nowhere. It was complex with lots of threads but they are all brought together beautifully and satisfactorily. And it’s so Aussie - there is a larrikin feel to the book. This book is definitely worth reading. I can’t wait to read Alan Carter’s next book. And would love it if Cato or Tess were to make a repeat performance.
January 13, 2021
A fine police-procedural set in Hopetoun and surrounds on the Western Australian part of the Bight where DSC “Cato” Kwong, reputation tarnished and exiled to the backblocks, has to be part of a team investigating a washed up body, an investigation soon connected to the mining boom. The subsequent murder of his cop-partner links to a murder of a wife and son in Sunderland in 1973, the perpetrator husband fled to Australia. A smooth read with realistic, well-drawn characters and locations if a little too “busy” towards the conclusion.
May 17, 2018
I found this book hard to read and follow along as there was really no indication except a paragraph break when the characters changed. It was a good story line and I enjoyed following the murder mysteries throughout but just found it hard to follow who was the narrator throughout. Really wanted to find out more about Tess and her background because she was by far the most interesting character.. potential for a sequel just on her??
February 23, 2019
DSC Cato Kwong finds reprieve from the Stock Squad (where he was sent for punishment) after a body, minus its head is washed up on the shore in Hopetoun, WA.
A fast paced, engaging read, laced with humour and Aussie vernacular. Thoroughly enjoyed this read which ends up covering two murders in an out of the way mining town. Yes, there are a lot of characters but they are fleshed out enough. Love the dry wit.
A fast paced, engaging read, laced with humour and Aussie vernacular. Thoroughly enjoyed this read which ends up covering two murders in an out of the way mining town. Yes, there are a lot of characters but they are fleshed out enough. Love the dry wit.
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