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Jack Irish #4
White Dog
Jack Irish—gambler, cook, and cabinet maker, finder of people who don't want to be found—has a new job, hunting for evidence that might save the beautiful sculptor Sarah Longmore from a murder rap.
White Dog is the final installment in the Jack Irish series, featuring Peter Temple's best-loved protagonist.
White Dog is the final installment in the Jack Irish series, featuring Peter Temple's best-loved protagonist.
337 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Peter Temple
29 books346 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Peter Temple is an Australian crime fiction writer.
Formerly a journalist and journalism lecturer, Temple turned to fiction writing in the 1990s. His Jack Irish novels (Bad Debts, Black Tide, Dead Point, and White Dog) are set in Melbourne, Australia, and feature an unusual lawyer-gambler protagonist. He has also written three stand-alone novels: An Iron Rose, Shooting Star, In the Evil Day (Identity Theory in the US), as well as The Broken Shore and its sequel, Truth. He has won five Ned Kelly Awards for crime fiction, the most recent in 2006 for The Broken Shore, which also won the Colin Roderick Award for best Australian book and the Australian Book Publishers' Award for best general fiction. The Broken Shore also won the Crime Writers' Association Duncan Lawrie Dagger in 2007. Temple is the first Australian to win a Gold Dagger.
Peter Temple is an Australian crime fiction writer.
Formerly a journalist and journalism lecturer, Temple turned to fiction writing in the 1990s. His Jack Irish novels (Bad Debts, Black Tide, Dead Point, and White Dog) are set in Melbourne, Australia, and feature an unusual lawyer-gambler protagonist. He has also written three stand-alone novels: An Iron Rose, Shooting Star, In the Evil Day (Identity Theory in the US), as well as The Broken Shore and its sequel, Truth. He has won five Ned Kelly Awards for crime fiction, the most recent in 2006 for The Broken Shore, which also won the Colin Roderick Award for best Australian book and the Australian Book Publishers' Award for best general fiction. The Broken Shore also won the Crime Writers' Association Duncan Lawrie Dagger in 2007. Temple is the first Australian to win a Gold Dagger.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
April 15, 2019
(Haig) took me round, introduced me to people. He didn’t say what I did for a living and he didn’t say what they did. Most of them were youngish, in black or grey jackets worn over collarless shirts, the full range of hair, from nothing to plenty. Many of the men needed a shave, some could have done with a swift kick up the arse. One woman had hair like a monk’s cap and wore a silken sleeveless top slit to the belly, olive-skinned bulges showing. I knew the names of a few of them: restaurant owners, fashionable architects, a gallery owner, a photographer, two artists. We stopped briefly at the small court of an ageing film director - two women and a youth I thought I’d seen on television, mostly cheekbones and big brown eyes, all absorbing cinematic genius through their pores. The director paid close attention to Tony Haig, ignoring his own acolytes while we were there. It was a food chain.
Readers familiar with the TV mini-series of Jack Irish, starring Hollywood A-lister Guy Pearce in the lead role, with a host of Australian character actors, will recognise the slightly down-at-heel Melbourne solicitor, his on/off love affair with journalist Linda, apprentice to cabinetmaker Charlie Taub, the old codgers drinking at the Prince of Prussia bewailing their Aussie Rules football team, and former jockey and racing identity Harry Strang, with his assistant / fixer Cam Delray. Plus overweight detective Barry Tregear. What the TV series cannot convey is the late Peter Temple’s acerbic wit, dissecting people, places and even the unpredictable Melbourne weather with the precision of a surgeon.
In White Dog (published 2003), Jack Irish is assisting his former partner, now associate, Drew as he prepares to defend an attractive female sculptor of scrap metal, charged with murdering her ex-boyfriend, developer Mickie Franklin, who was involved in some shady dealings in the building industry. Jack is to find some evidence to clear the client by tracking down the supposed witness for the prosecution, using his resources in Sydney and help from Cam. Other parties don’t want that to happen, and when the defendant is killed in an apparent accident in her studio, Jack finds himself a target.
There was no signing for envelopes from D. J. Olivier. I went back to my table and opened this one with a sharpened bicycle spoke I’d found in the alley and sterilised. A wad of A4 sheets of paper, some photographs, laser-printed. A sticky yellow square was attached to the first page. One handwritten sentence: ‘Care might be in order.’ A stranger to care, I returned to my chair behind the tailor’s table. I read…
All the Jack Irish books are a joy, with intricate plots and wonderful characters. A perfect holiday or weekend read. Not recommended for long-haul flights as you’ll annoy other passengers.
Readers familiar with the TV mini-series of Jack Irish, starring Hollywood A-lister Guy Pearce in the lead role, with a host of Australian character actors, will recognise the slightly down-at-heel Melbourne solicitor, his on/off love affair with journalist Linda, apprentice to cabinetmaker Charlie Taub, the old codgers drinking at the Prince of Prussia bewailing their Aussie Rules football team, and former jockey and racing identity Harry Strang, with his assistant / fixer Cam Delray. Plus overweight detective Barry Tregear. What the TV series cannot convey is the late Peter Temple’s acerbic wit, dissecting people, places and even the unpredictable Melbourne weather with the precision of a surgeon.
In White Dog (published 2003), Jack Irish is assisting his former partner, now associate, Drew as he prepares to defend an attractive female sculptor of scrap metal, charged with murdering her ex-boyfriend, developer Mickie Franklin, who was involved in some shady dealings in the building industry. Jack is to find some evidence to clear the client by tracking down the supposed witness for the prosecution, using his resources in Sydney and help from Cam. Other parties don’t want that to happen, and when the defendant is killed in an apparent accident in her studio, Jack finds himself a target.
There was no signing for envelopes from D. J. Olivier. I went back to my table and opened this one with a sharpened bicycle spoke I’d found in the alley and sterilised. A wad of A4 sheets of paper, some photographs, laser-printed. A sticky yellow square was attached to the first page. One handwritten sentence: ‘Care might be in order.’ A stranger to care, I returned to my chair behind the tailor’s table. I read…
All the Jack Irish books are a joy, with intricate plots and wonderful characters. A perfect holiday or weekend read. Not recommended for long-haul flights as you’ll annoy other passengers.
March 8, 2013
White Dog is the fourth and (so far) last book in the excellent Jack Irish series set in and around Melbourne about a former lawyer who divides his time between being an investigator, debt collector, furniture maker, horse-racing gambler and watching Aussie rules football. Like all of Peter Temple’s novels, White Dog is a nice mix of hardboiled crime and literary voice and observational asides. In a genre full of workman-like prose, Temple writes with a fresh tone. The narrative is layered and sometimes almost elusive or veiled, the reader as unsure as to what is happening as Jack. It’s an intriguing and beguiling style. As usual, the characterisation is excellent, especially Jack and the Youth Club, an elderly group of football supporters that prop up the local bar, and Jack’s horse racing friends. The plot is tight and engaging and there’s a nice sense of place. Overall, a first rate read and I’m hoping that now the first two books have been adapted for television that Temple will resurrect what has been a stellar series.
February 10, 2019
Jack Irish has a lot of interests. So a fair bit of each book covers his love of a struggling football team, his old mates at a struggling pub, his struggling efforts as a furniture maker, helping his mate to make a more than struggling living of horse racing, his struggles with yet another lovely lady under the doona and his struggling business as a lawyer/investigator. In this fourth book (and so far last) in the series I think the author was also struggling.
August 28, 2012
The quality of the story is irrelevant - I just can't get enough of Peter Temple's style.
April 19, 2014
Start with the first book in the Jack Irish series so the characters and background in this book are familiar. Not necessary, but I found this book more enjoyable because of the continuity with the previous three. In any case, Peter Temple's books are always worth reading. He's up there with the best of the literary/mystery stylists. Wit, sass, an eye for detail and the ability to express both mood and action in a way that resembles no one else's. And no one writes better dialogue. You don't even have to understand all the Aussie slang at first read to know how perfect the ear for spoken language is.
February 4, 2024
I liked it but it did become too complex and he may be able to juggle all those characters but I was having difficutly.... maybe because it was 3.00am & maybe because the stacarto style good as it can be, does not help if you to remember just who the 33rd (43rd?) character is...
June 1, 2014
If this is the last Jack Irish book it is possibly not a bad thing. The plots are all a bit similar and it would be best to leave us liking the characters rather than becoming bored with them. Jack Irish himself would be a bit of a bog-standard tough guy if it were not for the sidelines like his love for a no-hoper football team and his ventures into top class furniture making. The books are lifted above the mass by his "boss" in the furniture workshop, the characters in the pub and Jack's horse racing colleagues. It always seems to me that the latter could form the basis for a good book on their own. It is also good the way that the city of Melbourne becomes a character rather than just background. The female characters, always with long legs, beautiful and sexy and drawn to Jack Irish like bees to a honey pot, I am sure reflect Peter Temple's fantasies rather than any real need for plot development.
The plot in this book, like all of the others, is very convoluted and it is best to set a trail of breadcrumbs from the start or face getting lost. Unlike some of the earlier books, the non-regular characters are drawn quite strongly but they do drift in and out a bit. The body count is high as always and the level of apparent corruption in Melbourne makes the average African state look like an English parish council. Surely exaggeration but then this is a crime novel and not an academic report into Australian government.
If you want a fast action thriller which is a bit above most others in the quality of the writing and the level of intelligence shown by the writer then this could be for you. However, do not expect it to be easy because it is not. Worth the effort though.
So, if it is goodbye to Jack Irish, this is a good book to finish on. But, as Jack heads off to find his lady love in England, could we find him popping up with an adventure in London? At least he will feel at home with the weather aand there are plenty of no-hoper football teams to choose from.
The plot in this book, like all of the others, is very convoluted and it is best to set a trail of breadcrumbs from the start or face getting lost. Unlike some of the earlier books, the non-regular characters are drawn quite strongly but they do drift in and out a bit. The body count is high as always and the level of apparent corruption in Melbourne makes the average African state look like an English parish council. Surely exaggeration but then this is a crime novel and not an academic report into Australian government.
If you want a fast action thriller which is a bit above most others in the quality of the writing and the level of intelligence shown by the writer then this could be for you. However, do not expect it to be easy because it is not. Worth the effort though.
So, if it is goodbye to Jack Irish, this is a good book to finish on. But, as Jack heads off to find his lady love in England, could we find him popping up with an adventure in London? At least he will feel at home with the weather aand there are plenty of no-hoper football teams to choose from.
March 2, 2024
Let the record show that this is closer to a 4.5, I just didn't feel comfy giving it the full 5 stars. It is head and shoulders the best book in Temple's Jack Irish series, and I feel filthy about giving it the same star rating as the first two.
Despite back-to-back crime tropes that I hate (a man being intimate with a woman after she opens up about sexual assault, and fridging), Temple's foray into a much darker story was genuinely sickening and thrilling. What makes it really sing, though, is that Jack's character seems to actually change a bit as well. We get a little more insight into his past with Isabel, a little more introspection than usual, and for once his violent experiences seem to have a lasting impact on him. There's a finality to the story, a feeling that you really are seeing Temple's iconic character for the last time. It lended a lot of weight to a narrative that, for the most part, is pretty similar to the other three.
Sad to be done with this particular series, but no doubt I'll be re-reading these books time and time again as the years go by.
Despite back-to-back crime tropes that I hate (a man being intimate with a woman after she opens up about sexual assault, and fridging), Temple's foray into a much darker story was genuinely sickening and thrilling. What makes it really sing, though, is that Jack's character seems to actually change a bit as well. We get a little more insight into his past with Isabel, a little more introspection than usual, and for once his violent experiences seem to have a lasting impact on him. There's a finality to the story, a feeling that you really are seeing Temple's iconic character for the last time. It lended a lot of weight to a narrative that, for the most part, is pretty similar to the other three.
Sad to be done with this particular series, but no doubt I'll be re-reading these books time and time again as the years go by.
September 14, 2017
Very enjoyable. I love the humour.
October 13, 2024
Peter Temple's "White Dog" wraps up the Jack Irish series in fine style, earning every bit of its 5-star rating. It's not just a cracking crime novel but a fitting send-off for a character who's been through the wringer and come out the other side, scarred but somehow still standing. Temple's craftsmanship is on full display here, from his ear for dialogue and a knack for wrapping a thick layer of noir mystery in his books.
The novel is divided into two distinct halves. The first part gives us a sense of the familiar: Jack's inimitable blend of investigative work, restoring vintage furniture, and the odd side hustle that drags him into the fringes of Melbourne's underworld. It's like settling in with an old mate for a chinwag; you know the rhythm, the tone, the way Jack dodges life's more difficult questions. Temple brings this world to life with an almost deceptive ease, laying the groundwork for what's to come. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, sounding more like the banter you'd overhear down at the local than anything scripted, spot-on without slipping into caricature.
But just as you're lulled into a sense of comfort, the novel pivots. The second half shifts gears, and suddenly, it's as if Temple's thrown the plot into overdrive. Jack's life takes a dramatic turn, and the stakes go from simmering to boiling over. The pace ramps up, the danger's more immediate, and Jack's emotional landscape becomes darker and more nuanced. The story hurtles toward a final action scene that, for me, featured a specific moment that cheered me no end, a bit of rough justice that left me with a shit-eating grin.
Temple's depiction of Melbourne deserves a round of applause all on its own. He doesn't just write about the city; he captures its essence, painting it in shades of grey and drizzle. The gentrification that creeps into Jack's old stomping grounds adds an extra layer of melancholy as if even the city itself is changing under his feet. Yet Temple's not just nostalgic for a bygone era; there's a sharp awareness of how the landscape of politics and power is shifting. The novel reflects on these societal changes without banging on about it, making you ponder just how much has altered since the character first appeared.
To demonstrate his skill, I LOATHE horse racing, but Temple manages to make it genuinely engaging here. The racing subplot isn't just filler; it adds texture to the story, grounding Jack in a world that feels lived-in and real. These sideline stories are a big part of what gives the Jack Irish series its unique flavour, like the seasoning on a good steak. They're the kind of tangents that flesh out Jack's world and make it richer.
There's something satisfying about a crime novel that doesn't hand you all the answers on a silver platter. Temple makes you work for it, dropping clues and red herrings with equal measure, so you're never quite sure what's around the corner.
It's bittersweet to bid farewell to Jack Irish, but White Dog sees him out on a high. If you've followed Jack's journey from the beginning, you'll find yourself savouring these final chapters, even as you wish there were just a few more. And if you're new to the series, well, you're in for a treat.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The novel is divided into two distinct halves. The first part gives us a sense of the familiar: Jack's inimitable blend of investigative work, restoring vintage furniture, and the odd side hustle that drags him into the fringes of Melbourne's underworld. It's like settling in with an old mate for a chinwag; you know the rhythm, the tone, the way Jack dodges life's more difficult questions. Temple brings this world to life with an almost deceptive ease, laying the groundwork for what's to come. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, sounding more like the banter you'd overhear down at the local than anything scripted, spot-on without slipping into caricature.
But just as you're lulled into a sense of comfort, the novel pivots. The second half shifts gears, and suddenly, it's as if Temple's thrown the plot into overdrive. Jack's life takes a dramatic turn, and the stakes go from simmering to boiling over. The pace ramps up, the danger's more immediate, and Jack's emotional landscape becomes darker and more nuanced. The story hurtles toward a final action scene that, for me, featured a specific moment that cheered me no end, a bit of rough justice that left me with a shit-eating grin.
Temple's depiction of Melbourne deserves a round of applause all on its own. He doesn't just write about the city; he captures its essence, painting it in shades of grey and drizzle. The gentrification that creeps into Jack's old stomping grounds adds an extra layer of melancholy as if even the city itself is changing under his feet. Yet Temple's not just nostalgic for a bygone era; there's a sharp awareness of how the landscape of politics and power is shifting. The novel reflects on these societal changes without banging on about it, making you ponder just how much has altered since the character first appeared.
To demonstrate his skill, I LOATHE horse racing, but Temple manages to make it genuinely engaging here. The racing subplot isn't just filler; it adds texture to the story, grounding Jack in a world that feels lived-in and real. These sideline stories are a big part of what gives the Jack Irish series its unique flavour, like the seasoning on a good steak. They're the kind of tangents that flesh out Jack's world and make it richer.
There's something satisfying about a crime novel that doesn't hand you all the answers on a silver platter. Temple makes you work for it, dropping clues and red herrings with equal measure, so you're never quite sure what's around the corner.
It's bittersweet to bid farewell to Jack Irish, but White Dog sees him out on a high. If you've followed Jack's journey from the beginning, you'll find yourself savouring these final chapters, even as you wish there were just a few more. And if you're new to the series, well, you're in for a treat.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
May 5, 2020
‘You’ve got to look after yourself.’
In this, the fourth (and now last) Jack Irish novel, Jack is assisting his former partner and now associate Andrew Greer as he prepares to defend Sarah Longmore from a charge of murder. His sometime girlfriend Linda Hillier has headed overseas for work.
Sarah Longmore has been charged with the murder of Mickey Franklin, her ex-boyfriend. Mickey, shot with his own gun, was involved in some questionable activities in the building industry. Is Sarah Longmore innocent?
What follows is a complicated story as Jack follows clues while dealing with the many other aspects of his busy life. And Jack himself is at risk, naturally.
While this is the final complete Jack Irish novel, it is the first I have read. My appetite for Jack Irish was whetted by reading the significant fragment (89 pages) of ‘High Art’ (an unfinished Jack Irish novel) which appeared in ‘The Red Hand’ (published in 2019, after Peter Temple’s death in 2018). I was intrigued (and, no, I’ve not watched the television series).
I’ve read a few of Mr Temple’s novels. I have enjoyed the clever and usually complex plots, together with the observational wit. I enjoyed this novel as well. While it’s not in the same class as ‘The Broken Shore’ and ‘Truth’, it has a quintessential Australian flavour.
Now I just need to track down copies of the first three novels.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In this, the fourth (and now last) Jack Irish novel, Jack is assisting his former partner and now associate Andrew Greer as he prepares to defend Sarah Longmore from a charge of murder. His sometime girlfriend Linda Hillier has headed overseas for work.
Sarah Longmore has been charged with the murder of Mickey Franklin, her ex-boyfriend. Mickey, shot with his own gun, was involved in some questionable activities in the building industry. Is Sarah Longmore innocent?
What follows is a complicated story as Jack follows clues while dealing with the many other aspects of his busy life. And Jack himself is at risk, naturally.
While this is the final complete Jack Irish novel, it is the first I have read. My appetite for Jack Irish was whetted by reading the significant fragment (89 pages) of ‘High Art’ (an unfinished Jack Irish novel) which appeared in ‘The Red Hand’ (published in 2019, after Peter Temple’s death in 2018). I was intrigued (and, no, I’ve not watched the television series).
I’ve read a few of Mr Temple’s novels. I have enjoyed the clever and usually complex plots, together with the observational wit. I enjoyed this novel as well. While it’s not in the same class as ‘The Broken Shore’ and ‘Truth’, it has a quintessential Australian flavour.
Now I just need to track down copies of the first three novels.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 22, 2024
Another superb installment in the Jack Irish series (also highly recommended is the Guy Pierce series currently streaming in Acorn). This time around Jack finds himself in a bit of love lorn pickle. His on again off again newscaster squeeze is relocating to jolly old England on a indeterminate news job and Jack realizes that is likely the end of their romantic entanglement. Meanwhile an attractive female sculptor is accused of murdering a scumbag boyfriend. Jack is asked to provide assistance in her defense. Of course quickly uncovers more than he bargained for with corruption at the highest level and the murder of high end ho’s. After Jack is warned to end his investigation bad things begin to occur, including Jack getting blowed up real good. (Think the old John Candy skit on SCTV). Another fascinating aspect of this series is the horse racing and Jack becomes embroiled in the resurrection of a front runner horse to enter a race and with his mates bet heavily on the horse to win. As the book careens to a break neck finish (horse humor) the body count rises and Jack finds his himself in a life and death struggle against rich evil scumbags (are there any other kind?). Highly recommended book and series.
October 4, 2024
Bittersweet to read the final Jack Irish book. Just brilliant genre writing.
February 14, 2018
I had forgotten how sad this one is. Bleak, I guess.
Linda leaves on page one heading to London for a job trial that ends up going well.
A week later, Jack is asked to do some of his special digging for a client of Drew’s. Sculptor Sarah Longmore has been charged with murder of her ex, Mickey Franklin. Shot with his own gun, plus he was having an affair with her sister. Jack complicates things by falling into bed with her.
She’s Melbourne high society, and Drew would never have kept such an important case, but she insisted he retain the brief.
***
Missing girls, and careless parents seems to be the theme… maybe it’s always Jack’s theme?
More horse shenanigans. More crooked cops, crooked developers and a huge amount of money at stake.
Jake identifies with the racehorse who some days won’t even come out of the gates, and other days has a blinding race.
The titular white dog explains itself eventually.
It’s not such a bad metaphor for Jack; he’s the dog that won’t quit. Throw money at him and he just wonders where it came from. Give him a name and he will track it to the end. He gets very badly knocked around in this one, but it still feels kind of real.
And he won’t take the fall and he won’t stay down.
5 stars
Linda leaves on page one heading to London for a job trial that ends up going well.
A week later, Jack is asked to do some of his special digging for a client of Drew’s. Sculptor Sarah Longmore has been charged with murder of her ex, Mickey Franklin. Shot with his own gun, plus he was having an affair with her sister. Jack complicates things by falling into bed with her.
She’s Melbourne high society, and Drew would never have kept such an important case, but she insisted he retain the brief.
***
Missing girls, and careless parents seems to be the theme… maybe it’s always Jack’s theme?
More horse shenanigans. More crooked cops, crooked developers and a huge amount of money at stake.
Jake identifies with the racehorse who some days won’t even come out of the gates, and other days has a blinding race.
The titular white dog explains itself eventually.
It’s not such a bad metaphor for Jack; he’s the dog that won’t quit. Throw money at him and he just wonders where it came from. Give him a name and he will track it to the end. He gets very badly knocked around in this one, but it still feels kind of real.
And he won’t take the fall and he won’t stay down.
5 stars
May 4, 2024
Jack Irish is as downtrodden (and grumpy) as he has ever been in White Dog, his final outing. With Linda away in London, Jack takes on a job that leaves him absolutely shattered. There are three moments here that are genuinely quite disturbing and harsh on the old bugger.
It did take me a while to fully appreciate this one, but from about 200 pages in, it hits a whole different stride, and is arguably more gripping than the first three Jack Irish books. Jack encounters some fascinating characters on his interstate (Western Australia) and intrastate trips (Gippsland, Macedon and somewhere beyond Bacchus Marsh). And of course. Popeye Costello of King Street!
There isn’t much Charlie Taub, Harry Strang or the Fitzroy Youth Club making me wonder whether Temple was trying to move away from them.
Aside from questionable continuity (the bread in Linda’s fridge is still good even though it has been ages since he she left?) and some overdone and indulgent descriptors of Jack’s cooking, White Dog is chilling and thrilling tale. And I reckon the way Peter Temple’s one liners capture Jack’s devastating circumstances is as good as it has ever been!
It did take me a while to fully appreciate this one, but from about 200 pages in, it hits a whole different stride, and is arguably more gripping than the first three Jack Irish books. Jack encounters some fascinating characters on his interstate (Western Australia) and intrastate trips (Gippsland, Macedon and somewhere beyond Bacchus Marsh). And of course. Popeye Costello of King Street!
There isn’t much Charlie Taub, Harry Strang or the Fitzroy Youth Club making me wonder whether Temple was trying to move away from them.
Aside from questionable continuity (the bread in Linda’s fridge is still good even though it has been ages since he she left?) and some overdone and indulgent descriptors of Jack’s cooking, White Dog is chilling and thrilling tale. And I reckon the way Peter Temple’s one liners capture Jack’s devastating circumstances is as good as it has ever been!
June 19, 2016
Ahhhh. Peter Temple. He is my comfort writer. You know when you eat a dish that makes you feel safe and secure in the world? Well that's how reading a Jack Irish novel makes me feel. There is so much about the series that I love. It is set in very familiar places in my home town, and the characters are realised perfectly. So Australian. Jack is a fabulous character that I have learned to adore over the four novels in the series. I love his wit, his dialogue, his flaws, and his culinary ability. The cast of characters he interacts with are equally endearing to me. I'm sad to think that this might be the last I read of him. Fingers crossed that he will be back, or else the series may need to be re-read, a rare occurance for me. I listened to this one in audio and really enjoyed the performance, probably equally as much as I have enjoyed reading the print versions of the previous installments. A word of warning - steer clear if swearing is not your thing.
April 2, 2013
It might have been a bad idea to watch ABC TV's adaptation of 'Jack Irish #1/Bad Debts' in the midst of this. I got confused about which story was which, and suddenly my imaginary Jack Irish turned into Guy Pearce. I mean, Guy Pearce is plenty nice to look at, but isn't really how I see dear Jack in my head. So all of that was a struggle. By the end I was tired and confused (and jet-lagged, but that may have had more to do with international travel than with the book). In summary, I wish there were more Jack Irish books, or that I had read this later on. Write more, Peter Temple!
December 16, 2021
Perhaps helped by having seen the TV film of this, but the characters were so real, gritty, alive, and each one true to themselves. You know who they are by their action and behaviour. Peter Temple was also a master at creating the setting, the landscape, the city. And he doesn't have to resort to massive violence escalating to create the tension. You need to keep reading because the storytelling is so powerful. Loved it.
February 3, 2023
Such a change from my usual fare. Great to read a novel set in Melbourne. Enjoyed the cafe references.
In some ways I wish I hadn't seen the TV series as I'd rather form my own picture of the characters in my head.
In some ways I wish I hadn't seen the TV series as I'd rather form my own picture of the characters in my head.
April 8, 2013
I think that's the end of Jack Irish. Another great Melbourne evocation.
August 28, 2013
I just love Peter Temple's writing - sparse, wry, dry wit and beautiful observation.
April 19, 2015
What a bore.
February 11, 2022
Such great writing. SO sad there will never be any more. Just the right mix of humour and tension.
July 27, 2023
I just love the way this guy put words together.
January 24, 2024
Peter Temple has a unique way of writing his stories.
Always witty, realistic, interesting and paced in an excellent manner.
Always witty, realistic, interesting and paced in an excellent manner.
April 30, 2024
Plenty of character , plot and landscape and a new word , Gallerista. Written by a past master of Crime Fiction. Lovely.
October 4, 2021
Well, I have finished my journey through the world of Jack Irish. Having watched the television adaptations of the books during earlier lockdowns, I hunted out the books to carry me through this current lockdown. I've finished the books, but the lockdown continues.....c'est la vie....
After my disappointment with the third Jack Irish book, Dead Point, I'm pleased to state that White Dog sees Temple back on track with Irish, or more particularly with his friends Harry Strang and Cam Delray, Charlie Taub, and the Fitzroy Youth Club. As with all the other Jack Irish books, the city of Melbourne is a character all of its own, constantly raining and cold (none of the Jack Irish books seems to be set in the summer months), with the inner suburbs that Jack haunts becoming more and more gentrified.
White Dog, like the other Irish books, is a complicated tale of corruption and murder within Melbourne's construction industry, with connections to drugs and prostitution. Jack is initially hired by his friend Andrew Greer to try and help him clear Sarah Longmore of the murder of her ex-partner Mickey Franklin. It's soon clear that Sarah has been fitted-up, and Irish falls down a hole into a cover-up of a dastardly deed committed by one of Melbourne's property king-pins that has re-surfaced in blackmail and murder.
Temple has written these books in a strong noir style, and Irish is the ultimate noir character - once successful, now living on the edge of respectable society, looking on in sorrow more than anger, knowing that he can no longer move in the circles that he once did. His friends are always looking out for him, even as they despair over his choices (or lack of them).
White Dog sums up the Jack Irish series well - the writing is stylish, but slap-dash (too many non-sequiturs, slips in historical knowledge, and un-needed complexities that could have been ironed-out with some more editing), the plots are just on the wrong side of believable, but entertaining, and there are just enough un-answered questions and thrills to keep the reader turning the pages.
At the end of White Dog Irish flies off into the sunset to meet up with his love overseas, not sorry to be going, but not expecting anything great. He'll be missed by his friends, and I'll miss him too: a great Australian literary character.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
After my disappointment with the third Jack Irish book, Dead Point, I'm pleased to state that White Dog sees Temple back on track with Irish, or more particularly with his friends Harry Strang and Cam Delray, Charlie Taub, and the Fitzroy Youth Club. As with all the other Jack Irish books, the city of Melbourne is a character all of its own, constantly raining and cold (none of the Jack Irish books seems to be set in the summer months), with the inner suburbs that Jack haunts becoming more and more gentrified.
White Dog, like the other Irish books, is a complicated tale of corruption and murder within Melbourne's construction industry, with connections to drugs and prostitution. Jack is initially hired by his friend Andrew Greer to try and help him clear Sarah Longmore of the murder of her ex-partner Mickey Franklin. It's soon clear that Sarah has been fitted-up, and Irish falls down a hole into a cover-up of a dastardly deed committed by one of Melbourne's property king-pins that has re-surfaced in blackmail and murder.
Temple has written these books in a strong noir style, and Irish is the ultimate noir character - once successful, now living on the edge of respectable society, looking on in sorrow more than anger, knowing that he can no longer move in the circles that he once did. His friends are always looking out for him, even as they despair over his choices (or lack of them).
White Dog sums up the Jack Irish series well - the writing is stylish, but slap-dash (too many non-sequiturs, slips in historical knowledge, and un-needed complexities that could have been ironed-out with some more editing), the plots are just on the wrong side of believable, but entertaining, and there are just enough un-answered questions and thrills to keep the reader turning the pages.
At the end of White Dog Irish flies off into the sunset to meet up with his love overseas, not sorry to be going, but not expecting anything great. He'll be missed by his friends, and I'll miss him too: a great Australian literary character.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2021
White Dog is the final installment in Peter Temple's Jack Irish series, and the third to win the Ned Kelly Award, Australia's top prize for crime fiction.
Jack's best friend and former law partner, Drew, is defending a new client: Sarah Longmore. Sarah is the artist black sheep of an old money Melbourne family who had been dating Mickey Franklin, a shady real estate developer and fixer for the wealthy. Mickey has been found murdered - shot to death with a gun he had given Sarah for protection - and witnesses claim they saw the couple arguing heatedly in the street just days before his death. Worse, there are stories that Sarah has a violently explosive temper.
Drew asks Jack to investigate the case, and as he digs into her past, her present, her family and her friends, Jack finds it increasingly difficult to reconcile these stories and circumstances with the Sarah that he comes to know. Unfortunately, as his connection to Sarah grows, it becomes all too apparent that powerful, unseen forces also seem to be connected to Sarah, and Jack rapidly discovers that he is in mortal danger. Increasingly under threat, Jack is tempted to drop his investigation into Sarah and the death of Mickey Franklin, but despite warnings - both verbal and physical - he can't leave it alone.
Readers of Peter Temple have rightfully come to expect dense plots, starkly beautiful writing, memorable characters, and dark Australian wit when they pick up one of the author's books, and White Dog does not disappoint. Jack Irish's final outing is a memorable one, leading him down a perilous path he can barely discern, and putting him squarely in the sights of a truly terrifying adversary.
As an enthusiastic fan of Peter Temple's writing, I can state that his later works continued to build on and develop what he had accomplished in the Jack Irish series. Still, it's a bit of shame that he moved on to other stories and characters after White Dog. While he lets us know Jack is alright by sprinkling in minor appearances for the character in other novels, it would have been wonderful to see exactly how Jack, unbowed despite being so frequently adrift and abused, got where he ended up.
Jack's best friend and former law partner, Drew, is defending a new client: Sarah Longmore. Sarah is the artist black sheep of an old money Melbourne family who had been dating Mickey Franklin, a shady real estate developer and fixer for the wealthy. Mickey has been found murdered - shot to death with a gun he had given Sarah for protection - and witnesses claim they saw the couple arguing heatedly in the street just days before his death. Worse, there are stories that Sarah has a violently explosive temper.
Drew asks Jack to investigate the case, and as he digs into her past, her present, her family and her friends, Jack finds it increasingly difficult to reconcile these stories and circumstances with the Sarah that he comes to know. Unfortunately, as his connection to Sarah grows, it becomes all too apparent that powerful, unseen forces also seem to be connected to Sarah, and Jack rapidly discovers that he is in mortal danger. Increasingly under threat, Jack is tempted to drop his investigation into Sarah and the death of Mickey Franklin, but despite warnings - both verbal and physical - he can't leave it alone.
Readers of Peter Temple have rightfully come to expect dense plots, starkly beautiful writing, memorable characters, and dark Australian wit when they pick up one of the author's books, and White Dog does not disappoint. Jack Irish's final outing is a memorable one, leading him down a perilous path he can barely discern, and putting him squarely in the sights of a truly terrifying adversary.
As an enthusiastic fan of Peter Temple's writing, I can state that his later works continued to build on and develop what he had accomplished in the Jack Irish series. Still, it's a bit of shame that he moved on to other stories and characters after White Dog. While he lets us know Jack is alright by sprinkling in minor appearances for the character in other novels, it would have been wonderful to see exactly how Jack, unbowed despite being so frequently adrift and abused, got where he ended up.
February 14, 2025
Using a word that apparently defines Aussies on the east coast, according to Peter Temple anyway, this book made me feel somewhat melancholy. Not only was this possibly his darkest story in the series, but it was also his last one. Since I watched the movie/TV show before reading the books I was pleasantly surprised to see a story that wasn't converted to the screen... at least I don't think it was. While this made for a fresh reading experience I can't say it was my favorite Jack Irish story.
This will contain spoilers but I'll try to minimize them. The whole story revolves around keeping an incident that happened years before a secret, but it's covered up in a silly way. If the people running the show just made Mickey disappear instead of framing someone for his murder none of this would've happened. Going that route required more complications than just handling one guy. Plus, how did they find Jack in Linda's apartment later in the book? They're not married, have separate residences, and aren't big enough names for there to be a whole lot of public information on them to assume they're in a relationship. The whole 'rich people can get dirt on anyone' doesn't fly for me here and took me out of the story.
There's more to nitpick but I'll end my criticisms on the title. It doesn't make any sense until almost the very end, and even then it's a literal white dog that appears for only a couple pages. Not very clever or memorable (sorry, I'm a bit of a title snob). The horseracing and cabinet making was also at a minimum, the latter of which disappointed me; the former played out exactly as you expect.
I'd rate this at around 3.5, but since I enjoyed the character of Jack Irish so much I'll round up to a four. Although I'm usually not taken in by stories involving lawyers (worked around too many of them), I'd recommend both the book series and movies/TV shows of Jack's exploits. Cheers
This will contain spoilers but I'll try to minimize them. The whole story revolves around keeping an incident that happened years before a secret, but it's covered up in a silly way. If the people running the show just made Mickey disappear instead of framing someone for his murder none of this would've happened. Going that route required more complications than just handling one guy. Plus, how did they find Jack in Linda's apartment later in the book? They're not married, have separate residences, and aren't big enough names for there to be a whole lot of public information on them to assume they're in a relationship. The whole 'rich people can get dirt on anyone' doesn't fly for me here and took me out of the story.
There's more to nitpick but I'll end my criticisms on the title. It doesn't make any sense until almost the very end, and even then it's a literal white dog that appears for only a couple pages. Not very clever or memorable (sorry, I'm a bit of a title snob). The horseracing and cabinet making was also at a minimum, the latter of which disappointed me; the former played out exactly as you expect.
I'd rate this at around 3.5, but since I enjoyed the character of Jack Irish so much I'll round up to a four. Although I'm usually not taken in by stories involving lawyers (worked around too many of them), I'd recommend both the book series and movies/TV shows of Jack's exploits. Cheers
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2019
I didn't know anything about Peter Temple before reading this, the 4th in the Jack Irish series. I would certainly seek out the other three to read. I was saddened to read, when I did a bit of research, that the author had died last year. I'm a huge fan, and reader, of thrillers and detective fiction. This ticked the boxes for me. It was different, being Australian. The speech cadences were different but not difficult to get in the swing of on the page. For me it had strong resonances of Raymond Chandler and Philip Marlow. The writing, and the character, had depth and intelligence and the plot involving a rich powerful man and his beautiful wayward daughters certainly had a Chandler feel to it. Throw in some lowlifes and it's even more reminiscent of the mean streets of Chandler's world. I say this all in a good way as I loved the book. I loved the details of the local area where he lives and works. What he eats for his lunch. Every character in the book is well drawn. Each could have a story of their own and you feel that they go on with their lives after Jack has moved out of their scene. Strongly recommended.
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