The Richmond Conspiracy

by Andrew Grimes

Set in the summer of the Bodyline cricket series The Richmond Conspiracy is a crime mystery about men who have returned after war and are refugees in their own land-old certainties have vanished, betrayal is in the air, and Police Inspector James Maclaine has to determine exactly where justice lies.

Genres: Crime

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Andrew Grimes was born in Bendigo in 1954 and is now working on a series of historical crime novels. He lives in Woodend with his family.

Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

What an utter load of codswallop.

To enjoy this book, you must be interested in a few things:
-Melbourne, and all of its streets, buildings and landmarks
-Politics
-Sport
-War
-Aussie slang
-1930s' lack of political correctness
-Flowery writing

Thus, for me, this novel was incredibly dull and full of crap to put me off.

Firstly, I love Melbourne. It's my 'hood. I love books set in Melbourne because I can relate to them a little more. If I were to describe my feelings towards Melbourne, I would call it a sweet little crush.

This book, on the other hand, wants to jump Melbourne's bones. There is so much unnecessary crap about what Melbourne looks like and what streets he's driving on and which building are new, and old, and a bunch of suburb names that will mean little to anyone not familiar with the city. There are descriptions of landmarks and it was just OVERKILL. If I'm reading a book set in a city I'm familiar with and it goes into so much detail that I'm bored, I can't imagine the pain that's gonna cause for someone who's never been to Melbourne. So, yeah, needed to ease up a little on the love affair, there.

The sport was another drainer. The book is set in 1933, so I'm sure there'll be a few readers who enjoy reminiscing about the cricket and the footy mentioned here, but I don't even follow this stuff in the present. I'm sure the cricket stuff was supposed to be a clever little symbolic thing, but it honestly flew way over my head. When he then started talking about footy, I wanted to cry. I'll admit, I ended up skipping the paragraphs that mentioned sport.

The political/war stuff was a main thread of the murder mystery, so that was pretty disappointing for me. When it all wrapped up I honestly had very little idea of what had just gone down, and the big reveals at the end had zero effect because I'd lost track of everyone's motives. There are so many characters and I never really got familiar with who was who so, again, there was no big shock because when someone is revealed to be behind something I always found myself thinking, 'which one was that again?' Plus, all the procedural stuff is interspersed with all the boring sport and Melbourne stuff so as soon as I started to get the hang of what was going on, I lost the thread again to boredom. It all became incredibly hard to follow and I was just glad it was all over, in the end. WHAT. A. SLOG.

Now ohmygod let's talk about the Aussie slang and stereotypes.

I mentioned I'm an Aussie, right?

For the most part, I actually hate the sound of Aussie slang. I'm not talking about things like 'arvo' and 'brekky' that have been integrated into every day language, I'm talking about the cold, hard, stereotype slang like 'bloody oath' and 'g'day' and 'fair dinkum'. This book is teeming with them and it's so incredibly frustrating. I know this is set in the '30s but every single character talks like Alf from Home and Away. I found that it completely distracted me from what they were actually saying because the writing of it seemed false to me. This book just put so much effort into proving it was Australian that it kinda overshadowed the actual story.

Now, here's a hot topic.

This book is also incredibly offensive. Again, I get that it's historical fiction, but it has cross-dressing and homosexual characters and it is far from kind to them. The language is disgusting and a classic example of all of the barriers these populations are STILL trying to overcome today. Plus, these characters are stereotypes themselves. This book was written recent enough that it could easily have handled these characters with a little more care and understanding, but instead it went full, 'my old, judgy grandpa' on it and just let loose. Not cool. Also, cross dressing is not a fetish, you inconsiderate, uninformed piece of trash. This book definitely lost my respect with this stuff.

AND PLEASE DESCRIBE THE TERRIFYING SOUND A POSSUM MAKES PROPERLY.

Seriously, guys. Have you heard a possum? It's like something out of a horror movie.

This book just tries way too hard to describe everything, and the story gets lost in all the extra scene-setting and similes. It's supposed to be historical crime fiction, but it's more like a washed out attempt at literary fiction. There's nothing really to keep it tense and exciting, and is generally underwhelming. Full of Australian wildlife and stereotypes, though. 'Oh, look, a wallaby in the backyard.' *eyeroll*

Also, I am SO SICK of these middle-aged detectives, often married, falling for the young and beautiful witness/family member that can't help but be illogically yet passionately attracted to him. THAT SH*T DON'T HAPPEN. I'm convinced every time this happens that it's just the author living out a fantasy in his writing.

So re-read that initial checklist, and if you're a fan of any of those things, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this one. If, alternatively, like me, you have very little interest in any of these subjects, I'd give this one a miss.

[Tina · Rating 1 out of 5]

A hard slog to get through. Who did do it?!? I can't bring myself to go back to it.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Australian police-procedural set in Melbourne in the summer of 1933, this is standard in many ways with a bit of a “thriller” conclusion, but it has a realistically difficult family life and few anachronisms in attitude as appealing DI Maclaine and his off-sider, Devlin, investigate the bayonet killing of a prominent Melbournian in a case that soon connects to World War I and its pervasive aftermath. The Praetorian Guard, a New Guard clone, is central as secrets and the well-hidden perpetrator are gradually uncovered in a smooth read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some things remain in this nation's psyche for a very long time. The Bodyline series was something my grandfather was still hot under the collar about when I was a girl (gives you a feeling for how the New Zealanders feel when you mention underarm bowling...). THE RICHMOND CONSPIRACY sits within it's timeframe beautifully, giving the reader a real feel for the way that Melbourne and it's inhabitants worked in 1933. The references to Bodyline (and the way that news about the state of the match being played out in a whole different part of the country had to be sought out), the way that returned soldiers were struggling to fit back into a society that didn't quite understand them, the way that some were working and some weren't. The way that loyalties from the days in the trenches continued into civilian life.

At the centre of the story, aside from the search for a murderer, DI James Maclaine is an extremely good new entrant in the police lines of Australian Crime Fiction. A returned serviceman himself, he has a steady job with the police, but an unsteady home life. Caused partially by his long working hours as a policeman, but also because of mistakes at home, and his ongoing nightmares from the war, his homelife is obviously destined for change from the start of the novel. His obvious love for his son shines through, as does his increasing bafflement on the subject of his wife. His loyalty, however, to his sidekick and fellow returned soldier, Devlin is touching and very human.

THE RICHMOND CONSPIRACY is a good balancing act between character development and plot advancement. The death of Victor Radcliffe remains the focus of the book, whilst the reader is given a subtle history and social studies lesson along the way. If you'd have asked me a while ago whether I liked historical crime fiction I'd have said not so much, but with the increasing number of these books set here, I'm finding I'm developing quite a taste for them. Hopefully THE RICHMOND CONSPIRACY is the start of another new series to follow.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...

[Charmaine Clancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love reading Australian fiction and the 30's is one of my favourite periods. Love the historical cultural events woven into a story like this. Like this... not this. It saddens me to give this one a poor review because it seems to have a sound mystery and a lot or research. The Richmond Conspiracy had the potential to be brilliant. I don't know what happened with Text Publishing, I can usually trust their selections, but this one was poorly edited. There was no sense of closeness to the story as the book is weighed down with unnecessary descriptions that are very telling not showing. And there were many superfluous dialogue tags (as well as dialogue) such as 'he asked' when clearly the question mark shows he was asking. Personally I think Text let down the author by not taking a harder approach to the editing.

Didn't make it to the end to find out who-done-it.

On the plus side, I did like the references to social norms of the time and Australian culture.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read centred around the murder investigation of a prominent businessman, Victor Radcliffe. The end of the Great War is only 15 years in the past but all the characters are still living in the shadows of its influence. Who wanted Radcliffe dead and why?

I really enjoy local reads, set in places that I know. The historical setting of Melbourne during the Depression era also appeals.

The central characters of Inspector Maclaine and Devlin, his partner, are both carrying the horrors of the War with them too. I look forward to hopefully getting to know them better in future novels.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, engaging, methodical. This isn't a thriller, but it a very solid detective story. Grimes has captured the feeling of the city of Melbourne without being twee. If you are familiar with the city it's a really fun exercise imagining what it would have looked like in this era. If you're not familiar with the city then you will still get a great feel for it. Characters are well developed and purpose fit for the genre. Recommended holiday or winter reading.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good solid crime novel set in Richmond Victoria between the wars. The two detectives are both suffering from injuries received during WWI and they are investigating the murder of a businessman who is also involved in the Praetorian Guard which has an over enthusiastic fondness for Empire and a White Australia. There is a lot of interesting historical but the book isn't weighed down by it. I liked it a lot.

[Romi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one ticked a lot of boxes for me. Australian city setting, placed in a 1930s historical context that isn't written about by Australian authors that much. References to the Great War and the social and psychological ramifications that war it had on the country, was of particular interest to me. But the characterisations were a little weak, especially the women - the wife was so one note! It really drove home that it was a genre novel, when I was hoping it could be more.

[Judith Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery set in 1933 in depression-era Melbourne. The characterisations were strong and I especially liked the main character of James Maclaine (shame about his troubled marriage). Andrew Grimes narrative is rich and his use of language is powerful. I hope he writes more in this series, as promised in the introduction to this 2012 novel. To date, however, nothing else in the series has been published.

[Eastern Regional Libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amount of research that has gone into this book makes it a most compelling read. Fantastic speaker and author, it was a pleasure seeing Andrew at Belgrave library. We hope to have him back soon - in the meantime, do yourselves a favour and check out the "The Richmond Conspiracy".

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nicely written. Plot is beautifully detailed and the acton moderately paced, leaving this reader very satisfied at its denouement. An intricate and intimate account of a police investigation and of 1930s post-war Melbourne...

[Julie Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, although I am a sucker for a book set in my home town. It was a fairly standard murder mystery, but there was enough in it to keep me guessing. Quite rich descriptions of Melbourne in the 1930s. A nice find.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good period murder mystery - strong plot but the main character lacked enough charisma

[KateFromAllGoodBookStore · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good period murder mystery - strong plot but the main character lacked enough charisma

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish he would write some more!

[Cel Jel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to read this book when it told me names of suburbs within suburbs that I thought I knew. So I learnt more reading this of some of the history.

[David McLean]

A period murder mystery set in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond