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Cliff Hardy #15
Beware of the Dog
Aussie private eye Cliff Hardy narrowly escapes a fireball that kills two lovers and lands him on the trail of deception that leads to a hell guarded by a snarling dog and filled with a family's darkest secrets. Reprint.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Peter Corris
155 books61 followersPeter Corris was an Australian academic, historian, journalist and a novelist of historical and crime fiction. His first novel was published in 1980. Corris is credited with reviving the fully-fledged Australian crime novel with local settings and reference points and with a series character firmly rooted in Australian culture, Sydney PI Cliff Hardy. As crime fiction writer, he was described as "the Godfather of contemporary Australian crime-writing".
He won the Lifetime Achievement award at the Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Writing in 1999 and was shortlisted for best novel in 2006 for Saving Billy and in 2007 for The Undertow.
He won the Lifetime Achievement award at the Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Writing in 1999 and was shortlisted for best novel in 2006 for Saving Billy and in 2007 for The Undertow.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 6, 2016
4.5★s
A one-off teaching opportunity landed Cliff Hardy in all sorts of trouble. Cliff was a private investigator and helping a friend out with instruction on the business saw one of the students, Paula Wilberforce approach him after class. She only wanted to pick his brains for her thesis she said; but something wasn’t right. Cliff’s alert antenna was jangling – he refused her request and walked away. But that wasn’t the end of it…
In the meantime Cliff accepted another job to keep a close eye on the client’s husband – the Blue Mountains were beckoning. But the issue with Paula Wilberforce was ongoing; giving in to her pleas, he said he would help her. The entanglement in her wealthy, entwined and nutty family was the result. But the trashing of his car and theft of his gun was the final straw, especially when said gun was used in a shooting and Cliff was immediately being sought by the police.
What would be the outcome in this contrived and convoluted case? Would Cliff see his license taken from him for good this time?
I thoroughly enjoy the antics of Cliff Hardy and Beware of the Dog by Aussie author Peter Corris was no exception. A fun, laugh out loud, but serious and twisted tale, this one had the dangers of vicious dogs, the craziness of family and the softness of Cliff and his latest love interest. A fantastic series which I have no hesitation in recommending.
A one-off teaching opportunity landed Cliff Hardy in all sorts of trouble. Cliff was a private investigator and helping a friend out with instruction on the business saw one of the students, Paula Wilberforce approach him after class. She only wanted to pick his brains for her thesis she said; but something wasn’t right. Cliff’s alert antenna was jangling – he refused her request and walked away. But that wasn’t the end of it…
In the meantime Cliff accepted another job to keep a close eye on the client’s husband – the Blue Mountains were beckoning. But the issue with Paula Wilberforce was ongoing; giving in to her pleas, he said he would help her. The entanglement in her wealthy, entwined and nutty family was the result. But the trashing of his car and theft of his gun was the final straw, especially when said gun was used in a shooting and Cliff was immediately being sought by the police.
What would be the outcome in this contrived and convoluted case? Would Cliff see his license taken from him for good this time?
I thoroughly enjoy the antics of Cliff Hardy and Beware of the Dog by Aussie author Peter Corris was no exception. A fun, laugh out loud, but serious and twisted tale, this one had the dangers of vicious dogs, the craziness of family and the softness of Cliff and his latest love interest. A fantastic series which I have no hesitation in recommending.
August 16, 2019
This was my first Cliff Hardy novel and it will probably be my last. I found the whole novel out-dated, bland and uninspiring. Cliff Hardy himself was a boring, unlikeable protagonist. He drank too much, often treated women poorly and what he did behind his partner's back was totally inexcusable! Although he and Roberta never actually made it to bed, the fact they had a romantic interlude and he would have taken it further had she not stopped him, sickened me.
March 1, 2019
Beware of the Dog
(Cliff Hardy #15)
by
Peter Coriss
Although I have not read all of the Cliff Hardy novels, Beware of the Dog is the fifteenth in the Cliff Hardy series of novels by Peter Coriss and my tenth Cliff Hardy read, which leaves me with over thirty to read if I want to read all available in the series.
Beware of the Dog begins with Cliff Hardy lecturing students at a Sydney College of Technical and Further Education (TAFE). After the lecture he is approached by a student for an interview. Quite rightly Cliff is sceptical about this and declines until she follows him to his office.
Upon accepting her as his client Hardy becomes wary of his new client’s mental stability. The client also wants Cliff to follow her husband. From there on there is twist upon twist and it did take some concentration to follow who belonged to whom. And who is related to whom and any more will spoil the story.
Beware of the Dog is narrated by Peter Hosking who is an ideal narrator for the Hardy series of books.
As with all the Cliff Hardy books I have read so far, Beware of the Dog is a quick, enjoyable three star read.
(Cliff Hardy #15)
by
Peter Coriss
Although I have not read all of the Cliff Hardy novels, Beware of the Dog is the fifteenth in the Cliff Hardy series of novels by Peter Coriss and my tenth Cliff Hardy read, which leaves me with over thirty to read if I want to read all available in the series.
Beware of the Dog begins with Cliff Hardy lecturing students at a Sydney College of Technical and Further Education (TAFE). After the lecture he is approached by a student for an interview. Quite rightly Cliff is sceptical about this and declines until she follows him to his office.
Upon accepting her as his client Hardy becomes wary of his new client’s mental stability. The client also wants Cliff to follow her husband. From there on there is twist upon twist and it did take some concentration to follow who belonged to whom. And who is related to whom and any more will spoil the story.
Beware of the Dog is narrated by Peter Hosking who is an ideal narrator for the Hardy series of books.
As with all the Cliff Hardy books I have read so far, Beware of the Dog is a quick, enjoyable three star read.
September 19, 2021
Another enjoyable Cliff Hardy novel. I found this one very fast paced and a real page turner. It dipped from being a 5 star read due to not liking some Cliff’s attitudes to women in this novel. While Cliff is generally not the greatest with women I felt he’d acted much more honourably in the other Cliff Hardy novels I had read.
April 13, 2019
This is Hardy before his wife and daughter, so not as jaded or as 'old' either, but good ol' Cliff. An intriguing, short read with unexpected character twists that really had me wondering who the culprit is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2018
I enjoy mysteries set in Australia, but this one could have easily been set in upstate New York. Plot was unusual. I'd read another Cliff Hardy novel.
July 30, 2020
Not bad but it didn't get overly interesting until about halfway through. Don't waste your time.....
March 21, 2026
Entertaining crime story.
September 23, 2016
I should probably just start saying "ditto" in all my reviews of the Cliff Hardy books. I love them. They're so wonderfully complicated until the end; everything is connected somehow; and Cliff is my man. So what new is there to say?
Well, the plot. Here Hardy has given a "lecture" for a friend on being a private investigator and is approached afterwards by an obviously disturbed (in the mental sense) young woman who wants to interview him about his job. He finally relents and lives to regret it.
In the meantime, he gets a paying job from a woman who wants him to track her husband. They are getting divorced and she wants custody and thinks he is cheating on her.
Add to that the old man who will pay Hardy to find his daughter, who just happens to be the young woman who wanted the interview in the beginning and has now disappeared.
PLUS, when Hardy stakes out the husband in his get-away cottage away from the cities, the whole cottage explodes and bursts into fire.
Whoa! A typically Cliff Hardy book. That's why I love them. And you just know these things have to be related somehow. But finding out exactly how is the pleasure.
Well, the plot. Here Hardy has given a "lecture" for a friend on being a private investigator and is approached afterwards by an obviously disturbed (in the mental sense) young woman who wants to interview him about his job. He finally relents and lives to regret it.
In the meantime, he gets a paying job from a woman who wants him to track her husband. They are getting divorced and she wants custody and thinks he is cheating on her.
Add to that the old man who will pay Hardy to find his daughter, who just happens to be the young woman who wanted the interview in the beginning and has now disappeared.
PLUS, when Hardy stakes out the husband in his get-away cottage away from the cities, the whole cottage explodes and bursts into fire.
Whoa! A typically Cliff Hardy book. That's why I love them. And you just know these things have to be related somehow. But finding out exactly how is the pleasure.
June 28, 2016
This is one of my favorite stories in the Cliff Hardy crime series by the very talented Peter Corris.The 15th novel in this series.Cliff Cliff new he shouldn't have taken on this case the woman was bad news now his guns been stolen he's wanted by the police and all is got to go on is a mutilated photo. In this latest case Cliff is rubbing elbows with Sydney's Blue Bloods involving murder threat by a woman who is filing for divorce. The cluse explode when the Australian Private Eye stumbles upon the high society husband and his mistress just as the house explodes into a fireball. Now Cliff is fighting for his life on a site guarded by a snarling dog and smoldering family ties.Terrific read loved it.❤❤❤
December 7, 2009
Cliff Hardy is Australia's knight errant. Right in the tradition of Philip Marlowe. This book is "tough, fast, and full of mayhem" --- Just the way I like them. There is more than one dame who attracts Hardy's attention and the results are (as expected) not always helpful to his good health and welfare. First there is this persistent student when he gives a guest lecture at a Sidney university. Then there is another who is afraid her husband is going to kill her. Finally there is a rich father looking for his mentally unbalanced daughter. The title is fair warning.
November 24, 2018
Cliff Hardy gets involved with a mixed up family. One patriarch but lots of ex-wives, kids and step kids. It's a deadly family and Cliff is in danger when he hired to find a missing daughter, who is just a little bit crazy. Its the same women who has already broken into Cliff's car and stolen his gun. It's complicated.
And that's the problem with the book. It feels like there are a lot details missing about the family that would make it easy for the reader to follow. A bit too confusing at times but enjoyable.
And that's the problem with the book. It feels like there are a lot details missing about the family that would make it easy for the reader to follow. A bit too confusing at times but enjoyable.
August 15, 2012
Gritty Noir-style detective story set in the inner suburbs of Sydney and venturing off to the Blue Mountains. Part of my enjoyment of this novel was spotting the familiar localities. I also enjoyed the well-flawed protagonist. He's certainly no angel. One part of the story dragged a little when the main character was recovering from illness/injuries, but I liked the rest and the ending tied up all loose ends.
November 8, 2016
Cliff has problems. His registered weapon has been stolen from his car. His current case is to find the whereabouts of a lady's husband. Then while looking for the gun thief he takes on another client. Now he is fully involved with a family with multiple fathers, mothers and crazy adult children. The dog is a vital part of the story.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews