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Cliff Hardy #40
Gun Control: Cliff Hardy 40
Is Sydney gun city? It certainly seems so when Cliff Hardy is hired by entrepreneur and one-time pistol-shooting champion Timothy Greenhall to investigate the violent death of his troubled son. Soon Hardy is pitched into a world of crooked cops - former members of the Gun Control Unit - outlaw bikies and honest police trying to quietly clean the stables.
Two more murders raise the stakes and relationships are stretched to breaking point. Hardy hooks up with a determined policewoman and forms an unlikely alliance with a charismatic bikie chief.
Uncovering the tangled conspiracy behind the murders takes Hardy to the Blue Mountains and Camden, to plush legal chambers and a confrontation in an inner-west park - all against the roar of 750cc engines.
Two more murders raise the stakes and relationships are stretched to breaking point. Hardy hooks up with a determined policewoman and forms an unlikely alliance with a charismatic bikie chief.
Uncovering the tangled conspiracy behind the murders takes Hardy to the Blue Mountains and Camden, to plush legal chambers and a confrontation in an inner-west park - all against the roar of 750cc engines.
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
16 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Peter Corris
155 books60 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 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 5, 2023
This is the 40th Cliff Hardy private investigator book and Cliff is still plying his trade in Sydney’s inner west suburbs. He’s getting on a bit but he’s now got a list of contacts as long as your arm, knows all the dirty tricks to win a fight and has an acute dislike of guns even whilst acknowledging his need for them in his line of work.
As the title implies, guns are integral to Gun Control, in particular, the illegal gun trade and the story begins when big-time businessman Timothy Greenhall hires Hardy to investigate his son’s death. It was a self-inflicted gunshot that killed his son but Greenhall wants to know who supplied the gun.
It only takes one phone call to the police for the cat to be set among the pigeons and Hardy is already getting his first not-so-subtle warning off. A trip up into the Blue Mountains where he was hoping to meet with a dodgy gun dealer and suddenly, he’s got an entire bikie gang on his tail.
This is classic Cliff Hardy territory and it’s exactly what I expect when I open the pages of this consistently hard boiled detective series. The initial reason for the investigation morphs into something far more sinister and, of course, more dangerous. A search for a gun supplier opens up a world of corrupt cops, underworld murders and a burgeoning drug trade.
Through the investigation, Cliff is able to call on the assistance of all the old cronies who have become his network over the 40-long stretch of books. Retired Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Parker, lawyer Viv Garner, journalist Harry Tickener and even his IT geek Nils Olquist all manage to provide their help as Cliff navigates the dangerous waters.
Through the usual combination of covert sneaking around and in your face stand-offs Hardy quickly treads on toes, ignores warnings and takes a knock or two. He also manages to throw his lot in with the leader of the bikie gang, coming to a mutually beneficial arrangement that would prove to be a masterstroke for both sides.
I simply flew through this volume of Cliff Hardy’s exploits. It’s typical of the genre, crisply sharp dialogue that cuts straight to the heart of the matter, insightful investigation that gives you a chance to predict the direction the operation is heading and high action points galore to result in a fast-moving plot driven drama.
As the title implies, guns are integral to Gun Control, in particular, the illegal gun trade and the story begins when big-time businessman Timothy Greenhall hires Hardy to investigate his son’s death. It was a self-inflicted gunshot that killed his son but Greenhall wants to know who supplied the gun.
It only takes one phone call to the police for the cat to be set among the pigeons and Hardy is already getting his first not-so-subtle warning off. A trip up into the Blue Mountains where he was hoping to meet with a dodgy gun dealer and suddenly, he’s got an entire bikie gang on his tail.
This is classic Cliff Hardy territory and it’s exactly what I expect when I open the pages of this consistently hard boiled detective series. The initial reason for the investigation morphs into something far more sinister and, of course, more dangerous. A search for a gun supplier opens up a world of corrupt cops, underworld murders and a burgeoning drug trade.
Through the investigation, Cliff is able to call on the assistance of all the old cronies who have become his network over the 40-long stretch of books. Retired Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Parker, lawyer Viv Garner, journalist Harry Tickener and even his IT geek Nils Olquist all manage to provide their help as Cliff navigates the dangerous waters.
Through the usual combination of covert sneaking around and in your face stand-offs Hardy quickly treads on toes, ignores warnings and takes a knock or two. He also manages to throw his lot in with the leader of the bikie gang, coming to a mutually beneficial arrangement that would prove to be a masterstroke for both sides.
I simply flew through this volume of Cliff Hardy’s exploits. It’s typical of the genre, crisply sharp dialogue that cuts straight to the heart of the matter, insightful investigation that gives you a chance to predict the direction the operation is heading and high action points galore to result in a fast-moving plot driven drama.
March 10, 2018
I read most of the story, and finished it during a long flight from Oz to Europe... my first Peter Corris book. Definitely not my last...really enjoyed the author's easy to read style...and the steady pace making you turn the page...an uncomplicated read. I gave it a 4.5, mostly because it was a refreshing read, a book that was entertaining, and not laborious to get through...
March 3, 2015
The 40th book in the Cliff Hardy series, GUN CONTROL takes on a very current issue in the style that we've all come to expect from Peter Corris. It's worth taking a moment to consider that 40 book history. When Cliff Hardy first made an appearance on the Australian landscape (THE DYING TRADE, 1982), Crime Fiction had been working prolifically in the pulp fiction days (Carter Brown etc) for a very long time. Hardy, as a hard-boiled, quietly spoken, high action, take no crap from anybody type PI might have felt like a rather American "type". But Hardy was then, and has always been very Australian.
Of course, Cliff's also been a bit "suspiciously Sydney" for those of us in the outlying wilderness, but for many the first glimpse of the strength of these books would have been when Bryan Brown starred in the 1985 movie THE EMPTY BEACH (and personally I've never really been able to get Brown out of my mind when I'm reading one of these books). Fans of these books have always been acutely aware that we "don't think about age", after all Hardy is a super-hero type despite serving in the Army during the Malayan Emergency which would make him ...cough... 80 ...cough... something or ...cough... other.
The beauty of the non-aging, always tough, never quite with his act together Hardy is that whenever he tackles a current day issue, it works. He combines a sense of world-weariness with a strong desire for righting wrongs, of fairness and decency that is attractively old-fashioned, exactly what you'd expect from Cliff Hardy. As is that slight suspicion that it doesn't matter what life chucks his way, been there, done it. Unsurprised and certainly unimpressed. And even though this reader was raised a Holden girl through and through, there's this thing that the man has for aging Fords. Of course he drives an aging Ford. Of course it's still going. Of course Hardy's still going.
In GUN CONTROL he's deep in the world of illicit guns, dodgy motorcycle gangs and corrupt cops. Subject matter straight from the front page of the papers - in Sydney and other major cities in Australia. Hardy uses his ability to prod sleeping monsters, and poke his nose in where it's most definitely not wanted to great effect, whilst simultaneously pairing up with a very unlikely bikie-boss and a very determined policewoman. The idea of bikie's cornering dodgy blokes on bridges in Sydney parks, and then promptly getting into a game of chase and throw with his dog was a particularly delightful moment.
As always with these books, Corris takes Hardy to the crux of the problem, puts him in some jeopardy, moves some baddies around on the board, and drags Hardy, sometimes slightly bruised, out the other end in a manner beautifully economical with words, never lacking atmosphere. Of course there's also no pretence that we're looking for a reason or an explanation for the ills of the world. Rather it's a window on a lifestyle, a glimpse into a way of being, not as most of us would ever know it. GUN CONTROL's another gem of a book in this series and when it comes to your lone wolf PI, there's nobody quite like Cliff Hardy. No matter how old he is.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
Of course, Cliff's also been a bit "suspiciously Sydney" for those of us in the outlying wilderness, but for many the first glimpse of the strength of these books would have been when Bryan Brown starred in the 1985 movie THE EMPTY BEACH (and personally I've never really been able to get Brown out of my mind when I'm reading one of these books). Fans of these books have always been acutely aware that we "don't think about age", after all Hardy is a super-hero type despite serving in the Army during the Malayan Emergency which would make him ...cough... 80 ...cough... something or ...cough... other.
The beauty of the non-aging, always tough, never quite with his act together Hardy is that whenever he tackles a current day issue, it works. He combines a sense of world-weariness with a strong desire for righting wrongs, of fairness and decency that is attractively old-fashioned, exactly what you'd expect from Cliff Hardy. As is that slight suspicion that it doesn't matter what life chucks his way, been there, done it. Unsurprised and certainly unimpressed. And even though this reader was raised a Holden girl through and through, there's this thing that the man has for aging Fords. Of course he drives an aging Ford. Of course it's still going. Of course Hardy's still going.
In GUN CONTROL he's deep in the world of illicit guns, dodgy motorcycle gangs and corrupt cops. Subject matter straight from the front page of the papers - in Sydney and other major cities in Australia. Hardy uses his ability to prod sleeping monsters, and poke his nose in where it's most definitely not wanted to great effect, whilst simultaneously pairing up with a very unlikely bikie-boss and a very determined policewoman. The idea of bikie's cornering dodgy blokes on bridges in Sydney parks, and then promptly getting into a game of chase and throw with his dog was a particularly delightful moment.
As always with these books, Corris takes Hardy to the crux of the problem, puts him in some jeopardy, moves some baddies around on the board, and drags Hardy, sometimes slightly bruised, out the other end in a manner beautifully economical with words, never lacking atmosphere. Of course there's also no pretence that we're looking for a reason or an explanation for the ills of the world. Rather it's a window on a lifestyle, a glimpse into a way of being, not as most of us would ever know it. GUN CONTROL's another gem of a book in this series and when it comes to your lone wolf PI, there's nobody quite like Cliff Hardy. No matter how old he is.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
November 26, 2022
This is Corris’ thirty third Cliff Hardy novel. I feel like I have shared a few beers with Cliff in a number of watering holes in inner city Sydney. In this story we are taken up into the Blue Mountains, down to Camden, around Sydney Harbour, across toBalmain and out to Haberfield. I am sure Corris must have travelled to those places to be certain his geography was accurate.
As per all Corris’ stories there is an array of characters, bent coppers, good coppers, bikies (in this case allies of Hardy), lawyers, businessmen and an attractive woman willing to go to bed with Cliff.
Hardy’s life is on the up in this story. A re-stored PI licence, a half fancy office and a financially capable client. This ageing, heart medicine taking PI is still able to dispense physical retribution when it is called for and naturally his sexual prowess is still in existence.
Corris is investigating the death of the son of a wealthy business man who has a few secrets in the closet. He manages to get the assistance of a range of shady and otherwise characters to eventually bring the baddies to justice.
As per all Corris’ stories there is an array of characters, bent coppers, good coppers, bikies (in this case allies of Hardy), lawyers, businessmen and an attractive woman willing to go to bed with Cliff.
Hardy’s life is on the up in this story. A re-stored PI licence, a half fancy office and a financially capable client. This ageing, heart medicine taking PI is still able to dispense physical retribution when it is called for and naturally his sexual prowess is still in existence.
Corris is investigating the death of the son of a wealthy business man who has a few secrets in the closet. He manages to get the assistance of a range of shady and otherwise characters to eventually bring the baddies to justice.
February 2, 2017
A topical plotline that was adequately interesting, but finished very abruptly in the space of a few pages. I also feel that Cliff Hardy is losing the hard-boiled touch of realism, that is the foundation of this series. I find it hard to believe that an elder statesman of the PI industry, and in the shadows of open-heart bypass surgery, can easily account for a couple of young and tough bikies, and then bed the alluring female (between drinks and gym visits). It might be all in a day's work for the ageing Cliff, but I am not really buying it anymore.
October 8, 2015
A great piece of Australian crime fiction!
My View:
A gritty, tough no nonsense crime thriller – a great read!
I have only read a couple of books from this series but I want to read them all! Can you imagine the delight of discovering an author you love who has published forty book in a series and you haven’t read more than one or two of them – forty books you will be able to consume one after the other? Fantastic! I cannot imagine I more enjoyable way to spend some time.
Back to this book – contemporary issues, a straight talking PI and a secondary character (Paul) who is intriguing and whom I think we will see more of in future books – I hope. A great read. Start a new good habit today – pick up a book in the Cliff Hardy series. Enjoy.
My View:
A gritty, tough no nonsense crime thriller – a great read!
I have only read a couple of books from this series but I want to read them all! Can you imagine the delight of discovering an author you love who has published forty book in a series and you haven’t read more than one or two of them – forty books you will be able to consume one after the other? Fantastic! I cannot imagine I more enjoyable way to spend some time.
Back to this book – contemporary issues, a straight talking PI and a secondary character (Paul) who is intriguing and whom I think we will see more of in future books – I hope. A great read. Start a new good habit today – pick up a book in the Cliff Hardy series. Enjoy.
March 14, 2015
I really like the work of Peter Corris; after all, I have thirty of the forty Cliff Hardy novels and have read most of these. Gun Control is typical Hardy with a tight plot and interesting characters and as a born and raised "Sydneyite" I certainly can relate to the geography of the book.
Where this book fails to reach a five star rating is in the way Corris handles the ending (no spoilers follow). The book has 250 odd pages and twenty nine chapters yet the complex conclusions that would be inevitable for such a plot are wrapped up in the last chapter and less than five pages. I don't find this very satisfying.
A great deal of effort clearly went into the other two hundred and forty five pages only to be let down by the last five. Conclusions ARE difficult to get right but Corris has done it before. He could have given us a bonus extra fifty pages where he flushed out how the solving of the plot effected some of the strong characters. Perhaps we will get a better ending with Cliff Hardy's 41st adventure - I will certainly be waiting impatiently to see.
Regards,
Peter
Where this book fails to reach a five star rating is in the way Corris handles the ending (no spoilers follow). The book has 250 odd pages and twenty nine chapters yet the complex conclusions that would be inevitable for such a plot are wrapped up in the last chapter and less than five pages. I don't find this very satisfying.
A great deal of effort clearly went into the other two hundred and forty five pages only to be let down by the last five. Conclusions ARE difficult to get right but Corris has done it before. He could have given us a bonus extra fifty pages where he flushed out how the solving of the plot effected some of the strong characters. Perhaps we will get a better ending with Cliff Hardy's 41st adventure - I will certainly be waiting impatiently to see.
Regards,
Peter
August 29, 2016
Another interesting novel from Peter Corris about good guys and not so good guy int the New South Wales police force. Naturally there needs to be some really bad guys involved in any police related story. This is the 40th in the Cliff Hardy series and probably the least interesting....or perhaps I listened to it while on a long distance drive and lost track of some parts. I have not read all 40 of the Cliff Hardy series but would like to start at the beginning and see if this one has lost its edge. Still it is home grown and I will probably be back for more.
July 7, 2016
As always a good read
August 14, 2018
Peter Corris books are hugely popular in libraries. This is the first one I've read. It has all the elements of a really good private investigator mystery - main character is wry, ironic, funny, the plot twists and turns, tragic deaths occur, there's corruption, bikies, some vivid, brief action, a little bit of sex - so why did I find it so unsatisfying? I think it's connected to its length. It's quite short so all those potentially interesting aspects suffer from underdevelopment. Possibly you need to read all 40 plus books in the series to get the full impact.
January 6, 2025
This is detective fiction in the hard-boiled mode, and quite well done with corrupt cops, corrupt politicians, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and illicit guns. Corris' detective, Cliff Hardy, has had major heart surgery, but he is still game for fisticuffs with bikies when the occasion arises. I suppose it's meant to make him more interesting, but it comes across as implausible and unnecessary. For all that, the narrative is well-paced and engaging and the mystery not so convoluted that I felt out of the loop for most of the novel, as sometimes happens with mystery fiction.
December 15, 2025
Peter Corris and Cliff Hardy do it yet again. For the 40th and 3rd last time in fact.
The story itself was, as per Hardy usual, fairly predictable and contained few twists. But that's not Corris' forte. Nor Hardy's modus operandi.
Corris is a treasure because he creates great characters and intriguing interaction between them. Whether they are punching each other's lights out or sneaking a quickie in, it is always interesting and always unashamedly, warts and all yeah/nah noir.
One of the better Hardys IMO. Hovered between 3 and 4 stars. Bias saw me round upwards.
4 STARS.
The story itself was, as per Hardy usual, fairly predictable and contained few twists. But that's not Corris' forte. Nor Hardy's modus operandi.
Corris is a treasure because he creates great characters and intriguing interaction between them. Whether they are punching each other's lights out or sneaking a quickie in, it is always interesting and always unashamedly, warts and all yeah/nah noir.
One of the better Hardys IMO. Hovered between 3 and 4 stars. Bias saw me round upwards.
4 STARS.
November 12, 2021
This was a fast paced read from an author described as 'the godfather of Australian crime fiction' that I picked up on a whim from the library shelf. The author is a pro with the detective mystery formula and uses the of controversial issue of gun control as the plot line, to expose corruption, familial historical events, honest/nefarious characters, various murders and a love interest. The final chapters ended abruptly with the collaborative effort to find the killer.
March 2, 2017
Another great book by Peter Corris
June 8, 2017
After 40 Cliff Hardy books, is he reaching his use-by-date? Not a challenging read but I saw it out.
April 26, 2019
Typical Hardy outing. If you like the others, this is more of the same. The usual settings - Glebe, the Toxteth, Newtown, Erskineville, Ashfield, with a side trip to the upper Blue Mountains. The aging well Hardy takes on Bikies, muggers near Circular Quay and gets his end away too. Well written and pacy, though Corris wraps it up a bit on the quick side.
August 7, 2019
Cliffhanger
Really enjoyed this fast paced thriller. Now I am wondering why I haven't read any Peter Corris before. As good as anything I've read in this genre.
Really enjoyed this fast paced thriller. Now I am wondering why I haven't read any Peter Corris before. As good as anything I've read in this genre.
January 1, 2022
Another great Cliff Hardy adventure with guns and police corruption at the heart of the story. An extremely enjoyable read.
February 7, 2016
My, my, my! Such a lot of guns around town and so few brains.
Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep
I wish I could take that quote and emblazon it on a shirt that I would wear everywhere. But I live in the States, in the Pacific Northwest, and probably someone with a big gun and few brains would take offense and try to persuade me differently. Ah well.
Although this book is not about gun control as such, it does concern a unit of the Sydney police called the Gun Control Unit (GCU) which was organized to keep a lookout for illegal weapons and gun runners.
For once, Cliff Hardy is not in danger of losing his license. He is more settled, more "mature" if that's the word to use for a man of his age. He has mellowed. And when he takes the case to find out who sold the gun that killed Patrick Greenhall, he finds all that on the line. Even his close friendship with Frank Parker could end. After a bit of digging, he determines that the "suicide" (now this was unique to me - here we say someone "committed suicide" but in Australia someone "suicided") was a murder instead. The gun involved was a Glock, most commonly used by the police.
Along the way to solution, he becomes involved with the biker gang with an intellectual leader, a member of the GCU who mysteriously comes to him with information he won't give immediately, and other delightful characters.
Once again, Corris has written a masterpiece. It's amazing that Cliff Hardy never seems to get "old" as a character. Each book seems new rather than a rerun of the others. Maybe because Corris never tries to make him a stereotype.
Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep
I wish I could take that quote and emblazon it on a shirt that I would wear everywhere. But I live in the States, in the Pacific Northwest, and probably someone with a big gun and few brains would take offense and try to persuade me differently. Ah well.
Although this book is not about gun control as such, it does concern a unit of the Sydney police called the Gun Control Unit (GCU) which was organized to keep a lookout for illegal weapons and gun runners.
For once, Cliff Hardy is not in danger of losing his license. He is more settled, more "mature" if that's the word to use for a man of his age. He has mellowed. And when he takes the case to find out who sold the gun that killed Patrick Greenhall, he finds all that on the line. Even his close friendship with Frank Parker could end. After a bit of digging, he determines that the "suicide" (now this was unique to me - here we say someone "committed suicide" but in Australia someone "suicided") was a murder instead. The gun involved was a Glock, most commonly used by the police.
Along the way to solution, he becomes involved with the biker gang with an intellectual leader, a member of the GCU who mysteriously comes to him with information he won't give immediately, and other delightful characters.
Once again, Corris has written a masterpiece. It's amazing that Cliff Hardy never seems to get "old" as a character. Each book seems new rather than a rerun of the others. Maybe because Corris never tries to make him a stereotype.
January 3, 2016
In Gun Control, the fortieth Cliff Hardy novel, the veteran PI is hired by enigmatic entrepreneur Timothy Greenhall to investigate the apparent suicide of his son. It’s an odd request –by its very definition, suicide is self-inflicted, and the coroner has verified it as the cause of death – but Greenhall is determined to uncover the truth, and trace the gun back to its supplier. Exposing the truth, however, means plunging head-first into a violent world of corrupt cops and outlaw bikies, and putting some of Hardy’s long-standing alliances on the line.
Gun Control features the requisite murders, sex, pulse-pounding confrontations, and the uneasily-formed coalitions that have become a staple of the long-running series. Peter Corris spotlights several issues currently afflicting Sydney, including the regular drive-by shootings and dramatic rise in access to firearms, as well as the clampdown on bikey gangs, but it’s starkly presented, fitting with Hardy’s brusqueness: it is what it is, and survival depends on your ability to adapt to the changing nature of the streets.
The Cliff Hardy formula doesn’t vary much, but the execution is exceptionally, and constantly, surefooted. Even the tamer efforts crackle with whip-smart dialogue and brave, sparse prose. Corris is Australia’s Robert B Parker, grandiosely talented in the hardboiled arena. Gun Controlshows he hasn’t lost a step.
Gun Control features the requisite murders, sex, pulse-pounding confrontations, and the uneasily-formed coalitions that have become a staple of the long-running series. Peter Corris spotlights several issues currently afflicting Sydney, including the regular drive-by shootings and dramatic rise in access to firearms, as well as the clampdown on bikey gangs, but it’s starkly presented, fitting with Hardy’s brusqueness: it is what it is, and survival depends on your ability to adapt to the changing nature of the streets.
The Cliff Hardy formula doesn’t vary much, but the execution is exceptionally, and constantly, surefooted. Even the tamer efforts crackle with whip-smart dialogue and brave, sparse prose. Corris is Australia’s Robert B Parker, grandiosely talented in the hardboiled arena. Gun Controlshows he hasn’t lost a step.
March 23, 2016
Ah, I liked this better than the last two.
In this series, some of the climaxes have a lot more action, a much tougher showdown, than others. Lemme be clear that I don't necessarily want the good characters to pay a terrible price -- that happens a few times in this series, and those books have gone too far in *that* direction, for me. But when the villains or the problem are built up as formidable, I'm expecting it's gonna take quite battle to turn them down. Not necessarily "thrice lost, thrice won"...but at least twice. :) I get to expecting that when it's noted repeatedly how tough the bad guys, especially if some skill is dwelt upon. And in a number of the books, it works out that way, foreshadowing and payoff.
So, it's not a huge problem, but it's also happened a number of times in this series that I'm surprised to find "oh, it's over! That was the climactic action - I didn't realize!" Or sometimes I know it might be, but I'm not sure, it seemed too eary. _Gun Control_ does have that in common with the two before it, but overall I like it more, and I'm quite pleased to see an uptick.
In this series, some of the climaxes have a lot more action, a much tougher showdown, than others. Lemme be clear that I don't necessarily want the good characters to pay a terrible price -- that happens a few times in this series, and those books have gone too far in *that* direction, for me. But when the villains or the problem are built up as formidable, I'm expecting it's gonna take quite battle to turn them down. Not necessarily "thrice lost, thrice won"...but at least twice. :) I get to expecting that when it's noted repeatedly how tough the bad guys, especially if some skill is dwelt upon. And in a number of the books, it works out that way, foreshadowing and payoff.
So, it's not a huge problem, but it's also happened a number of times in this series that I'm surprised to find "oh, it's over! That was the climactic action - I didn't realize!" Or sometimes I know it might be, but I'm not sure, it seemed too eary. _Gun Control_ does have that in common with the two before it, but overall I like it more, and I'm quite pleased to see an uptick.
July 2, 2016
I had high hopes for this novel. The blurb captured my attention instantly and I was quite excited to see what angle this story was going to take.
For the first 100 pages I was extremely interested in the storyline, each of the characters and who killed Timothy Greenhall's son. But soon after, I began to get bored with the story. I began to lose interest in picking up the novel, and I almost saw it as a chore. Of course, I wanted to finish the novel, but I think the worst part was in the last 70 pages when I just could not be bothered. I felt the story was dragging and it seemed that the author was looking for page numbers and trying to drag the story out as much as possible.
Overall, I wouldn't say this is a terrible book, I'd just say that it's easy to become bored with the story line and possibly confused with the number of characters that are mentioned through the story if you aren't reading it often.
For the first 100 pages I was extremely interested in the storyline, each of the characters and who killed Timothy Greenhall's son. But soon after, I began to get bored with the story. I began to lose interest in picking up the novel, and I almost saw it as a chore. Of course, I wanted to finish the novel, but I think the worst part was in the last 70 pages when I just could not be bothered. I felt the story was dragging and it seemed that the author was looking for page numbers and trying to drag the story out as much as possible.
Overall, I wouldn't say this is a terrible book, I'd just say that it's easy to become bored with the story line and possibly confused with the number of characters that are mentioned through the story if you aren't reading it often.
June 30, 2015
Peter Corris could write the comprehensive history of dishwashing and I would read it cover to cover. I've been reading his books for about 20 years now and I have never read one I didn't like. Gun Control uses a well developed formula and is completely Cliff Hardyesque in nature. Corris's descriptions of locale make you feel like a Sydney suburbanite even if you have never ventured past the confines of Darling Barbour on a whirlwind trip. The characters are stereotypical, but exactly how you want them to be.
I understand that not everyone is going to enjoy this book as much as me, but I recommend giving it a go. Chances are, Cliff Hardy will grow on you and if he doesn't, well you've tried something new.
I understand that not everyone is going to enjoy this book as much as me, but I recommend giving it a go. Chances are, Cliff Hardy will grow on you and if he doesn't, well you've tried something new.
March 16, 2015
Who am I to give only 2 stars to the 'godfather of Australian crime writing'/ But this story did not work for me.
It followed the same old formulas for a crime story, corrupt police, bikies, a bit of biffo but somehow there wasn't really much at stake.
Cliff Hardy seemed a bit bored by the whole process and I found it difficult to follow the twists and turns of the plot but maybe I wasn't concentrating enough.
Is that my fault or that of the author? I'm not sure.
None of the characters seemed life-like either. Maybe Hardy needs to retire.
It followed the same old formulas for a crime story, corrupt police, bikies, a bit of biffo but somehow there wasn't really much at stake.
Cliff Hardy seemed a bit bored by the whole process and I found it difficult to follow the twists and turns of the plot but maybe I wasn't concentrating enough.
Is that my fault or that of the author? I'm not sure.
None of the characters seemed life-like either. Maybe Hardy needs to retire.
December 29, 2020
Cliff is employed to find out who supplied the gun in a case of suicide. Not an easy thing to do but the response to his initial inquiries puts his career and friendships on the line. Things are not as they seem and he soon realizes he has gotten himself involved in police corruption, past and present, and they it could result in a world of pain.
This is not a very long book but it's tight writing is a very enjoyable read. The character of Cliff Hardy, private investigator, comes through and is why I like this series.
Highly recommend this.
This is not a very long book but it's tight writing is a very enjoyable read. The character of Cliff Hardy, private investigator, comes through and is why I like this series.
Highly recommend this.
May 25, 2015
A satisfying "Who-done it" private detective story with too much alcohol and a rouge but loveable hero. Nothing too complicated, not so many people that one needs a "who is who" like in some other books. A really nice read, n to too gory, with just enough violence to make the story work and not so much that one needs to get some fresh air. An easy read for a busy mind that needs some pleasant distraction.
I was left wanting another one just like it. Will watch out for more by this author.
I was left wanting another one just like it. Will watch out for more by this author.
July 28, 2015
I have not read any of the other 39 Hardy books but this one stood fine on its own. Somewhat typical crime fiction with a somewhat crust PI as the main character. The plot was good but at only about 250 pages I could have used a little more. Overall a nice weekend read and interesting enough for me to check out some of the previous books.
April 26, 2016
The 40th book in the Cliff Hardy series. This audio on Borrowbox actually took me a lot longer to get through than usual as I haven't been well for à few months and with a stay in hospital and trying to handle the new meds which I detest. I didn't enjoy this book as much as some of the other Peter Corris's books I've read in this series that's why I only gave it 3 stars.☺❤
April 8, 2015
You'd think I'd get sick of them - but no, Cliff remains a great character
November 13, 2020
I enjoyed this I look forward to more just so easy to read
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