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A Deadly Business: a Jack Susko mystery
Jack Susko is trying for a quiet life in his second-hand bookshop in downtown Sydney. It’s more tin mine than gold mine, yet it’s his and that’s something. But when a wealthy businessman hires Jack to locate some books for him, life starts to get a little more complicated. Soon he’s up to his neck in family secrets, corruption and murder, plunged into a world he thought he’d left behind. Making a play for the businessman’s beautiful daughter doesn’t help matters. And as the bodies start piling up, Jack can’t help but wonder when second-hand book dealing became so dangerous. A Deadly Business introduces a new crime hero who’s not a detective and whose motives aren’t always pure, but he’s sure got a talent for finding trouble.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2014
About the author
Lenny Bartulin
9 books22 followersLenny Bartulin is the author of Death by the Book aka A Deadly Business (2008). His poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including HEAT, Meanjin, and New Australian Stories. His latest novel is The Black Russian.
Lenny Bartulin was born in Hobart in 1969 and lives in Sydney.
Lenny Bartulin was born in Hobart in 1969 and lives in Sydney.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 29, 2020
Quirky crime novel set in and around Sydney.
Who knew selling second hand books could get you into so much trouble.
The book starts with a prologue which immediately establishes where the story arc may end and it's not looking good for our protagonist Jack.
Jack Susko runs his second hand book shop from a basement location York st, in the heart of Sydney's CBD. Jack is owner, manager and sole employee.
Jack's trouble starts with him accepting an offer by a collector to purchases all copies of Poetry by poet Edward Kass. $50 per book it any condition plus $50 for the delivery.
How hard could it be, what could possibly go wrong?
Jack manages to find a few copies and duly presents himself at the home of the wealthy collector Hammond Kasprowicz. where he meets Hamnond's daughter Annabelle. Looking back this is where it all began to unravel for Jack.
I like Jack's character. He is what you would call a smart arse with a self deprecating sense of humour.
‘So what do you do, Mr Susko? What has my father got you in for?’
‘Call me Jack. I’m a second-hand bookseller.’
Annabelle looked surprised. Then disappointed. ‘Really. You must read a lot.’
‘When it’s slow.’
‘And is it slow often?’
‘Only Mondays to Fridays. And Saturdays.’
‘So a bit of work on the side with my father?’ she said, her voice rising in pitch. ‘To make ends meet?’
‘My ends never meet,’ said Jack. ‘They dislike each other too much.’
Suffice it to say no one is who they seem, everyone seems to have hidden links so someone else and Jacks' problems inexorably go from bad to homicidal fairly quickly.
I'll never look at a second hand bookstore owner the same way again.
Who knew selling second hand books could get you into so much trouble.
The book starts with a prologue which immediately establishes where the story arc may end and it's not looking good for our protagonist Jack.
Jack Susko runs his second hand book shop from a basement location York st, in the heart of Sydney's CBD. Jack is owner, manager and sole employee.
Jack's trouble starts with him accepting an offer by a collector to purchases all copies of Poetry by poet Edward Kass. $50 per book it any condition plus $50 for the delivery.
How hard could it be, what could possibly go wrong?
Jack manages to find a few copies and duly presents himself at the home of the wealthy collector Hammond Kasprowicz. where he meets Hamnond's daughter Annabelle. Looking back this is where it all began to unravel for Jack.
I like Jack's character. He is what you would call a smart arse with a self deprecating sense of humour.
‘So what do you do, Mr Susko? What has my father got you in for?’
‘Call me Jack. I’m a second-hand bookseller.’
Annabelle looked surprised. Then disappointed. ‘Really. You must read a lot.’
‘When it’s slow.’
‘And is it slow often?’
‘Only Mondays to Fridays. And Saturdays.’
‘So a bit of work on the side with my father?’ she said, her voice rising in pitch. ‘To make ends meet?’
‘My ends never meet,’ said Jack. ‘They dislike each other too much.’
Suffice it to say no one is who they seem, everyone seems to have hidden links so someone else and Jacks' problems inexorably go from bad to homicidal fairly quickly.
I'll never look at a second hand bookstore owner the same way again.
July 16, 2017
Readable. Something to pass the time
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews