The Red Chilli

by Michael Batchelor

The Red Chilli is a contemporary crime novel about a school student who is lured into a drug underbelly of a small rural town in country Australia. It's a coming of age/satirical journey for Jack as he finds that the innocent life he knew is replaced with drug-frenzied parties, an invitation to traffic drugs - and the sexual advances of the seductive and manipulative femme fatale.  The Red Chilli is a dark comedy with a satirical take on growing up and the philosophy on what's next.  

Genres: Crime

237 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2015

Reviews

[Henry Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a youthful Raymond Chandler-touch to 'The Red Chilli,' except that instead of tough guy Philip Marlowe treading the mean streets of L.A., we have Jack, a schoolboy-innocent, being dragged ever deeper into the underworld of a farm town in the Sunshine State.

‘Beautiful One Day, Perfect The Next’ it is not. There’s the Red Chilli himself, a fearsome drug dealer and reputed hitman, and Carmen, the sexy Leader of the Opposition when it comes to drug dealing in this tropical paradise. In between are Jack and some school friends, and most of them are soon wishing they were sitting in class, bored to tears.

'The Red Chilli' is Michael Batchelor’s first novel. While it is not the definitive Australian crime novel, it is a youthful, energetic and inventive foray into the dark side of modern life. I look forward to seeing Michael's development as a writer in the years to come.

[Taylor Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a journey that I invested all my time into. I loved this book! From all the twists and turns to the in-depth details about the characters. I felt like I truly knew them and was one of the characters following the events in the story. A good read for those wanting to explore the young-adult, suspenseful and crime dramas. Would read again. (In fact already have)