This is one of the most gritty, dark, and harsh reads I have read for a long time. Part 3 in a trilogy by a very talented author, one whose real life is almost as interesting as her characters in this modern, thrilling, and violent trilogy.
Hailing from a military background and a woman who also happens to be an academic, the author writes about death, despair, and brutality like no one else I have ever read. When my father introduced me to this author, his observation was one of death. She writes about death and killing as easily as anything. She writes of killing like a romance writer would write about experiencing a first kiss. The added appeal to her writing is it is always local to a Sydney sider such as me.
A shame I read the preceding novel 5 years ago, this is too long between drinks. Her character of Eden came straight back to me, the renegade detective with the dark past. She is not just dark; she is a freak of nature. Frank her partner who is a good guy, a trusting man who should not be so trusting. The observation about his trust and this matching an upbringing in the countryside was clever, but he does not dwell there, he is in the metropolis where it seems no one around him can be trusted.
Frank’s internal monologue is mostly humorous, Candice Fox’s way of writing this way is skilful, entertaining and leaves the reader wanting more. He is of course a troubled lead detective, and I found his drinking of fake beer funny, but his understanding of his addictions real. He is a flawed character, as they are, but so very likeable.
Her characters richly complex, all interesting souls with many stories of their own to tell. The main players are what drive this series, to me the current case is very clever and worthy of being part of it, but it is Eden, Frank, and the little whippet, the 17-year-old Amy known as Hooky who works basically illegally within the force to hunt down paedophiles made this read absolutely riveting.
This book was written 7 years ago, so I’m afraid this probably gives me the sad answer that this will be it for the duo of Frank and Eden. And the ending? Wow! A well explained epilogue for these crazy and troubled individuals. A cathartic experience. Very glad am I to have come back to this excellent series, with outstanding narration by Lani John Tupu. He made this experience a tremendous one, the squeamishness, the humour, the suspense, it was all made so much better by this excellent narrator.