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Darian Richards #4
L'Affaire Isobel Vine
Le nouveau Michael Connelly est australien.
Pour n'importe quel passant, les rues, les places, les jardins de
Melbourne possèdent un charme certain. Pour Darian Richards, chacun de ces lieux évoque une planque, un trafic de drogue,
un drame, un suicide, un meurtre. Lassé de voir son existence ainsi définie par le crime, et uniquement par le crime, il a décidé, après seize ans à la tête de la brigade des homicides, de
passer à autre chose. Une vie solitaire, plus contemplative.
Il accepte néanmoins de sortir de sa retraite par amitié pour le chef de la police qui lui demande de disculper son futur successeur, en proie à des rumeurs relatives à une
ancienne affaire : en 1990, après une fête donnée chez elle, on a retrouvé le corps sans vie de la jeune
Isobel Vine. Suicide, accident, meurtre ? L'enquête fut d'autant plus délicate que
quatre jeunes flics participaient à cette soirée. Elle fut classée sans suite, mais le doute persiste sur ce qui s'est réellement passé.
Reprendre des investigations vingt-cinq ans après les faits n'est jamais une partie de plaisir, surtout quand l'affaire concerne de près la police. Les obstacles ne manquent pas. C'est sans compter sur le caractère obstiné, rebelle et indiscipliné de Darian Richards et sur sa fâcheuse habitude à porter davantage d'attention et de respect aux morts qu'aux vivants. L'enquête rythmée de nombreux rebondissements va peu à peu l'amener aux frontières du bien et du mal, de la vérité et du mensonge, et Richards y perdra peut-être ses dernières illusions.
Une description rarement vue des rouages policiers. Une ville, Melbourne, personnage à part entière du roman. Une intrigue captivante. Et un antihéros plein de blessures intimes, misanthrope et obstiné, que l'on a envie de retrouver à peine la dernière page tournée.
413 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2015
6 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Tony Cavanaugh
7 books39 followersTony Cavanaugh is an Australian crime novelist, screenwriter and film and television producer. He has over thirty years' experience in the film industry, has lectured at several prestigious universities and has been a regular guest on radio commenting on the film and television industry. His Darian Richards novels which include PROMISE, DEAD GIRL SING and THE TRAIN RIDER, have been highly praised.
For more information about Tony Cavanaugh visit his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tonycavanaug...) or follow him on Twitter (@TonyCavanaugh1)
For more information about Tony Cavanaugh visit his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tonycavanaug...) or follow him on Twitter (@TonyCavanaugh1)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 15, 2016
Kingdom of the Strong is the fourth novel in the Darian Richards series.
Darian Richards is called out of retirement and back to Melbourne to head the investigation of a re-opened cold case. A finding was never handed down on the death 25 years ago of 18 year old Isobel Vine.
I’m used to reading crime thrillers and this story took me a little while to warm to. The first 100 or so pages are dedicated to character development.
Cavanaugh’s writing style is gripping with chapters in first person, third person and omniscient narration. We even get chapters on Isobel’s pov so the reader feels a connection to the victim.
This is not a brutal tale as Richards uses brain over brawn to solve this case. Although he often lets the reader know this wasn’t how he had solved problems in the past. His partner Maria Chastain is as tough as nails and her boyfriend, Casey who vows to always look after his girl, is sure to be a favourite of many readers.
A treat for Melbournians as Richards takes the reader through the streets and sights of Melbourne.
With my thanks to Hachette Aust for my copy to read and review.
Darian Richards is called out of retirement and back to Melbourne to head the investigation of a re-opened cold case. A finding was never handed down on the death 25 years ago of 18 year old Isobel Vine.
I’m used to reading crime thrillers and this story took me a little while to warm to. The first 100 or so pages are dedicated to character development.
Cavanaugh’s writing style is gripping with chapters in first person, third person and omniscient narration. We even get chapters on Isobel’s pov so the reader feels a connection to the victim.
This is not a brutal tale as Richards uses brain over brawn to solve this case. Although he often lets the reader know this wasn’t how he had solved problems in the past. His partner Maria Chastain is as tough as nails and her boyfriend, Casey who vows to always look after his girl, is sure to be a favourite of many readers.
A treat for Melbournians as Richards takes the reader through the streets and sights of Melbourne.
With my thanks to Hachette Aust for my copy to read and review.
May 25, 2018
Four years retired and enjoying the good life, Darian Richards, ex Homicide cop was surprised to see his old boss turn up at his isolated cabin, wanting his services once again – this time for a twenty-five-year-old cold case. The death of a young eighteen-year-old woman had been given an open finding, but the uncertainty of that verdict was about to affect the future of one of the higher echelons of the Victoria Police Department.
Back in Melbourne with another Queensland police officer by his side, Senior Constable Maria Chastain, Detective Inspector Darian Richards immediately hit walls. But the word of Police Commissioner Copeland Walsh opened doors for Darian’s small team. With the help of an expert IT person, the three of them began to dig – deeply. And what they found was enough to stir a giant nest of vipers – the danger was immediate. But would the death of Isobel Vine finally be solved?
Kingdom of the Strong by Aussie author Tony Cavanaugh is the 4th in the Darian Richards series, and although I have missed #2 and #3, this one could easily be read as a standalone. I found it a little long winded and drawn out in places, with some rambling of irrelevant “stuff” which I skimmed. And the ending didn’t sit right with me at all. Filled with corrupt cops, drugs, evil and murder, Kingdom of the Strong would suit fans of crime/police procedurals.
Back in Melbourne with another Queensland police officer by his side, Senior Constable Maria Chastain, Detective Inspector Darian Richards immediately hit walls. But the word of Police Commissioner Copeland Walsh opened doors for Darian’s small team. With the help of an expert IT person, the three of them began to dig – deeply. And what they found was enough to stir a giant nest of vipers – the danger was immediate. But would the death of Isobel Vine finally be solved?
Kingdom of the Strong by Aussie author Tony Cavanaugh is the 4th in the Darian Richards series, and although I have missed #2 and #3, this one could easily be read as a standalone. I found it a little long winded and drawn out in places, with some rambling of irrelevant “stuff” which I skimmed. And the ending didn’t sit right with me at all. Filled with corrupt cops, drugs, evil and murder, Kingdom of the Strong would suit fans of crime/police procedurals.
July 20, 2015
“Every murder, rape, every act of wanton violence is a snatch in time but the incident didn’t come out of nowhere; there’s always a timeline where the person who commits the crime sets about on his or her journey and for whatever reasons, intersects with their victim and then, following that crossroads of violence and mayhem, tendrils are left behind. Guilt, shame, remorse, anger, feelings of retribution or hopelessness and evidence, the traces from the contact and these tendrils, both physical and psychological, never….vanish”
Kingdom of the Strong is the fourth book in the Darian Richards series by Australian author, Tony Cavanaugh. On the night of December 21st, 1990, eighteen-year-old Isobel Vine was found dead in her house in Osborne Road, South Yarra. She was slumped, naked, on the back of her bedroom door, hanging by a man’s tie that had been wrapped around her neck and secured to a solid brass hook on the door. The Coroner gave an open finding, unable to decide between suicide, self-inflicted accident and murder.
Her father Eli always maintained that she was murdered and was convinced that four police constables and a local businessman were implicated. Twenty-five years later, one of those constables is in line to become the next Police Commissioner, and needs to be shown as squeaky clean. Current Commissioner, Copeland Walsh personally recruits ex-Homicide detective Darian Richards, now retired to Noosa, to conduct the investigation into this decidedly cold case.
Darian enlists Senior Constable Maria Chastain, knowing he can rely on her; his IT expert, Isosceles, is challenged but not defeated by the lack of electronic records in 1990; Maria’s ex-(?)criminal, tattooed bikie boyfriend, Casey Lack may be a complication or an advantage. The team quickly rules out suicide, but the list of possible suspects is not small, and tracking down witnesses after twenty-five years is no minor task. Trace evidence, too, is lacking as first responders assumed suicide.
This gripping novel is full of twists and red herrings. None of the characters is quite what they first seem and the reader kept guessing to almost the end. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, often provided by Isosceles and also by Casey, but readers are warned that there is also a quite graphic depiction of a rape and murder. Cavanaugh heads his chapters with interesting titles, and Darian’s obsession with murder is demonstrated with his running commentary of violent crime linked to each location they pass as he and Maria travel through Melbourne, which is, according to Darian, a city of murder.
While this is the fourth book in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. But he is a complex and interesting character, and fans will not be disappointed with this next dose of Darian Richards; first-time readers of this author will very likely want to seek out Cavanaugh’s backlist. The description of this novel as “top notch Aussie crime” is certainly apt: this is a riveting read.
With thanks to Hachette and TheReadingRoom for this copy to read and review.
Kingdom of the Strong is the fourth book in the Darian Richards series by Australian author, Tony Cavanaugh. On the night of December 21st, 1990, eighteen-year-old Isobel Vine was found dead in her house in Osborne Road, South Yarra. She was slumped, naked, on the back of her bedroom door, hanging by a man’s tie that had been wrapped around her neck and secured to a solid brass hook on the door. The Coroner gave an open finding, unable to decide between suicide, self-inflicted accident and murder.
Her father Eli always maintained that she was murdered and was convinced that four police constables and a local businessman were implicated. Twenty-five years later, one of those constables is in line to become the next Police Commissioner, and needs to be shown as squeaky clean. Current Commissioner, Copeland Walsh personally recruits ex-Homicide detective Darian Richards, now retired to Noosa, to conduct the investigation into this decidedly cold case.
Darian enlists Senior Constable Maria Chastain, knowing he can rely on her; his IT expert, Isosceles, is challenged but not defeated by the lack of electronic records in 1990; Maria’s ex-(?)criminal, tattooed bikie boyfriend, Casey Lack may be a complication or an advantage. The team quickly rules out suicide, but the list of possible suspects is not small, and tracking down witnesses after twenty-five years is no minor task. Trace evidence, too, is lacking as first responders assumed suicide.
This gripping novel is full of twists and red herrings. None of the characters is quite what they first seem and the reader kept guessing to almost the end. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, often provided by Isosceles and also by Casey, but readers are warned that there is also a quite graphic depiction of a rape and murder. Cavanaugh heads his chapters with interesting titles, and Darian’s obsession with murder is demonstrated with his running commentary of violent crime linked to each location they pass as he and Maria travel through Melbourne, which is, according to Darian, a city of murder.
While this is the fourth book in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. But he is a complex and interesting character, and fans will not be disappointed with this next dose of Darian Richards; first-time readers of this author will very likely want to seek out Cavanaugh’s backlist. The description of this novel as “top notch Aussie crime” is certainly apt: this is a riveting read.
With thanks to Hachette and TheReadingRoom for this copy to read and review.
August 5, 2015
Kingdom of the Strong is the fourth crime thriller by Tony Cavanaugh to feature ex homicide detective Darian Richards. In Promise and Dead Girl Sing, Darian reluctantly came out of retirement, on his own terms, in order to stop a serial killer and a human trafficker respectively. In The Train Rider, he faced off with his nemesis, and lost. In Kingdom of the Strong, Darian is asked by his oldest friend and mentor, Police Commissioner Copeland Walsh, to return to Melbourne to investigate a decades old cold case.
Deputising QLD officer, Maria Chastain, Darian finds himself down the hall from his old squad, tasked to prove that the coroner's open finding in regards to the death of eighteen-year-old Isobel Vine in 1990 in no way implicates any of the four officers who were present at the original crime scene, one of whom is about to be named Walsh's successor. The pair quickly rule out suicide, but given the scant evidence, uncovering the truth more twenty years after the fact is a tremendous challenge.
As in previous books, Cavanaugh presents a rather cynical view of policing where ego and politics makes a mockery of the service. Darien is perhaps predisposed to believe the worst of the four officers who he can prove behaved questionably as young constables, but not definitively responsible for murder. There are plenty of twists and turns as Richards and his team are sidetracked by one of Isobel's former teacher's, an aging drug dealer, a hit man who takes a run at Maria, and Casey Lack, Maria's boyfriend. Few will be able to unravel the carefully crafted mystery before Darian does.
Kingdom of the Strong is a dark and gritty crime novel, but flashes of humour relieves the bleakness. I particularly enjoyed Isosceles frustration with the 'old-school' investigation, and Darien's rather macabre 'murder' tour of Melbourne.
In my review of The Train Rider I wrote that I hoped the author would reconsider his depiction of his 'uniformly beautiful, bright and sensual.' female characters, and I was surprised when the author got in touch to thank me for the criticism, promising to do better. Though there are few female characters in Kingdom of the Strong, I'm pleased to say I think Cavanaugh has done just that. The teenage victim, though long dead, is a nuanced character, and Maria has a more defined role in the story (with Isosceles ogling her cleavage far less often).
While Kingdom of the Strong can be read as a stand alone, I'd encourage readers to seek out Cavanaugh's backlist, you won't be disappointed.
*P.S. Thank you Tony, for your generous acknowledgement in Kingdom of the Strong.
August 20, 2015
I've been waiting for this novel from Tony Cavanaugh. Gritty, dangerous, atmospheric and utterly compelling, he has found his voice and his feet. Darian Richards is the sort of hero that all crime writers wish for - one they can base a long career upon. Connelly has Bosch, Rankin has Rebus. Cavanaugh has Richards.
July 30, 2015
This was my first outing with retired Detective Inspector Darian Richards and I loved what I saw. He came across as authentic, likeable and very pragmatic. As was his off-sider Senior Constable Maria Chastain. I don't know their history and how they originally came to be working together but the pairing is great.
We quickly learn that Darian walked away from the job because he was jaded and it's interesting that he describes Melbourne via the crimes which took place in its streets.
The plot itself was great; it kept a good pace and I wasn't distracted by any plot holes or over-the-top antics.
I note Cavanaugh's also a screenwriter and producer and this was evident in his gritty scene setting. I'm not particularly visual but even I was 'there'.
With fabulous characters and a very real and believable plot I'm very impressed by the fourth in this series by Cavanaugh and keen to get my hands on more.
Read the full review in my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
We quickly learn that Darian walked away from the job because he was jaded and it's interesting that he describes Melbourne via the crimes which took place in its streets.
The plot itself was great; it kept a good pace and I wasn't distracted by any plot holes or over-the-top antics.
I note Cavanaugh's also a screenwriter and producer and this was evident in his gritty scene setting. I'm not particularly visual but even I was 'there'.
With fabulous characters and a very real and believable plot I'm very impressed by the fourth in this series by Cavanaugh and keen to get my hands on more.
Read the full review in my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
July 21, 2015
My View:
How well do you really know someone?
This novel explores the dark culture and practice of policing in Australia’s recent past (well at least I hope it is in the past) but police are human and they will always be someone whose code of personal behaviour does not meet the high expectations of this office or feels that they are beyond the reach of the law. Corruption, sexism, bribery, drugs syndicates, prostitution, personal politics and backhanders – the stuff great crime novels are made of all appear in some shape or form in this intriguing novel. On a universal level this book poses the question, "How well do you know someone/anyone?"
This novel provided insight into the workings of the policing culture and provided some history of Darian’s time in the force before his move to Queensland. The Queensland and Melbourne landscape provided a great back drop to the dramas that occurred on the page. A few clever twists and turns and a villain that remained cleverly disguised till the very end of the narrative provided real intrigue.
A great read as expected from this author – I cannot wait to see what happens in the next chapter of Darian’s life.
How well do you really know someone?
This novel explores the dark culture and practice of policing in Australia’s recent past (well at least I hope it is in the past) but police are human and they will always be someone whose code of personal behaviour does not meet the high expectations of this office or feels that they are beyond the reach of the law. Corruption, sexism, bribery, drugs syndicates, prostitution, personal politics and backhanders – the stuff great crime novels are made of all appear in some shape or form in this intriguing novel. On a universal level this book poses the question, "How well do you know someone/anyone?"
This novel provided insight into the workings of the policing culture and provided some history of Darian’s time in the force before his move to Queensland. The Queensland and Melbourne landscape provided a great back drop to the dramas that occurred on the page. A few clever twists and turns and a villain that remained cleverly disguised till the very end of the narrative provided real intrigue.
A great read as expected from this author – I cannot wait to see what happens in the next chapter of Darian’s life.
September 7, 2015
There are ordinary crime writers, and then there’s Tony Cavanaugh. No one else writes with his combination of detail and almost biblical power. He takes us into back alleys and dark rooms and shows us things that are uncomfortable but true.
The Kingdom of the Strong is Tony’s best novel yet, starting out like a slow fuse on a powder keg, and building into a chaotic web of motives, counter-motives, pre-emptive attacks and retaliation. Darian is at his absolute best on the mean streets of Melbourne, with Maria and the can-do man Isosceles his worthy partners.
The bad guys all have sufficient shades of grey to make it almost impossible to be certain who the culprit is, and I enjoyed the whodunit element to the plot. I loved the concept of the unassailable Kingdom of the Strong, and I imagine this book would make uncomfortable reading for bent cops.
Kingdom of the Strong is a genuine page turner. I read the last two thirds in an afternoon. Highly recommended.
The Kingdom of the Strong is Tony’s best novel yet, starting out like a slow fuse on a powder keg, and building into a chaotic web of motives, counter-motives, pre-emptive attacks and retaliation. Darian is at his absolute best on the mean streets of Melbourne, with Maria and the can-do man Isosceles his worthy partners.
The bad guys all have sufficient shades of grey to make it almost impossible to be certain who the culprit is, and I enjoyed the whodunit element to the plot. I loved the concept of the unassailable Kingdom of the Strong, and I imagine this book would make uncomfortable reading for bent cops.
Kingdom of the Strong is a genuine page turner. I read the last two thirds in an afternoon. Highly recommended.
November 14, 2019
Darian Richards is an ex-cop who used to be based in Melbourne, Victoria. He was a very good one, it seems, with one of the highest rates of solving crimes (what was that catchy phrase they used? Clearance rates?). There are at least a couple of other books in the series before this one, but it did not matter much to the plot that I had not read them, all I needed from the past and the cast of characters is provided most elegantly.
Having walked away from the Victorian force years ago, with never so much as a farewell party, Darian retired to Noosa to live in the sun away from all stress. It didn't work. The past followed him and messed with his retirement, the beginning of this book sees him holed up in a lakeside cottage in winter, uncertain of his next move in life, when the Victorian Police Commissioner, a man he still calls 'boss' unexpectedly turns up to ask a favour.
Way back in 1990 a young girl was murdered, and four policemen were implicated. The coroner gave an open finding, which is to say that he would not commit himself to cause of death. So the suspicion hanging over the young cops was never completely resolved. Now that one of those policemen is in line to become the new commissioner, everyone wants the case cleared up.
Darian returns to Melbourne and puts together a team of three to solve the murder of Isobel Vine, but in the course of the investigation he turns up a whole lot of very nasty dealings, drugs, criminal links but... Who killed Isobel - for the leads run round and round in circles.
This was a very easy read, a lot of fun and very hard to put down. I found myself reading 'just one more chapter' when I really should have been doing other things. The characters are kind of perfect; Darian is the slightly older, slightly burnt out ex-cop with all the know how and a strong motivation to solve the case. I loved the character of Maria, strong vivid female characters in crime fiction are always a plus for me and Maria's complexity was very convincing. I loved the dynamic of the cop who has fallen in love with a bad boy who worships her. Certainly, I have read no end of books where the gender roles were reversed and it tickled me pink what the author did with Maria and Casey.
The bad guys are as bad as one could wish and they deserve the worst.... but the ending, which I will not spoil, was one I did not see coming. It was anything but traditional and while not what one would expect there was a strong sense of fatalism and even perhaps realism in the conclusion.
Really good crime novel, it actually does grip the reader quite a lot and made me wat to read more by this author.
Having walked away from the Victorian force years ago, with never so much as a farewell party, Darian retired to Noosa to live in the sun away from all stress. It didn't work. The past followed him and messed with his retirement, the beginning of this book sees him holed up in a lakeside cottage in winter, uncertain of his next move in life, when the Victorian Police Commissioner, a man he still calls 'boss' unexpectedly turns up to ask a favour.
Way back in 1990 a young girl was murdered, and four policemen were implicated. The coroner gave an open finding, which is to say that he would not commit himself to cause of death. So the suspicion hanging over the young cops was never completely resolved. Now that one of those policemen is in line to become the new commissioner, everyone wants the case cleared up.
Darian returns to Melbourne and puts together a team of three to solve the murder of Isobel Vine, but in the course of the investigation he turns up a whole lot of very nasty dealings, drugs, criminal links but... Who killed Isobel - for the leads run round and round in circles.
This was a very easy read, a lot of fun and very hard to put down. I found myself reading 'just one more chapter' when I really should have been doing other things. The characters are kind of perfect; Darian is the slightly older, slightly burnt out ex-cop with all the know how and a strong motivation to solve the case. I loved the character of Maria, strong vivid female characters in crime fiction are always a plus for me and Maria's complexity was very convincing. I loved the dynamic of the cop who has fallen in love with a bad boy who worships her. Certainly, I have read no end of books where the gender roles were reversed and it tickled me pink what the author did with Maria and Casey.
The bad guys are as bad as one could wish and they deserve the worst.... but the ending, which I will not spoil, was one I did not see coming. It was anything but traditional and while not what one would expect there was a strong sense of fatalism and even perhaps realism in the conclusion.
Really good crime novel, it actually does grip the reader quite a lot and made me wat to read more by this author.
September 30, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Darian Richards is an ex-cop, a good one. He did whatever it took to solve a crime and stop the bad guy. Whatever it took! But after sixteen years as the head of Victoria's Homicide Squad, he'd had enough of promising victims' families he'd find the answers they needed. He had to walk away to save his sanity.
Now Police Commissioner Copeland Walsh has tracked Darian down. He needs him to help clear an old case. The death of Isobel Vine. The coroner gave an open finding. An open finding that never cleared the cloud of doubt that hovered over four young cops who were present the night Isobel died.
Twenty-five years later, one of those young cops is next in line to become police commissioner, so Copeland Walsh needs the case closed once and for all. In his mind there is only one man for the job. One man who would be completely independent. One man who has never bowed to political or police pressure. One man who knows how to get the job done - Darian Richards.
Darian is going back to stir a hornet's nest. But once Darian is on a case he won't back off tracking down evil, no matter who he has to take down.
*3.5 stars*
This was a tough one. Plenty of things going for it but, overall, I only ended up being "satisfied", at best.
The best things for me were simple: Australian crime fiction; a series with a Jack Reacher-style MC that could carry a television series quite easily; a little of the underworld of Melbourne oozes into this story; great police procedural information; and plenty of red herrings and twists-and-turns to keep most crime readers happy. I also have to say that the author is also a screenwriter, so he has a good eye for scenes, especially the dramatic ones. Plenty of really good things going for it...
But the one thing that really drove me nuts were the clichéd characters - I said earlier that Darian Richards was a "Jack Reacher-style" hero. And I mean that. But it is also another character in a long line of these type: Reacher, Bosch, Hunter etc...
Add to that the glamorously named (and beautiful to boot) partner Maria Chastain (Hollywood, here she comes!) and the worst of all - a computer geek named...wait for it...Isosceles! Have you ever heard anything so wretched? This book was absolutely spoiled by such 90's TV-crime show characters.
Overall, a great story - good plot, location and pacing. Lots of positives there. Let down by the characters.
Paul
ARH
Darian Richards is an ex-cop, a good one. He did whatever it took to solve a crime and stop the bad guy. Whatever it took! But after sixteen years as the head of Victoria's Homicide Squad, he'd had enough of promising victims' families he'd find the answers they needed. He had to walk away to save his sanity.
Now Police Commissioner Copeland Walsh has tracked Darian down. He needs him to help clear an old case. The death of Isobel Vine. The coroner gave an open finding. An open finding that never cleared the cloud of doubt that hovered over four young cops who were present the night Isobel died.
Twenty-five years later, one of those young cops is next in line to become police commissioner, so Copeland Walsh needs the case closed once and for all. In his mind there is only one man for the job. One man who would be completely independent. One man who has never bowed to political or police pressure. One man who knows how to get the job done - Darian Richards.
Darian is going back to stir a hornet's nest. But once Darian is on a case he won't back off tracking down evil, no matter who he has to take down.
*3.5 stars*
This was a tough one. Plenty of things going for it but, overall, I only ended up being "satisfied", at best.
The best things for me were simple: Australian crime fiction; a series with a Jack Reacher-style MC that could carry a television series quite easily; a little of the underworld of Melbourne oozes into this story; great police procedural information; and plenty of red herrings and twists-and-turns to keep most crime readers happy. I also have to say that the author is also a screenwriter, so he has a good eye for scenes, especially the dramatic ones. Plenty of really good things going for it...
But the one thing that really drove me nuts were the clichéd characters - I said earlier that Darian Richards was a "Jack Reacher-style" hero. And I mean that. But it is also another character in a long line of these type: Reacher, Bosch, Hunter etc...
Add to that the glamorously named (and beautiful to boot) partner Maria Chastain (Hollywood, here she comes!) and the worst of all - a computer geek named...wait for it...Isosceles! Have you ever heard anything so wretched? This book was absolutely spoiled by such 90's TV-crime show characters.
Overall, a great story - good plot, location and pacing. Lots of positives there. Let down by the characters.
Paul
ARH
August 4, 2015
KINGDOM OF THE STRONG is the fourth Darian Richards novel from screenwriter, producer and novelist Tony Cavanaugh. Readers of the past novels will be aware of the background of Richards. A high ranking cop in Victoria for many years, he has a darker side, with a history of ensuring justice for victims even if it means he steps into the role of avenging angel. Readers of the earlier books will also be aware of a tendency towards the barking mad, evil, utterly over the top, random serial killer. Which, frankly, made this reader struggle with them, no matter how compelling a character Richards is.
KINGDOM OF THE STRONG, however, doesn't require that you've read the earlier books as there's sufficient back-story for new readers to get the complex relationships between Richards; his Queensland based cop sidekick Maria Chastain; her live-in lover and his best mate - ex-bikie Casey Lack; and his Melbourne based IT specialist Isosceles. They are an odd bunch no doubt about it, but the best part of all these novels is this complicated working relationship, teetering on the edge of actual friendship. Luckily, if you're a return reader, then the back-story isn't going to bog you down either, the whole thing is elegantly done.
Having always been predisposed to like Darian Richards very much it's hard to overstate what a joy reading KINGDOM OF THE STRONG was. The sense of humour is dry as chips and so seemingly apt for a been there / seen it cop. As the waiter fawns over Chastain:
'Oui,' he said and then: 'Voila!', which I've come to understand means about a thousand things in French, from 'There you are!' to "Oh, fuck, the cat's dead.'
... He almost swooned with delight at her wonderful use of the local language.
'Voila' he said.
The cat's dead, I thought.
It's also the style of directions / sense of place that Richards is working through with Chastain. Newcomers to my old home town will undoubtedly have noted a propensity for my family to navigate Ballarat by the pubs. Nothing compared to Richards who navigates locations by murders:
We crossed Orrong Road, where, in my thirties, I'd attended a murder-suicide in which a husband, fed up with life, had shot his two sons and wife then turned the gun to his temple. We crossed Kooyong Road, where, eight years ago, I'd found the body of a Vietnamese girl who'd been raped, tortured and then had her throat cut by an angry lover. We crossed Mercer Road, where, in 2004, a teenage girl by the name of Janelle had been abducted, her dismembered body later found in the bushlands of Eltham....
And on it goes. On one level a rather bizarre way of remembering locations, and one that Chastain is quickly begging to stop, and on the other, a poignant reminder that here is a cop that doesn't forget the victims. That has looked into the eyes of too many victims and promised, always, to find those responsible.
All through KINGDOM OF THE STRONG there's a sense of place that absolutely resonates:
I found a parking spot on St Kilda Road, which has to be one of the widest streets in the country, with two outside lanes covered in a green canopy of elms and squat, old date palms that must have been imported from Egypt or somewhere nearby in the early 1900s then, across grass-covered, tree-lined medians, in the centre, the boulevard itself, four wide lanes with two in the middle for trams to roll up and back. If the traffic's heavy and you're not relying on the lights, you might need to take a packed lunch in order to cross the street.
Instantly evocative of St Kilda Road, instantly reminiscient of those long fraught hikes across the damn thing in the middle of a rainy, cold winter's evening peak hour...
At the heart of this book is a fascinating concept. Bought back to Victoria by the Police Commissioner to investigate an old case, Richards has great loyalty and respect for Copeland Walsh. He's an old-school cop, retired and bought back to the top job after a bit of a wrong-step with a career manager in the middle. Who will follow him in the top job would be a lay down misere if it wasn't for the slight question mark over a long thought suicide cold case when a young woman was found dead apparently as a result of auto-erotic asphyxiation. There's always been a possible whiff about the presence of four young cops on the night the girl died, and one of those cops is now the main contender for Commissioner. Not trusting the insider circle rife in Victorian Policing, the Commissioner brings in the ultimate outsider. An outsider when he was in the force, a man who walked away from the force seems like the most likely to clear the air, and therefore the pathway to a second, permanent retirement.
The case presents Richards with a heap of problems - not least that it's 20 years since it all went down and that gives a lot of people a lot of time to sweep clean, or simply forget. None of which is helped by the fact that this is early days for mobile phones, early days for computers and Isosceles is hampered by the lack of digital footprints, whilst Chastain is hampered by being in a different state, and with a bikie boyfriend who is more than a tad unpredictable. Mind you, bikie involvement does also provide for some of the lovely little touches of humour and humanity littered through this book:
Thirteen bad guys with maybe eight square metres of tattoo, led by Casey, walked into the house, each of them with a pistol tucked into their belt and a sawn-off shotgun, or, in the case of a couple of the fellas, an even more highly illegal semi-automatic rifle, holstered over their shoulder, under their jacket. Miraculously they hadn't caught the attention of the cops.
'We rode the laneways,' said Casey by way of explanation. I was in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
'We're here,' Casey added, somewhat unnecessarily.
Needless to say there was so much to like about KINGDOM OF THE STRONG the bookmarks in my copy became more prevalent than pages. Clever, evocative, funny with that wonderful sense of place and character that stays away from feeling like a film script, and sticks firmly within a police procedural framework. This is exactly the sort of novel that Darian Richards deserves. Let's hope there's a lot more to come.
May 30, 2025
My first by this author. Started off strongly and I enjoyed the writing style. I just found the denouement too far fetched. It came out of nowhere and was quite implausible.
July 20, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the Melbourne setting and the believable characters that populated this book. Given the history of the police corruption and the gang wars in Melbourne it was thoroughly believable. I liked Darian Richards and the twists and turns of this story kept me hooked right to the end, which I might have seen coming a little bit.
I liked the relationship between Darian and his partner, Maria. I didn't realise this book was part of a series and I think I will have to read the earlier books so I can see how these two ended up partners. I'm sure it would be a great read.
If you like a good detective story then this is definitely a book for you.
I liked the relationship between Darian and his partner, Maria. I didn't realise this book was part of a series and I think I will have to read the earlier books so I can see how these two ended up partners. I'm sure it would be a great read.
If you like a good detective story then this is definitely a book for you.
April 16, 2020
C'est une lecture bien particulière que je viens de refermer avec le livre de Tony Cavanaugh. Un voyage différent, dans des contrées inattendues (et je ne parle pas de l'Australie).
J’ai bien failli passer à côté. The Australian compare Darian Richards, le flic récurrent de Tony Cavanaugh à Harry Bosch, à mon avis avec justesse. On y retrouve le même genre d’anti-héros, couturé de partout, épidermique au point de rater sa vie et pourtant implacable et blasé. Le côté gros dur qui flingue quelqu’un avant de terminer son assiette de raviolis.
C’est pas du tout ma came.
Et pourtant. Derrière les apparences froides et distanciées de l’écriture de Tony Cavanaugh, il y a une vie qui bat, mais comme au ralenti, comme engourdie, et l’écriture fait ici merveilleusement écho au héros.
L’écriture, c’est une grande force de Cavanaugh. Précise et imagée (« il ne marchait pas, il martelait le sol de ses pas »), elle est aussi lapidaire et un peu désespérée (« J’essaie d’éviter la politique mais c’est impossible…… Elle est là, comme le mal. On peut fermer les yeux, certes, mais les machinations et les pactes en coulisse sont comme une rumeur permanente dans le monde de la police, comme les rouages d’une machine » ou « La corruption n’est peut-être pas une condition nécessaire pour le boulot mais ce n’est certainement pas un obstacle »).
Rien à dire sur l’intrigue, qui est bien ficelée malgré quelques racourcis que je n’aurais jamais osés mais qui passent crème. Parce que l’essentiel est ailleurs.
L’essentiel, c’est la quête de ces flics pour débusquer une vérité vieille de 25 ans et faire justice quoiqu’il en coûte à l’institution ou au héros. On marche dans les pas de Dario, à un rythme qui n’est ni lent (il y a vraiment beaucoup d’actions), ni trépidant (il y a de la langueur dans le style, le choix des mots, de l’angle de vue, les descriptions à petites touches de la plus européenne des villes australiennes), mais plutôt hypnotique.
Bien que, sur le papier, L’affaire Isobel Vine ait eu beaucoup trop pour me déplaire, je l’ai lu jusqu’à la fin avec plaisir un peu comme une citronnade qu’on sirote par une journée d’été étouffante. Le rythme hypnotique des mots, l’ambiance et même les personnages commencent même à me manquer un peu…
C’est donc à une expérience de lecture différente que je te convie avec L’affaire Isobel Vine, une trouée dans le monde des policiers du sud de l’Australie, perché sur l’épaule d’un flic cabossé et désabusé.
http://www.mespolars.com/chroniques/l...
J’ai bien failli passer à côté. The Australian compare Darian Richards, le flic récurrent de Tony Cavanaugh à Harry Bosch, à mon avis avec justesse. On y retrouve le même genre d’anti-héros, couturé de partout, épidermique au point de rater sa vie et pourtant implacable et blasé. Le côté gros dur qui flingue quelqu’un avant de terminer son assiette de raviolis.
C’est pas du tout ma came.
Et pourtant. Derrière les apparences froides et distanciées de l’écriture de Tony Cavanaugh, il y a une vie qui bat, mais comme au ralenti, comme engourdie, et l’écriture fait ici merveilleusement écho au héros.
L’écriture, c’est une grande force de Cavanaugh. Précise et imagée (« il ne marchait pas, il martelait le sol de ses pas »), elle est aussi lapidaire et un peu désespérée (« J’essaie d’éviter la politique mais c’est impossible…… Elle est là, comme le mal. On peut fermer les yeux, certes, mais les machinations et les pactes en coulisse sont comme une rumeur permanente dans le monde de la police, comme les rouages d’une machine » ou « La corruption n’est peut-être pas une condition nécessaire pour le boulot mais ce n’est certainement pas un obstacle »).
Rien à dire sur l’intrigue, qui est bien ficelée malgré quelques racourcis que je n’aurais jamais osés mais qui passent crème. Parce que l’essentiel est ailleurs.
L’essentiel, c’est la quête de ces flics pour débusquer une vérité vieille de 25 ans et faire justice quoiqu’il en coûte à l’institution ou au héros. On marche dans les pas de Dario, à un rythme qui n’est ni lent (il y a vraiment beaucoup d’actions), ni trépidant (il y a de la langueur dans le style, le choix des mots, de l’angle de vue, les descriptions à petites touches de la plus européenne des villes australiennes), mais plutôt hypnotique.
Bien que, sur le papier, L’affaire Isobel Vine ait eu beaucoup trop pour me déplaire, je l’ai lu jusqu’à la fin avec plaisir un peu comme une citronnade qu’on sirote par une journée d’été étouffante. Le rythme hypnotique des mots, l’ambiance et même les personnages commencent même à me manquer un peu…
C’est donc à une expérience de lecture différente que je te convie avec L’affaire Isobel Vine, une trouée dans le monde des policiers du sud de l’Australie, perché sur l’épaule d’un flic cabossé et désabusé.
http://www.mespolars.com/chroniques/l...
May 22, 2017
Pour les amateurs du genre !
Soyons clair ce livre ne va pas révolutionner le genre du polar mais il est très bien écrit et on s'attache à cette histoire dont on voudrait connaître le dénouement malgré le manque d'action ou d'enjeu.
Le roman repose surtout sur le pays (l'Australie" et sur son héros Darian Richards flic revenu de tout à la retraite au bord d'un lac qui accepte de revenir aux affaires pour faire plaisir à son mentor. Darian à tout vu et pour lui chaque rue de Melbourne lui rappelle plusieurs crimes qu'il a résolu et qu'il aime raconter à sa partenaire Maria, belle femme en proie au sexisme et en couple avec un biker. Quel duo efficace pourtant qui s'attache à faire payer les coupables pour le repos des victimes. Darian étant même capable de passer la ligne rouge, il aurait d'ailleurs déjà fait justice lui-même et même assassiné des coupables.
Hanté par les meurtres et cette violence mais surtout par son échec face à un tueur en série et essayant d'arrêter la boisson il avait abandonné son travail, sa petite amie et l'alcool en même temps que la ville pour aller vivre au bord d'un lac et faire semblant de pêcher. Quand son mentor voulant partir en retraite lui demande de l'aide pour blanchir son successeur dans une histoire vieille de 25 ans : le meurtre ou suicide d'une jeune femme.
Seulement voilà Darian et son équipe une fois sur une affaire ne lâche pas avant d'avoir rendu justice à la victime même si pour cela il faut froisser quelques gros bonnets ou remuer des histoires vieilles de 25 ans....
J'ai aimé les personnages et la ville ainsi que l'intrigue basée sur une vieille histoire mais tout de même moderne, ainsi que la conclusion qui m'a un peu surprise.
J'ai moins aimé la fin un peu rapide à mon goût et le manque d'action qui se fait sentir quand même.
Un livre classique dans le genre mais très bien écrit avec une intrigue qui tient le coup. La référence à Michael Connelly n'est pas volé. A lire si vous aimez le genre ou voulez le découvrir.
Soyons clair ce livre ne va pas révolutionner le genre du polar mais il est très bien écrit et on s'attache à cette histoire dont on voudrait connaître le dénouement malgré le manque d'action ou d'enjeu.
Le roman repose surtout sur le pays (l'Australie" et sur son héros Darian Richards flic revenu de tout à la retraite au bord d'un lac qui accepte de revenir aux affaires pour faire plaisir à son mentor. Darian à tout vu et pour lui chaque rue de Melbourne lui rappelle plusieurs crimes qu'il a résolu et qu'il aime raconter à sa partenaire Maria, belle femme en proie au sexisme et en couple avec un biker. Quel duo efficace pourtant qui s'attache à faire payer les coupables pour le repos des victimes. Darian étant même capable de passer la ligne rouge, il aurait d'ailleurs déjà fait justice lui-même et même assassiné des coupables.
Hanté par les meurtres et cette violence mais surtout par son échec face à un tueur en série et essayant d'arrêter la boisson il avait abandonné son travail, sa petite amie et l'alcool en même temps que la ville pour aller vivre au bord d'un lac et faire semblant de pêcher. Quand son mentor voulant partir en retraite lui demande de l'aide pour blanchir son successeur dans une histoire vieille de 25 ans : le meurtre ou suicide d'une jeune femme.
Seulement voilà Darian et son équipe une fois sur une affaire ne lâche pas avant d'avoir rendu justice à la victime même si pour cela il faut froisser quelques gros bonnets ou remuer des histoires vieilles de 25 ans....
J'ai aimé les personnages et la ville ainsi que l'intrigue basée sur une vieille histoire mais tout de même moderne, ainsi que la conclusion qui m'a un peu surprise.
J'ai moins aimé la fin un peu rapide à mon goût et le manque d'action qui se fait sentir quand même.
Un livre classique dans le genre mais très bien écrit avec une intrigue qui tient le coup. La référence à Michael Connelly n'est pas volé. A lire si vous aimez le genre ou voulez le découvrir.
December 31, 2019
(écouté en audiobook)
Le nouveau Connelly... le nouveau Connelly... C'est vite aller en besogne.
Tony Cavanaugh connait bien son affaire, c'est un fait et ce premier tome de la trilogie Darian Richards est certes très efficace, mais elle peine un peu à se hisser en haut de la pile des thrillers produits à la chaine... Certes le décor australien est assez inédit et le personnage central charismatique comme il faut, la lecture de ce roman laisse quand même un gout d'inachevé.
Le nouveau Connelly... le nouveau Connelly... C'est vite aller en besogne.
Tony Cavanaugh connait bien son affaire, c'est un fait et ce premier tome de la trilogie Darian Richards est certes très efficace, mais elle peine un peu à se hisser en haut de la pile des thrillers produits à la chaine... Certes le décor australien est assez inédit et le personnage central charismatique comme il faut, la lecture de ce roman laisse quand même un gout d'inachevé.
January 7, 2020
Tony Cavanaugh writes a cracking crime novel. He and Gary Disher are two of my favourite Australian crime fiction novelists for good reason,I never lose interest in the story or the characters.Darian Richards is a strong ex copper and his position in this book is to find the murderer of a young woman 25 years after the murder.There are twists and turns , sub plots and red herrings and in the end you are a satisfied reader. Set in Melbourne . Loved it
December 16, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyable piece of Australian crime fiction. Not even mistaking “vibe” for “jibe” could put me off. Strong characterisation, a sense of Melbourne, tense progress, good foreshadowing, and a real sense of the victim which is not always the case. Will be actively seeking out other books by Tony Cavanaugh.
February 25, 2019
I guessed the killer quite early on so the rest was a bit disappointing after that.
October 28, 2025
it's more than a 3 but less than a 4 for me. but I enjoy Tony Cavanaugh and I would read all his books.
February 25, 2017
If you are a previous reader to this series, you will know that Darian Richards operates under the direction of his own personal moral code, as determined solely by him. He is not one of those battered and brooding protagonists – it is more that he has given up caring about the larger world and has contented himself with the concerns of his small circle of people. Once he commits, he commits.
Invited back into the force by his old boss for a special assignment, Darian just can’t say no. Darian has had a long time out of the police brotherhood so to speak, and he is quite determined that this foray will be merely an instance of repaying an old friend for help given in the past. Twenty-five years ago a young Melbourne woman died after hosting a party which was attended by four up and coming police officers. One of the officers is now running for a higher office and the Commissioner confirms to Darian that the new investigation needs to show without any doubt that the death of Isobel Vine was not anything to do with Victoria’s finest.
Darian enlists the help of cop and friend Maria Chastain for his investigation and then it’s back to his old beat – urban Melbourne. Not much has changed since Darian has been away but it’s almost comforting to be there again. It’s clear the force would rather that Darian make a quick and safe determination to his tasked case but that is never going to happen. The victim’s father, all these years later, is still convinced that someone in power murdered his child and Darian finds no reason to disagree with him.
Author Tony Cavanaugh has had a long and illustrious career in film and tv and thus brings that excellent crafting of place and character to his crime novels. All of his creations are wholly convincing and though sketched with typical Australian economy, they are entirely recognizable in their landscape.
KINGDOM OF THE STRONG is strongly anchored to the Melbourne setting and the reader is very much traveling along the streets with investigator Darian Richards. The same themes do thread through the novels in this series; loss, redemption, loyalty and betrayal and KINGDOM OF THE STRONG gives a little illumination to the before, as in what Darian was like when he was operating, albeit loosely, within the parameters of the Victorian police force.
Darian Richards is one of those crime fiction characters that you want to know more about with each series entry. Darian’s world is familiar yet his slant on it is not. KINGDOM OF THE STRONG is another strong novel in a compelling series that powers forward with Darian’s insight into what is visible on the surface, and the underside which perhaps might not be seen, but is always present.
Invited back into the force by his old boss for a special assignment, Darian just can’t say no. Darian has had a long time out of the police brotherhood so to speak, and he is quite determined that this foray will be merely an instance of repaying an old friend for help given in the past. Twenty-five years ago a young Melbourne woman died after hosting a party which was attended by four up and coming police officers. One of the officers is now running for a higher office and the Commissioner confirms to Darian that the new investigation needs to show without any doubt that the death of Isobel Vine was not anything to do with Victoria’s finest.
Darian enlists the help of cop and friend Maria Chastain for his investigation and then it’s back to his old beat – urban Melbourne. Not much has changed since Darian has been away but it’s almost comforting to be there again. It’s clear the force would rather that Darian make a quick and safe determination to his tasked case but that is never going to happen. The victim’s father, all these years later, is still convinced that someone in power murdered his child and Darian finds no reason to disagree with him.
Author Tony Cavanaugh has had a long and illustrious career in film and tv and thus brings that excellent crafting of place and character to his crime novels. All of his creations are wholly convincing and though sketched with typical Australian economy, they are entirely recognizable in their landscape.
KINGDOM OF THE STRONG is strongly anchored to the Melbourne setting and the reader is very much traveling along the streets with investigator Darian Richards. The same themes do thread through the novels in this series; loss, redemption, loyalty and betrayal and KINGDOM OF THE STRONG gives a little illumination to the before, as in what Darian was like when he was operating, albeit loosely, within the parameters of the Victorian police force.
Darian Richards is one of those crime fiction characters that you want to know more about with each series entry. Darian’s world is familiar yet his slant on it is not. KINGDOM OF THE STRONG is another strong novel in a compelling series that powers forward with Darian’s insight into what is visible on the surface, and the underside which perhaps might not be seen, but is always present.
March 14, 2016
I was delighted to find a crime book set in Melbourne, not having read this author before. We follow the series by author Garry Disher "Wyatt", whose books are set in Melbourne, about a professional thief, very tight Police Procedurals hard to beat.
With Kingdom of the Strong, First instinct: Ignore the marketer's cover-notes likening it to Bosch or Harlen Coben, marketing hype to get your buyer's dollars. My review here addresses character and writing style, not the plot. I don't address plot specifics here but I may refer to disappointments.
Writing Style: Cavanaugh's characters, some have show-bizzy names, some characters are plausible, others bad cliches. There are funny moments. Chapters have headings, a thing that went out of fashion decades ago, great to see them back - here, anyway! - which gives an added focus to a chapter.
As usual these days, some Americanized-English expressions creep in - which doesn't add to the writer's credo of setting in Australia, but the book may have been pitched to an American readership (clue: the author named one of his children after a State of America) - and other examples: Chapel Street having rows of "diners", not cafes or restaurants or snack bars. There's a spattering of foul-mouth which seems the norm these days for cop stories whose authors can't write well without it, as the book progressed I was anticipating Americanized-English creations "motherf-r" "go figure" and more, sure enough, they were included, sadly, which only made the book more tacky.
Also used are a mix of fashionable two-, three-, four-, five-word "sentences" - add-ons for emphasis which would have made better reading if included in the real sentence.
This author has had a show-biz career, which shows in his writing, attempts to be glitzy.
There are time changes from past to present. At times this "thriller" becomes an excessively descriptive tour-guide through Melbourne and Australia, far superfluous to the progress of the story or setting of mood. Travelogue, plus a lot of self-congratulatory posturing covering previous ground, almost like trophy-bragging. Tedious.
Did I mention cliche'd characters ?, yes, - the edgy policewoman with dropdead looks and a dark side whose favourite word is the f-word, the eccentric young computer-geek with the pompous quirky name whose indisputible knowhow to hack anything including information from before the computer age before he was born is second only to his drooling over the policewoman, and the rich man with the usual crook background leading to his life of power over the people and corruption over police ---- Being fiction, this all seems a familiar story. By halfway I was hoping "get on with it", meaning, a progressing good story.
Part two quickly deteriorates into smut and sleaze and farce. The overriding feeling about our hero, Richards, in Kingdom Of The Strong, is that he believes his own legendary status and keeps referring to it, a boring egotist.
This book doesn't live up to its hype, it's very ordinary and sleazy to excess, which cheapens its appeal. Comparison: If you like a classy and succinct Police Procedural, try Australia's Garry Disher Peninsula and Wyatt series (books set in and around Melbourne), Michael Robotham, and Barry Maitland (books set in London).
With Kingdom of the Strong, First instinct: Ignore the marketer's cover-notes likening it to Bosch or Harlen Coben, marketing hype to get your buyer's dollars. My review here addresses character and writing style, not the plot. I don't address plot specifics here but I may refer to disappointments.
Writing Style: Cavanaugh's characters, some have show-bizzy names, some characters are plausible, others bad cliches. There are funny moments. Chapters have headings, a thing that went out of fashion decades ago, great to see them back - here, anyway! - which gives an added focus to a chapter.
As usual these days, some Americanized-English expressions creep in - which doesn't add to the writer's credo of setting in Australia, but the book may have been pitched to an American readership (clue: the author named one of his children after a State of America) - and other examples: Chapel Street having rows of "diners", not cafes or restaurants or snack bars. There's a spattering of foul-mouth which seems the norm these days for cop stories whose authors can't write well without it, as the book progressed I was anticipating Americanized-English creations "motherf-r" "go figure" and more, sure enough, they were included, sadly, which only made the book more tacky.
Also used are a mix of fashionable two-, three-, four-, five-word "sentences" - add-ons for emphasis which would have made better reading if included in the real sentence.
This author has had a show-biz career, which shows in his writing, attempts to be glitzy.
There are time changes from past to present. At times this "thriller" becomes an excessively descriptive tour-guide through Melbourne and Australia, far superfluous to the progress of the story or setting of mood. Travelogue, plus a lot of self-congratulatory posturing covering previous ground, almost like trophy-bragging. Tedious.
Did I mention cliche'd characters ?, yes, - the edgy policewoman with dropdead looks and a dark side whose favourite word is the f-word, the eccentric young computer-geek with the pompous quirky name whose indisputible knowhow to hack anything including information from before the computer age before he was born is second only to his drooling over the policewoman, and the rich man with the usual crook background leading to his life of power over the people and corruption over police ---- Being fiction, this all seems a familiar story. By halfway I was hoping "get on with it", meaning, a progressing good story.
Part two quickly deteriorates into smut and sleaze and farce. The overriding feeling about our hero, Richards, in Kingdom Of The Strong, is that he believes his own legendary status and keeps referring to it, a boring egotist.
This book doesn't live up to its hype, it's very ordinary and sleazy to excess, which cheapens its appeal. Comparison: If you like a classy and succinct Police Procedural, try Australia's Garry Disher Peninsula and Wyatt series (books set in and around Melbourne), Michael Robotham, and Barry Maitland (books set in London).
July 4, 2016
From the moment I opened this book I was hooked. I suspected the opening scene was a flashback, but it was so well-written I wondered if it was happening in real time, and that started the sense of mystery for me.
Here are five things I love about Kingdom of the Strong:
1. Cavanaugh understands people. The main character (Darian) relates every location he ever visits to a grisly murder or death. This not only showed us Darian's ability to remember details, and his suitability to a job that demands these things from him, allowing us, the readers, to live the story with Darian, but is also a testament to Cavanaugh for encapsulating the way emergency services personnel carry these horrific scars forever, remembering details in perfect 4D full colour memory and hi-fi stereo, never able to truly share that damage with another soul.
2. Cavanaugh is a master of the outside-in view of a scene. More than once he painted a vivid scene of something apparently unrelated until it arrived right at the heart of the story, reminiscent of the way our own memories play a part in our own current events. His chapter starting with Harold Holt is a fine example of this.
3. Cavanaugh isn't afraid of being true to himself. In one short three page section, Cavanaugh depicted the thoughts of ten separate characters interacting in seven separate locations. As impossible as this sounds, he did it so well it was one of my favourite passages in the book. I wonder if Cavanaugh lay awake at night, wondering if that scene was too much, and I'm glad he believed in himself that it wasn't.
4. Cavanaugh works hard. In a two page section early on in the story, we read the thoughts of a dying character. Cavanaugh could have taken the easy way out, saved himself about 500 words, and said 'her life flashed before her eyes'. I'm so glad he didn't. Instead, we live the thoughts, feel the joy, the regret, the unresolved, and the mystery.
5. Cavanaugh taught me things I didn't know about Australia's history. I had no idea the police went on strike in Australia in the 1920's. I encountered the 1919 police strikes in Boston in Dennis Lehane's The Given Day, so Cavanaugh's underplayed references here struck a chord in me that allowed me to understand more about the backstory to Kingdom of the Strong without having to be told. And of course, now I want to know about our own police strikes!
I stopped reading crime stories a long time ago, but I've found Tony Cavanaugh now, and, like Dennis Lehane before him, I want to read everything he's ever written!
Here are five things I love about Kingdom of the Strong:
1. Cavanaugh understands people. The main character (Darian) relates every location he ever visits to a grisly murder or death. This not only showed us Darian's ability to remember details, and his suitability to a job that demands these things from him, allowing us, the readers, to live the story with Darian, but is also a testament to Cavanaugh for encapsulating the way emergency services personnel carry these horrific scars forever, remembering details in perfect 4D full colour memory and hi-fi stereo, never able to truly share that damage with another soul.
2. Cavanaugh is a master of the outside-in view of a scene. More than once he painted a vivid scene of something apparently unrelated until it arrived right at the heart of the story, reminiscent of the way our own memories play a part in our own current events. His chapter starting with Harold Holt is a fine example of this.
3. Cavanaugh isn't afraid of being true to himself. In one short three page section, Cavanaugh depicted the thoughts of ten separate characters interacting in seven separate locations. As impossible as this sounds, he did it so well it was one of my favourite passages in the book. I wonder if Cavanaugh lay awake at night, wondering if that scene was too much, and I'm glad he believed in himself that it wasn't.
4. Cavanaugh works hard. In a two page section early on in the story, we read the thoughts of a dying character. Cavanaugh could have taken the easy way out, saved himself about 500 words, and said 'her life flashed before her eyes'. I'm so glad he didn't. Instead, we live the thoughts, feel the joy, the regret, the unresolved, and the mystery.
5. Cavanaugh taught me things I didn't know about Australia's history. I had no idea the police went on strike in Australia in the 1920's. I encountered the 1919 police strikes in Boston in Dennis Lehane's The Given Day, so Cavanaugh's underplayed references here struck a chord in me that allowed me to understand more about the backstory to Kingdom of the Strong without having to be told. And of course, now I want to know about our own police strikes!
I stopped reading crime stories a long time ago, but I've found Tony Cavanaugh now, and, like Dennis Lehane before him, I want to read everything he's ever written!
April 12, 2020
Read my thoughts here
https://bookaroundthecorner.wordpress...
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December 29, 2015
This is the first book in the Darian Richards series that I have read, and I will definitely follow up the earlier three. It stood alone well enough. I liked the Melbourne settings, defined by previous crimes. The police corruption/misbehaviour theme is always more interesting than the evil serial killer with random victims. The setting and theme reminded me of books by Peter Temple, but Temple is a much sparser, cleverer writer who makes the reader work harder.
I was worried when the opening chapters set out the whole crime and all the suspects, problems and possibilities. But it was still worthwhile reading to get to the resolution.
A few things I found unrealistic - the 18 year victim straight out of school living alone in her own house, the stream of visitors to the victim's bedroom on the night of the crime, some of the initially overlooked evidence, the profession of someone's wife. And did some of the crime detail really need to be that graphic? No. The timing of the crime pre-mobile phones and other digital records could have been more of a point - but not much came of it, and the geometrically-named geek sidekick didn't have much to do.
After reading the first three, I can say this is the best of them.
I was worried when the opening chapters set out the whole crime and all the suspects, problems and possibilities. But it was still worthwhile reading to get to the resolution.
A few things I found unrealistic - the 18 year victim straight out of school living alone in her own house, the stream of visitors to the victim's bedroom on the night of the crime, some of the initially overlooked evidence, the profession of someone's wife. And did some of the crime detail really need to be that graphic? No. The timing of the crime pre-mobile phones and other digital records could have been more of a point - but not much came of it, and the geometrically-named geek sidekick didn't have much to do.
After reading the first three, I can say this is the best of them.
September 27, 2015
Set in Melbourne, Darian Richards, retired Victorian copper, has returned as a special favour to the outgoing Commissioner to clear the name of the incoming from any involvement in the death of a young girl 20 years earlier. This is a dark Melbourne and a dark police force - violent murder haunts Darian on every street and his former colleagues walk the line, often crossing to the wrong side. So we learn has Darian - but only in the name of that shape-shifting concept "justice". This is the 4th book in a series, but it isn't necessary to have read the other books. Darian has a touch of "Jack Reacher" about him: his soul bleak and his former life has damaged him irretrievably. The story is a little slow to get moving and finishes quite suddenly so there is some pacing problems here. But overall I enjoyed it, enough suspense, red herrings and a few unexpected twists to keep things interesting.
September 16, 2015
I received an ARC from The a Reading room & when I realised this book was book 4 in a series I decided to go back & start at book 1 & I'm glad I did. I had a better understanding of the relationships between the characters & their personalities.
Ex homicide inspector Darian Richards has been called upon by his mentor the Commissioner to solve a 25 year old cold case to clear the name of the up & coming commissioner.
This book makes you cringe at the amount of possible corruption in the police force in Australia & what may have been swept under the carpet year after year.
Kingdom of the Strong was a great read, a much less gruesome story than Cavanaugh's previous books in this series which was a pleasant surprise.
Ex homicide inspector Darian Richards has been called upon by his mentor the Commissioner to solve a 25 year old cold case to clear the name of the up & coming commissioner.
This book makes you cringe at the amount of possible corruption in the police force in Australia & what may have been swept under the carpet year after year.
Kingdom of the Strong was a great read, a much less gruesome story than Cavanaugh's previous books in this series which was a pleasant surprise.
May 24, 2016
This is the 4th book (the 1st I’ve read) in the Darien Richards crime series. Richards is the retired head of Victoria’s Homicide Squad who is contacted by his old friend, the police commissioner to clear a 25yr old cold case in which police officers were implicated. This is a fabulous read which I found very hard to put down. With Melbourne as its backdrop, the investigation into this intriguing case takes many twists & turns, until the unlikely culprit is finally revealed.
September 27, 2015
Enjoyed this book, the characters were realistic and the Melbourne setting was great. I read Promise when it first came out and had mixed feelings about it so haven't read anymore. I think I will be going back and catching up with more Darian Richards. This book held me throughout the entire book. Highly recommend this book.
November 15, 2015
While I missed the Queensland setting of his first three novels, Melbourne is also an interesting locale and the quality of this novel is elevated because of its lack of insights from the mind of a serial killer so disturbingly present and unwanted in all of his previous novels.
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