the-devil-s-jump

Billy Glasheen #1

by peter-doyle

Set in Australia in the years following World War II, Peter Doyle’s novels brilliantly explore the criminal underworld, political corruption, and the postwar explosion of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll. August 1945: the Japanese have surrendered and there’s dancing in the streets of Sydney. But Billy Glasheen has little time to celebrate; his black marketeer boss has disappeared, leaving Billy high and dry. Soon he’s on the run from the criminals and the cops, not to mention a shady private army. They all think he has the thing they want, and they’ll kill to get hold of it. Unfortunately for Billy, he doesn’t know what it is, but he’d better find it fast.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Historical

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love historical fiction because I get transported back to a different era and learn so much about life in that time and place. This book is no exception, and apart from being a great crime novel, it gives a fascinating insight into Australian society after WW2. I loved the main character Billy Glasheen, a young criminal on the up and up, clever and streetwise with a witty turn of phrase, but who has a conscience and is still innocent enough to get his heart broken by a beautiful woman who turned out to be a gold-digger - which everyone, including the reader, could see, except him.

The writing style is spare, but evocative and conveys well the atmosphere and tensions of the times. The story rollicks along with many twists and turns and the ending is left open for a sequel, which there is. I will definitely be reading more Billy Glasheen novels.

[Chris Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storytelling. Doyle evokes post-war Sydney in a fresh and entertaining way. Billy Glasheen is a fictional treasure. I hope Doyle has a few more adventures in store for him!

[Mark Everton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloody good read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do yourself a favour and read every book in this series. Maybe over a counter meal somewhere like the Bunch of C….

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book from the local books pile that I've been catching up on lately - The Devil's Jump is from the same author that wrote GET RICH QUICK (which won the Ned Kelly for Best First Crime Novel in 1997) and AMAZE YOUR FRIENDS (which won the Ned Kelly for Best Crime Novel in 1999).

THE DEVIL'S JUMP is set in Sydney at the end of the Second World War - in fact the blurb on the book says "The war in the Pacific is over... The war on the streets has just begun". It's the story of Billy Glasheen - local lad and (in the author's words) apprentice lurk merchant. Billy's not exactly a bad lad, but he is inclined to find the easiest path. Never part of the Armed Forces (bit of a medical problem) Billy's been mixed up with a local hood for a while now. Returning Servicemen, including his brother, looking to settle down into civilian life, get a job and get on with life the right way, doesn't really appeal to him - if there's a bit of a scheme going on and some easy money to be had, Billy just can't help himself. When his boss, Toohey goes missing it seems that a list of members of a slightly questionable Political group is being offered around for sale, and Toohey is the last person known to have the register. Given that Billy has sort of stepped into a lot of Toohey's activities since his disappearance a lot of people decide that it's only logical that Billy has the register. Only he doesn't.

THE DEVIL'S JUMP has a really realistic post Second World War feel to it - from the characterisations (Robert Menzies even makes a cameo appearance), the terminology, the lurks that Billy gets up to (in this case lurk is a slang term for pursuit / goings on / avocation legal or illegal, such as in the phrase 'that's a good lurk' ;) ) Of course, for some, the terminology could create a slight air of confusion but if anybody's watched Dad's Army it should be a doddle :)

[Alarra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a really fun novel about a kid who gets caught up in the underworld of Sydney post-WWII. I enjoyed his pulp pastiche about places that I recognise even today, steeped in interesting period detail.