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Peninsula Crimes #2
Kittyhawk Down
"A missing two-year-old girl, and the body of an unidentified drowning victim have brought Homicide Squad Inspector Hal Challis, of the Peninsula Police Force, to Bushrangers Bay at the Australian seaside not far from Melbourne. All is not idyllic in this resort community; far from it. Cars are stolen and torched; letter boxes are being burned. Is it mischief, or the prelude to even more serious crimes?"
A good friend, attractive Kitty Casement, runs an aerial photography service and flies a Kittyhawk. Challis is restoring a 1935 Dragon Rapide aeroplane; their mutual interest has brought them together. Each of them prefers to soar alone, high above the earth. And then one of Kitty Casement's aeroplanes suffers malicious damage." The once-peaceful beach resort becomes the site of multiple murders. Are all the crimes linked? It is up to Inspector Challis to find out before more innocent people are killed.
A good friend, attractive Kitty Casement, runs an aerial photography service and flies a Kittyhawk. Challis is restoring a 1935 Dragon Rapide aeroplane; their mutual interest has brought them together. Each of them prefers to soar alone, high above the earth. And then one of Kitty Casement's aeroplanes suffers malicious damage." The once-peaceful beach resort becomes the site of multiple murders. Are all the crimes linked? It is up to Inspector Challis to find out before more innocent people are killed.
275 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
133 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
Garry Disher
92 books719 followersGarry Disher was born in 1949 and grew up on his parents' farm in South Australia.
He gained post graduate degrees from Adelaide and Melbourne Universities. In 1978 he was awarded a creative writing fellowship to Stanford University, where he wrote his first short story collection. He travelled widely overseas, before returning to Australia, where he taught creative writing, finally becoming a full time writer in 1988. He has written more than 40 titles, including general and crime fiction, children's books, textbooks, and books about the craft of writing.
He gained post graduate degrees from Adelaide and Melbourne Universities. In 1978 he was awarded a creative writing fellowship to Stanford University, where he wrote his first short story collection. He travelled widely overseas, before returning to Australia, where he taught creative writing, finally becoming a full time writer in 1988. He has written more than 40 titles, including general and crime fiction, children's books, textbooks, and books about the craft of writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
January 27, 2020
Book two in the series and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first book.
The story was excellent. There were a number of separate threads running parallel, lots of characters to keep track of and plenty of action. Plus it is not often we get a book where the main character is a Police Inspector whose wife is in prison for eight years.
I enjoyed all of the characters but I especially liked Challis and Ellen Destry. They work together well. I did not manage to guess the main criminal until very near the end. There were so many obvious candidates that I was not looking at the quiet ones!
This was a nice, easy, enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading book three.
The story was excellent. There were a number of separate threads running parallel, lots of characters to keep track of and plenty of action. Plus it is not often we get a book where the main character is a Police Inspector whose wife is in prison for eight years.
I enjoyed all of the characters but I especially liked Challis and Ellen Destry. They work together well. I did not manage to guess the main criminal until very near the end. There were so many obvious candidates that I was not looking at the quiet ones!
This was a nice, easy, enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading book three.
January 29, 2021
There's a lot happening down there on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Certainly enough to keep Inspector Hal Challis busy. First there is the identity of a male body found floating in the bay to be found, then there is an older case of a missing toddler to be solved with a suspect but no evidence. Next a female pilot, who Challis is attracted to despite her being married, has her plane deliberately rammed and damaged as she is landing. Then there is 'the meddler', a man who spies on people and dobs them in to the local paper. Challis' personal life is also a mess. His wife in prison (for asking her lover to kill him) keeps threatening suicide and things are not going smoothly with his girlfriend journalist Tessa Kane. A number of murders will further keep Challis and the Peninsula police busy trying to work out if more than one killer is involved and if there are any links between them.
In this second book of this series, we're getting to know Challis better as well as some of the other police such as Ellen Destry charged with catching a rapist who preyed on couples parking in lovers lanes and young Pam Murphy who gets herself into trouble with a loan shark. It all makes for an interesting, fast paced plot with plenty of action and a few well placed twists.
In this second book of this series, we're getting to know Challis better as well as some of the other police such as Ellen Destry charged with catching a rapist who preyed on couples parking in lovers lanes and young Pam Murphy who gets herself into trouble with a loan shark. It all makes for an interesting, fast paced plot with plenty of action and a few well placed twists.
October 13, 2018
Real Rating: 3.25* of five
Twisty, slippery, off-puttingly unfocused; involving, interesting, insufferably obtuse in its Australianness.
Yes indeed, I will read the next one, Googling all things utterly Aussie and calling on friends who're Aussies to explain the simplest, most basic things like breakfast pastries and local government nomenclature, things that aren't easily Googled. Hal Challis ends this book with unexpected benefits and unwanted sorrows. I can't say I was in any way surprised at the identity of the murderer but I was gobsmacked by the motive. Many separate motives, I suppose, but honestly just one overarching reason for all the crimes. That got me.
And goddesses help me I can not *wait* for John Tankard to eat lead! yeeeccchhh
Twisty, slippery, off-puttingly unfocused; involving, interesting, insufferably obtuse in its Australianness.
Yes indeed, I will read the next one, Googling all things utterly Aussie and calling on friends who're Aussies to explain the simplest, most basic things like breakfast pastries and local government nomenclature, things that aren't easily Googled. Hal Challis ends this book with unexpected benefits and unwanted sorrows. I can't say I was in any way surprised at the identity of the murderer but I was gobsmacked by the motive. Many separate motives, I suppose, but honestly just one overarching reason for all the crimes. That got me.
And goddesses help me I can not *wait* for John Tankard to eat lead! yeeeccchhh
May 7, 2023
Not for the first time, (Challis) wondered about the thousands who go missing each year, unreported and apparently unloved and untraceable…here’s a man prosperous enough to own a Rolex: surely he left a trace somewhere?
First published in 2003, Kittyhawk Down is second in the Peninsula Crimes series by prolific Australian writer, Garry Disher, and opens with DI Hal Challis ruminating about his love affair with a local journalist, his unstable ex-wife in jail for her part in trying to kill him, and two unsolved murders: that of a young child, the body never found, and a man tied to an anchor, hauled in by a fishing boat. Then there are drugs involved, a sex offender, illegals escaped from a detention centre, a self-righteous do-gooder meeting a sticky end. In many ways it follows on from the first in the series The Dragon Man, with each officer at the Waterloo police station juggling personal issues that spill over into their working lives.
I can’t say that I enjoyed this one as much as those later in the series; so many themes here, and towards the end, too many bodies. It should be read in the context of its setting (early nineties rural Victoria), but it showcases elements of Disher’s brilliance with words, so evident in his later works.
‘I’d rather be by myself,’ Casement said, diminished by the night and the solitude that was coming for him.
First published in 2003, Kittyhawk Down is second in the Peninsula Crimes series by prolific Australian writer, Garry Disher, and opens with DI Hal Challis ruminating about his love affair with a local journalist, his unstable ex-wife in jail for her part in trying to kill him, and two unsolved murders: that of a young child, the body never found, and a man tied to an anchor, hauled in by a fishing boat. Then there are drugs involved, a sex offender, illegals escaped from a detention centre, a self-righteous do-gooder meeting a sticky end. In many ways it follows on from the first in the series The Dragon Man, with each officer at the Waterloo police station juggling personal issues that spill over into their working lives.
I can’t say that I enjoyed this one as much as those later in the series; so many themes here, and towards the end, too many bodies. It should be read in the context of its setting (early nineties rural Victoria), but it showcases elements of Disher’s brilliance with words, so evident in his later works.
‘I’d rather be by myself,’ Casement said, diminished by the night and the solitude that was coming for him.
January 26, 2024
Australia boasts a rich foundation of quality police procedural novels as evidenced by Jon Cleary's Scobie Malone books and Barry Maitland's DI Brock and DS Kolla series. Garry Disher continues the trend with his DI Hal Challis series, following the absorbing first book (The Dragon Man) with Kittyhawk Down. With emphasis placed just as heavily on the development of the characters who make up the Waterloo CIB as on the investigation of the crimes committed around the Peninsula District, this is an enthralling and enjoyable book.
The book opens with the day to day business of policing the Peninsula district of southern Victoria which rolls along steadily fuelled by the usual petty crimes to investigate. To spice things up we're treated to a sting operation to catch a serial rapist. The detailing of all of these more petty crimes serves to introduce us to the police of Waterloo CIB as well as establishing the inter-relationships of the residents of the area. This appears to be a particular strength of Disher's and our appetite is effectively being whetted before the upcoming main event.
At the hub of all of this activity is Detective Inspector Hal Challis, an extremely interesting homicide detective who has a passion for restoring aircraft and a wife who is in prison after attempting to have him murdered. Here is a complex man who is dealing with more than the burden of solving ghastly crimes. He is at a bit of a loose end working on a case involving a body that had been recovered from the sea, weighed down by an anchor. With little to go on, it looks likely that his case will stall.
So once we've been well and truly primed and we're comfortable in our surroundings, all hell breaks loose for the Waterloo CIB. Constable Pam Murphy takes a call from a man who informs her that he has just killed his wife and is about to turn the gun on himself. Despite racing to the man's house they're too late and are met with a grisly scene containing two bodies. It doesn't take Challis very long, though, to decide that he's not looking at a murder-suicide, but in fact a double homicide that has been staged.
The discovery of a further 2 bodies, both suffering fatal shotgun wounds, leads the police to the grim conclusion that they have on their hands a local who has gone on a murderous rampage. Having a pretty good idea who it is they're after they go to the property of Ian Munroe but before they can take him in for questioning he slips away sparking a huge manhunt in the area.
The Peninsula District, and in particular the communities of Waterloo and Penzance Beach, are portrayed as typical small towns with their share of busybodies and gossips, petty criminals, deadbeats and dropouts all providing entertaining anecdotes that keep the story rolling along at a healthy clip. From the moment the suggestion that a murder has taken place though, the pace becomes frantic as many of what seemed to be unrelated small crimes from earlier on take on added significance.
The strength of Kittyhawk Down, and The Dragon Man before it for that matter, is the rich depiction of the police who comprise the Waterloo CIB. These people are not only police officers but also vital members of a community with concerns, problems and faults that not only flesh them out but give us a reason to care about them and relate to them.
Garry Disher writes with a style that is quickly engaging, throwing in quirky, humorous observations to situations that might otherwise take on a more serious tone. The dialogue strikes me as sounding realistic and is very expressive, noticeably changing from character to character to give them each a voice.
Kittyhawk Down opens up into a well-constructed mystery revealing that there are secrets everywhere and cautions us that nothing (and no-one) can be taken for granted. With moments of deep tragedy mixed with scenes of extreme danger, it becomes an emotionally harrowing story. I found myself completely immersed in the Peninsula District and the lives of the people who police it.
The book opens with the day to day business of policing the Peninsula district of southern Victoria which rolls along steadily fuelled by the usual petty crimes to investigate. To spice things up we're treated to a sting operation to catch a serial rapist. The detailing of all of these more petty crimes serves to introduce us to the police of Waterloo CIB as well as establishing the inter-relationships of the residents of the area. This appears to be a particular strength of Disher's and our appetite is effectively being whetted before the upcoming main event.
At the hub of all of this activity is Detective Inspector Hal Challis, an extremely interesting homicide detective who has a passion for restoring aircraft and a wife who is in prison after attempting to have him murdered. Here is a complex man who is dealing with more than the burden of solving ghastly crimes. He is at a bit of a loose end working on a case involving a body that had been recovered from the sea, weighed down by an anchor. With little to go on, it looks likely that his case will stall.
So once we've been well and truly primed and we're comfortable in our surroundings, all hell breaks loose for the Waterloo CIB. Constable Pam Murphy takes a call from a man who informs her that he has just killed his wife and is about to turn the gun on himself. Despite racing to the man's house they're too late and are met with a grisly scene containing two bodies. It doesn't take Challis very long, though, to decide that he's not looking at a murder-suicide, but in fact a double homicide that has been staged.
The discovery of a further 2 bodies, both suffering fatal shotgun wounds, leads the police to the grim conclusion that they have on their hands a local who has gone on a murderous rampage. Having a pretty good idea who it is they're after they go to the property of Ian Munroe but before they can take him in for questioning he slips away sparking a huge manhunt in the area.
The Peninsula District, and in particular the communities of Waterloo and Penzance Beach, are portrayed as typical small towns with their share of busybodies and gossips, petty criminals, deadbeats and dropouts all providing entertaining anecdotes that keep the story rolling along at a healthy clip. From the moment the suggestion that a murder has taken place though, the pace becomes frantic as many of what seemed to be unrelated small crimes from earlier on take on added significance.
The strength of Kittyhawk Down, and The Dragon Man before it for that matter, is the rich depiction of the police who comprise the Waterloo CIB. These people are not only police officers but also vital members of a community with concerns, problems and faults that not only flesh them out but give us a reason to care about them and relate to them.
Garry Disher writes with a style that is quickly engaging, throwing in quirky, humorous observations to situations that might otherwise take on a more serious tone. The dialogue strikes me as sounding realistic and is very expressive, noticeably changing from character to character to give them each a voice.
Kittyhawk Down opens up into a well-constructed mystery revealing that there are secrets everywhere and cautions us that nothing (and no-one) can be taken for granted. With moments of deep tragedy mixed with scenes of extreme danger, it becomes an emotionally harrowing story. I found myself completely immersed in the Peninsula District and the lives of the people who police it.
June 24, 2016
Inspector Hal Challis of the Homicide Squad in Bushrangers Bay near Melbourne was depressed. His wife continued to contact him from prison and he couldn’t seem to free himself of his irrational feelings of guilt. He had two cold cases that were on his mind – a body recovered from the water and unidentified; and a little girl, missing for ten months. Plus his relationship with local reporter Tessa Kane was in a continual cycle of on again/off again.
Challis found himself out at the airport – his restoration of the 1935 Dragon Rapide airplane which he’d been working on for some time, calmed him. It also gave him time to think; he would often find an idea had loomed and would lead him in another direction in a case. Kitty Casement was also at the airport – she owned an old Kittyhawk which she proudly flew on a daily basis, taking photos near and far and selling the copies to the landowners. When her plane was wilfully damaged putting Kitty’s life at risk, Challis found himself and his team of officers thrust into a series of cases which caused absolute mayhem. With the body count rising, Challis knew they needed to find the culprit or culprits before it was too late. And their big question was – were the crimes and murders all linked?
Kittyhawk Down is the second in the Inspector Challis series by Aussie author Garry Disher, and it proved to be an extremely fast paced police procedural. There were multiple threads running through the book, with the ending pulling them all together. Twists and turns throughout, the plot was intriguing with my favourite character being Ellen Destry. I’ve enjoyed all I’ve read of this author to date, and will continue to look for more of his titles. Highly recommended.
Challis found himself out at the airport – his restoration of the 1935 Dragon Rapide airplane which he’d been working on for some time, calmed him. It also gave him time to think; he would often find an idea had loomed and would lead him in another direction in a case. Kitty Casement was also at the airport – she owned an old Kittyhawk which she proudly flew on a daily basis, taking photos near and far and selling the copies to the landowners. When her plane was wilfully damaged putting Kitty’s life at risk, Challis found himself and his team of officers thrust into a series of cases which caused absolute mayhem. With the body count rising, Challis knew they needed to find the culprit or culprits before it was too late. And their big question was – were the crimes and murders all linked?
Kittyhawk Down is the second in the Inspector Challis series by Aussie author Garry Disher, and it proved to be an extremely fast paced police procedural. There were multiple threads running through the book, with the ending pulling them all together. Twists and turns throughout, the plot was intriguing with my favourite character being Ellen Destry. I’ve enjoyed all I’ve read of this author to date, and will continue to look for more of his titles. Highly recommended.
February 17, 2017
Kittyhawk Down is book 2 of the Inspector Challis and Destry Series. Kittyhawk Down is the first book I have read of Garry Disher, and I was surprised to enjoy this book. I loved the way Garry Disher entwine four different stories that allow the readers to follow a roll coaster ride climax at the end of Kittyhawk Down. Readers of Kittyhawk Down will learn about the problems that you can have with young adults parties and social media. The readers of Kittyhawk Down would either fall in love with Inspector Challis or be frustrated with the way he handles the two women in his life. Also, Kittyhawk Down will help readers to understand some of the issues that police officers have. I recommend this book.
August 17, 2020
AROUND THE WORLD OF CRIME AND MYSTERY
AUSTRALIA - POLICE PROCEDURAL
I very much liked the first in this series and gave it 4 stars. This one...???
CAST - 2: I can only suppose that since the first novel in this series, the cops, citizens, everyone on the Peninsula is also on some kind of drug. Cop Pam Murphy takes out a loan from a loan shark, Carl Lister, at 15% on a Suburu she can NOT afford. It's 2003, who took a 15% interest loan on a car? Lister is rather suspicious anyway, as he and his son, Skip are up to something no good. Hal Challis' wife, still in jail from trying to arrange Hal's murder, won't leave him alone. And still, if she calls, he runs to visit her and she messes with his head every time. Janet Casement has a Cessna and takes commercial photographs, but while landing someone tries to run her down in a Land Rover. Very odd. Lisa Tully's 2-y/o child is missing, probably dead, but the chief suspect, Brad Pike, and his creepy friend Dwayne Venn are welcome any ol' time at her house. Odder still. Cop John Tankard hates his job, complains he has to 'go to f***ing work', but likes to talk to Pam Murphy about her pointy bra. Creepfest here, right? Detective Sergent Ellen Destry allows daughter Larrayne to date Skip, known to be jittery and vomit at parties. Ellen doesn't seem to mind at all. Then someone rents a house to someone they've never met, check delivered by another person. I just didn't believe these people and their actions. They've regressed from the first book in this series.
ATMOSPHERE - 3: The once beloved 'Peninsula' is going downhill. A detention center for immigrants has been restored from an old massive warehouse, but these refugees aren't really the problem, just the image, and the fact that someone in town made a ton of money off the deal. (They are called private prisons in North America and they are big business. Yes, you can build your very own prison!) It's the influx of every kind of drug you can think of that IS wrecking havoc. Even ecstasy has different names. Plus....
CRIME - 2: ...You name it, it's here. In ridiculous abundance for one book. You may want to keep notes on the names of people dying. Or dealing. Or a pervert on lover's lane masturbating while couples have sex. Or identity falsification. Or more...
INVESTIGATION - 2: Messy. And I thought the comparison of a used condom and a used plastic storage bag to fit over someone's face was just too precious. Yea, messy.
RESOLUTION - 1: Very little in the way of wrapping things up. I guess the investigations continue in the next one.
SUMMARY - 2.o stars: This series went downhill fast. I assume the next volume is a continuation and will be a return to form for Disher.
AUSTRALIA - POLICE PROCEDURAL
I very much liked the first in this series and gave it 4 stars. This one...???
CAST - 2: I can only suppose that since the first novel in this series, the cops, citizens, everyone on the Peninsula is also on some kind of drug. Cop Pam Murphy takes out a loan from a loan shark, Carl Lister, at 15% on a Suburu she can NOT afford. It's 2003, who took a 15% interest loan on a car? Lister is rather suspicious anyway, as he and his son, Skip are up to something no good. Hal Challis' wife, still in jail from trying to arrange Hal's murder, won't leave him alone. And still, if she calls, he runs to visit her and she messes with his head every time. Janet Casement has a Cessna and takes commercial photographs, but while landing someone tries to run her down in a Land Rover. Very odd. Lisa Tully's 2-y/o child is missing, probably dead, but the chief suspect, Brad Pike, and his creepy friend Dwayne Venn are welcome any ol' time at her house. Odder still. Cop John Tankard hates his job, complains he has to 'go to f***ing work', but likes to talk to Pam Murphy about her pointy bra. Creepfest here, right? Detective Sergent Ellen Destry allows daughter Larrayne to date Skip, known to be jittery and vomit at parties. Ellen doesn't seem to mind at all. Then someone rents a house to someone they've never met, check delivered by another person. I just didn't believe these people and their actions. They've regressed from the first book in this series.
ATMOSPHERE - 3: The once beloved 'Peninsula' is going downhill. A detention center for immigrants has been restored from an old massive warehouse, but these refugees aren't really the problem, just the image, and the fact that someone in town made a ton of money off the deal. (They are called private prisons in North America and they are big business. Yes, you can build your very own prison!) It's the influx of every kind of drug you can think of that IS wrecking havoc. Even ecstasy has different names. Plus....
CRIME - 2: ...You name it, it's here. In ridiculous abundance for one book. You may want to keep notes on the names of people dying. Or dealing. Or a pervert on lover's lane masturbating while couples have sex. Or identity falsification. Or more...
INVESTIGATION - 2: Messy. And I thought the comparison of a used condom and a used plastic storage bag to fit over someone's face was just too precious. Yea, messy.
RESOLUTION - 1: Very little in the way of wrapping things up. I guess the investigations continue in the next one.
SUMMARY - 2.o stars: This series went downhill fast. I assume the next volume is a continuation and will be a return to form for Disher.
May 6, 2020
Kittyhawk Down by Garry Disher is number two in the series featuring Australian homicide inspector Hal Challis.
This time around, Disher again throws out a number of characters, both new and regular, along with several plot lines to create another Challis police procedural.
The novel opens with the introduction of a missing child case where the druggie boyfriend is believed to have been involved in the child's disappearance. At the same time, a local boatsman, in pulling up his own anchor, has latched on to a second anchor, only this second anchor has a decomposing male body attached to it.
Hal Challis has also become interested in a married, woman plane pilot he has become to know while restoring his own plane and is still being haunted by his wife and pursued by an attractive local reporter interested in a more definitive relationship with Challis.
Disher again lays out an interesting story, with plenty of supporting characters and resolutions that are not far-fetched or stale.
Kittyhawk Down is recommended for those fond of police stories with believable characters and plot lines.
This time around, Disher again throws out a number of characters, both new and regular, along with several plot lines to create another Challis police procedural.
The novel opens with the introduction of a missing child case where the druggie boyfriend is believed to have been involved in the child's disappearance. At the same time, a local boatsman, in pulling up his own anchor, has latched on to a second anchor, only this second anchor has a decomposing male body attached to it.
Hal Challis has also become interested in a married, woman plane pilot he has become to know while restoring his own plane and is still being haunted by his wife and pursued by an attractive local reporter interested in a more definitive relationship with Challis.
Disher again lays out an interesting story, with plenty of supporting characters and resolutions that are not far-fetched or stale.
Kittyhawk Down is recommended for those fond of police stories with believable characters and plot lines.
June 7, 2017
Kittyhawk Down is the 2nd book in the Inspector Hal Challis Australian police series by Garry Disher. I've enjoyed both immensely. It's a simple premise really, following the investigation of a variety of crimes by the Australian police of the Mornington Peninsula Police Force. The Criminal Investigation Bureau is led by Homicide Squad Inspector Hal Challis, in which he is assisted by Sgts Ellen Destry and Scobie Sutton. In this story we also follow to uniformed cops, John Tankard and Pam Murphy.
There are various crimes being investigated; the disappearance of a two-year old baby, the discovery of a dead body that washed ashore and over the course of the story, various murders. You follow the cops and also various of the suspects and other characters, including Challis' girlfriend, reporter Tessa Klein. Each cop has their own problems which makes them human and likable. The progression of the case, the various suspects and the community in which the story takes place makes it even more interesting. It's not a perfect story by any means, but then again, neither is life.
I just found everything about this story enjoyable and refreshing and I liked how the crimes were eventually worked out. All in all it was as satisfying as the first book, The Dragon Man. (5 stars)
There are various crimes being investigated; the disappearance of a two-year old baby, the discovery of a dead body that washed ashore and over the course of the story, various murders. You follow the cops and also various of the suspects and other characters, including Challis' girlfriend, reporter Tessa Klein. Each cop has their own problems which makes them human and likable. The progression of the case, the various suspects and the community in which the story takes place makes it even more interesting. It's not a perfect story by any means, but then again, neither is life.
I just found everything about this story enjoyable and refreshing and I liked how the crimes were eventually worked out. All in all it was as satisfying as the first book, The Dragon Man. (5 stars)
September 26, 2022
Challis is an interesting character, he seems to have a misplaced sense of guilt and loyalty. I found this book to be just as good as the first. There were a few different stories weaving there way through this one and I found I really had to pay attention to keep up. These books are solid reads and if you are a looking for a decent mystery consider these books.
January 28, 2021
Good read.. kept me interested right to the end. Like the no frills approach. I will definitely keep reading Mr. Disher's books.
October 13, 2020
Translated by:
Peter Torberg
The second police procedural novel featuring Inspector Hal Challis and Sergeant Ellen Destry set in the rural Peninsula area outside Melbourne. Liked the setting and most of the characters, there are multiple threads to follow and there is always something happening, which sometimes felt a bit rushed and all over the place.
Peter Torberg
The second police procedural novel featuring Inspector Hal Challis and Sergeant Ellen Destry set in the rural Peninsula area outside Melbourne. Liked the setting and most of the characters, there are multiple threads to follow and there is always something happening, which sometimes felt a bit rushed and all over the place.
July 11, 2022
This ended abruptly, but was intriguing while it lasted.
November 14, 2019
OK but disjointed with a series of crimes, old and new, hiding the motive for a series of murders. The cases despite all the running around the police do (manhunt etc) are solved almost by accident. It ends limply too when circumstantial evidence is found implicating the main bad guy. Evidence is where the story starts, not where it ends! Also just a bit too much melodrama about the police’s personal lives.
The stupidity of one of the cops - a sexual harasser who also jokes around by pointing his service revolver at the officer he’s harassing - is unbelievable.
The stupidity of one of the cops - a sexual harasser who also jokes around by pointing his service revolver at the officer he’s harassing - is unbelievable.
January 28, 2008
Another Challis mystery, the second in the series. I am really enjoying these. the plot twists and inter-connections do seem overly studied as in "Dragon Man," but for some reason-- I think it is a true credit to Disher's writing, these books are readable and I'm interested in his characters.
My grandparents used to say every Sunday night as we watched "Murder She Wrote" that the take home message was "stay away from Cabot's Cove, everyone gets murdered there!' There is an element of that to Disher's Penzance Beach--but hey, if you want to read a pretty well written mystery series, this may be the place you're looking for.
My grandparents used to say every Sunday night as we watched "Murder She Wrote" that the take home message was "stay away from Cabot's Cove, everyone gets murdered there!' There is an element of that to Disher's Penzance Beach--but hey, if you want to read a pretty well written mystery series, this may be the place you're looking for.
March 23, 2016
It took some time for a crime to occur - the first part of the book was more character development. Challis is a homicide inspector, with a wife in jail who is suicidal, the head of the uniforms who has an unhappy marriage, and the three underlings who are either having trouble with money, being a bully or worried about how to rear their daughter.
Challis starts off with two old murders. By the end of the book he has solved these two plus the other five murders that occurred in a period of a week or so, and he has arrested or knows the three different murderers. He also has an on and off relationship with the local newspaper editor.
I like this series.
Challis starts off with two old murders. By the end of the book he has solved these two plus the other five murders that occurred in a period of a week or so, and he has arrested or knows the three different murderers. He also has an on and off relationship with the local newspaper editor.
I like this series.
September 26, 2017
By 40% of the way through and all Disher has done is introduce a confusion of characters, none of which are remotely interesting. Then proceeds to kill them off until the peninsula could be mistaken for the scene of a genocide. Didn't expect a great piece of writing but nevertheless disappointed.
October 30, 2013
Just too many murders for a single detective story. It's a bit surprising how many people the author manages to knock of on this one small peninsula in the backwaters of Australia.
December 13, 2013
I thought this book was better than the first book in this series. The main culprit was less obvious and the cops were human but not as corrupt as in the first book
July 20, 2021
The second in the DI Challis series, set in the Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne.
Hal Challis is the solitary man whose wife is in psychiatric detention and who works along side his deputy Ellen Destrey. His hobby is the restoration of an old biplane and this brings him into a shared workspace with 'Kittyhawk' Casement who is a working pilot. They share a friendship around their shared love of aviation.
The dead are the backbone of the story, so the first 'Floater' is a puzzle that is only identified at the end of the book, but there are victims of poison, suffocating and gunshots.
Garry Disher has written the community within the police and the townspeople of Waterloo in an endearing way with a gentle eye to history between each group. The locals tend to be on the pro police or not side of things and can be represented in a black and white manner. For example the two sisters who are involved with the local drug dealer speak in a simple , childlike way .
His characters have their share of foibles, so Ellen Destrey has a tendency to petty theft, Pam Murphy has trouble with managing money, John Tankard is a bit of a bully until he shoots someone and goes to pieces and Challis himself has been unable to have a good relationship with the editor of the local paper due to his ongoing family responsibilities.
The beauty of a series such as this is the background of the story, the development of peoples personalities and their relationships with each other. The politics of police work is a background issue, that seems to affect each person in the story and their relationship to the community making close relationships difficult for all.
Challis is a good detective who uses his intelligence and is meticulous in following leads, such as the watch on the drowned man that eventually identifies him and helps solve a case of false identity. The town and surrounding area is also pictured clearly as part of the story
The stories are very easy to read and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Hal Challis is the solitary man whose wife is in psychiatric detention and who works along side his deputy Ellen Destrey. His hobby is the restoration of an old biplane and this brings him into a shared workspace with 'Kittyhawk' Casement who is a working pilot. They share a friendship around their shared love of aviation.
The dead are the backbone of the story, so the first 'Floater' is a puzzle that is only identified at the end of the book, but there are victims of poison, suffocating and gunshots.
Garry Disher has written the community within the police and the townspeople of Waterloo in an endearing way with a gentle eye to history between each group. The locals tend to be on the pro police or not side of things and can be represented in a black and white manner. For example the two sisters who are involved with the local drug dealer speak in a simple , childlike way .
His characters have their share of foibles, so Ellen Destrey has a tendency to petty theft, Pam Murphy has trouble with managing money, John Tankard is a bit of a bully until he shoots someone and goes to pieces and Challis himself has been unable to have a good relationship with the editor of the local paper due to his ongoing family responsibilities.
The beauty of a series such as this is the background of the story, the development of peoples personalities and their relationships with each other. The politics of police work is a background issue, that seems to affect each person in the story and their relationship to the community making close relationships difficult for all.
Challis is a good detective who uses his intelligence and is meticulous in following leads, such as the watch on the drowned man that eventually identifies him and helps solve a case of false identity. The town and surrounding area is also pictured clearly as part of the story
The stories are very easy to read and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
May 9, 2024
I picked up this series while musing on Australian noir, and I'm glad I did. I have listened to the first two audiobooks, and will continue.
This is a character-driven world, interspersed with shocking intense bouts of violence. The people are often unlikable and behave badly, even the ones I want to like. "The Dragon Man" introduces Hal Callis, who's head of Criminal Investigations, and isn't a lot of fun. He's surly and depressed, with darn good reason for it. . . wait until you learn why.
There are a number of crimes. The police aren't popular. They work doggedly, sometimes not in a particularly honest manner. Lots of the men are pigs. And some women are worse. This is definitely a procedural, and a slow one. The plot is propelled by someone mentioning "X" when it should have come up weeks ago, and a piece finally falls into place. There's a lot of luck in getting the bad guys, and often it seems that getting closure on 80% is at good as it's going to get.
I had never looked at the map of the Peninsula portrayed in these stories. Now I'd love to visit, it sounds glorious. But I am afraid of the bugs.
So far each novel includes a story of a drunk driver trying to change places with their passenger to avoid arrest for drunk driving. I want to see if this shows up again in the upcoming novels, just for fun.
I will definitely persevere with the remaining installments. I care about several of the characters, and loathe others. I want to see them learn and grow, and hopefully find happiness on the Peninsula.
4 stars for this one, despite a rush to the finish that seems to be a hallmark of Mr. DIsher's style.
This is a character-driven world, interspersed with shocking intense bouts of violence. The people are often unlikable and behave badly, even the ones I want to like. "The Dragon Man" introduces Hal Callis, who's head of Criminal Investigations, and isn't a lot of fun. He's surly and depressed, with darn good reason for it. . . wait until you learn why.
There are a number of crimes. The police aren't popular. They work doggedly, sometimes not in a particularly honest manner. Lots of the men are pigs. And some women are worse. This is definitely a procedural, and a slow one. The plot is propelled by someone mentioning "X" when it should have come up weeks ago, and a piece finally falls into place. There's a lot of luck in getting the bad guys, and often it seems that getting closure on 80% is at good as it's going to get.
I had never looked at the map of the Peninsula portrayed in these stories. Now I'd love to visit, it sounds glorious. But I am afraid of the bugs.
So far each novel includes a story of a drunk driver trying to change places with their passenger to avoid arrest for drunk driving. I want to see if this shows up again in the upcoming novels, just for fun.
I will definitely persevere with the remaining installments. I care about several of the characters, and loathe others. I want to see them learn and grow, and hopefully find happiness on the Peninsula.
4 stars for this one, despite a rush to the finish that seems to be a hallmark of Mr. DIsher's style.
April 28, 2021
Inspector Challis is an old aircraft enthusiast in his spare time. A friend has restored an old Kittyhawk and her aerial photographs and her unlikely marriage are both part of the complex plot Disher manages so well. I enjoyed this more than the first in the series. I liked the way Disher pulled all the pieces of the jigsaw together, including a good twist at the end. Not predictable. I also liked the way he developed his characters in the police squad and also Tessa, the journalist. Disher also created the setting, on the Mornington peninsula and Westernport south east of Melbourne, very effectively. I liked the way he contrasted the lives of the wealthy people and the strugglers. A great niece of mine worked in family violence there in the recent past so I know some of this is all too true.
This had all the ingredients of a good detective novel - almost four stars worth. I think I'm hooked on the series now!
This had all the ingredients of a good detective novel - almost four stars worth. I think I'm hooked on the series now!
June 18, 2017
PROTAGONIST: DI Hal Challis
SETTING: Waterloo, Australia
SERIES: #2
RATING: 3.0
WHY: Detective Inspector Hal Challis is a kind of roving policeman who assists cities in his territory in investigating crimes. There are quite a few of them in the Waterloo area, including a drowning victim, attempted murder of a woman Challis is attracted to and assorted misdemeanors which all seem to involve a local nogooder named Ian Munro. Challis works closely with the squad in Waterloo which is led by Sergeant Ellen Destry. I found this a difficult read because there was no focus. Disher flitted from character to character, each of whom had their own personal issues. The same was true of the investigations; he didn't really concentrate on any one of the crimes in depth.
SETTING: Waterloo, Australia
SERIES: #2
RATING: 3.0
WHY: Detective Inspector Hal Challis is a kind of roving policeman who assists cities in his territory in investigating crimes. There are quite a few of them in the Waterloo area, including a drowning victim, attempted murder of a woman Challis is attracted to and assorted misdemeanors which all seem to involve a local nogooder named Ian Munro. Challis works closely with the squad in Waterloo which is led by Sergeant Ellen Destry. I found this a difficult read because there was no focus. Disher flitted from character to character, each of whom had their own personal issues. The same was true of the investigations; he didn't really concentrate on any one of the crimes in depth.
July 30, 2017
KITTYHAWK DOWN is Garry Disher's second novel featuring Inspector Hal Challis and Sergeant Ellen Destry. A police procedural set in the rural Peninsula area outside Melbourne, Australia. It is a fine example of a character driven crime novel. Mr. Disher gives real world problems to the officers of the Waterloo police station--financial, home life--without losing its focus on central premise, murder and other various crimes. A little slow to build (slower than the others in the series), but it is always interesting.
December 11, 2019
I discovered Garry Disher last year and have been busily working my way (backwards) through the Hal Challis series. This book, one of the early ones in the series, is wonderful. Disher has a number of threads in the novel, including the death of his friend Kitty, a body found offshore and a meddling busybody. As usual, he ties everything together at the end, with an unexpected ending. Very satisfying, as always. I fear that I have worked my way back to the beginning if the series and I am goingto have to wait, impatiently, for a new Hal Challis novel. Please get cracking, Mr. Disher.
March 29, 2019
Challis and his team are looking into the appearance of a body in the bay, called the Floater. A baby is missing but there is not enough evidence to convict anyone. Someone is attacking couples and the team set up a sting. Then there are 4 shotgun murders.
The Peninsula is a crime ridden place and the police are doing the best they can, despite their personal difficulties.
Are all the shootings by the same person. Challis doesn’t think so, but can he prove it.
The Peninsula is a crime ridden place and the police are doing the best they can, despite their personal difficulties.
Are all the shootings by the same person. Challis doesn’t think so, but can he prove it.
October 28, 2020
This is the first of Disher's Inspector Challis series that I have read. It is #2 in the series. It is written in the hard-boiled style of Raymond Chandler and Earl Stanley Gardner. Even though Hal Challis is the person for whom the series is named, there is solid development of the characters of a repertory of colleagues. Overall, it was a fast read and its value for me was enhanced by the Australian argot and overall cultural differences from the USA.
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