AustLit

'Avalon Bolt is missing.

'And her words suggest she doesn't particularly want to be found. But her wealthy father is prepared to send London detective Barry Donovan halfway around the world to bring her back. Donovan's not complaining. After all, who is he to stand in the way of an all-expenses-paid trip to Australia? But Australia isn't the lucky country he's heard about and the case is not what he expected. Donovan soon discovers that Avalon has disappeared without a trace. But how come he keeps seeing her likeness on billboards and on the faces of strangers? And how come people who knew her are turning up dead? Donovan finds himself drawn into the vortex of corruption and treachery that is the Sydney under-world, a dangerous realm of prostitution, drug addiction, blackmail and pornography ...

'And he discovers that love can either rise out of the ashes or it can fester and become deadly revenge.'

Source : Austcrimefiction.org

'When Rodney Collins, spokesperson for the environmental group SLUDGE (Sea Life Under Danger of Gradual Extinction) dies in a draining accident the police call it 'Death by Misadventure'. But Barry Donovan isn't so sure. Only days before, Collins had hired him to investigate a possible infiltration of SLUDGE. Coincidences like that just didn't happen. But why would anyone want to murder the mild-mannered spokesperson of a harmless environmental group? SLUDGE's anti-pollution lobbying couldn't be winning them too many friends in a big business and government, but surely the grouop wasn't that much of a threat? As Donovan digs deeper he realises that the murder of Rodney Collins is just a drop in the ocean compared to what else is going on. And the planet isn't the only thing in danger of extinction...'

Source : Austcrimefiction.org

'Sonny Logan seems like an honest bloke, even if his girlfriend doesn't think so. So what if he doesn't want to tell her where he's been for the last five years? Barry Donovan's broke, so when she hires him to find out, he's in no position to refuse. All he's got to do is follow Sonny around for a few days, reassure the girlfriend and leave them to live happily ever after. No harm done. But if Sonny's supposed to be a professional punter, how comes he goes to the track and doesn't place one bet? And for a man who likes a drink, how can he spend all afternoon in the RSL wihout touching a drop? And as for the company he keeps.... Something big's coming down and Sonny's right in the middle of it. And before he knows it, so is Donovan...'

Source : Austcrimefiction.org