Inspector Stephen Villani, head of homicide in Melbourne, Australia, has a full agenda: a murdered woman in a penthouse apartment, three men butchered in a sadistic rampage, a tattoo-faced drug dealer corrupting his rebellious daughter, and a crumbling marriage. As these seemingly unrelated events begin to unfold, Villani finds himself immersed in an unfamiliar world of political scandal and ethical ambiguity. He must navigate the inept bureaucracy that is the police department, all while maintaining a solid front and trying to keep the press, his family, and his own past from breaking him completely. With each twist and every turn of this taut crime novel, Villani is forced to question whom he can trust.
1 of 1 copy available
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
May 11, 2010 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781483052403
- File size: 325940 KB
- Duration: 11:19:02
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 8, 2010
The death of a nameless prostitute in a glitzy Melbourne high-rise is the first in a series of crimes that Insp. Stephen Villani discovers are all tied to protecting the interests of the city's elite in this brutal tale of corruption, greed, and revenge from Australian author (and Ned Kelly Award–winner) Temple (The Broken Shore
). Burdened by a shaky marriage and an increasingly rebellious teenage daughter while trying to stay afloat in Melbourne's treacherous political climate, Villani doesn't know where to turn. The discovery of three savagely tortured men with ties to one of the city's biggest crime bosses only adds another layer to the already twisted case, and makes Villani question eve-rything he thought he knew about the line between cop and criminal. Temple's elliptical storytelling—the past and the present are often interchangeable—fits the slippery subject of deeply ingrained police corruption and one man's determination to uncover the truth. -
While Melbourne's Head of Homicide Stephen Villani struggles to investigate a spate of new murders, he also faces issues in his family life that rock his personal foundations. Rich dialogue, filled with Australian idioms, is bought to life by Michael Carman. His characterizations of the key players help listeners to follow the complex plot in this tense thriller about power and corruption. Carman's delivery balances straight narration and performance as he gives authenticity to the robust language and gritty descriptions of the murders. This helps to engage the listener--although non-Aussies may find some of the slang difficult to follow. K.J.P. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
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