Reviews

Purposely set out to read this book since it was set in Australia and I thought it would be fun to read a mystery set there. Outside of not really understanding the slang, it was a fun read and I enjoyed the mixing of a mystery, woodworking, horse racing, and debt collecting. Needless to say, the main character Jack is a very busy man. My favorite parts of the book were the bits about horse racing that had absolutely nothing to do with the mystery but provided an insight into Jack, his life and his friends.

sandin954's review against another edition

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5.0

Temple has won all the big mystery prizes in Australia and this book was finally published in the USA last year. An excellent book filled with great Aussie characters.

liberrydude's review against another edition

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3.0

The first of the Jack Irish novels and it's a good one; however, it takes a little while to get you in the grip of turning the pages. The Aussie slang and cultural metaphors can be Greek at times but Temple is a master at suspense and you are able to discern enough to keep turning the pages. Jack is a guy on the rebound from the murder of his wife-and it's been a long rebound. He's a lawyer for a guy who likes to play the horses and perhaps rig the races. He also collects debts and is not averse to pummelling those who don't pay. And he relieves his stress by woodworking. Quite an interesting character. He's seeking redemption and it's guilt that gets him into a fight for his life. A junkie out of prison for hit and run, DWI, and manslaughter calls him and leaves a message on his cell. Jack doesn't get to the messages until later and has a hard time remembering who the guy was. By the time he remembers the junkie is dead, shot dead by police. Jack remembers he didn't put up much of a defense for this kid. And now it appears the kid might have been framed. The more he digs, the more people connected with a slam dunk conviction end up dead. And it's all related to development, land, and money in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Oh and the police seem to be involved or a corrupt cell of them. And he falls in love during the investigation too with a reporter. Who to trust? And the bad guys always seem to be one step ahead of him. Can't wait to read the next one in the series.

shaeliz's review against another edition

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2.0

The main plotline mystery was interesting, but the book itself is a product of its time and doesn't completely age well. Contains dialogue from minor characters that is at times racist, homophobic and transphobic.

renzovincent's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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