From Publishers Weekly With his latest Scobie Malone case, after Dark Summer , Cleary confirms his standing as Australia's Ed McBain. Cleary's novels, like McBain's 87th Precinct series, are model procedurals whose casts of colorful characters and intricate plots are webbed with a fine dry humor: "A good deal of police detection is taken up with thinking and discussion, which are often indistinguishable from malingering." Inspector Malone of the Sydney PD is in charge of investigating the murder of Will Rockne, a suburban lawyer shot to death in a parking lot. Olive, the flighty widow, seems to be taking things calmly, closely supported by glamorous Queen's Counsel Angela Bodalle. When $5 million is found in Rockne's safe, the case takes on a new cast. Some shady bankers, a flashy bookmaker, a menacing Russian and a lowlife car thief play parts in the puzzle, whose dark secrets, once revealed, spin out to damage quite a few lives, some innocent. Cleary's sure grip on the brisk plot is equaled by his grasp of psychological motivations. This is first-rate storytelling. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal YA-Homicide Detective Scobie Malone heads the inquiry into the murder of Will Rockne. When bank records reveal the victim to be worth over $5 million, his shocked widow becomes a suspect, as do several former clients with very shady pasts. Cleary paints the Aussie directness, humor, and colorful expressions along with the landscape of New South Wales. Two characters stand out: Jay Rockne, a teenager struggling to control his volatile emotions and to accept his new role as man of the house; and Scobie, an endearing hero. Malone's traditional family contrasts with Rockne's dysfunctional one, with its atypical arrangements that include a lesbian relationship central to the plot. Mature YAs will enjoy the suspense of this well-crafted crime story and will be on the lookout for further Scobie Malone mysteries.
