04/26/2021
This lean and atmospheric police procedural, set in WWII-era Australia, is narrated by small-town police sergeant Jack Furey, who recounts how he faced a surplus of troubles: an influx of boisterous American troops, an abortionist and a self-righteous busybody, and racial issues involving both the town's Aboriginal population and the segregated African-American servicemen. Furey has to solve several cases, including an abandoned infant and a bloody murder. As he addresses the varied incidents, he recalls how the crimes tested the soul of the town and his own faith.
Both native Australians, Lawless and Bell offer readers a pitch-perfect immersion in their milieu, presenting a nuanced view of the nation and its people, refreshingly free from stereotypes. Furey's own prejudices come to the forefront when a trip to an Aboriginal neighborhood highlights Australian racism, and again when he meets the American commanding officer with his Southern accent: "…they draw out their vowels, like what they have to say is somehow more important than anything anyone else has to say." Although the novel’s episodic approach and lack of a strong central narrative blunts the force of its conclusion, the individual stories never fail to engage.
The most richly drawn character is Furey himself, scarred by his World War I experience and full of contradictions. He’s still deeply devoted to his late wife yet cranky around almost everyone else, especially the town gossip, whom he loathes. Despite being a Catholic, Furey hints at a mournful respect for an abortionist who offered her service to desperate women. The final mystery is a heartbreaking tale of forbidden love. "There is no redemption, and no one is saved," concludes Furey, but he has, in fact, spent the whole book saving himself, even as a final twist calls into question his reliability as a narrator. Readers will no doubt be pondering the good and bad choices the downtrodden characters make long after finishing the book.
Takeaway: Fans of classic police procedurals will revel in the crisp storytelling, fresh setting, and emotionally damaged sleuth.
Great for fans of: Ian Rankin, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles.
Production grades Cover: B+ Design and typography: A- Illustrations: N/A Editing: A- Marketing copy: B+
