Peter Temple wrote nine novels, including the four in the Jack Irish series. He won the Ned Kelly Award for Crime Fiction five times, and his widely acclaimed novels have been published in 20 countries. The Broken Shore won the UK’s prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger for the best crime novel of 2007. Truth won the 2010 Miles Franklin Literary Award, the first time a crime writer won an award of this calibre anywhere in the world.

‘The author uses a staccato style, perhaps born of Ellroy but now indisputably his own, that conveys action and feelings word by word, phrase by phrase. Close to poetry, it infuses Jack Irish and his mortal concerns deeply into every page. Though plot underpins the book, in the final analysis this is character exploration at its best.’—Crime Factory; ‘A brilliant novel of shady deals, sexual secrets, untimely death, dark horses and a beautiful sculptor.’—Weekend Australian; ‘A clever, fast-moving and multi-faceted yarn that dips into the routines and characters of the everyday, extrapolating to the extreme and the bizarre that extend beyond the best exposés of the tabloids.’—Herald Sun; ‘Temple’s clipped, observant, journalistic prose style ensures that the pages of the novel [are] turned almost unaided.’—Australian Book Review; ‘Well-crafted characters, plenty of tough action and wry reflections on the seamier side of Melbourne life…Another world-class crime novel by one of Australia’s best and most consistent crime novelists.’—Canberra Times; ‘There’s not much left that counts for a hill of beans in this crazy world, but one safe bet is a new book by Peter Temple.’—The Age; ‘A master craftsman…The breathless, terrifying ending provides top-notch suspense with Jack in a desperate fight for his life.’—Booklist;