The square up, p.26
The Square Up,
p.26
‘Away?’
‘A few weeks in Bali and then, when I get back, it’ll be over to the “other side”.’
‘Drugs Squad?’
‘No, John. The Academy. When the mid-year intake of recruits fronts up in July, it will be yours truly instructing them on ethics and culture in the modern policing environment.’
‘And I hope you’ll be giving them some tips on standards of uniform?’
Chambers winked. ‘I might have some advice to share about that too.’
Acknowledgements
Writing fiction is never easy: especially so, when the narrative takes you some dark places.
My eternal gratitude is owing to Rhonda McLaughlin for her ongoing support.
Thank you to my editors, Nicole Hayes and Georgina Gregory, for their assiduous work on the various versions of the manuscript.
I am grateful to Lucinda Sharp and the whole team at Forty South Publishing for their expert guidance and technical expertise in the production of this novel.
A special thank you to all the booksellers and readers who have supported the DI Mahoney series: I sincerely hope this instalment exceeds your expectations.
Finally, a nod to our dog Winston, who is always seemingly ecstatic to see me whatever my mood.
ALSO BY sj brown
Something is very rotten in the state of Tasmania.
Brad Finch, the marquee player of the Tassie Devils Football Club, is the victim at the heart of a new murder mystery. Intense media scrutiny, interfering superior officers, and corrupt business interests all threaten to derail the homicide investigation conducted by the Serious Crimes Squad.
Forensic analysis, dogged detective work, and inspiration may prove insufficient in the search for the true perpetrators. The team must face unpalatable truths about the nature of professional sport and the exercise of power in modern Australian society.
Detective Inspector John Mahoney, the hero of this international crime series of police procedurals, is an outsider in his hometown of Hobart. Disillusioned by his private life and shocked by the corruption he unearths, he queries his capacity to continue in the job.
He must decide if he has the courage to ‘speak truth to power’.
ALSO BY sj brown
Tasmania is in trouble.
While mainland Australia surges through the backwash of the GFC the island state is struggling. Political infighting, bureaucratic ineptitude and a lack of investment have curtailed progress. Too many people are lodging on ‘Struggle Street’.
DI John Mahoney knows this as well as anyone. Of more immediate concern to him is the brutal murder of a prominent business leader. The scale of public interest is high and the Serious Crimes Squad must make headway fast. As the investigation proceeds it becomes clear that whoever is behind the barbarity is sending a message to the whole community.
Another homicide quickly follows and pressure mounts as they seek to unravel the trail of clues. As Mahoney deals with fissures in his personal life and generational change in the police force he must call on his full array of investigative skills to get a result.
ALSO BY sj brown
Life’s a gamble.
It certainly is for former jockey Roy Gilbert as he takes the wrong line to the finishing post. His premature death comes to the attention of DI John Mahoney and the Serious Crimes Squad. The subsequent investigation very soon becomes intertwined with the gruesome slaying of a retired bookmaker.
As Mahoney and his team attempt to make headway they encounter unexpected opposition from their Federal counterparts. Suspects are thin on the ground but the investigators doggedly press on in their quest to make sense of the forensic evidence. Turmoil in the personal sphere does little to help Mahoney track down the killers.
The third instalment in this series turns the spotlight on the damage inflicted by the prevalence of gambling in modern Australia. Mahoney and his colleagues soon realise that the glamour is cursory and the stakes are all too high.
Along with sales (thank you for your purchase by the way) reviews are hugely beneficial in helping guide readers to an author’s novels. It would be very much appreciated if you leave a rating and a few words on my book page.
Other titles from sj brown in the D.I.Mahoney series
HIGH BEAM
[https://books2read.com/u/3kGvyO]
DEAD WOOD
[https://books2read.com/u/bMZaeA]
BIG STAKE
[https://books2read.com/u/mVQNkl]
Stephen Brown, The Square Up
