This week, Jeff Popple reviews three books about spies, secrets and Abe Saffron. More of Jeff’s reviews can be found on his blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
Clown Town by Mick Herron
Baskerville, $32.99
Mick Herron is the premier writer of spy fiction in the world today. His ‘Slow Horses’ novels and TV series are at the pinnacle of modern espionage writing and have rightly garnered worldwide acclaim. Clown Town is another good addition to the series and involves the discarded spies at Slough House in an elaborate plot involving old secrets, blackmail and behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring. At its centre is a missing book from the library of a legendary former spy, who is also the late grandfather of one of the ‘Slow Horses’. When the book leads to bloodshed, Jackson Lamb sets out to get revenge. Recommended.
Secrets by Judi Morison
Bundy, $34.99
Judi Morison’s debut, Secrets, explores family dynamics across three generations of women who must unravel the past in order to move forward. Ruth, the widowed matriarch of a grown family, has a secret that she has kept hidden for sixty years. Forced to give up her baby for adoption in 1950s Queensland, she started a new life and family in rural New South Wales. Now that her past has caught up with her, Ruth has to work out how to share the truth and bring both parts of her family together. This is a moving family drama with a strong social conscience.
Saffron Incorporated by Stuart Coupe
Hachette, $34.99
Acclaimed music journalist and biographer Stuart Coupe widens his literary remit with his latest book, Saffron Incorporated. Told in Coupe’s usual breezy style, Saffron Incorporated charts the rise of Abe Saffron from a chancer who struck it rich as a SP bookmaker and fencer of stolen goods, to one of Sydney’s most influential criminal figures. A colourful character, Saffron made good use of his nightclubs and illegal activities to forge an empire that spanned much of Australia. Full of interesting anecdotes and recollections, this is a fascinating book, especially the chapters outlining the links between the underworld and the entertainment industry. A great read!
