12 December 2007

the big score: Cliff Hardy Cases

by Peter Corris

Allen & Unwin. Australian, Crime, Mystery. Paperback rrp $19.95

Haven’t got time to read? Forgot what you were reading four days ago? Have to reread a chapter to remember what the story is about? Don’t Worry! Peter Corris’ the big score is just for you!

the big score is not one story but 11 short stories that each can easily be read in an hour or less. And to top it off, all the stories are great. I kept telling my husband the ending after I finished reading each one because I just had to tell someone. They were all so clever. Now I am telling you!

Every story in the big score ends with a unique twist. They are all about Private Detective Cliff Hardy and, of course, with a detective story included are lashings of murder, embezzlement, revenge, deceit and more.

I must admit I have never been a big fan of detective novels…deterred by the so often present clichés – trench coat, five o’clock shadow, stocky, middling age, smoker and drinker. Cliff Hardy is so very believable I don’t even care if he wears a trench coat! And I was thrilled to find there are another 32 Cliff Hardy novels for me to read.

The descriptions of the Sydney and outer areas are eerily familiar. He describes one of my local pubs perfectly… right down to the type of people that hang there. Watch out…if you live in the Sydney region you may end up as a character in the next Peter Corris novel!

I hadn’t read anything by Peter Corris before but I think he is about to become one of my favourite writers.

http://www.petercorris.net/