Everybody liked Barnes Korean War veteran, slightly dodgy businessman, good drinking mate. When he was wiped out in a car sout of Sydney, people were lining up to say how sorry they were. Head of the queue was Todd's widow Felicia, closely followed by his business and army cronies.So how did a simple car accident suddenly become a murder?Cliff Hardy hadn't a clue, but business in the private eye game was slow, so he agreed to try and find out. And quickly came into contact with a lot of less-than-lovely people... especially the enigmatic Kevin O'Fearna, known as O'Fear.
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Peter Corris is best known as the godfather of Australian crime fiction and the author of Cliff Hardy detective stories. He is also the author of A Round of Golf: 18 Holes with Peter Corris and the coauthor of Fred Hollows: An Autobiography.
The American debut of a long-running series (a dozen titles) starring Aussie p.i. Cliff Hardy, a 40-ish tough-honed six-footer with an eye for the ladies. The one in sight here is widow Felicia Todd, whose late husband Barnes left a note asking Cliff to look into his murder--if it happened. The last word on the Barnes's lips before his fatal car ``accident'' was ``O'Fear''--partial name of a jailed reprobate whom Cliff consults, leading to an attempt on the con's life. What's up? Both O'Fearna and Mulholland at Barnes's trucking enterprise recount Barnes-in-Korea suspect activities and a possible vendetta mounted by an American captain over a Malaya campaign. Meanwhile: Stanley Riley, Barnes's trucking business competitor, is trying to strongarm Mulholland; Athena Security vans are tailing Felicia and Cliff; and Eleni Marinos, head of Athena, may have been having an affair with Barnes, of which Felicia (now sleeping with Cliff) was well aware. Moreover, the question arises as to what was in the bags Barnes left at his beach house. Frame- ups, set-ups, two more deaths, and a deft bit of scheming and forgery by Barnes's lawyer occur before Cliff realizes he has been a pawn in a master plan, and the widow and the lawyer thank him nicely and leave. So-so, with odd quirks of syntax and less rush-of-adrenalin heroics than in recent Aussie imports, such as those from Charles West. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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Seller: Lawrence Jones Books, Ashmore, QLD, Australia
Soft Cover. Condition: Very Good. Reprint. 218 pages. Paperback. Page edges evenly toned, small remainder line on bottom edge, corner of first page excised. A Cliff Hardy novel. Size: 8vo. Seller Inventory # 055426
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Bookwood, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Pictorial Wraps. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. A Cliff Hardy Novel. Mass market paperback. Printed in Australia. A bare trace of handling wear, otherwise a very nice clean tight solid softcover copy. 218pp. SB-82. Seller Inventory # 036958
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Arapiles Mountain Books - Mount of Alex, Castlemaine, VIC, Australia
Soft Cover. Condition: VG. First Edition. 12mo. original printed paper wraps (a little rubbed & creased, spine lightly rolled, a few marks, book exchange RSM to first page); pp. [vi (last blank)], 242. A very good copy. The 13th book in the Cliff Hardy series. Seller Inventory # 035403
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Arapiles Mountain Books - Mount of Alex, Castlemaine, VIC, Australia
Soft Cover. Condition: F-. First Edition. 12mo. original printed paper wraps (a trifle rubbed); pp. [vi], 218. A near fine copy. The 12th book in the Cliff Hardy series. Seller Inventory # 033457
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Black Stump Books And Collectables, Skipton, VIC, Australia
Condition: Good. First Printing of this Edition. A firm book with the usual slight signs of use. Seller Inventory # 043246
Quantity: 1 available