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Synopsis
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Review
Murray Whelan, a political advisor to the Australian Minister of the Arts, tries to protect his boss from scandal and save his own skin in Shane Maloney's witty mystery about intrigue in the art world of Melbourne, Australia. When a disgruntled artist is found dead in the moat surrounding the public arts building, Murray Whelan investigates the case to make sure that there will be no negative political impact on his boss. In the process, he stumbles upon widespread misuse of government funds, begins to suspect a forgery scam, and tangles with two beautiful women. Meanwhile, Whelan's childhood nemesis lurks menacingly on the edge of the action. People start dropping like flies.
"I might not know much about art," says Whelan, summarizing his number one job skill, "but I've been a member of the Labor Party long enough to recognize the aroma of a rodent when it wafts my way." Whelan's knack for the apt turn of phrase adds a special charm to this book. When he meets a wealthy patron of the arts, he notes that the man resembles "a cross between Aristotle Onassis and a walnut."
In some thrillers, the hero is simply put in harm's way. In this one, Shane Maloney goes the extra mile and puts the hero in a ridiculous situation, then puts him in harm's way. At one point, our beleaguered hero is trapped in a warehouse full of puppets and the only method of escape he sees is to don an enormous octopus costume with stilts and sidle towards a high window. Of course, he falls, hurts his ear, and has to endure Van Gogh jokes for the rest of the adventure. "The trick with stilts, in case you ever need to know," Murray Whelan advises, "is to stay in motion. Much like a bicycle. Or politics. Stand still and you're stuffed. Keep moving or you take a dive." That's sound advice. This book has wit, an amiable protagonist, and velocity. What's not to like? --Jill Marquis
About the Author
SHANE MALONEY is a newspaper columnist and deputy director of the Brunswick Institute, a weather board think-tank financed by his wife. He is the author of Stiff, Nice Try and The Big Ask.
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- PublisherText Publishing Company
- Publication date1999
- ISBN 10 1875847146
- ISBN 13 9781875847143
- BindingPaperback
- Rating
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Brush Off
Seller: Readers Cove Used Books & Gallery, DEMING, NM, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Softcover. Condition: Good. Glossy covers, solid binding. Light edge wear. Clean unmarked pages. ; 7.70 X 5.0 X 0.75 inches; 314 pages. Seller Inventory # 21523
Quantity: 1 available
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The Brush-off
Seller: AwesomeBooks, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The Brush-off This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9781875847143
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The Brush-off
Seller: Bahamut Media, Reading, United Kingdom
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9781875847143
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The Brush-Off [Murray Whelan 2]
Published by
Text Publishing, Melbourne, 1996
ISBN 10: 1875847146
ISBN 13: 9781875847143
Used
Soft Cover
First Edition
Signed
Seller: Arapiles Mountain Books - Mount of Alex, Castlemaine, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Soft Cover. Condition: F-. First Edition. 8vo. original printed paper wraps (trifle rubbed & marked); pp. [vi], 314. A near fine copy. Flatsigned to title page by the author, 'Shane Maloney'. The second in the Murray Whelan series of crime novels. Signed by Author. Seller Inventory # 031928
Quantity: 1 available
