Lugarno: Cliff Hardy 24

‘The godfather of Australian crime fiction.’

Although the meaner streets of inner Sydney are his traditional stamping grounds, Cliff Hardy finds that crime can flourish in the leafy, well-heeled outer suburbs as well. Lugarno may be an unlikely centre for drug dealing and corruption but the trail starts with the daughter of a wealthy client and leads quickly to threats of violence from some serious characters.

Once again, Hardy treads a fine line between police and suspects, coming up against blackmail and bullets before a surprising finale.