You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
‘In south-western Sydney, on a chilly winter’s night, a siege is in progress.’
Welcome to a day in the life of Sydney Detective Harry Belltree: a meth-addicted bikie shoots a woman during a police siege; an elderly couple commit suicide sitting outside their favourite café; and an unidentified white man is stabbed to death in the street. When the stabbing victim is identified as his brother-in-law Greg, his life becomes even more complicated. Especially after journalist Kelly Pool suggests that the three incidents may – somehow – be linked. Harry is still coming to terms with a car accident that killed his parents and blinded his wife, and while he can’t officially get involved in investigating Greg’s murder, that isn’t going to stop him. And when he finds that Greg and the elderly couple have links to a crooked moneylender, he’s determined to find out what really happened. Harry soon suspects that there may be a link to the death of his parents, which drives him (and Kelly Pool) into some dangerous and risky behaviour.
Crucifixion Creek is the first book of the Belltree trilogy, and Harry Belltree is a very different detective from both of Mr Maitland’s London based detectives, David Brock and Kathy Kolla. He’s impulsive, and not afraid of cutting corners to find out what he needs to know. Will the ends always justify the means?
There’s a lot of action in this novel, and plenty of tension, as Harry Belltree – with some help from Kelly Pool, his wife and others - sets out to find the truth behind the killers. There’s a fair amount of coincidence and good luck as well, but that didn’t affect my reading of the story, just my assessment of the probability of Harry Belltrees’s actions.
I’m not sure whether I’ll enjoy the Belltrees Trilogy as much as I enjoy the Brock and Kolla series, but I’m very keen to see where the next novel takes the characters.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Welcome to a day in the life of Sydney Detective Harry Belltree: a meth-addicted bikie shoots a woman during a police siege; an elderly couple commit suicide sitting outside their favourite café; and an unidentified white man is stabbed to death in the street. When the stabbing victim is identified as his brother-in-law Greg, his life becomes even more complicated. Especially after journalist Kelly Pool suggests that the three incidents may – somehow – be linked. Harry is still coming to terms with a car accident that killed his parents and blinded his wife, and while he can’t officially get involved in investigating Greg’s murder, that isn’t going to stop him. And when he finds that Greg and the elderly couple have links to a crooked moneylender, he’s determined to find out what really happened. Harry soon suspects that there may be a link to the death of his parents, which drives him (and Kelly Pool) into some dangerous and risky behaviour.
Crucifixion Creek is the first book of the Belltree trilogy, and Harry Belltree is a very different detective from both of Mr Maitland’s London based detectives, David Brock and Kathy Kolla. He’s impulsive, and not afraid of cutting corners to find out what he needs to know. Will the ends always justify the means?
There’s a lot of action in this novel, and plenty of tension, as Harry Belltree – with some help from Kelly Pool, his wife and others - sets out to find the truth behind the killers. There’s a fair amount of coincidence and good luck as well, but that didn’t affect my reading of the story, just my assessment of the probability of Harry Belltrees’s actions.
I’m not sure whether I’ll enjoy the Belltrees Trilogy as much as I enjoy the Brock and Kolla series, but I’m very keen to see where the next novel takes the characters.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A very interesting beginning to series. I am curious to see where this series will be going.
Great start to an Australian-based crime trilogy that is a little different to the norm.
Detective Harry Belltree is still reeling from the events three years ago that left his parents dead and his wife blind. He's the only person who doesn't believe that it was an accident, and he just can't leave it alone, which doesn't please his superiors.
Journalist Kelly Pool is investigating a spate of recent deaths. They all keep leading her back to the Crucifixion Creek area of the city.
Initially unwilling to cooperate with the media, Harry soon realizes that Kelly may be on to something and that they need each other to uncover the secrets of Crucifixion Creek.
There was so much going on in this story... deaths, arson, shootings, drugs, gangs, human trafficking, corruption... fast moving and really dark and gruesome at times, but then there were those little moments between Harry and his wife that were so touching. I loved the character of Harry. He was complex, having his own agenda and willing to cross boundaries.
This was my first book by Harry Maitland, and I have to admit it took me a little while to get used to his style of writing. Short sentences, present tense, all very succinct. But it really suited the pace of the narrative. Some brilliant twists and red herrings made this difficult to put down and events towards the end left me gasping. I am now desperate to get my hands on the second book.
Highly recommended if you enjoy some rogue cop action embedded in a complex storyline.
Thanks to Text Publishing for my copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Harry Belltree is still reeling from the events three years ago that left his parents dead and his wife blind. He's the only person who doesn't believe that it was an accident, and he just can't leave it alone, which doesn't please his superiors.
Journalist Kelly Pool is investigating a spate of recent deaths. They all keep leading her back to the Crucifixion Creek area of the city.
Initially unwilling to cooperate with the media, Harry soon realizes that Kelly may be on to something and that they need each other to uncover the secrets of Crucifixion Creek.
There was so much going on in this story... deaths, arson, shootings, drugs, gangs, human trafficking, corruption... fast moving and really dark and gruesome at times, but then there were those little moments between Harry and his wife that were so touching. I loved the character of Harry. He was complex, having his own agenda and willing to cross boundaries.
This was my first book by Harry Maitland, and I have to admit it took me a little while to get used to his style of writing. Short sentences, present tense, all very succinct. But it really suited the pace of the narrative. Some brilliant twists and red herrings made this difficult to put down and events towards the end left me gasping. I am now desperate to get my hands on the second book.
Highly recommended if you enjoy some rogue cop action embedded in a complex storyline.
Thanks to Text Publishing for my copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.