Tony Berry

I thought that Death By Drone was an interesting crime fiction mystery. I do know that if you get too caught up in the Tek Firbank saga, and trying to determine the theme of the story from that and the title, you will get lost. In fact, the title is deliberately misleading, but definitely fascinating. I would have loved to have learned even more about drones, but that was not what this story was about. I did get bogged down in Aussie terminology, and a brief dictionary in the back of the book would have helped, BUT I could figure out most of it from how it was used in the context of the sentence. So, it was an enjoyable learning experience for me. As I have seen with many other books, you often get snippets of information about random, yet important details, from all angles, so if you plan to try to jump ahead in your mind to draw conclusions, that is not the new style of writing, as this story reflects. You are not going to easily get from point A to Z, but maybe jump from A to Z, then O, then back to A again. So don't even worry if you are understanding how the plot goes until you are at least halfway through the book. My favorite character was the cab driver. I thought he added an element of surprise and "way to go" moment. I won't give any spoilers. Bromo is the renegade disgraced former spy who has a motive to make things right. Don't get caught up in any love interest angles, as that is not really part of this story. Certain parts of this book were so graphic, I wish I had not read them before bed. They were TOO well-written, so if you have a weak stomach and a sensitive heart like I do, read in smaller spurts and put the book down well before midnight because you might well have nightmares! Bromo works for former lover and Federal agent Delia Dunstan. The part that many may hate in the beginning will probably be what they like toward the end. It is like watching a soap opera with random clips that alone, do not make sense to the whole picture, but as the plot progresses, it will. Lots of semi-innocent and down right criminal characters. I could picture this as a thriller movie, as well as sequels to follow. It felt a tiny bit open ended to me in the end. It is amazing how an author can be so articulate with words to unexpectedly leave you wondering. I do like being caught off-guard at the end. I think it takes a special talent to tie it all together and do that. Some other characters worth mentioning are sleezy agent Carl Larkins trying to play both ends of the field, and the poor elderly Greek couple caught up in all the crime fest mess. If this was real life, I would be praying for that couple's family every day. Let's just say, that part of the story broke my heart.… (más)

There are some books around that may not be good for your health. Since finishing WASHED UP I've had this nagging feeling that all problems should be resolved with a glass of Lagavulin malt in one hand and a shot of espresso in the other.

WASHED UP is the second book from UK / Australian author Tony Berry featuring reluctant sleuth, travel-agent and welded on Richmond resident Bromo Perkins. In this outing Bromo finds himself poking around in the trail left by a verdict of least resistance - that the drowning death of a bright young student in the Yarra River was suicide.

WASHED UP is set mostly in trendy, real-estate obsessed inner-Melbourne Richmond, and it seems extremely appropriate therefore that the story involves devious real estate agents, developers and town planners, as well as lurking underworld figures and prostitution rings. Not only do the action and players fit within the location, the way that Bromo works the neighbourhood is extremely realistic. I remember the first book in the series combined a lot of action with some travelogue aspects of the location that, whilst fascinating, had a tendency to bog things down a bit. That observation doesn't apply to WASHED UP. The location is blended into the action very well, there's a real feel for the suburb, the cafe's, the street furniture (and the pest that it can be), the narrow laneways and streets. Even when Bromo goes bush there's a good feeling of where he is, without bogging down why he's there. And an observation that sums up the climate change divide in a nutshell (I swear if one more southerner tells me the drought is over .....)

"You townies have no idea what life's like out in the bush, even almost on the city fringe where we are. Bloody climate change doesn't mean watering our lawns on alternate days or hand-washing our cars. It means droughts and floods one after the other and nothing in between. If our cattle aren't being swept away by the rivers then our sheep are falling over for lack of feed and water."

The plot of WASHED UP is nicely complicated, without being overdone, and the characterisations are good and solid. Bromo Perkins is exactly what you'd expect from a bit of a lone-wolf type, and the idea that he's one of those accidental investigator's doesn't tinkle a bell, let alone clang. It's perfectly understandable that he's the sort of bloke that would do a favour for a mate - male or female. That he'd get the job done and still maybe not get the girl (any of them really), is a given. The thought that he's out there stalking the narrow laneways, glaring at the street furniture and chucking the odd wry comment at a daft t-shirt slogan is quite believable.

WASHED UP is available from a number of Australian online book sellers, or as an ebook from Amazon.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/washed-tony-berry… (más)