Stiff Single father and true believer Murray Whelan makes his debut in Shane Maloney's first thriller set among the ethnic feuds, union shenanigans and sexual politics of his city's working class heartland. Murray has to deal with everything from a snap-frozen Turk, the tattooed vote, a killer car and blood-sucking parasites. That's when the red-hot Ayisha knocks on his door. The Brush-off Winner of the 1996 Ned Kelly Prize for Crime Fiction Political minder, brushed-off lover and art buff on the make, Murray Whelan goes looking for the big picture among the culture vultures. Whelan is at his richly futile best in this romantic comedy and drop-dead thriller. Nice Try When Murray Whelan is recruited to make Melbourne's bid to host the Olympics he falls head-first into trouble with the help of a savvy Aboriginal activist, a drug-crazed weight-lifter, and a gorgeous aerobics instructor in a taut blue leotard. Life gets even more complicated when he falls for the enigmatic doctor Phillipa Verstak.