Australian private investigator Andrew Schlakier is hired by a mysterious government agency that wants a conviction on a ten-year-old murder case – and is willing to pay handsomely if he delivers. Broke, burnt out and binge drinking since splitting with his girlfriend, Schlakier takes on the cold case against his better judgement. He begins tracking the whereabouts of Christopher Hohl – the eldest son of one of Australia’s richest families. Questions hang over him concerning the disappearance of his wife a decade earlier, for which he is widely believed to be responsible. But far from unearthing a man of murderous intent, Hohl’s back story reveals a family tragedy in which he was an innocent victim. Is Hohl the cold-blooded predator the media paints him as or just fodder for a vociferous press baying for blood? Schlakier seems to be the only person who believes his target is not guilty, even while evidence to the contrary continues to mount. But as Schlakier traverses the streets of Melbourne, the state and the entire continent in search of clues, each lead propels him further into jeopardy – and a step closer to the man who could put his very own life in peril.
Targeted Age Group:: 18-100
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
This work is inspired by the life of Robert Durst and the documentary, The Jinx, which chronicles it. I just couldn't get the true-life story of Robert Durst out of my head. From the way he saw his mother commit suicide by jumping of the top of his home as a child to the incredible way he confessed to multiple murder at the end of the documentary. I didn't think I'd feel sorry for him but I did. How much did the trauma as a child contribute to his violent tendencies as an adult? I hoped writing this novel would help me understand.
