The pain seemed to dissolve. Cold and rough tarmac against the face, chill wind down here at ground level, smell of French perfume on my shirt, delicious. I registered that but all I felt was sad. This is a stupid way to go, I thought. Careless.When Mac Faraday's best friend is found hanging, the assumption is suicide. But Mac is far from convinced, and he's a man who knows not to accept things at face value.A regular at the local pub, a mainstay of the footy team, Mac is living the quiet life of a country blacksmith - a life connected to a place, connected to its people.But Mac carries a burden of fear and vigilance from his old life.And as this past of secrets, corruption, abuse and murder begins to close in, he must turn to long-forgotten resources to hang on to everything he holds dear, including his own life.

Author Biography

Award-winning author Peter Temple has worked as a journalist, editor and teacher of journalism and editing. He has just been named joint-winner of the NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST CRIME NOVEL 2001 for DEAD POINT. This is his second win in a row -- SHOOTING STAR won last year -- and his third Ned Kelly Award. 'Temple's work is spare, deeply ironic; his wit, like the local beer, as cold as a dental anaesthetic' - THE AUSTRALIAN 'Temple is as dark and mean, as cool and as mesmerising, as any James Ellroy or Elmore Leonard' - THE AGE