THE RICHMOND CONSPIRACY

Melbourne, 1933. Victor Lawrence Radcliffe, vice-chairman of the shadowy army veteran group, the Praetorian Guard, has been found dead in a deserted warehouse. The state of his body suggests a killer trained in army techniques of murder.

Police inspector James Maclaine is investigating. Ex-Australian Imperial Force and a veteran of the Great War, Maclaine is no stranger to violence and horror, and the effect it can have on once-ordinary men. The streets of Melbourne are full of them: the walking wounded, unable to forget their experiences in battle, unable to remember how to live as they once did.
Maclaine must bring the killer to justice. But in this new world, old ideas of morality, truth and fairness seem out of place - and Maclaine must first determine where justice lies.

With its sparkling dialogue and authentic characters, THE RICHMOND CONSPIRACY is an accomplished debut. This work of historical crime fiction brilliantly evokes the setting of Melbourne during the Depression.

Andrew Grimes is working on more crime novels featuring James Maclaine.