PositiveThe Historical Novel SocietyThis 1930s Sydney is vibrant and authentic, and the inclusion of a relevant newspaper cutting at the beginning of each chapter is a neat touch, but there are the usual problems for any reviewer coming late to a series such as this. Without knowledge of the back stories and the nature of Rowland’s personal relationships, these must be guessed at; ditto references to his previous adventures, including a recent trip to Germany and his arrest for some unspecified crime. Thus it almost goes without saying that in order to get the best value out of this highly original series with its quirky characters, it is recommended that readers seek out the earlier titles and follow them in sequence.
