Murray Whelan is in trouble. A disastrous election is looming, and his days as advisor to Angelo Agnelli, minister for transport, may be numbered. His son, on loan to his ex-wife, is missing and may be in danger. His ex-fling, Heather, is prowling for his inner prince. And on an icy Melbourne winter morning, he has a rendezvous with a renegade driver in the corrupt truckers union. After that meeting, and a possible run-in with a well-known Italian self-help organization, nothing can save him from another wildly funny, fresh, and fast-paced comic misadventure. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Now pushing fifty, Murray Whelan is spinning his wheels in parliament - a toothless cog in Labor's stalled political machine. But when the remains of a long-lost union official are found in dried-up Lake Nillahcootie, Murray soon gets sucked into some murky waters. For a start, it seems that his old mate Charlie Talbot was implicated. But Charlie has just dropped dead of a coronary occlusion in the dining room of the Mildura Grand Hotel, leaving behind a lot of unanswered questions. The press are sniffing around and Labor's enemies are lining up for a free kick. Then there's the blackmail attempt. And as if that wasn't enough, there's an ALP preselection going pear-shaped. Eagerly awaited by his legion of fans, Shane Maloney's sixth Murray Whelan mystery sees the clown prince of the true believers in vintage form.
Winner, Ned Kelly Award for Crime Fiction, 1996 ‘When I hear the word culture I think excellence and I think access...’ I wasn’t sure where this was going, but at least he wasn’t reaching for his revolver. Murray Whelan, hero of Stiff, is back at his richly futile best in The Brush-Off. When the body of an artist is fished from the moat outside the National Gallery, Murray—political minder, brushed-off lover and art buff on the make—goes looking for the big picture. If he can put the fix in, he might have a chance of staying employed. The second adventure in Shane Maloney’s series brilliantly mixes high art with low blows. Born in Hamilton in western Victoria, in 1953, Shane Maloney is one of Australia’s most popular novelists. His award-winning and much-loved Murray Whelan series—Stiff, The Brush-Off, Nice Try, The Big Ask, Something Fishy and Sucked In—has been published around the world. Before becoming a writer, Shane Maloney booked rock bands, promoted public radio, conducted public relations for the Boy Scouts Association, ran the Melbourne Comedy Festival and became a swimming pool lifeguard. There is no evidence that anyone drowned on his watch. In 1996 The Brush-Off won the Ned Kelly Prize for Crime Fiction. In 2004 Stiff and The Brush-Off were made into telemovies, starring David Wenham as Murray Whelan. In 2009 Shane Maloney was presented with the Crime Writers’ Association of Australia Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in Melbourne. ‘The Brush-Off brilliantly mixes the comic and the tragic: this amusing thriller has you laughing at the moments where a gasp may be more appropriate.’ Rolling Stone ‘Maloney is top shelf.’ Australian ‘A succulent, consistently funny detective story...The plot is something like John Cleese might dream up if he was drunk with Dashiell Hammett.’ Age
The Third Murray Whelan Adventure When Murray Whelan, lovelorn political minder and part-time fitness fanatic, is recruited to massage Australia's bid for the Olympics he has no idea how tough the going will get. Not even the sight of the gorgeous Holly Deloite in her taut blue leotard at the City Club can stop him diving head first into trouble. And, when the death of the young Aboriginal athlete Darcy Anderson proves that murder is a contact sport, Murray is soon breaking all the rules. Mixing it with a savvy black activist, a body-building psychopath and the enigmatic Dr Phillipa Knox, Murray jumps the gun every time. 'One of the most outrageously funny voices in modern detective fiction...Shane Maloney's prose is more than a 'nice try' at combining social and political satire with the conventions of the crime novel. It's spot on.' Age Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Don’t you just hate it when someone tries to kill you and you don’t know why? Single father Murray Whelan thinks the life of a parent and political operative is complicated enough. His ex is staking out the moral high ground for a custody battle, and rumors of an early election are starting to fly in the upper echelons of Australia’s Labor party. When a Turk is found snap-frozen in a local meat plant, Murray cops the job to head off possible fallout for his boss, Charlene Wills, a member of Parliament and the Minister for Industry. But the meat industry smells decidedly fishy when Murray starts asking too many questions. Suddenly things are spinning fatally out of control as he finds himself the object of an elaborate intimidation plot: drugs planted under the bed, fascist funeral rites, a killer car, and bloodsucking parasites. That’s when red-hot Ayisha, the Turkish Welfare League’s answer to activism, knocks on his door. Stiff brings back the wisecracking ace of reluctant detectives in a mystery that is fast, furious, and very, very funny. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
The fiddle at the Pacific Pastoral meat-packing works was a nice little earner for all concerned until Herb Gardiner reported finding a body in number 3 chiller. An accident, of course, but just the excuse a devious political operator might grab to stir up trouble with the unions. Enter Murray Whelan, minder and fixer for the Minister of Industry.
On a sultry summer night Murray Whelan is in the Botanical Gardens tasting Salina Fleet's apricot lips. Meanwhile the body of an artist is being fished from the ornamental moat outside the Art Gallery. The papers called it suicide. The police say it's an accident. Political minder, brushed-off lover and art buff on the make, Murray goes looking for the big picture. He finds there's more than meets the eye among the self-made millionaires, ruthless culture vultures, and cool operators of Melbourne's art world. He learns that when you dabble with death there's nothing abstract about a loaded gun. Murray Whelan, the hero of Stiff, Shane Maloney's brilliant debut novel, is back at his richly futile best. A romantic comedy and drop-dead thriller, The Brush-Off mixes high art with low blows.
The Hon. Murray Whelan MP. Respectability at last.And true love, what's more, in the person of the salty-tongued Lyndal Luscombe-who has in her possession a highly significant ultrasound photo.There must be a catch.And Murray's about to reel it in.
Don't you just hate it when someone tries to kill you and you don't know why? Single father Murray Whelan thinks the life of a parent and political operative is complicated enough. His ex is staking out the moral high ground for a custody battle, and rumors of an early election are starting to fly in the upper echelons of Australia's Labor party. When a Turk is found snap-frozen in a local meat plant, Murray cops the job to head off possible fallout for his boss, Charlene Wills, a member of Parliament and the Minister for Industry. But the meat industry smells decidedly fishy when Murray starts asking too many questions. Suddenly things are spinning fatally out of control as he finds himself the object of an elaborate intimidation plot: drugs planted under the bed, fascist funeral rites, a killer car, and bloodsucking parasites. That's when red-hot Ayisha, the Turkish Welfare League's answer to activism, knocks on his door. "Stiff" brings back the wisecracking ace of reluctant detectives in a mystery that is fast, furious, and very, very funny.
Orcs don't like questions. Everybody with a brain knows that. Orc tribes save their strength for fighting, not thinking. They survive by raiding the lands of weaker races, repeating it year after year to offer tribute to the masters of their mountain home. Life on Firebrand Peak is short and nasty. Death comes quickly and the fallen are soon forgotten. Generations pass, yet the tribe remains brutally the same. Until one little orc starts asking too many questions.
When you dabble with death, there's nothing abstract about a loaded gun. A born detective despite himself, assistant minister of culture Murray Whelan digs, and the deeper he goes, the more puzzling the mystery of a young artist's death becomes. Tightly plotted, funny, and briskly paced, this first Murray Whelan mystery won the Ned Kelly Prize for Best Crime Novel, Australia's equivalent to our Edgar Award.
When Murray Whelan, lovelorn political minder, cigarette addict and part-time fitness fanatic, is recruited to massage Australia's bid for the Olympics he has no idea how fit he needs to be. Then the death of a young Aboriginal athlete proves that murder is a contact sport. Nice Try is the third Murray Whelan adventure.
At more than 2,520 kilometres long, [the Murray] is [Australia's] most important river. ... From ancient times, to pioneering days, to the environmental challenges of today - it has been at the centre of the story of [Australia]. ..."--Back cover.
This study of Tokyo by students from the RMIT school of architecture in Melbourne 'is concerned with the atypical, investigating unforeseen interstices and interesting gaps...the contingent, the makeshift, and the temporary get recorded'. Similar to PET ARCHITECTURE GUIDEBOOK
The Big Ask A disastrous election result is looming, and Murray's days as a political minder seem numbered. With a runaway son on his hands, the police at his heels, and a gun buried in the backyard, Murray Whelan faces his toughest test yet. Something Fishy Even in the political wilderness, hope springs eternal for the Hon. Murray Whelan MP. He has found true love and there is a baby on the way. But in a world of abalone poaching, shady restaurateurs, tree-hugging ferals and teenage romance, you can depend on Murray Whelan to stumble upon Something Fishy. Sucked In When the remains of a long-lost union official are found in dried-up Lake Nillahcootie, Murray Whelan soon gets sucked into some murky waters. His old mate Charlie Talbot is implicated, the press are sniffing around and Labor's enemies are lining up for a free kick. Then there's the blackmail attempt. And as if that wasn't enough, there's an ALP pre-selection going pear-shaped.
Murray Whelan is the political advisor to the newly appointed minister of culture, Angelo (“Tell me, Murray, what are the Arts?”) Agnelli, and he’s hanging on to his job by his toenails. On his first day, the disgruntled young artist Marcus Taylor is found dead, drowned in the ornamental moat outside the National Gallery. The police rule it a suicide, or perhaps an accident, but Murray is not so sure. Besides, this ugly incident occurred on Agnelli’s watch, so the heat is on. A born detective despite himself, Murray digs, and the deeper he goes, the more puzzling the mystery becomes. Who is this other painter, Victor Szabo, also dead, unknown in his lifetime and now the darling of the art world, with works fetching crazy prices—funded in part by the government? And what about suave businessman and art maven Lloyd Eastlake, who is whispering financial sweet nothings in Angelo Agnelli’s ear? A first-rate, funny, tightly plotted thriller with the verve of Get Shorty and Striptease, The Brush-Off brings us a Down Under we hardly knew: with political scamming and art fraud, ruthless culture vultures, silky bureaucrats, and scheming self-made millionaires—all brought together by a streetwise, sharp-tongued political advisor who has a knack for stumbling onto murder. His crash course in culture teaches him one thing for certain: when you dabble with death, there’s nothing abstract about a loaded gun. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
• The classic art-world mystery from one of Australia’s most iconic novelists, The Brush-Off by Shane Maloney, joins the Text Classics list • With life sales in ANZ of over 31k, The Brush-Off has not been out of print since its publication in 1996 • The Brush-Off is the second of Shane Maloney’s six Murray Whelan mysteries, the first of which was his debut novel, Stiff. In this instalment, Murray is back to investigate the discovery of a body in the ornamental moat outside the National Gallery • Maloney’s formidable eye and wry humour makes The Brush-Off both a compelling literary thriller and a distinctly Australian art-world satire • In 2004, The Brush-Off was adapted into a telemovie starring David Wenham and directed by John Clarke and Sam Neill • In 2009, Shane Maloney was presented with the Crime Writers’ Association of Australia Lifetime Achievement Award • This Text Classics edition will be introduced by the internationally bestselling crime novelist Michael Robotham
Murray Whelan should have been asleep in bed. That's where the smart money is at 4.30 on a wet winter's morning. Not loitering among the truckies at the fruit and vegetable market. Not picking fights with a gun-toting kid in a cashmere coat. Not tasting forbidden fruit in the back of Donny Maitland's rig. But what's a lonely political minder to do? His son Red has disappeared, and his boss Angelo Agnelli has sent him on a mission to infiltrate the toughest union in the country. With an election looming, a homicide cop on his heels, adultery in the air and a gun buried in the backyard, the triumphantly futile hero of Shane Moloney's acclaimed thrillers is crunching the numbers once again.
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